The one page registrars would rather you skipped
The renewal trap: 256 extensions that quadruple in year two
We took every extension on the board, compared the promotional first year against the standing renewal, and ranked the gap. The worst offender multiplies by 79.
Every price is the cheapest we found anywhere, so this is not one registrar's markup — it is the extension itself. A $1 first year on a name that renews at $40 costs you $161 over five years. Registrars advertise the first number. This page ranks the second.
The worst gaps we track
| # | Extension | Register | Renew | Multiple | 5-year cost | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | .pro | $0.18 | $14.30 | ×79 7844% | $57.38 | ★★★★★1.1M |
| 2 | .baby | $1.23 | $50.00 | ×41 3965% | $202.03 | ★★★★★47K |
| 3 | .vu | $1.56 | $55.00 | ×35 3426% | $221.56 | ★★★★★48K |
| 4 | .website | $0.50 | $15.62 | ×31 3024% | $64.29 | ★★★★★231K |
| 5 | .host | $1.06 | $32.92 | ×31 3006% | $139.75 | ★★★★★25K |
| 6 | .shop | $0.87 | $26.90 | ×31 2992% | $108.47 | ★★★★★4.4M |
| 7 | .bar | $0.99 | $29.00 | ×29 2829% | $145.00 | ★★★★★43K |
| 8 | .press | $1.17 | $33.69 | ×29 2780% | $139.75 | ★★★★★19K |
| 9 | .fun | $0.64 | $18.00 | ×28 2703% | $85.60 | ★★★★★377K |
| 10 | .rent | $1.99 | $52.01 | ×26 2514% | $210.03 | ★★★★★10K |
| 11 | .college | $1.99 | $52.01 | ×26 2514% | $210.03 | ★★★★★6K |
| 12 | .creditcard | $4.99 | $129.25 | ×26 2490% | $521.99 | ★★★★★1K |
| 13 | .buzz | $0.99 | $25.20 | ×25 2446% | $101.79 | ★★★★★243K |
| 14 | .casino | $4.47 | $109.95 | ×25 2360% | $444.27 | ★★★★★96K |
| 15 | .study | $1.23 | $30.20 | ×25 2355% | $119.76 | ★★★★★16K |
| 16 | .christmas | $1.24 | $30.20 | ×24 2336% | $122.04 | ★★★★★14K |
| 17 | .lat | $0.99 | $24.00 | ×24 2324% | $96.99 | ★★★★★194K |
| 18 | .health | $2.49 | $60.20 | ×24 2318% | $243.29 | ★★★★★63K |
| 19 | .coupons | $1.99 | $45.65 | ×23 2194% | $184.59 | ★★★★★7K |
| 20 | .tech | $1.53 | $33.69 | ×22 2102% | $136.86 | ★★★★★558K |
| 21 | .courses | $1.24 | $26.81 | ×22 2062% | $108.48 | ★★★★★26K |
| 22 | .mom | $1.20 | $25.20 | ×21 2000% | $102.00 | ★★★★★77K |
| 23 | .store | $0.90 | $18.81 | ×21 1990% | $77.34 | ★★★★★2.1M |
| 24 | .sa.com | $9.95 | $205.91 | ×21 1969% | $904.79 | — |
| 25 | .za.com | $9.95 | $205.91 | ×21 1969% | $904.79 | — |
| 26 | .delivery | $2.27 | $45.60 | ×20 1909% | $184.67 | ★★★★★14K |
| 27 | .bio | $2.67 | $52.38 | ×20 1862% | $212.19 | ★★★★★73K |
| 28 | .info | $0.67 | $13.01 | ×19 1842% | $51.04 | ★★★★★5.2M |
| 29 | .digital | $1.57 | $30.17 | ×19 1822% | $122.25 | ★★★★★444K |
| 30 | .rest | $0.99 | $19.00 | ×19 1819% | $95.00 | ★★★★★104K |
| 31 | .living | $0.99 | $19.00 | ×19 1819% | $95.00 | ★★★★★25K |
| 32 | .se | $0.90 | $17.00 | ×19 1789% | $56.86 | ★★★★★1.4M |
| 33 | .surf | $1.24 | $23.00 | ×19 1755% | $93.24 | ★★★★★83K |
| 34 | .forum | $1.04 | $19.00 | ×18 1727% | $95.00 | ★★★★★62K |
| 35 | .tattoo | $1.76 | $31.40 | ×18 1684% | $127.36 | ★★★★★8K |
| 36 | .lifestyle | $1.80 | $31.41 | ×17 1645% | $127.44 | ★★★★★10K |
| 37 | .site | $0.88 | $15.28 | ×17 1636% | $62.10 | ★★★★★1.9M |
| 38 | .online | $0.89 | $15.28 | ×17 1617% | $62.13 | ★★★★★3.5M |
