原文：https://neilpatel.com/blog/best-domain-brokers/

您正在启动一个新网站。你谷歌域名看看它是否可用，但它已经被别人抢走了。无赖。

这种情况经常发生，特别是如果你心中有一个好名字。

如果您真的想要一个已经声明的域名怎么办？或者，如果您坐在一个有价值的域名上并希望出售怎么办？

我会聘请最好的域名经纪人代表您谈判公平交易。

在这篇文章中，我将回顾您现在可以雇用的领先域名经纪人。他们将处理收购或出售在线房地产优质空间的所有繁重工作。

如果您对是否真的需要域名经纪人持观望态度，我提供了一些其他可能有效的选项。
#1 – GoDaddy 域名经纪 — 最适合购买 5，000 美元以下的域名

很多人使用 GoDaddy 域名经纪公司购买当前由其他人拥有的域名。原因如下：它使用起来非常简单，而且您几乎没有任何工作。

此外，GoDaddy 经纪人将追求您想要的任何域名，无论价格如何。
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预约电话

我强烈推荐给不想在域名上花费超过 5，000 美元的人。事实是，在这个领域，这是一个相当低的数字。一个.com域名，其中包含您在真实字典中找到的单词，通常会花费五到六位数 – 也许更多。

您会发现 GoDaddy 的佣金率 （20%） 比您使用较小的域名经纪人获得的佣金率更高。麻烦的是，这些小公司并不总是同意接受希望购买低于5000美元的小型鱼类域名的客户。

GoDaddy 不在乎成本。一旦您与经纪人联系，他们就会追逐您内心想要的任何域名。因此，如果您的预算最高可达几千美元，GoDaddy 是一个很好的起点。

只需联系 GoDaddy 并告诉他们您想要的域。您将收到一封电子邮件，要求您说出您愿意支付的价格。

从那里，GoDaddy 处理其他一切。经纪人花费长达 30 天的时间追踪域名所有者并试图协商价格。如果经纪人成功，则该域名是您的。只需按照指导的步骤操作，您就可以掌控一切。

自己获得域名并非不可能，但 GoDaddy 承担了所有的跑腿工作。此外，该公司拥有大量的知名度。卖家不是以私人或公司的身份联系，而是与业内最知名的人之一打交道。双方都会感到更舒服，让一个值得信赖的经纪人来处理这些安排。

GoDaddy 也负责所有的法律跑腿工作，但您不会提供其他域名经纪人提供的战略指导。这基本上是一个简单的傻瓜式服务。

开始需要预付 119.99 美元的费用，如果交易通过，GoDaddy 将收取 20% 的佣金。请注意，如果销售不顺利，您将无法收回费用。

高于平均水平的佣金率和前期费用反映了这样一个事实，即 GoDaddy 将促成任何规模的交易。其他公司可以负担得起较低的佣金并免除前期成本，因为他们只接受超过 5，000 美元的交易。

从本质上讲，其他经纪人可以承受较小的份额，因为他们只会追求更大的蛋糕。

5，000美元并不是一个硬性数字。但是，如果您在这个社区，您可能很难找到一个不会收取前期费用以使其值得花时间的经纪人。

GoDaddy 不会代理销售，但您可以使用公司的拍卖网站出售域名。还有一个免费的域名评估工具，可以帮助您确定从哪里开始出价。

并不是每个人都想在域名上花费数万美元。他们仍然希望经纪人在第一次就快速正确地完成工作。

使用 GoDaddy 域名经纪，交易尽可能顺利和不干涉。如果您可以拼写所需的域，GoDaddy 将为您运行。
#2 – Domain.com — 在没有经纪人的情况下购买.com域名的最佳选择

当注册商拥有其行业的最佳域名时，这是一个好兆头。Domain.com 不是真正的域名经纪人，因为您将无法通过他们进行销售，但它们是您自己购买优质互联网房地产的首选目的地。

因此，如果您还没有准备好为经纪人支付佣金，但您想要一个具有.com扩展名的可靠域名，那么这是您应该查看的第一个地方。

Namecheap是另一个很好的注册商，可以自己抢购域名，但 Domain.com 有更广泛的高级.com域名选择。

Domain.com 提供标准域名搜索和高级域名搜索。多年来，随着越来越多的常用单词和短语被声称，获得简短且易于记忆的.com变得越来越困难。

但是，使用Domain.com的高级域搜索，您可以为您的网站获取其中之一。

现在，它们不会便宜。快速搜索可能会返回一些令人瞠目结舌的价格标签，用于您心念的域名。

但是 Domain.com 的乐于助人的人可以以您可以承受的价格帮助您保护梦想的URL。他们的工作人员通过电话或实时聊天提供 24/7 全天候服务。通过这种方式，Domain.com 像经纪公司一样运作，因为如果您需要，您会在整个购买过程中获得他们的帮助和指导。

这不会是您通过真正的域名经纪人获得的白手套服务，但您也不会在域名价格之上支付 15-20% 的佣金。

而且，即使最初的购买很昂贵，通过 Domain.com 购买的高级域名也不会以高昂的价格续订。相反，他们将以延期的标准费率续订。

因此，即使您以几百美元的价格购买.com，一年的续订价格仅为 9.99 美元，两年的续订价格为 19.98 美元，依此类推。

而且，作为注册商而不是经纪人，Domain.com 是您需要的一切的一站式商店。您可以获得虚拟主机，电子邮件，SSL证书以及新站点的安全性。简而言之，您可以购买保护和增加投资所需的一切。

