Domain Compare - Comparing .nz domain name provider prices

Industry statistics: .nz domains set another record in April 2026

2026-05-26T00:00:00Z

Have you ever considered how many .nz domains there are? The Domain Name Commission (DNC) releases monthly reports with the exact answer to that question.

How many .nz domains are there? #

As of April 2026 there are 767,053 .nz domains registered — a new all-time record. The previous record was 764,987, set just one month earlier in March 2026. Before that, the namespace hadn't reached these levels since the previous peak of 758,495 in June 2023.

What is the growth rate of .nz domains? #

Growth rate statistics show the percentage increase in domains from the year prior. April 2026 recorded 2.1% growth year-on-year, representing approximately 15,000 more domains than April 2025. This continues the upward trend in growth rates seen across early 2026.

How many .nz domains were created and deleted? #

The Domain Name Commission's data shows 8,998 domains were created and 9,044 were deleted in April 2026 — a gap of fewer than 50 domains. Creations and deletions are now running almost exactly level month-to-month, a significant shift from the sustained net-deletion pattern seen throughout most of 2024 and 2025.

Direct .nz domains driving growth #

InternetNZ's stats break down growth by second-level domain (2LD). The .nz direct 2LD continues to be the standout performer: there are now 166,765 direct .nz domains registered, making up approximately 22% of the total namespace. That figure grew by 7,342 year-on-year, accounting for around 50% of all .nz growth over the past 12 months.

Renewal rate stays steady, retention ratio is introduced #

Every month thousands of .nz domains reach their renewal date. The renewal ratio measures how many of those domains are actually renewed. The renewal ratio of .nz domains is currently 84.6%. The DNC has also begun reporting a similar but different metric called the "retention ratio". This is the total percentage of domains that are over 1 year old, and is currently 88.0%.

For comparison, .au domains are currently renewed at a 75% rate. In the UK, .uk domains are renewed 78–80% of the time.

The other number that matters #

If you'll be adding to the stock of .nz domains soon, remember to compare prices from retailers before you commit. A few dollars a year can really add up.

Industry statistics: All-time record total of NZ domains

2026-04-21T00:00:00Z

Have you ever considered how many .nz domains there are? The Domain Name Commission (DNC) releases monthly reports with the exact answer to that question.

In the last 12-months the total of registered .nz domains has been slowly climbing towards an all-time high. Our latest data confirms that the previous record has been surpassed.

How many .nz domains are there? #

The latest data shows .nz domains got off to a very strong start in 2026. On the back of steady growth throughout 2025, January had almost 2,000 new .nz domains created, taking us past the previous all-time-high of 758,495 registered domains.

As of March 2026 there are 764,987 .nz domains registered, a new record for concurrent .nz domain registrations.

February 2026 was the biggest month for .nz domains #

Month-on-month the total of .nz domains usually grows or shrinks by about 1,000 domains. In February 2026, domains grew by nearly 4,500. The last time the .nz namespace grew this much in a single month was way back in March 2017 (which had an increase of 8,485). That noteworthy increase was attributable to the release of second level domain names which had previously been blocked for years.

What is the growth rate of .nz domains? #

Growth rate statistics show the percentage increase in domains from the year prior. March had 1.9% growth year-on-year, a big upturn from 0.5% growth in March 2025. If the current momentum continues we could be looking at growth rates above 2%, a rate unmatched since mid-2023.

How many .nz domains were created and deleted? #

The Domain Name Commission’s data shows domain creations have been trailing behind deletions since January 2023.

The raw amount of domains creations and deletions in any given month, without any 6-month averaging, shows there were significantly more new domains created in February and a big drop in deletes, followed by another big rise of creates again in March.

The data shows creations are currently outpacing deletions, with new creations increasingly likely to surpass the deletions tally once the Commission’s 6-month-rolling average catches up. The 6-month average is a lagging indicator, because it’s still "remembering" the high deletion months from late 2025.

Direct .nz domains growing the most #

A ~12,000 year-on-year increase in the namespace is significant. InternetNZ’s stats give us a better idea of where those new domains are coming from by highlighting the second-level domains (2LDs) driving the growth.

The most notable contributor to the growth is the .nz direct domain. The .nzdirect 2LD grew by 6,000 year-on-year (February 2026 to February 2025). That’s just over 50% of the total domain growth in that time. It’s a considerable amount for a 2LD that makes up around 22% of the .nz domain namespace (165,756 according to the latest data) .

A large chunk of the rest of the domain growth comes from .co.nz, with 6230 more domains than a year ago. Other big 2LDs like .net.nz (2.22% shrinkage) and .org.nz (0.62% growth) were somewhat stagnant.

Renewal rate stays steady #

Every month thousands of .nz domains reach their renewal date. The renewal ratio measures how many of the domains available for renewal in that time period are actually renewed. The renewal ratio of `.nz' domains is currently 85.4%.

For comparison, .au domains are currently only renewed at a 75% rate. In the UK, .uk domains are renewed 78-80% of the time.

The latest reported .nz price data #

The Domain Name Commission also provides the current median price for .nz domains, which we display on our home page. It’s a good reminder to compare prices from different retailers before you register a new domain.

Photo by Jason Dent on Unsplash

Protect yourself: Domain Name Commission warns of phishing scams

2026-03-06T00:00:00Z

New Zealand's Domain Name Commission (DNC) has sent out warnings to all .nz registrars (companies that work directly with the DNC) to be aware of phishing email campaigns impersonating registrars. The DNC has asked registrars to pass on the warning to .nz domain name holders.

Phishing attacks targeting .nz domain holders #

If you're a .nz domain holder this is noteworthy because the phishing emails are directly targeting you. Phishing attacks will attempt to impersonate your registrar to try and obtain sensitive information from you, like your payment or login details.

Multiple registrars have reported that malicious actors have been sending emails appearing to be from legitimate restigstrars. These emails fraudently request .nz domain name holders to renew their .nz domain name by clicking on a phishing link, and/or paying a fraudulent invoice.

What can I do to protect myself from phishing attacks? #

The warning indicates that phishing attacks are a growing concern for .nz domain holders.

If you have a .nz domain, you should remain vigilant of any unexpected emails regarding your domain.

In New Zealand, contact details for domain holders are publically visible via WHOIS lookups. Unless you’ve applied privacy protection to your domain, scammers can use this to get your contact email for phishing attempts.

Always think twice before clicking links in emails, and check the email address of the sender. If you're still unsure if an email is legitimate or not, contact your registrar for them to confirm whether it's genuine or not.

