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Dropped domains

Expired domains that are free to register again, ranked by the search value they still carry. Start with some SEO power instead of from zero.

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Best SEO · .com

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Availability is checked when the list loads. The strongest drops are often registered within minutes, so a row can change while you look. Buy links open the registrar in a new tab; we may earn a commission.

Guide

Expired domains, explained

An expired domain is one its owner stopped paying for. Most are renewed late or sold at a registrar auction. The rest are deleted by the registry and anyone can register them again at the normal price. Those are dropped domains, also called deleted domains, and they are what this page lists.

What happens when a domain expires

  1. 1Expiry and grace periodThe renewal date passes. The owner can still renew at the normal price, and the registrar may put the name up for auction. For .com this usually lasts up to about 45 days.
  2. 2Redemption periodAbout 30 days in which only the previous owner can restore the domain, for an extra fee.
  3. 3Pending deleteAbout 5 days in which nobody can renew or register it.
  4. 4DropThe registry deletes the domain and it is free to register again. Whoever registers it first gets it, at the normal price.

Exact timings depend on the extension and the registrar. The most valuable names are often sold at auction during the grace period and never drop, and the best of those that do are usually registered within minutes, often by backorder services.

How to judge a dropped domain

Decide first what you want it for, because a good brand name and a good SEO domain are rarely the same thing.

As a brand name

Short, easy to say and spell, one or two real words, no hyphens or numbers. Read it aloud once: if you have to spell it out, keep looking.

For its backlinks

Expired domains with backlinks can give a new site a head start, but only if the links come from real sites in a related topic. Relevance matters more than the number of links.

What to check before you buy an expired domain

  • Its historyLook the domain up in the Wayback Machine (web.archive.org). A real business or blog is a good sign. Gambling, pills, adult content, foreign-language spam or pages of links mean the links probably carry little value and may carry a penalty.
  • Who links to itA few links from real sites in a related topic are worth more than hundreds from directories and forum profiles. Check the anchor text: if it is full of unrelated products, the links were bought.
  • TrademarksSearch the name in the trademark register for your market (for example USPTO, UKIPO or EUIPO). A domain that contains someone else’s brand can be taken from you in a dispute, whatever you paid.
  • Email reputationIf the domain once sent spam it may still be on blocklists, and email from it can land in junk. A free blocklist lookup takes a minute.
  • Renewal priceSome extensions are cheap in the first year and expensive after. Check what it costs to keep, not only to buy.

How this list works

Every day our data partner collects the domains that dropped and checks them. We keep the last 7 days. Choose the list that matches what you need:

Best SEO
Domains whose links and search history still carry weight.
Best brand names
Short, readable names that would work for a new business.
Best to resell
Names other buyers are likely to want.

Availability is checked when the list loads, so a name can be taken while you look. Our data partner checks the links of the strongest drops, which gives them an SEO strength, rank and referring domains; the rest show a dash. These numbers are a starting point, so run the checks above on any name you are serious about, then register it through the buy link or at any registrar.

Questions about dropped domains

A domain its owner didn’t renew. After a grace period the registry deletes it, and anyone can register it again at the normal price.

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