如果您还没有准备好聘请经纪人，Domain.com 是您自己获得高级域名的最佳选择。

我说的是易于记忆的两字.com域。您可以在 Domain.com 上获得不太令人垂涎的域名类型和较新的域名后缀，但Namecheap可能会更实惠。

Domain.com 是传统域名注册商、详细域名搜索以及经纪级支持和协助的完美结合。如果您想获得优质域名，请立即开始搜索 Domain.com。
#3 – 砂砾经纪 — 如果您经常购买高级域名，这是最好的选择

Grit Brokerage是该领域公认的参与者之一。该公司已经与大牌交易进行了谈判，并帮助品牌确保其在线地位。

我将它们推荐给经常在高级域名市场上的企业。这可能不是您一直需要的东西，但对于您来说，为您的公司获得一个可靠的域并完成它也是不够的。

如果您必须将域名获取纳入您的整体品牌和营销策略，Grit Brokerage 是理想的经纪人。这就像在你的办公室里有一个领域专家，除了他们不在全职工资单上。

该公司可以引导您完成升级到您所在行业中更好的域的来龙去脉，或者扩展并利用多域 SEO 策略。

Grit.org 是Grit Brokerage的母公司。该组织致力于赋予人们建立更好的公司和社区的能力。如果您与Grit合作，其经纪人将投入时间，通过以合理的价格获得正确的域名来帮助您成长。

即使对于财力雄厚、创意雄厚的公司来说，这也是一个挑战。埃隆·马斯克（Elon Musk）花了十多年的时间和1100万美元才获得 tesla.com。在此之前，该公司已经 teslamotors.com，并在搜索排名中不断受到打击。

并不是每个人争夺顶级域名的战斗都如此残酷，但如今这绝非易事。

您必须与Grit Brokerage联系以获取定价，但联系起来并不难。创始人和高级合伙人都在网站上列出了他们的手机。想象一下他们为付费客户提供的服务和可用性。

无论您是常客还是卖家，Grit Brokerage都可以为您提供长期帮助。直接联系，立即开始富有成效的关系。
#4 – Namecheap — 如果您能灵活使用域名后缀，那就最好了

您是否一心想获得完美的.com域名？或者您对确切的措辞和域扩展名更灵活一些？

如果你有一点回旋余地，并且愿意发挥创造力，我建议你看看你能在Namecheap上得到什么。这是一个域名注册商，而不是经纪人，但你会发现一个离谱的可用域名选择，其价格远远低于你通过经纪人所能获得的。

您不会得到谈判的帮助——无论您是购买还是出售，这都是完全 DIY——但您无需支付任何前期费用，并且您通过市场平台销售的域名只需支付 10% 的佣金。

如果您直接从Namecheap购买新域名，则根本没有佣金。

我想你会对你能找到的东西感到惊讶。Namecheap上有域名，第一年的价格为0.99美元。您不会以这个价格获得.com或.org，但许多新的扩展名（如.store或.link）都是可用的。.com名字第一年的起价为 8.88 美元。

我向考虑域名经纪人的人推荐Namecheap的原因是他们并不总是知道那里有什么。他们可能会把自己扭成结，试图获得一个五星级域名，而现在有一些完全可以购买的东西。

如果你能负担得起灵活性，Namecheap会帮助你找到一些东西。搜索工具很棒。您最多可以在搜索工具的野兽模式下输入 5，000 个关键字。这将为具有这些关键字的开放域生成数千个结果。

野兽模式还可以根据转换关键字提供建议。假设您正在寻找 hireme.com – 例如，野兽模式会找到 hire.me。

基本上，当您的梦想域名不可用时，它可以自动执行我提倡使用的许多策略。

Namecheap上的市场非常易于使用。这是点对点的，唯一的问题是那里的任何域名都是通过Namecheap购买的。因此，如果您想在Namecheap的市场上出售或转售域名，则必须是您已经通过他们购买的域名。请注意，10%来自您的最终销售，作为对Namecheap的佣金。

Namecheap负责所有后端交易事务，因此您不会与永远不会再与之交谈的人签订购买协议。

很有可能你能找到一些非常实惠的东西，特别是如果你愿意使用更新的域名后缀。

Namecheap本身不是经纪人，但它们以大致相同的方式充当缺失的拼图。去探索他们无底的可用域名列表，看看你需要花多少钱才能得到有用的东西。
#5 – VPN.com — 最适合将您的身份保密

如果您想保持匿名，VPN.com 可以帮助您代理域名的销售或收购。

该公司专门从事战略性隐形收购，代表财富 500 强公司、创始人、高净值个人和其他需要低调飞行的组织工作。

事实是，拥有资源的人经常被迫超支以获得域名。我不想说域名所有者的坏话，但众所周知，有些人会把螺丝钉转向潜在买家，因为他们知道他们可以。

VPN.com 阻止这种情况发生。作为自由裁量权的大师，该公司是名人、运动员、政治家和其他必须有意识地分享自己身份的人的最爱。

想想吧。当卖家听到奥普拉想要它时，域名所有者会收取什么费用？

这些隐形收购需要技巧和经验才能妥善管理。查询特定域名的简单行为会泄露大量信息。VPN.com 知道如何处理所有通信，让您的名字在墨水干燥之前不被看到。

与许多其他顶级域名经纪人不同，VPN.com 提供一系列在线服务。正如您可能猜到的那样，该公司处理虚拟专用网络（VPN）。安全通信不是问题。

对于需要跳过隐形收购箍的人来说，VPN.com 将帮助您保护您的投资。公司有内部法律顾问。如果有人侵犯了您的域名，您将知道该怎么做，并能够在每个国家/地区注册您的品牌。

