GoDaddy Increases .Com Prices 12%

Registrar tacks on $1.04 to domain registration prices.

The world’s largest domain name registrar, GoDaddy, has increased its base price for .com domains to $9.99, plus an ICANN fee of $.20, for a total of $10.19 for fresh registrations.

This move is surprising. Verisign (NASDAQ: VRSN) increases the wholesale price of .com domain names from $6.00 to $6.42 effective October 14. GoDaddy spoke out regarding this change on Capitol Hill. But now that the $.42 fee increase is going into effect, GoDaddy has decided it will pass on that full amount plus another $.62 to clients.

Other discount registrars are typically adding between $.40 and $.50 to their registration prices. eNom, the second largest registrar in terms of domains registered, is increasing its prices $.50.

Although GoDaddy has argued against registry price hikes, its arguments have sometimes backfired. For example, until recently it charged more to register a .net domain name than a .com domain name, despite the wholesale price for .net being substantially lower. .Net wholesale prices increased 10% in the current round, but are still price below .com. GoDaddy now charges the same price for .com and .net registrations.