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Cheapest Domain Extensions: Top Low-Cost TLDs Reviewed
Written by Liam Campbell ·
🔍 Summary:
TL;DR – If you're trying to create and maintain a brand's presence on a budget, the cheapest domain extensions will only realistically save you less than $100 per year. However, you also need to weigh the benefits of having a short domain name against having a relatively unknown extension. In general, you'll want to stick to some industry-specific domains or generic TLDs like .com, but cheap domain extensions can be useful for website testing and developing an understanding of how websites function.
📋 Table of Contents
1. Introduction to Cheapest TLDs
1.1 What Is a Domain Extension
Your domain extension (or the top-level domain, TLD) is the last part of your website's domain name. However, it also means it's incredibly important. Internet browsers use the domain extension (among other information) to determine what type of content your website hosts, what your intended audience is, and even where you are geographically or what region you're trying to target with your services.
1.2 Why Does a TLD Matter?
Traffic-wise, a generic TLD doesn't provide any distinct SEO benefits on the browser side. But broadly speaking, it can be a core part of your website's branding. The difference between "brand-name.com" and "brand-name.shop" might seem insignificant at first, but the latter instantly points to what your brand is all about (or at least the website).
With that in mind, choosing your domain name is one of the most important things you'll need to do when setting up a company, as it will become the first point of contact you have with a vast majority of your audience. When people search for you, your domain extension and website name will subtly influence their decision to trust you and shape their opinions.
1.3 What Affects TLD Pricing
Typically, the shorter the domain name (and extension), the more expensive it is, but that's not a hard rule. Some generic TLDs can have wildly varying prices between domain names depending on their branding and marketing potential. These prices are ultimately set by the domain registry, which is responsible for assigning the names and giving them to users.
The cheapest domain extensions are typically overseen by larger registries (which have smaller overhead costs proportional to income) or those who might have a vested interest in expanding their user base and making themselves more prominent.
Then, different domain registrars add on their own fees to the base price, which is also dependent on promotional strategies and marketing.
ICANN (the governing body for domain name registration and addressing) also periodically adds new TLDs to keep things fresh and ensure companies have less intra-domain competition for the same name.
2. How to Choose the Best and Cheapest Domain Extension
Before you dive in and settle on the first domain you can find for a few bucks per year, make sure that it aligns with your website or branding strategy.
First, not all TLDs are created equal. Generic TLDs such as .com, .org, and .net make up a majority of website registrations for a reason. They don't point to a specific industry, yet they signal that you're a legitimate company, and the TLD's longevity adds a bit of security.
When it comes to the cheapest TLDs on the market, the website's purpose will likely dictate the exact domain extension available to you:
- .store or .shop are clear e-commerce signals.
- .site or .online can be used for personal projects or portfolios.
- .tech or .app are useful for startups in the tech industry.
- .xyz or .icu are generic TLDs that can be used for testing different layouts or simply getting an available name.
In some ways, this is affected by your website's branding and intended audience. If you're targeting a more tech-savvy crowd, extensions that are already common in the industry such as .tech or even .ai and .io will provide immediate acknowledgment that you're in that business.
Finally, make sure that the combination of the domain name and the extension is memorable. If your intended customers can easily remember your website and directly relate it to your services, then you have a good option on your hands.
3. Pros and Cons of Cheapest Top-Level Domains
Pros
Arguably, the biggest benefit of the cheapest TLDs comes directly from their relatively low price. This can be expressed in the first registration, renewal, or both. Some registries keep the first registrations intentionally low to market themselves as excellent testing opportunities. By the time renewal comes around, you've become linked to the name and probably don't want to change.
Typically, these domains can cost as little as $1-$2 per year to maintain, while some of the cheaper generic TLDs can cost $10-$25.
But another major boon of using some of the cheapest top-level domains out there is that they're still relatively fresh and underutilized (especially compared to .com or .net). This gives you a much better pick of available domain names. Plus, some of the domain extensions are worded to be excellent branding opportunities in and of themselves.
