What is the best domain

How to Appraise a Domain Name: A Complete, Step-by-Step Guide to Valuing Domains

Posted:2025.11.20.

I’m going to tell you exactly how I do it, the tools I use, and how surprisingly easy it is to appraise a domain name. But before we get started, remember this very, very important rule: every rule in domain appraising has exceptions…except this one.

And one more thing—before you even run through these steps, ask yourself: what are you trying to accomplish with this appraisal?

Pricing a domain for a BIN?

Updating your company books or taxes?

Negotiating a buy or sell?

How you approach the appraisal will shift depending on the reason. For example, if you’re setting a BIN, you should also look at your competition—what comparable names are priced at, what search results they’d appear in, and whether they’re better or worse than yours.

Also, don’t forget marketplace payment limits. Example: price your name at $5,200 and you’re already above Escrow.com’s credit card threshold. Many companies have a $ 5,000 limit before a manager needs to obtain approval. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t price above it—just know the friction points. If it’s a direct inquiry from someone who has to have your name, that’s a totally different story.

So with that said… let’s begin.

Step 1: Convert to .COM

The extension is always the starting point. First thing I do: mentally flip it to a .COM. Why? Because .COM is the baseline, the easiest to appraise. Then I adjust proportionally.

Emma.net → ~10–15% of Emma.com (and trending down)

Emma.ai → ~20–25% of Emma.com (and trending up)

Emma.somehtingobscure → take what you can get.

Some say .AI is occasionally worth more than the .COM. I haven’t seen it yet. I will say there are rare cases where .ORG can outperform .COM—but those are edge cases.

Step 2: Google It

If you’re buying, always check the domain first. If there’s already a business running on it, toss out everything I’m about to say—because now you’re not just valuing a domain, you’re valuing the hassle of that company moving their entire digital life somewhere else.

If it’s just a parked page, I head straight to Google. I’m looking for that first impression—positive or negative.

SuntanLotion.com = on target.

SuntansLotions.com = off.

CashewsNut.com = awkward.

CashewNuts.com = solid.

Cashew.com / Cashews.com = brand power.

Types of Domains

Brandables

Who’s using it? What kind of demand exists?

Take Infinia.com (a client’s name). There’s a credit card, a dog food, tech firms, and random companies in multiple countries—all using “Infinia.” That tells me there are multiple strong suitors. Not if it sells, but when and at what price.

Then I dig deeper. I’ll open each company in a new tab. Are they serious players? Funded startups? Or is it just “infiniastudios-usa.com” with a clunky site and a hit counter? A high school band? If it’s the latter, that weakens demand. If it’s solid companies, I would be excited.

Next stop: Crunchbase. Funding announcements? VC backers? Who are the C-level execs? I want to know if they are in growth mode. The timing might be right.

Then I ask myself:

Is it B2B? Selling pipes for 100 years? Probably doesn’t need a premium domain.

Is it B2B but new, cool, app-driven, and disruptive? That’s a yes.

Is it B2C? If they’re dreaming of TV ads and household brand status, that’s a big yes.

And remember the exception rule—sometimes a name like Cheetah.net is fantastic, but if all the search results are about the animal, that changes things. The commercial demand doesn't matter. Good luck with SEO fighting against, National Geogrpahic, Wikipedia, Chester Cheeto and a million other projects/websites having to do with Cheetahs.

Keyword Domains

Now, for keyword domains like GymSocks.com, OvenMitts.com, or ExperienceGreece.com—I run the same process. Who’s advertising? Are the Google results stacked with ads top to bottom, or is it Wikipedia and dictionaries?

This is where Ubersuggest (free Chrome extension, 40 searches a day) comes in. Search the keyword, check U.S. search volume, and CPC. It’s not perfect, but it gives you a pulse.

Quick example: ExperienceGreece.com. Expedia sells trips to Greece, but they’re not bidding on that the keyword, “Experience Greece”. That tells me they’re not your buyer. Also—“experience” is harder to spell and less natural than “visit,” “travel,” or “go to.” NameBio shows only one comp—ExperienceEgypt.com back in 2011. Travel + country usually sells $5–15k, while Visit + country/city/state has ranged from $7,500 up to $186k.

Bottom line: comps matter, but spelling, phrasing, and demand matter more.

Pop Culture / News / Seasonal

Here’s where Google Trends helps. Some domains are seasonal, some are fads, some are affected by current events.

Suntan lotion in January = dead zone (false negative).

Epstein = massive search volume, but for all the wrong reasons (false positive).

Dude vs Bro – language shifts. Bro is hot now, but how long?

Software vs Apps vs AI – “software” is old-school, “apps” are slipping, “AI” is booming.

