Brochure site stack €5/mo: domain free year one. Year two: renewal €22 + WHOIS privacy €9 — more than hosting. Ten years: ~€310 domain alone.
Domain renewal is the discreet invoice line. Inquiry projects ten years: registrar, TLD, add-ons.
A free year-one domain is often deferred subscription.
Renewal anatomy
Registrar vs host reseller, TLD, privacy/mail add-ons, auto-renew.
| Scenario | Y1 | Y2–10/yr | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Promo bundle | €0 | €22 | €220 |
| Independent | €12 | €12 | €120 |
Avoid surprise
Separate registrar and hosting for migration freedom. Calendar expiry + catalog price. Compare + intro pricing.
Transfer before hike
Unlock, auth code, compare independent registrar vs promo bundle. Directory for hosting without tying the name.
The peak: quiet lock-in
Independent registrar vs bundle: ten-year trade-off
Separating registrar and hosting may cost a few euros more year one. Over ten years, freedom to migrate hosting without fighting a locked domain transfer often worth it. Check premium TLD renewal policy: a .io or .ai renewed at sixty euros turns a side project into forgotten recurring charge.
Marketing teams forget campaign domains. Near expiry, auto-renew charges catalog price without budget review. Semiannual export of names, Y2 price, and expiry should be habit, not emergency.
Go further with the inquiry
Apply the article to your concrete case: what volume, what service level, what contractual constraints from clients or regulators? Write answers before opening the pricing page. Request written documents — full grid, DPA, certification scope, renewal terms — not homepage screenshots.
Compare at least two providers via the directory and compare tool on identical thirty-six-month assumptions. Share the short list with whoever signs the contract and whoever operates infrastructure daily. Archive terms dated at subscription so due diligence is defensible later.
Go further with the inquiry
Apply the article to your concrete case: what volume, what service level, what contractual constraints from clients or regulators? Write answers before opening the pricing page. Request written documents — full grid, DPA, certification scope, renewal terms — not homepage screenshots.
Compare at least two providers via the directory and compare tool on identical thirty-six-month assumptions. Share the short list with whoever signs the contract and whoever operates infrastructure daily. Archive terms dated at subscription so due diligence is defensible later.
Independent registrar vs bundle: ten-year trade-off
Separating registrar and hosting may cost a few euros more year one. Over ten years, freedom to migrate hosting without fighting a locked domain transfer often worth it. Check premium TLD renewal policy: a .io or .ai renewed at sixty euros turns a side project into forgotten recurring charge.
Marketing teams forget campaign domains. Near expiry, auto-renew charges catalog price without budget review. Semiannual export of names, Y2 price, and expiry should be habit, not emergency.
Independent registrar vs bundle: ten-year trade-off
Separating registrar and hosting may cost a few euros more year one. Over ten years, freedom to migrate hosting without fighting a locked domain transfer often worth it. Check premium TLD renewal policy: a .io or .ai renewed at sixty euros turns a side project into forgotten recurring charge.
Marketing teams forget campaign domains. Near expiry, auto-renew charges catalog price without budget review. Semiannual export of names, Y2 price, and expiry should be habit, not emergency.
Decide and move forward without blind spots
Start by framing your real scenario on one page: volumes, client constraints, required support level, and a thirty-six-month budget including domain, backup, and essential add-ons. Compare at least two hosts via the directory and compare tool with identical assumptions, archive pricing grids dated on subscription day, then have both the contract signer and daily infrastructure operator validate the short list.
Frequently asked questions
Why renewal costs more?
Acquisition model: year-one loss leader, renewal and add-on margin.
Bundle domain + hosting?
Sometimes Y1 win; check separate renewal and transfer ease.
Ten-year cost?
Catalog renewal × 10 + options — not initial promo.
Transfer before hike?
Yes if unlocked; compare independent registrar.
Over ten years, domain is not negligible — margin often hides there.