Cons
On the flip side, there's a bit of an inherent risk with using the cheapest available option. Due to how easy they are to obtain and maintain, some TLDs have become some of the most notorious for hosting scams or fake websites. This has eroded some people's trust in seeing a domain with that TLD as legitimate, regardless of their tech-savviness.
Additionally, while the registration might be cheap, the price of renewal for that domain could be even higher than that of a "traditional" domain extension like .com or .net (for the average website), so you may need to read the fine print for pricing terms.
4. List of the Cheapest Domain Extensions
Notably, there's no one single meaning of the word "cheap" here, as it will likely be relative to your cause. In absolute terms, a cheap domain is likely going to cost you less than $30 per year to maintain. However, if it benefits you significantly (such as with branding), then even a $100 per month price tag might be worth it to grab thousands in increased revenue. The pricing for domains is also set by the registrar, so you may need to "shop around" for the best deal for any given website name.
.xyz – Best for Startups or Testing
The .xyz domain extension doesn't really mean anything by itself – it was made by simply combining the last three letters of the alphabet. According to the registry, .xyz could also be a nod to Generations X, Y, and Z, since they are the most prominent internet users currently.
As a so-called "new TLD," .xyz was popularized by its generic domain name and the fact that Google used it for its corporate website (abc.xyz). Based on the statistics from nTLDstats.com, the domain has around 9.5 million registrations as of late 2025.
It's also one of the cheapest TLDs overall, so you can get a .xyz domain on Register.Domains for $11.55 for the first year. This domain also has a "special" category of domain names that use only a sequence of six to nine digits (so 000000.xyz to 999999999.xyz) that costs less than $1 per year with the official registry.
.online – Best for Portfolios or Projects
The .online domain has around 4.5 million registrations, making it the fourth-most popular new TLD out of the bunch. Its primary use seems to be for displaying projects or personal portfolios, but the name is generic enough to be useful for everything from e-commerce to informational websites about online services.
Notably, this is one of the more mid-range options in terms of price, with an .online domain from Register.Domains cost as much as $27.50 for the first year.
.site – Best for Personal or Informational Websites
With a generic-sounding name, it's not a big surprise that .site is in the middle of the pack with around 2.5 million registrations. You can use it for a personal or even a promotional website, but it can theoretically be used for anything.
Similarly, the .site domain can also be relatively expensive, and a .site domain on Register.Domains will cost you $23.50 for the first year.
.store – Best for E-Commerce or Online Ordering
With a direct connection to e-commerce, the .store domain extension is one of the most popular new TLDs, with around 5.2 million registrations. It's by far the most straightforward to place in terms of industry usage, which allows you to focus your branding efforts elsewhere.
Notably, this direct signaling comes at a premium, and you can get a .store domain on Register.Domains for $44. However, your online store can get an immediate boost with tech-savvy consumers.
.tech – Best for IT Companies, Tech Startups, or Blogs
If your focus is on the cutting edge, then the .tech domain extension, with its clear connection to the industry, can be a quick and clear solution to any branding doubts. And with only around 500,000 registrations, it's one of the newest and cheapest TLDs that's still up for grabs if you want to find the perfect name.
Given this focus on tech, the price point could be worth the investment, and you can buy a .tech domain on Register.Domains (and get DNS hosting and web redirects) for $42.29.
.icu – Best for Creative Ventures
Because it can also be read as "I see you," the .icu domain might sound a bit creepy at first. However, it has found a foothold for more creative projects, specifically ones that focus on communication or visual storytelling. It has around 750,000 registrations and is on the rise, suggesting that it can be a good option if you want to make a strong impression.
You can secure an .icu domain on Register.Domains for only $3.99 for the first year, which is an absolute bargain.
.space – Best for Communities or Startups
The "space" here can refer to many things: physical space, virtual space, meeting space, or even outer space. This is perhaps why the domain has just under 600,000 registrations. In the simplest terms, simply putting your brand in the domain can point to the community or internal employee sections.
Get a .space domain on Register.Domains to ensure you get the first pick of the names, as well as perks like DNS hosting for $21 for the first year.
