Google Domain Names Registration and Search for Free Apps for Your Domain

Google starts to offer domain names registration and domains search service for new Google Apps for Your Domain (now Google Apps for Work) users and subscribers who don’t already own or register a custom domain. However, Google doesn’t actually host the domains itself, instead, it partners with GoDaddy.com and eNom.com, two leading domain registration services, to offer domains for $10 per year (price has increased for TLDs). At this price, the domain registration package offered by Google also includes private domain registration which hide and protect personal information, full DNS control and domain management and domain locking to protect against unauthorized domain transfer, all of which are settings available in domain partner’s site DNS and domain control panel.

The Google domains registration service is now available only for .com, .net, .org, .biz, and .info domains, according to Google blog. If you register through Google, all DNS entries settings will be automatically configured to work with Google services activated in Google Apps for Your Domain. The domain DNS settings include A, CNAME (for customize URLs) and MX records (for send or receive of email delivery service), thus saving great amount of time and work for free Google Apps users, and eliminate possible to misconfiguration or error.

To pay for the domain registration, Google Checkout is the only payment option. Standard information that similar when you register domains else is needed, however, you can choose the option to “Keep my registration information unlisted” and “Do not make it available in the WHOIS directory unless required”.

After registration, you will have full control over the domain and DNS, at control panel provided by Google’s partnered registrars (Enom or Godaddy). At Google Apps for Your Domain Control Panel, there is a one-click link that allows user to access directly to the Advanced DNS settings.