What are the drawbacks of hosting a website with a domain initially and then switching to a custom domain later in terms of Google rankings and ease of ranking with the new domain? Why is there a price difference ($0.99 on GoDaddy vs $17.00 on Google Domains) for the custom domain I want to get? What are the pros and cons of choosing either route? What does it mean when GoDaddy says "Restrictions apply" and Google doesn't?

Switching from an initial Webflow-generated domain to a custom domain later can impact your SEO and rankings. Here's a full breakdown based on your questions:

1. Drawbacks of Hosting with a Temporary Webflow Subdomain First

• Loss of SEO Signals: Building authority on a temporary domain (like yoursite.webflow.io) and then switching to a custom domain later resets most SEO progress unless you handle redirects perfectly.
• 301 Redirects Required: You'll need to set up 301 redirects from every old URL to the corresponding new custom domain URL. Otherwise, you risk losing backlinks and dropping rankings.
• New Domain Trust Signals: Google treats your custom domain as new, meaning it will take time to regain organic trust and indexing priority.
• Short-Term Waste of Effort: If you optimize the Webflow subdomain heavily, most of that early SEO work won't benefit your final domain unless you migrate carefully.

2. Why the Domain Price Difference Between GoDaddy and Google Domains?

• Promotional Pricing: GoDaddy often offers introductory rates (e.g., $0.99/year for the first year) to attract customers. Renewal prices usually jump significantly after the promo period.
• All-Inclusive Features: Google Domains includes many useful features (like free privacy protection, DNSSEC, and simple DNS management) in the base price. GoDaddy often charges extra for things like privacy protection.
• Service Quality and Upsells: GoDaddy uses aggressive upselling for add-ons like email, hosting, and security. Google Domains offers a more streamlined experience without heavy upselling.

3. Pros and Cons of Choosing GoDaddy vs. Google Domains

GoDaddy Pros:

• Lower initial cost (first-year savings).
• Very large domain registrar with broad market presence.
• Bulk discounts if you manage many domains.

GoDaddy Cons:

• Higher renewal prices.
• Upselling tactics and extra fees for services like WHOIS privacy.
• Sometimes slower DNS propagation than Google.

Google Domains Pros:

• Transparent pricing (about $12–$17/year with no hidden charges).
• Free WHOIS privacy protection included.
• Very fast, reliable DNS service integrated with Google Cloud.

Google Domains Cons:

• Higher initial cost compared to promotional offers.
• As of 2023–2024, Google is transferring its domain business to Squarespace, so long-term service quality might change slightly.

4. What Does "Restrictions Apply" on GoDaddy Mean?

• Eligibility Limits: The $0.99 price usually only applies to certain domain extensions (.com, .info, etc.) and is often limited to first-time customers.
• Extra Costs Hidden: After the first year, renewals typically cost $17–$20+ per year.
• Privacy Not Included: Usually, WHOIS privacy is not included unless you pay extra.
• Tied into Upsells: You might be prompted to buy web hosting, email services, SSL certificates, and more during checkout.

Google Domains generally doesn’t apply these types of restrictions, making pricing and services much clearer upfront.

Summary

If you know you want a custom domain eventually, buy and connect it from the start rather than starting with a Webflow subdomain. It prevents SEO issues and builds long-term authority earlier. GoDaddy's $0.99 deals are tempting but come with renewal spikes and hidden fees, while Google Domains offers cleaner pricing with better included features. Carefully read "restrictions apply" notes when choosing GoDaddy to avoid surprises later.