Buying a Domain Checklist: 14 Things to Check First

The domain itself costs little. The trouble comes from details nobody looks at during a two-minute checkout: a renewal price that triples, the web designer’s name in the owner field, a name that’s half a letter away from a registered trademark. This buying-a-domain checklist collects the points that cause the most headaches later.

You can print it or copy it into your notes. Each item takes a minute or less.

The buying a domain checklist at a glance

The rest of this page explains each point briefly.

What to check before buying a domain name

1. Say it out loud

Read the name to a friend over the phone. Can they type it on the first try? kwikprint.com fails that test, quickprint.com passes. Avoid double letters at word boundaries (seasidedesign.com) because people drop one.

2. Hyphens and numbers

best-4-u.com needs explaining every time. A hyphen is acceptable when the name without it reads wrong, but you’ll keep saying “with a dash”.

3. Trademarks

Search before you commit. In the US that’s the USPTO trademark search, in the UK the IPO’s search, for the EU and many other countries EUIPO’s TMview. A domain that copies a protected brand can be taken from you through ICANN’s UDRP, a dispute process for generic extensions like .com. Country endings have similar procedures of their own.

4. Domain history

Many “new” domains were registered before. Look the name up on the Wayback Machine at web.archive.org. If you see casino ads or pirated software, choose another name. A bad history can follow a domain into spam filters.

5. The extension

.com for international, country endings for one market, .org for non-profits. Our guide on which domain extension to choose has a decision table.

Price and renewal: the expensive part

6. Know the year-two price

Intro prices are marketing. What you pay every year from year two on is the real cost. Here’s what five years of a few common endings cost at betadomain, where registration and renewal are priced the same:

Any provider can be compared on the same basis. Look for the renewal line in their price list, not the banner. Ours is on the price overview for all extensions.

14. Watch for forced bundles

Some hosts include a “free domain” in a hosting plan. That’s fine as long as you can take the domain with you when you cancel. Read what happens to the domain if the plan ends. Keeping domain and hosting at different companies avoids the question altogether.

Ownership and control

7. Your name in the registrant field

The registrant is the legal holder. If an agency or a friend registers the domain for you, make sure your name or your company’s name is entered there. Not theirs.

8. A permanent contact email

Renewal reminders, transfer approvals and ICANN verification emails go to this address. Don’t use an address on the domain you’re buying (you’d be locked out if the domain breaks), and avoid a work email you might lose.

9. Auth code in self-service

To move a domain to another registrar you need an auth code. Check that the registrar shows it in your account. Under ICANN’s transfer policy, a domain can usually be locked against transfers for 60 days after registration or a transfer, so plan around that.

10. Auto-renew

Turn it on and keep the payment card current. An expired card is the most common reason people lose domains.

Security settings

11. Two-factor login

Your registrar account controls where your website and email point. Protect it with an authenticator app, not just a password.

12. Free DNS editing

DNS records are the entries that point your domain to a website or mail server. You’ll need A, CNAME, MX and TXT records sooner or later. Make sure you can edit them yourself. The guide on connecting a domain to a website builder shows the typical ones.

13. DNSSEC

DNSSEC signs DNS answers so they can’t be forged on the way to the visitor. It’s not essential for a hobby site, but it costs nothing where it’s supported. betadomain supports DNSSEC.

A sample check, start to finish

Say you want millbrookpottery.com:

Spelling test       ok, friend typed it correctly
Trademark search    no "Millbrook" pottery marks found
Wayback Machine     no earlier snapshots
.com status         free
Renewal price       same as first year
Registrant          Millbrook Pottery Ltd
Contact email       owner's personal address
Auto-renew          on
2FA                 on

That took about ten minutes. Then registration itself is another five, as described in how to register your own domain.

What you don’t need to check

People worry about things that rarely matter:

• Domain length for SEO. Short is nice for people, but Google doesn’t reward short names.
• Buying every typo. For big brands, yes. For a pottery studio, no.
• Private registration add-ons. For many extensions, personal data is already hidden from public lookups under GDPR-era rules. Don’t pay extra unless you know you need it.

Got a name that passes? Check whether millbrookpottery.com is free with your own idea, or start from the .com extension page.