| 39 | .garden | $1.24 | $21.00 | ×17 1594% | $85.24 | ★★★★★201K |
| 40 | .fashion | $1.24 | $21.00 | ×17 1594% | $85.24 | ★★★★★13K |
| 41 | .green | $3.99 | $67.04 | ×17 1580% | $272.15 | ★★★★★8K |
| 42 | .pw | $0.90 | $15.11 | ×17 1579% | $61.34 | ★★★★★136K |
| 43 | .tokyo | $0.69 | $11.52 | ×17 1570% | $46.77 | ★★★★★85K |
| 44 | .guru | $1.57 | $26.08 | ×17 1561% | $105.89 | ★★★★★56K |
| 45 | .doctor | $5.98 | $96.98 | ×16 1522% | $393.90 | ★★★★★8K |
| 46 | .beer | $0.94 | $15.10 | ×16 1506% | $61.34 | ★★★★★185K |
| 47 | .uno | $0.94 | $15.00 | ×16 1496% | $60.94 | ★★★★★30K |
| 48 | .energy | $5.38 | $85.00 | ×16 1480% | $345.38 | ★★★★★28K |
| 49 | .best | $0.98 | $15.20 | ×16 1451% | $61.78 | ★★★★★62K |
| 50 | .yoga | $1.24 | $19.00 | ×15 1432% | $73.24 | ★★★★★31K |
| 51 | .codes | $3.31 | $50.17 | ×15 1416% | $203.99 | ★★★★★20K |
| 52 | .gay | $1.75 | $26.39 | ×15 1408% | $107.31 | ★★★★★19K |
| 53 | .cards | $1.99 | $30.00 | ×15 1408% | $121.99 | ★★★★★14K |
| 54 | .investments | $6.98 | $103.58 | ×15 1384% | $421.30 | ★★★★★7K |
| 55 | .gold | $4.94 | $72.37 | ×15 1365% | $294.42 | ★★★★★15K |
| 56 | .lotto | $107.68 | $1551.37 | ×14 1341% | $6313.16 | ★★★★★127 |
| 57 | .cfd | $0.59 | $8.50 | ×14 1341% | $34.59 | ★★★★★551K |
| 58 | .credit | $5.99 | $86.29 | ×14 1341% | $351.15 | ★★★★★6K |
| 59 | .fit | $1.06 | $15.10 | ×14 1324% | $61.46 | ★★★★★84K |
| 60 | .reviews | $3.99 | $56.13 | ×14 1307% | $228.51 | ★★★★★11K |
| 61 | .cloud | $0.90 | $12.62 | ×14 1302% | $53.56 | ★★★★★535K |
| 62 | .me | $1.00 | $14.00 | ×14 1300% | $56.55 | ★★★★★1.1M |
| 63 | .wtf | $1.99 | $27.60 | ×14 1287% | $112.39 | ★★★★★42K |
| 64 | .lol | $1.20 | $16.00 | ×13 1233% | $78.20 | ★★★★★1.1M |
| 65 | .pics | $1.20 | $16.00 | ×13 1233% | $78.20 | ★★★★★113K |
| 66 | .biz | $0.99 | $13.17 | ×13 1230% | $51.68 | ★★★★★1.3M |
| 67 | .tires | $5.93 | $78.29 | ×13 1220% | $317.89 | ★★★★★1K |
| 68 | .dog | $2.99 | $39.13 | ×13 1209% | $159.51 | ★★★★★18K |
| 69 | .blog | $1.57 | $20.18 | ×13 1185% | $82.29 | ★★★★★365K |
| 70 | .wiki | $1.06 | $12.97 | ×12 1124% | $52.94 | ★★★★★130K |
| 71 | .team | $2.27 | $27.60 | ×12 1116% | $112.67 | ★★★★★68K |
| 72 | .watch | $2.49 | $30.17 | ×12 1112% | $123.17 | ★★★★★14K |
| 73 | .insure | $4.99 | $59.99 | ×12 1102% | $244.95 | ★★★★★6K |
| 74 | .auction | $2.49 | $29.32 | ×12 1078% | $119.77 | ★★★★★6K |
| 75 | .solar | $4.99 | $58.19 | ×12 1066% | $237.75 | ★★★★★9K |
| 76 | .today | $1.57 | $18.01 | ×11 1047% | $73.61 | ★★★★★119K |
| 77 | .deals | $2.99 | $33.55 | ×11 1022% | $137.19 | ★★★★★9K |
| 78 | .skin | $0.99 | $11.00 | ×11 1011% | $48.99 | ★★★★★171K |
| 79 | .quest | $0.99 | $11.00 | ×11 1011% | $48.99 | ★★★★★55K |
| 80 | .space | $0.96 | $10.56 | ×11 1000% | $41.88 | ★★★★★559K |
| 81 | .golf | $3.94 | $42.99 | ×11 991% | $173.90 | ★★★★★19K |
| 82 | .global | $5.99 | $65.00 | ×11 985% | $265.99 | ★★★★★73K |
| 83 | .luxe | $1.24 | $13.00 | ×10 948% | $53.24 | ★★★★★12K |
| 84 | .holiday | $4.99 | $52.01 | ×10 942% | $213.03 | ★★★★★4K |
| 85 | .monster | $0.99 | $10.20 | ×10 930% | $41.79 | ★★★★★41K |
| 86 | .autos | $1.20 | $12.30 | ×10 925% | $50.40 | ★★★★★207K |
