If you have ever tried to register a domain name before, then you have likely seen a wide-variety of prices ranging from $9 to several thousand dollars.

The cost of a domain name varies based on the domain extension (such as .com, .org, .net), domain registrar, availability, and few other factors.

Apart from new domain names, you can also buy premium domain names from someone else who has registered it before you. Domain name investors often register premium domain names that are shorter, brandable, and easy to remember for the sole purpose of reselling.

In this article, we’ll explain how much does a domain name really cost. We’ll also show you different ways to buy a domain name, including a way to get one for free.

Since this is a comprehensive guide on domain name costs, we have broken it down into few sections:

• How much does a new domain name cost?
• What are the hidden costs of a domain name?
• How much does a premium domain name cost?
• How to estimate the value of a premium domain name?
• How much does an expired domain name cost?
• How to buy a domain name not listed for sale?
• Things to look for before buying a domain name
• Frequently asked questions about domain name costs

How Much Does a New Domain Name Cost?

Buying a new domain name would typically cost you anywhere between $9 and $14.99 per year. However, these prices may differ based on the domain extension or the domain registrar you choose.

If you are starting a new website, then we recommend using Bluehost. They are one of the top web hosting companies in the world.

They are offering WPBeginner users a free domain name + free SSL certificate on top of the 60% discount on their web hosting plans.

Since you need both a domain name and web hosting to make a website, this is the most affordable option to get started.

If you just want to purchase a domain name, then we recommend using Domain.com as your registrar. You can use our Domain.com coupon code to get 25% off your purchase.

Here is how much a new domain registration costs with different registrars.

• Bluehost – Free domain with hosting $2.75 / month
• Domain.com – $7.45 for .com domain names with our coupon code
• Hostinger – Free domain with hosting $2.79 / month
• Network Solutions – $7.49 for .com with our coupon code or FREE with their web hosting package.
• HostGator – Free domain with hosting $2.64 / month
• GoDaddy – $11.99
• DreamHost – Free domain with hosting $2.59 / month

These prices are for new .com domain names only. The pricing of other extensions such as .net, .org, .info, .blog, etc. will vary based on the domain registrar you use.

When it comes to domain extensions, we always recommend users to use .com because it’s the most popular one.

Hidden Costs of a Domain Name

Aside from the domain registration cost, there are few hidden domain costs and upsells that you should be aware of, so you can make the most educated decision.

Yearly Renewals

Domain name registration is done on a yearly basis. You can maintain control over your domain name as long as you continue to renew your registration each year.

Some domain registrars offer domain name discounts on first year purchase, but their renewal costs are much higher. If you see a promotion where you can pay $0.99 for a domain name, then please know that it’s usually for first year only. Your annual renewals will be at a much higher price.

WHOIS and Domain Privacy

ICANN is the not-for-profit public-benefit corporation that is responsible for coordinating the assignment and maintenance of domain names. They require each domain registrar to collect contact information for the website owner.

This information can be publicly accessed using WHOIS data. Other businesses and companies can use this information to contact you about a potential business partnership.

Having the WHOIS data publicly available can result in unwanted emails and phone calls. This is why many domain registrars sell an add-on called Domain Privacy.

This addon typically costs an additional $9.99, and it’s completely optional. The problem is that often registrars automatically add it to the cart, and you have to manually remove it if you don’t want to pay for it.

Some registrars like DreamHost offer free domain privacy with their domains.

Business Email Accounts (Email Domains)

When buying a domain name, you will likely see an addon for email domains for setting up a professional business email address.

You do not need to buy this because you can get a free business email address with most web hosting companies.

If you want a more professional option, then we recommend buying this directly from G Suite or Microsoft Office365, so you’re not locked into a registrar.

Pro Tip: Secure Domain Discounts for Multiple Years

Some registrars like Domain.com allows you to pre-pay for multiple years upfront. This is a great way to get the introductory discount offer for multiple years.

Since you have to pay for domain renewals every year, pre-paying for multiple years can be a significant saving. Not to mention, it saves you from future price increases.

But these hidden fees and domain cost explanation is primarily for new domains that are available to register.

What about premium domains or domains that you buy from other people? Let’s take a look at the premium domain costs in details.

How Much Does a Premium Domain Name Cost?

Premium domain names are pre-registered domain names that are often shorter, brandable, and more memorable. Often domain investors register these premium domain names to sell later at a higher price for profit.

Cost of premium domain names can range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. It all depends on the uniqueness of the name, domain length, and its overall brand potential.

