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How to buy a domain name for your business, and what it costs

The short answer

To buy a domain name, search for it at a registrar accredited by ICANN, add it to your cart, enter your details and pay, usually for one to 10 years. A .com renews at about $12 to $23 a year at the registrars we checked, though first-year sale prices can be far lower. Compare the renewal price, register it in your own name or your business’s, and turn on auto-renew.

Buying a domain takes a few minutes. The money and the risk are in the renewal price, and in whose name it ends up, so check those before you pay.

Updated November 5, 2026. We make CoveDesk, which also looks after Google profiles, websites and reviews for small businesses. What this page says about other companies comes from their own pages, linked below. How we check our facts

The steps

  1. Pick the name. Short, easy to say on the phone and easy to spell. If people have to ask “is that with a hyphen?”, try again.
  2. Pick a registrar. Choose one on ICANN’s accredited list (opens in a new tab), or buy through your website builder.
  3. Search for it, and try .com first, since it’s what people will type.
  4. Check the renewal price and how many years the deal requires before you pay.
  5. Enter your own details, using an email you’ll still read in 10 years.
  6. Turn on auto-renew, and keep your payment card current.

What a .com costs

Published .com prices, read November 5, 2026. Sale prices change often
RegistrarFirst yearEach renewalWorth knowing
Porkbun (opens in a new tab)$11.81$11.81Same price both ways, with ICANN and other fees included.
Namecheap (opens in a new tab)$12.08 on sale$19.98Includes free domain privacy. A $0.20 ICANN fee may be added.
Squarespace Domains (opens in a new tab)Not stated for .com$20Says taxes and fees are included, and privacy is included.
GoDaddy (opens in a new tab)$0.01 with a 3-year purchase$22.99Each added year costs $22.99, so read the terms.
Cloudflare (opens in a new tab)Not stated in dollarsNot stated in dollarsSays it charges the registry and ICANN cost with no markup.

Over five years, the renewal price matters more than the first-year deal. ICANN warns (opens in a new tab) that renewals can cost more because first-year fees are often promotional. If you buy a yearly plan on a website builder, a free domain for the first year is common too: see the website builder prices.

Make sure it stays yours

  • Put it in your name. If a web designer or marketer registers it in theirs, you may have a fight on your hands if you part ways. Ask, and check.
  • Watch for a proxy service. ICANN explains (opens in a new tab) that with a proxy, the provider is the registrant of record, which changes who holds the domain legally. A privacy service keeps your name on it and hides your contact details.
  • Keep your contact details current. ICANN says you need to answer your registrar’s questions within 15 days, and a wrong email is how renewal notices get missed.

If it expires

Registrars must send reminders about a month and about a week before a domain expires. After that, the rules (opens in a new tab) get less friendly. Your site and email can stop working for the last days you can still renew. Registrars may offer a grace period of up to 45 days, but they don’t have to. Once it’s deleted, you get a 30-day redemption period for most domains, with a fee, and then it’s released to anyone. ICANN says it can’t get a lost domain back for you.

Moving it later

You can move a domain to another registrar, with limits. Under ICANN’s transfer policy (opens in a new tab), a registrar may refuse in the first 60 days after you register it or move it. Changing the owner’s name, organization or email can also trigger a 60-day lock, unless you opt out where offered. So get your details right the first time.

Common questions

How much does a domain name cost?
A .com renews at $11.81 to $22.99 a year at the registrars above that publish a price. First-year sale prices can be lower. Unusual endings, and names someone else already owns, can cost much more.
Do I own my domain name?
You hold it for as long as you keep paying, under your agreement with the registrar. Registrations run one to 10 years at a time, and you can renew them.
Where’s the cheapest place to buy a domain?
Look at the total over several years, not the first-year price. Among the published prices above, Porkbun’s was lowest over five years when we checked. Your builder’s free first year can be fine, as long as you check its renewal price.
Can I buy a domain forever?
No. You can register for up to 10 years at a time, then renew. Turn on auto-renew so it doesn’t lapse.
Do I need domain privacy?
It’s worth having, and many registrars include it. Under ICANN’s current policy, your details are often redacted anyway, but it depends on where you are and on your registrar. Check that yours covers it.
Should I get .com, or something else?
For a local business, .com is usually the one people will type. If yours is taken, try adding your town or trade before you try a new ending.
Do I get email with a domain?
Not usually. You’ll need an email plan as well. See how to get a business email address.

Sources

What this page says about other companies comes from their own websites, read on November 5, 2026:

Prices and terms change, so check each company’s website before you buy. Company names are the trademarks of their owners and are used only to identify their services; none of them is affiliated with or endorses CoveDesk. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we’ll fix it.

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