Three brokers, three philosophies: boutique stealth representation, retail registrar outreach, and the legacy marketplace. The same four numbers decide which one fits your deal.
The four numbers side by side
Saw.com publishes 9% self-serve marketplace commission and 15% full managed brokerage, with zero upfront buyer retainer. GoDaddy charges $99.99 upfront per query plus 20% success commission. Sedo charges 10% self-serve and 20% broker-assisted, with a 2.5% surcharge for full anonymity.
On stealth, Saw.com includes anonymous representation by default. GoDaddy assigns a dedicated agent for its 30-day sprint. Sedo can do it, at the surcharge. On financing, Saw.com structures Lease to Own across 12 to 60 months; neither GoDaddy nor Sedo offers native installment financing on broker deals.
Pedigree is part of the price
Saw.com was co-founded by Jeffrey Gabriel, formerly of DomainNameSales and Uniregistry, with over $500 million in brokered volume including the landmark $13 million Sex.com sale. GoDaddy counters with the largest registry database on earth for tracing elusive owners. Sedo counters with 25 years of marketplace volume and multilingual brokers across 20-plus languages.
Match pedigree to deal shape. One-word corporate assets want Gabriel or a MediaOptions-style specialist. Obscure legacy owners want the biggest database. Cross-border negotiations want native speakers.
Appraisals and extras
Saw.com gives a free automated appraisal with PDF certificate and sells certified written reports from $499. GoDaddy bundles a free automated estimator. Sedo sells individual appraisals from $99. None of the three replaces a signed dossier for tax or legal use except through their paid tiers.
Marketplace breadth differs too. Sedo lists millions of names with multi-currency settlement. Saw.com adds high-converting seller landers with live chat. GoDaddy adds direct registrar push inside its own ecosystem.
Verdict by buyer type
Funded startup buying a taken exact-match .com: Saw.com or a stealth boutique. Zero upfront, anonymous outreach, installment runway.
Seller with portfolio inventory: Atom.com self-serve at 7.5% or Namecheap at flat 10% for volume, Saw.com 9% landers for premium single names with live negotiation.
Bargain hunter browsing listings: Sedo marketplace depth, accepting the 20% broker tier only when assisted negotiation earns it.
In every case, run the live numbers on the broker leaderboard before briefing anyone. Published tiers shift, and the fee math decides the deal.
Questions this article answers
How does Saw.com compare to GoDaddy Domain Broker Service?
Saw.com charges 9% self-serve or 15% managed with zero upfront buyer retainer and direct founder involvement. GoDaddy charges a $99.99 non-refundable upfront fee per query plus 20% on closing, with outreach capped at 30 days.
Why is the GoDaddy broker fee non-refundable?
GoDaddy prices the $99.99 as a 30-day agent outreach sprint, not a success fee. The agent attempts owner contact by email and phone, and the fee is kept whether the owner replies, declines, or ignores the outreach entirely.
What is the Sedo anonymity surcharge?
Sedo charges 10% for self-serve Buy Now and 20% for broker-assisted sales, then adds 2.5% for complete anonymity or a publicity waiver. Stealth is available, but unlike the boutiques it is a paid upgrade rather than the default.
Which broker is cheapest for selling a domain?
For self-serve listings, Atom.com at 7.5% and Namecheap Marketplace at a flat 10% undercut both Saw.com at 9% and Sedo at 10%. For managed six-figure sales, the 15% boutique band buys outreach and negotiation that marketplaces do not provide.
Do I need any broker for a standard $10 registration?
No. Brokers handle the aftermarket: names someone else already owns. For unregistered domains, register directly with a retail registrar such as Porkbun or Spaceship at wholesale pricing instead.