Image by Scott Rodgerson from Unsplash

Jargon busting: Domain-related words and terms, defined

2026-01-19T00:00:00Z

Domains are surrounded by a lot of jargon. If you want to know the difference between registrants and registrars, or the difference between a CNAME record and AAAA record, then here are the answers.

If you see a term in italics that you don't recognise, it has its own entry in this glossary.
Bold terms are expansions of abbreviations.

AAAA record | A record: A type of DNS record that holds the IP address of the server that the IP address of the server that the domain points to. AAAA records specify IPv6 addresses and A records specify IPv4 addresses.
Auth code: A 16 character alphanumeric code needed to transfer domains between domain name providers.
Auto-renewal: Domain renewal handled systematically. To save you going through a purchase process to retain ownership of your domain, auto-renewal makes the purchase for you. You receive reminder emails beforehand, and a confirmation after the transaction.
ccTLD: Country code top-level domain. All ccTLDs are two letters long, and every country has one. For example, New Zealand's ccTLD is .nz and Australia's is .au.
CNAME record: A type of DNS record used to specify a "canonical name", i.e. another domain that defines the right IP address. CNAME records are used to say "don't look for an IP address here - instead go and look at this other domain's records". One typical use is to relate a subdomain (like sub.example.com) to the IP address of the main domain (example.com).
DKIM: A TXT record related to email authentification. Similar to DMARC.
DMARC: A TXT record related to email authentification.Similar to DKIM.
DNC: New Zealand's Domain Name Commission, part of InternetNZ, is the registry and regulator for .nz domains.
DNS: The domain name system translates between domain names that humans understand, and IP addresses that machines understand.
DNS records: These records each contain a small amount of information that relates to your domain. DNS records perform crucial functions like connecting your domain name to the right servers for your website and/or email. For specific types of DNS record, see A record | AAAA record, CNAME record, and TXT record.
Domain Privacy: An optional, paid service that hides the contact information that is recorded for your domain. Without privacy, anyone can use a WHOIS lookup to find the name, email address, and contact address that you provided for three different contacts - registrant, administrative, and technical.
gTLD: Generic top-level domains, for example .com, .org and .net. Unlike ccTLDs, gTLDs do not relate to any specific country.
ICANN: The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers is a non-profit body with a broad range of functions including regulating important gTLDs like .com, .org, and .net.
IP address: IP stands for Internet Protocol. IP addresses are used by machines to identify servers and other devices that are connected to the internet. There are two types of IP address. IPv4 addresses consist of four numbers separated by dots (e.g. 192.0.2.1). IPv6 addresses are longer, with colons rather than dots, and can include letters. (e.g. 2001:db8:3333:4444:CCCC:DDDD:EEEE:FFFF).
MX record: A type of DNS record used for email. When a domain is used for email addresses, then MX records specify the related email server(s).
Name server: Also known as DNS servers, name servers store DNS records. These are not the servers that store your website. Instead, they store and serve up information that browsers use to find your website when someone visits your domain.
Premium domain: Rather than charge the exact same price for every domain with a particular TLD, some registrars charge more for premium domains. There are no premium .nz or .com domains, but two of the more popular TLDs with premium pricing are .co and .biz. Premium domains tend to be shorter or more memorable.
Registrant: The owner of a domain. If you have registered a domain, you are the registrant.
Registrar: A company that can work directly with the registry to register and update domains on behalf of customers. Not every domain retailer is a registrar. Registrars have to meet conditions and technical requirements set down by the TLD's registry (and regulator, if there is one).
Registry: The organisation that's responsible for the overall management of all the domains within a particular TLD. Some are public non-profit bodies, like New Zealand's Domain Name Commission (.nz). Some are private companies, like GoDaddy Registry (.biz, and hundreds of others). Registries set wholesale prices and operate the systems that record information like who owns which domain. Along with regulators, registries can also set and enforce rules for their TLD - e.g. auDA upholds restrictions around who can register different types of .nz domains.
Regulator: An official body that sets rules for domains within a particular TLD. Some examples: ICANN is the regulator for .com, and Domain Name Commission for .nz. Regulators can control prices, put restrictions on who can register particular domains, and set other rules.
Renewal: When you register a domain, you choose a period (usually 1-10 years). After that time you have the option to renew it, i.e. to retain ownership for another period of 1-10 years. Also see auto-renewal.
Reseller: A company that sits between a domain retailer and registry. There can be multiple resellers in a single supply chain or transaction. The highest-level seller in any chain is the registrar. By working through resellers, retailers can offer more TLDs. In return, resellers add a margin to the domain's wholesale price.
Retailer: A company or provider that you can buy domains from. Some retailers are registrars. Most are resellers. No matter which retailer you go through, the same registry sits at the top of each TLD's supply chain.
Second-level domain: Second-level domains are easiest to define with examples. The .co in .com.nz and the .gov in .gov.nz are second-level domains.
SPF: Sender Policy Framework - a specific type of TXT record used to help authenticate email senders.
Subdomain: A domain with two separate parts before the TLD. here.example.com is a subdomain of example.com.
TLD: Top-level domain. This is the bit that comes after the dot, for example .nz, .au, or .com. Different TLDs have different registries, different pricing structures, and different uses. See also: ccTLD, gTLD.
Transfer: Domain owners can transfer domains from one retailer to another.
TXT record: A flexible type of DNS record that records text. TXT records can be for humans to read, or they can be formatted for machines. Examples of machine-readable TXT records include SPF, DMARC, and DKIM records.
UDAI: No longer in use, Unique Domain Authentication IDs used to apply to .nz domains. They have been replaced with Auth codes.
WHOIS: You can use a WHOIS lookup to find public information about a domain - like who owns it, when it was registered, and the name server(s) that it points to.Domain privacy can be used to hide the contact information that a WHOIS lookup would reveal.

Simple NZ domain price comparisons

2026-01-14T00:00:00Z

Just the data that matters to you: Simple domain price comparisons for stress-free shopping #

As you can read in how we calculate prices, the prices you see here on Domain Compare are the full New Zealand dollar renewal price that each retailer charges for one domain for one year.

This is one number that every retailer needs to know, even if it’s not front and centre on their website. When you’re looking for the cheapest .nz domain it makes sense to know what it will cost in a normal year. So we ignore introductory specials, short-term discounts, bundles of domains and other things, and discounts for bulk purchases or terms longer than a year.

Domain pricing isn’t everything, but it’s a very good start #

Comparing domain providers is never perfectly apples-to-apples. Some retailers are better for managing hundreds of domains with slick tools, while others squeeze dollars hard and give you a more bare-bones experience. Some use aggressive discounting to create an amazing first impression. Others want your purchase to be the start of a long customer relationship. We can’t quantify any of this, or at least not in a way that would make comparisons easy, so we don’t try to.

