RENEWALS
Domain renewal prices explained: why year two costs more, and how to avoid surprises
The price you pay to register a domain is often not the price you pay to keep it. Many offers discount only the first year, and the renewal is what you pay every year after that. Here is how renewal prices work, who sets them, and how to protect yourself.
Three prices, one domain
- Registration is what you pay for the first year.
- Renewal is what you pay each year after that to keep the domain.
- Transfer is what you pay to move the domain from another registrar. On most extensions it includes one more year.
A cheap first year can hide an expensive renewal. As an illustration, a domain advertised at $2 for the first year that renews at $45 costs $92 over three years, while one that costs $15 every year costs $45. The second looks more expensive on day one and is half the price over three years.
Who sets the renewal price
Three pieces make up what you pay each year:
- The registry's wholesale price. Each extension is run by a registry that charges registrars a wholesale price per domain per year. Verisign runs .com and .net, for example.
- The ICANN fee. For generic extensions such as .com, .net and .org, ICANN charges $0.20 per domain per year. Country extensions such as .co or .us do not carry it.
- The registrar's margin. This is where promotions happen. Some registrars sell the first year below cost and recover it on renewals.
Wholesale prices do go up
Registries can raise wholesale prices within the limits of their contracts, and two increases affect the most common extensions right now:
- .com: Verisign raised the wholesale price by 7%, from $10.26 to $10.97 per year, effective 1 November 2026. Its contract allows increases of up to 7% in each of the last four years of every six-year period.
- .net: Verisign will raise the wholesale price by 10%, from $10.91 to $12.00 per year, effective 1 March 2027.
When a registry raises its price, registrars usually pass it on at renewal. That is why the price shown on renewal day can be higher than the one you paid last year, even at the same registrar.
How to protect yourself
- Check the renewal before you buy. Look for the renewal price next to the first-year price. If it is not shown, ask before you pay.
- Register for several years. The years you pay up front are locked at today's price. Generic domains can be registered for up to 10 years.
- Turn on auto-renew. It keeps the domain from expiring by accident.
- Watch premium names. Some premium domains renew at a premium price set by the registry, not at the standard rate. The search shows the exact price before you pay.
- Move to fair pricing. If your renewals are high, a transfer usually costs about the same as a renewal and adds a year. See our transfer guide.
What you pay at MultipleNames
The main extensions renew at the same price you register them, and every price is published before you pay:
- .com: $14.99 a year to register, $14.99 to renew. Three years: $44.97, plus the ICANN fee.
- .co: $46.99 a year to register, $46.99 to renew.
- .com.co: $23.99 a year to register, $23.99 to renew.
All extensions, with their registration, renewal and transfer prices, are on the Pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my domain renewal go up?
Usually for one of two reasons: the first year was a promotional price, or the registry raised its wholesale price. The .com wholesale price, for example, rose 7% on 1 November 2026.
Does registering for 10 years lock the price?
Yes, for the years you pay up front. Those years cannot be repriced. The price in force on the next renewal date applies after that.
Is the ICANN fee included in the price?
It is shown separately. ICANN charges $0.20 per year on generic extensions such as .com, .net and .org. Country extensions such as .co do not carry it.
Do premium domains renew at the normal price?
Not always. Some premium names renew at a premium price set by the registry. The search shows the exact price before you pay.
See every renewal price before you buy
Registration, renewal and transfer prices side by side, for every extension.