How Much Do Domains Really Cost?

Thinking of domains as an investment? Before you start, let's look back at how this all began and address a core question: is buying domains still a good investment today?

The Dot-Com Bubble: Where It All Started

For younger readers who didn't experience the 90s, the internet was a novel, niche thing back then. Then a "domain gold rush" erupted. People realized domains could be immensely valuable, leading to a scramble to register them like premium real estate.

This era birthed "domain flipping" — buying domains cheap and selling them high. Early movers made fortunes, while others painfully learned that not every domain is a goldmine.

Are Domains Still a Good Investment Today?

Short answer: Yes, but the market is no longer the Wild West.

The domain market has matured significantly since the dot-com bubble. While the days of grabbing a single-word .com for $10 and flipping it for millions are largely over, there's still value to be found with the right strategy.

Domains remain a unique asset class: they're digital real estate in a world where online presence is non-negotiable.

Premium domains — short, memorable, keyword-rich .com names — continue to appreciate. The recent biggest deal: chat.com sold to OpenAI for $15.5 million.

Can You Still Make Money Selling Domains?

For those who take a strategic approach, domain flipping can still be profitable — but it's far from a sure bet.

Profit potential ranges widely. Beginners targeting low-cost auctions might net $100 to $10,000 per transaction. Experienced flippers pursue bigger gains by scooping up expired domains with traffic or strong backlink profiles.