July 9, 2024

What Is the GoDaddy Domain Broker Service, and Is it Worth It?

written by

Joe Uddeme

Joe Uddeme

What Is the GoDaddy Domain Broker Service, and Is it Worth It?

Domain Buying Guides

Name Experts provides premium
domain service to:

MAX
MAX
MAX
Hope Channel
MAX
MAX

Everybody’s heard of GoDaddy, whose services include quick, cheap registration of available domain names. In this post, NameExperts.com Director Joe Uddeme explores their other services – and whether they’re the right option for premium domain name buyers.

 

GoDaddy is the world’s largest domain registrar, with over 90 million domain names registered and counting. Thanks to never-ending marketing, the average person likely thinks of GoDaddy when they want to buy a new domain.

It’s common for people to visit GoDaddy, type the domain they want to buy, and see that someone else has already taken it. But GoDaddy doesn’t leave the user hanging– it suggests an alternative domain name or advertises its domain broker service, as seen in the image below:

Screenshot of GoDaddy broker page

The box on the right suggests an alternative domain to the one already taken, and the left shows a broker service and a ‘See More’ button to click on to get additional information. But what exactly is the GoDaddy domain broker service, and how does it work?

This article covers all that and more.

Key Takeaways

  • Domain brokers can help you buy seemingly unavailable domain names
  • GoDaddy offers this service for a fixed fee
  • There are limitations to the GoDaddy service
  • Understand what to look for if using an independent brokerage service

 

GoDaddy Domain Broker service

Domain brokers are professionals who specialize in buying and selling domain names. They’re the internet’s version of real estate agents, connecting domain name buyers to interested sellers for a fee.

It’s common for people to think of a domain name they really want for their business but find out that it’s already registered. If you fall into this category, GoDaddy offers a domain broker service to help you acquire a domain name from its existing owner. If you pay for the service, you’ll be assigned a personal domain broker to reach out to your target domain name’s owner, negotiate a sales price, and facilitate the domain transfer. Your identity remains anonymous throughout this process.

However, there’s no guarantee of getting the domain name you want. If the owner insists on not selling, GoDaddy can’t force them to say otherwise; this is where it gets interesting. The GoDaddy Domain Broker Service fee ($119.99 per domain) is non-refundable, and your assigned broker has 30 days to negotiate a deal.

You’ll forfeit the fee if 30 days lapse without your broker clinching a deal. But, if the broker successfully negotiates a deal, GoDaddy collects an additional 20% of the sale price before transferring the domain.

GoDaddy’s $119.99 non-refundable fee plus 20% commission is rather steep for small to midsize businesses. The commission is understandable, given that most domain brokers charge between 10% and 20%, but the initial non-refundable fee discourages smaller companies from using the GoDaddy Domain Broker Service. If you’re in this category, you’ll be happy to know you can choose alternative domain brokers that charge low initial fees or, if at all.

Name Experts is a good example of a domain broker service having reasonable fees. We can help you acquire premium domain names without hassles. Like GoDaddy, we find the target domain’s owner, negotiate a deal, and transfer the domain to you.

To make things better, we don’t have GoDaddy’s 30-day limit, which can force you to forfeit significant fees. If you’re a new business looking for a great name, check out our guide to securing a great brand name for your startup.

 

Why should I use a domain broker service?

Privacy

A domain broker protects your privacy during negotiation. The owner won’t know you’re the one who is interested in their domain. All they know is that someone represented by the broker wants to buy their domain, and they negotiate directly with the broker.

Without privacy, domain owners can easily exploit intending buyers, especially when the buyer is a well-known company with significant funds. An opportunistic owner can hike their prices if they discover the buyer is a prominent company, but seasoned domain brokers shield their client’s identity to prevent this situation.

Cost-effectiveness

Domain brokers are skilled and experienced digital property appraisers. Based on their knowledge and past deals, they know the optimal price for a premium domain. In contrast, you likely don’t know the optimal price and could underbid the domain, causing the owner to reject your offer or overbid and get taken advantage of. Handing the negotiation to a domain broker helps you save money even when accounting for the broker’s commissions.

Transaction security and ease

A professional domain broker service makes buying a domain as seamless as possible. They handle the hectic negotiation process and arrive at a final price with the owner. Then, they handle the legal documentation required to take ownership of the domain. Lastly, the broker uses an escrow service to acquire a domain, escrow meaning the funds aren’t released until you confirm ownership of the domain.

Acquiring a premium domain name by yourself can be complicated and leaves you vulnerable to being cheated. However, domain brokers are experienced in closing deals safely and handling legal documentation in case of future disputes.

If you want to acquire physical real estate, you’ll offload the headaches to a licensed broker for a fee. The same applies to digital real estate– professional brokers make buying domain names painless.

