Why do aftermarket
domains exist?

The best domain names were registered decades ago when the internet first started.

A handful of forward-thinking individuals recognized the value of quality domains and purchased them as invesments in hopes that they'll be worth more in the future. This practice—known as domain investing—means that many of the most desirable names were never developed, but instead held for resale.

Today, domain investors list their portfolios on specialized marketplaces, offering high-quality names that might otherwise never become available. This is known as the domain aftermarket.

In fact, there are over 30 million domains for sale across various platforms—many of which rank among the best names on the internet. Whether you’re building a brand, launching a new project, or simply securing a standout address, the aftermarket is where you’ll find some of the catchiest, most memorable domains still up for grabs.

Can I just register
a domain?

Yes—you can certainly register a brand-new domain yourself and save money upfront.

However, you will quickly realize that the quality of domains available for registration is not great. They are generally longer, not memorable and end with strange extensions you probably don't recognize.

That bargain basement price is tempting, but it comes with trade-offs in memorability and credibility. By contrast, investing a bit more to grab a premium .com from the aftermarket delivers instant brand recognition and built-in trust that more than pay for themselves over time.

Where do I buy an
aftermarket domain?

The quickest way is to use BrandSearch.com—our intuitive search engine pulls in millions of aftermarket listings from all the major marketplaces, so you don’t have to hop between sites.

We aggregate inventory from industry leaders like GoDaddy®, Saw.com and BrandBucket.com.

When you spot a domain you love, just click the Buy button and you’ll be taken directly to that marketplace’s checkout page to complete your purchase.

Are these "used" domains?

A “used” domain simply means it previously hosted a live website. While many aftermarket domains were never developed, some of the older registrations did support real sites—and as a result can still carry residual traffic, backlinks, and brand recognition. Unless a domain has been blacklisted or penalized, that legacy history can actually work in your favor.

If you’re considering a purchase, you can investigate a domain’s past by searching on Google® for live or cached pages and any mentions in blog posts or news articles. You can also check the Wayback Machine at Archive.org to view historical snapshots and see what content it previously hosted.

Are all aftermarket domains
good domains?

Not at all—and that’s exactly why BrandSearch is so useful. A simple search for a term like “design” can turn up tens of thousands of domains for sale, but wading through that many options by hand is a recipe for overwhelm.

Our proprietary algorithm evaluates and scores each listing on factors like length, memorability, and brandability, then surfaces the highest-quality matches up front. That way, you don’t have to sort through pages of mediocre choices—only the best domains make it to your shortlist.

Remember, just because a name is for sale doesn’t mean it’s worth buying!