If you own a domain, you’re probably paying more for it than you need to. Most domain registrars mark up their prices significantly above what they pay for domains. Cloudflare is different. They offer domains at cost, meaning they charge you the wholesale price plus the mandatory ICANN fee, with no profit margin added. For many domains, this can save you money every year.

But Cloudflare as a registrar offers more than just lower prices. Even on the free plan, you get powerful DNS management, built-in security features, and integration with Cloudflare’s performance and security services. If you’re already using Cloudflare for DNS or CDN services, having your domain registered there simplifies everything.

Transferring a domain can seem intimidating if you’re not familiar with how DNS works. But understanding a few basic concepts makes the process straightforward. You’re moving your domain registration from one company to another, and updating where your DNS records are managed. The transfer itself doesn’t affect your website or email, as long as you set things up correctly.

Let’s walk through what DNS is, how domain registration works, and then the actual transfer process. By the end, you’ll understand not just how to transfer your domain, but why each step matters.

What DNS is and why it matters

DNS stands for Domain Name System. Think of it as the internet’s phone book. When you type a website address like vdaluz.com into your browser, your computer needs to find the server that hosts that website. But computers don’t understand human-friendly names like vdaluz.com. They understand IP addresses, which are strings of numbers like 192.0.2.1.

DNS translates domain names into IP addresses. When you visit a website, your computer asks a DNS server “what’s the IP address for vdaluz.com?” The DNS server responds with the IP address, and your browser connects to that server. This happens in milliseconds, and it happens billions of times per day across the internet.

Your domain registrar manages your domain registration, but your DNS records can be managed separately. The domain registrar is the company that registered your domain with ICANN, the organization that oversees domain names on the internet. But you can point your domain’s DNS to any DNS provider you want, whether that’s your registrar, Cloudflare, Google, or anyone else.

When you transfer a domain, you’re changing your registrar. You’re moving the registration from one company to another. This doesn’t automatically change where your DNS records are hosted. You can keep using the same DNS provider, or switch to a different one. Cloudflare makes it easy to manage both your domain registration and DNS in one place.

Understanding this separation between domain registration and DNS management is key. Your domain registration determines who you pay for the domain and who manages the registration records. Your DNS records determine how your domain resolves on the internet. These are related but separate things.

Domain registration versus DNS management

Domain registration is about ownership and renewal. When you register a domain, you’re paying for the right to use that domain name for a period of time, usually one year. Your registrar maintains your contact information, handles renewals, and manages the domain’s status with ICANN.

DNS management is about how your domain works. DNS records tell the internet where your website is hosted, where email should be delivered, and other services associated with your domain. These records can be managed by your registrar, or by a separate DNS provider.

You can register your domain with one company and use DNS from another. For example, you might register your domain with GoDaddy but use Cloudflare for DNS. This is common, and it’s one of the reasons transferring your domain registration doesn’t have to disrupt your website.

Nameservers are what connect your domain registration to your DNS provider. When you set nameservers for your domain, you’re telling the internet “when someone looks up this domain, ask these DNS servers for the answer.” Your domain registration stores which nameservers to use, and those nameservers have your DNS records.

When you transfer a domain to Cloudflare, you can use Cloudflare’s nameservers. This means Cloudflare will handle both your domain registration and your DNS records. Everything is in one place, which simplifies management. But you don’t have to use Cloudflare’s nameservers if you prefer to use a different DNS provider.

The key point is that domain registration and DNS management are separate services. Understanding this separation makes domain transfers less confusing. You’re moving the registration, and optionally moving DNS management too.

Why Cloudflare as a registrar is worth considering

Cloudflare charges at cost, meaning they don’t add a profit margin. Cloudflare charges what they pay for the domain wholesale, plus the mandatory ICANN fee of $0.18 that applies to all registrations, renewals, and transfers. This non-refundable ICANN fee is standard across all registrars and is required by ICANN. Cloudflare doesn’t mark up the wholesale price, so you’re paying the cost plus the required ICANN fee, nothing more. Most other registrars add significant markup on top of the wholesale price and ICANN fee. For a .com domain, you might pay $15-20 per year at other registrars, but Cloudflare charges around $9-10 because that’s what it costs them wholesale, plus the ICANN fee.

