The Best Price For Domain Names
If you've ever looked into registering a domain name, you know that the costs can vary widely, from a few dollars to several thousand.
Domain name registration fees can differ depending on a number of factors, including the specific domain extension (.com,.org, or.net), the registrar, and the level of demand.
Premium domain names registered by others can be purchased in addition to brand-new domains. Investors in domain names typically buy up short, memorable domain names that can be easily trademarked.
Here, we break down just how much money you can expect to spend on a domain name. We will also demonstrate how to acquire a domain name, including a free option.
Exactly How Much Does It Cost To Register A Domain Name?
A new domain name will set you back between $9.99 and $16.99 annually. However, these costs might change depending on the specific name extension you select or the domain registrar you go with.
If you're just getting started with a website, we highly recommend checking out Bluehost. The company ranks among the best in the industry.
In addition to a 60% discount, members of WPBeginner will also receive a free domain name and free SSL certificate.
This is the least expensive way to get started online, as a website requires both a domain name and web hosting.
Domain.com is the best registrar to use if all you need is a domain name. Get 25% off your order at Domain.com with our discount code.
In this article, we will compare the prices of several domain registrars so that you may choose the best deal for your needs.
- Bluehost – Free domain with hosting $2.75 / month
- Domain.com – $7.45 for .com domain names with our coupon code
- Hostinger – Free domain with hosting $2.79 / month
- Network Solutions – $7.49 for .com with FREE with their web hosting package.
- HostGator – Free domain with hosting $2.64 / month
- GoDaddy – $11.99
- DreamHost – Free domain with hosting $2.59 / month
Only brand-new.com domain names are priced at these levels. Other extensions like .net, .org, .info, .blog, etc. will cost more or less depending on the domain registrar you choose.
You should know that there are a few additional charges and upsells associated with domains beyond the initial registration fee in order to make an informed choice.
Hidden Costs of a Domain Name
Typically, a year is allotted to register a domain name. As long as your domain name registration is kept up-to-date each year, you will retain ownership.
Although many registrars provide substantial savings on the first purchase of a domain name, others charge much more for subsequent renewals. If you notice a campaign offering a domain name for $0.99, realize that it will likely only apply to the first year of registration. Your yearly renewals will be significantly more expensive going forward.
Privacy and the WHOIS System
The Internet Company for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is a public-benefit corporation with the mission of overseeing the assignment and management of domain names. Each domain registrar is obligated to gather a website owner's contact details.
WHOIS data allows anybody to view this information. This data can be used by other firms and enterprises to get in touch with you for the purposes of forming a business partnership.
Having the WHOIS information exposed to the public might lead to spam and telemarketing calls. Because of this, several registrars offer an extra service called Domain Privacy.
This extra feature, which may be purchased for an extra $9.99, is strictly discretionary. Unfortunately, many registrars will automatically put it in your shopping cart, and you'll have to delete it by hand if you don't want to pay for it.
DreamHost is one of the registrars that provides free domain privacy with every domain.
Commercial Email Services (Email Domains)
A professional email address can be set up as an optional extra when purchasing a domain name.
You may avoid spending money on this because most web hosting providers offer a free business email service.
If you're looking for something more official, you can avoid being tied down to a certain registrar by purchasing G Suite or Microsoft Office 365 directly.
Domain.com, among other registrars, lets you prepay for several years at once. This is a terrific approach to take advantage of the promotional deal for a longer period of time.
Prepaying for numerous years of a domain can be highly cost effective due to the yearly renewal fee. In addition, you'll be protected from any price hikes down the road.
However, the explanation of domain costs and any hidden fees applies largely to newly accessible domains.
What about "premium" or "secondary market" domain names? In this article, we will examine premium domain prices in depth.
How Much Does a Premium Domain Name Cost?
Pre-registered "premium domain names" are those that are the easiest to remember and most closely associated with a certain brand. Premium domain names are sometimes registered by domain investors who intend to resell them for a profit.
A premium domain name might cost anything from several hundred to several thousand dollars. The domain's value is proportional to the name's distinctiveness, age, and potential as a brand.
Depending on their prestige, some of the most valuable domain names can cost hundreds of thousands, if not millions. Some of the most costly ever sold domain names are as follows:
- Insurance.com – $35.6 million
- PrivateJet.com – $30.18 million
- Hotels.com – $11 million
- Fb.com – $8.5 million
- Business.com – $7.5 million
Top-tier domain names are offered for sale by individuals on a number of marketplaces.
In order to guarantee a secure domain name transfer, it is highly recommended that domain names be purchased only from reliable sources.
What Factors Influence the Cost of a Premium Domain Name?
We get a lot of questions from newbies regarding how to determine what price to set when purchasing a premium domain or a pre-registered domain.
Already-registered domain names have a heftier price tag due to high demand. However, the asking price is typically quite expensive, which deters many inexperienced domain purchasers from placing an offer.
User research and fair counteroffers are strongly encouraged. Keep in mind that a domain investor gets money only when the domain is sold.
A premium domain's worth, like that of any other commodity, is mostly determined by the highest price you're ready to pay and the lowest price the seller is willing to take.