What we do try to do is to make Domain Compare as fair as possible, and quick and easy to use. Price will always matter and always be directly comparable. Usefully, a median price is reported by the Domain Name Commission, so you can see who’s above or below that handy marker.

Another way we keep it simple is by being all about .nz domains. Just New Zealand’s ccTLD. That’s partly to make price comparisons easier - not every retailer has the same price on .nz and .com domains, for example - and because we couldn’t find anywhere else where New Zealanders could easily find the up-to-date info that we collate here.

The other info in our simple domain price comparison table #

We’ve included overall summaries of reviews, and colour-coded the results like a traffic light system. The data comes from either Google reviews or Trustpilot, depending on where each provider is visible. Trustpilot is our preferred source, because that platform is good at identifying real customers rather than junk reviews. Google reviews are a reliable-enough backup.

Review platforms are not directly comparable, so don’t read too much into small differences.

Domain privacy is the most common extra that people pay for, so we include it in our comparison table. It’s often useful to get domains and hosting from one provider, so we include that.

Web Hosting is commonly offered by domain retailers, and it’s often handy to get both things from one provider. So we show you which companies offer both. Our price comparisons don’t include hosting.

DNS Records: A Beginners' Guide

2025-12-03T00:00:00Z

Name server configuration can feel daunting. You’re doing your best to follow instructions, but different sites seem to tell you different things. You’re pretty sure you have entered the right values, but you’re not entirely sure what they’ll do. It can be a frustrating situation and often comes down to a limited understanding of DNS fundamentals. Without this foundation, it is easy to feel stuck and start trying every solution you can find, just hoping one works.

Let's take a step back and build a solid understanding of what DNS really does.

What is DNS? #

When a machine looks for your domain, for example when someone visits your website or sends you an email, it first contacts a nameserver. The nameserver stores your DNS records, which direct your request to the right place, such as your website or inbox. These records don’t live on your webserver but on the nameserver itself, and they contain the information needed to perform the machine-to-machine connection smoothly.

To learn more about a DNS read up on how your domain name connects web browsers to your website.

DNS Record Types #

DNS acts as the internet’s contact list, with DNS records operating like the individual fields in a contact entry. Just as a contact may contain multiple fields of information, such as a home phone, work phone, email, or address, a domain name can have different types of DNS records storing important information.

A Record (Address Record) #

An A record acts like a home address, serving as the main hosting address. It connects a domain name to an IPv4 address, allowing web browsers to locate the server hosting the website.

An IPv4 address is essentially a unique number that identifies a device on a network. If a website is migrated to a new server, the A record must be updated to reflect the new server location.

A records only work with IPv4 addresses, which use a 32-bit system, limiting the total number of addresses to around 4 billion. This limitation led to the creation of IPv6 to support the internet's growth.

AAAA (Quad-A Record) #

The AAAA record functions just like an A record does but specifically for IPv6 addresses. Their purpose aligns but their address format support differs.

IPv6 addresses use a 128-bit scheme, represented in hexadecimal notation, with segments separated by colons. This may sound confusing but it’s really just a way of writing numbers using 16 symbols (0-9 and A-F), which makes it easier to work with computer numbers than using long strings of 0s and 1s.

This expansion addresses the concerns regarding the impact of internet growth on the possible IPv4 combinations.

Both A and AAAA records can list multiple IP addresses on a single domain name. This allows for – if one server fails, another can take over – and advances routing, which sends users to different servers based on factors like location, server load, or availability, making websites faster and more reliable.

CNAME Record (Canonical Name Record) #

A CNAME record allows one domain name to act as an alias for another main domain, called the canonical domain.

A common example is the “www” version of a website, under which www.example.com can point to example.com.

This is particularly useful when different parts of a site run on separate servers. For example, your main website could be on one server, whilst your blog subdomain is on another, but both can still use the same main domain name, maintaining brand consistency.

MX Record (Mail Exchange Record) #

An MX record tells the internet where to deliver emails for your domain, directing incoming emails to the correct mail server. When someone sends you an email their mail server checks your domain’s MX records to find out which server is responsible for handling your emails. Many domains have multiple MX records with priority settings, meaning emails can still arrive even if one server is down, ensuring reliable email delivery.

TXT Record (Text Record) #

Text records operate as a note attached to your domain providing the internet with important information. As the name suggests, you can store any text you like as a TXT record. There are some formats of TXT records that do specific jobs, for example helping mail systems recognise that you are not a malicious spammer. Examples of things you can do with TXT records include:

Verifying domain ownership – For example Google Search Console provides a unique code which, when saved as a TXT record, confirms you as the domain owner and adds the domain to your Search Console.
Communicating email sender policies (SPF) – These identify which servers send emails from your domain. A mismatch is a potential sign of spam.
Protecting your domain from misuse (DMARC) – Another email-related policy, DMARC works with SPF and guides recipients who are handling suspicious emails.

SRV Record (Service Record) #

SRV records tell the internet where to find a specific service on your domain, like instant messages, voice over, or other applications. They provide the hostname and port numbers, allowing for service discovery without requiring knowledge of the IP address.

SRV follow this specific format:

_service._protocol.domain.com

Choosing a Domain Provider #

It is crucial to note that not all domain providers allow you to create or manage all types of DNS records. Some only allow basic records like A or CNAME, while others may charge extra for premium DNS features.

This is an important consideration to keep in mind when comparing different domain providers. See our comparison table for a side-by-side look at prices and features.

DNS doesn't have to be DIY #

Managing DNS records might seem complicated at first, but understanding what each record does makes it much easier. Setting them up correctly helps ensure your website, email, and other online services run smoothly.

If you are unsure or lack experience with DNS, this is another reason to look for high-quality support when you choose your domain or hosting provider. Their advice and guidance can ensure proper DNS configuration for you.

Melbourne IT - domain prices, ownership and more information

2025-10-30T00:00:00Z

Domain Compare gives you the facts about some of the best-known providers of New Zeland domain names. Read on to discover who owns Melbourne IT, what their domains cost, how they are rated by customers, and more.

What do .au domains cost at Melbourne IT?

As you can see on our comparison table Melbourne IT is one of the more expensive options. Their standard price for a .nz domain is $150.52/yr (after converting from AUD to NZD. They also offer web hosting.

Who owns Melbourne IT?

Melbourne IT was established in 1996 and in 2014 it was acquired by NetRegistry (which was founded 1997), combining the two companies. Both are now owned by Webcentral Group, an Australian web hosting and domain name company. NetRegistry was absorbed into the Webcentral brand; Melbourne IT operates under its own brand.

