Purchasing an expired domain can be a great way to kickstart a new website or business. However, grabbing your preferred expired domain is not an easy task due to high competition and expensive auctions.
With expired domains, business owners can quickly rank their websites and start making money. Fresh domain names can take too much time and effort before you start earning from the website.
In this guide, I will list the top 11 best websites to buy expired domains. I will also talk about what it is, how to evaluate an expired domain, and the steps to take to purchase one for your business.
Let’s start with the basics first.
What Is An Expired Domain?
An expired domain is a domain that hasn’t been renewed or dropped by its initial owner. According to experts, a domain name is never really owned by someone. Basically, they are rented by businesses and individuals.
Think of it like renting an apartment – you pay for the right to use it for a certain period, and if you don’t renew your lease, someone else can move in. The same thing happens with expired domains. Once a domain expires, it can be available for purchase by someone else.
Here are some reasons an active domain expires:
- The owner didn’t (or forgot) renew the domain within the contract period
- The owner lost access to the domain
- The project is closed down by the owner
- It was purchased for a short period
- The owner adopted a new domain name
How To Evaluate An Expired Domain?
Purchasing an expired domain can be profitable and risky at the same time. That’s why evaluating the expired domain is a necessary process. Here’s a checklist you can follow to assess expired domains:
1. Check Domain Age
Older domains have higher chances of success compared to the new ones that recently expired. You can verify the domain age with reliable websites like the WHOIS database and Wayback Machine.
2. Verify Niche Relevancy
Make sure the expired domain is related to your niche and intended website. This way, you can use its existing backlinks and potential authority. A domain previously used for unrelated content could make it more difficult to rank.
3. Domain Authority
Domain authority is a metric that shows how strong a website’s backlink profile is. Make sure to pick a domain with over 30 DA so you can establish a website with valuable backlinks.
4. Domain History
It is essential for you to know that the domain you are about to purchase was not used for harmful activities, span, or malware previously. These domains may carry negative SEO penalties, so it is crucial to check the history of that domain.
5. Backlink Profile
You must check the quality of links and the website’s backlink profile. Analyze the backlinks pointing to the domain, sorting by:
- Number of backlinks
- Referring domains (unique sites)
- Authority of sites linking to the domain
- Anchor text used in links
Quality over quantity matters most here. A handful of links from authoritative sites is better than lots of low-quality links.
6. Traffic Potential
Check historical traffic data if available. Also, research search volume for the niche to estimate the expired domain’s traffic potential. Higher existing or estimated search traffic indicates a domain will be easier to monetize.
7. Content Check
Review content samples, if possible, using Wayback Machine or Google searches. Check for quality, plagiarism, and spam links. Ensure the content is relevant and high quality. Spun or stolen content could negatively impact your site.
If you want to know how to calculate a website’s worth for buying or selling, check this detailed guide here.
Things To Consider Before Buying Expired Domains
Not all expired domains are created equal. Like any other asset purchase, you need to do your research to determine if a particular expired domain is worth buying.
1. Evaluate The Niche
The niche and industry of the expired domain matters. You’ll want to find an expired domain that matches the niche you plan to build a website for. A domain name that matches your niche has a better chance of attracting the right audience. The existing relevancy also makes building upon the old domain metrics easier.
So, before you start searching for domains, decide the niche you want to target. This will focus your search on the most relevant options.
2. Check Domain’s Availability
Before getting too attached to a domain name, verify it is actually available for registration. Various domain lookup tools can tell you the status and current ownership of a domain name.
If the domain name is truly expired and available, add it to your list for further evaluation.
3. Register On A Domain Platform
To find and buy expired domains, you’ll need to use a domain name marketplace. These are websites that list domains available for sale, including recently expired domains.
Some of the leading domain marketplaces include:
- GoDaddy Auctions
- Flippa
- Sedo
I’ll cover more of these further in the article. Sign up for a domain marketplace account so you can search listings and place bids.
4. Check Domain Authority And Trust Flow
Two key metrics to look at for an expired domain are Domain Authority (DA) and Trust Flow (TF). Domain Authority reflects the SEO value of a domain based on factors like age, backlinks, and traffic. A higher DA passing to your site can boost search rankings.
Trust Flow measures how trusted and relevant other sites see the domain. High TF helps establish credibility. Aim for expired domains with DA above 30 and TF above 15. The higher, the better, but these are good minimums.
5. Place A Bid
Once you find an appealing expired domain on a domain marketplace, you can place a bid to try and purchase it. Set your maximum bid based on your budget and how much potential you see in the domain. Monitor your bids until the auction ends.
6. Complete The Purchase
Finally, complete the transaction through the domain marketplace and become the registrant. Point your domain to your hosting account or temporary “domain parked” page.
11 Best Websites To Buy Expired Domains
Now that you have a high-level view of the expired domain acquisition process let’s look at the top domain marketplaces for finding and buying quality expired domains.
1. GoDaddy Auctions
GoDaddy is the biggest domain registrar in the world, where you can buy new and expired domain names at flexible prices. From GoDaddy Auctions, you can buy expired domains at an affordable price range. Since the platform has the largest customer base, you can quickly find domain names in relevant niches.
Searching for a domain is fairly easy on GoDaddy Auctions. You can simply enter keywords related to your niche or check the latest deals on the landing page. There’s also an advanced option to filter your search. You can also purchase an SSL certificate after purchasing an expired domain. Save 50% off with our GoDaddy SSL promo codes.
