This article will share the best places to find new, premium, and expired domains for sale.
Finding top ones at a reasonable price can be challenging for Domains for sale.
Especially as there are so many domain marketplaces and broker services to choose from – which should you use?
If that’s not confusing enough, you may have seen expensive premium domains for sale.
But what are premium domains? And why are premium domains so expensive?
If you’re trying to find the best domains for sale, this guide will help.
This article will share the best places to find new, premium, and expired domains for sale.
Plus, you’ll learn about premium domains and how to do a background check before buying them.
But before we dive in, why are domain names so important?
Importance of a Domain Name
Your business’s domain name is an essential part of your brand.
Ideally, your domain name should match your business’s name, like Google.com, Amazon.com, or Apple.com. This adds weight to your brand and makes it easier for customers to remember and share your web address.
“Basically, the domain has to be easy to say to someone in conversation,” Andrew Rosener of MediaOptions.com. “It should be something they can easily remember and jot down or enter into their phones without any problem.”
It simply doesn’t make sense to name your business “Skyrocket Apparel” and use the domain name “clothing1x2o3.com.” Unmatched domain names look unprofessional and make it more difficult for customers to find your website.
All in all, strong branding and ease of use are essential. So, when looking for domain names for sale, try to find ones that are:
- Short
- Memorable
- Easy to spell
- Easy to pronounce
- The same as your business name
So, where can you find web domains for sale?
Domains for Sale: 7 Places to Find Them
Want to know where to buy domains? Head to a domain marketplace.
These are companies that the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has authorized to sell domain names.
Here are some of the best domain marketplaces to find top domains for sale.
Domain.com
Domain.com is one of the world’s largest domain name registrars. You can use it to find new, expired (used domain names that are now available) and premium domains for sale. (We’ll talk more about premium domains later in this article.)
It offers the most popular top-level domains (TLD) like .com, .org, and .net. Plus, you’ll find web domains for sale with more than 25 country-specific TLDs, such as .co. UK (U.K.), .fr (France), and .ca (Canada).
Flippa
Flippa is a popular platform that facilitates the trade of domains, websites, online businesses, apps, and more. Most of this website’s domains for sale and auction are premium domains.
If your bid is accepted, you can safely use Flippa’s escrow service to gain ownership of your unique domain name.
Sedo
Sedo is another large domain marketplace that offers premium, new, and expired domain names for sale. Sedo provides a premium domain broker service to help if you want to buy a premium domain.
GoDaddy
GoDaddy is a massive domain name registrar that manages millions of domains. This domain marketplace also provides research tools, such as a domain name generator, domain name extension filters, and a domain broker service. There is also a GoDaddy Auctions site.
Hover
Hover provides a straightforward domain registrar service. One of this domain marketplace’s best features is free WHOIS privacy.
This privacy protocol allows you to hide the personal details you use to register your domain from the general public, such as your phone number and email address.
Forums For Finding Domain Names for Sale
Many communities and online forums facilitate the trading of domain names. Here are two websites that you can use to find domain names for sale.
DNForum
DNForum dubs itself “the place to talk domains.” This popular online community has several forums dedicated to exchanging domain names.
You can use the website to find unique domain names for sale, bid on domains, or find help from domain name brokers.
NamePros
NamePros is another great forum that you can use to find domains for sale. This online community has a marketplace that allows you to browse domains for sale or create a listing to advertise your specific domain needs.
Now that you know where to find domain names, you may wonder, “what are premium domain names?”
What Are Premium Domains?
Premium domains provide strategic benefits and advantages. Typically, they’re short, memorable, simple to pronounce, and easy to read.
They often include keywords that clearly represent the website’s content, such as “carinsurance.com.”
Plus, premium domain names typically use the popular top-level domain (TLD) such as .com, .org, or .net – as opposed to lower-level domains like .me and .today.
Why Are Premium Domains So Expensive?
Premium domains for sale are expensive because they can help establish a strong brand and rank higher in search engines. They also make it easier for customers to remember and share the domain name.
Think of premium domains for sale, like real estate.
Properties on a main street cost more than properties in the middle of nowhere because the location can help you get customers and grow your business.
Look at the premium domain names for sale in the image below from domain.com. If you want to sell budget travel packages to students, “travelingstudents.com” would be easy to build a brand around.
Plus, it’s likely to be easier to rank in the search engine results.
Moreover, “funtraveling.com” would be ideal for building a business around adventure travel.
The most expensive domain names ever sold all have enormous commercial appeal. Here’s a list of the most valuable domains ever sold:
- Business.com – $345 million
- LasVegas.com – $90 million
- CarInsurance.com – $49.7 million
- Insurance.com – $35.6 million
- VacationRentals.com – $35 million
- PrivateJet.com – $30.1 million
- Voice.com – $30 million
- Internet.com – $18 million
- 360.com – $17 million
- Insure.com – $16 million
Safely Purchase Domains for Sale
Before you invest in domain names, make sure you do some due diligence.
If your unique domain name has already been used, it could have been tagged for spam, blacklisted, or have a bad reputation. So, it’s best to know the facts before you commit.
Thankfully, plenty of domain research tools help you discover your unique domain name’s status. Here are four ways to conduct domain name research.
Is it a Registered Trademark?
Some domains for sale are registered trademarks of existing businesses.
And according to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), if a domain name infringes on a company’s registered trademark, that company can ask you to take down your website and claim the domain name.
So, before you purchase a domain for sale, make sure it isn’t a registered trademark.
If you’re based in the U.S., you can check the trademark database on the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) website.
Does it Have a History?
The WHO.IS tool allows you to see a host of data about every registered domain name. You can see when it was registered, who registered it, and when it was last renewed.
You can use this information to learn more about the domain name before you purchase it to ensure it’s a good investment.
Does it Have a Good Reputation?
Many domain names are registered and never used by a website. Often, domain owners will simply hold the domain to sell it for a profit in the future – this is especially the case with premium domains for sale.
However, suppose a website has used the domain name in the past. In that case, you need to ensure that it doesn’t have a bad reputation or unsavoury associations that could damage your brand.
To do this, use the Wayback Machine.
This internet archive crawls the web and periodically takes screenshots of websites. Simply type in the domain for sale and see what the website used to be. Then play detective, and try to find more information about the website on Google.
Is it Healthy?
Finally, you need to check that the domain for sale hasn’t been used to spread malware or send spam emails.
You can use mxtoolbox.com’s free domain health check tool to uncover any skeletons in the closet.
Summary: How to Find Top Domains for Sale
Any domain name you purchase will be an essential part of your brand.
A good domain name can establish a strong brand, rank higher in search engines, and improve customer usability.
In summary, here are seven of the best places to find domains for sale:
Before you purchase a domain for sale, make sure to do your due diligence:
- Check the U.S. trademark database or the UK Trademark Office to ensure the domain isn’t registered.
- Use WHO.IS to check the domain name’s historical records.
- Search Wayback Machine to see previous websites using the domain name.
- Perform a domain health check to ensure the domain name isn’t blacklisted or tagged for spam.
Finally, when browsing domains for sale, try to find one that is memorable, short, and easy to pronounce.
Enjoy the treasure hunt!