Freenom's (http://www.freenom.com/en) free domain name registration for certain top level domains (such as .tk, .ga, etc) is a much needed service that is very useful. However, this company does NOT answer any emails EVER for ANYONE!
As a Freenom user, there is no grace period for renewing a domain, and I've constantly lost some of my domain names simply because I forgot to renew them before they expired. A reminder email is sent out two weeks before a domain expires, but that's the only email you'll ever get and lately, this email hasn't been coming through either. Freenom support is non-existent, and it is impossible for users to renew their domains after they expire since the now expired domains are placed into a paid tier level. This company thrives off of simple mistakes.
Freenom is NOT interested in helping its users. A free domain name registrar should be able to make money somehow, but charging for simple mistakes without providing their users any recourse or alternative seems rather greedy and monopolistic. A domain name is the bread and butter to any website. If the name changes, links on other websites pointing to the old domain are completely broken. It takes years to recover from a domain name change. To have a domain name and then suddenly have it yanked away without the option of ever recovering it for free (the price paid during initial registration) is extortion and is very harmful to an established website.
Between 2012 and 2015, Freenom used to have a dedicated support section where users could email and correspond between Freenom support agents. These agents could release an expired domain from the paid tier allowing users to re-register their domain names. This support area no longer exists (vanished), and as such, it is impossible to renew your domain without paying!
This lack of support is intolerable and leaves people with very few options.
Never forget to renew your domains, or you will be screwed.
As a Freenom user, there is no grace period for renewing a domain, and I've constantly lost some of my domain names simply because I forgot to renew them before they expired. A reminder email is sent out two weeks before a domain expires, but that's the only email you'll ever get and lately, this email hasn't been coming through either. Freenom support is non-existent, and it is impossible for users to renew their domains after they expire since the now expired domains are placed into a paid tier level. This company thrives off of simple mistakes.
Freenom is NOT interested in helping its users. A free domain name registrar should be able to make money somehow, but charging for simple mistakes without providing their users any recourse or alternative seems rather greedy and monopolistic. A domain name is the bread and butter to any website. If the name changes, links on other websites pointing to the old domain are completely broken. It takes years to recover from a domain name change. To have a domain name and then suddenly have it yanked away without the option of ever recovering it for free (the price paid during initial registration) is extortion and is very harmful to an established website.
Between 2012 and 2015, Freenom used to have a dedicated support section where users could email and correspond between Freenom support agents. These agents could release an expired domain from the paid tier allowing users to re-register their domain names. This support area no longer exists (vanished), and as such, it is impossible to renew your domain without paying!
This lack of support is intolerable and leaves people with very few options.
Never forget to renew your domains, or you will be screwed.