绝对没有前期成本，尽管 VPN.com 通常与价值超过 5，000 美元的域名的买家和卖家合作。

我猜对隐形收购感兴趣的人群会加入这一点，但我想提一下。如果您的销售成功，则有15%的佣金。

对于那些需要最大自由裁量权的人来说，VPN.com 是您可以与之合作的域名经纪人。如果您有高级域名要出售，并且不确定它的价值，请立即联系 VPN.com 进行免费评估。
#6 – 域名展位 — 顶级域名经纪人的最低佣金

在未来，我可以看到DomainBooth对他们的经纪服务收取疯狂的费率。但就目前而言，您可以以极低的 12.5% 佣金获得市场上最好的域名经纪人之一。

因此，您仍然需要付款，但它比其他优质经纪人低 2.5%。如果您正在谈判五位数或六位数域名的交易，节省的成本可能会很大。

DomainBooth是最近进入域名经纪人场景的东西。2015年，当时26岁的创始人詹姆斯·布斯（James Booth）在公司成立的前12个月里代理了超过500万美元的域名，引起了轰动。

这也不是昙花一现。今天，DomainBooth是表现最好的域名经纪人之一，超过了游戏中的一些老牌玩家。根据 Escrow.com 的数据，Booth 在 2020 年实际上拥有所有经纪人中第二高的域名销售额。

该公司专注于极短的域名——两个字母、一个数字和一个字母、三个字母和一个单词的域名。如果你对这样的事情感兴趣，我肯定会与DomainBooth进一步交谈。

这个卡利布尔没有另一个经纪人收取如此低的佣金。购买的最低费用为 500 美元，出售的最低费用为 1，000 美元，也就是说该公司专注于购买超过 5，000 美元的域名并出售超过 10，000 美元的域名。

除非DomainBooth成功谈判交易，否则您将不会支付一分钱。

对于一家年轻的公司来说，DomainBooth已经建立了丰富的买家和卖家网络。您可以在 DomainBooth 时事通讯中以 750 美元的价格列出您的待售域名。这使它摆在不同市场的许多感兴趣的买家面前，您自己很难接触到他们。

通过让DomainBooth成为您的经纪人，您将自己置于一个有利的位置，可以从您的购买或销售中获得最大价值。仍然有佣金，但不会像其他具有类似表现的经纪人那样高。

立即与DomainBooth联系，以获取有关保护或出售高级域名的帮助。
#7 – 媒体选项 — 最适合超过 75，000 美元的域名

如果您要追求完美的域名 – 也许它与您的公司名称或您所在行业的主要关键字完全匹配 – 它不会便宜。

如果你没有一个经验丰富的谈判代表在你的角落里，这将是非常昂贵的。

当您没有灵活性时（您需要该域），是时候调用MediaOptions并从业内最成功的公司获得帮助了。

它由安德鲁·罗森纳（Andrew Rosener）创立，据 Escrow.com 称，他在过去三年中一直是世界顶级域名经纪人。他是罗森纳方程（Rosener Equation）的创造者，人们用它来评估域名，并作为域名的专家证人在法庭上作证。

Rosener对该领域的了解是MediaOptions持续成功的重要组成部分。该公司在十多年的业务中促成了数亿美元的域名交易。

我强烈推荐这个经纪人给需要主要网络房地产的企业。MediaOptions在隐形收购方面拥有丰富的经验，并且在查找不想被发现的域名所有者方面有着良好的记录。

从本质上讲，MediaOptions已经掌握了域名获取过程中使人们陷入困境的每一步。您不会试图追踪并说服不想出售的域名所有者。专家经纪人知道如何在敏感的对话中获得最佳结果。

而且，由于MediaOptions知道如何玩游戏，因此您的身份将保持隐藏状态。因此，您不会费大劲才能获得所需的确切域名。

如果您有高价值域名要出售，我也推荐媒体选项。二十多年来，该公司精心打造了所有经纪公司中最成功的对外销售流程。这包括丰富的买家和卖家网络、业内顶级域名通讯和及时的新闻稿。

没有更好的团队可以雇用，MediaOptions可以对他们的客户进行挑剔。要获得高级域名经纪服务的资格，相关域名的销售额必须为 75，000 美元或更高。

一般来说，这将是一个或两个单词的域，具有有意义的精确匹配搜索量。

如果这个描述听起来像你要找的，那么五六个数字（如果不是更多的话）是非常正常的。获得这些域名之一将很快收回成本，方法是将您的网站弹射到Google第一页搜索结果的顶部。

因为这些超高级域名非常有价值，所以谈判它们的出售或收购需要一个知道他们在做什么的人。您应该预料到潜在交易另一端的一方有专家站在他们一边。你也应该如此。

MediaOptions是您最好的选择。公司的业绩和声誉不言而喻。他们收取15%的佣金是另一个优点。我知道这是行业的标准费率，但鉴于MediaOptions的成功，我觉得他们可以收取更高的费用。

如果您需要最好的，并且您愿意花钱来获得它，那么拥有MediaOptions作为您的域名经纪人将为您提供获得良好结果的最佳机会。今天就联系我们。
我看了什么来寻找最好的域名经纪人

