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Ask HN: Why not a low-cost TLD domain?

6 points by ssn ↗ HN
Why hasn't any public institution or foundation come up with the proposal of a low-cost TLD domain?

Domain registration is getting expensive every year. Why not build a TLD that would guarantee a fixed yearly renewal price (e.g., a 10$/year).

That would seem like a reasonable project for the Web Foundation, EFF, or some other philanthropic foundation.

Domain squatting would have to be managed somehow.

16 comments

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luckylion
$10 is actually high. If you don't care what TLD it is, get a german ccTLD. Prices start at €2.50, all you need is an adminc in Germany, which many registrars will happily provide.

> Domain squatting would have to be managed somehow.

Good luck ;)

tastroder
Lots of common TLDs already range 5-15 USD/year where I'm at, not sure why that's a problem tbh. For normal users with one-N domains that seems like reasonable pricing.

>Domain squatting would have to be managed somehow.

There's a bunch of free TLDs out there (e.g. dot.tk). While they were more popular years back domain squatting, at least from my experience back then, was the least of their problems. The amount of malware and generally illegal content spread through these made them really unattractive.

ssn
Prices are marketed at <<$10 prices for first year registration. Renewals are then much expensive. The price that I am going to pay each year is really unpredictable and subject to business / commercial interests.
tastroder
I don't buy many domains but I just checked the company I usually go to for domains and hosting, they offer domains with free registration and annual renewal rates that come down to ~ 2.5€ per month for TLDs like .app or .dev. Fluctuation on my more common TLD domains either aren't present or not high enough to be noticeable for me in the past. That's what contracts are for around here.

Your post makes buying domains sound like a gamble, is that a regional thing or was I just lucky in the past?

tnolet
This already exists. Try https://www.namecheap.com/domains/registration/results.aspx?...

Prices go as low as $1.23. A .com is under $8.

ssn
It is common for registrars to offer large discounts on first registrations. But then the prices can go up (a lot) in the following years.

The idea here would be to have a price that is fixed, i.e. it would not change depending on business or commercial decisions.

superasn
Also the low cost TLDs on namecheap are such a scam, especially the .host TLD. They are like $1 for first year and 20x or even 100x for the 2nd year onwards. So it's best to check the cost for 5 years before you fall for the $1 trap.

BTW as to your point I totally agree that it should be much cheaper than this. Namecheap at one time had a promotion where they allowed you to register for 10 years for $10 or something. So it's definitely doable and most probably as soft limit by the registrars.

ssn
Yes, precisely.

This should be the goal of a non-profit organization like the ones I mentioned.

mchannon
Although I've heard urban legends questioning the efficacy of keeping them long term, dot.tk and another registrars are simply free for at least four TLD's.
stephenr
A Dot-com is less than $10 a year. Problem solved.
ssn
Where? Usually prices are marketed at <<$10 for first year registrations, in the following years they go up in an unpredictable way.

Do you know any registrar that guarantees a final price of $10/year on registration and renovations?

stephenr
NameSilo have the same price for reg and renewal.
[dead] questechie
Recently bought a .com for $0.99 on GoDaddy! Not an issue at all imho.