French bulldog relaxing on the grass to deonote the ease of using a domain name broker

 

Considerations for choosing a domain broker

Cost

Cost is a critical consideration when choosing a domain broker, as choosing one whose services you can afford is necessary. The main drawback of the GoDaddy Domain Broker service is the non-refundable $119.99 fee. GoDaddy customers must pay this fee whether the broker negotiates a successful deal, which can be daunting to a small business. There’s also a 30-day cap, after which customers forfeit their fee if no deal is formalized.

In contrast, some domain brokers charge only commissions, meaning you’ll only pay when a deal is successfully negotiated. Some charge initial fees that are refundable if no deal closes. No matter what, you can find a more cost-effective deal than GoDaddy’s in one of many alternative brokers.

Track record

You can evaluate a domain broker’s credibility by checking their past deals. What high-value domains have they acquired in the past, and what do customers say about them?

The good news is that most domain brokers provide testimonials and general information about past deals. At Name Experts, we’ve successfully closed over $90 million in domain name sales, including premium domains like Link.com, 20.com, Monday.com and Connect.com.

Payments security

Domain name acquisitions involve sizable sums you can’t risk losing. Hence, a good domain broker must utilize a secure payment infrastructure for both buyers and sellers. Payments processing platforms like PayPal, Wise, and Square make it easy to pay the required fees. We’ve also mentioned online escrow services, i.e., a third party that holds the payment and only disburses it to the seller after you confirm receipt of the domain.

Negotiation skills

Domain brokers are salesmen at heart. An ideal broker needs ample negotiation and persuasive skills. Some owners may be reluctant to sell, but a skilled broker can convince them to change their minds.

 

Selling a domain name via a broker

Remember, a broker works for two parties: the buyer and the seller. You might own a valuable domain you want to sell but don’t know how to find a buyer willing to pay your target price. A domain broker helps you market the domain to prospective clients for a fee.

Name Experts helps businesses buy valuable domains and domain owners to find interested buyers. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you’re in either category.

 

About the author

Joe Uddeme is Director and Principal of Name Experts, one of the world’s leading domain name brokerage services. He has overseen domain name sales and acquisitions totaling more than $150 million and is renowned worldwide as a go-to expert in buying and selling premium domains. Contact us at: [email protected]

Subscribe for More Domain Buying & Selling Advice

Related posts

A man and a woman in office worker attire sit side-by-side looking at a computer screen (unseen) to denote a conversation about what happens about buying a domain name
What To Do After Buying a Domain Name

Congratulations! You bought a domain name. But now what? In this post, domain name expert Joe Uddeme explains what to do next to keep your domain name protected – and extract its full value.   “I have a domain name. Now what?” – this is a very common question people ask. The fact is, a domain name is pointless if you don’t do anything with it! After buying a domain, many things will run through your mind, and choosing how to use it productively can be confusing. However, don’t fret. This article will guide you on what to do after purchasing a domain name. Do it right, and you can leverage your domain name and build it into an attractive asset. Do it wrong, and you’ll waste 20 bucks on the temporary ownership of something you can’t even touch.   Key takeaways: What is web hosting and why do you need it? Building a website and a brand you can leverage Attracting online customers to your new business Planning your exit strategy Before we proceed, let’s run through how to buy a domain in the first place.   Acquiring Your Domain Buying a domain has become more simple than ever. In 2025, it’s just a few clicks and a swift online transaction. The first step is to choose a domain name you like that is relevant to your business. Afterwards, you can check if it’s available to buy immediately. Find a domain registrar accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the organization overseeing all domain names on the Internet. If the domain name is available, you can purchase it immediately from an accredited registrar. The price depends on how high the demand for the domain name is. If the domain name has already been claimed, you need a different approach. You can check domain marketplaces to see if the owner has possibly listed the domain for sale (see our list of the best domain marketplaces). Otherwise, you can possibly contact the owner to negotiate a deal. If this is out of your comfort zone and you have a high-value premium domain name in your sights, check out an experienced domain name broker with a great track record. For more details on securing a domain name, check our in-depth article about how to buy a domain name. What To Do After Buying A Domain Name You have acquired a domain name and have taken the first step in building your web presence. There are many other things to do after buying the domain, and we’ll outline them below. 1. Get Web Hosting Setup After buying a domain name, the first thing to consider is hosting a website with it. You’ll need a web hosting package from a reliable company. The company will host your website on its servers for a fee, and your website will be accessible once someone types your domain name into their web browser. Web hosting has become a walk in the park, at least in terms of getting started. You can get reliable web hosting for a few dollars monthly, and the price keeps going down as computing capacity increases around the globe. Sometimes, a domain registrar also offers web hosting services, meaning you can buy a domain name and a hosting package from the same platform. Otherwise, you can buy them separately and point your domain name to your hosting company’s servers. 2. Connect Your Domain to Your Hosting Connecting your domain to your hosting provider is relatively easy. You can do it via two methods: Changing the nameservers to those of your web hosting provider. Adding a DNS A record. Either method involves changing the domain name system (DNS) configurations from your domain registrar. Your registrar allows you to directly change the nameservers from its default to the one provided by your hosting company. You can also point your domain to the hosting company’s nameservers by adding a DNS A record. It’s the same action but with two different approaches. 3. Create an Email Address with Your New Domain Instead of using a common email address ending with “Gmail.com,” “Yahoo.com,” or “AOL.com,” you can use one ending with your custom domain name. It makes you look more professional and shows people you’re serious about your business. Many domain registrars also offer email hosting, so you can pay for it and create custom emails directly. Otherwise, you can choose an external email provider and change your domain’s DNS MX records to point to its mail servers. 4. Build Your Website and Brand The best way to put a domain to work is to create a website with it. It can be any type of website, such as a blog or online store. Creating a website is usually complex, but there are ready-made tools that make the process as easy as it can get. You can use a designated website builder like WordPress, Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, etc. WordPress is the most common tool for building websites because of its versatility. You can use it to create virtually any type of website you want. Follow these steps: Install WordPress on your web hosting account (many hosting providers offer one-click WordPress installation). Afterwards, log into your WordPress dashboard to begin customizing your website.
Two hands at a laptop, as if researching premium domain names
What is a Premium Domain Name & Why You Should Buy One

