Guide
Do hyphens and numbers lower a domain's value?
Names with a hyphen or a digit sell less often, and rarely for high prices. Here is how they compare with plain names of the same length.
Plain names against names with a hyphen or a digit
| Name length | Name | Recorded sales | Median | Upper quarter from | Top 10% from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 8 characters | Letters only | 39,851 | $3,000 | $5,000 | $20,000 |
| With a hyphen | 717 | $2,600 | $3,700 | $4,900 | |
| With a digit | 2,650 | $2,800 | $4,300 | $12,000 | |
| 9–12 characters | Letters only | 33,639 | $2,700 | $4,000 | $11,000 |
| With a hyphen | 955 | $2,500 | $3,200 | $4,700 | |
| With a digit | 678 | $2,500 | $3,500 | $5,500 | |
| 13+ characters | Letters only | 24,321 | $2,500 | $3,500 | $5,900 |
| With a hyphen | 780 | $2,400 | $3,100 | $4,700 |
Based on 105,077 recorded .com aftermarket sales, updated daily. Only sales that were reported publicly are counted, and most reported sales are above roughly $2,000, so the medians sit close together: the upper quarter and the top 10% show the differences better. Most registered names never sell at all.
Names with a hyphen are 2.4% of these sales. Names made only of digits are left out of this table: they are their own market.
Why they sell for less
- They fail the radio test: a name you have to spell out loses visitors to the plain version.
- The plain name usually exists: the buyer of a hyphenated name competes with whoever owns the name without it.
- Fewer buyers: most companies shopping for a brand skip these names, so the high offers never come.
Do hyphens lower the value of a domain?
Yes, mostly at the top end. In the "up to 8 characters" band the top 10% of plain .com sales start at $20,000, against $4,900 for names with a hyphen. Hyphenated names do sell, but they almost never reach the high prices.
Do numbers lower the value of a domain?
A digit mixed into a word usually does, because the name has to be explained out loud ("is that the number 4 or the word?"). Names made only of digits are different: short numeric .com names are a market of their own and can be worth a lot.
Should I buy the hyphenated version if the plain name is taken?
As an investment, rarely: resale demand is thin. For your own site it can work, most often in German-speaking markets where hyphens are common, but expect to lose some type-in traffic to the plain name.
More guides
- How much are two-word .com domains worth?
- How much are 2, 3 and 4-letter .com domains worth?
- Domain values by extension
- How DnRatings values domains
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