Web.com

Web.com

Company type	Public (formerly)
Industry	Internet services, web hosting, domain registration, digital marketing
Predecessor	Website Pros Inc.
Founded	January 1, 1999 (1999-01-01) in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Founder	Darin Brannan
Defunct	2025 (rebranded as Network Solutions)
Fate	Merged into Newfold Digital and rebranded as Network Solutions
Successor	Network Solutions
Headquarters	Jacksonville , United States
Area served	United States, Argentina, Canada, United Kingdom
Key people	Sharon Rowlands (CEO as of 2019), Larry Ellison (Chairman of Newfold Digital)
Products	Website creation, hosting, domain registration, web development, digital marketing solutions
Number of employees	3500 (2017)
Website	web.com

Web.com is a U.S.-based internet company that provides services such as website creation, hosting, domain registration, web development, and digital marketing solutions. Its primary clientele consists of very small to small enterprises and individual entrepreneurs, assisting them in building and expanding their online footprint.

The firm was established in 1999 by Darin Brannan in Jacksonville, Florida under the name Website Pros Inc.. It rebranded to Web.com in 2008 after acquiring the Atlanta-based Web.com, which was originally founded in 1981 by Waldemar Fernández as Interland, Inc.

In 2021, Web.com combined operations with Endurance Web Presence to create Newfold Digital.

By 2025, Web.com underwent another rebranding, adopting the Network_Solutions name.

Corporate overview

Operating from its headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida and incorporated in Delaware, Web.com delivers domain registration and web development solutions. The company caters specifically to very small and small businesses through subscription-based offerings tailored for entrepreneurs. These services encompass web design, hosting, management, e-commerce, lead generation, mobile commerce, online advertising, search engine optimization, and social media strategies.

As reported in January 2016, Web.com served approximately 3.3 million subscribers. Its operational footprint extends across over 20 states within the United States and includes international offices located in Argentina (Buenos Aires), Canada (Barrie, Ontario and Nova Scotia), as well as the United Kingdom (notably Cardiff, Wales). The company was publicly listed on NASDAQ under the symbol "WEB."

David Brown held the CEO position until early 2019. As of March 2017, Okumus Fund Management was the largest shareholder, owning an 18.64% stake; a prior agreement in 2015 between Okumus and Web.com led to the appointment of two independent directors to the board.

By May 2017, Web.com employed around 3,500 individuals and had a market capitalization near $1.1 billion, with its valuation reaching $1.21 billion by June of that year.

Website Pros Inc.

The origins of Website Pros Inc. trace back to Atlantic Teleservices, Inc., a Jacksonville-based technology services company founded by David Brown in 1997. Brown acted as CEO until 1999 when he sold it to Website Pros—a firm established by Darin Brannan that same year with backing from Norwest Venture Partners—while Brown joined its board.

Initially intending to launch a chain of retail outlets providing website services, the collapse of the .com bubble in 2000 necessitated pivoting to an indirect sales approach to preserve financial resources. Over the following decade, Brown spearheaded a series of acquisitions averaging one each year. The most significant acquisition was Redwood City’s NetObjects in 2001—recognized for its web design software NetObjects Fusion—alongside GoBizGo and NetObjects Matrix assets.

In 2002, Website Pros expanded by acquiring Innuity, an e-commerce service provider based in Spokane, shifting from upfront payments toward monthly subscription revenue models. By 2003, the company experienced annual growth of 40% and employed approximately 260 staff members across Jacksonville and Spokane locations. Between 2003 and 2004, Website Pros raised $17 million in venture capital from Insight Venture Partners and Norwest while serving about 40,000 customers including Discover Business Services and IBM. Brown positioned the company for an initial public offering (IPO) that took place in 2005.

During 2005, Website Pros acquired eBoz and Leads.com while reporting revenues of $37.8 million. The following year saw prominent board appointments including Julius Genachowski, Hugh M. Durden, and G. Harry Durity. Additionally, Website Pros purchased Canadian e-commerce software firm 1ShoppingCart.com for $12.5 million as well as Renex, a lead generation company.

In 2007, Website Pros completed a $129 million acquisition of Atlanta-based Web.com (formerly Interland, Inc., founded in 1981), paying $25 million in cash with the balance settled through stock issuance. Post-merger, Brown continued as chairman and CEO of the combined organization; meanwhile Jeff Stibel—then CEO of Web.com—assumed roles as president and board member at Website Pros. This merger tripled the subscriber base while maintaining Jacksonville as the corporate headquarters.

