What is a domain name actually worth?
A defensible answer, in writing, from someone who buys and sells them for a living.
I am a Nominet-accredited registrar and I have spent close to two decades acquiring, building and selling digital assets. That combination is why I am regularly asked to put a credible figure on a domain or a portfolio, and to stand behind it.
When you need a valuation you can rely on
A domain is an asset, and at some point an asset has to be given a number that other people will accept. Most valuations are needed for one of these reasons:
- Accounting - placing domains on a balance sheet, or supporting a company sale or acquisition.
- Insurance - establishing replacement or agreed value for cover.
- Probate and divorce - where a domain forms part of an estate or a settlement and needs an independent figure.
- Resale - setting a realistic asking price, or sense-checking an offer before you accept it.
- Disputes - where two parties need a neutral assessment rather than each other's guesswork.
How I value a domain
There is no single number for a domain, so a valuation that pretends otherwise is not much use. What I provide is a reasoned range with the working shown.
I look at the things that actually move price: the extension and its market, exact-match search demand, length and memorability, brand and trademark exposure, comparable recent sales, existing traffic and revenue, and the depth of the buyer pool for that specific name. For a portfolio I assess it both as a whole and name by name, because the two figures are rarely the same.
You receive a written valuation report you can hand to an accountant, an insurer, a court or a buyer.
Work with me
Tell me the domain or send the portfolio list, and what the valuation is for. I will tell you what I can do and what it costs before any work starts.