All TLDs / renewal-trap index
The Renewal-Trap Index
A renewal trap is a domain sold cheap in year one and repriced at renewal. Today's worst offender: .baby at $1.54 to register but $52.01/yr to renew — 33.8× the intro price.
Registrars advertise the first-year price; you pay the renewal price for the rest of the domain’s life. The index below ranks TLDs by that gap — renewal ÷ intro price — using prices pulled daily from registrar feeds (last checked 2026-08-30). Anything over 2× earns a place here. This is not a reason never to buy these TLDs; it’s the number to know before you do.
| # | TLD | First year | Renewal | Multiple |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | .baby | $1.54 | $52.01 | 33.8× |
| 2 | .feedback | $9.27 | $309.47 | 33.4× |
| 3 | .creditcard | $5.66 | $129.25 | 22.8× |
| 4 | .courses | $1.54 | $31.41 | 20.4× |
| 5 | .study | $1.54 | $31.41 | 20.4× |
| 6 | .forum | $1.54 | $31.41 | 20.4× |
| 7 | .bar buy guide | $2.57 | $52.01 | 20.2× |
| 8 | .host | $4.63 | $81.87 | 17.7× |
| 9 | .help | $1.54 | $26.26 | 17.1× |
| 10 | .lat | $1.54 | $26.26 | 17.1× |
| 11 | .pics | $1.54 | $26.26 | 17.1× |
| 12 | .mom | $1.54 | $26.26 | 17.1× |
| 13 | .lol buy guide | $1.54 | $26.26 | 17.1× |
| 14 | .beer | $1.54 | $26.26 | 17.1× |
| 15 | .surf | $1.54 | $26.26 | 17.1× |
| 16 | .garden | $1.54 | $26.26 | 17.1× |
| 17 | .rest | $1.54 | $26.26 | 17.1× |
| 18 | .store buy guide | $2.57 | $43.77 | 17× |
| 19 | .coupons | $2.57 | $43.77 | 17× |
| 20 | .casino | $7.72 | $129.25 | 16.7× |
| 21 | .sa.com | $19.82 | $308.24 | 15.6× |
| 22 | .za.com | $19.82 | $308.24 | 15.6× |
| 23 | .shop buy guide | $2.06 | $31.41 | 15.2× |
| 24 | .tattoo | $2.06 | $31.41 | 15.2× |
| 25 | .gay | $2.06 | $31.41 | 15.2× |
| 26 | .site buy guide | $1.96 | $28.84 | 14.7× |
| 27 | .online buy guide | $1.96 | $28.84 | 14.7× |
| 28 | .gold | $5.66 | $82.90 | 14.6× |
| 29 | .dog | $3.60 | $52.01 | 14.4× |
| 30 | .press | $4.63 | $64.37 | 13.9× |
| 31 | .space buy guide | $1.96 | $26.26 | 13.4× |
| 32 | .guru | $2.57 | $34.50 | 13.4× |
| 33 | .digital | $2.57 | $33.47 | 13× |
| 34 | .world buy guide | $2.57 | $33.47 | 13× |
| 35 | .buzz | $2.05 | $26.26 | 12.8× |
| 36 | .ink | $2.06 | $26.26 | 12.7× |
| 37 | .wiki | $2.06 | $26.26 | 12.7× |
| 38 | .fit buy guide | $2.06 | $26.26 | 12.7× |
| 39 | .investments | $8.24 | $103.50 | 12.6× |
| 40 | .credit | $6.69 | $82.90 | 12.4× |
| 41 | .codes | $4.63 | $57.16 | 12.3× |
| 42 | .fun buy guide | $2.57 | $31.41 | 12.2× |
| 43 | .cards | $2.57 | $31.41 | 12.2× |
| 44 | .bond | $1.34 | $15.96 | 11.9× |
| 45 | .watch | $3.09 | $35.53 | 11.5× |
| 46 | .life | $2.57 | $29.35 | 11.4× |
| 47 | .wtf buy guide | $2.57 | $29.35 | 11.4× |
| 48 | .doctor | $8.24 | $93.20 | 11.3× |
| 49 | .golf | $4.63 | $52.01 | 11.2× |
| 50 | .my | $2.37 | $26.06 | 11× |
| 51 | .website | $1.96 | $21.11 | 10.8× |
| 52 | .best | $1.73 | $18.69 | 10.8× |
| 53 | .reviews | $4.63 | $49.95 | 10.8× |
| 54 | .ceo | $9.78 | $103.50 | 10.6× |
| 55 | .sbs | $1.54 | $15.96 | 10.4× |
| 56 | .cfd | $1.54 | $15.96 | 10.4× |
| 57 | .cyou | $1.54 | $15.96 | 10.4× |
| 58 | .insure | $5.66 | $58.19 | 10.3× |
| 59 | .bio | $5.66 | $58.19 | 10.3× |
| 60 | .boutique | $2.57 | $26.26 | 10.2× |
Prices are Porkbun first-year vs renewal, USD, refreshed daily — a representative retail registrar, not necessarily the only one running the same play. The multiple is the point: registry and registrar promo pricing is designed around year-one conversion.
How to not get caught
- Judge every domain by its renewal price. The intro price is marketing.
- If you love a trapped TLD anyway, that’s fine — just budget the renewal number. Some of the best extensions (.io, .app) run modest intro discounts too.
- Check the full TLD list or a specific use-case ranking before defaulting to whatever’s $0.99 this week.