Most Expensive Domain Names

Domain Names Are Like Real Estate

Domain names can be easily likened to real estate. They are of a limited quantity and are sold as a commodity, much like houses and buildings. While the number of domains may seem limitless, the current limit of 63 characters puts a finite number on the amount of domains that can be configured from any arrangement of words, letters, and numbers.

That said, as the domain name market narrows and domains are purchased, the length of domain names is growing. Short domain names are highly coveted, due to the ease at which they can be remembered and recognized by users.  As businesses and individuals purchase these relatively short domain names, the domain pool decreases – requiring companies to register longer and longer domain names.

This characteristic of the domain market is what has led to an increase in price for those highly coveted, short, memorable domains. Like a penthouse condo in Manhattan, the price tags on such domains have skyrocketed as the concept of supply and demand dictates.

What Are the Most Expensive Domain Names?

Some of the most valuable domain investments have been sold for millions of dollars. In fact, according to Guinness World Records, the current world record for the most expensive domain name sold is for Sex.com, sold in Germany in November 2010, for $13 million dollars, by Escom LLC to Clover Holdings Ltd.

The most expensive domain names don’t only belong to the same risqué group as Sex.com. Other domains that have sold for millions include: Fund.com sold for $9.9 million in 2008, Porn.com sold for $9.5 million in 2007, Business.com sold for $7.5 million in 1999, Diamond.com sold for $7.5 million in 2006, Beer.com sold for $7 million in 2004, and the list goes on.

Keep in mind, this list of the most expensive domain names only includes the price of the domains themselves. In fact, Business.com the domain and the company were sold to Yellow Pages in 2007 for a whopping $345 million.

What Makes These Domains So Expensive?

The number of unique, memorable domain names that have not yet been registered is rapidly decreasing. As these distinctive domains become more rare, the demand for them steadily increases. Thus, the price of currently registered, original domain names continues to rise.

The value of these expensive domain names stems from several factors. First, as previously mentioned, the short nature of these domains, and the fact that they are regularly used terms, makes them memorable. Simply put, domains that are easy to remember are likely to drive more traffic, as they can easily be found by users with the intent to visit that site.

In addition, such striking, original domain names are hard to acquire. This nature limits supply, thus driving up demand and increasing their price.

Lastly, many of these strong domain names have already built a steady following of visitors. The traffic ranking for such websites can drive up the price tag during the sale of the domain.

If you are looking to start your online business fresh or enhance your current business with a high-traffic website, opt for a memorable, unique, and proven domain. In this case, the first place to turn to is a domain reseller. Whether you are looking to purchase one of the most expensive domain names on the market or simply looking to purchase an established site with a steady traffic stream, a reseller can assist you through the resale of highly coveted domains. Use this handy domain search tool to find your ideal domain name.