Get a free domain name and hosting from Microsoft

A free Web site and hosting from Microsoft? It's true.

(Credit: Microsoft)

The words "free" and "Microsoft" don't often appear in the same sentence, so imagine my surprise at discovering this deal: a free custom domain name, free Web hosting, free e-mail accounts, and more.

As you might expect from the name, Microsoft Office Live Small Business has a decidedly business focus--but that doesn't mean you can't use it for a personal site.

The freebie account includes not only the domain (any available .com, .net, .org, or .info address), but also site-building tools, reporting tools, project and document managers, 100 e-mail addresses, and collaboration-minded online workspaces. You get 500MB of storage, too.

So what's the catch? There really isn't one, though the free domain hosting expires after one year. After that, it'll run you a very reasonable $14.95 annually.

Needless to say, this is a pretty nice offer for anyone looking to start a small business or just carve out a private corner of the Web.

Side deal: Amazon MP3 has Brit-pop star Lily Allen's second album, It's Not Me, It's You, on sale for just $3.99. iTunes price: $9.99.

[georgemathews]

I cant believe that <a href="http://Microsoft.com">Microsoft</a> Would actually do that. Then again didn't they try to give away computers a few years ago? When i think about it like that i guess it makes sense that microsoft would do this to try to corner the market.

[j_a_s_p_e_r]

I've had one for close to two years now. Its OK, but don't expect do your own web dev on it. It really is an upsell springboard for them, but great to have your own basic domain.. Its hard to explain but you basically build your site using prefab blocks that are free or for purchase. It really is easy to customize, but you don't have total freedom, unless you forgo a lot of the benefits that are provided with the simple site. What microsoft really want to do is to have you buy modules from the marketplace to add to your site, they also really want your business to grow beyond the 10 (? - I forget) user accounts. It really is target towards small business and they do provide quite a few nice tools that are geared towards small businesses such as document sharing, customer data management tools etc, which as a home user I don't really care about

[j_a_s_p_e_r]

I guess I joined when it was totally free, for life, limited to 10 accounts...

[tanya_712009]

I tried it and wasnt happy, I went with ballisticdomains.com! Love them!

[redwall_hp]

Free domain for a year? Thanks for helping to reduce the population of available domains, Microsoft. The domainers will be all over this in no time...

[jayty97]

Just signed up! I wanted another domain to use for testing a website I'm building, to replace another. Microsoft lets you also upload your site as well as provides tools for building the site online, so you can design in say dreamweaver and upload the files to your site! Great deal!

[j_a_s_p_e_r]

@Jaty97 - I had a pain with the limitations on uploaded websites last time I checked (year or so ago), maybe its time to look at that again. I gave up after a while and just stuck with the building blocks site

@redwall_hp This has been around for a while, its not new. "Domainers will be over this in no time", well maybe not you are limited to 1 free domain only, after that you have to pay something like $15

[knissaj]

If you are at all serious about getting in to web design STAY AWAY! (though you probably already know that) I had a domain hosted with them briefly before switching to a "real" hosting company and it took almost a year to get my domain switched over from the weird Australian registrar that Microsoft was using. That and their tools for designing your site were horrid. Frontpage anyone?

[theonlybuster]

It's pretty much like a myspace page but through office live.
http://www.Desired_name.Site_Type.officelive.com

Hence the reason it's free.

[j_a_s_p_e_r]

You are mistaken. You can get any .com, net, org or info as long as the name is not offensive

[Eludium-Q36]

Rick says: "The words free and Microsoft don't often appear in the same sentence."

Are you serious ? We get lots of free stuff from M$: new versions of IE, OS patches, lots of Live web services - heck, Live Search will even PAY You - Live Search tools on WinMob cell phones, etc. You must've confused them with Apple which simply MUST overcharge its customer-base at every turn so the Apple Board can buy their tenth home, tenth boat, and a small man-made island off the coast of Dubai.

[DustinHess]

I got my website that I have now with them over two years ago when this offer was still in beta. It is as described, but the main downside is you have to use their online site builder which is horrible. I have since switched to godaddy(wonderful), and then to yahoo(not recomended, but I am stuck with them) for real webhosting

I tried uploading sites build with other tools (dreamweaver, publisher, iWeb), and none of them were 'compatible' (Microsoft support's term not mine) with the windows servers that they were hosting the sites on.

BUT, in a very limited scope, this is not a bad deal at all. I built a website for a school project for instance.

[MCVanOLinda]

Re: Side Deal

Got the album already and love it, too bad I missed on this deal.

[HakNick]

.NET framework available at all ?
Any db layer also ?

[j_a_s_p_e_r]

Last time I checked no. The only way to anything advanced was through one of the vendors on the marketplace where you could purchase modules for your site. The only dbs that were available from MS were the ones that were available with the business applications provided such as the customer records or case tracking records, and even in those cases you had no direct db interaction, just limited customization in report pages on your site. Again the web pages are geared towards the web and intranet operations of a small business - not really for custom web developement.

One way to look at this is a way to make money selling custom modules for other webpages.

[cyberchamp000]

Why jump for this offer, when there are tonnes of hosting services offering free domains for the life time of your hosting account?

However, will admit that the $14.95 annually is a fantastic catch for a person starting out on the web.

I am a bit "scared" to jump for such an offer. When Yahoo! came with their low priced domains, I picked up a few. However, renewals are scarily higher than normal domain rates offered by others

[karundown]

After you sign up for your own domain can you just remove your credit card info so it wont be charged in 1 year and just let the domain expire? or do you have to wait for 1 year to come around to cancel it. Basically I just dont want my card being automatically charged. Thx for any answers in advance.

[crescentdave]

I couldn't remove my credit card number, though I could replace it with another. Also important ... if you decide to cancel (not renew) they IMMEDIATELY take your site offline. It's still held, it can be transferred once you go through Australia (!), but it's no longer publicly accessible. They don't tell you this.

As of January 2008 (a year ago), this "amazing deal" did NOT allow you to use your web building tools to upload onto the site. You had to use theirs. To me ... this made the whole concept totally worthless. Their templates leave a lot to be desired, so does their web building "software."

[j_a_s_p_e_r]

Rick. I hope its your affiliate id in the link and not some random person's...

[jbailey3]

I've been using MS live for a couple of months now. I think it is great for some one who does not have a lot of experience building websites. It is limited but, there are several work arounds to customize just about every aspect of your site.

You can also use paypal buttons in order to work around there module fees. You can check out my website if you want an idea of how these things look. It's for a soccer team.

www.fcrahr.com

Jake

[atfr]

Free for just 1 year and after 14.99, this sucks.

[bl4ckd0g]

Well, the real catch is not that the service is one-year long, the deal is forcing you to use MS not only tools, but also OS and browser!
Look what the site churns out when trying to register with OSX+Safari: http://home.officelive.com/Misc/CompatibleShell.aspx?linkId=UnsupportedBrowser

[rohzer123]

Can someone pls lemme knw frm i can get a free second level domain, i donn require web hosting, but just the domain name i need.

coz before 12th feb 2008 Microsoft has started giving fourth level domain and close all the second level free domains,

Pls reply ASAP :-)

[nickey2008]

i have heard from this website about free Top level domains

http://www.seo-strategies.org/2009/03/get-free-top-level-domains-no-fake/

But i think it is fake ....

[jamiemarriner]

do you really get a www.yourname.com and get the chance to upload your own site? :D

[buoraksmey]

please give me a domian