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Is there a reason that there isn’t a Let’s Encrypt-like disruptor for registrars? It seems like it’s such a cesspool.
by christophilus 2y ago
Is there a reason that there isn’t a Let’s Encrypt-like disruptor for registrars? It seems like it’s such a cesspool.
- Thorrez 2y agoWhen a CA issues a cert, the cost to the CA is essentially nothing. When a registrar registers a domain, that costs the registrar money because the registrar has to pay a fee to the registry. So a registrar generally cannot give out domains for free. Now, a registry could in decide to charge no fee. That's what .tk used to do. So you could get a .tk domain for free. Of course then .tk domains got the reputation of being cheap junk and spam.
- dvzk 2y agoZero cost TLS certificates might be what Let's Encrypt is known for, but it wasn't the first entity to offer them. LE also disrupted the CA market because of IdenTrust's initial cross-signing, and ACME's development and rollout, under the banner of a well-funded reputable 501(c)(3). Nothing is stopping someone from starting an above-cost 501(c) non-profit registrar, similar to the ISRG or the PIR.
- pants2 2y agoWell, CloudFlare registers domains at-cost, so that's about as close as you can get.
- saagarjha 2y agoCloudflare of course does not do so out of the goodness of their heart.
- case 2y agoNot only are there wholesale per-domain fees for registries (which tend to increase every few years), and the small ICANN fee for gTLDs, domains also have high customer support overhead that can’t easily be automated away like the LE cert process. Also keep in mind that domains are a “source of truth” unlike certs, which rely on the domains for verification.
- toast0 2y agoOpenSRS is sort of that? Brought to you by Tucows. They also run Hover.com if you want retail domain service.
- kchr 2y agoNameISP does this. Auto-renewal and payment by invoice.