If you have big plans for your business, you’ll be in the market for a domain name to match. Cheap, everyday domains are unlikely to work for you, which is why you’ll need to get your head around the world of premium domain names, as NameExperts.com Principal Joe Uddeme explains.   Domain names are the ultimate authority on the web. They can make or break any business with an online presence. It’s necessary to pick a suitable domain name if you want customers to discover your website with little stress. Most individuals and businesses understand this rule, and that’s why there’s significant demand for the class of domain names known as premium domains. There are various considerations to what constitutes a premium domain, but the most important thing to know is that they’re often short, catchy, and memorable. Premium domain names give you greater recognition on the web. If you’re serious about your business, you’ll want to buy one of these pieces of prime digital real estate for your website. Key Takeaways What makes a premium domain name Valuations of a premium domain name Long-term financial growth possibilities How to buy a premium domain name
Image looking over a person's shoulder to indicate anonymity when securing a domain name
Domain Privacy and Protection: How and Why to Hide WHOIS Information

If you don’t tread carefully, anyone in the world can find out who bought the web address you just snapped up. Domain name expert Joe Uddeme shares his top tips for staying out of the limelight.   In the rush of excitement that comes with securing a name – especially a desirable, premium domain name you’ve been after – it’s easy to overlook one of the most basic elements of name registration: shielding your identity. Millions of people before you have forgotten to do it – precisely because it is so easy to overlook. Or perhaps you spotted the option to stay anonymous but didn’t quite understand what it meant – or felt it wasn’t worth the cost. Here’s how to stay out of the WHOIS database when buying a domain name – and why you might want to. Key takeaways: Understanding your Domain Privacy options Discover which countries keep your name secret by default The benefits of keeping your information private How to ensure your name stays out of the picture Discover Domain Privacy FAQs   What Is Domain Privacy? Domain privacy is a service domain registrars offer customers to hide their information from the public WHOIS database. Customers pay for privacy from their registrar, which replaces their contact information in the WHOIS database with a forwarding address.   What Does Domain Privacy and Protection Do? It removes a domain owner’s information from the public WHOIS database and preserves their privacy. The WHOIS database is a vast database operated by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). ICANN is the agency that oversees domain names, and every individual or company that buys a domain name must provide their contact information to this agency. ICANN, in turn, lists all contact information in a public database called WHOIS. Anyone can search the WHOIS database to get the contact information of a domain’s owner. Many owners are uncomfortable with their contact information being listed publicly, so they pay their domain registrars for domain privacy and protection. The registrar replaces the customer’s contact information with a forwarding or proxy address on the WHOIS database, so people can’t look up the real contact details.   Do I Need Domain Privacy? You need to pay for privacy protection if you’re uncomfortable with your email address or phone number being posted online. Many spammers and telemarketers scour the WHOIS database for the contact information of domain owners to sell them products. Domain name privacy protection prevents this from happening. People residing within the European Union (EU) don’t need to pay for domain privacy because they get it by default. On 25 May 2018, the EU passed the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) ruling. This ruling mandated companies serving EU residents to give customers control over their data. EU customers were granted strict data privacy under this law, so domain registrars began hiding their information from the WHOIS database by default. Many other countries have passed laws similar to GDPR, such as Turkey, South Korea, Argentina, and Brazil. The United Kingdom (UK), a former EU member, also passed a similar law. You may not need to purchase a domain name private registration if you reside in these countries. However, customers in other countries need domain privacy and protection to hide their contact information.   How Important Is Domain Protection? It is important because it lets you hide your contact information from the public view. Without this protection, your personal information will be available to anyone who wishes to find it, and malicious actors may take advantage of this freedom to target you with cyberattacks and domain name scams.   