That $2.57 domain renews at $43.77: check the renewal price before you register
You find a good name for a side project. The registrar shows .store for $2.57, you register it, and a year later the renewal email says $43.77. Nothing went wrong. Many extensions are priced this way on purpose: a low first year to get the registration, and the real price from year two. The renewal price is published, but checkout pages put the first-year price front and centre. How big the gap…
When you stumble upon a desirable domain name, you may be tempted to register it immediately. However, the registrar may show the first-year price at a low cost, but the renewal price could be much higher. This strategy is often used to entice users into registering the domain initially, while the true cost is revealed during subsequent years.
To avoid being caught off guard, it is crucial to check the renewal price before making a purchase. Registrars typically display both the first-year and renewal prices on their pricing page, but the first-year price is often highlighted prominently. To get a clearer picture of the overall cost, multiply the renewal price by the number of years you plan to keep the domain.
Comparing the renewal prices of different extensions can help you make an informed decision. Keep in mind that renewal prices may vary depending on the registrar and promotions, so it is wise to verify the pricing directly. For a comprehensive view, you can refer to the weekly snapshot of list prices for 532 extensions from Porkbun, which is updated regularly and available as a CSV file under CC BY 4.0.
Written by urgent.news from Dev.to's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