选择域名经纪人有一些基本的基本规则，因为实际上不需要任何认证。

任何人都可以说他们是域名经纪人，但您应该只考虑以下因素：

至少已经存在了几年
保持一尘不染的声誉
使用公认的支付系统，例如PayPal或 Escrow.com
保密处理所有谈判

如果您要聘请经纪人，这是最低限度的。有很多钱在网上转手域名。市场吸引了您绝对想要避免的骗子。

我对域名经纪人的所有建议都涵盖了你。他们在业内享有盛誉和尊重，他们将能够引导您避开那些不知名和受人尊敬的人。

现在，有一系列的经纪人服务。您可以获得有关交易细节的帮助，因此您无需起草购买协议或追踪域名所有者。

一些域名经纪人提供更多的咨询关系。他们帮助您进行域名营销、收购和战略，以长期建立和保护您的品牌。

关于域名有很多需要了解的东西，而且它总是在变化。获得一个好的域名经纪人意味着您不必担心任何事情。

你真的只需要专注于几件事就可以与正确的事情建立联系。

确切的域有多重要？

您附加到特定域名的重要性决定了您应该寻找的经纪人类型。让我用两个例子来解释：

示例 1：您需要一个简短、易于说和拼写的域，并且您现在就想要它。确切的名字没什么大不了的。理想情况下，名称与您的业务相关，但您很灵活并愿意发挥创造力。
示例 2：您已经为您的企业注册了商标，您知道您想要的确切域名，并且它不能是其他任何东西。您愿意花费尽可能多的时间和金钱来获得这个确切的域名。

这两个人都可以从域名经纪人中受益，但他们需要非常不同类型的服务。

如果确切的域名不是世界末日，你可以从看看那里有什么开始。Namecheap和 Domain.com 使您可以非常轻松地成为自己的经纪人，即使您以前从未购买过域名。

或者，您可以联系 GoDaddy 域名经纪公司 如果您不想处理拍卖或来回谈判。只需告诉经纪人您想要什么以及您愿意支付多少，GoDaddy 将在接下来的 30 天内努力实现这一目标。

现在，如果您正在追求特定域名并且无法妥协，我强烈建议您从 VPN.com，Grit Brokerage，DomainBooth或MediaOptions等人那里获得帮助。

这些人知道这个空间——这是至关重要的，因为以合理的价格获得你想要的确切域名真的很具有挑战性。

即使只是找到拥有该域名的人也是不可能的。我是认真的。有时业主不想被发现。几年前，他们为一些没有起飞的宠物项目购买了域名，现在 – 出于惰性或恶意 – 他们不会放手。

不管是什么原因，这些域名所有者都厌倦了被人缠着。他们设置虚拟帐户、在其他国家/地区使用虚假地址以及一大堆障碍让人们远离的情况并不少见。

真正专业的域名经纪人知道如何绕过所有这些障碍，并像边境的治安官一样追踪人们。

如果您在市场上寻找确切的名称域名，这是需要考虑的另一件事：每个人都知道它们是有价值的。没有唾手可得的果实了。

谁拥有你非常想要的域名，可能不是什么笨蛋。他们甚至可能以出售域名为生。如果你在谈判中没有像卖方一样了解的人在你身边，事情可能会迅速向南发展。
前期成本和佣金

域名经纪人对其服务的收费略有不同。准确了解其工作原理非常重要。即使您没有得到想要的域名，您最终也可能需要支付费用。

一些经纪人收取前期费用才能开始，然后根据销售额的百分比收取佣金。

密切关注这个百分比，因为高级域名通常是五位数和六位数。佣金将为域名的价格增加大量额外费用，或削减您通过经纪人销售的域名的利润。

即使您选择在 Domain.com 上成为自己的经纪人，使用该平台执行交易仍然需要佣金。

您会发现一些经纪人只靠佣金工作。没有前期费用。这些公司只有在你愿意付出的价格得到你想要的东西时才能看到钱。

如果您的预算不是那么高，仅收取佣金的经纪人可能不会将您作为客户。他们不是大公司，不能花时间与小佣金谈判交易。

另一方面，GoDaddy 收取前期费用，但其经纪人会追求您想要的任何东西。只需对准并射击。

10-20%的佣金在标准范围内。我知道这将是一大块变化，但它是完全值得的。

最好的域名经纪人之所以开展业务，是因为他们始终如一地帮助客户获得比自己更好的交易。他们可以帮助您以公开市场上成本的一小部分获得域名。如果您正在销售，他们可以使您最大化销售价值。

归根结底，使用域名经纪人是一种策略，而不是交钥匙解决方案。您必须了解定价结构，以便选择合适的经纪人并避免意外。
隐形收购

如果您不想让人们知道您是买家或卖家怎么办？就像您的身份或企业名称完全保密真的很重要吗？

我看过的所有经纪人都在一定程度上屏蔽了你的身份，但有时需要更多的技巧。如果匿名对您来说是必须的，您会想要找到一个专门从事隐形收购的经纪人。

这就是为什么它很重要。

如果拥有域名的人接到经纪人的电话，他们会自动知道对他们的在线财产有很大的兴趣。毕竟，有人雇佣了经纪人。

设身处地为卖家着想。他们将尝试从销售中获得尽可能多的钱。不会吧？

唯一阻止他们抬高价格的是他们认为你愿意支付的费用。所以，如果他们能做一些研究，发现你是一家财力雄厚的公司或刚刚获得资金的初创公司，他们就会瞄准你的预算。

仅仅因为您可以为一个域名花费六七位数并不意味着您想要这样做。

无论您保持匿名的原因是什么，如果这是一个主要问题，您希望选择一个知道如何执行隐形收购的经纪人。当你取得联系时，向他们询问战争故事以及他们为了让客户获得梦想领域的一些疯狂策略。

如果他们真的擅长这一点，经纪人将不乏关于他们玩过的游戏的荒谬故事，以促成敏感的交易。无论如何，这是我的经验。你必须与知道如何玩游戏的人一起工作。

VPN.com 在为政治家、名人和拥有真正知名品牌的组织谈判域名收购方面有着良好的记录。这是一个很好的起点。如果您需要自由裁量权，MediaOptions 和 DomainBooth 也值得入围。
结论