What do ratings and reviews say about Melbourne IT?

Trustpilot reviews have MelbourneIT reviews and ratings sitting at 4.4 / 5 as of October 2025.

Is Melbourne IT a registrar or reseller of .au domains?

Melbourne IT is listed by the DNC’s as an accredited registrars, under the name NetRegistry Pty Ltd t/a WebCentral/Melbourne IT. Learn the difference between domain registrars and resellers.

Is Melbourne IT on social media?

Yes, Melbourne IT is active on Facebook and LinkedIn, they also have an inactive account on X.

Where does Melbourne IT report outages?

Melbourne IT reports outages on their Service Status page, linked under the resources heading on their website. The status page details the current status of a number of services and links previous notices reported.

Metaname - domain prices, ownership and more information

2025-10-03T00:00:00Z

Domain Compare gives you the facts about some of New Zealand’s biggest and best-known providers of domain names. Read on to discover who owns Metaname, what their domains cost, how they are rated by customers, and more.

What do .nz domains cost at Metaname?

Metaname’s regular annual price for .nz domain names is $44.27. This is higher than the median on our price comparison table.

Who owns Metaname?

Metaname is run by Amiton, a privately held New Zealand-owned company based in Christchurch.

What do ratings and reviews say about Metaname?

The only online review platform we could find for Metaname is Trustpilot, where they have an overall score of 4.2 / 5 from 6 reviews (as of October 2025).

Is Metaname a registrar or reseller of .nz domains?

Metaname is a domain registrar, listed by the DNC as “Amiton Ltd T/A Metaname”. Learn the difference between domain registrars and resellers.

Is Metaname on social media?

Metaname does not have accounts on Facebook, X, LinkedIn or Instagram.

Where does Metaname report outages?

Metaname does not have a public webpage or site where they report on outages or network status.

About KiwiData, aka Web Connect - NZ domain retailer

2025-10-03T00:00:00Z

Domain Compare gives you the facts about some of New Zealand’s biggest and best-known providers of domain names. Read on to discover who owns KiwiData, what their domains cost, and more.

What do .nz domains cost at KiwiData?

KiwiData’s regular price for .nz domains is $34.43 per year (excluding GST). This is lower than the median on our domain price comparison table. They also offer web hosting and other services.

Who owns KiwiData?

KiwiData is a New Zealand-owned business. The name originated with a company founded in 2010, but the business has a much longer history.

It grew from an auto services company originally called Supertint, now Big Noise. Digital services were added under the Big Noise name in 1998, and rebranded to Web Connect in 2016. In 2021 the owner of Web Connect acquired KiwiData (founded 2010) and in 2023 KiwiData and Web Connect merged.

The name Web Connect still appears in some places, for example on social media profiles.

What do ratings and reviews say about KiwiData?

We could not find any customer ratings or reviews of KiwiData, or of its predecessor brand Web Connect.

Is KiwiData a registrar or reseller of .nz domains?

KiwiData is a registrar listed by the Domain Name Commission as “Big Noise Group Ltd t/a Kiwidata”. Learn the difference between domain registrars and resellers.

Is KiwiData on social media?

KiwiData is active on Facebook (as “KiwiData Webconnect”) and present but currently inactive on Twitter.

Where does KiwiData report outages?

There is a “Network Status” link in the KiwiData client area, but it requires a login.

About Freeparking NZ: Ownership, domain prices, reviews

2025-09-23T00:00:00Z

Domain Compare gives you the facts about some of New Zealand’s biggest and best-known providers of domain names. While Freeparking has been absorbed into Crazy Domains, here’s some historical information about their ownership, customer ratings, and more.

What did .nz domains cost at Freeparking?

In September 2025, when Freeparking last traded, the going rate for a .nz domain was $53.95 per year.

Who owned Freeparking?

Freeparking was founded in New Zealand, but did not end up as a New Zealand-owned company. After acquiring a number of local brands including Discount Domains to build the 'Freeparking Group', a private equity deal saw the business become a division of Dreamscape Networks.

This made Freeparking part of an American giant called Newfold Digital, previously known as Web.com, and ultimately turned it into an arm of Singapore-based Crazy Domains.

What did ratings and reviews say about Freeparking?

As of September 2025, Freeparking had these ratings:

Google Reviews: 2.4 / 5 (21 reviews).
Trustpilot: 4.0 / 5, which is classified as 'Great'.
Website Planet: 4.2 stars.

Is Freeparking a registrar or reseller of .nz domains?

Freeparking is a .nz registrar, not just a reseller. Some other members of the Freeparking Group are registrars as well, listed under names like 'Freeparking Ltd t/a Discount Domains'. Learn the difference between domain registrars and resellers.

Was Freeparking on social media?

The last time Freeparking posted on Facebook was 2023 and the last time Freeparking posted on Instagram was 2022.

Where did Freeparking report outages?

If there was an outage, Freeparking’s website had a ‘Network Status’ page.

Why Domain Compare and the DNC report different median prices

2025-09-19T00:00:00Z

How much does the median retailer charge for .nz domains? One answer is "about $40, give or take". Another answer is that it depends what you mean by "retailer", and a few other things.

The Domain Name Commission's monthly market data includes a median retail price, and we've reported that same figure above our price comparison table. Today, that price is $38.50. But if you take all the prices in the comparison table and do the maths, you'll come up with a different, higher median of $41.96.

This is down to the different approaches that we take to collecting domain prices.

The DNC: Registrars only, taxes and specials included #

Under its charts the DNC has small print that says, "prices reflect the median price buy in NZD (incl tax) including any promotions. Sample based on NZ accredited registrars."

Most domain retailers are resellers, not registrars. By only collecting data from registrars, the DNC overlooks the majority of companies or websites where .nz domains are sold.

Another difference is tax. The DNC includes tax (GST) in its price data, while we don't. Excluding GST, their median price drops from $38.50 to $33.48.

If you think that $33.48 seems low, you're right. Since the DNC accepts promotional prices, that's always going to skew the data downward.

Domain Compare: Popular retailers' everyday prices, excl. GST #

We think it's fairer to report ongoing prices, a.k.a. renewal prices, rather than one-off specials. The vast majority of domains are held for many years, long after introductory prices or first-year discounts have expired.

And since a lot of domains are bought by businesses, who don't pay GST, we leave that out of our data as well.

Then there are resellers. When we decide who to include on our comparison table, the main goal is to list retailers that you're likely to consider when you're shopping for domains. We look broadly across the domain market, including resellers and overseas providers. It's understandable why the DNC only includes registrars - it's a small and well-defined group, so it's possible to collect every price - but we'd rather reflect the messier reality of the world that you shop in.

