Cheap domain names: first-year prices vs renewal traps

A domain is a yearly cost for as long as you keep the site, so the renewal price matters more than the first-year price. Registrars know this and advertise the promotional first-year rate loudest.

The table below shows what Hostinger's own domain page listed on 27 October 2026. It isn't a recommendation to buy or avoid; it's a clean example of the gap you should look for at any registrar.

Promotional prices come with conditions. In the example, the $0.01 .com requires a 3-year term, and the checkout total on the page was $39.99 for that term. That can still be good value if you want three years, but it isn't a one-cent domain.

If a page hides the term, the renewal rate or the transfer price, treat that as a warning sign and read the cart carefully.

• What you pay today, for the whole term, including any add-ons ticked by default.
• The renewal price per year, after the promotion ends.
• The transfer-out price, in case you move later. Hostinger's page listed $9.99 to transfer a .com in, for instance.

I don't print competitor prices: they move constantly and differ by country. What stays true is the pricing model, and that tells you where to look.

The registration price isn't the only line on the bill.

• WHOIS privacy. Many registrars include it free, and Hostinger says it's free on new domains and transfers for extensions that support it. Confirm at checkout; some registrars charge extra.
• Transfer price. Moving a domain away can cost money.
• Premium domains. Short or dictionary-word names can be priced as premium names, at hundreds or thousands of dollars, with a high renewal too.
• Auto-renewal. It protects you from losing the domain but charges the full renewal rate without a reminder. Put the date in your calendar.
• Add-ons. Email, site builders and "domain protection" extras are offered at checkout. Skip what you don't need.

Use this order and you avoid most surprises.

1. 1Choose the extension first. A .com is the easiest to remember and type; cheap extensions like .xyz and .online can suit a side project.
2. 2Compare the renewal price at two or three registrars, not just the first year.
3. 3Check that WHOIS privacy is included.
4. 4Buy only the years you need. You can renew each year.
5. 5Turn on two-factor sign-in and registrar lock for the account.
6. 6Keep the domain registration separate from your web host if you might switch hosts later.

Under ICANN's transfer policy, a newly registered domain generally can't be transferred to another registrar for the first 60 days. You can't register at a bargain price and move away the next week. A transfer usually also adds a year to the registration, so check what the transfer price includes.

Next, read where to buy a domain name for how to choose a registrar, and website hosting types or cheap hosting after year one once the domain is sorted. To put a mailbox on it, see business email hosting and the email setup guide.

SaveMores is an independent Hostinger referral site. If you buy through a link here we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. That's why a coupon button appears on this page, and it's why I also say where Hostinger is the wrong choice. The disclosure page and how we test explain the rest.

The Hostinger figures come from its domain pages on 27 October 2026. Other registrars are described by their pricing model, with no figures quoted. Prices change, so confirm at checkout.