How Much Does It Cost To Have A Domain Name

Which Option Is Best For Me

For most people, buying a new domain is going to be the preferred route to take. Youll not only get the best deal, but the registration and purchase process will be the simplest.

In time, as your experience and online assets grow it might make sense to negotiate for a domain or purchase an expired domain.

But, when youre just starting out make it easy on yourself and find a solid new domain.

HostGators domain registration is easy, the prices are fair, and you can take care of your domain management and renewals in the same place you manage your web hosting services and website updates.

Domain registration doesnt have to be expensive or difficult. Simply use our domain search tool to find the domain you want, and it can be yours within minutes. Still looking for a hosting provider to help you build your online presence? HostGator is a leading hosting provider that offers a number of different hosting packages so you can build your perfect website.

Domain Name Cost: Final Thoughts

The simple answer to how much is a domain name is: it depends on your needs. Registering a new domain should never break the bank, though prices will increase after the first year. But if you need an aftermarket domain, be prepared to pay a lot more. In any case, privacy protection, domain transferring, and auto-renewal shouldnt add much, if anything, to the cost of your domain name.

Generally, the cost of a brand new domain name will be between $10-20 a year, which will fluctuate depending on introductory and renewal prices.

Choosing a registrar also depends on what youre looking for whether thats simply a registrar, a hosting provider included, or a registration with a website builder, there are options for every commitment level.

Sign In And Go To Settings > Domains > Buy A Domain

You can choose from the following top-level domains for your domain.

• .biz

• org.uk

Note

When you select Buy domain, you may be redirected to your Microsoft partner’s website if the tenant is purchased/managed through a Microsoft partner.

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Your Domain Name Should Be Easy To Remember

You want to make sure that your domain name is easy to remember. But what exactly does that mean?

Basically, the more items you ask someone to remember, the harder it is for them to do that.

When it comes to domain names, every word and symbol is a separate item, which is something to keep in mind when you are considering various options.

For example, www.luciddreaming.com is easier to remember than www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com .

Try to keep your domain short, avoid using symbols, and get a well-known extension.

Are You Asking The Right Questions

Instead of asking yourself, how much does a domain name cost, you should be asking, how much would it cost my business not to have a domain that matches my brand?

It isnt always easy to find an available domain name that aligns with your company. But the cost of sacrificing immediate recognition, traffic and sales could easily outweigh the price of a domain. Whether youve found an extension that fits or youre in need of a broker, dont wait to register your domain.

Go ahead, search for a domain name now.

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Purchase An Expired Domain

An expired domain is a domain in which the person or company that registered the domain stopped paying for it. After this occurs, the name will become expired and typically goes into an auction. You can then bid on expired domains to purchase.

Why would you want an expired domain name?

A few reasons. The first benefit is the name itself. Its possible to find high-value domains that are expired.

The second reason you might consider purchasing an expired domain is because of its SEO value. Just because a domain name is expired, doesnt mean the links pointing to that domain disappear. These links can be extremely powerful in terms of SEO. By redirecting the domain to another URL, you will pass a significant portion of the link juice to the new domain.

How can you measure the amount of link juice for an expired domain?

There are multiple tools you can use that all have metrics to determine the SEO value of a domain. Two of my favorite tools, Moz and Ahrefs both have scores that are associated with a domain rating how much link juice they have.

Moz first founded the term Domain Authority that aims to depict how easy it will be for your website or domain to rank in Google. The rank is on a 100 point scale with 100 being the highest rating available. The rating considers several factors including backlinks, domain age, and more.

So what is a good domain authority?

Word of warning: its not perfect.

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How Much Is A Domain Name

So, youve decided to venture into online business, yes? Before you get everything in place its important to set first things first.

Come up with a great domain name!

Im just going to come out and say it

Finding and buying the perfect domain name of the struggle of running a business in this digital age. Before registering a domain, you have to come up with a great name if you are serious about having an online presence. Coming up with a great domain is hard work which is why a lot of people rely on domain name generators.

Quite frankly, however, getting your domain name nailed is not exactly the easiest of things to do. In many cases, youre probably going to pick a domain name thats already taken.

So, what gives?

Youll have to buy then register a domain name. But then heres another question: how much is a domain name?

