Budgeting for the Right Domain Name: What to Spend and When
Domain names have one of the weirdest pricing curves in business. You can register one for $10, but another that looks similar can cost $5,000, $50,000, or more.
The goal isn’t to spend as little as possible. The goal is to spend the right amount for your stage — and avoid paying premium prices for a business idea that’s still unproven.
A simple budgeting framework
Think of a domain like a piece of infrastructure. It reduces friction across marketing, sales, and support. The more those things matter to you right now, the more value a clean domain can create.
Buy a good-enough .com or a solid alternative. Optimize for speed, not perfection.
You know what you’re building. A stronger name + domain can help growth and credibility.
If brand trust and direct traffic matter, a premium domain can be a real asset.
When premium domains are actually worth it
- You’re already spending on marketing and want conversion efficiency.
- Your sales cycle benefits from instant credibility (enterprise, agencies, finance, health, etc.).
- The domain is short, clean, and will likely hold value as an asset.
- The name reduces confusion and support (fewer “what’s your website?” moments).
Common ways people overspend
- Buying the exact-match domain before validating the product.
- Paying for a “category keyword” domain that’s hard to brand.
- Falling in love with a name that is already taken, then forcing the purchase.
A good workaround: pick a brandable name that’s more unique, then secure a clean domain at a normal price.
Want to budget smarter?
Use NameChat to generate brandable names that are more likely to have affordable domains — then upgrade later if you want.