How to buy a domain name

How to buy a domain name in 7 steps: check availability, choose a registrar, compare renewal prices, skip the upsells, verify your email and lock the domain down. Plus typical costs.

Buying a domain name takes about ten minutes once you know what you want. The tricky parts are choosing a registrar that won't overcharge you at renewal, skipping the upsells you don't need, and turning on the settings that stop you from losing the name later. This guide covers all of it.

The quick answer

1. Pick a name and check it's available.
2. Choose a registrar with fair renewal prices and free privacy.
3. Add the domain to your cart and choose how many years.
4. Skip the upsells you don't need.
5. Pay, then verify your email address within the deadline.
6. Turn on auto-renew, two-factor login and the transfer lock.

Step 1: Check the name is available

Type your idea into the free DomainNams search. It checks .com and 13 popular endings at once, straight from the registries, and suggests .com alternatives if your first choice is taken. If you don't have a name yet, start with how to choose a domain name, which includes a free name score checker.

Step 2: Choose a registrar

A registrar is the company you register the domain through. The domain works the same wherever you buy it, so choose on price, honesty and ease of use. Well-known options include Cloudflare, Namecheap, Porkbun, Spaceship and GoDaddy.

What to compare:

Some registrars sell at or close to cost. Others make their money on renewals and add-ons. Check the renewal price for your exact ending before you buy.

Step 3: Add it to your cart

Search for the name at your registrar and add it to your cart. You can usually register for 1 to 10 years. One year is fine if auto-renew is on. Registering for several years locks in today's price and removes the risk of a missed renewal, but it's not a ranking factor for Google.

If the price looks far higher than normal, the name may be a premium domain. Registries charge more for some short or valuable names, and premium names can renew at the higher price too. Read the fine print.

Step 4: Skip the upsells you don't need

• Extra endings (.net, .org, .info "to protect your brand"): usually unnecessary for a small business. A common misspelling or your country ending can be worth it.
• Paid privacy: skip it if your registrar includes privacy free.
• Website builders and hosting bundles: buy these only if you've compared them. Some simple sites can be hosted free.
• Paid email: worth it if you need full mailboxes. If you only need to receive mail at your domain, free forwarding may be enough.
• SSL certificates: most modern hosts give you free HTTPS automatically.

Step 5: Pay and verify your email

Enter accurate contact details: your real name or business name, and an email address you check. Registries for generic endings like .com require registrars to verify the owner's email. If you don't click the verification link within the deadline (typically 15 days), the domain can be suspended until you do.

Step 6: Lock it down

• Auto-renew on, with a card that won't expire soon. Losing a domain to a missed renewal is the most common and most painful mistake.
• Two-factor login on for your registrar account.
• Transfer lock on (often called registrar lock), so the name can't be moved without your approval.
• Keep your contact email current. Renewal notices and transfer approvals go there.

Note that new registrations usually can't be transferred to a different registrar for 60 days, so pick a registrar you're happy with.

Step 7: Point it at a website and email

A domain does nothing until it points somewhere. Your registrar's DNS settings (or a DNS service like Cloudflare) tell the internet where your website and email live. Your web host or email provider gives you the exact records to add. If you're setting up business email, make sure the SPF, DKIM and DMARC records are in place so your emails reach inboxes. Our guide to getting a professional email address walks through it.

Buying a domain privately

Turn on WHOIS privacy (sometimes called redaction or proxy protection) and your name, address, phone and email are hidden from public lookups. Many registrars include it free. Your registrar still has your details, as the rules require, and some country endings have their own privacy rules. If you want a company name to appear as the owner, register it under your business's name.

Buying an expired or expiring domain

When a registered name expires and isn't renewed, it eventually drops and becomes available again. Popular names are usually grabbed the instant they drop, so placing a backorder is the way to try for one. Backorder services such as DropCatch and SnapNames, and expired-domain auctions at registrars like GoDaddy, try to register the name the moment it's released. If several people backorder the same name, it often goes to an auction.

Before you bid on an expired name, check its history on the Wayback Machine. A name previously used for spam can come with a bad reputation in search and email filters.

Moving your domain to another registrar later

You're never stuck. After the first 60 days, you can transfer a domain to another registrar, usually by unlocking it, getting an authorization (EPP) code from your current registrar, and starting the transfer at the new one. Most .com transfers include an extra year of registration, so you don't lose anything you've paid for.

How much does it cost to buy a domain?

Typical ranges, not quotes. Prices change, so check at checkout.

Common mistakes to avoid

1. Choosing a registrar on the first-year price alone.
2. Letting someone else register the domain for you.
3. Rushing checkout and buying a typo. See how to avoid buying the wrong domain.
4. Ignoring the verification email.
5. Leaving auto-renew off.
6. Paying for privacy, SSL or extra endings you didn't need.
7. Buying a name with a trademark conflict. Check first, as covered in how to choose a domain name.