.website – Versatile
One of the most generic TLD names available, this domain extension simply points to you having a website. It's straightforward and perhaps just exactly what you want from your website. Best of all, it's one of the least popular options, with only 350,000 registrations, meaning a lot of names are still available.
If you want a .website domain on Register.Domains and the added perks, such as DNS hosting and automatic forwarding, you can get the first year at a discount of $21.
.info – Best for Informational Websites and Landing Pages
If you run a blog post that's all about making people informed and up-to-date, or just want to make sure your news is properly disseminated, then .info might be just the pick for you. Curiously, some aggregators rank .info as the most popular new cheapest TLD available, with well over 9 million registrations (and above .xyz).
This is certainly helped by the fact that it's one of the cheapest domain extensions you can get, as an .info domain on Register.Domains costs only $3.99 for the first year.
.biz – Best for B2B Services and Commercial Ventures
The .biz domain is one of the earliest alternatives for .com, designed for businesses and open since 2001. Owned by GoDaddy (itself one of the biggest registrars), it's also quite a secure and reliable option. And over 1.2 million registrations support that notion of security, so your business website should be regarded as safe and legitimate.
You can find your pick of .biz domains on Register.Domains for only $21 for the first year.
5. How to Register a Cheap Domain
- Before you go on a registrar's website and purchase a domain, make sure to brainstorm what exactly you're looking for in a name. Branding and wordplay opportunities will make you memorable.
- Go to Register.Domains and enter the desired domain name and extension combination into the search bar. This will determine if it's available.
- You may need to try alternatives until you land on an available name.
- Re-check the price, especially for the first year and subsequent renewals.
- Sign up for any additional options (such as web hosting for a one-stop solution) and enter your payment information.
- Build your website and add your files to be hosted on the Register.Domains servers.
Tips for Saving Money
While these are among the cheapest domain extensions available, market trends could suddenly make some domain names surge in prices. If you're still tinkering with your ideal domain name, make sure to check multiple extensions and some alternative domain name spellings.
Register.Domains offers many domains at a reduced price for the first year, so make sure to use it from the get-go for the biggest savings.
6. Get the Cheapest Domain Extensions With Extra Services
Considering the oversaturation of .com, .org, and .net, new TLDs have become one of the easiest ways to differentiate yourself from the crowd while still securing your ideal domain name. Most of the domain extensions we discussed are still being used (and usually the trend is accelerating), so if you want to set up your website on a budget, the time to buy a domain is now.
Additionally, the ICANN is steadily increasing the number of TLDs that can be used by anyone anywhere, with .fast, .talk, .you, and .mobile being just some of the new options available. This leads to healthy competition where registrars add promotional pricing to grow their userbase, which allows you as a business owner to get a coveted domain for cheaper.
Ready to Secure Cheapest Domain Extensions?
You can go to Register.Domains and secure a budget-friendly domain without hidden fees in minutes.
Search Domains Now7. FAQs
How to avoid hidden costs in domain registration?
Closely check the FAQs and policies of the registrar you're using. In most cases, the discount is only shown for the first year of a multi-year registration, so look at the crossed-out figure as well.
Why is .xyz so cheap?
The .xyz's registry operator is using an aggressive marketing strategy to get as many registrations as possible and distribute the operating costs among more users. Additionally, not all domain names are actually cheap, and some desirable options can still cost hundreds of dollars per year.
Can I change to a cheaper domain registrar when renewing a domain?
In general, yes, and you'll usually need to register for at least a year at the new registrar at the latter's renewal price point. This allows you to dynamically switch between the best domain registrars depending on the price and renewal conditions.
Can my domain registrar request a high price for renewal?
Technically, yes, and it's one of the most prominent strategies if you're trying to register a relatively cheap domain. Notably, you might have the option of switching to a different registrar when renewing to alleviate some of the cost.
What is the cheapest 2 letter domain?
This will depend on the registrar you use or if you manage to get a seasonal discount. Some smaller countries like Cocos Islands keep their domains relatively cheap at under $15 a year, while specific subdomains for .in can cost under $10 per year.