Benefits Of Privacy Protection 1. Protects Personal Information Buying privacy protection when registering a domain removes your personal information from the public eye. People won’t be able to find your contact information by looking up your domain name on the WHOIS database. Instead, they’ll see the contact information of your domain registrar, which they can’t trace back to you. 2. Minimizes and Prevents Spam Spam is the biggest problem on the internet. It refers to any irrelevant and solicited message sent over the internet, usually to advertise products or steal information via phishing. Spammers search every possible medium to harvest emails and phone numbers, including the WHOIS database. Domain protection hides your details from this database so spammers can not target you with unsolicited messages. 3. Anonymity Many people are uncomfortable with their personal information being on the internet for whatever reason. Domain privacy and protection grants you anonymity even when you control many domain names. 4. Prevents Competitive Data Mining Businesses often mine public databases for information about their competitors. For example, if you run a popular blog anonymously, rival blogs may want to discover your identity and research potentially damaging information about you. Domain privacy and protection ensures that competitors can’t trace your identity through your domain name. 5. Prevents Domain Theft Hackers often target owners of valuable domain names with phishing messages to steal their registrar login details. They do this by sending a link to a website that looks exactly like your domain registrar’s page but is actually a different web address. The end game is to log into the owner’s registrar with the stolen details and transfer their domain name to another account. Purchasing domain privacy means that hackers won’t find your contact information in the first place. You can hold onto your valuable domain names without fear of being targeted by sophisticated cybercriminals. (Check out our post about what to do if you lose your domain name). How To Get Domain Privacy And Protection When Buying a Domain Most registrars display the option to add privacy protection to your cart when you choose to buy a domain name. It’s an effective method of upselling because they know many customers want privacy. Look for “hide WHOIS information,” “domain privacy,” “domain protection,” or a similar phrase on the domain registration box and select it. Head to the checkout page and pay for the registration, privacy protection, and any other item you selected. After paying, you’ll automatically have WHOIS protection for your new domain. Add To An Existing Domain You can always buy privacy protection for a domain name you already own. Follow these steps; Log into your domain registrar account. Head to the domain management section. Click on the specific domain name you need privacy for. Open the Security tab, and you’ll likely find a button that prompts you to buy WHOIS protection. Click on the button and proceed to your checkout page to pay. Wait for some time after the payment confirmation for your registrar to update the WHOIS database information. There are dozens of domain registrars, and the steps to add privacy protection to an existing domain are similar to what we explained above for each of them.   FAQs on Domain Privacy Should I add privacy protection when buying and selling domains? Yes, you should add the option to hide domain registration info because it has many benefits. It prevents spam, competitive data mining, and potential domain theft. It also guarantees anonymity on the WHOIS database, which is desirable for privacy-conscious customers. If you are working with multiple domain names, especially high-value ones, an experienced domain consultant can ensure all of this is taken care of on your behalf. How Do You Buy A Domain With Privacy Protection You’ll usually see an option to buy privacy protection on the page where you search for an available domain. Add the privacy protection item to your cart alongside the domain name and pay, and you have successfully acquired privacy protection for your new domain. Is privacy protection available on all domains? It’s available for most domains, but there are some exceptions due to government rules. These include .US., .CA, and .FR, among others. Is there a cost to domain privacy and protection? Most registrars charge between $10 and $20 annually for privacy protection while registering a domain. However, a few offer it for free, e.g., NameCheap.   About the author Joe Uddeme is Director and Principal of Name Experts, one of the world’s leading domain name brokerage services. He has overseen domain name sales and acquisitions totaling more than $150 million and is renowned worldwide as a go-to expert in buying and selling premium domains. Need help? Contact us at: [email protected]

Why Work with Name Experts

Name Experts offers personalized domain brokerage services, assisting clients in buying or selling premium domain names with expert appraisal, negotiation, and complete transaction management while ensuring confidentiality.

Free Consultation

Some of our most
successful stealth acquisition and sales

Aid.com

Fit.com

Mine.com

GLD.com

Jeff.com

Fora.com

Nori.com

Secure.com

Guitar.com

F*ck.com

Radian.com

MetaData.com

Prize.com

Link.com

Loop.com

Programs.com

Claim.com

Quince.com

Hook.com

QXO.com

NQ.com

Rest.com

Humani.com

Max.com

Need help buying or selling premium domains?