How much does a domain name cost per year?
Typical price ranges
For a standard .com domain, expect to pay around $10 to $15 per year at popular registrars like Namecheap, Google Domains, or Cloudflare. Prices for .net and .org are similar, often $12 to $20. Newer generic top-level domains (gTLDs) like .io, .ai, or .app can range from $20 to $100 or more per year.
Some registrars offer first-year promotions as low as $1, but renewal rates are usually higher. Always check the renewal price before buying, as that's what you'll pay long-term.
- .com: $10–$15/year
- .net/.org: $12–$20/year
- .io: $30–$60/year
- .ai: $70–$150/year
- Premium domains: $100–$10,000+/year
What affects the price
The extension (TLD) is the biggest factor. Country-code TLDs like .us or .co.uk often have different pricing structures. Some registrars charge extra for add-ons like privacy protection, SSL certificates, or email hosting.
Bulk discounts are common if you register many domains at once. Also, some registries increase wholesale prices annually, so your renewal cost may rise over time.
Common mistakes
- Assuming the first-year promotional price is the regular price; renewal rates are often 2–3 times higher.
- Forgetting that some registrars charge separate fees for privacy protection or email forwarding, which can add $5–$15 per year.
- Believing that all domain extensions cost the same; .com is generally cheaper than .io or .ai.