The savings add up if you own multiple domains. If you have five domains and each one costs $10 less per year at Cloudflare, that’s $50 per year in savings. Over time, that’s real money. And Cloudflare doesn’t raise prices during renewals like some registrars do.

Even on the free plan, Cloudflare offers powerful DNS features. You get unlimited DNS queries, which means no matter how much traffic your website gets, Cloudflare won’t charge you for DNS lookups. You get DNSSEC protection, which adds security to your DNS records. You get fast DNS resolution from Cloudflare’s global network.

Beyond registrar and DNS services, Cloudflare also provides developer platform services on the free tier. You get access to Cloudflare Pages for hosting static websites and Cloudflare Workers for serverless functions, both available without cost. These are developer platform services that compete with products like AWS, Netlify, and Vercel, not typical registrar services. They’re valuable additions that you can use if you need hosting or serverless compute, and they integrate seamlessly with your domain management.

Cloudflare integrates DNS and domain management in one dashboard. If you’re already using Cloudflare for CDN or security services, having your domain registered there means everything is in one place. You don’t have to log into multiple accounts to manage different aspects of your domain.

The security features are impressive even on the free plan. Cloudflare provides automatic SSL certificates, DDoS protection, and other security features as part of their free tier. If you’re hosting a website, these features are valuable and would cost money elsewhere.

Cloudflare doesn’t try to upsell you. Many registrars constantly push you to buy additional services, domain privacy, email hosting, and other add-ons. Cloudflare offers what they offer, and they’re transparent about pricing. There’s no pressure to buy things you don’t need.

If you’re already using Cloudflare for other services, it makes sense to have your domain there too. The integration is seamless, and you’ll have fewer accounts to manage. But even if you’re not using Cloudflare for anything else, the cost savings and solid DNS management make it worth considering.

It’s worth noting that Cloudflare’s pricing and policies are subject to change. While they currently offer domains at cost with no markup and provide excellent free-tier services, policies can evolve over time. For now, they seem to offer the best deal for domain registration, but it’s important to stay aware of any changes to their pricing or terms.

DNS records explained

DNS records are instructions that tell the internet how your domain should work. Different types of records serve different purposes. Understanding the main types helps you set up your domain correctly after transferring it.

A records point your domain to an IP address. When someone visits your website, they need to know which server to connect to. An A record tells DNS “when someone asks for example.com, give them this IP address.” Your website hosting provider will give you the IP address to use in your A record.

CNAME records create aliases. They point one domain name to another domain name. For example, you might have www.example.com point to example.com using a CNAME record. This is useful because you can point multiple subdomains to the same place, and if the IP address changes, you only need to update one A record.

MX records handle email routing. When someone sends email to an address at your domain, mail servers need to know where to deliver it. MX records tell them which mail server handles email for your domain. You’ll need these if you’re using custom email addresses.

TXT records store text information. They’re used for various purposes like verifying domain ownership, setting up email authentication, or adding arbitrary text. Common uses include SPF records for email security and domain verification for services like Google Workspace.

AAAA records are like A records but for IPv6 addresses. IPv6 is the newer version of the internet protocol. Most domains need A records for IPv4, but if your hosting supports IPv6, you might also want AAAA records.

NS records specify nameservers. These tell the internet which DNS servers are authoritative for your domain. When you transfer your domain to Cloudflare, you’ll update these to point to Cloudflare’s nameservers.

Understanding these record types helps when you’re setting up DNS after a transfer. You’ll need to know which records you had before so you can recreate them. Most registrars let you export your DNS records, which makes this easier.

Preparing your domain for transfer

Before you can transfer your domain, you need to unlock it at your current registrar. Registrars lock domains by default to prevent unauthorized transfers. This is a security feature, but it means you need to unlock it before you can transfer it away.

You’ll also need to get your authorization code, sometimes called an EPP code. This is a code that proves you’re authorized to transfer the domain. Your current registrar should provide this code when you request it. It’s usually shown in your domain management dashboard, or you might need to request it via email.

Make sure your domain contact information is up to date. The transfer process requires email confirmation, and if your contact email is outdated, you won’t receive the confirmation messages. Update your WHOIS information if needed before starting the transfer.

Check when your domain was last transferred or registered. ICANN has a rule that domains can’t be transferred within 60 days of registration or a previous transfer. If your domain is in this window, you’ll need to wait until the 60 days have passed.

