Free domain

You know how we get a free domain registration a year?

Lets say that I don't want to use my free domain registration yet, and another year passes by. Will the free domain registration's add up or will they just limit it to one at a time?

Since I'm not DreamHost, I can only guess. I thought that the free domain showed up as a $9.95 credit, so maybe it does pile up. But I could be wrong (again).

-Scott

I've never seen a definitive answer to whether the domain registration credits "pile up" or whether it's "use 'em or lose 'em" every year. I suppose this is like vacation days where either way is reasonable.

I'll submit a support ticket and see what they say!

What are 50DISK50, 3DOM50, and 1IP1DOM50?
They're Dreamhost coupons!

Just heard back from support. It's use 'em or lose 'em. They said:

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Registration credits do not "rollover". The first domain registration, renewal, or transfer per year you have active hosting is simply free. In other words, one free registration is free per calendar year you have your plan active, whether you use it or not.

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Presumably, if you have more than one free domain registration a year from promo codes, the same applies. That is, the first "N" registrations or renewals per year are free.

What are 50DISK50, 3DOM50, and 1IP1DOM50?
They're Dreamhost coupons!

Thanks for clearing that up. I've been using mine, and why not?


-Scott

There isn't a free domain per-year, it's a one-time line-item that comes with your package. If you don't use it now DH will owe it to you whenever you want it. I've been with DH about 2 years now, brought over my own domain, and they confirmed recently that they'll honor the domain whenever I ask for it.

I believe yearly registration fees are still always due after this first event, even if DH is your registrar.

Thanks, that helped me a lot...

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I believe yearly registration fees are still always due after this first event, even if DH is your registrar.

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Well, that is not quite correct ... any "free domains" that you have as part of your deal (one for all customers, and possibly more depending upon any promo deal used that offers "free domains") remain "free" as long as you maintain your valid DreamHost account.

You can only use a promo code "one-time", but any free domains included in your plan remain free for the life of the plan, whether it be one year or 20 years.

What you *can't* do is something like , "I didn't use my 'free' domain last year, so this year I want to use *two* (last year's and this year's) .

You *can* say, "Register this domain as my 'free domain', and renew it every year at no charge to me as long as I own this DreamHost account".

Does that help make it more clear?

--rlparker

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There isn't a free domain per-year, it's a one-time line-item that comes with your package. If you don't use it now DH will owe it to you whenever you want it. I've been with DH about 2 years now, brought over my own domain, and they confirmed recently that they'll honor the domain whenever I ask for it.

I believe yearly registration fees are still always due after this first event, even if DH is your registrar.

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I think all evidence points in the other direction - that is, that you get one free registration or renewal per year. I mean, how else do you explain what support told me in response to my question?

What are 50DISK50, 3DOM50, and 1IP1DOM50?
They're Dreamhost coupons!

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you get one free registration or renewal per year.

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That is absolutely correct; I use mine each year.

--rlparker

Oops. What he said! (rlparker, that is)

What are 50DISK50, 3DOM50, and 1IP1DOM50?
They're Dreamhost coupons!

I'll be happy to be wrong here. So let me get this straight:
1) We register with DH and even if we bring our own domain name, DH gives us one.
2) If we use the freebie we now have 2.
3) Next year, still with DH, we get another = 3.
4) It's time to renew with the registrar. My original is GoDaddy. I pay them for domain 1 but DH covers 2 and 3 for as long as I stay hosted with them.
5) They just told me recently that they still owe me a domain but they didn't tell me that I can get one every year. Hmph. I'm past one calendar year from my initial purchase so I can get one for this year and now I need to wait about 10 months to get another.

Is all of that correct? When it comes down to it, it's only a couple bucks, so this isn't a big deal. I'm not interested so much in the cash but it's nice to know that we have the freedom to just add another domain to our space once in a while.

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1) We register with DH and even if we bring our own domain name, DH gives us one.

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yes

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2) If we use the freebie we now have 2

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yes. or 2, or 3 or 4 depends on the promo code used

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3) Next year, still with DH, we get another = 3.

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not exactly correct. You won't get another one because you will need to use the credit to renew your existing domain first.

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4) It's time to renew with the registrar. My original is GoDaddy. I pay them for domain 1 but DH covers 2 and 3 for as long as I stay hosted with them.

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yes, as long as you keep your hosting plan here. that is called lifetime domain.

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5) They just told me recently that they still owe me a domain but they didn't tell me that I can get one every year. Hmph.

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DH gives credits every year. The number of credits depends on your plan and promo code used. You can use these credits to register new domain or renew existing domain. In another word, you won't get new domains every year because you have to use the credits to renew your domains.

I had no idea this was so confusing, and I think what is hanging us up here is the language and usage. Patrick's answer is correct, but I think it *still* could be misunderstood because of the way he repeated back some of your statements.

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1) We register with DH and even if we bring our own domain name, DH gives us one.

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Yes. Same answer as Patrick gave. A little clarification might be that they may give you one, or two, or more, depending upon the promo code you used. *Everybody* gets 1, but some who used promocodes that offered more may have additional "free" domains as part of their "plan"

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2) If we use the freebie we now have 2.

