First, why is it so complicated just to transfer in a domain? I need to create a website within the dashboard then I need to add name servers on the old registrar just to come back and import DNS settings to then maybe transfer to Cloudflare once I find the transfer button if the zone is active? Wtf is a zone? No other registrar requires name servers be updated prior to transferring and no other registrar is this complicated.
Second, what the ■■■■ is the problem with setting up a basic redirect? You only get ten which makes no sense but on top of that the setup is absurdly convoluted. A wall of text appears talking about normalizing edges and other ■■■■ all before it even gets to the create a rule button. Why are you trying to reinvent the wheel? It’s a redirect, just call it that. Then after that in big bold letters it’s telling me that I’m creating a Dynamic Rule, but I don’t want a Dynamic Rule (of which I only know because I happened to run across some pages describing the difference) but there’s no way to change this from a Dynamic Rule to Static but then at the bottom it already says it’s a Static Rule even though it still says Dynamic. I’m just trying to forward test.example-com to youtube-com/test and how do I do that? All incoming requests? No, that doesn’t give me any fields to add test.example-com, so I continue with a Custom filter expression (again, whatever tf that is) and now what field dropdown option do I select? Nothing says subdomain or URL, so I guess URI? Nope, that example doesn’t match anything. Maybe hostname? The example kinda seems like it’s asking me for the URL I want to redirect? Wtf is a Status code? Now I have to research what every status code means? Absolutely not, I guess it’ll just stay the default 301, whatever that is. Save. Doesn’t work.
This is basic stuff. Why is everything so complicated? And of course there is no support? This is the reason I will just let my domains auto-transfer to Squarespace and pay twice the cost.
What a joke. On top of all of that I can’t share links in this post.
No offense, but you’re setting up DNS service on an infrastructure platform meant for developers and sysadmins. If you don’t know what a zone or an HTTP status code are and don’t care to, what are you doing here?
Cloudflare is an at cost cost registrar. If you expected a first class experience from an at cost registrar you can certainly reconsider your assumptions coming in. Do they offer feature parity with other registrars? Only insomuch as you can register a domain. Any additional functionality is lumpy gravy at best.
No website is required to transfer a domain in. But you must use Cloudflare nameservers and can not change them. Welcome to the Cloudflare ecosystem, you’ve saved $.0.87 a year,… yea .
Does the UX suck? Absolutely. With a loss on every transaction by being at cost how much would you invest in improving it?
Since you mentioned Squarepace you can reference teh Googles is moving to Squarespace thread where y’all have already been wished much luck if you’re choosing Cloudflare instead.
I shouldn’t need to know everything about a DNS to use Cloudflare as a registrar. Gatekeeping a proper registrar as well known as Cloudflare with absurdly difficult mechanics shouldn’t be your goal and it definitely isn’t Cloudflare’s.
Well technically Cloudflare could adjust trust levels but on average posters are children so having to escape URLS with backticks prevents spam and general bumbassery.
Cloudflare is not a proper registrar. It offers a registrar service at-cost as a benefit for people using its DNS service.
The best way I can describe the difference between Cloudflare and Squarespace is: Cloudflare is a platform you would use to build a service like Squarespace.
Cloudflare is a garage where you can put your car on a lift and work on it. Squarespace is a business that uses the garage that you can pay to fix your car for you.
If you’d like some help, you can most certainly ask for it, but if you just want to whine about how you shouldn’t have to know what a wrench is just to do a brake job, you probably won’t get very far.
Cloudflare is the registrar for domains I don’t care about. I have a Royal Enfield I wrench on myself most days. My 4 other vehicles (and 10 other domains) I outsource to shops who provide the services I need.
I’ll do further research, reading, and asking in the proper category if I intend to get some help. I posted my complaint-of-a-topic in this category to simply provide feedback of my experience to Cloudflare, but thanks for your willingness and information.
Now to be said… your feedback is perfectly valid. The responses here are a level check. The experience is what is is. Could it be better? Yes. It is better than it was. Will it be as good as a for profit registrar? Unlikely. Is that a good thing? No. But it is what it is.
Cloudflare registrar is at cost. As one of the first domains transferred I know exactly what I purchased. Do I think @eastdakota oversold the “benefits” of the Cloudflare service? Absolutely. Is it valuable to folks who want to save $0.87 a year per domain and want to use Cloudflare services? Why not. Is it right for all/ most customers? Complicated question. My $385/hr rate applies.
Explore the benefits of Cloudflare generally, if they aren’t worth it, transfer your domain elsewhere. In general, I find the other benefits worth it. The domains I leave off Cloudflare aren’t a cost/benefit issue but a separate command & control decision. That’s my personal choice, YMMV.
All registrars suck. All registrars suck absolutely.I like my alternate domain registrar well enough, but I won’t mention them here. What I will say is they didn’t run superbowl ads with half naked women as a marketing attempt. Beyond that… the fact they haven’t screwed me is not enough to endorse them by name. All registrars suck.
Unsatisfying? Yes. But I own like 50 domains… and have dealt with tens of thousands of domains from various registrars in my day job(s). I don’t like any of them. In my experience, dealing with registrars is like talking to lawyers… you can never win and you feel dirty after every call.
I appreciate your feedback on the process, it isn’t ideal… just trying to level set that it isn’t unintentional based on their intake model. Will the folks at read this? Yes. Will it change based on our conversation unlikely. But it’s good to hear it.
.
Why not. Is it right for all/ most customers? Complicated question. My $385/hr rate applies.
read this? Yes. Will it change based on our conversation