Export your current DNS records before starting the transfer. Even though Cloudflare will try to import them automatically, having a backup ensures you don’t lose anything. Your current registrar should have an option to view or export your DNS records. Write them down or take screenshots.

If you’re using DNSSEC, you’ll need to disable it before transferring. DNSSEC is a security extension for DNS that adds cryptographic signatures to DNS records. Cloudflare supports DNSSEC, but you’ll need to disable it at your current registrar before the transfer, then re-enable it at Cloudflare afterward.

Make sure your domain isn’t expiring too soon. Some registrars won’t allow transfers if a domain is close to expiration. It’s usually best to transfer when you have at least a month before expiration, or renew the domain first if it’s about to expire.

Take your time preparing. Rushing through these steps can cause problems later. Make sure you have your authorization code, your DNS records documented, and your domain unlocked before you start the transfer process.

The transfer process step by step

Start by adding your domain to Cloudflare. Log into your Cloudflare account and go to the domains section. Click “Transfer Domains” or “Add a Site” depending on how Cloudflare’s interface is set up. Enter your domain name and Cloudflare will check if it’s eligible for transfer.

Cloudflare will scan your existing DNS records. They’ll try to automatically import your current DNS records so your website and email continue working after the transfer. Review these carefully to make sure everything looks correct. You can edit records before completing the transfer.

Choose your nameservers. If you want Cloudflare to manage your DNS, use Cloudflare’s nameservers. Cloudflare assigns you personalized nameservers with human names. For example, you might get nameservers like lucy.cloudflare.com and luke.cloudflare.com, but the names are specific to your account. Check your Cloudflare dashboard to see which nameservers were assigned to you, as they’ll be different from other users. You can update these at your current registrar now, before the transfer completes, which means Cloudflare will start handling your DNS immediately.

Update nameservers at your current registrar. This step tells the internet to use Cloudflare’s DNS servers. Log into your current registrar’s dashboard, find your domain settings, and update the nameservers to the ones Cloudflare provided. This change can take a few hours to propagate across the internet, but it usually happens faster.

Wait for Cloudflare to detect your domain is ready for transfer. Before you can enter your authorization code, Cloudflare needs to verify that your domain is properly set up. This includes several requirements: Cloudflare DNS has been set up for the domain, DNS has propagated across the internet, the domain is unlocked at your current registrar, and you’ve selected a Cloudflare plan for the domain. The plan selection is a common gotcha—make sure you’ve chosen a plan, even if it’s the free plan, before Cloudflare will allow you to proceed with the transfer. Cloudflare will show you when the domain is ready and allow you to proceed.

Enter your authorization code. Once Cloudflare detects your domain is ready, you’ll be able to enter your EPP or authorization code in Cloudflare’s transfer interface. Paste the code you obtained from your current registrar. Double-check it’s correct, as entering the wrong code will cause the transfer to fail.

Review and confirm the transfer. Cloudflare will show you a summary of the transfer, including any fees. Remember, Cloudflare charges at cost plus the mandatory ICANN fee, so you’re paying the wholesale price plus the required $0.18 ICANN fee, with no profit margin added. The transfer extends your domain registration by one year, but importantly, this year is added to your current expiration date, not a new term starting now. This means you don’t lose any remaining time on your current registration. If your domain expires in six months and you transfer it now, you’ll have 18 months until expiration after the transfer completes.

Approve the transfer at your current registrar. Your current registrar will send you an email asking you to approve the transfer. This is another security measure to prevent unauthorized transfers. According to ICANN rules, the losing registrar must initiate the transfer process within five calendar days of receiving the transfer request and authorization code, unless you explicitly deny the transfer. If you don’t take action on the email, the registrar typically proceeds with the standard 5-7 day transfer waiting period. The key point is that an explicit denial stops the transfer, while no action allows it to proceed. Approve it as soon as you can to speed up the process.

Wait for the transfer to complete. Transfers typically take five to seven days, though they can be faster if you approve them quickly. You can monitor the status in your Cloudflare dashboard. Your domain will continue working normally during the transfer, so there’s no downtime.

Once the transfer completes, you’re done. Your domain is now registered with Cloudflare, and if you updated your nameservers, Cloudflare is managing your DNS. Everything should continue working as before, but now you’re paying less and have better DNS management tools.

