October 2, 2026
Domain renewal pricing explained, and how to avoid the second year jump
Domain renewal pricing explained. See why promo first years jump, how registry price increases reach you and how to keep your renewal costs flat.
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Domain name blog for choosing, buying and keeping a domain
This domain name blog answers the questions people ask before and after they register a domain: which name to pick, which extension to use, what a registrar really charges once the first year is over, and how to keep a name from lapsing. Every guide names its sources and the month its prices were checked, so you can verify the figures yourself.
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Browse the guides by topic
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Latest guides
October 2, 2026
.ai vs .io vs .com and which domain a startup should pick
Ai vs io vs com for a startup: compare cost, minimum terms, how buyers read each extension and the country code risks, then pick your extension.
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October 2, 2026
How to transfer a domain without downtime, step by step
How to transfer a domain without downtime. Move DNS first, lower TTLs, keep email running and time the EPP transfer so your site never goes dark.
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September 6, 2026
Domain name ideas for a website from twelve naming formulas that still work
Domain name ideas for a website, as twelve formulas with the point at which each one breaks, plus what to do when the .com you wanted is already taken.
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September 6, 2026
Domain name value and how to work out what a domain is actually worth
Domain name value comes from four measurable things and one that is not measurable at all. How to read an estimate, and the gap between a valuation and a sale.
Read the guideSeptember 6, 2026
How to choose a domain name with seven checks to run before you buy
How to choose a domain name without a rebrand two years later: seven checks in the order that fails candidates fastest, and the one that has to come second.
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September 3, 2026
Porkbun vs GoDaddy on domain pricing, renewal cost and the ten year difference
Porkbun vs GoDaddy on the numbers both publish: $11.08 against a $22.99 .com renewal, what the one cent first year really costs, and which one is worth it.
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September 2, 2026
Shopify domain registrar guide to buying a domain for Shopify and registering a store domain
Shopify domain registrar options compared: what buying inside the Shopify admin costs, the paid plan it requires, and where else to register a store domain.
Read the guideSeptember 1, 2026
Domain appraisal tools compared to find the best domain name appraisal tool for investors and sellers
Domain appraisal tools compared: GoDaddy GoValue, Estibot, NameBio and marketplace estimates, plus what GoDaddy actually publishes about accuracy.
Read the guideAugust 25, 2026
Shopify domain name cost and what a Shopify custom domain really costs to buy and renew
Shopify domain name cost: around $16 a year for a .com, with renewal stated to match. Compared with Wix and other builders, figure by figure.
Read the guideAugust 23, 2026
Porkbun vs Namecheap on domain pricing and renewal cost, with a straight Porkbun review
Porkbun vs Namecheap pricing compared on register, renew and transfer: Porkbun lists $11.08 for a .com at every step, while Namecheap renews higher.
Read the guideAugust 22, 2026
Squarespace vs GoDaddy domain pricing compared on renewal cost, privacy and the gate nobody mentions
Squarespace vs GoDaddy domain pricing: Squarespace states $20 a year and needs a site plan, GoDaddy renews around $19 to $22 and bills privacy separately.
Read the guideAugust 20, 2026
Namecheap vs GoDaddy domain registrar comparison on renewal price, privacy and transfers
Namecheap vs GoDaddy on what matters after checkout: renewal price, WHOIS privacy, transfer friction and upsells, plus where Porkbun and Cloudflare beat both.
Read the guideAugust 20, 2026
What is a domain name in a URL? Domain vs URL vs web address, explained
What is a domain name in a URL? The part between https:// and the first slash. Every component of a URL named, plus the one part you actually pay for.
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August 19, 2026
What happened to Google Domains after the Squarespace sale, and where to buy a domain now
What happened to Google Domains: sold to Squarespace on September 7, 2023, migration ended July 10, 2024. What changed, renewal costs and where to go.
Read the guideAugust 17, 2026
How much does it cost to renew a domain name?
How much does it cost to renew a domain name? From $11 to $83 a year by extension, rarely the year one price. Real numbers and why they rose in 2026.
Read the guideAugust 17, 2026
Domain vs hosting and why your website needs both
Domain vs hosting explained plainly. The domain is your address, hosting stores the files. See what each costs and connect them in a few minutes.
Read the guideAugust 15, 2026
.org vs .com and which one to register for your project
Org vs com: a nonprofit runs .org and Verisign runs .com. Price cap rules, 12 million registrations against 163.6 million, and what your audience assumes.
Read the guideAugust 14, 2026
.com vs .net and where .org fits next to them
Com vs net: Verisign runs both, so the real differences are price cap rules, registration counts and what people type by habit. Compare and pick yours.
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August 13, 2026
Cybersquatting and UDRP domain name disputes, and when buying the name is cheaper
Cybersquatting explained. Learn when a UDRP domain name dispute wins, what WIPO filing fees cost, and why buying the domain is often faster and cheaper.
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August 12, 2026
How to find my domain registrar and the provider behind my domain
How to find my domain registrar in under a minute with the ICANN lookup, what to do when the record names a reseller, and how to move the domain.
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August 9, 2026
GoDaddy domain backorder changes and how to backorder a domain now
GoDaddy domain backorders are gone. New credits stopped August 8, 2024 and the service closed October 7, 2025. See what replaced it and how to backorder now.
Read the guideAugust 3, 2026
.io domain meaning and what .io stands for in a domain name
The .io domain meaning explained. .io is the country code TLD of the British Indian Ocean Territory, read as input and output. Learn the cost and the real risk.
Read the guideAugust 3, 2026
.ai domain country and whether the .ai domain is safe to build on
The .ai domain country is Anguilla, a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. Learn what that means for a US company, the real risk and how Google treats .ai.
Read the guideJuly 31, 2026
Check domain history before you buy a domain
Check domain history before you buy. Seven checks for the registration record, past content, Google penalties, backlinks, blocklists and trademarks.
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July 31, 2026
How much to offer for a domain name before you write to the owner
How much to offer for a domain name. Use real aftermarket price data, set your ceiling before you write and choose a sensible opening number.
Read the guideJuly 26, 2026
Should I buy all domain extensions for my business? The real math
Should I buy all domain extensions to protect a brand? See what defensive registration costs over ten years and which extensions are worth holding.
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July 25, 2026
What is a premium domain? Registry premiums vs aftermarket prices
What is a premium domain, and why do some cost thousands every year while others cost thousands once? Learn to judge a registry premium and an asking price.
Read the guideJuly 25, 2026
If a domain expires can I buy it? The timeline from expiry to release
If a domain expires can I buy it? Yes, but not straight away. The expiry auction, redemption, pending delete and drop timeline, step by step.
Read the guideJuly 6, 2026
How to choose a domain name for a business that actually works
How to choose a domain name for a business. The criteria that matter, .com vs newer extensions, trademark screening, the radio test and a shortlist process.
Read the guideJuly 4, 2026
How to sell a domain name from pricing and listing to getting paid
How to sell a domain name. Set a realistic price, pick a marketplace or auction, negotiate offers, use escrow and transfer the domain safely.
Read the guide04
How we quote prices in these guides
Prices of other companies are quoted from their own published pages with the month we read them, because retail domain pricing changes often and registry wholesale fees change on a published schedule. Our own prices are never written into an article. They come live from the domain prices table and appear on every domain name search result, first year and renewal side by side.
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Search your domain name now
Read enough and ready to check a name? Type it into the search and see whether it is available in each extension, what the first year costs and what it renews at. WHOIS privacy is included where the registry allows it, and you can transfer a domain you already hold elsewhere with its EPP code.