float is a domain name registrar headquartered in Ontario, Canada. It is a subsidiary of Tucows, a publicly traded American-Canadian Internet service provider. Tucows formed Hover in 2008 by merging three domain registration services it already owned; NetIdentity, It’s Your Domain (IYD) and Domain Direct.
Hover is primarily a domain name registration platform. But it also offers additional services such as e-mail web boxes and e-mail forwarding.
We’ve tested Hover extensively to give you a detailed, unbiased review. We rated the platform based on specific criteria including features, pricing, customer support, ease of use, etc.
Subscriptions and Prices
Hover charges different prices for different domain name extensions. The domain names cost anywhere from $5 to $50 a year – generic extensions like .COM and .NET cost $10 to $20 a year, and atypical extensions like .IO cost $30 to $40 a year. Hover sometimes offers high discounts for specific domain name extensions, dropping their prices to less than $5 for the first year.
Hover charges $5 per year for a custom email with your domain name. It also requires additional storage costs; $20 per year for 10 GB or $29 per year for 1 TB.
Functions
The main feature of Hover is the registration of domain names. You can search for any domain name you want and buy it on the platform if it is available. Hover supports over 300 domain name extensions, including generic ones like .COM and .NET and unusual ones like .APP, .CLUB, and .IO. There are countless uses for domain names. It is useful for individuals and organizations.
Hover also allows you to move a domain name from another registrar to its platform. This feature is useful if you have domain names on other platforms that you want to move to one place and easily manage. Hover does not charge for domain transfers. You will only be charged for one additional year of registration when your domain expires.
Transferring domain names to Hover typically takes one to two weeks, depending on several factors, such as the specific domain extension. Any domain you want to transfer to Hover must be registered somewhere else for at least 60 days. This rule is standard in the domain name industry.
Hover automatically adds WHOIS privacy protection with every domain name purchase. It means that people cannot look up your information in the WHOIS database. This feature helps prevent spammers from contacting you easily.
Hover allows customers to create custom emails using their domain names. Customized emails look more professional than boring emails, especially for organizations. You’d rather have “[email protected]” than “[email protected]”
Hover’s email client works just like any other email client. It just has a different interface. You can send and receive emails as usual. The platform has anti-spam tools to detect and filter out illegal emails. You can create custom rules to keep your inbox under control. It also supports automatic email forwarding.
Hover charges $5 a year for each custom email and you can create as many as you want. You have to pay for storage; $20 per year for 10 GB and $29 per year for 1 TB.
Hover Connect
Hover does not offer a web hosting or website builder service, which is a disadvantage when compared to competing platforms. However, the company is trying to make up for that with “Hover Connect,” which connects your domain directly to third-party platforms.
Hover Connect allows you to connect your Hover domain directly to third-party web hosting and publishing tools such as Ecwid, Jimdo, and Weebly.
Security
Hover has security measures and protocols in place to protect user accounts from being compromised. An example is two-factor authentication (2FA), which requires two different identification methods before logging into an account.
Interface and in use
Hover has a user-friendly interface. The platform is easy to understand and navigate for most users. Registering and managing a domain name with it is quite easy. The webmail interface is also user-friendly.
Customer service
Hover offers customer support via email and phone, and it’s excellent. You can call the support line and get in touch directly with a real customer service representative to help you when you face a problem, unlike many platforms that provide automated responses. If you inquire via email, expect a response within 24 hours.
Judging by the response time, Hover’s customer support is top notch. The platform also has an extensive Knowledge Base where you can learn the ins and outs of registering a domain, transferring a domain, setting up a custom email, etc.
The competition
Hover’s main competitors are Domain.com, Google Domains, and Namecheap. Hover’s domain name registration services are quite expensive compared to these rivals. However, Hover stands out above these competitors in user-friendliness.
final verdict
Hover is a suitable domain name registrar. You can use it to easily find and register any domain name or to transfer a domain from elsewhere to the platform. The platform is user-friendly and offers clear pricing for customers. It also offers privacy protection for domain registrations, which is handy.
However, Hover has some noticeable drawbacks such as relatively expensive and no web hosting or website builder service.