Image by Deng Xiang on Unsplash

NZ domain retailer The Domain Name Company's prices, reviews, ownership

2025-09-19T00:00:00Z

Domain Compare gives you the facts about some of the biggest and best-known providers of .nz domain names. Read on to discover what The Domain Name Company charges for NZ domains, how they are rated by customers, and more.

What do .nz domains cost at The Domain Name Company?

The Domain Name Company charges $29 for a single .nz domain name, excluding GST. While their home page currently (as of September 2025) quotes a much lower price of $16.50, this is inaccurate. Claims that The Domain Name Company are “the cheapest in the market” are not true. Check our home page to quickly compare prices from other retailers.

Who owns The Domain Name Company?

The Domain Name Company is a company registered in New Zealand, with almost 100% of its shares owned by a Singaporean financial services firm, Parker Wright. The other owner is an individual in Hong Kong. This is why we have it listed as a foreign-owned retailer.

What do ratings and reviews say about The Domain Name Company?

As of September 2025, The Domain Name Company has an overall rating of 4.3 on Trustpilot (9 reviews). We could not find any other reviews or ratings, although the site is listed on G2 and WHTop.

Is The Domain Name Company a registrar or reseller of .nz domains?

The Domain Name Company is listed as a registrar by the Domain Name Commission. Learn the difference between domain registrars and resellers.

Is The Domain Name Company on social media?

You can find The Domain Name Company on X, and they have also started posting on Instagram recently.

Where does The Domain Name Company report outages?

There is a ‘Network Status’ link on The Domain Name Company’s website. You need to be logged in to see where it leads.

Rocketspark a good domain retailer? Prices, reviews, more

2025-09-19T00:00:00Z

Domain Compare gives you the facts about some of New Zealand’s biggest and best-known providers of domain names. Read on to discover who owns Rocketspark, what their domains cost, how they are rated by customers, and more.

What do .nz domains cost at Rocketspark?

Rocketspark's claim to offer the best available domain pricing is based on a one-year introductory price. Their ongoing renewal price, as reported in our price comparison table, is $39.00. They also offer website building software.

Who owns Rocketspark?

Rocketspark has been in business since 2008 and is owned by its founders. It is a New Zealand-owned company.

What do ratings and reviews say about Rocketspark?

Rocketspark's public ratings and reviews, which focus mostly on their website builder, include:

2.5 / 5 ('Poor') on Trustpilot, based on five reviews.
4.1 / 5 on Website Planet, a ranking of 203 / 251.
5 / 5 on G2, based on 22 reviews.

Is Rocketspark a registrar or reseller of .nz domains?

Rocketspark is an accredited domain registrar, not a reseller. Learn the difference between domain registrars and resellers.

Is Rocketspark on social media?

Yes, Rocketspark is active on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. They have a less active profile on X, and last posted on TikTok in 2023.

Where does Rocketspark report outages?

Rocketspark's status reporting happens on a stand-alone subdomain. It reports on different geographic regions and services, and also records recent past incidents.

About SiteHost: Ownership, domain prices, reviews

2025-09-18T00:00:00Z

Domain Compare gives you the facts about some of New Zealand’s biggest and best-known providers of domain names. Read on to discover who owns SiteHost, what their domains cost, how they are rated by customers, and more.

What do .nz domains cost at SiteHost?

Amongst the .nz domain prices that you’ll find in the comparison table on our home page, SiteHost comes in at $39.50/yr. That’s close to the median. They also sell services including Web Hosting and servers.

Who owns SiteHost?

SiteHost was founded in 2004 by the owners of SiteTech Group. The group remains New Zealand-owned and now also includes MyHost and Domains Direct.

What do ratings and reviews say about SiteHost?

Looking online for reviews and ratings for SiteHost, you’ll find:

4.9 / 5 on Trustpilot
4.7 on Google reviews
4.5 on Website Planet

Is SiteHost a registrar or reseller of .nz domains?

SiteHost is effectively a registrar. You won’t find their name on the Domain Name Commission’s list of accredited registrars, but that’s because their parent company is represented by another brand, SiteName. Learn the difference between domain registrars and resellers.

Is SiteHost on social media?

Yes, SiteHost is active on LinkedIn, Bluesky and Facebook. They have a less active profile on X as well.

Where does SiteHost report outages?

SiteHost's status reporting happens on a separate website that breaks their services into twelve categories and retains a long history of incident reports.

About MyHost NZ: Ownership, domain prices, reviews

2025-09-18T00:00:00Z

Domain Compare gives you the facts about some of New Zealand’s biggest and best-known providers of domain names. Read on to discover who owns MyHost, what their domains cost, how they are rated by customers, and more.

What do .nz domains cost at MyHost?

As you’ll see on our comparison table, MyHost's regular price for .nz domains is $29.95/yr. That’s well below the median and one of the lowest costs that we track. They also sell Web Hosting.

Who owns MyHost?

MyHost was founded in 2000 and became part of SiteTech Group in 2009. They are New Zealand-owned, along with other SiteTech companies including Domains Direct and SiteHost. The same company also operates in Australia.

What do ratings and reviews say about MyHost?

As of October 2024, MyHost's online reviews and ratings include:

4.8 / 5 on Trustpilot
4.6 on Google Reviews

If you look for more reviews, don’t get NZ’s MyHost mixed up with the separate Irish company that’s also called MyHost.

Is MyHost a registrar or reseller of .nz domains?

MyHost is not listed as a domain registrar by the Domain Name Commission. MyHost's parent company owns and operates SiteName, which is an accredited registrar. Learn the difference between domain registrars and resellers.

Is MyHost on social media?

Yes, MyHost is active on Facebook and Bluesky. They also have an inactive X profile.

Where does MyHost report outages?

MyHost has a Network Status page in its clients' area, as well as a stand-alone status page on its own domain, where each server is monitored separately.

NZ domain retailer GoDaddy - prices, reviews, ownership and more

2025-09-18T00:00:00Z

Domain Compare gives you the facts about some of the biggest and best-known providers of .nz domain names. Read on to discover what GoDaddy charges for NZ domains, how they are rated by customers, and more.

What do .nz domains cost at GoDaddy?

As you’ll see on our home page, the regular price for a .nz domain at GoDaddy is $39.99 a year (as of September 2025). They also sell Web Hosting. GoDaddy only offers three NZ TLDs: .co.nz, .net.nz, and .org.nz. If you try a domain search like example.nz, GoDaddy cannot help.

