How to Buy a Domain in 2026: .com vs .tw Prices and Registrars
Should you choose .com or .tw? How do Cloudflare, GoDaddy and Taiwanese registrars compare on price? Renewal rates, whose name the domain is registered under, auto-renewal: five pitfalls to check before you buy.
A domain is the part of a web address you choose yourself, for example satsumacreative.tw. It's rented year by year, not owned outright, and the company you pay is called a "registrar."
Buying a domain is easy and takes five minutes. The hard part is what shows up years later: renewal prices that double, a domain registered under your design agency's name that you can't get back, or a forgotten renewal that lets someone else grab it. This article covers the prices and the pitfalls in one go.
First decide: .com, .tw or .com.tw
| Extension | Best for | Approx. per year |
|---|---|---|
| .com | Brands that want global reach or serve customers beyond Taiwan | US$11–23 |
| .tw | Taiwanese brands and independent studios; shorter to type | NT$550–1,050 |
| .com.tw | Registered Taiwanese companies; looks the most "official" | NT$550–1,070 |
The rule of thumb:
- The .com for your name is still available → Buy the .com. It's what people are most used to typing.
- The .com is taken and your customers are mainly in Taiwan → Buy the .tw or .com.tw.
- Budget allows → Buy both the .com and .tw of the same name and redirect one to your main site, so no one else can register it and confuse your customers.
The extension gives no ranking advantage on Google. A .tw or .com.tw makes it easier for Google to tell that you're targeting Taiwan, which only helps with local search.
Registrar price comparison
.com domains (per year)
| Registrar | First year | Renewal | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare | Approx. US$11 | Approx. US$11 | At cost, no markup; DNS must be on Cloudflare |
| Porkbun | Approx. US$11 | Approx. US$11 | Free privacy protection |
| Namecheap | Approx. US$11 | Approx. US$18.50 | Higher renewal price |
| GoDaddy | First-year deals often around US$5 | Approx. US$23 | Highest renewal price |
| Taiwanese registrars | NT$350–720 | NT$400–720 | Chinese-language support; Taiwanese tax invoices available |
.tw / .com.tw domains (per year)
| Registrar | Price |
|---|---|
| Taiwanese registrars (Chunghwa Telecom HiNet, Net-Chinese, Yuan Jhen, PIDC and others) | Approx. NT$550–800 |
| GoDaddy | Approx. NT$1,020–1,070 |
For .tw domains, go to a Taiwanese registrar or an international reseller like GoDaddy; .tw doesn't currently appear on Cloudflare's list of supported extensions.
Five pitfalls to know before buying a domain
Pitfall 1: Cheap first year, double the price at renewal
The most common trap. GoDaddy often offers a .com for about US$5 in the first year, then renews at around US$23 from year two. You'll likely keep a domain for a decade, socompare renewal prices, not the first-year price.
Pitfall 2: The domain is registered under your design agency's name
The problem we run into most when taking over client websites: the domain was bought years ago by a design agency or developer, and the registrant, account and payment card all belong to them. When the engagement ends or they become unreachable, you can't get the domain back, and your whole website and company email are stuck.
Always register your domain with your own (or your company's) account and your own credit card.It's fine to have someone set it up for you, but the account should stay in your hands. They only get management access.
Pitfall 3: No auto-renewal, and someone snaps up your domain
If a domain expires and isn't renewed, it's released after a grace period and anyone can register it. Some people specialize in grabbing expired domains and selling them back to the original owner at a steep price.
Turn on auto-renewal andlink a card that won't expire; update it when you get a new card. Have expiry reminders sent to an email address that isn't on the same domain (if the domain goes down, you won't get the reminder either).
Pitfall 4: Does privacy protection cost extra?
The name, phone number and address you enter when registering would otherwise be public on WHOIS (the public lookup for domain registration records), and the sales calls follow soon after. Most international registrars (Cloudflare, Porkbun, Namecheap) hide this for free by default; some charge extra, so check before you buy.
Pitfall 5: DNS and your registrar can be separate
DNS is the setting that decides "which server this address points to and where its email goes." Many people assume DNS has to stay with whoever sold them the domain, but the two can be separated: keep the domain with your registrar and let a free, fast service like Cloudflare manage DNS. That's how we set up our own domain.
How to choose a registrar
- Only buying a .com and comfortable setting it up yourself → Cloudflare or Porkbun: lowest renewal prices, no upselling.
- Need a .tw / .com.tw, Chinese-language support and Taiwanese invoices → A Taiwanese registrar.
- Already with GoDaddy → No rush to move, but check the renewal price and confirm the account is in your own name.
FAQ
Can I buy a domain permanently?
No. Domains can only be rented. You can prepay up to 10 years at a time, but you'll still need to renew when it expires. "Free domain forever" offers are usually bundled with a hosting plan; if you cancel, you may have to pay separately for the domain or lose it entirely.
Does buying a domain give me a website?
No. A domain is just your street address. The website itself lives on a hosting server, and DNS points the address to it. Company email (hello@你的網域) is also a separate service; see our article onbusiness email recommendations.
What happens when a domain expires?
Your website and company email stop working immediately. There's usually a grace period after expiry when you can renew at the normal price; after that you'll pay a redemption fee, and eventually the domain is released for anyone to register. The timing varies by registrar.
Is .com or .tw better for SEO?
There's no difference in ranking itself. If your customers are mainly in Taiwan, a .tw or .com.tw makes it easier for Google to identify your target region, which helps local search. Your site's content and speed matter far more than the extension.
Can I switch registrars?
Yes, it's called a "domain transfer." Get an authorization code from your current registrar and enter it at the new one, and the domain moves over, usually with a year's renewal included. International domains like .com can't be transferred again within 60 days of registration or a previous transfer.
Can a newly founded company get a free .com.tw?
The Taiwan Network Information Center (TWNIC) offers a promotion for new companies: within 12 months of the company's registration date, you can register a .com.tw, .tw or similar domain free for one year, once per company. Check with your registrar that the program is still running before you apply.
Get your domain, DNS and email set up right the first time
A domain is cheap, but it's tied to your website, email, LINE Official Account links and Google Business Profile. When we build a website, we plan the domain and DNS together,register everything in the client's name, and you can take it all with you anytime after handover. Details are on ourwebsite design services page。
Prices are based on public information checked in November 2026, with .com prices in USD and Taiwanese registrar prices in NT$. Wholesale .com prices rose on 2026/11/1, so registrars may adjust their prices further. Taiwanese registrar prices are taken from industry comparison tables; please confirm on each registrar's official site before buying.