However, you may research the pricing on domain marketplaces like BuyDomains, Sedo, or Flippa to ensure that your offer is competitive.
Make an initial bid between 50 and 75% of the asking price if the domain you want already has a price published.
It's important to remember that most domain value estimation tools are absolutely worthless, therefore you shouldn't rely on them.
Be wary of purchasing an already owned domain name. If you can't reasonably estimate the domain's value to your company, there's no use in committing to it.
When a domain name expires, what happens to it?
Thousands of domain names are lost forever every day. These domains' registrations have expired either because the owner chose not to renew them or because they were forgotten.
You may often locate a memorable and marketable domain name that has expired. Here are a few resources to help you find recently dropped domain names.
1. FreshDrop
Expired and soon-to-expire domain names can be tracked on FreshDrop, a domain marketplace. It has a sophisticated search feature that allows you to zero in on exactly what you're looking for.
The domain names listed on ExpiredDomains have all recently expired. It may not appear as user-friendly as some other domain search engines, but it offers a comprehensive and regularly updated database of domain names.
Before purchasing a used, pre-registered, or expired domain name, be sure there haven't been any reports of domain misuse or other issues (more on this later).
Domain Name Renewal Fees
A registered domain name can be renewed at the regular annual charges charged by your domain registrar.
When a domain name is about to expire, however, a domain backorder service can be used to secure the name. You can reserve the domain in advance by doing so.
Your transaction will go through if no one else has placed a deposit on the domain you want. Most registrars of domain names will ask for a modest one-time payment of $25 to $99 for this service.
How to Acquire a Privately Sold Domain Name
Pricing for registered and third-party-sold domain names has been discussed thus far. Is there anything you can do if the domain name you want is already in use but not for sale?
That domain name may still be available for registration.
You have to realize that many people sign up for domain names with the intention of launching a brand new website. Many people buy domain names but never get around to utilizing them.
Since they are not currently making use of the domain, you can make an offer to the owner directly.
If the domain you're looking for resolves to a website, you may send an email using the site's contact page.
An alternative is to utilize Whois to get the domain owner's contact details and then make contact with them directly to express your interest.
Domain names are often registered in anticipation of potential uses; owners may not intend to immediately put the name up for sale. As a result of their avarice, some people would demand a higher price in exchange for the transfer of their domain name.
Keep in mind that you are paying for someone's "dream concept," so be gracious but fair in your assessment of its worth.
A good rule of thumb is to register a domain name whenever you think of a company concept, regardless of how solid that idea is. If you wait too long to register it, someone else may beat you to it. Since registering a name only costs $9.99, we consider it an investment rather than a cost.
You Should Research Domain Names Before Purchasing
You are in the clear if you are purchasing a domain name that has never been registered before.
In any case, if you are purchasing a domain name that was previously owned by another party, you should conduct at least the most fundamental of research.
These domains may be involved in counterfeiting, trademark infringement, spamming, or the distribution of malware.
There are several resources available to help you complete your assignments.
1. The First Step Is To Verify The Trademark
Your first step should be to verify that the domain name is not already in use as a trademark by another company.
If a firm's trademark is infringed upon by a domain name, that company can claim the domain name or request that you delete it, under ICANN guidelines.
For a speedy trademark search, you can use the USPTO's online database. To check if your domain name is available, just type it into the search bar.
2. Conduct a Domain Name History Search and a Trademark Search
After that, you should investigate the domain name's prior usage. Does anyone know what kinds of websites were created using that domain?
Using the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine is the most straightforward approach. It is a huge database containing snapshots of websites that are preserved on a regular basis, providing a historical record of the development of the web.
3. Visit Previous Whois Records
Whois lookups allow you to view a domain's whois record history. You may view the domain's creation and renewal dates, as well as any DNS modifications that have been made.
4. Run a Domain Health Check Test
Finally, you should check to see whether the domain is being used for malicious purposes, such as spam, DDoS assaults, or malware distribution. Check for warning signs using MxToolBox's domain health tool.
Domain Name Pricing: Frequently Asked Questions
Our extensive experience in assisting consumers in creating blogs and websites means that we are often asked about domain name registration. Some of the most frequent are listed below:
Q. Have you heard of any free domain name offers?
Domain names cost an average of $14.99 a year, however many web hosts provide them for free as part of bundle packages.
Domain names are often included at no extra cost with hosting plans from providers like Bluehost, HostGator, Dreamhost, and GreenGeeks.
Q. Which service provides the greatest domain name registration options?
Domain.com is now the finest registrar since they provide all of the options you want at a 25% savings.
Still, if you're looking to save both time and cash, signing up for web hosting through a company like Bluehost that offers a free name is the way to go.
If you're not content with your current domain name registrar, you may always switch to another one of the major players.
Q. Can I create a website without a domain name and hosting service?
To create a website, you will require both a domain name and web hosting. The domain name is the address on the internet where your website may be found, whereas web hosting is the location where your website's files are kept. See our detailed breakdown of domain names vs. web hosting to learn more (explained).
Q. Can I purchase a domain name indefinitely?
A domain name cannot be purchased indefinitely. Typically, a year is allotted to register a domain name. However, you may secure your domain name for up to ten years in advance by making a prepayment.