Who owns GoDaddy?

GoDaddy is a publicly traded, American company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. It is one of the world’s largest domain registrars. Its history of mergers and acquisitions is long enough to have its own page on Wikipedia, and its ownership history includes large private equity investments from KKR and Silver Lake Partners.

What do ratings and reviews say about GoDaddy?

As of September 2025, GoDaddy’s online reviews include:

Trustpilot: 4.5 / 5, which is classified as ‘Excellent’
Product Review (Australia): 1.1 stars
G2: 3.9 / 5 (GoDaddy Domains has a specific listing)

Is GoDaddy a registrar or reseller of .nz domains?

GoDaddy is not on the Domain Name Commission’s list of .nz registrars. GoDaddy is a .nz reseller. They say, 'Key Systems is our backend provider for the country-code top-level domain name (ccTLD) .nz extension that represents New Zealand.' Learn the difference between domain registrars and resellers.

Is GoDaddy on social media?

GoDaddy is active on Facebook, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Where does GoDaddy report outages?

GoDaddy maintains a Status Page that reports on 13 systems including 'Domain services' and includes one week’s worth of past events.

About Domains Direct NZ: Ownership, domain prices, reviews

2025-09-18T00:00:00Z

Domain Compare gives you the facts about some of New Zealand’s biggest and best-known providers of domain names. Read on to discover who owns Domains Direct, what their domains cost, how they are rated by customers, and more.

What do .nz domains cost at Domains Direct?

Domains Direct have the lowest .nz domain price on our comparison table. It’s $23.60 per year, which is nearly half the median price. They do not sell Web Hosting, but they offer deals on hosting from MyHost.

Who owns Domains Direct?

Domains Direct was founded in 2016 and was taken over by SiteTech Group in 2020. SiteTech Group began in 2004 and is New Zealand-owned. It also includes MyHost and SiteHost.

What do ratings and reviews say about Domains Direct?

The only online review platform with more than one post about Domains Direct is Google reviews, where they have an average 4.2 stars.

Is Domains Direct a registrar or reseller of .nz domains?

Domains Direct is a domain reseller, not an accredited registrar. Learn the difference between domain registrars and resellers.

Is Domains Direct on social media?

No. Domains Direct has inactive accounts on Facebook, X and LinkedIn.

Where does Domains Direct report outages?

Domains Direct does not have a webpage or site where they report on outages or network status.

About Crazy Domains - NZ domain prices, reviews, outages and more

2025-09-18T00:00:00Z

Domain Compare gives you the facts about some of New Zealand’s biggest and best-known providers of domain names. Read on to discover who owns Crazy Domains, how they are rated by customers, and more.

What do .nz domains cost at Crazy Domains?

As evident from our home page, Crazy Domains are one of the more affordable domain options. As of January 2026, the price for a .nz domain at Crazy Domains is $35 per year. This is lower than the median price.

Who owns Crazy Domains?

Crazy Domains was established in 2007 in Australia. Today, Crazy Domains is a multinational company operated by Dreamscapes Networks International Pte Ltd, which is based in Singapore.

It has absorbed other Dreamscape-owned brands like Freeparking.

What do ratings and reviews say about Crazy Domains?

As of September 2025, Crazy Domains is rated on multiple review sites:

Trustpilot:
- “Crazy Domains AU” has a score of 4.4 / 5 (“Excellent”) from 6,817 reviews.
- “Crazy Domains”, which is connected to a Dreamscape Networks web address, has a score of 1.5 / 5 (“Bad”) from 31 reviews.
Product Review Australia: 3.5 / 5 (1,839 reviews).
G2: 2.0 / 5 (27 reviews).
Website Planet: 4.7 / 5.
WHTop: 1.6 / 10 (7 reviews).

With large international companies like Crazy Domains, a lot of online reviews might not reflect the NZ experience. Look for NZ reviews specifically.

Is Crazy Domains a registrar or reseller of .nz domains?

The Domain Name Commission lists Crazy Domains as a registrar, under the name ‘Dreamscape Networks International Pte Ltd t/a Crazy Domains’. Learn the difference between domain registrars and resellers.

Is Crazy Domains on social media?

Crazy Domains is active on Instagram and Facebook, posting around every three days. However, they haven't posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) since 2016.

Where does Crazy Domains report outages?

The Crazy Domains status page records the current status of numerous services, and shows incidents reports from the last two weeks.

Affordable Domains an affordable choice? Prices, reviews, more

2025-09-18T00:00:00Z

Domain Compare gives you the facts about some of New Zealand’s biggest and best-known providers of domain names. Read on to discover who owns Affordable Domains, what their domains cost, how they are rated by customers, and more.

What do .nz domains cost at Affordable Domains?

As you’ll see in our domain price comparison table, Affordable Domains charges $33/year for .nz domains. That’s competitive, below the median price. They also sell Web Hosting.

Who owns Affordable Domains?

Since 2016, GlobiCom Ltd has owned Affordable Domains. GlobiCom is a New Zealand-owned company that also owns and operates other Web Hosting companies.

What do ratings and reviews say about Affordable Domains?

The only source of online reviews and ratings we could find for Affordable Domains is Google reviews, where they have an overall rating of 3.7.

Is Affordable Domains a registrar or reseller of .nz domains?

Affordable Domains is listed as an accredited registrar by the Domain Name Commission. They are not a reseller of NZ domains. Learn the difference between domain registrars and resellers.

Is Affordable Domains on social media?

Affordable Domains are active on Facebook, where they also have a second dormant account. They last posted to Instagram in 2019.

Where does Affordable Domains report outages?

The Affordable Domains website includes a Network Issues page which has space for current, scheduled, and resolved issues.

1st Domains - domain prices, ownership and more information

2025-09-18T00:00:00Z

Domain Compare gives you the facts about some of New Zealand’s biggest and best-known providers of domain names. Read on to discover who owns 1st Domains, what their domains cost, how they are rated by customers, and more.

What do .nz domains cost at 1st Domains?

As you can see on our home page, 1st Domains have a regular .nz domain price of $39.50 per year. That’s slightly above the median value. They also sell web hosting.

Who owns 1st Domains?

1st Domains was founded 2003 and later acquired by Voyager Internet Ltd, which is New Zealand-owned. 1st Domains is based in Christchurch.

What do ratings and reviews say about 1st Domains?

Online ratings and reviews for 1st Domains include:

4.5 / 5 on Google Reviews
4.8 on G2
4.4 on Website Planet.

Is 1st Domains a registrar or reseller of .nz domains?

The Domain Name Commission lists 1st Domains as an accredited registrar. Learn the difference between domain registrars and resellers.