Some premium domains may even cost hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. Here are some of the most expensive domains sold in history:

• Insurance.com – $35.6 million
• PrivateJet.com – $30.18 million
• Hotels.com – $11 million
• Fb.com – $8.5 million
• Business.com – $7.5 million

You can find premium domain names listed for sale by private sellers on various websites.

We recommend buying domain names from reputable websites to ensure a safe transfer of the domain name. See our guide on the best places to buy a premium domain name.

How to Estimate The Value of a Premium Domain Name?

Many beginners ask us about how to find the right offer to make for a premium domain or a pre-registered domain name?

Domain names that are already taken are often sold at a higher price. However, most of the time the asking price is outrageously high which discourages many inexperienced domain buyers from making an offer.

We recommend users to do some research and make a reasonable counter offer. Remember, the domain investor only makes money when they sell the domain.

Like most trades, the value of a premium domain largely depends on the maximum you’re willing to pay and the lowest the seller is willing to accept.

However, you can look at domain marketplaces like BuyDomains, Sedo, or Flippa to better understand the market rates, so you can make a respectable offer for a particular niche.

If the domain you are looking for already has a listed price, then you can start by offering 50-75% of the listed price.

Note: Most domain value estimation tools are completely useless, so it’s best to avoid using them as a reference.

We recommend caution when buying a registered domain name. If you are unsure about the domain’s potential worth to your business, then simply walk away.

How Much Does an Expired Domain Names Cost?

Each day thousands of domain names expire. These are the domain names where the owner decided not to renew their registration, or they simply forgot about these domain names.

Expired domains provide an excellent opportunity to find great brandable domain name. The following are a few places where you can look for recently expired domain names.

1. FreshDrop

FreshDrop is a domain marketplace that allows you to follow expired and soon to be expired domain names. It comes with an advanced search tool that you can use to narrow down your search.

2. ExpiredDomains

ExpiredDomains is a search engine dedicated to expired domain names. It may not look as easy to use as other domain search tools but it has a large and constantly updated index of domain names.

Note: You need to check for domain abuse and other problems before buying a used, pre-registered, or expired domain names (more on this later).

Cost of Expired Domain Names

Normally, you can register an expired domain name at the usual yearly rates of your domain registrar company.

However if a domain name is soon to be expired, then you can use a domain backorder service. This allows you to place an advance order for the domain name.

If there is no other advance order for that domain name, then your order will become successful. Most domain name companies charge a small one-time fee ($25 – $99) to provide this service.

How to Buy a Domain Name Not Listed for Sale?

So far we have talked about the cost of domain names that are available for registration or sold by third-parties. What if you have your eye on a domain name that is already taken but not listed for sale?

There is a good chance that you can still get your hands on that particular domain name.

You see, many users register domain names to start a new online business idea. A lot of them end up never using that domain name or abandon the idea.

Since they’re not using the domain name, you can directly contact the domain owner to make an offer.

If the domain name has a website, then you can use the contact form on their website to reach out.

Alternatively, you can use the Whois search to find contact information of the domain owner and send them a message to show your interest.

Sometimes people register domain names for future ideas, so even if they’re not using it, they still wouldn’t want to sell it. Some folks get greedy and will ask for a premium to part ways with their domain.

Remember, you’re buying someone’s “dream idea”, so you need to be respectful but also realistic about the value.

Pro tip: If you have a business idea, then it’s better to register a domain name even if you’re not 100% sure. You don’t want to risk someone else registering it before you get around to it. We think of it as an insurance policy because a domain costs only $9.99.

Doing Your Homework Before Buying a Domain Name

If you are buying a domain name that has never been used before, then you are good to go.

However, if you are buying a domain name that was previously owned by someone else, then you need to do some basic due diligence.

These domain names could be violating copyright or trademark, used to distribute malware or spam, or misused in other malicious activities.

Don’t worry, there are plenty of tools that you can use to do your homework.

1. Check For Trademark

First, you would want to make sure that the domain name is not a registered trademark of an existing business.

According to ICANN rules, if a domain name violates a company’s registered trademark, then that company can claim the domain name or ask you to take it down.

You can check the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s database to do a quick trademark search. Simply enter your domain name in the search box to see if it returns any matches.

2. Check Past Domain Name Usage

Next, you would want to see how the domain name has been used in the past. What kind of websites were made using that particular domain name?

The easiest way to do this is by using the Wayback Machine. It is a massive historical archive of the internet with snapshots of websites archived on a regular basis.

3. Check Historical Whois Records

Whois tools provides you historical whois records for a domain name. This helps you see when a domain name was created, last renewed, DNS changes, and other historical data.

