Registrars
The cheapest domain registrar depends entirely on the extension
Every "best registrar" list picks a winner. Ours cannot, because the data does not support one. We track 189 registrars across 2,488 priced extensions, and the cheapest option changes with the extension you want.
Year one is a different question from year five
A registrar can be cheapest to register at and among the dearest to stay with. The first-year price is a marketing decision; the renewal is the price. On the extensions where those two disagree most, following a "cheapest registrar" recommendation costs real money in year two.
This is why every table on this site shows registration, renewal and the five-year total together, and sorts on the last one by default. The cheapest extensions to own is a different list from the cheapest to sign up for.
Sometimes no single registrar is the answer
An inbound transfer adds a year to a registration. That makes a split legal and often cheaper: register where year one is cheapest, transfer to where the renewal is cheapest before it comes up, and renew there. Registries require a name to be 60 days old before it can move, so this is planned for renewal time rather than done straight after buying.
Each extension's page works out whether splitting beats staying put, and by how much.
What to check before you believe any price
- Is the renewal shown? A page that advertises a first year without the renewal beside it is not telling you what the domain costs.
- Are fees included? Registry and ICANN fees are included here where the registrar includes them in its published price. The ICANN fee is $0.18 on most gTLDs. Taxes are never included, because they depend on where you are.
- Is that price a coupon price? A code discounts one term. The renewal is the undiscounted number, and the conditions attached to the code often matter more than the discount.
Compare the full list on the registrars page, which shows how many extensions each one is actually cheapest on as a share of its own catalogue.