What to check after the transfer

Verify your DNS records are correct. After the transfer completes, check that all your important DNS records are present and pointing to the right places. Make sure your A records point to your website’s IP address, your MX records point to your mail server, and any other records you need are configured correctly.

Test that your website still works. Visit your website in a browser and make sure it loads correctly. If you have subdomains, test those too. DNS propagation can take some time, so if something doesn’t work immediately, wait a few hours and try again.

Check your email if you use custom email addresses. Send a test email to and from addresses at your domain to make sure MX records are working correctly. Email routing is sensitive to DNS issues, so it’s important to verify this works.

Enable DNSSEC if you were using it before. If you disabled DNSSEC before the transfer, you can re-enable it in Cloudflare’s dashboard. DNSSEC adds an extra layer of security to your DNS records, and Cloudflare makes it easy to enable with one click.

Review your domain settings in Cloudflare. Make sure your contact information is correct, check your domain lock status, and review any privacy settings. Cloudflare offers free WHOIS privacy on many domains, which hides your contact information from public WHOIS databases.

Set up automatic renewal if you want. Cloudflare can automatically renew your domain before it expires, which prevents accidental loss of your domain. You’ll need a payment method on file for this to work.

Consider enabling Cloudflare’s security features. Even on the free plan, you get DDoS protection, SSL certificates, and other security features. If you’re hosting a website, these are valuable and don’t cost anything extra.

Export your DNS records for backup. Now that everything is set up, export your DNS records from Cloudflare so you have a backup. This makes it easier to recreate your setup if something goes wrong, or if you need to move to a different provider in the future.

Common issues and how to avoid them

The most common issue is forgetting to update nameservers. If you don’t update your nameservers to point to Cloudflare before or during the transfer, your DNS records might not work correctly. Make sure you update nameservers as part of the transfer process.

Missing DNS records during import is another common problem. Cloudflare tries to import your existing records, but sometimes records don’t import correctly. That’s why exporting your records before the transfer is important. You can manually add any missing records in Cloudflare’s dashboard.

Authorization code problems can delay transfers. Make sure you get the correct code from your current registrar, and double-check it when entering it into Cloudflare. Codes are case-sensitive and must be entered exactly as provided.

DNSSEC issues can prevent transfers. If DNSSEC is enabled at your current registrar, disable it before transferring. Cloudflare supports DNSSEC, but you need to set it up fresh at Cloudflare after the transfer completes.

Domain lock issues are easy to avoid. Make sure your domain is unlocked at your current registrar before starting the transfer. Some registrars lock domains automatically, so check this even if you think it’s unlocked.

Contact information problems can delay email confirmations. Make sure your email address in your domain’s WHOIS information is current and accessible. You’ll need to receive and respond to emails during the transfer process.

The 60-day transfer lock can be frustrating. If your domain was registered or transferred recently, you might need to wait 60 days before transferring again. This is an ICANN rule, not something Cloudflare or your registrar controls.

If something goes wrong, don’t panic. Domain transfers are reversible in most cases, especially if the transfer hasn’t completed yet. If you run into problems, Cloudflare’s support can help, and your previous registrar can usually reverse a transfer if needed.

The bottom line

Transferring your domain to Cloudflare can save you money and give you better tools. Cloudflare’s at-cost pricing means you’re not paying a profit margin on top of the wholesale price and required ICANN fee, and their DNS management is powerful even on the free plan.

The process isn’t complicated if you understand the basics. Domain registration and DNS management are separate things, and transferring your domain registration doesn’t have to disrupt your website. By updating nameservers and ensuring your DNS records are correct, everything continues working.

Understanding DNS concepts helps. Knowing what A records, CNAME records, and nameservers do makes the transfer process less mysterious. You understand why you’re doing each step, which helps avoid mistakes.

The benefits extend beyond cost savings. Even if price wasn’t a factor, Cloudflare’s DNS management, security features, and integration with their other services make it a solid choice for domain registration.

If you own domains, it’s worth considering transferring them to Cloudflare. The process is straightforward, the savings are real, and the tools you get are valuable. Taking the time to understand DNS along the way makes you a better domain owner, and helps ensure your transfer goes smoothly.

Your domains are important assets. Managing them well, understanding how they work, and choosing a registrar that gives you value makes sense. Cloudflare checks those boxes, and transferring your domains there is worth the effort.