Why Are IO Domains So Expensive? (Top 10 Reasons)

The IO domain is assigned to the British Indian Ocean Territory, and many people in the tech industry love this domain.

It costs at least three times more than your standard domains.

What makes this domain so expensive?

Let’s find out.

Why Are IO Domains So Expensive? (Top 10 Reasons)

IO domains are so expensive because they are trendy and scarce.

The high fees and unique addresses also contribute to the high price of these domains.

However, there are plenty of other reasons that make the IO domains so expensive.

Let’s explore each of these points in detail.

1. Trendy Among Tech Startups

One of the top reasons that IO domains are so expensive is that they have quickly become trendy among tech startups.

That is because they are incredibly similar if you compare them to information processing.

For example, in the tech industry, the term I/O stands for input/output.

This term is one of the most important building blocks for any new technology that comes our way.

It describes the tasks that a computer must perform.

When tech companies learned that such an important term could become their domain, they began purchasing the IO domains.

These companies are also willing to pay extra to get such a domain.

That is because it is their way of establishing themselves as part of the technology community.

As tech companies began buying these domains, they started becoming more and more expensive over time.

2. These Domains Are Scarce

You might think that it is easy to get the IO domain, but that is not the case at all.

The demand is high for these domains, and the supply is limited, which is why the price is high.

It will not be easy for you to get this domain with the name that you like.

You will have to see which domain names are available and then choose accordingly.

This doesn’t mean that you might not get an IO domain at all.

It just means that you will have to work a little harder to get this domain, as they are not easily available to everyone.

When these domains were new, tech companies and many other startups got their hands on them.

That is why there are now fewer domains available for the rest of us.

You will have to exercise some patience if you want to get these domains without a hassle.

3. High Registration Fees

The Internet Computer Bureau has set a high fee for registering such a domain.

That is because a registry with the right to sell domains of a certain TLD also has the right to determine the standard fee for the transactions.

The Internet Computer Bureau holds the right to sell IO domains, which is why they charge high fees.

We don’t know the exact amount of fee that they charge, but every domain marketplace has a high price for IO domains as compared to other ones.

While there are many reasons for this, one of the top reasons is the high registration fees set by the ICB.

The company also holds the rights to the .AC and .SH TLDS.

Both these TLDs are not as popular as IO domains, but they still cost almost $30.

That means that ICB has set a fee that is even higher for the IO domains.

Such high fees are also a result of the high demand for IO domains.

The ICB has eliminated the promise of keeping the same prices next year.

Because of this, they can increase the prices further at any time if the trend of IO domains continues to grow.

That is why you must prepare yourself to pay high fees if you are planning on opting for the IO domains.

4. Unique Addresses

The best part about an IO domain is that you can use it to create a unique address for your business.

There is no limit to your creativity as you can create a short and unique address with .IO.

Having an easy and unique address is an important factor to consider for your business, as this also means that more people will remember your domain name.

No one offers such ease to businesses without charging a high price.

That is why the IO domain is so expensive, as you get a unique and short address that captures more customers.

The premium price justifies the benefits you receive when you purchase the IO domain.

That is why if you are looking for a unique, memorable, and short domain, then it doesn’t get better than the IO domain.

You will get everything you require, but you will have to pay a high price if you want to get the most out of this domain for a long time.

Don’t forget to consider this benefit against the cost of your domain name.

5. Complex Registration Process

When you compare the registration process of IO domains with other ones, you will find that the process of the IO domain is much more complex.

The reason for this complexity is that the British Indian Ocean Territory government handles the entire registration process for this domain.

The government has kept a few extra steps that you must follow if you want to purchase the IO domain.

It has also cost the government a lot of money to set up this registration process for the individuals and businesses that want to use this domain.

Because of this, they will transfer the cost to you, which is why you will end up paying much more.

On the other hand, if you want to purchase other more common domains, then you will find that the registration process is simple.

You won’t have to follow any extra steps, and you will get your domain name quite easily.

Not only do you have to spend more money, but you will also have to give this domain name more time.

It will take you a while to complete the registration process.

Once you are done, you will have the IO domain for your business.

You will have to pay a premium price and invest some time to get this domain.

6. Instant Branding

Branding is one of the best ways to give your business some personality so that people can easily know who you are and what you do.

IO domains are highly expensive because they provide the opportunity for you to brand your business.

When you purchase an IO domain, you will receive a memorable yet unique name.

You can use this domain address to establish your brand and authority in the market.

Branding is one of the most valuable assets for any business if you know how to do it right.

An IO domain provides this opportunity, which is why they charge a high price.

