Grab aged domains with high quality backlinks and Domain Authority

Check out more domain auctions at DomCop

Every single day since 2014 I log onto DomCop.com and look for valuable expiring domain names. Literally. I've found so many great domains there that I've either put into my domain investing portfolio, built on and created a revenue generating site that I later sold, or used in my efforts to create other valuable websites. I cannot recommend this tool enough--it is robust and powerful, and I easily filter out the thousands of terrible expiring names to consistently find the diamonds.

Sean Markey, Rank Theory, United States

Grab aged domains with high quality backlinks and Domain Authority

Domain	Moz DA	Moz Ref Domains	Majestic TF	Majestic CF	Majestic Ref Domains	Majestic Ref Subnets	Expires In	DA Trend
tottonyc.com	41/100	396	19/100	21/100	155	118	17h 47m	40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,39,39,39,40,40,40,39,39,39,39,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,41,41,41,41,41
tinytim.org	42/100	1974	23/100	27/100	1095	418	19h 44m	55,55,55,55,55,55,52,51,51,49,49,48,48,49,48,48,48,48,48,48,48,48,48,48,48,42,42,42,42,41,41,41,41,42,42,42,42
twbrewing.com	39/100	437	21/100	23/100	168	140	1d 14h	40,40,40,40,40,40,40,39,39,39,39,40,40,40,39,39,39,39,39,38,38,38,38,38,38,39,39,39,39,39,39,39,39,39,39,39,39
scottpublications.com	35/100	654	27/100	20/100	136	109	1d 15h	34,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,33,33,33,33,33,34,34,33,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,35,34,34,34,35,35,35,35,35
dashpc.com	31/100	276	22/100	22/100	137	117	1d 15h	30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,29,29,29,29,29,29,29,29,29,29,29,29,29,29,29,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,31,31,31
empyree.org	31/100	524	21/100	26/100	1284	181	1d 16h	30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,31,31,30,31,31,30,30,30,30,31,31,30,30,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,32,32,31
mainorwirth.com	33/100	515	27/100	21/100	159	129	1d 16h	37,37,37,37,37,37,36,36,36,35,35,35,35,35,35,35,35,34,35,35,35,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,35,35,34,34,34,34,34,34,33
forumculture.net	45/100	2857	28/100	31/100	1986	414	1d 16h	46,46,46,46,46,46,46,46,46,46,46,46,46,45,45,45,45,45,44,44,44,44,45,45,45,45,46,46,46,46,46,46,46,46,46,46,45
chezfrances.com	36/100	461	28/100	22/100	89	61	1d 16h	36,36,36,36,36,36,36,36,36,36,36,36,36,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,35,35,35,35,35,35,35,36,36,36,36,36,36
uscoles.com	41/100	1040	25/100	23/100	255	196	1d 17h	40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,41,41,41,41,41,41,41,41,41
paywallthemovie.com	43/100	739	19/100	23/100	324	255	1d 18h	42,42,42,42,42,42,41,42,42,42,42,42,42,42,42,42,42,43,42,42,41,42,42,42,42,42,43,43,43,43,43,42,42,43,43,43,43
kartograph.org	46/100	1867	35/100	26/100	546	378	1d 18h	45,45,45,45,45,45,45,45,45,46,46,46,46,45,45,45,44,44,44,44,44,44,44,44,44,44,45,45,45,45,45,46,46,45,46,46,46
brandunited.com	32/100	624	20/100	25/100	387	165	1d 19h	33,33,33,33,33,33,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,31,31,31,31,32,32,32,31,33,33,34,33,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32
madbaker.net	33/100	406	21/100	22/100	77	57	1d 19h	35,35,35,35,35,35,36,36,36,36,35,35,35,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,33,33,34,34,34,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,33
ducttapefashion.com	40/100	522	31/100	20/100	183	136	1d 19h	40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,40,41,41,41,40,40,40,39,39,39,39,39,39,39,39,39,39,40,40,40,40,40,40,41,41,41,40