有效的域名经纪人使获取或出售域名的过程变得轻而易举。

让我们面对现实吧，成功出售或购买域名可能需要大量的前期工作。一旦您研究了您想要的域名并确保它已经注册，下一步就是研究哪个域名经纪人适合您的需求。

正如他们所说，域名经纪人并非都是平等的。以下是我在这里推荐和评论的域名经纪人的简要介绍：

GoDaddy 域名经纪 – 最适合购买 5，000 美元以下的域名
Domain.com – 最适合在没有经纪人的情况下购买.com域名
砂砾经纪 – 如果您经常购买高级域名，这是最好的选择
Namecheap – 如果您能负担得起对域名后缀的灵活性，这是最好的
VPN.com – 最适合隐藏您的身份
域名展位 – 顶级域名经纪人的最低佣金
媒体选项 –最适合$ 75，000以上的域

现在我想听听你的意见。有没有值得一提的域名经纪人？在评论中让我知道。我都听见了！

 

You’re starting a new site. You Google the domain name to see if it’s available, but it’s already been snatched up by someone else. Bummer.

This happens more often than not, especially if you have a good name in mind.

What if you really want a domain name that has already been claimed? Or what if you’re sitting on a valuable domain and looking to sell?

I would hire the best domain broker to negotiate a fair deal on your behalf.

In this post, I’ll review the leading domain brokers you can hire right now. They’ll handle all the heavy lifting that goes into acquiring or selling a premium space of online real estate.

And if you are on the fence about whether or not you really need a domain broker, I’ve included some other options that might work as well.

#1 – GoDaddy Domain Brokerage — The Best for Buying Domains Under $5,000

Tons of people use GoDaddy Domain Brokerage to buy a domain name that’s currently owned by someone else. Here’s why: it’s really straight-forward to use and there is virtually no work on your end.

Plus, GoDaddy brokers will go after any domain you want, regardless of the price.

I recommend it highly for people that don’t want to spend more than $5,000 on a domain. The truth is that this is a fairly low number in this space. A .com domain with words you’d find in a real dictionary is usually going to cost five to six figures—maybe a lot more.

You’ll find that GoDaddy has a higher commission rate (20%) than what you get by going with a smaller domain broker. The trouble is that those smaller firms don’t always agree to take on clients looking to buy small fish domains of less than $5,000.

GoDaddy doesn’t care about the cost. Once you connect with a broker, they will chase down any domain your heart desires. So if your budget tops out at a few thousand bucks, GoDaddy is a great place to start.

Simply reach out to GoDaddy and tell them the domain you want. You’ll get an email back asking you to name the price you are willing to pay.

From there, GoDaddy handles everything else. The broker spends up to 30 days tracking down the domain owner and trying to negotiate a price. If the broker is successful, the domain is yours. Simply follow the guided steps and you’ll be in control.

It’s not impossible to get a domain on your own, but GoDaddy takes out all the legwork. Plus, the company has a ton of name recognition. Instead of you reaching out as a private individual or company, the seller is dealing with one of the biggest names in the business. Both parties are going to feel more comfortable having a trusted broker handle the arrangements.

GoDaddy takes care of all the legal legwork, too, but you won’t provide the strategic guidance that other domain brokers offer. This is basically a simple point-and-shoot service.

An upfront fee of $119.99 is required to start and GoDaddy takes a 20% commission if the deal goes through. Do note that you won’t get the fee back if the sale doesn’t go through.

The higher-than-average commission rate and upfront fees are a reflection of the fact that GoDaddy will broker deals of any size. Other firms can afford lower commissions and waive upfront costs because they only take on deals above $5,000.

Essentially, the other brokers can afford to take a smaller slice because they are only ever going after a bigger pie.

$5,000 is not a hard and fast number. But if you are in this neighborhood, you may have difficulty finding a broker who’s not going to charge an upfront fee to make it worth their time.

GoDaddy won’t broker sales, but you can use the company’s auction site to sell a domain. There’s also a free domain appraisal tool, which can help you figure out where to start the bidding.

Not everyone is looking to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a domain name. They still want a broker to get things done fast and right the first time.

With GoDaddy Domain Brokerage, the transaction is as smooth and hands-off as possible. If you can spell the domain you want, GoDaddy will make a run at it for you.

#2 – Domain.com — The Best for Buying .com Domains Without a Broker

It’s a good sign when a registrar owns the best domain name for its industry. Domain.com isn’t a true domain broker because you won’t be able to sell through them, but they are the premier destination for scooping up prime internet real estate on your own.

So, if you aren’t ready to shell out a commission fee for a broker, but you want a solid domain name with a .com extension, this is the first place you should look.

Namecheap is another good registrar for snagging domains yourself, but Domain.com has a more extensive selection of premium .com domain names.

Domain.com offers both a standard domain search and one for premium domains. As more and more common words and phrases have gotten claimed over the years, it’s become harder to get a .com that’s short and easy to remember.

With Domain.com’s premium domain search, though, you can grab one of these for your site.

Now, they won’t come cheap. A quick search will likely return some eye-popping price tags for domain names you had your heart set on.

But the helpful folks at Domain.com are available to help secure your dream URL at a price you can stomach. Their staff is available 24/7 via phone or live chat. In this way, Domain.com functions like a brokerage, because you have their assistance and guidance throughout the purchasing process if you need it.

It’s not going to be the white-glove service you get with a true domain broker, but you’re also not going to be paying 15-20% commission on top of the price of the domain.

And, even if the initial purchase is expensive, premium domains bought through Domain.com won’t renew at an exorbitant price. Instead, they will renew at the standard rates for the extension.

So, even if you buy a .com for several hundred dollars, it will renew at just $9.99 for one year, $19.98 for two, and so on.