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Yes ... two domains, that is (one of which was free). If you use the free domain(s) that are part of your plan you will have a total of the number of domains you already own (registered anywhere at all, including DreamHost) plus the additional "free" one(s) that came with your plan.

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3) Next year, still with DH, we get another = 3.

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No, not for "free" you don't. If you have not used the free one(s) you had as part of your plan, you can still add them, but they don't "add up". You will always have, at any given time, the total of whatever domains you have already registered and renewed, and the additional domains that came with your plan for "free", but they do not accumulate.

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4) It's time to renew with the registrar. My original is GoDaddy. I pay them for domain 1 but DH covers 2 and 3 for as long as I stay hosted with them.

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Nope. See question 3 above - you will still have whatever number of free ones came with your original plan.

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5) They just told me recently that they still owe me a domain but they didn't tell me that I can get one every year. Hmph.

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Because you can't. You can only get another "free" one if you let the first free one expire (or any other combination you want, as long as you pay for all that you have other than the original number than came with your plan). You *do* get another free year of renewal on that "free" domain, and that continues as long as you have the plan or the domain - if you do not renew the domain *then* you are back to having another "free" one available.

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I'm past one calendar year from my initial purchase so I can get one for this year and now I need to wait about 10 months to get another.

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Nope. You can get one whenever you want, and that will be your "free" one. If your plan comes with a single "free" domain (as most do) than that is all you will get, though you can keep that one and it will remain "free" (no renewal fees) for as long as you keep your hosting plan account with DreamHost.

Of course, you may not want to do that, as you may want a *different* domain, and no longer want the original "free" one you chose .. that's fine, you can just let it expire, and then you will be back to having "0" free domains on your pland, which comes with 1, so you can *then* add another.

Obviously, this could get confusing, so DreamHost just credits you with the amount of one of your registered domains each year .. that leaves you to sort out "which one is 'free' " in which ever way suits you.

--rlparker

Is overexplaining a word yet?

LOL. I was thinking the same thing - though it's not the explaining that's the issue. I'm amazed that the first few answers weren't clear enough. (and here I thought they were! shows what I know)

What are 50DISK50, 3DOM50, and 1IP1DOM50?
They're Dreamhost coupons!

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Is overexplaining a word yet?

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I'm not sure. What do you mean?

-Scott

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Is overexplaining a word yet?

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I'm with Scott on this one .... [big grin!]

--rlparker

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DH gives credits every year. The number of credits depends on your plan and promo code used. You can use these credits to register new domain or renew existing domain. In another word, you won't get new domains every year because you have to use the credits to renew your domains.

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I guess I'm slow but this finally hit home. They give us a credit and we can use it to start a new domain. Next year the credit can be applied to a renewal, or we can renew that site with cash and use the credit for a new domain. Different plans and promos result in a different number of credits. If you only get one credit per year then essentially that will fund your domain/renewals for a new site at DH. If you have your own domain and DH is your registrar, they comp you for your domain renewals from now on. If you still want more than one domain, you're going to pay for renewals on anything after the first no matter who your registrar is.

I hope I have that right now - and I'm going to start thinking about a new domain name so that I can make use of the completely free benefit!

Thanks for setting me straight guys!!

Yeah that's about it. Lensman's algebraic response summed it up.


At signup you receive n free domains.

Each year your account automatically receives $(registration fee) x n credits.


You can apply these free credits toward domain renewal or to create new ones, etc.

If you have multiple free renewals can you stack them?
That is, if I have 2 renewal credits, can I renew 1 domain for 2 years?

-- Signature under construction --
-- Please be careful of loose wires --

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If you have multiple free renewals can you stack them? That is, if I have 2 renewal credits, can I renew 1 domain for 2 years?

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Why would you even consider doing that? If you have "2 renewal credits" this year, you will also have "two renewal credits" *each* year you continue your hosting plan ... so there is nothing to gain unless you are planning to cancel your plan and just want to have a domain "prepaid" for a bit.

You can ask support for a clarification on that, but I'm pretty sure you won't be able to do that.

--rlparker

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Why would you even consider doing that?

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Well, if one doesn't have another domain they want to register in year 1, but feels they may have 2 additional domains they want in year 2, I could see someone wanting to "save" that extra registration/renewal for next year by "doubling up" on a single domain in year 1.

I don't think this is possible as stated (register or renew for free for multiple years at once), but I did notice that you can renew a domain immediately in the panel, so I think you can register that first domain and then immediately renew it. Presumably you could keep doing this...

What are 50DISK50, 3DOM50, and 1IP1DOM50?
They're Dreamhost coupons!

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If you have multiple free renewals can you stack them?
That is, if I have 2 renewal credits, can I renew 1 domain for 2 years?

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The free credit is given under the premise that it will be used for domain renewal (in order that the free domain forever clause is met) so while it is apparently feasible to do what you're suggesting, I do believe that would be playing the system. Which could land you in trouble.

As rl suggests, your best bet would be to submit that precise question to Support to receive a definitive answer. DH are very flexible and the case may be that they'll allow you to do it upon request.