Before you register a domain
A promising name is only a starting point. Use this checklist after generating a shortlist and before completing an order with a registrar. It is a buying worksheet, not a live quote or legal clearance.
1. Read the exact address
Check every letter, hyphen and extension in the search result and again in the cart. A small spelling difference can be a different domain. Read the whole address aloud, including the suffix, and ask another person to type it without looking at the spelling. Keep an alternative if your first choice is difficult to communicate.
2. Compare the cost beyond year one
Write down the first registration charge, registration term, renewal charge, currency and any taxes shown at checkout. Check whether a premium label changes the initial price or the ongoing renewal price. Do not infer next year’s bill from a promotional search result.
3. Know who is registering it
Use the intended registrant’s accurate details and a contact email that will remain accessible. Do not assume the website where you discovered a name will manage the registration. Save the registrar’s name and order confirmation; 404foundme does not register a domain or take payment for you.
4. Review optional additions
Look through each cart line rather than only the headline total. Decide deliberately whether you need hosting, email or other services. Buying a domain is a different decision from choosing where to build a website. Nothing in the free 404foundme shortlist commits you to a purchase.
5. Make an account-recovery and renewal plan
Review the registrar’s authentication and recovery options. Keep access to the login email and store recovery details safely. Understand the renewal settings, expiry notices and the conditions for recovering an expired name. Check current transfer restrictions before assuming that a newly registered domain can immediately be moved elsewhere.
6. Test the name outside this tool
Search for existing use in your target market, including company, product and app names. A registrar’s availability result does not answer every naming-rights question. For a significant launch, seek an appropriate independent review rather than treating an automated name suggestion as permission to use it.
A comparison note you can copy
For each candidate, record: exact domain; registrar; registration term; first charge; renewal charge; currency; optional extras; renewal setting; recovery contact. Then compare your shortlist using the same fields. An unknown value is a question to resolve at the registrar, not a zero-cost assumption.
For official transfer guidance, see ICANN’s domain transfer questions. Individual registration and billing conditions must be checked with the registrar you choose.