5 domain renewal traps that cost founders hundreds
A $0.99 first-year promo feels like a steal. But that domain often renews at $25/year — and most founders don't notice until the third year, when they've already paid $50 too much. Here are the five traps to dodge.
Trap 1: The $0.99 first-year teaser
GoDaddy, Namecheap and Hostinger all run aggressive intro pricing. Year 2 onwards: $14.98 (Namecheap), $21.99 (GoDaddy), $14.98 (Hostinger). Always check the renewal column before clicking 'Buy.'
Trap 2: Auto-renew at retail
Auto-renew is on by default at every major registrar. If your card is charged before you've decided whether to keep the domain, you're locked in for another year at the (high) renewal rate. Turn off auto-renew and set a calendar reminder 30 days before expiry instead.
Trap 3: 'Premium' upcharge on niche TLDs
Many short, brandable .io, .ai, .co names are flagged 'premium' by the registry and cost $100-$10,000/year (not $35). Worse: some registrars hide this until checkout. Dompryce surfaces a 'Premium ⚠️' badge whenever the registry has flagged a name.
Trap 4: WHOIS privacy paywall
GoDaddy still charges $9.99/year for WHOIS privacy on some TLDs. Stack across 5 domains × 5 years = $250 lost. Use a registrar that includes it free (everyone except GoDaddy on certain TLDs).
Trap 5: Transfer-out fee or 60-day lock surprise
After your $0.99 first-year, you can't transfer out for 60 days (ICANN rule). Some registrars also charge an 'admin fee' to release your auth code. Always read the fine print, and plan transfers around the 60-day mark.