Domain renewal prices jump because many registrars sell the first year below cost and make it back at renewal. Wholesale fees also rise from time to time, and bundled extras can quietly push the bill up. You can avoid most of it by checking the renewal price before you buy, registering for more than one year and keeping your domains with a registrar that charges the same price every time.
Key takeaways
- A cheap first year is a marketing cost. The renewal price is the real price.
- The wholesale fee for any .au domain is $9.50 a year ex GST from 1 October 2026, so most of a high renewal bill is the registrar’s margin.
- Registering or renewing for several years locks in today’s price for that whole term.
- A “renewal” invoice from a company you’ve never dealt with is usually a scam, not a price rise.
Why is my domain renewal so much more expensive than the first year?
Because the first year was a promotion. Registrars compete hard on the headline price, since that’s what appears in search results and comparison sites. Some price the first year very low, knowing most people renew without checking.
The renewal is then charged at the registrar’s standard rate, which can be several times the introductory price. Nothing about your domain has changed.
The same pattern applies to domains that came “free” with hosting. Our guide to the free domain with hosting catch explains how that bundle works.
What actually makes up a domain price?
Every domain price has a few layers:
| Layer | Who sets it | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Wholesale (registry) fee | auDA for .au names, Verisign for .com | The same for every registrar. Small and fairly stable. |
| Registrar margin | Your registrar | Covers support, systems and profit. This is where prices vary most. |
| Bundled extras | Your registrar | Privacy, email or “protection” add-ons that may renew automatically. |
| GST | The ATO | 10% on top of the ex-GST price. |
For .au names, auDA sets one wholesale price for every namespace. From 1 October 2026 it’s $9.50 a year, excluding GST, and registrars set their own retail prices on top (auDA). So if you’re paying several times that each year, the difference is margin and extras.
Do wholesale price rises push renewals up?
Yes, but only by a little. auDA reviews its wholesale price each year, and the October 2026 change took it from $8.64 to $9.50 (auDA statement). For .com names, Verisign raised its wholesale price 7%, from US$10.26 to US$10.97 a year, from 1 November 2026 (Domain Name Wire).
Rises of that size explain a renewal going up by a dollar or two, not one that doubles. If yours has doubled, look at the registrar’s standard rate and the extras on the invoice.
Is that renewal invoice even real?
Check before you pay. For years, some companies have sent official-looking “renewal” notices that are really offers to switch registrar at an inflated price. The ACCC had two operators ordered to pay $1.95 million in penalties after they sent about 300,000 such notices (ACCC).
If the invoice isn’t from the company you registered with, treat it as suspicious. Our guide to the domain renewal scam shows how to spot one.
How do I lock in a fair domain renewal price?
- Find the real renewal price. Before you buy, look for the renewal rate in the price list or terms, not just the first-year offer.
- Register for longer. .au licences run for one to five years (auDA). Paying for several years up front locks in today’s price for the whole term.
- Remove extras you don’t need. Check the invoice for add-ons and turn off anything you didn’t ask for.
- Keep your domains together. One registrar and one renewal date make it easier to spot a price change.
- Move if the price isn’t fair. You can transfer a domain to another registrar. Do it well before the expiry date, not in the final week.
Our guide on how to renew a domain name covers the steps, including the new ABN check on .au renewals.
What happens if I don’t renew in time?
For a .au name, you can renew up to 90 days before expiry. After the expiry date there’s a 30-day grace period, but your website and email stop working during it. After that, the name is released for anyone to register, and some registrars charge a restore fee along the way, according to auDA’s renewal guide.
A missed renewal can cost far more than a high one. If yours has already lapsed, see what happens when a .com.au domain has expired and how to get it back quickly.
What do we charge?
We keep it simple: a .com.au domain is $80 + GST for two years. It’s shown up front, so you can compare it with any renewal notice you get. You can register your domain with WMS or transfer an existing one across.
We also look after domain renewals without surprises. And because a domain is only as safe as the account it sits in, read up on domain security too.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a .com.au domain cost to renew?
The auDA wholesale fee is $9.50 a year ex GST from 1 October 2026, and registrars add their own margin. A fair renewal sits comfortably above wholesale but well below what some registrars charge after a first-year discount. Compare the yearly cost across the whole term, including GST and any extras.
Is it cheaper to register a domain for several years?
Often, yes. Paying for several years locks in the current price, so later wholesale or retail increases don’t affect you until the term ends. It also means fewer renewal dates to miss. For .au names you can choose a term of one to five years.
Can I move my domain to avoid a high renewal price?
Yes. You can transfer a domain to another registrar using its transfer code. Start a few weeks before the expiry date, make sure the domain is in your name and check the contact email is current, because transfer approvals often go there.
Why does my registrar charge for privacy or protection?
These are optional extras. For .au names, the public WHOIS lookup already hides your street address and phone number under auDA policy, so paid privacy adds less than you might think. Check what each add-on actually does before paying for it again.
What if I get a renewal invoice from a company I don’t know?
Don’t pay it. Check who your domain is registered with, using a WHOIS lookup or your records. If the invoice isn’t from that registrar, it’s likely an offer dressed up as a bill. Report it to Scamwatch if it looks deliberately misleading.
Sources
- Wholesale .au domain pricing, auDA, October 2026
- Verisign raising wholesale .com prices, Domain Name Wire, April 2026
- Domain Name Corp and Domain Name Agency to pay $1.95 million in penalties, ACCC, June 2018
- Introduction of .au registrar quality initiative and wholesale pricing update, auDA, August 2026
- Renewing your domain licence, auDA
- WHOIS Policy, auDA, June 2026