| 87 | .fitness | $2.79 | $28.23 | ×10 912% | $115.71 | ★★★★★13K |
| 88 | .bond | $0.99 | $10.00 | ×10 910% | $40.99 | ★★★★★1.2M |
| 89 | .one | $1.19 | $12.00 | ×10 908% | $48.85 | ★★★★★261K |
| 90 | .capital | $4.99 | $50.17 | ×10 905% | $205.67 | ★★★★★36K |
| 91 | .legal | $4.99 | $50.17 | ×10 905% | $205.67 | ★★★★★22K |
| 92 | .homes | $1.20 | $12.00 | ×10 900% | $49.20 | ★★★★★107K |
| 93 | .icu | $0.88 | $8.80 | ×10 900% | $37.70 | ★★★★★564K |
| 94 | .com | $1.00 | $9.98 | ×10 898% | $35.48 | ★★★★★165.7M |
| 95 | .realty | $28.99 | $288.88 | ×10 896% | $1184.51 | ★★★★★1K |
| 96 | .recipes | $5.48 | $54.42 | ×10 893% | $223.16 | ★★★★★4K |
| 97 | .enterprises | $2.99 | $29.61 | ×10 890% | $121.43 | ★★★★★10K |
| 98 | .org | $1.00 | $9.82 | ×10 882% | $39.21 | ★★★★★12.1M |
| 99 | .clothing | $2.99 | $29.32 | ×10 881% | $120.27 | ★★★★★9K |
| 100 | .tours | $4.99 | $48.20 | ×10 866% | $195.71 | ★★★★★13K |
Compare every extension · Ranked by five-year cost
On this page
Renewal traps, answered
01Why did my domain renewal cost so much more than the first year?
Because the first year was a promotion and the renewal is the standing price. Registrars discount the sign-up to win the name and charge the real rate every year after. On the worst extension we track the renewal is 79 times the first year.
02Which domain extensions have the biggest renewal increase?
256 extensions at least quadruple in year two; the 100 worst are listed above. The single worst is .pro.
03Can I avoid a domain renewal price increase?
Not by staying put — the renewal is set by the registry and the registrar. You can move the name: an inbound transfer adds a year, so transferring to a cheaper registrar before renewal is usually the only lever. Registries require the name to be 60 days old first.
04Is a cheap first-year domain always a trap?
No. A gap on its own is not a trap; the size of it is. A .com registered at its cheapest renews 898% above that first year, and nobody calls .com a trap. What this page ranks is the gap running to several hundred percent, where the first year was priced to be forgotten about.
05Why is domain renewal more expensive than registration?
Because the two prices do different jobs. The registration price is marketing — it wins the name and is paid once. The renewal is the standing price the registrar and registry actually want, and it is paid every year you keep the domain.
06How do I check a domain's renewal price before I buy?
Every extension page here shows registration and renewal side by side for each registrar, from the registrar's own published list. At checkout the renewal is usually a line of small print below the total.
07Which is worse, a high renewal or a high transfer price?
A high transfer price. A dear renewal is survivable if moving out is cheap, because an inbound transfer adds a year. A dear renewal with a dear transfer is a subscription you cannot cancel.
08Does this happen with .com too?
Far less. The .com wholesale price is capped and rises a few percent a year, so the gap between a discounted first year and the renewal is measured in dollars rather than multiples. The extensions on this page multiply.