Google Domains Is Dead: Millions of Customers Sold to Squarespace Without Their Consent
Google's abrupt sale of its domain registration business left customers scrambling and trust shattered
In June 2023, Google announced it was selling its entire Google Domains business — including approximately 10 million registered domains — to Squarespace for an estimated $180 million. The announcement blindsided customers who had specifically chosen Google as their domain registrar based on the company's reputation, infrastructure reliability, and integration with other Google services. Within months, every Google Domains customer was involuntarily migrated to Squarespace, a company with a fundamentally different product focus, pricing structure, and support model.
The sale was announced with characteristic Google abruptness. Customers received an email informing them that their domains, DNS configurations, and associated settings would be transferred to Squarespace. There was no opt-out mechanism — short of transferring domains to a different registrar before the migration.
Key Takeaways
- Google sold approximately 10 million domain registrations to Squarespace with no opt-out mechanism for customers
- The migration caused DNS disruptions, pricing changes, and loss of Google-specific features for many domain owners
- Consumer advocates are calling for stronger registrant protections including mandatory notice and pricing continuity guarantees
