# Cloudflare Registrar review: at-cost domains, if you use Cloudflare DNS

**Verdict: the best choice if your DNS is already on Cloudflare.** You pay
exactly what the registry charges, renewals included, and you get one-click
DNSSEC and strong account security. The price of admission is that the
domain must use Cloudflare's nameservers for as long as it stays there.

We review registrars from one angle: how well they protect a business's
domains. We have no affiliate relationship with any registrar. Facts were
checked on 30 October 2026.

## At a glance

| | Cloudflare Registrar |
|---|---|
| Pricing | at cost: the registry's and ICANN's fees, no markup; renewal = registration |
| WHOIS privacy | free redaction |
| Two-factor sign-in | security key or built-in authenticator (WebAuthn), authenticator app, email code; backup codes |
| Transfer lock | on by default |
| Registry lock | Enterprise plan only (Custom Domain Protection) |
| DNSSEC | one click |
| Nameservers | **must be Cloudflare's** |
| TLDs | 430+ |
| Free extras | DNS, CDN, SSL, Email Routing (forwarding) |

## Price

Cloudflare charges what the registry charges plus the ICANN fee, with no
markup and no extra for privacy. There's no first-year discount either, so
it's rarely the cheapest to register and usually the cheapest to keep.
Renewals are non-refundable.

## Security

- **Account protection** is strong: WebAuthn security keys (or Touch ID and
  Windows Hello), an authenticator app, and backup codes for recovery.
- **Transfer lock** is on by default, and **DNSSEC** is one click because
  Cloudflare runs both the registrar and the DNS.
- **Registry lock** is available as Custom Domain Protection on the
  Enterprise plan, with out-of-band verification for changes. On other plans
  there's no registry lock. See [Registry lock](/guides/registry-lock).

## The catch: Cloudflare's nameservers only

A domain registered with Cloudflare must use Cloudflare DNS. You can't point
it at Route 53, Azure DNS or your own servers; to use another DNS provider
you'd transfer the domain out. Business and Enterprise plans can use custom
nameserver names, and a subdomain can be delegated elsewhere, but the domain
itself stays on Cloudflare DNS.

For most businesses already using Cloudflare that's no loss. For anyone who
wants registrar and DNS at separate companies (so one compromised account
can't take both), it's a reason to look elsewhere.

## Transfers in

A domain must be active on Cloudflare (DNS already moved) before it can be
transferred in. Transfers add a year, except .uk and .nz. The usual 60-day
locks after registration, transfer or a change of owner apply. Cloudflare
can also place administrative locks for legal reasons. See
[Transfer a domain without downtime](/guides/transfer-domain-safely).

## Reporting abuse at Cloudflare

The registrar abuse contact is `registrar-abuse@cloudflare.com`
(+1.650.319.8930). For a phishing site that only uses Cloudflare's proxy,
see [Report a phishing site behind Cloudflare](/guides/report-phishing-domain-cloudflare).

## Compared with the others

See [the best domain registrar for security](/guides/best-domain-registrar-for-security).

## Check your domain

The [domain expiry checker](/tools/domain-expiry-checker) shows expiry,
transfer lock and registrar for any domain.

## Sources

- [Cloudflare Registrar](https://www.cloudflare.com/products/registrar/)
- [Cloudflare Registrar FAQ](https://developers.cloudflare.com/registrar/faq/)
- [Cloudflare: Custom Domain Protection](https://developers.cloudflare.com/registrar/custom-domain-protection/)
- [Cloudflare: two-factor authentication](https://developers.cloudflare.com/fundamentals/user-profiles/2fa/)
- [Cloudflare: Email Routing](https://developers.cloudflare.com/email-routing/)
- [Cloudflare: transfer a domain to Cloudflare](https://developers.cloudflare.com/registrar/get-started/transfer-domain-to-cloudflare/)
- [Verisign RDAP: cloudflare.com (registrar abuse contact)](https://rdap.verisign.com/com/v1/domain/cloudflare.com)

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Source: https://nameward.app/guides/cloudflare-registrar-review (updated 2026-10-30)