New domain names can cost anywhere between $10-$20 per year, with prices varying depending on your domain registrar and the name’s popularity.
The best thing you can do to save money is the shop around for the lowest price. Some website builders, like Wix, will also give you a custom domain name for free for the first year of your subscription. In this guide, we’ll dive into the ins and outs of buying a domain name, hidden costs, and the best domain registrars to choose from.
How Much Does a Domain Name Cost?
Buying a new domain generally costs between $10 and $20 per year. Price differences depend on which registrar you buy your domain name from, and what kind of top-level domain you’re buying.
For example, a .com domain from Wix costs $7.90. I’ve gathered the prices of popular TLDs and ccTLDs, organized by our recommended registrars:
| Wix | Bluehost | Namecheap | GoDaddy | Hostinger | |
| .com | $7.90 | $12.99 | $11.28 | $4.99 | $2.99 |
| .net | $11.90 | $18.99 | $12.48 | $0.01 | $11.99 |
| .org | $6.90 | $14.99 | $7.48 | $9.99 | $7.99 |
| .xyz | $15.95 | $14.99 | $2 | $1.99 | $1.99 |
| .top | $22.95 | $7.99 | $2.98 | $2.99 | $2.99 |
| .info | $16.95 | $21.99 | $3.98 | $0.01 | $2.99 |
| .shop | $6.90 | $29.99 | $0.98 | $0.99 | $0.99 |
| .online | $6.90 | $2.99 | $0.98 | $0.99 | $2.99 |
| .store | $36 | $2.99 | $0.98 | $0.99 | $0.99 |
| .site | $30.95 | $1.99 | $0.98 | $0.99 | $0.99 |
| .ai | $160 (2-year term) | $199.98 | $92.98 | $49.99 | $79.99 (2-year term) |
What Affects the Cost of a Domain?
There are a few factors that impact the cost of your domain name, such as privacy protection and renewal charges. I’ve listed the key areas to look out for when choosing a domain name registrar:
- Renewal costs – most registrars will automatically renew your domain name for you, so you don’t risk losing it, but prices tend to increase after your first sign-up package and the automatic renewal can catch users off guard
- Privacy protection – when you register your domain name, the registrar is obligated to provide your contact information to the WHOIS database (which publicly lists the owners of every domain name online), but registrars can offer a degree of privacy when you purchase a domain from them, with some even offering full privacy protection for an additional fee
- Transferring domains – most domain registrars don’t charge extra to transfer domains, but review your options when choosing your registrar
- Premium domain names – highly desirable domains (these are typically short, easy to remember, or keyword-rich) can be sold at a very high price, such as ai.com which was sold for $70 million
- Market demand – increase in demand, often due to external developments or trends, can have a big impact on the cost of a domain (for example, AI-related domain names are expensive right now)
- Domain length – shorter domains are usually more popular and easier to remember, but this makes them a popular option, which can inflate domain registration prices
How Can I Get a Cheap Domain Name?
If you’re looking for an affordable domain name, here are some tips to help you find a great domain on a budget:
- Choose the right extension – you can use free tools, such as Wix’s AI domain name generator, to help you find a cheap domain name that suits your business (Wix has over 400 domain extensions to choose from)
- Consider domain auctions – these can be a great channel to pick up a domain for a lower price than usual
- Find an affordable domain registrar – browse our list of top domain registrars, look at customer reviews online, and assess a registrar’s reputation
- Package your domain – lots of website builders and hosting providers include a custom domain as part of your subscription, which could save you money overall if you need these services as well
Final Thoughts: How Much Is a Domain Name?
On average, a .com domain name costs between $10-$20 per year, but how much you spend depends on your business, chosen extension, and registrar. Costs can fluctuate depending on introductory deals, renewal prices, and add-ons, such as privacy protection.
Choosing a domain also depends on what you’re looking for as a package, whether that’s simply a domain registrar, a hosting provider, or a full website builder.
FAQs
If the domain name you want is already taken, the easiest and cheapest option is to simply brainstorm a different name, or find an alternative TLD that works for your business. For example, if my business is called Lemon Cakes, I could try eatlemoncakes.com or shoplemoncakes.com, or swap the extension for something that is available, such as lemoncakes.shop.
If you’re dead set on a domain name, you can attempt to negotiate a price with the owner.
You want to choose a domain name that suits your business, represents your brand, and is easy to remember. The most important tip we can offer is to perform a radio test. In other words, could potential site visitors spell your domain name just by hearing it? By asking yourself this question, you’ll avoid common pitfalls when it comes to choosing a domain, such as including numbers (do you mean “3” or “three”?) or picking a word with multiple spellings (“to” or “too”).
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