2. Domain Coasters
Domain Coasters focuses exclusively on quality expired domains that can provide SEO value. They hand-select domains that meet criteria like:
- High domain authority and trust flow
- Backlinks from high-authority sites
- Keyword-rich but expired and dropped
Rather than an auction format, Domain Coasters lists domains for sale at “buy it now” fixed prices. Expect to pay premium prices but get premium quality expired domains ideal for boosting a new website.
3. Flippa
Flippa is the largest marketplace for buying and selling online businesses and websites. Their domain section also includes quality expired domains.
Flippa provides extensive data and analysis on each domain. You can filter by metrics like traffic, revenue, domain authority, page authority, and more. Expect slightly higher prices on the platform compared to auctions, but also very high-quality domains. They have a large market reach, so domains get good exposure to buyers.
4. NameCheap
With over 11 million registered users in the world, NameCheap is one of the largest domain registrars in the world. In this marketplace, you can register for brand-new domain names or bid for high-quality expired domains.
NameCheap’s interface and marketplace work similarly to GoDaddy’s. You can also backorder on expiring domains with high authority and quality backlinks. Luckily, the prices are much cheaper, and the chances of getting a desired domain are higher.
If you are planning to purchase a domain with managed hosting, our readers can claim discounts with exclusive NameCheap promo codes.
5. NameJet
Owned by Web.com, NameJet is a standalone domain marketplace similar to GoDaddy Auctions. It sources domains from various registrars and lists for auction. NameJet has some exclusive partnerships and access to expired domains, leading to inventory you may not find on other domain marketplaces. The search allows filtering by keywords, metrics, TLDs, and other criteria.
They also have “Hot Picks” and “Last Chance” sections with handpicked quality domains chosen by experts. Overall, NameJet is a top choice for finding and buying expired domains due to exclusive access and partnerships.
6. DropCatch
DropCatch lets you backorder domains that are expiring soon before they hit the general market. This unique model gives you first access as soon as a domain drops. You can search through domains about to expire and backorder them for the wholesale tier 1 registration price. If you’re the first backorder, you get the domain.
DropCatch essentially eliminates bidding wars and guarantees you can get expiring domains if you’re quick enough to backorder them first.
7. Odys Global
Odys Global handpicks high-quality, performing expired domains and makes them available for sale on their marketplace. They source domains that were previously earning $500+ in monthly revenue but were allowed to expire due to changing business plans, failing projects, or lack of time from the business owner.
You can expect premium prices on Odys to match the premium performance and metrics of the domains. But this can be well worth it to get established, authoritative sites with existing traction and revenues.
8. SEO.Domains
SEO.Domains, as the name suggests, focus on selling expired domains with metrics ideal for boosting SEO and rankings. Each domain listing provides extensive data like Ahrefs DR, number of backlinks, Moz metrics, archive.org history, Semrush data, and much more – all to inform your buying decision.
The domains tend to be priced accordingly based on visibility and authority but represent some of the highest-quality SEO domains available
9. Dynadot
Dynadot is a domain registrar and also has a domain marketplace. It combines both expired domains plus domains actively listed for sale by other Dynadot members. All domains include an Estibot domain valuation report. You can filter and sort by metrics like backlinks, page authority, domain age, and more.
Dynadot includes quality domains but offers prices on the more affordable side of things compared to some premium domain marketplaces.
10. Sedo.com
Sedo is an international domain registrar that helps businesses locate, register, and manage expired domain names. However, the services are specifically tailored for parking expired domains. What’s unique about this platform is that you can find top domains and make your offer to purchase them.
The domain prices range from $10 to all the way to $5 million. The only downside of Sedo is that the platform charges a huge chunk of the bidding amount as a commission.
11. DomCop
DomCop sources expired domains from registrars and makes them available via partner marketplaces NameJet and DropCatch.
It currently provides data on over 43 million expired domains, which you can filter and sort based on metrics like Ahrefs DR, Mozrank, page authority, domain age, and more. DomCop also shows historical trends and metrics on domains so you can see how metrics like backlinks and traffic have changed over time.
Drawbacks Of Purchasing An Expired Domain
Buying an expired domain has its perks, but there are disadvantages, too. Here are some major drawbacks you may face after buying an expired domain:
- Unexpected Costs: Expired domains are often sold on an auction, so prices can rise significantly. If you don’t get a return on your investment, the purchase cost might not be justifiable.
- Trademark Issues: Some domains are similar to trademark terms or might be too similar to well-known brands. This could be a legal issue in the future if you purchase a domain name like that.
- Hidden Penalties: The expired domain you purchased might have been penalized due to spammy practices, illegal activities, or black-hat SEO techniques. This can be a huge problem since domain registrars don’t show these hidden issues.
- Bad Reputation: If the previous domain was involved in scams or negative activities, rebuilding trust might take too much effort.
- Irrelevant: The expired domain’s niche might be completely unrelated to your business or project. It can be more challenging for someone to build a relevant website to attract the right audience.
Related Reads:
Conclusion: Check GoDaddy Auctions, Domain Coasters, And Flippa To Buy Expired Domains!
So, this is my list of top websites from where you can buy reliable and high-quality expired domains. But you shouldn’t impulsively bid or purchase a domain. Take your time and carefully evaluate the domain to get the best results and return on investment.
If you have the budget to bid for auctions, you can go for GoDaddy or Namecheap. Otherwise, you can go for Domain Coasters or Sedo.com to find expired domains at fixed prices.
Make sure the domain matches your niche and requirement criteria. This way, you can quickly leverage existing domain authority to rank better and get organic traffic.
