How Much Do Domains Cost? Buy a Cheap Domain in 5 Steps

If you want to build a website and start getting noticed online, you need a domain. Your domain will be part of your branding and help you get noticed online by search engines and real people. Without an effective domain name, your customers won't be able to find you online. So let's discuss what a domain is, how much they cost, and how you can buy one and start building your website today.

What is a domain?

A domain is part of your unique website address. Individuals will use it to find you online using the address bar on their browsers, and search engines use it to crawl your website pages. Domains are connected to IP addresses allowing people to remember your unique web address without worrying about a string of numbers. Instead, they'll type in real words that they can easily remember to find you online.

Domains are just one part of a complete website address, also known as a URL. URLs consist of the domain name, protocol, subdirectory, and path. The domain itself is labeled by its name. For example, Mailchimp.com or Amazon.com are domain names.

How much do domains typically cost?

Domains typically cost around $10 to $20 per year. However, the total cost depends on how competitive the domain is and whether you buy it from a registrar of available domains or another person or company. Additionally, you may be able to find a domain that costs you just $2 per year, depending on discounts available through registrars.

Domains auto-renew every year on the date you originally purchased them, and prices may increase every the first year. Luckily, most registrars offer you the opportunity to pay for multiple years at once to lock in the lowest prices.

Many factors can affect the price of a domain, including:

• Popularity: The more popular a domain name, the more it will cost you to purchase. If you're trying to find a cheap domain name, avoid common words individuals might use. Instead, find something unique like your business name or something people can easily remember.
• Type of domain name: Some domain extensions are more popular than others, making them more costly. For example, .com, .gov, and .edu extensions are typically more expensive than lesser-known extensions because they're the most common. Your customers expect you to have a .com extension, so it's usually best to find a cheap domain name with a more expensive extension if you're trying to save money. An unknown extension may give you a cheap domain name, but it can also be confusing for customers trying to find you online.
• Registrar: Some registrars are more expensive than others, while some can help you find cheap domain names.
• Length of domain name: Short domain names typically cost more than longer ones because they're more popular. Of course, if you're looking for a cheap domain name, you might try something a bit longer. That being said, your domain name should still be user-friendly.
• Availability: Domains that are already taken by people and businesses will be more expensive to obtain. If you're looking for a cheap domain, avoid buying it from someone who already owns it, as they can make it as expensive as they want once they know you're interested in it.

Did you know? You may even be able to purchase a free domain name. You can buy a free domain from several providers, including Mailchimp. Free domain names are branded and come with many free tools to help you get your business off the ground. Learn more about how to get a free domain name.

5 Steps to buying a domain

If you want to purchase a cheap domain, you'll need to do your research on the best registrars available and what you get with the purchase of your domain name. You can only buy a domain that another business doesn't already own. Therefore, if your ideal domain name isn't available through a registrar, it's likely someone already owns it. Here are the steps for how to buy a domain name.

1. Choose your registrar

There are many credible domain registrars available to choose from. These companies register and manage domain names and must be accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Choosing a registrar is essential because it can impact your entire website. For example, if you choose the wrong registrar, you might have to contend with hidden fees and scams.

Whichever you choose, always do your research to determine which is best for your business. If you're not technically savvy, look for a cheap domain registration provider that's easy to use and offers customer support to help you in times of need.

Search for your ideal domain

Once you've chosen a registrar, you can search for your ideal domain name for free to determine whether or not it's available. If you're buying a cheap domain for a business, you might try to use your business name. If your business name isn't available, consider a variation of your business name. Of course, choosing the right domain name is crucial, so feel free to take as much time as you need on this step to ensure you can find the right one for your business.

When searching for a domain, you'll also need to choose the right domain extension, also known as a top-level domain. Domain extensions are the suffix at the end of the web address like .com, .edu, and .gov. Businesses should try to use .com when possible to make finding their website online easier. Luckily, you can still find cheap domain names with a popular extension, as long as you're prepared to change your domain name to something that costs less.

Choose your domain

When searching for your domain with a registrar, you'll see a list of possible domains to choose from and can compare by price and domain extension. Once you've chosen the right domain for you, you can add it to your cart and proceed to checkout. On the next page, you might see a list of add-ons, including privacy protection. It's best to add privacy protection now so you don't forget about it later. When you're ready, you can check out by creating an account and completing the payment process.

Complete registration

After completing payment, you'll be redirected to your dashboard, where you can begin setting up your domain to complete the cheap domain registration process. This is where you'll fill in your contact information that will be stored in the domain ownership database WHOIS. After you've entered your information, your registration will be processed.

Verify ownership

Even though registration is complete, the process isn't over yet. You must verify ownership to begin using your domain. The registrar will send you an email to the address you used when purchasing and registering the domain within a few minutes after you finish the setup. Once you're ready to proceed, you have to click the verification link within the email to verify your information and ownership of the domain. Once ownership is complete, you can begin using your domain for your website. You can then use your custom domain for websites, landing pages, and your business email right away, allowing you to begin communicating with customers immediately.

Pick a domain that fits your brand

When looking for a cheap domain name, you must consider your business needs and its customers. Individuals looking for your online presence expect you to have a particular extension and use your business name as the domain name. Unfortunately, this isn't always an option for those who want to buy the cheapest domain name.

In some cases, you will have to compromise and find a domain that's easy for customers to remember and won't cost your business a fortune. Luckily, finding cheap domain names is easy with Mailchimp allowing you to register a domain for your business. Using Mailchimp to launch your brand, you can search for available domain names to find the right one for you based on your budget.

Once you've found the perfect domain, you can pick an extension, claim your domain and begin building your website with Mailchimp's website builder and content creation tools. You can also use your new domain to create a new business email address to use with your email marketing efforts, helping you build trust with potential customers. In addition, Mailchimp can help you find cheap domain names to launch your business online and help you begin communicating with your loyal customers.