How much does a domain name cost, and what am I paying for?
Updated June 28, 2026 · Cost, DIY & tools
Short answer
A standard .com domain costs about $10 to $20 a year from a normal registrar. You're paying to register and own that address, not to host the website on it. Avoid premium resale domains that run hundreds or thousands, and watch the renewal price. With Blank Theory, your domain is set up and managed as part of the flat $199/month.
A domain name costs about $10 to $20 a year for a standard .com, and you are paying to reserve and own that web address, nothing more. It does not include the website itself or the hosting that keeps it online. Here is what the price covers and where the traps hide.
What you are actually buying
A domain is your address on the internet, like yourplumbing.com. Registering it through a registrar such as Namecheap, Cloudflare, or GoDaddy reserves that exact name so no one else can use it while you hold it. That is the whole product: the name, not the building it points to.
To turn a domain into a working site you still need hosting and the site itself. See how much website hosting costs so you know the full picture.
The honest price ranges
- Standard new .com: $10 to $20/year.
- Other extensions (.net, .co, .services): $12 to $40/year.
- Premium resale domains: $300 to thousands, paid once to the current owner.
The vast majority of trade businesses should spend around $12 a year on a plain, descriptive .com. If a name you want is listed at hundreds of dollars, it is a premium resale, and you can almost always pick a clearer name for normal price.
Watch the renewal rate, not just the first year. Some registrars sell a domain for $0.99 the first year, then renew it at $20 or more. Always check year two.
Picking the right name
A good domain is short, easy to say over the phone, and names your trade or city. Avoid hyphens and odd spellings, since a customer reading it off a truck or a flyer should get it right the first time. Our guide on choosing a domain name for your trade business walks through it. A clean domain also unlocks a matching email address, covered in do I need a business email address.
You almost never need more than one domain. Some registrars push you to also buy the .net, the .org, and a dozen typo variations. For a one-truck plumber or electrician, that is wasted money. Buy the single .com you want, set it to auto-renew, and move on.
When you should not manage it yourself
Domains are cheap but fiddly: DNS records, renewals, and email settings trip people up. If you would rather not deal with any of that, a done-for-you service handles it.
With Blank Theory, registering or connecting your domain, pointing it correctly, and keeping it renewed are all part of the flat $199/month. Get a free preview first, and we will sort the domain when you are ready, with no setup fee.
Frequently asked questions
- Is a .com better than a .net or a local extension?
- A .com is still the most trusted and easiest for customers to remember. Use .net or a local extension only if your exact .com is taken or far more expensive.
- Why do some domains cost thousands of dollars?
- Those are premium domains someone already owns and is reselling. You almost never need one. A fresh, descriptive .com for $12 a year works fine for a trade business.
- Do I own my domain forever once I buy it?
- You own it as long as you keep renewing, usually yearly. Let it lapse and someone else can grab it, so turn on auto-renew or let your provider manage it.