Well, that depends on a bunch of factors. But lets take a step back and get to know a little bit more about what a domain name is before we get into domain registration.

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Privacy And Protection Costs

Whenever someone registers a domain, the registrar is required to provide that users contact information to be added to the Whois database, which publicly lists the owners of every domain name online.

While its required that you provide your information, its not required that it be easily accessible to everyone. When you purchase a domain, each registrar provides varying degrees of privacy to ensure that your personal information isnt visible on the Whois database which ultimately protects you from things like spam phone calls.

Some registrars offer full privacy on the Whois database free for the first year. Others offer tiered solutions, with the bottom tier free for the first year, which will still mask most personal details in the Whois directory. Its rare to find a reputable registrar offering free Whois protection after the first year.

TopTip:

How Much Does A Domain Name Cost Per Year

Its hard figuring exactly how much domain names cost . On average, if you intend to purchase a new domain, it should cost you anywhere between $10 to $15 a year depending on the TLD and the registrar.

When searching for a new website name you will run into dozens of domain registrars, each with their own set of packages and perks.

When considering domain name costs, dont always fall for the cheap packages. Keep in mind that sometimes cheap is really expensive.

You can also check out our post on cheap domain registration to find out if it is worth it for you, but oftentimes, the packages that are slightly higher priced pack additional tools and other bonuses that will help build your website quickly and easily.

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Your Domain Name Shouldnt Break Any Legal Terms

There was a time when the Internet was the Wild West.

Those days are long gone. Now its full of corporations with deep pockets that will sue you into bankruptcy if you even look at them the wrong way. Thats why its important to be careful.

Imagine this. You come up with a great name. You register it. You launch your website. And then, just as your business starts gaining momentum, you are hit with a cease and desist letter.

What the ?? is your first thought.

But then, as you decipher the legalese, you realize that apparently your domain name is trademarked, which means that you are in a world of trouble.

You can avoid this by doing due diligence.

For example, you can check US trademarks on the United States Patent and Trademark Offices website.

Alternatively, you can check for the trademarks for whatever country you want to operate in through the local equivalent of the USPTO.

And, of course, Google can help you as well, because if nothing comes up on it, then you probably dont need to worry.

Now, unfortunately, if you came up with a cool name, the chances are that you are not the first person to do so, which means that you might end up having to go back to the drawing board.

However, keep in mind that finding yourself back at square one is much better than getting hit with a lawsuit, so dont cut corners here.

How Long Can I Register A Domain Name For

Unlike cast iron skillets, diamonds, or MEC backpacks*, which are one-time purchases that you can keep and use forever, buying a domain name is an annual subscription.

Your subscription registers the domain under your name as the registrant so you can do what you want with it: build a website, use it for a custom email address, or just let it sit there until your inspiration finally hits.

You can register a .CA domain for one to ten years at a time. You can renew your registration any time before the domain expiry date. If you dont renew, youll be letting it go and will lose all of the brand value created, and someone else can register it.

*We are not sponsored by MEC. They just have really quality, long-lasting backpacks.

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What Is The Best Domain Name Registrar

Namecheap is the best domain name registrar based on our survey. They consider customer support as a top priority and they meet the needs of each customer.

They give you great prices, flexibility, and features for free that help you manage your domain names properly and avoid any unwanted situations.

Xyz Domain Names Are Always Available

Try a different extension to make sure that your specific domain name is always available.

Stand out from the crowd

The right domains are not always the most expensive or popular. The main concern when choosing a domain is to make sure that it will stand out online. A .xyz domain will almost always be available and it’s memorable too.

Dream domains at a great price

Use our domain search tool to check if your dream domain is available with a .xyz extension. Simply enter the domain you’re looking for in the search bar above you could become the registered owner of that domain for a great price today.

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Can I Transfer My Domain Name

Yes, most domain registrars can also facilitate the process of transferring a domain name from one person to another . For example, if you want to buy a premium domain name from someone, a registrar can help process the deal securely.

Also, you can transfer your domain name between different registrars if you found a better deal, for example, or just need some extra features.

Below are linked help documents for doing that with each registrar:

• Namecheap

Shop Around And Get A Domain For The Best Price

So where do you buy affordable domains? Porkbun and Namecheap generally have decent deals, Hostinger has low initial prices on lots of domains, and Shopify is a great place to get an ecommerce-related domain.

