Hostinger domains: what a .com really costs to buy and keep

The short version

• .com first year: $0.01, but only when you choose a 3-year term, according to Hostinger’s domain pricing page.
• Renewal: $19.99 a year.
• 3-year total: $39.99, paid at checkout. From year four, $19.99 a year.
• Right for: people who already host with Hostinger and want the domain in the same dashboard. If you only want a cheap .com to keep for years, other registrars renew for less.

This page covers Hostinger only as a domain registrar: the company you rent your domain name from. For its website builder and hosting plans, see our Hostinger review.

We have not used Hostinger as a domain customer. Everything here comes from its own pricing and help pages.

What a .com really costs over three years

The $0.01 price is a 3-year deal. A footnote on Hostinger’s domain pricing page says it is “applicable when you choose a 3-year term.” So you pay for all three years up front.

Hostinger’s pages carry a “Limited time deals” Black Friday banner with no end date. The $0.01 .com price is not labeled as part of that sale, but check the cart before you pay.

The arithmetic: $0.01 + $19.99 + $19.99 = $39.99.

Hostinger’s .com page also lists the $0.20 yearly fee set by ICANN, the body that oversees domain names. It does not say whether that fee is added on top at checkout. If it is, add $0.60: $40.59 for three years.

After year three you pay $19.99 a year at today’s price. Hostinger lists its prices without VAT or sales tax.

Other popular endings

The renewal column is what you pay every year after the first, so compare that one. The .net page says “best value for 2 year term” but does not say whether the $11.99 needs it. Not sure which ending to pick? See our guide to domain extensions.

What is included free

• WHOIS privacy: listed as free on the .com page. It hides your name, address and phone from public lookups. For other endings, check that ending’s page or the cart.
• DNS: you edit DNS records (A, CNAME, MX, TXT and more) from the Domains section of the dashboard. The help article mentions no charge.
• Registrar lock: a “Transfer lock” switch on each domain’s overview page.
• Two-factor login: by authenticator app or email code. The help article does not offer SMS.
• Auto-renew: offered, according to the .com page. Turn it on so the domain cannot lapse.
• Email forwarding: not listed as free with a domain alone. Forwarding rules come with the paid Business Email plans.
• SSL: the domain pages we checked do not say a free SSL certificate comes with a domain on its own.

Upsells to watch for

• Hosting for a “free” domain. The free-domain offer needs a Premium or Business hosting plan for 12 months or more. The free part is year one only. After that, a .com renews at $19.99. Hostinger’s website builder is sold inside those hosting plans too; prices are in the review linked above.
• Business Email. From $0.39 a month per mailbox on a 48-month term, renewing at $1.59 a month. That $0.39 is tagged as a Black Friday sale price, a limited-time offer with no end date given. Forwarding sends mail on; a mailbox lets you send from your address. See email hosting.
• Premium domain protection (Domain Shield). A paid add-on that gives extra time to renew after expiry and asks for 2FA before risky changes. Hostinger does not publish its price.

You need none of these to own a domain and point it at a site.

Moving your domain away

Hostinger’s help center lists these steps:

• Wait until 60 days have passed since you registered or last transferred the domain. That is an ICANN rule. The domain also cannot be expired or suspended.
• In Domains, then Manage, then Domain Overview, switch off the Transfer lock. Turn off DNSSEC if it is on.
• Switch off Privacy Protection. Hostinger asks for this before a transfer.
• Under Authorization code, click “Get code.” Give that transfer code to your new registrar.
• Confirm the transfer email. Hostinger says transfers usually take up to 7 days, and its article mentions no transfer-out fee.

Our guide to transferring a domain covers the new registrar’s side.

Who it is right for, and who should look elsewhere

Right for:

• Hostinger hosting or builder customers who want site, email and domain in one dashboard.
• Buyers who are fine paying three years up front for a low first year.
• People who want free privacy, 2FA and a simple DNS editor.

Look elsewhere if:

• You want a low yearly renewal. $19.99 is well above Verisign’s $10.97 wholesale fee, and some registrars renew closer to cost. See our best domain registrars guide.
• You want free email forwarding with a domain alone.
• You want to pay one year at a time and still get the promo price.

Want the full yearly bill with hosting and email? Try our website cost calculator.

Sources

Hostinger: .com pricing, domain pricing, .net, .org, .co, .io, DNS records, two-factor login, Business Email, Domain Shield, transfer out. Verisign: Q1 2026 results (.com price change).