Is 1st Domains on social media?

1st Domains are on Facebook and X. Their parent company, Voyager, also has multiple social media accounts.

Where does 1st Domains report outages?

1st Domains has a dedicated Status page on its parent company's domains. It splits its live reporting into six service categories. It also shows incident reports from the last few days.

About Discount Domains NZ: Ownership, domain prices, reviews

2025-09-17T00:00:00Z

Domain Compare gives you the facts about some of New Zealand’s biggest and best-known providers of domain names. Read on to discover who owns Discount Domains, how they are rated by customers, and more.

What do .nz domains cost at Discount Domains?

As you can see on our home page, Discount Domains are far from the cheapest option - despite their name. As of September 2025, their regular price for a .nz domain is $38.95 per year. They also offer web hosting.

Who owns Discount Domains?

Discount Domains was founded in 2003. Within five years it had joined up with Digiweb, which was absorbed into a company called Umbrellar in 2015. This brought it into the same stable as Freeparking, which went through an international buy-out in 2020. Today the 'Freeparking Group' is a division of Dreamscape Networks, which also owns Crazy Domains. That makes it part of an American giant called Newfold Digital, previously known as Web.com. To un-complicate things from there, let’s just say that this was all part of a multi-billion dollar private equity deal. While Discount Domains started out as a New Zealand-owned company, those days are long gone.

What do ratings and reviews say about Discount Domains?

As of September 2025, Discount Domains has these ratings:

Trustpilot: 1.8 / 5, which is classified as 'Poor'.
Website Planet: 4.2 stars, ranking 1676 / 3860 competitors.
No Google reviews.
No user ratings on WHTop.

Is Discount Domains a registrar or reseller of .nz domains?

The Domain Name Commission lists Discount Domains as a registrar, under the name 'Freeparking Ltd t/a Discount Domains'.
Learn the difference between domain registrars and resellers.

Is Discount Domains on social media?

Currently inactive. The last time Discount Domains posted on Facebook or Twitter (as X was called at the time) was 2021.

Where does Discount Domains report outages?

If there’s a Discount Domains outage, their website has a ‘Network Status’ page where you ought to be able to find details (so long as their website is still up).

New Zealand domain and hosting provider Freeparking to join Crazy Domains

2025-09-05T00:00:00Z

One of the best-known brands in the New Zealand domain market, Freeparking, is set to disappear. This month Freeparking will be absorbed into Crazy Domains, a larger international brand with the same owners, Singapore-based Dreamscape Networks. You can read all about Crazy Domains in our explainer blog post.

This merger is due to happen on September 22. For now, both brands are still listed on our domain price comparison table, Freeparking at $53.99 and Crazy Domains at $35. Freeparking have said that Crazy Domains’ prices will prevail after the merger, but we won’t update our table until the brands are merged and everything is confirmed publicly.

We will also be keeping a close eye on Discount Domains, which is another Dreamscape-owned brand. There has been no indication that anything is changing there, but today Discount Domains describes itself as “managed by the Freeparking Group”. When Freeparking disappears, this may change.

Industry statistics: How many .nz domains are there?

2025-08-21T00:00:00Z

Have you ever wondered how many .nz domains there are on the internet? The Domain Name Commission (DNC) has the info that you’re looking for.

Their Market Data page tracks the total number of registered .nz domains (whether or not they have a website attached to them), and a few other interesting stats. The most recent data goes up to July 2025, and here’s what it’s telling us.

755,569 .nz domains #

The most recent total is 755,569 domains, or a little under 1 for every 7 people in New Zealand. It sounds like a lot, but it’s not the highest ever recorded. That number is exactly 758,495 domains, in June 2023. As you can see below a big dip followed, so getting up to where we are now has been a bit of a journey. 2023 was a year of unusual decline, and 2024 was literally up and down. This year the total has climbed steadily, which is a good change to see.

The annual growth rate is around 1% #

That steady growth has reached a year-on-year rate of 1%. That’s another way of saying that if you took the total from July 2024 and added another 1%, you’d get this July’s total. It’s been two years since the growth rate was that high, so it’s another good sign. For a bit of an international comparison, we can tell you that the current year-on-year growth rate for Australia’s .au domains is 0.7%. If 1% growth continues, then total .nz domains will reach a new record before the end of the year. But that’s a big “if”.

86% of expired domains are renewed - less than usual #

Every month, a certain number of domains reach their expiry date. Most of those domains are renewed by their owners, and some are left to lapse. At the same time, people register new domains as well. That gives us a simple recipe for the total number of domain names.

Renewed domains stay in the total.
Lapsed domains are subtracted from the total.
New domains are added to the total.

For the overall total to grow, the number of new domains has to be bigger than the number of domains that aren’t renewed. And right now, New Zealand is in less of a renewing mood than usual.

An average of around 90% was normal for years, but in 2022 this trend turned lower. It got as low as 80% and has slowly crept back up to 86%.

Why are domain owners letting more things lapse than usual? One leading theory is that a covid-era boom in ideas for websites and small businesses is working its way out of the system. You can register a new domain for as many as 10 years so it can take a long time for an impulse purchase, or an idea that never panned out, to appear in the renewal statistics.

If the renewal ratio keeps improving, that will aid future growth.

The DNC also reports price data #

Another piece of information on the same DNC Market Data page is the current median price for .nz domains. This is the figure that we quote on our home page, and it’s a good reminder to compare prices from different retailers before you register a new domain.

New NZ domain price announcements for July 2025

2025-06-26T00:00:00Z

In July 2025 wholesale prices for NZ domain prices will increase. As retailers and registrars announce NZ price rises, we’ll post them.

As we have already reported, across-the-board price rises are coming to .nz domains soon. On July 1, the wholesale cost of .nz domains is going up by $4. A lot of retailers are bound to lift prices as a result, and some of them have already announced their plans. Others may already have made their move. The next update to our domain price comparison table will happen in early July, after this round of price rises has been locked in. In the meantime we’ll collect any announcements here so you know what to expect. If there’s any news that we’ve missed, please let us know so we can update this page. Just email compare@domaincompare.nz and we’ll be glad to share the details.

Providers with pre-announced price rises #

These new prices all take effect on 1 July. Links point straight to the price announcements that we’re quoting from.