But ultimately, its in your best interest to shop around for the best domain hosting you can find, based on the exact domain you want.

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Renewal Fees And Contract Length

Once you purchase your domain name, keep in mind that you also have to renew the name after the first year or whenever your contract expires. The frequency with which you need to renew your domain name will vary depending on your initial contract. Sometimes, you can get a discount on the domain when you purchase it for a longer time frame.

Regardless of your contract, make sure that you set your domain purchase to auto-renew upfront. An expired domain can be costly and troublesome to your business. While you can still renew your domain for a few weeks after it expires, the site will not be displayed to customers, which can result in lost business. A site that doesnt work can also damage your brands credibility and SEO. The registrar might also charge additional fees for websites not renewed within a particular window of time. You even run the risk of someone else purchasing the domain name if you wait too long after the expiration to renew.

How Do I Choose The Best Domain Name For My Website

Choosing and buying the best option isn’t just about finding an available domain. There are some standard best practices to keep in mind before you look up a domain name and register it.

Length. Keep it short. Two to three words is ideal.

Simple. Dont use any lengthy or hard-to-spell words.

Keywords. Include a keyword from your niche. For example, if you sell coffee beans in Seattle, try Seattlecoffeebeans.com.

Avoid numbers. Numbers are hard to remember and make everything more complex.

Brand name. Register a domain with your brand name in it for maximum recognition.

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What Do The Different Domain Extensions Stand For

The most popular domain extension, .com, stands for commerce. Other commonly seen ones include .net for network, .org for organization, .edu for education, .gov for government, .info for information, .biz, for business, . mil for military and .pro for professional. Many countries also have domain names that end in letters related to them, such as .UK for the United Kingdom, .ru for Russia and .cn for China. Some less-common domain extensions include .aero for the air transport industry, .museum for museums, .name for individuals, .coop for cooperatives and .travel for businesses in the travel industry.

What Happens If I Dont Renew My Domain Name

If you didnt set auto-renewal or forgot to manually do so despite the reminders from your domain registrar, your domain name will expire. This means several things:

• Your website will no longer be accessible by anyone who types your URL.
• The domain name will be available for sale again, typically in 30-days or so after expiration.
• It can also be auctioned on a website domain auction.

In essence, failure to pay a renewal fee means lost access to your domain.

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How To Find An Available Domain

Buying a domain name from an investor is both more complicated and inevitably more expensive than finding one thats already available. If your heart is set on a specific name, the owner has all the power to set the price and you have to accept it or be willing to move on.

Youll save yourself a lot of trouble if youre willing to come up with a new domain idea that no ones bought yet. And by getting a little creative, you can probably figure something out you like nearly as much as your original idea.

Do some brainstorming. Think about keywords, synonyms, and words in other languages that mean something similar to what you have in mind. Consider animals or characters you can add to your domain name to give it some more personality .

Plug lots of ideas into our domain search tool, and then look at the available suggestions the tool generates.

How To Register A Domain On Godaddycom

GoDaddy is also known as a web hosting provider, but you can also buy a domain name from them.

Step 1: Look up a new domain name first. If you havent come up with a good name yet or are assessing different options, GoDaddy has a nice set of extra features to help you out.

You can use the Bulk Domain search to check a bunch of domain ideas for eligibility in a click. Or you can play around with their free domain name generator to get some alternative suggestions if your primary choice is already taken:

Also, if you are feeling very determined to get your desired domain for branding purposes, GoDaddy can try to broker a deal for you with the owner. But remember, the original owner may name any price they deem appropriate so in that case, youll be paying:

• Domain purchase fee to the seller.
• GoDaddy Domain Brokerage commission.
• The regular yearly subscription price for the selected domain and add-ons.

If you are running a small business, going into a heated negotiation with some cyber squatters may not be the best investment of your time and budgets.

Wait out and see if the other person forgets to renew their domain or abandons it so that you could snatch it then. GoDaddy has a Domain Backordering service where you can reserve your place in line for a specific domain. If theres more than one buyer, the domain goes on auction. If its just you only, you get it immediately.

Again, youd be pitched several upsells in case you change your mind.

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