4. Run a Domain Health Check Test

Finally, you need to make sure that the domain is not used to send spam, launch DDoS attacks, or spread malware. You can use MxToolBox’s domain health tool to see if raises any red flags.

Frequently Asked Questions About Domain Name Costs

Having helped thousands of users start a blog and website, we have answered a lot of questions related to domain names. Below are some of the most common ones:

Can I get a domain name for free?

While domain name typically costs $14.99 / year, you can get a domain name for free as a bundled offer with various web hosting companies.

Hosting companies like Bluehost, HostGator, Dreamhost, GreenGeeks, and others offer free domains with their web hosting packages.

Which is the best domain name registrar?

We believe that Domain.com is the best registrar right now because they have the features you need, and they’re offering a 25% off discount.

However it’s a smarter money decision to get a free domain with web hosting like Bluehost because it saves you time and money.

You can always transfer your domain name to another popular domain name registrar if you’re not happy with your existing provider.

Do I need both domain name and web hosting to build a website?

Yes, you need both the domain name and web hosting to build a website. Domain name is your website’s address on the internet whereas web hosting is where your website files are stored. For more details, see our guide on difference between domain name vs web hosting (explained).

Can I buy a domain name forever (permanently)?

No, you cannot buy a domain name permanently. Domain name registration is done on a yearly basis. However, you can pre-pay for up to 10 years which guarantees that you will have a domain name for 10 years.

How much does a domain name cost on Wix vs WordPress?

When using a hosted website builder platform, the cost of your domain name will vary. It’s important to remember that website builder platforms offer a combination of hosting + domain.

For example, Wix domains cost $14.95 / year, but they are free if you choose the annual plan which costs $13 / month.

WordPress.com domains cost $18 / year, but they are included for free with the annual Personal plan which costs $8 / month.

But if you use a self-hosted WordPress platform, then you can start a website with Bluehost for $2.75 per month, and it comes with a free domain name. For more details, see the difference between WordPress.com vs self-hosted WordPress.org.

We hope this article helped you learn how much does a domain name really cost. You may also want to see our guide on how much does it really cost to build a WordPress website.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

Do you want to know how much it costs to build a custom WordPress theme?

Creating a custom theme gives a lot of freedom and flexibility over the layout and design of your WordPress site. However, many people don’t opt for a custom theme because they think it will be expensive.

In this article, we will share how much does a custom WordPress theme cost, as well as a few tips on how you can save money and avoid overpaying.

What is a Custom WordPress Theme?

A custom WordPress theme has a unique design, layout, and set of features that are made specifically for your business needs.

There are many free and premium WordPress themes available, but a custom WordPress theme helps your company or brand to stand out with a unique look.

The benefit of getting a custom WordPress theme is that you’re not limited by the constraints of a pre-existing template or layout. You have full freedom to customize your website and get any specific functionality built into your theme.

Create Custom Themes Using a Plugin vs Hiring a Designer

You now have lots of options to choose from when creating a WordPress theme. There are DIY theme builders that you can use on your own, or you can hire a freelance designer and agency to create a WordPress theme.

Let’s take a closer look at which is better, using a plugin or hiring a professional.

Using a WordPress Theme Builder Plugin

To create a custom WordPress theme, you no longer need to depend on someone who can design and code your theme for you.

SeedProd is a WordPress page builder that has made it super easy to create a custom theme from scratch without coding. It offers pre-built templates that you can use to get started quickly or use a blank template to create a custom theme.

Using the DIY drag and drop page builders, you can then easily customize every element of your theme.

Simply add and remove blocks from your theme, rearrange their order, edit the color, size, font, background image, add your logo, and change anything in the template.

Using SeedProd is the best choice if you want to create your own custom theme on a budget.

Hiring a Designer and Developer to Create a Custom Theme

On the other hand, you may be able to find an individual who can do both designs and develop the site depending on your needs. However, it’s hard to find a person who’s excellent at both design and code.

When you go with a full-service agency, it’s a one-stop-shop because they have designers and developers on their team. This is also the reason why agencies are usually more expensive. Alternatively, you can hire an individual freelance designer and developer separately and manage the project yourself.

However, design and development is a creative process, so the project cost varies based on expertise, experience in the field, and creativity.

Well reputed WordPress development agencies may cost more than an individual developer or freelancer. A well-known WordPress developer can sometimes charge even more than an agency. Plus, placing change orders to make revisions to a theme can make it more expensive to develop.

Keep Costs Low by Having a Clear Scope of the Project

Whether you choose to hire a professional or choose a theme builder plugin, a pro tip for keeping costs low is by having a clear scope of the project.

