Test your restore before you need it. Test your DNS before you migrate. Same principle.
I keep a pre-migration checklist in a shared doc. Last item: "Wait 72 hours before declaring success." Not because propagation takes that long. Because registrar surprises do.
From Istanbul: .com.tr migrations have registry lock by default, 5 business days to transfer out, no exceptions. Makes these TTL problems look almost manageable. At least you know the timeline.
I use Cloudflare for DNS, local registrar only for registration. Separation is even more critical here.
Has anyone used Gandi recently? Their "Pro" plan includes a transfer lock that can't be disabled without downgrading. Found that out the hard way.
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Gandi's been weird since their acquisition. Used to be straightforward, now layered plans with surprise features. I moved my remaining domains out last year.
Back to the original question: for no-surprise registrars, add iwantmyname to the list. Bare bones, no upsells, no locks. Higher per-domain price, lower total cost of ownership if you value time spent on support tickets.