Now, Wait a Minute…

I know what you’re thinking:

“Jeff, you haven’t even talked about comps, industry factors, or the famous Radio Test. You’re just talking about buyers and demand.”

You got it. Appraising domains is like appraising real estate. Why is a 3,000 sq. ft. walk-up on Central Park worth tens of millions? It’s not the NY pizza. It’s demand. The better the property, the more desirable it is, the more valuable it is.

And by the way—reading this probably took you longer than it takes me to do it. With some practice, I can run this process in under two minutes. By the end, I always have a gut feeling—good, bad, or indifferent—and that guides me where to go next.

Step 3: Auto Appraisal (DotDB / NameBio)

This is where the tools come in. We built our own appraisal tool at Saw.com, so yes, I’m biased. But Estibot? Still one of the best. Luc and Ivan, who run it, are friends of mine—good guys.

Our tool uses Estibot data plus our own sales records, DotDB counts, domain age, industry lists, keyword strength. Sometimes we’re spot-on, sometimes off (usually due to the false positives/negatives I mentioned earlier).

With a free account, you can save searches, and if you want, hire our brokers to help buy or sell. The difference? We explain why the name is worth what it is. Data’s great, but context closes deals.

Using Comps

Now that you’ve got a feel for the domain, it’s time for comps. DotDB shows you how many extensions a keyword is registered in—that’s a raw market signal…The public is telling you how popular a keyword is…If it is registered in 400 extensions the world has spoken…If it is 2, then it is not very good. Then I go to NameBio or Domain.es to pull comparable sales.

Important: don’t just search for the same keyword. Look for names with similar strength, length, and quality. Example: with Divorce.com, I’d search for strong, one-word lead gen names. Set the filter at $1M+ and see what pops.

If Estibot says $2.5M, I’d run comps from $750k up to $3M. If I get too few results, I widen it. Too many? Narrow it.

And yes, Divorce.com is a real business (this is just an example). But it illustrates the process. Strong volume, high CPC, limited buyer pool (lawyers are tricky, state laws, etc.). You start triangulating.

Marketing.com – $2M

Hosting.com – big sale

Diamond.com – major comp

Angel.com – $2M

I’d appraise Divorce.com for $2.5M, with a year-plus sales cycle.

Compare that to Divorced.com—past tense. Smaller buyer pool. Less attractive. Probably dating site at best. I search Google and see nothing but dictionaries. Estibot says $45k. I say lower.

Make sure when you do look for comps on a past tense domain, you set “ends with” to ED, extension to .COM, and price range within reason.

Low side: $20k. High side: $75k. More realistically: ~$25k or less.

Papered.com $25k

Packaged.com $45k

Reversed.com $25k

Filed.com $45k

Ubersuggest didn’t work here; it showed me the same number of results and the same CPC as the term Divorce. I know “divorced” isn’t nearly as good as “divorce.” 55 extensions registered on DotDB feels high. Google Trends shows “Divorce” far more marketable.

Divorcing.com (ING). ING endings can be strong, but not here. If you’re divorcing, you probably already found your lawyer. Who’s the buyer?

Estibot: $11k.

Comps:

Mapping.com $35k

HouseSitting.com $10k

Digiting.com $9k

Again, I would do the same thing. I would look at Estibot. Apply my feelings good or bad, from my previous research, then I would set my search with the ING ending this time, and let it rip! In this case, Divorcing.com is appraised at 11,000.

Mapping.com 35,000

HouseSitting.com 10,000

Digiting.com 9,000

I like the domain housesitting.com more than I like divorce, despite it being a very small-margin service. I do not believe divorcing.com is better than mapping. HouseSitting.com sold a little low and should have been right up there with Mapping.com. If that were the case I would say that Divorcing.com is worth 15-20,000.

ALSO - - Do not use the keyword to find comps. I have people negotiate with me about names and say, “Jeff your client wants 1.5M for Shout.com, but ShoutMe.com sold for 200, ShoutThat.com sold for 300 bucks, ShoutAtMe.com sold for 2000” those are NOT relevant comps. Like saying this house is yellow and sold for 200k, and your house is yellow so….Or they are both on Maple Street….Who cares!

Inquiries

Here’s another factor: inquiries. Every portfolio has names you were excited to buy, but years pass and… crickets. Then some names constantly get inquiries—even if they’re lowball. That pulse matters.

If you’ve got a name that never gets any bites, and suddenly one comes in—be honest with yourself. Price accordingly. The rules of sizing up the buyer should apply more than comps.

Conclusion

If this article taught you anything, it’s this: find one data point that puts you in the ballpark. Then adjust up or down based on the other signals—comps, extensions, CPC, inquiries, trends. Don’t be afraid to skip steps if the path is clear and do not be afraid to ask a friend.