What domain names really cost to register and renew, who sets those prices, and how to avoid paying more than you need to.
A domain name is a bill you pay every year for as long as you trade, so the renewal price matters far more than the first-year offer. Behind every price sits a registry that sets the wholesale cost, and registries change those costs on their own timetables.
These articles follow the money: which registries have raised prices and by how much, why some UK extensions have held steady for years, how introductory deals are paid back at renewal, and what you can do to lock in a price before it rises.
316 of the 461 domain extensions we sell rose in price on 1 November 2026. Most trace to the registries: Verisign's .com rise, Identity Digital's 226-extension round and earlier .org and .ai changes. Who raised what, why .co.uk didn't move, and how to get ahead of the next rise.
UK registrars advertise .co.uk domains from £0.01 then renew at £12 to £27. 123-Reg is owned by GoDaddy. Names.co.uk jumps from FREE to £27.59. Here's what cheap really costs across eight registrars, verified April 2026.
