I'm new to the web design business. Someone asked me the other day how much it costs to renew a domain name.

She said someone told her that it can be enormously expensive and you have to 'buy' the name or something?

I assumed that it would be as easy and low-cost as registering it in the first place.

Am I wrong? I paid about £8 for a .co.uk name, in two years time when it needs renewing could my registar turn round and say I have to fork out £100s to retain the use of it?

I could do with a definitive answer. I mailed the registar to ask (123-reg) and they didn't response, which I find suspicious...

Answers from experience would be very much appreciated.

Unfortunately some registrars (or resellers) do exactly that, maybe not £100s, but certainly the price will go up at renewal. Some will also charge extra if you want to move the hostname to another registrar (retagging).

It's usually around the same price for a renewal. Sometimes a bit more expensive because usually hosts offer discounts for the first year. I doubt 123-reg would charge in the 100 Euro range they are a pretty established company, though I've never used them.

But sometimes the smaller, less established registrars do charge outrageous fees.

heyyy..buying/renew domain thru google cheaper $10 plus free privacy

richarie.net/2010/02/buying-domain-through-google-cheaper.html

As rule: domain name registration fees = domain name renewal fee.

your registrar should not be charging you more and if he is doing that then definitely he is trying to fool you.The renewal fees always remains the same

Originally Posted by submitserve

your registrar should not be charging you more and if he is doing that then definitely he is trying to fool you.The renewal fees always remains the same

Why should they be????

It's called "loss leading" and it's easy to tell how many people have absolutely NO business skills.

Supermarkets sell bread at a LOSS because it gets people into the store.
Companies give discounts to "first time buyers"
Credit card companies give low interest rates for nn months.


It's called BUSINESS!! and offering "deals" is just good and normal marketing and promotion

Many registrars provides cheap domain registering services as a method for promo.
And they charge more for renewal but usually you would not be asked more than 35$ for most of top level domains and some Country level domains do exactly what you said.
So , it's always good to read terms and conditions and pricing before registering domain in nay registrar.

you would not be asked more than 35$ for most of top level domains and some Country level domains

Rubbish

If you go to Nominet to register or renew a .co.uk it will cost £80 (GBP) thats about $120 (USD) at current rates.

Originally Posted by chrishirst

Rubbish

If you go to Nominet to register or renew a .co.uk it will cost £80 (GBP) thats about $120 (USD) at current rates.

co.uk is country level domain!
And i told max 35$ for top level domain!

123reg should be fine, you shoul donly need to pay the going rate for your domain "like if it were new "

i use fasthosts and they just bill my card when its time and the price is always the same ( a couple of quid for a few years )

mind you i did pay £90 for my .com domain for 10 years. (Only cos some sites / companys / SE's see a site with a long registration as "commited" and hasnt been created quickly for fraud etc )

Originally Posted by gidux

But sometimes the smaller, less established registrars do charge outrageous fees.

And some of the older companies charge outrageous fees like Network Solutions and Register.com as compared to Name.com or Moniker. It pays to shop around to get the best domain prices.

At present I am using the following registrars for different reasons; Godaddy, 1&1 Internet, Answerable, Name.com, and Moniker. I am in the process of moving my domains as they come due away from Godaddy and 1&1. Most domains will be moved to Moniker. A few will be transfered to Name.com. The .info names I am planning on transferring to Internetbs.net. Recently I became a reseller for NetEarthOne and am trying to decide on how it is going to fit in to my overall domain plan?

renewal and registration are the same, I renew my domain each year for less than $10.

Always contact the site you are buying the name from and ask them before hand or pay for a few years upfront that way you do not have to worry about it for a while.

NO...no, all my domains are from name.com. Whatever is the price I bought it will be the price for renewal. If not you may be on a wrong registrar.

thanks for all your responses.

I finally got an answer to this question from my registar (123-reg) and they confirmed that the renewal fee should be about the same as the initial registration fee.

I guess I'll find out for sure in two years time!

She said someone told her that it can be enormously expensive and you have to 'buy' the name or something?

I do not think so. As rule the price for domain name renewal is the same as the price for the domain name registration.