Domains · 15 October 2026

Why your domain renewal costs more than the first year, and how to avoid it

Many registrars sell the first year cheaply and charge more at renewal. Here is what to check before you buy a domain.

How the first-year discount works

Registrars often show a low first-year price to win new customers, then renew at a higher list price. The difference can be several times the first-year price, and extras such as privacy protection may be charged separately.

Before you buy, check

  • The renewal price, not only the first-year price.
  • Whether privacy protection is included.
  • Whether the price is in rupees, with GST shown.
  • How easy it is to transfer the domain away later.

The Gauci way

Gauci Domains is planned with a price lock: the price you pay is the price you renew at. Until it opens, use Gauci Domain Finder to check if a name is free and Gauci Domain Market to buy or sell names whose ownership is checked by DNS.

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