Web.com (2008–present)

In early 2008, Website Pros underwent a rebranding to become Web.com. That June, the company debuted on NASDAQ with the ticker symbol "WWWW," commemorating this milestone by closing the stock exchange at Times Square. Stibel held the position of president until 2009. By the conclusion of 2010, Web.com had amassed nearly one million subscribers and reported revenues of $120 million.

Web.com secured the title sponsorship of the Web.com Tour—an official developmental circuit for the PGA Tour—in 2012, with a contract extending through 2021. To boost customer engagement, the company hosted 27 summits in 2013 showcasing its products and services. As of October 2012, Web.com employed 500 staff members in Jacksonville and an additional 1,400 across various satellite offices; by 2014, total headcount had expanded to approximately 2,000 employees spanning locations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Argentina.

In January 2016, Web.com broadened its customer support capabilities by inaugurating a service center in Drums, Pennsylvania. Later that year, it launched a digital customer support facility in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, complementing existing offices in Halifax and Yarmouth. The company’s annual revenue climbed from $543.5 million in 2015 to $710.5 million in 2016.

By March 2017, Web.com earned recognition as a finalist for "Best Large Contact Center" from the International Customer Management Institute. In May of that year, following its acquisition of Yodle in 2016, Web.com relocated 175 employees within Scottsdale’s SkySong innovation district to a new building dedicated to administrative and sales functions. Additionally, private equity firms reportedly showed interest in acquiring Web.com during 2017.

On April 24, 2025, Web.com announced its merger with Network Solutions and adopted the Network Solutions brand as part of Newfold Digital’s broader strategy to unify its portfolio. This consolidation also involved integrating iPage, HostMonster, and FatCow into Bluehost, which serves as Newfold’s flagship web hosting brand.

Acquisitions and partnerships

Web.com’s growth strategy has heavily relied on targeted acquisitions. In 2023, it completed a merger with iPage. Among its notable acquisitions are Solid Cactus in 2009; Register.com in 2010 for $135 million—resulting in an 80% revenue increase and quadrupling its customer base—and Network Solutions in 2011 for $405 million plus stock consideration. The Network Solutions acquisition expanded Web.com's clientele to three million customers, increased domains under management to nine million, and raised employee numbers to nearly two thousand. The company also acquired SnapNames and maintains a fifty percent stake in Rightside’s NameJet platform. In 2014, it purchased Scoot.com, recognized as the largest online business directory in the UK.

In 2016, Web.com acquired Yodle—a New York-based marketing firm—for over $300 million; this was its largest acquisition based on employee count (1,400). That same year marked its entry into Latin America through the purchase of Donweb.com in Argentina for $8 million, finalized early in 2017. Later on November 2019, Web.com completed acquiring Dreamscape Networks Limited.

Strategic partnerships have further enhanced Web.com's service portfolio. Collaborations with Chase Paymentech (2009) and First Data enabled comprehensive payment processing and e-commerce solutions. In 2014, MasterCard’s Simplify Commerce became a preferred payment provider for the company. Sam's Club partnered with Web.com in 2015 to deliver online marketing services tailored for small businesses. Additionally, in 2017 Web.com distributed approximately 375,000 .xyz domains through an agreement with the domain registry.

In June 2018, Siris Capital Group agreed to acquire Web.com for roughly $2 billion; this offer was revised in August 2018 to $28 per share paid in cash.

The year 2021 saw Web.com merge with Endurance International Group to form Newfold Digital—a joint venture between Clearlake Capital and Siris Capital Group. Sharon Rowlands was appointed CEO at the start of 2019.

During Oracle’s Q2 earnings call in 2025, Chairman Larry Ellison revealed that Newfold Digital would transition its operations to Oracle Cloud to enhance security and system performance.

By June 2025, Newfold Digital integrated the Web.com brand into Network Solutions’ platform and redirected web traffic accordingly. The company reorganized into two main divisions: the Network Solutions Group—led by Christina Clohecy—managing brands such as Network Solutions, Register.com, Domain.com, MarkMonitor, and Crazy Domains; alongside the Bluehost Group—headed by Sachin Puri—overseeing hosting brands under its umbrella.