lazanyas.com	33/100	398	19/100	24/100	248	132	2d 14h	31,31,31,31,31,31,31,30,30,29,29,29,30,30,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,32,31,31,32,31,31,30,32,33,33,34,34,34,33,33,33
astraltest.com	33/100	300	24/100	22/100	79	64	2d 15h	31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,32,31,31,31,31,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,33,33,33,32,33,33,33
handgunhunt.com	37/100	464	28/100	26/100	408	148	2d 15h	35,35,35,35,35,35,35,35,35,34,34,35,34,34,36,35,35,35,35,35,35,35,35,35,35,36,36,36,36,36,36,36,36,36,37,36,37
jeffnoon.com	31/100	340	30/100	22/100	364	116	2d 15h	30,30,30,30,30,30,30,29,30,29,30,30,30,30,30,30,29,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,31,31,31
hotrodlane.cc	33/100	512	21/100	22/100	151	125	2d 15h	33,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,33
apparelny.com	32/100	1730	27/100	18/100	84	68	2d 17h	31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,33,34,33,32,32,32
test2treat.org	41/100	607	21/100	26/100	341	220	2d 18h	2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,4,4,4,5,9,16,26,27,29,38,42,43,43,44,45,45,44,44,44,43,43,43,42,41,41
kaiserpapers.org	44/100	722	26/100	22/100	195	161	2d 18h	42,42,42,42,42,42,42,41,41,42,42,42,41,41,41,41,41,41,41,41,41,42,42,42,42,42,43,43,43,43,43,43,43,43,44,44,44
usquidditch.org	62/100	2391	19/100	27/100	2348	445	2d 19h	67,67,67,67,67,67,67,67,68,68,69,68,68,68,62,61,61,62,61,61,61,61,61,61,62,62,62,62,62,61,62,62,62,62,62,62,62
yousaytoo.com	53/100	13003	19/100	30/100	1051	603	2d 19h	55,55,55,55,55,55,55,55,55,55,55,55,55,54,54,54,54,54,54,54,54,54,54,54,54,54,53,54,53,53,53,53,53,53,53,53,53
mythbuntu.org	46/100	3270	23/100	28/100	1203	648	3d 16h	48,48,48,48,48,48,48,48,48,48,46,46,46,46,46,46,45,45,45,45,45,45,45,45,45,45,46,46,46,46,46,46,46,46,46,46,46
tradboatrally.com	48/100	235	27/100	20/100	175	52	3d 16h	50,50,50,50,50,50,50,50,51,51,51,50,50,50,50,50,48,48,48,48,48,48,48,48,48,48,48,48,48,48,48,49,48,48,48,48,48
clowntravelagency.com	31/100	220	19/100	17/100	52	48	3d 17h	30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,29,29,29,29,29,29,29,29,29,29,29,30,29,30,30,30,30,30,30,31,31,31
igiveblood.com	31/100	193	26/100	17/100	69	50	3d 18h	32,32,32,32,32,32,31,32,32,32,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,58,34,33,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31
abivf.com	33/100	237	27/100	18/100	97	82	3d 18h	30,30,30,30,30,30,30,30,29,30,30,30,30,31,31,31,30,30,30,30,30,31,30,30,31,31,32,32,32,32,32,33,33,33,33,33,33
collegeportraits.org	70/100	3390	25/100	27/100	853	309	3d 18h	68,68,68,68,68,68,68,68,72,71,76,75,75,75,75,75,72,72,72,72,72,72,72,72,72,72,71,71,71,71,71,71,70,70,70,70,70
musclecarcalendar.com	33/100	772	29/100	21/100	177	146	3d 19h	32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,33,33,33
autofieldguide.com	39/100	1398	29/100	23/100	2810	331	4d 16h	39,39,39,39,39,39,39,39,39,39,39,39,39,39,39,38,38,38,38,38,38,38,37,38,38,38,38,38,38,39,39,39,39,39,39,39,39
racecityusa.org	39/100	588	30/100	22/100	505	145	4d 19h	37,37,37,37,37,37,37,37,37,38,38,38,38,38,37,37,37,38,37,37,37,37,37,37,37,37,37,37,37,38,38,38,39,39,39,39,39
sharepointna.com	42/100	820	21/100	34/100	330	242	5d 16h	43,43,43,43,43,43,43,43,43,43,43,43,42,42,42,42,42,42,42,41,41,41,41,41,41,38,38,38,42,42,42,43,43,42,43,42,42
lennon.net	38/100	605	21/100	20/100	699	147	5d 16h	39,39,39,39,39,39,39,38,39,39,39,39,39,39,38,38,38,38,38,38,38,38,38,38,38,38,38,38,38,39,39,39,39,39,39,39,38

What is a Domain Auction?

