What does a domain cost?Prices per extension, renewal and hidden costs

Published on October 20, 2026

Why the extension determines the price

Every top-level domain is operated by its own registry, which sets a wholesale price for it. This purchase price is by far the largest share of the final price - and it differs massively: a .de domain costs only a fraction at registry level of what a niche extension charges.

That is why price differences between extensions are normal and large, while providers usually differ from each other by only a few euros for the same extension. What the individual extensions are suited for is explained in .de or .com?.

Prices at MainHoster.de

All prices apply per year and are deducted from your prepaid balance:

The overview on the domains page is always authoritative.

The real cost factor: renewal

The most common mistake when comparing prices is to look only at the first year. Many big providers work with a heavily reduced introductory price - sometimes under one euro - and charge the regular price from the second year on.

So calculate over the term you realistically plan:

Example calculation to illustrate the model, not provider prices.

What can cost extra

The last item is the most expensive: recovering an expired domain within the redemption period regularly costs a multiple of the annual price with generic extensions. So better renew in time.

Prepaid: what it means for the costs

At MainHoster.de, everything runs via a balance. That has two consequences you should know:

• No subscription, no surprises. There is no contract, no charge without your involvement and no payment reminders. You only pay for what you consciously book - more in Domain without a contract.
• Renewal is your decision. We remind you by email 30, 14, 7, 3 and one day before the renewal date; renewal takes place in the web interface. If you do not want to take care of it yourself every year, switch on the optional automatic renewal via PayPal.

What happens if I do not renew

1. Expiry: the domain is deactivated - website and email are no longer reachable.
2. Grace period: depending on the extension, there follows a period in which you can still reactivate it normally.
3. Redemption period: with generic extensions, a phase follows in which restoration is only possible for a much higher registry fee.
4. Release: after that, the domain becomes generally registrable again - and experience shows it is gone within seconds if it had traffic.

What a domain is really worth

The registration price only applies to free domains. If your preferred name is already taken, you end up on the aftermarket - good names trade there for four figures or more, because the price is determined by demand and not by cost.

Before you get in there, it is worth looking at alternatives: a more precise name, a second word combination or another extension is almost always the more economical decision. Ideas are in Find the right domain name. If you already have a domain elsewhere, see Transfer a domain.

Frequently asked questions