To sell a domain, decide a realistic price range from comparable sales, then list it on a marketplace such as Sedo or Afternic and put a for-sale page on the domain itself. Answer serious offers with a counter, agree terms in writing and complete the deal through escrow, transferring the name only after the funds are confirmed.
Most people who want to sell a domain start in the same place: a name they registered for a project that didn’t happen, renewed out of habit for a few years, and now want to turn into money. Some of those names are worth real money. Most are worth roughly what they cost to register. The first job is to be honest about which one you have.
What is my domain worth to a buyer?
Run your name through the criteria in domain valuation: length, words, extension, commercial keyword, number of potential buyers, trademark risk. Then look for comparable reported sales of similar names and extension.
From that, write down three numbers:
| Number | Meaning | Example use |
|---|---|---|
| Floor | Lowest price you’d accept | Auto-reject offers below it |
| Expected | Middle of comparable sales | Your target in negotiation |
| Ask | Listed price | Leaves room to come down |
Be realistic about holding cost too. A .com renews at €14.99 a year, so you can wait years for the right buyer. A name in an expensive extension costs more every year you wait.
Where to sell domains
You have three main channels. Using more than one is normal.
| Channel | How it works | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplaces (Sedo, Afternic) | Listing with buy-now or offer; platform handles payment | Reach, especially to buyers searching for names |
| For-sale page on the domain | Visitors to the domain see it’s for sale | Catching people who type the name in |
| Direct outreach | You contact businesses that could use the name | Names with obvious end users |
| Broker | A professional negotiates for a commission | High-value names |
Dan.com was a popular marketplace for this until GoDaddy shut it down in 2025 and moved its listings to Afternic. If you still have a Dan lander set up, check where your domain points.
Afternic distributes listings to a network of registrars, which means a buyer searching at one of them may see your name with a buy-now price. Commissions and conditions vary by platform and change over time, so read them on the platform’s own site before listing.
The for-sale page
A domain that shows an error page sells nobody anything. A for-sale page catches type-in visitors and people who checked whether the name was free. Keep it simple:
- The domain name, large
- “This domain is for sale” and a price or “make an offer”
- A form or a marketplace link, not just a personal email address
- Nothing else; ads and link farms make the page look abandoned
Parking for ad revenue used to be an alternative. Since Google stopped serving ads on parked domains in February 2026, that income is mostly gone, and a for-sale page is the better use of the traffic. More in domain parking.
Handling offers
Answer serious inquiries within a day. Buyers who wait a week often move on to another name.
A typical sequence:
- The buyer sends an offer, often low.
- You counter with a number close to your ask and one sentence of reason (“similar one-word .com names have sold in this range”).
- The buyer moves up. You move down a little, not by half.
- You agree, or you set a final price and give them time.
Some practical points:
- Don’t answer “what’s your price?” with “make me an offer” three times. Name a figure.
- Ask what they plan to use the name for only if it helps. It can reveal a business that needs the name badly, but it can also reveal a trademark owner.
- If the buyer owns a matching trademark and hints at legal action, read cybersquatting before you reply. Asking a trademark owner for a high price can later be used as evidence of bad faith.
Scams that target sellers
Sellers attract a specific scam: a buyer offers a generous amount, then says they need a “certified appraisal” from a particular service first. The appraisal costs a few hundred dollars. The buyer and the appraiser are the same people, and after you pay, the buyer disappears. Reported fees for these fake appraisals sit around USD 199 to 349.
Other patterns: fake escrow sites sent by the “buyer”, requests to transfer before funds are confirmed, and buyers who pay by card and then reverse the payment. The full list is in domain scams.
Closing the sale safely
Once you’ve agreed a price, put the terms in writing: domain, price, currency, who pays the escrow fee, transfer method, deadline. Then:
- Create or accept the transaction in your own escrow account, opened by typing the address yourself.
- Wait until the escrow platform shows the funds as secured. Not an email, not a screenshot.
- Transfer by push or auth code as agreed.
- Wait for the buyer to confirm, after which escrow releases the funds.
The detailed escrow sequence is in domain escrow, and the technical handover in transferring a domain after purchase.
After the sale
Keep the escrow records and the email with the agreed terms. Depending on where you live and whether you sell regularly, the proceeds may be taxable, as outlined in domain tax treatment.
If you have a portfolio you want to keep tidy while you sell, holding it with a registrar that charges the same price for renewal as for registration makes the numbers predictable. You can compare that across extensions in the betadomain price list, see what a .com renewal costs, or automate a larger portfolio through the registrar API.
Step by step
- Work out your price rangeFind comparable reported sales and set a floor, an expected value and an asking price.
- Check the domain is cleanNo trademark conflict, no pending transfer lock, registrant data up to date.
- List itAdd the domain to one or more marketplaces and put a for-sale page on the domain itself.
- Handle offersReply quickly, counter low offers with a reason and confirm terms in writing.
- Close through escrowWait for the escrow service to confirm the buyer's funds in your account.
- Transfer and get paidPush the domain or send the auth code, then wait for the buyer to confirm and escrow to release payment.
Found your domain? You can check and register it directly at compare domain prices – yearly price from €2.99.
FAQ
How long does it take to sell a domain?
Anything from a day to never. Most domains listed for sale don't sell in a given year, which is why investors hold many names. A good name with a fair buy-now price sells faster than one with only a 'make offer' button.
Should I list a buy-now price or ask for offers?
A fixed price makes impulse purchases possible and filters out low offers. 'Make offer' leaves room for higher prices from motivated buyers but leads to more back-and-forth. Many sellers use a buy-now price with a minimum offer below it.
What happens to my website and email when I sell?
They stop working on that domain once the buyer changes the DNS. Move your email to another address and set up redirects well before the transfer, and tell the buyer if you need a short transition period.
Do I have to pay tax when I sell a domain?
Possibly. It depends on where you live, whether the domain was a business asset and how often you sell. See the overview on domain tax treatment and talk to an accountant for your situation.