A domain can be list at an auction because either the owner list it, or the domain is going to expire and the registrar lists the expired domain for sale because they believe the domain to be valuable.

Why buy at a Domain Auction?

A domain auction can be a great way to find good deals on premium domains that would have otherwise been unavailable. You can use them to find domains that already have got some traffic.

For someone who has time and is flexible with domain name options, auctions are a great way to potentially get better deals. Asking prices at auction can vary, so they represent a good alternative to what might be available elsewhere and to going through domain sale websites.

Since people previously owned these valuable domain names, it is likely that they are indexed and so could be currently getting traffic from search engines.

Benefits of Domain Auctions

Buying through an auction can be a great option, depending on who is selling. The domain buyer might get a unique deal if the seller does not know the value of their premium domain name.

Bidding auctions for simple, short and catchy names are always useful and will likely cost more, while random sets of characters go for lesser values. The latter is great for someone starting a new website and online brand. For instance, websites that contain non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are becoming increasingly popular. A few years ago, many considered them as a string of letters.

Big companies may have algorithms or experts to assess value, but buying at an auction can provide more flexibility for domain buyers. Shopping at an auction or getting a broker involved could produce better results in the future with organic traffic, associated links and search engine optimization (SEO), but they will also likely take more time to acquire, depending on one's flexibility.

Starting with a New Website Domain

If a developer has a website that already gets more traffic than an unregistered domain, the increased views can vastly increase the site's popularity, especially in the beginning.

This potential benefit is lost with a new website, and the owner would have to start with other ways of getting organic traffic to the site like paid advertising, investing in SEO, or redirecting through other links. They could save this effort by going through the domain auctions and finding a domain that already had traffic, domain authority and backlinks.

Selling at Domain Auctions

Domain auctions can be a place for individuals to list upcoming domains for potential profit, not just the big companies. The open nature of auctions can be good for someone whose site would have expired if a hosting platform did not renew it. Of course, one can easily flip a domain they just bought.

As with any auction, there is always the risk that potential buyers will not bid on a domain as the seller hoped, but they can be a great way to make money by selling domains that may soon expire anyway.

How to Pick a Domain?

Thankfully, there are many metrics one can look at to assess the best domains and approach bidding on them. Some of these factors will be more transparent, such as the time it has been up, the amount of traffic, its associated links and how it has fared in prior ads or through previous SEO.

Many large companies provide these services to analyze domains, making the process even simpler. However, for someone without much experience, it may be worthwhile to shop via a broker. Even businesses that list statistics on web domains may use complex metrics.

Moreover, lots of sites are dedicated as platforms for domain auctions that will help to sift through the useless spam names. Considering how many thousands of sites are up for auction, this can save lots of time and provide a sense of certainty.

Should I Use a Broker?

Buyers should always consider the benefits and costs of using a broker.

Benefits:

A brokerage firm will contact sellers directly and be able to negotiate a price. This may mean an agent will pick up the phone and work it out with the domain owner on behalf of the client.

Websites that offer premium domain names will use this method, often in addition to having many domains that developers hold in waiting and then sell through a middleman. This is also how sites dedicated to domain sales work.

Brokerage Costs:

Like brokerage fees for other types of sales, brokerage for a domain will usually take a cut of the profits that the brokers themselves determine. Each person has to assess whether the amount of potential savings, not to mention added expertise and amount of time saved, outweigh the expenses.

Still, they may come across unforeseen or downright impossible deals otherwise in some cases. Individuals who purchase sites through an auction find that they tend to perform better in SEO results. Plus, the domains have that quality from the minute the broker sells them, which a buyer can factor into the cost analysis. There are many perks to buying through a domain auction for a savvy buyer.

Fixed Price:

Some online services sell expired domains for a fixed price. The benefit here is that you don't have to deal with placing bids in a bidding war with the highest bidder, and worry about the reserve price (minimum price). You find the domain, see the price, whip out your credit card and are done! Remember to use an escrow service if you don't have a broker.

Find Amazing Domains

DomCop lists all domains currently under auction along with 90+ metrics for every domain. It makes sure not a single valuable domain auction slips you by.

Find Domains at DomCop

Whenever I'm looking for a domain with some link history, DomCop is my go-to tool. Their option for filtering by TF/CF ratio in particular helps quickly weed out the stuff that has a high likelihood of having been spammed to death already - it's a huge time saver.

Ian Howell, Traffic Think Tank United States