For instance, when you’re building a house, you typically have a list of features that you want, such as 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a living room, etc.

You need to make a similar list for your WordPress website and list down all the things that you would like to have such as:

• Editable home page with a testimonial slider and services list
• Contact page with a contact form and a Google map with the ability to find directions
• Gallery area to showcase the work
• Blog section with social media share buttons

Having a detailed list makes it easier for someone to give you an accurate quote. It also helps limit revisions or change-order fees and helps you keep within your budget.

Factors that Affect the Cost of a Custom WordPress Theme

Since each custom WordPress theme is built specifically for the individual client, the cost of the project varies based on the requirements.

Below are some of the factors that will impact the cost of your custom WordPress theme:

Features, Functionality, and Expectations

Adding more features and functionality to your custom theme will increase the development time and cost. Usually, clients have higher expectations than their budget allows.

High-quality work with custom features will take more time, and hence it will cost more.

Similarly, you may require premium WordPress plugins to get the functionality you need for your website. This will add to the cost of developing a custom theme.

Change Orders and Revisions

If you change the scope of your custom WordPress theme project in the middle of the process, then this can significantly increase your cost.

While minor changes are ok, freelancers and agencies often charge change-order fees for major change requests.

Hosting, Maintenance, and Support

A custom WordPress theme does not include WordPress hosting, website maintenance, or offering support after the delivery of the project.

Some agencies and freelancers might offer these services at an additional cost.

How Much Does a Custom WordPress Theme Actually Cost?

Previously, it was extremely difficult to explain how much a custom WordPress theme costs in fixed numbers because there were several factors to consider.

However, if you select a drag and drop WordPress page builder, then the cost of building a custom WordPress theme drops considerably.

For example, SeedProd offers its theme builder in the Pro plan, which starts at $199.50 per year. You can simply use the plugin to create a custom WordPress them yourself. Plus, if you add that with the cost of web hosting, domain, and SSL certificate, you can easily make a custom theme for under $500.

These days, even the large numbers of freelancers use drag & drop page builders now to create custom WordPress themes because it helps them build custom websites faster.

You can see our detailed guide on how much does it really cost to build a WordPress website for more details.

On the other hand, when you hire a freelancer or an agency, then a the cost of a custom WordPress theme for a business / personal website could cost between $1,500 – $5,000. A custom WordPress theme with additional built-in features or companion plugins can cost anywhere between $6,000 – $10,000.

If you have a complex enterprise-level project, then it is not uncommon for custom theme project prices to go above $30,000.

Therefore, we would highly recommend using a page builder to create a custom theme because the total cost will be lower, and you won’t have to spend a lot of money on freelancers and agencies.

How to Avoid Overpaying for a Custom WordPress Theme?

With over a decade of experience in the WordPress industry, we have a few tips that you can use to avoid overpaying for a custom WordPress theme.

Find Live Website Examples for Inspiration when Possible

Going along with a detailed scope and having a list of inspirations really help with the design process.

You can have a list of websites and list out what you like about each of them.

This gives the designer a clear idea of what you’re looking for this reduces the revisions and overall cost.

Use Premium Plugins vs Custom Built Functionality

Most reputable WordPress professionals will always choose a premium WordPress plugin vs building it out from scratch because it’s more efficient and saves cost.

However, as a customer, we always recommend that you do your own research as well. Often the developer that you choose may have other suggestions, and it’s important that you understand why they decide to choose one plugin over another.

Customize Premium Themes vs Build from Scratch

One of the ways to significantly reduce cost while still getting a ‘custom’ look and feel is to find an existing theme that has 90% of what you want. While this cheats the custom theme concept, it can significantly reduce the overall cost.

Powerful drag and drop WordPress page builders like SeedProd, Beaver Builder and Divi have given birth to an entirely new industry of Website Assemblers. They come with various templates, so you can easily choose one and customize it according to your needs.

Professional website assemblers use existing WordPress plugins combined with a drag & drop page builder to build you a custom-looking WordPress site at a much more affordable price.

Find the Right Developer or Agency for a Custom WordPress Theme

Due to its ease of use and low barrier of entry, there is a wide range of people and companies offering custom WordPress theme services.

Finding a developer or agency with the right experience and skillset can be a bit difficult. Especially because a lot of ‘website assemblers’ also call themselves developers.

Here are some places where you can find experienced developers for your custom WordPress theme project.

Codeable – This is our #1 pick for finding high-quality WordPress developers that are vetted by an expert team. You can post your project there and get a free estimate.

WPHired – This is a job board where you can post your WordPress jobs. Developers can then apply for the job, and you can discuss your project with them. You’ll have to look for developers with relevant experience and skills.

