Need a cheap domain for a side project, personal portfolio, or redirect? Here are the 10 cheapest extensions in 2026 where both registration and renewal remain reliably low.
The difference between cheap first years and cheap ownership
Finding a domain for $1 is easy. Finding a domain that stays under $10 a year indefinitely without quadrupling on your first renewal notice requires reading the entire 3-year pricing schedule.
We audited all 898+ top-level domains in our catalog to find endings where both the first-year price and the renewal fee remain budget-friendly.
Top recommendations for side projects and bootstrapped apps
For developer tools and GitHub projects, .dev and .app register and renew for roughly $8.75 to $12 per year at Porkbun with zero renewal trap markups and built-in HSTS HTTPS enforcement.
For general startups, .co often offers introductory promos around $2.98 at Spaceship, making it a favorite for short, punchy alternate URLs.
Questions this article answers
Which TLD is truly the cheapest over 3 years?
.xyz and .co frequently offer the lowest 3-year totals, but watch for registrars that hike renewals. Steady budget options include .com (around $10/year steady) and .link or .site on reliable registrars.
Why are some $0.99 domains actually more expensive?
Many $0.99 endings like .shop, .online, and .site renew at $25 to $35/year. Over 3 years, a $0.99 domain often costs over $60.
Are cheap TLDs penalized by Google search ranking?
Google has repeatedly confirmed that all new gTLDs are treated identically by their ranking algorithms. A .xyz or .tech domain ranks just as well as a .com given equivalent backlinks and quality content.