And, as a registrar instead of a broker, Domain.com serves as a one-stop shop for everything you need. You can get web hosting, email, SSL certificates, and increased security for your new site. In short, you can purchase everything you need to protect and grow your investment.

If you aren’t ready to hire a broker, Domain.com is your best bet for securing a premium domain on your own.

I’m talking about two-word .com domains that are easy to remember. You can get less-coveted types of domain names and newer domain extensions on Domain.com, but Namecheap will probably be more affordable.

Domain.com is a great marriage of traditional domain registrar, detailed domain search, and brokerage-level support and assistance.If you want to stake your claim to a prime domain name, start searching through Domain.com today.

#3 – Grit Brokerage — The Best If You Regularly Buy Premium Domains

Grit Brokerage is one of the recognized players in the space. The company has negotiated big-name deals and helped brands secure their position online.

I recommend them to businesses that are in the market for premium domains frequently. It may not be something you need all the time, but it’s also not enough for you to get a single solid domain for your company and be done with it.

If you have to work domain acquisition into your overall brand and marketing strategy, Grit Brokerage is an ideal broker to work with. It’s like having a domain expert in your office, except they’re not on the full-time payroll.

The company can walk you through the ins and outs of upgrading to a better domain in your industry, or branching out and capitalizing on a multiple domain SEO strategy.

Grit.org is the parent company of Grit Brokerage. The organization is focused on empowering people to build better companies and communities. If you work with Grit, its brokers will invest their time in helping you grow by acquiring the right domains at a fair price.

This is a challenge, even for companies with deep pockets and bright ideas. It took Elon Musk more than a decade and $11 million to get tesla.com. Until then, the company had settled for teslamotors.com and constantly took a hit in search rankings.

Not everyone’s battle to get the top domain is so brutal, but it’s never easy these days.

You’ll have to get in touch with Grit Brokerage for pricing, but it’s not hard to make contact. The founder and senior partners all have their cell phones listed on the website. Imagine the kind of service and availability they provide to paying clients.

Whether you’re a frequent buyer or a seller, Grit Brokerage can help you over the long haul. Get in touch directly and begin a productive relationship today.

#4 – Namecheap — The Best If You Can Afford to Be Flexible About Your Domain Name Extension

Are you dead set on getting that perfect .com domain name? Or are you a little more flexible about the exact wording and domain extension?

If you have a little wiggle room and you’re willing to be inventive, I suggest seeing what you can get on Namecheap. This is a domain registrar, not a broker, but you’re going to find an outrageous selection of available domain names for way less than you would be able to get through a broker.

You won’t get help negotiating—it’s totally DIY, whether you are buying or selling—but you won’t pay any upfront fees and there’s only a 10% commission fee on domains you sell through the marketplace platform.

And if you buy your new domain name directly from Namecheap, there’s no commission at all.

I think you’d be surprised about what you can find. There are domains on Namecheap available for $0.99 for the first year. You won’t get a .com or a .org for that price, but many of the new extensions like .store or .link are available. And .com names start at $8.88 for the first year.

The reason I recommend Namecheap to people considering a domain broker is that they don’t always know what’s out there. They may be twisting themselves into knots trying to get a five-star domain name when there is something perfectly serviceable out there for purchase right now.

If you can afford to be flexible, Namecheap will help you find something. The search tool is amazing. You can enter up to 5,000 keywords in the search tool’s Beast Mode. This will produce thousands of results for open domains with those keywords.

Beast Mode can also offer suggestions based on transforming your keywords. Say you are looking for hireme.com—Beast Mode will find hire.me, for example.

Basically, it automates a lot of the strategies I advocate using when your dream domain name is unavailable.

The marketplace on Namecheap is very easy to use. It’s peer-to-peer, the only catch is that any domains on there have been purchased through Namecheap already. So if you wanted to sell or resell a domain on Namecheap’s marketplace, it would have to be one you already bought through them. Just be aware that 10% comes out of your final sale as commission to Namecheap.

Namecheap takes care of all the backend transactional stuff, so you’re not drawing up purchase agreements with people you’re never going to talk to again.

Odds are you’ll be able to find something very affordable, especially if you are willing to go with a newer domain extension.

Namecheap isn’t a broker per se, but they serve as the missing puzzle piece in much the same way. Go explore their bottomless list of available domains and see how little you need to spend to get something that works.

#5 – VPN.com — The Best for Keeping Your Identity Under Wraps

VPN.com can help you broker the sale or acquisition of a domain if you want to stay anonymous.

The company specializes in strategic stealth acquisitions, working on behalf of Fortune 500 companies, founders, high-net-worth individuals, and other organizations that need to fly below the radar.

The truth is that people with resources are often forced to overspend to get domain names. I don’t want to speak ill of domain owners out there, but some have been known to turn the screws on potential buyers because they know they can.

VPN.com keeps this from happening. Masters of discretion, the company is a favorite for celebrities, athletes, politicians, and other people that have to be conscious about sharing their identity.

Think about it. What’s a domain owner going to charge when the seller hears that Oprah wants it?

These stealth acquisitions take finesse and experience to manage properly. The simple act of inquiring about a particular domain name gives a lot of information away. VPN.com knows just how to handle all of the communications to keep your name out of sight until the ink is dry.

Unlike a lot of the other top domain brokers, VPN.com offers a range of online services. As you might guess, the company handles virtual private networks (VPNs). Secure communications are not a problem.

For people that need to jump through the hoops of a stealth acquisition, VPN.com will help you protect your investment. The company has in-house legal counsel. You’ll know what to do if people are infringing on your domain and be able to register your brand in every country.

There are absolutely no upfront costs, though VPN.com typically works with buyers and sellers of domains worth more than $5,000.