If you want to reap all these benefits and take your brand to the next level, then you will have to pay this price.

Remember that this is only an initial cost because, after this, it will become much less costly for you to run this domain.

With IO domains, your customers will remember you for a long time to come.

It will also be easy for your customers to spread the word about your business and let everyone know who you are.

All of this will only happen if your IO domain has a unique and memorable address.

7. High-Quality

Are you a business looking to offer a sense of high quality and professionalism to your customers?

If you are, then it doesn’t get better than opting for an IO domain name for your business needs.

One of the top reasons IO domains are so expensive is that these domains showcase a sign of professionalism and high quality.

When you opt for this domain for your brand, you impart a message to your clients and customers that you are conducting a serious and professional business.

It is the key to building authority and trust among the people you deal with.

An IO domain looks and feels more professional than all the standard domains you can find.

In the long run, such a domain can help you increase your conversions and sales.

If you want to work on your reputation and authority in your industry, then purchasing an IO domain can be worth it.

It has a higher price tag, but the benefits you receive from it will outweigh the costs in the long run.

8. An IO Domain Doesn’t Get Geo-Targeted

The good news is that when you purchase an IO domain, you can easily access an international audience for your business.

That is because you don’t get geotagged, as search engines treat this domain differently.

You will find there are two types of domains online.

These include:

gTLD: These are general domains that are standard. Examples include .org or .com
ccTLD: These domains apply to different countries. For example, .au is for websites operating from Australia

What you must understand is that ccTLD tags are geo-targeted.

What this means is that these results are only shown to people that are from the same region or country.

Compared to ccTLD, gTLD websites are shown to people living in different parts of the world.

IO domains are gTLD, which means an international audience can easily see your website.

In the long run, this will help you generate more traffic, as people from different parts of the world will easily find your website.

If you plan on growing your business to international markets, then an IO domain is the ideal choice.

That is why IO domains are so expensive.

They help you become visible to people all over the world without making much of an effort.

The premium price comes with this amazing benefit for your business.

9. Easy To Search

When people are searching for something, they go as short as possible, which is why it is helpful to have a short domain name than a longer one.

For example, do you think people will remember and search for lunaindustries.com or luna.io?

It will be the latter because it is much easier to remember and search for on Google.

Even people using smartphones prefer to search for shorter domain names and websites.

People prefer to type fewer characters because the screen is small on a smartphone.

Such ease means you have to pay a higher price tag for having an IO domain.

It is incredibly useful for people utilizing their smartphones for search.

It will also guarantee that the domain name and website become easy for you to manage.

That is why if you are looking for such ease, you will have to pay a premium price for the IO domain.

10. Widely Available

Finally, the last reason an IO domain is so expensive is that it is widely available and popular among many individuals and businesses.

For example, in 2019, more than 300 million domains were registered with either .org or .com.

That means you probably will not get the domain you want with the standard domain names.

Instead of changing the name of your website, you can simply get the domain name.

For example, if your website is realestate.com, then instead of changing the name, you can change the domain and make it realestate.io.

One thing you must remember while doing this is that if you are trying to copy someone else’s website, you might get sued for breaching copyrights.

In many cases, people who own the .com domain also want to purchase the IO domain so that no one can copy their website.

If the IO domain is also taken, then there are still some things you can do to get that domain.

These include:

Contacting the current owner and asking to purchase the domain name. They might sell if the price is right.
Set up an email alert system that will let you know whenever a domain name comes up for sale.
Look at the list of resale domains. Many inactive domains are placed on this list.
Select an alternative domain name if nothing else works.

This was the last reason IO domains are so expensive, but you can still try these ways if you want the domain name.

If you still don’t get it, then you can always purchase another domain name.

Are IO Domains Safe To Use?

IO domains are incredibly safe to use for your website.

It is one of the top generic top-level domains if you want more global searches for your business.

Of course, you can always enhance the safety of your domain regardless of the type of domain it is.

Here are some ways you can make your domain safe:

Follow all the content guidelines to ensure that your domain remains secure.
Don’t use your domain name for any illegal activity.
Don’t use the content on your website that endangers the lives of people or any other harmful content.
Utilize SSL certifications to make your domain or website secure.
Use the Registry Lock Service to add an extra layer of security to your domain.
Keep all the contact information on your domain name updated with the registrar. If there is any suspicious activity on your domain name, they will contact you immediately.
Keep contact information safe by enabling domain privacy.

All of these are some of the best ways you can enhance the security of your domain.

It doesn’t matter if you have an IO domain or a standard domain, as these rules apply to everyone.

Once you follow these guidelines, your domain name will have the best level of security for a long time.