What Does It Cost to Buy and Sell Domains on GNAME? Fees for Buy It Now, Dropcatch and Auctions

Short answer: Sellers pay 6% on a completed BIN sale. Buyers pay the listed price and bank/card fees. Dropcatch buyers pay one all-in price, registration included. Auction buyers pay the winning bid.

Every domain in a portfolio is judged by its margin: resale price, minus acquisition cost, minus commission, minus holding cost. Know the fees and you know your numbers. This guide lists what GNAME charges at each stage.

GNAME Fees at a Glance

How much does it cost to buy a listed domain on GNAME?

Buy It Now (BIN) is our spot-price marketplace, where users list domains they registered or won at auction. 

Buyer fees

• The listed price. Some listings are negotiable. If the seller enables Make Offer, you can submit an offer.
   
• Credit card / bank fees
   

Seller fees

• Commission: 6% of the sale price, with a $0.60 minimum. You pay only when a sale completes.
   
• Storefront: Create a free storefront to list domains. It serves as your seller profile.
   
• Boosted Listing: $1 per day to move your listing to the front of results.
   
• Domain Location: Domains must be managed on GNAME to be listed. To list a domain held at another registrar, transfer it to GNAME first.

How much does it cost to dropcatch on GNAME?

Backorder expiring domains across multiple registrars from one place. Choose a pricing tier based on the success rate you want. You pay only when you win the domain.

Buyer fees and rules

1. Price: Each dropcatch price includes the registration fee. When a catch succeeds, you pay only the dropcatch fee. There are no additional costs.
    
2. Deposit: If the catch fails, your deposit is automatically credited back to your balance. Price and deposit vary by channel. Each channel uses a different registrar interface, so success rates vary.
    
3. Sole requester: If you are the only backorder requester and the catch succeeds, you get the domain without an auction.
    
4. Competing requests: If several people backorder at the same price, an auction decides the winner.
    
5. Payment after an auction win: Pay the dropcatch fee within 3 days to keep your deposit. After that, it's non-refundable.
    
6. Cancellation: Backorders cannot be cancelled once placed.
    

Dropcatch channel fees

How do GNAME auctions work

Buyer fees and rules

1. Bid deposit: We hold 20% of your bid as a deposit and release it automatically if you are outbid.
    
2. Entry without a backorder: Joining an auction you did not backorder costs a $7 fee. The fee is credited back to your balance only if you win the auction.
    
3. Payment on a win: The winning amount is deducted from your balance. If your balance is short, add funds within 72 hours to complete your purchase.
    
4. Closing time: Bidding activity in the last 5 minutes extends the auction by up to 10 minutes.

Seller fees

1. Sellers pay a 15% commission on domains sold at auction. Resellers pay 10%.
2. If a domain doesn't sell through an auction, sellers pay a $1 fee per domain. Resellers pay $0.50. An unsold domain can be re-auctioned after 60 days.

What does an acquisition journey cost? A worked example

These figures are illustrative. A domain is acquired at an all-in cost of $100 and sold on BIN for $1,000.

How do you set a bid ceiling in a GNAME Auction?

Short answer: Work backwards from the price you expect to sell at. Subtract GNAME's 6% commission, then divide by the return multiple you need. The result is the most you should bid.

Maximum bid = expected resale × (1 − 6%) ÷ target return multiple

For a $1,000 resale and a 3x target, the ceiling is about $313. Bid above it and the deal no longer meets your target.

Why does the formula start with resale price?

Bidders who start from what they want to pay overbid. Bidders who start from what the domain will sell for protect their margin. Set the ceiling before the auction opens, and do not move it during the final minutes.

What does the ceiling look like at different targets?

Ceilings for a $1,000 expected resale, after the 6% commission:

*Resale less commission less acquisition cost, before renewals and other holding costs.

A higher target lowers your ceiling and raises your margin per win. A lower target wins more auctions at thinner margins. Choose the multiple deliberately, based on how long you are willing to hold the domain.

What should you check before you bid?

1. Confirm the exit channel. The formula assumes a Buy It Now sale at 6%. A reseller account that relists through a release auction pays 10% instead. At that rate, the ceiling for a $1,000 resale and a 3x target falls to $300.
    
2. Add holding costs. The formula excludes renewals and other holding costs. Subtract them from expected resale before you calculate the ceiling.
    
3. Be realistic about the resale price. Use comparable sales, not asking prices. Every other input depends on this number.

How does the 20% depositaffect your bidding cCapital?

Each bid holds 20% of its amount while you lead. Get outbid, and it's released automatically. At a $313 ceiling, about $63 is held at your highest bid.

Every bid you lead holds a deposit, and each one reduces your available balance. Bidding on several auctions at once? Add them up, and keep enough in your account to cover them all.
 

How do you pay for a win?

When you win an auction, the winning amount is deducted from your account balance. If your balance is short, you have 72 hours to add funds. After that window, the purchase is handled under our non-payment terms. To avoid delays, we recommend funding your account before the auction closes.
 

Can you join auctions without a backorder?

Join the auction for $7. Win, and it returns to your balance. Don't, and it's simply the cost of entry. Planning to bid on a domain you haven't backordered? Take $7 off your ceiling, and bid with confidence.
 

Which auction mistakes cost the most?

• Ignoring the 6% (or 10%) exit commission
• Leaving renewals and holding costs out of the calculation
• Underfunding the account and missing the 72-hour payment window

We want to hear from you. To ask a question, share feedback, or report a bug, contact Support through online chat. Happy domaining!