I’m guessing the crowd interested in stealth acquisitions will be onboard with that, but I wanted to mention it. If your sale is successful, there is a 15% commission.

For those who require the utmost discretion, VPN.com is a domain broker you can work with. And if you have a premium domain to sell, and you are not sure what it’s worth, reach out to VPN.com for a free appraisal today.

#6 – Domain Booth — The Lowest Commission for a Top Domain Broker

In the future, I could see DomainBooth charging insane rates for their brokerage service. But for now, you can get one of the best domain brokers on the market for an exceptionally low 12.5% commission.

So, you’re still going to pay, but it’s 2.5% lower than other top-quality brokers. If you are negotiating a deal for a five- or six-figure domain, the savings can be significant.

DomainBooth is something of a recent arrival on the domain broker scene. In 2015, then-26 year old founder James Booth made quite a splash by brokering more than $5 million in domain names in his company’s first 12 months.

This was no flash in the pan, either. Today, DomainBooth is one of the top performing domain brokers, outpacing some of the established players in the game. Booth actually had the second highest domain sales of any broker in 2020, according to Escrow.com.

The firm specializes in extremely short domains–two letters, a number and a letter, three letters, and one-word domains for the most part. I would definitely talk further with DomainBooth if you are interested in something like this.

There’s just not another broker of this calibur charging such low commissions. The minimum fee for buying is $500 and for selling it’s $1,000, which is to say the company is focused on buying domains greater than $5,000 and selling those greater than $10,000.

You will not pay a dime unless DomainBooth is successful in negotiating the deal.

For as young a company as it is, DomainBooth has developed a rich network of buyers and sellers. You can list your domain for sale in the DomainBooth newsletter for $750. This puts it in front of a lot of interested buyers in different markets who you would be hard pressed to reach on your own.

By getting DomainBooth as your broker, you’re putting yourself in a good position to get the most value out of your purchase or sale. There’s still a commission, but it’s not going to be as high as it is for other brokers with similar performance.

Get in touch with DomainBooth today for help securing or selling a premium domain.

#7 – MediaOptions — The Best for Domains Over $75,000

If you are going after that perfect domain name—maybe it’s an exact match to your business name or a major keyword in your industry—it’s not going to be cheap.

And it’s going to be ludicrously expensive if you don’t have a seasoned negotiator in your corner.

When you don’t have flexibility—you need that domain—it’s time to call up MediaOptions and get help from the most successful company in the business.

It was founded by Andrew Rosener, who has been the top domain broker in the world for the last three years according to Escrow.com. He’s the creator of the Rosener Equation, which people use to value domains, and has testified in court as an expert witness on domains.

Rosener’s knowledge of the space is a big part of MediaOptions’ continued success. The company has brokered hundreds of millions of dollars in domain deals over more than a decade in business.

I highly recommend this broker for businesses that need a prime piece of web real estate. MediaOptions has a lot of experience with stealth acquisitions as well as a track record of locating domain owners that don’t want to be found.

Essentially, MediaOptions has mastered every step of the domain acquisition process that trips people up. You won’t spin your tires trying to track down and convince a domain owner who doesn’t want to sell. The expert broker knows how to get the best outcome in that touchy conversation.

And, because MediaOptions knows how to play the game, your identity will remain hidden. So you won’t be over a barrel to get the exact domain you want.

I also recommend MediaOptions if you have a high value domain to sell. Over two decades, the company has crafted the most successful outbound sales process of any brokerage. This includes a rich network of buyers and sellers, the top domain newsletter in the industry, and timely press releases.

There is no better team to hire, and MediaOptions can afford to be choosy about their clientele. To qualify for premium domain brokerages services, the domain in question must have a sale value of $75,000 or higher.

Generally speaking, this is going to be domains that are one or two words with a meaningful volume of exact match search.

If that description sounds like what you are looking for, five or six figures (if not more) is very normal. Acquiring one of these domains will pay for itself very quickly by catapulting your sites to the top of Google’s page one search results.

Because these ultra-premium domains are so valuable, negotiating their sale or acquisition takes someone who knows what they are doing. You should anticipate that the party on the other end of your potential deal has an expert on their side. So should you.

MediaOptions is your best bet. The company’s results and reputation speaks for itself. The fact they charge 15% commission is another plus. I know it’s standard rate for the industry—but, given MediaOptions success, I feel like they could charge more.

If you need the best, and you are willing to spend to get it, having MediaOptions as your domain broker will give you the best chance at a good outcome. Get in touch today.

What I Looked At To Find The Best Domain Brokers

There are a few basic ground rules for choosing domain brokers because there is literally zero certification required.

Anyone can say they are a domain broker, but you should only consider ones that:

• Have been around for a few years, at least
• Maintain a spotless reputation
• Use a recognized payment system, such as PayPal or Escrow.com
• Handle all of the negotiations confidentially

If you are going to hire a broker, this is the bare minimum. There’s a lot of money changing hands online for domain names. The market attracts scammers you definitely want to avoid.

All my recommendations for domain brokers have you covered. They are well-known and respected in the industry, and they will be able to steer you clear of the people who aren’t.

Now, there’s a range of broker services out there. You can get help with the nuts and bolts of the deal, so you’re not drawing up purchase agreements or tracking down a domain owner.

Some domain brokers offer more of a consulting relationship. They help you with domain marketing, acquisitions, and strategy to establish and protect your brand over the long term.

There’s a ton to know about domains and it’s always changing. Getting a good domain broker means you don’t have to worry about any of it.

You really only have to focus on a few things in order to connect with the right one.

How Important Is the Exact Domain?

