SideBySide Domains

TLD PRICING GUIDE

Cheapest .io Domain Registrar

.io domains are popular for tech startups but expensive. Here's where to get them cheapest.

.io Price Comparison 2025

Registrar Register Renewal 5-Year Cost
Porkbun$33.48$33.48$167.40
Cloudflare$35.99$35.99$179.95
Spaceship$32.98$35.98$176.90
Namecheap$30.98$38.98$186.90
Dynadot$39.99$39.99$199.95
Namesilo$44.99$44.99$224.95
GoDaddy$49.99$59.99$289.95

Prices verified October 2025. All include free WHOIS privacy except GoDaddy.

Why .io is Expensive

.io domains cost 3-5x more than .com because:

  • High demand: Tech startups love the "input/output" connotation
  • Limited supply: Managed by a small registry
  • Premium positioning: Priced as a "tech" TLD

Our Recommendation

Best Value: Porkbun at $33.48/year

Lowest renewal price + excellent support + all features included. For .io specifically, Porkbun beats Cloudflare.

Alternative: If you want CDN included, Cloudflare at $35.99/year is only slightly more and includes their full infrastructure.

Consider .com Instead

A .io domain costs ~$33-50/year. A .com costs ~$10-11/year. Over 10 years, you'd save $200-400 with .com. Unless .io is essential to your brand, consider whether a .com alternative might work.

Compare All Registrars →