I’ve been in the domain name investing game long enough to know that not everything is as it seems, but even I was shocked when I posted about .bot domain renewal prices on May 12, 2025.
I created a tool at Mi.ke/renewal/ to shine a light on the often-obscured registration and renewal costs of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs).
My recent X post, featuring a screenshot of .bot renewals ranging from $31.39 for stamina.now to $2,729.65 for fun.bot, sparked a firestorm in the domaining community.
But .bot is just the tip of the iceberg — many new gTLDs are playing the same high-renewal game, and I’m determined to help domain name investors avoid getting burned.
I built this tool because I was tired of the lack of transparency in the domain industry.
For years, I’ve watched registrars and auction platforms lure investors with low initial registration fees, only to hit them with renewal costs that can soar into the thousands.
New gTLDs, introduced to expand the internet’s namespace with creative extensions like .club, .xyz, and .bot, often come with these hidden traps.
My tool pulls back the curtain, letting users see the real cost of owning a domain over time and empower investors and entrepreneurs with the data they need to make informed decisions.
Whether it’s .bot or another gTLD, knowing the renewal cost upfront can mean the difference between a smart investment and a financial disaster.
My tool isn’t just about exposing high fees — it’s about leveling the playing field in an industry that too often thrives on opacity.