Domain acquisition guides
Straightforward answers to the questions buyers ask before acquiring a registered domain.
How to buy a domain name that's already taken
The domain you want is registered. Here's how to find the owner, approach them, negotiate and transfer it safely, step by step.
Read the guide →How to find out who owns a domain, even when WHOIS is private
WHOIS privacy hides most domain owners. These are the methods professionals use to identify and reach the real owner of a registered domain.
Read the guide →How much does it cost to buy a domain that's already registered?
What decides the price of a registered domain: length, extension, keyword, the owner's situation and how you approach them.
Read the guide →Exact-match domains and SEO: do they still help you rank?
Do exact-match domains still help SEO? What actually matters in 2026: clicks, trust, brand searches and backlinks.
Read the guide →Domain broker vs. doing it yourself
Should you approach a domain owner yourself or hire a buyer's agent? An honest comparison of cost, anonymity, speed and success rate.
Read the guide →How to approach a domain owner to buy their domain
What to say, what never to say, and when to follow up when you contact the owner of a domain you want to buy.
Read the guide →Domain escrow explained: how to pay for a domain safely
How domain escrow works step by step, why you should never pay a seller directly, and what to check before you send money.
Read the guide →How to upgrade from .io or .ai to the .com
Why growing startups move from .io, .ai or a get-/try- domain to the exact .com, how to acquire it, and how to switch without losing SEO.
Read the guide →How to buy a domain from a private owner
A step-by-step guide to buying a domain held by an individual rather than a marketplace: research, contact, negotiation, agreement and transfer.
Read the guide →What to do when a domain owner won't reply
Why domain owners ignore messages, and the practical steps that get a response: better channels, timing, follow-ups and a specialist.
Read the guide →How to buy a domain anonymously
Why revealing your company raises the price of a domain, and how to buy a domain anonymously through a buyer's broker.
Read the guide →How to hire a domain broker to buy a domain
The questions to ask before you hire a domain broker to buy a domain for you: who they represent, how they're paid, how they research and how deals close.
Read the guide →Which domain do you want?
Tell us the name. You'll get an honest view of who owns it and whether it's gettable, before you commit to anything.