WordPress Jobs – Another WordPress-specific job board where you can post jobs and interview developers.

Upwork – An online freelancing website where you can post your job and interview developers from all over the world. This would allow you to find developers with lower rates. It is an enormous community with designers and developers of varying skills and expertise.

A custom WordPress theme can make your website stand out with its unique design and custom features. However, not all beginners and small businesses can afford that right away.

If you are just starting out, then you can use a page builder like SeedProd or a premium multipurpose theme to build your website theme at a fraction of the price.

With a custom theme, you get unique branding, custom design, and tailor-made functionality to help you grow your business faster and give you an edge over your competitors.

We hope this article helped you understand how much does a custom WordPress theme cost and how you can avoid overpaying. You may also want to see our guide on the best free business name generator and how to register a domain name.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

Have you received a notice from your hosting provider about upgrading to a new version of PHP, and are wondering what it means for your website?

WordPress is written in the PHP programming language. It is a server-side language, which means it runs on your web hosting server to dynamically generate WordPress pages.

In this article, we will explain how PHP updates by your web host impact your WordPress sites. We will also discuss the things you can do to avoid any conflicts or downtime on your website.

WordPress and PHP Updates

WordPress is developed using open-source programming language called PHP. At the time of writing this article, WordPress requires at least PHP version 7.4 or greater. The current stable version available for PHP is 8.1.3.

Most shared hosting providers are currently offering PHP version 7.4 or greater with the option to update or downgrade PHP from your hosting control panel. 

You can see which PHP version your website is using by going to the Tools » Site Health page and switch to the ‘Info’ tab.

Next, you need to scroll down a little and click to expand the ‘Server’ tab.

This section shows server information including the PHP version used by your server.

Note: If this section is showing anything below PHP 7.4, then you need to update your PHP version.

Why Don’t Hosting Providers Use the Latest Version of PHP by Default? 

There are various reasons for not using the bleeding edge and the newest stable versions of PHP by web hosts, but the most common reason is that the latest versions can sometimes break some PHP applications like WordPress.

However, they also don’t want to stay far behind. Currently, PHP 7.4.+ is the minimum required version and PHP 8.0+ is generally recommended. 

A PHP update initiated by your web host is supposed to go smoothly, but it can also go terribly wrong. It all depends on your web host, and how they configure their servers.

This is why we recommend our users choose the best WordPress hosting, so they know that there are top-notch engineers who are looking after those servers.

Choosing an unreliable web host for your WordPress site can cause unexpected downtime during or after the update and there is pretty much nothing you can do about it except switch to a better host.

Things You Need to Do When Your Host Updates PHP

Your web host is probably already hosting thousands of WordPress sites. They will take every precaution they can to make sure that everything goes smoothly and customers don’t feel any glitches in the service.

The notice you have received allows you to be informed about the update and keep a lookout to see if anything goes wrong.

Although it is unlikely that this update will break things, it is always good to be prepared and ready. 

Following are a few things you can do to prepare for the update. 

1. Make a Complete WordPress Backup

First of all, we always recommend our users regularly backup WordPress sites. If you do not have an automatic backup solution already, then see our list of the best WordPress backup plugins to choose one. 

You can also manually backup the WordPress database and download all your website files using FTP. 

2. Install WordPress Updates

After backups, the next thing you need to do is to make sure that you are running the latest version of WordPress. Also, make sure to update your plugins and themes.

To do so, simply go to the Updates screen and install any updates available.

WordPress itself and most popular WordPress plugins will not be affected by PHP update. However, it is possible that some plugin may stop working.

If a plugin on your site has stopped working due to a PHP update, then you need to contact the plugin author for support or find an alternative.

What to Do if a PHP Update Breaks your WordPress Site?

There are very little chances of a PHP update breaking your WordPress site. However, with the abundance of free and paid plugins, a single line of poor code can result in any of the common WordPress errors.

The first thing you need to do is make sure that it is not a plugin or theme causing this error. To do that, you can deactivate all your WordPress plugins and switch to a default WordPress theme.

If this does not solve your issue, then contact your web host’s support team. There is a good chance that they’ll already be aware of the issue you are facing, and they will be able to help.

If your web host is unable to help you out, then try to install a fresh copy of WordPress and then restore your WordPress site from backup.

If none of this helps, then perhaps it is time to change your WordPress hosting.

We hope that this guide helped you understand how PHP updates by your web host impact your WordPress site. You may also want to see our WordPress site health guide or see our tutorial on keeping your WordPress site secure.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.