AI Perks curates and provides access to exclusive discounts, credits, and deals on AI tools, cloud services, and APIs to help startups and developers save money.
What free domain can students get?
Students can claim a free first-year domain from three sources: Namecheap (.me plus SSL), .tech, and Name.com. The Up to $120 in GitHub credits card shows who qualifies and how to claim.
One summary of the Pack describes it as a free .me domain from Namecheap, a free .tech domain, and a Name.com domain, each for one year. That is enough to put a portfolio or a class project on your own address instead of a default one.
The catch is the word "first". These domains are free for one year, then normal pricing applies. AI Perks tracks more student offers beyond domains, and this article covers both the domains and the bigger credits.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Perplexity $84
Eligible for early-stage startups
What does each domain offer include?
Here is what each provider says it gives you.
| Provider | What is free for the first year | Extra detail |
|---|---|---|
| Namecheap | A .me domain and 1 SSL certificate | One of each domain per household or business |
| .tech | 1 standard .TECH domain, sponsored for 1 year | Listed on the Pack as one standard domain |
| Name.com | 1 standard first-year domain and security | Limit one per customer, includes free Domain Safe |
Namecheap: .me plus SSL
If you want a free .me domain, Namecheap's offer is the one. It includes a 1-year registration on the .me TLD and one free SSL certificate for the same year. The SSL certificate is limited to one per household or business.
.tech: one standard domain
The .tech offer is a sponsored domain for one year. It suits a developer portfolio, a hackathon project or a class demo that benefits from a tech-flavoured name.
Name.com: widest choice of extensions
Name.com gives one free standard first-year domain with security, limited to one per customer. The Pack's listing says you can pick from over 25 extensions such as .live, .studio, .software, .app and .dev. Name.com's own student page says "over 15 developer-friendly" extensions, so the exact list depends on the page and the date. Check the list when you register.
If your Name.com account is new, give it a unique address. Otherwise the system may treat your request as a duplicate.
What are the real limits of a free student domain?
The main limit is time. The Namecheap domain and SSL are free only for the first year, then you pay standard annual registration costs. Namecheap gives $4.88 as an example of the current standard annual price and says it is subject to change.
Namecheap emails you 30 days before the first year ends to say the offers will renew automatically, with an option to cancel. Put that date in your calendar on day one. Name.com works the same way in principle: you are charged at expiry only if automatic renewal is enabled.
Other limits to know:
- One per household or business at Namecheap, and one per customer at Name.com.
- A payment method on file is required at Name.com for all domain registrations, but no payment is collected on the free domain.
- Free years end. Write down the end date and move or upgrade before the site goes offline.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Perplexity $84
Eligible for early-stage startups
What about faculty and educators?
Educators are named in these offers too. Name.com offers faculty a free domain for the first year of registration, chosen from 25 eligible TLDs. Registration includes privacy protection and an SSL certificate.
The faculty offer is a single one-year registration. It excludes premium domains and does not apply to renewals. If you teach a course, you can use the same approach as your students: register, note the end date, and decide before renewal whether to keep the name.
Do you need a domain to host a project for free?
No. Static sites can be hosted free on GitHub Pages, Netlify or Cloudflare Pages with no student check. A free host gives you an address like username.github.io until you attach your own domain.
So the sensible order is to build and host first, then attach a free domain once the project is worth sharing. One rule matters here: selling something or running a business site breaks the rules of GitHub Pages and Vercel Hobby. If your project turns into a product, plan the move to a paid plan.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Perplexity $84
Eligible for early-stage startups
Where do bigger credits come from?
A domain is a small win. The larger value is in hosting and cloud credits. Through the Pack, Heroku credit comes to $312 in total. DigitalOcean's $200 student credit is no longer listed on the Pack as of October 22, 2026, so do not plan around it.
The AI Perks catalogue lists these hosting and platform amounts, and each row links to that perk's own card:
| Company | Free credits | How to get |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub (students) | Up to $120 | Get this perk |
| Vercel | $850,000 | Get this perk |
| Netlify | $3,600 | Get this perk |
| Cloudflare | $250,000 | Get this perk |
Total across these four cards: $120 + $850,000 + $3,600 + $250,000 added together, as the combined ceiling.
The larger amounts are not student-only gifts. Each card shows who qualifies and how to claim, so open it before you plan around the number. For more student-specific comparisons, see Free AI Credits for Students 2026: Every Program Compared.
How do you get a free domain and credits step by step?
- Get credits via AI Perks. Open getaiperks.com, browse the student and education perk cards, and start with the GitHub card to see who qualifies and how to claim.
- Pick your domain. Choose between .me with SSL, .tech, or a Name.com extension. Check the limits above, since each is one per household, business or customer.
- Host the site for free. Put a static site on GitHub Pages, Netlify or Cloudflare Pages, then attach your domain. The Netlify card shows the larger credit if you outgrow the free tier.
- Note the end date. Write down when the free year ends. Namecheap emails you 30 days before, but do not rely on the email alone.
- Decide before renewal. Keep the name at the standard price (Namecheap's example is $4.88 and may change), cancel auto-renewal, or move to another host.
For the full list of what the Pack includes, read GitHub Student Developer Pack 2026: What Is Inside.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Perplexity $84
Eligible for early-stage startups
FAQ
Is a free domain for students really free?
It is free for the first year. After that, standard annual prices apply, and Namecheap gives $4.88 as a current example that may change. Name.com charges at expiry only if automatic renewal is enabled. Browse the student cards at getaiperks.com for the full terms behind each perk.
Can I get a free .me domain as a student?
Yes. Namecheap offers a free .me domain with one SSL certificate for one year through the GitHub Pack. It is limited to one of each domain per household or business. The GitHub card shows who qualifies and how to claim it.
Can I get a free .tech domain as a student?
Yes. The Pack lists one standard .TECH domain free for one year, described as sponsored for 1 year. It is one standard domain, not a bundle. The student perk cards at getaiperks.com show how to claim it and what else sits alongside it.
Do I need a domain to host a student project?
No. GitHub Pages, Netlify and Cloudflare Pages host static sites free with no student check, and you get an address like username.github.io. A custom domain is optional, and it only matters once you want a shareable name for a portfolio.
Can teachers get a free domain too?
Name.com offers faculty a free first-year domain from 25 eligible TLDs, with privacy protection and an SSL certificate. It is a single one-year registration, excludes premium domains, and does not apply to renewals. See AI Student Discount 2026: Every Verified Offer Listed for more education offers.
Can I use a free domain for a business site?
Be careful. Selling something or running a business site breaks the rules of GitHub Pages and Vercel Hobby. If your project becomes a business, move to a paid plan and check the terms of any free perk first.
Claim your domain and bigger credits
A free domain gets your project a name, but the credits in the catalogue are what keep it running. Open the student and education cards, check the amounts, and claim what fits your project.
Get free AI credits at getaiperks.com →
Browse every student and education perk card at getaiperks.com.
