Domain guides
Plain-language, source-grounded explainers for how domains actually work: costs, transfers, the expiry lifecycle, and privacy/security. Every figure is sourced to verified pricing data or ICANN/registry documentation.
Last updated 2026-09-29Prices checked monthly1 of 9 scored reviews with published testing notes11 registrars with primary-source pricingTransparent methodology
Domain costs & pricing
What a domain really costs, the fees behind the price, and the .com price history.
How much does a domain really cost?
First-year vs renewal, plus the registry, ICANN, and markup pieces behind the price.
The ICANN fee, explained
A mandatory ~$0.20/year charge on gTLD domains, what it funds and when it applies.
.com price increase tracker
Verisign's .com wholesale price history and the 7% annual increases, sourced.
Premium domains, explained
Registry premium versus aftermarket, and the renewal trap that catches buyers of both.
How to buy a domain name
A practical walkthrough: with the renewal check and the two settings people skip.
How to choose a domain name
The naming advice everyone gives, plus the cost consequence almost nobody mentions.
Transferring domains
How transfers work end to end: timing, auth codes, locks, and leaving a website builder.
How domain transfers work
The full transfer process end to end, unlock, auth code, pay, approve, and what actually moves.
How long does a domain transfer take?
Most gTLD transfers take about 5–7 days: how to speed it up, and what delays it.
What is an EPP / authorization code?
The per-domain password that authorizes a transfer, its many names and how to get it.
The 60-day domain transfer lock
Why ICANN blocks transfers for 60 days after a registration or move, and how to plan around it.
Transferring a domain away from a website builder (Wix, Squarespace)
Moving a Wix or Squarespace domain to a standalone registrar, sourced steps and the gotchas.
How to transfer a domain away from GoDaddy
The full GoDaddy exit path, unlock, downgrade protection, auth code, and where to move.
How to transfer a domain away from Squarespace
Domain Lock off, emailed auth code, done: the Squarespace exit path, incl. Google Domains refugees.
Domain transfer stuck? How to diagnose and fix it
The calm diagnostic checklist for a pending transfer, and when and how to escalate.
Auth code not working? Every reason and fix
Invalid auth code? The handful of real causes, paste damage, expiry, locks, non-EPP TLDs, and fixes.
Domain locked: the three kinds of lock and how to clear each
Registrar lock, ICANN 60-day lock, registry lock, telling them apart and clearing each.
Domain lifecycle
Registration, renewal, and what happens when a domain expires.
What happens when a domain expires
The full timeline, grace, redemption, pending delete, drop, and how to recover a lapsed domain.
Can you buy a domain permanently?
No: domains are leased in terms of up to ten years. What that means and how to get closest to permanent.
The domain redemption fee, explained
What it costs to get an expired domain back, why it is so expensive, and the deadline to watch.
Domain vs web hosting: what is the difference?
The address versus the building, and why buying them separately is usually safer.
How to connect a domain to a website
Which record to use, why CNAME fails at the apex, and how long propagation really takes.
Brand-protection registrars, explained
The enterprise class that publishes no prices, what it does, and the test for whether you need it.
Expired domains and backorders
Why an expired domain isn't available yet, when it actually drops, and what a backorder really buys.
How to sell a domain
Where to list, why escrow matters, and the 60-day lock that catches sellers out.
Email on your own domain
Forwarding versus a real mailbox, the records that make it work, and why sending is the hard part.
Privacy & security
WHOIS privacy under GDPR and what DNSSEC does.