The significance you attach to a particular domain name determines the type of broker you should be looking for. Let me explain with two examples:

• Example 1: You need a domain that’s short, easy to say and spell, and you want it right now. The exact name is not a huge deal. Ideally, the name is related to your business, but you’re flexible and willing to be inventive.
• Example 2: You have trademarked your business, you know the exact domain name you want, and it can’t be anything else. You are willing to spend as much time and money as it’s going to take to get this exact domain name.

Both of these people could benefit from domain brokers, but they need very different types of service.

If the exact domain name isn’t the end of the world, you could start simply by seeing what’s out there. Namecheap and Domain.com make it very easy to be your own broker, even if you’ve never bought a domain before.

Alternatively, you could reach out to GoDaddy Domain Brokerage if you don’t want to deal with an auction or the back-and-forth of negotiations. Simply tell the broker what you want and how much you’re willing to pay, and GoDaddy will spend the next 30 days trying to make it happen.

Now, if you are going after a specific domain and can’t compromise, I highly recommend getting help from someone like VPN.com, Grit Brokerage, DomainBooth, or MediaOptions.

These folks know the space—which is crucial, because getting the exact domain you want at a fair price is really challenging.

Even just finding the person who owns the domain can be impossible. I’m serious. Sometimes the owners don’t want to be found. They bought the domain years ago for some pet project that didn’t take off, and now—out of inertia or spite—they won’t let go.

Whatever the reason, these domain owners are tired of being pestered by people. It’s not uncommon for them to set up dummy accounts, fake addresses in other countries, and a whole mess of obstacles to keep people away.

The really expert domain brokers know how to get around all these barriers and track people down like a sheriff on the frontier.

Here’s the other thing to think about if you are in the market for an exact name domain: everyone knows they are valuable. There’s no low-hanging fruit left.

Whoever owns the domain you want so badly is probably not some schlub. They might even sell domains for a living. If you approach that negotiation without someone on your side who knows as much as the seller does, things could go south quickly.

Upfront Costs and Commissions

Domain brokers all charge for their service a little differently. It’s important to understand exactly how this works. You may wind up paying fees even if you don’t get the domain you want.

Some brokers charge an upfront fee to get started and then take a commission based on a percentage of the sale.

Keep a close eye on this percentage, as premium domains are often five and six figures. Commissions will add a significant extra expense to the price of a domain, or cut into the profits of one you sell through a broker.

Even if you choose to be your own broker on Domain.com, there’s still a commission for using the platform to execute your trade.

You’ll find that some brokers work only on commission. There’s no upfront fee. These firms only see money if they get you what you want at a price you’re willing to pay.

If your budget is not that high, the commission-only brokers may not take you on as a client. They are not massive companies and can’t afford to spend their time negotiating deals with a small commission.

On the other hand, GoDaddy charges an upfront fee but its brokers will go after whatever you want. Just point and shoot.

A 10-20% commission fee is within the standard range. I know it’s going to be a chunk of change, but it can be totally worth it.

The best domain brokers are in business because they consistently help clients get a better deal than they could by themselves. They can help you acquire a domain for a fraction of what it would cost on the open market. If you are selling, they can get you max out the value of your sale.

At the end of the day, using a domain broker is a strategy, not a turnkey solution. You have to understand the pricing structure in order to pick an appropriate broker and avoid surprises down the line.

Stealth Acquisitions

What if you don’t want people to know you’re a buyer or a seller? Like it’s really important that your identity or the name of your business is kept totally under wraps?

All the brokers I looked at keep your identity shielded to some extent, but sometimes it requires a little more finesse. If anonymity is a must for you, you’ll want to find a broker that specializes in stealth acquisitions.

Here’s why it’s important.

If the person who owns a domain gets a call from a broker, they automatically know that there’s significant interest in their online property. Someone hired the broker, after all.

Put yourself in the seller’s shoes. They’re going to try and get as much money as they possibly can from the sale. Wouldn’t you?

The only thing stopping them from jacking up the price is what they believe you are willing to pay. So, if they can do a little research and find out that you are a company with deep pockets or a startup that just got funding, they’re going to aim for the top of your budget.

Just because you can spend six or seven figures for a domain doesn’t mean you want to.

Whatever your reason for staying anonymous, if it is a major concern, you want to pick one broker that knows how to execute stealth acquisitions. When you get in touch, ask them about war stories and some of the crazy maneuvers they’ve had to pull in order to get their clients their dream domain.

If they’re really good at this, the broker is going to have no shortage of ridiculous-sounding tales about the games they’ve played to broker touchy deals. That’s my experience, anyway. You have to work with someone who knows how to play the game.

VPN.com has a track record of negotiating domain acquisitions for politicians, celebrities, and organizations with really well-known brands. It’s a good place to start. MediaOptions and DomainBooth would also be worth shortlisting, if you need discretion.

Conclusion

An effective domain broker makes the process of acquiring or selling a domain a breeze.

Let’s face it, selling or buying a domain successfully can take a lot of upfront work. Once you’ve researched which domain name you want and made sure it’s already registered, the next step is to look into which domain broker fits your needs.

As they say, domain brokers aren’t all created equal. Here’s a quick rundown of the domain brokers I recommend and reviewed here:

• GoDaddy Domain Brokerage – The best for buying domains under $5,000
• Domain.com – The best for buying .com domains without a broker
• Grit Brokerage – The best if you regularly buy premium domains
• Namecheap – The best if you can afford to be flexible about your domain name extension
• VPN.com – The best for keeping your identity under wraps
• Domain Booth – The lowest commission for a top domain broker
• MediaOptions – The best for domains over $75,000

Now I’d like to hear from you. Are there any domain brokers you’ve had a great experience with worth mentioning? Let me know in the comments. I’m all ears!