Buy a .io Domain Name — UK Price Comparison

.io has become the unofficial domain of the tech world — favoured by startups, developer tools, and SaaS companies. Compare prices from UK registrars.

7 providers compared

From £29.47/yr

Renewal from £31.60/yr

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Quick Verdict: Best .io Registrars

Cheapest Registration

DreamHost

£29.47/yr

Cheapest Renewal

Dynadot

£31.60/yr

Cheapest Transfer

Dynadot

£31.60/yr

.io Domain Prices — All Providers

All prices in GBP (£). Sorted by cheapest first-year registration price.

Provider	Registration	Renewal	Transfer	Increase
DreamHostBest	£29.47/yr	£44.21/yr	—	+50%	Register
Dynadot	£31.60/yr	£31.60/yr	£31.60/yr	0%	Register
Bluehost	£37.58/yr	£53.79/yr	—	+43%	Register
Domain.com	£39.49/yr	£47.39/yr	£39.49/yr	+20%	Register
IONOS	£40.99/yr	£75.00/yr	—	+83%	Register
EuroDNS	£48.09/yr	£93.08/yr	£93.08/yr	+94%	Register
InMotion Hosting	£50.12/yr	£50.12/yr	—	0%	Register

About .io Domains

Who Is It For?

Tech startups, developer tools, APIs, SaaS platforms, and any business in the technology space. .io is widely recognised and respected in the tech community.

SEO & Trust

While .io is technically a country-code TLD (British Indian Ocean Territory), Google treats it as a generic TLD for ranking purposes. It carries strong brand associations with technology.

£29.47

Cheapest Registration

£39.62

Avg Registration

£31.60

Cheapest Renewal

£56.46

Avg Renewal

Renewal Price Increase

How much more you'll pay when your .io domain renews versus the first-year price.

Dynadot

£31.60 → £31.60

InMotion Hosting

£50.12 → £50.12

Domain.com

+20%

£39.49 → £47.39

Bluehost

+43%

£37.58 → £53.79

DreamHost

+50%

£29.47 → £44.21

IONOS

+83%

£40.99 → £75.00

EuroDNS

+94%

£48.09 → £93.08

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a .io domain cost?

.io domains are premium-priced, starting from £22.58/year at Bluehost. Dynadot charges £31.60/year, IONOS £41.25/year, and SiteGround £52.99/year. They're significantly more expensive than traditional TLDs.

Why are .io domains so expensive?

.io domains have high wholesale costs and strong demand from the tech sector. The registry (Identity Digital) sets relatively high base prices, and the tech community's willingness to pay premium prices keeps rates elevated.

Is .io good for a startup?

Yes — .io is widely associated with technology startups and is immediately recognised in tech circles. It's a strong choice if your .com is unavailable and you want a modern, techy brand image.

Which registrar has the cheapest .io domains?

Bluehost offers the cheapest .io registration at £22.58/year. Dynadot is next at £31.60/year with consistent renewal pricing. IONOS starts at £41.25/year but renews at £75/year — a significant markup.

Does Google treat .io as a country-code or generic TLD?

Google treats .io as a generic TLD for search ranking purposes, meaning it has no inherent geographic bias. Your .io site can rank well globally or locally based on your content and targeting settings.

Compare Other Domain Extensions

.co.uk

UK businesses, freelancers, local services, and anyone targeting a British audience

.com

International businesses, startups, SaaS companies, and anyone wanting the most universally recognised domain extension

.uk

Modern UK brands, startups, and businesses wanting a clean, short URL

.org

Non-profits, charities, open-source projects, community organisations, and educational initiatives

.net

Technology companies, networking businesses, ISPs, SaaS platforms, and anyone whose preferred

.eu

Businesses with European operations, pan-European brands, companies targeting EU markets, and organisations working across European borders

.shop

Online retailers, e-commerce stores, product-based businesses, and anyone selling products online

.xyz

Creative projects, personal brands, portfolio sites, tech experiments, and anyone wanting an affordable, modern domain

.ai

AI companies, machine learning startups, data science firms, tech companies, and any business positioning itself in the artificial intelligence space

.tech

Technology companies, IT consultancies, tech blogs, SaaS businesses, and developers

Need Hosting With Your .io Domain?

Several UK hosts include a free domain when you sign up for annual hosting — saving you the registration cost entirely.

All Domain Prices Hosting With Free Domain