Retailer	Old price	New price (1 year)	Increase
Domains Direct	$21.50	$23.50	$2.00
The Domain Name Company	$25.00	$29.00	$4.00
MyHost	$25.95	$29.95	$4.00
Hoopla Hosting	$24.50	$29.99	$5.49
Metaname	$30.00	$38.50	$8.50
1st Domains	$33.50	$39.50	$6.00
Rocketspark	$35.00	$ 39.00	$4.00
SiteHost	$35.00	$39.50	$4.50

Providers with recent price rises #

These recent price rises have taken effect since the last update of our comparison table. We don’t know whether any of these prices will change again in July or not.

Vetta Online from $35.00 to $42.50.
KiwiData (formerly Web Connect) from $28.00 to $30.43.
Affordable Domains from $28.00 to $33.00.
Enlighten Domain from $35.95 to $43.95.
The Packing Shed from $40.00 to $45.00.

Shopping around for NZ domains? Keep a close eye on prices #

We’re doing our best to let you know about coming price rises, but not every provider has announced their plans yet. When you choose a domain retailer you would ideally know what they’ll charge you for renewals in the future. If you can’t find an answer, it can be a good idea to ask before you sign up. Otherwise, check back here at Domain Compare and we’ll keep you updated.

Get ready for across-the-board .nz price increases

2025-04-11T00:00:00Z

Every time you register or renew a .nz domain registration or renewal, no matter which retailer you go through, InternetNZ collects the domain’s wholesale price. Since 2020 that price hasn’t changed, but on 1 July 2025 it’s going up by $4, or more than 20%.

That means that every .nz domain retailer will face higher costs when you register or renew a domain. It’s their choice whether they pass that whole increase (or more) onto you or not.

For a lot of the domain retailers that we track on our home page, especially the cheapest ones, the wholesale price is easily the largest component of their retail price. Since the coming increase is so large, our guess is that we’ll see a lot of retailers increase their prices on 1 July 2025. You can rely on us to update our table as quickly as we can.

What’s InternetNZ? #

Put simply, InternetNZ sits at the top of the domain name supply chain. It is a not-for-profit organisation that regulates the .nz namespace. Rules made by InternetNZ apply to everyone who retails or owns .nz domains. The same organisation also runs the registry, which is the technical system behind .nz domains.

According to their recent announcement, “the direct cost of running our infrastructure has increased by approximately 75%” since 2020, and “resource costs have also increased by approximately 30%”.

Since the number of registered .nz domains is quite static, rather than growing, InternetNZ is looking to recoup these costs from their existing customer base rather than bank on future registrations to add to their bottom line.

What this means for domain owners and domain buyers #

Firstly, expect .nz prices from a lot of retailers, especially the lowest-cost ones, to go up in the middle of 2025. Retailers with higher prices might be able to absorb the new cost rather than pass it on.

Secondly, remember that any renewals or registrations before then will happen at today’s prices. You lock in a domain for years to come in one payment today.

Thirdly, this could change price competitiveness in the industry. Keep an eye on our comparison table so you’re always up to date with the latest prices from dozens of .nz retailers.

NZ-owned suppliers of .nz domains

2024-11-01T00:00:00Z

It’s not always easy to find out exactly which retailers of .nz domains are actually New Zealand-owned companies. If you want to deal with a local provider, as well as compare domain prices easily, then Domain Compare has the details you need.

This list doesn’t contain every possible retailer, but we will add to it over time.

New Zealand-owned domain retailers #

1st Domains, part of the Voyager Group.
Affordable Domains, part of GlobiCom.
Domains Direct, part of SiteTech Group.
KiwiData (a.k.a. Web Connect), privately owned.
Metaname, privately owned.
MyHost, part of SiteTech Group.
Rocketspark, privately owned.
SiteHost, part of SiteTech Group.

Foreign-owned retailers of NZ domains #

These retailers started out as New Zealand companies but are now foreign-owned:

Discount Domains, part of the Freeparking Group.
The Domain Name Company, whose shareholders are based in Singapore and Hong Kong.
Freeparking, bought by Dreamscape Networks/Newfold Digital and now merged into Crazy Domains.

These retailers are fully international companies selling .nz domains:

Crazy Domains (Singapore)
GoDaddy (USA)
Marcaria (USA)
MelbourneIT (Australia)
Porkbun (USA)

How we calculate prices?

2024-05-17T00:00:00Z

When it comes to finding the right domain registrar, understanding the true cost of ownership is key. At DomainCompare.nz, we're dedicated to providing you with transparent pricing information to help you make informed decisions.

We calculate the price based on the renewal price for one domain for one year, excluding Goods and Services Tax (GST), in New Zealand Dollars (NZD). We believe this approach gives you a realistic view of the ongoing cost of maintaining your domain. While some registrars may offer a reduced registration price, they often charge significantly higher renewal fees. By focusing on the renewal price, we help you avoid any surprises down the road.

When some providers list their prices in currencies, we convert these prices to NZD at the current exchange rate (at the time of the comparison table update). This allows for easy comparison across different registrars, ensuring you're getting the best deal.

If you're a provider and notice any discrepancies in the pricing information on our site, please reach out to us at compare@domaincompare.nz. We're committed to maintaining the accuracy and integrity of our comparison platform.

How many .nz domains are there in 2024?

2024-04-17T00:00:00Z

There are roughly around 750,000 .nz domain names registered right now (we’re writing this in April 2024). The actual number changes every day as new domains are registered, and as old ones expire. The Domain Name Commission (DNC) has reports that make this data public, but they are usually a few months behind.

There are 16 different types of .nz domain. More data from InternetNZ tells us that there are over 530,000 .co.nz domains registered. Second-most popular are direct .nz (like domaincompare.nz), over 155,000. One of the reasons these are so popular is because anyone can register them. You don’t even have to be in New Zealand. At the other end of the scale, there are only four .cri.nz domains (which are for Crown Research Institutes).

When we say that 750,000 or more domains are registered, that doesn't necessarily mean that there are 750,000 websites with .nz addresses. Some domains might only be used for email. Some are only used for redirects, like the way typing trademe.nz into your browser takes you to trademe.co.nz. Some might be old and unused, just waiting to expire. It’s entire up to you what you do with your domains - you might even want to grab a particular domain just so no-one else can.

Of course, you can register almost any combination of letters and numbers in a new domain name, so the possible number of .nz domains is almost infinite. The only limit is your creativity - and your budget.

The domain name supply chain

2024-03-17T00:00:00Z

When you register a domain name, you are basically renting a product. It sounds simple and, for you, it is. All you need to do is pick a provider, find a domain name, and pay for your chosen number of years.

But behind the scenes there are technical and bureaucratic systems that keep everything working. This article quickly explains who’s who.

Regulators set the rules. Those rules can dictate who is allowed to register certain domains (e.g. .govt.nz is only Government agencies) and what information you need to supply to register a domain (like contact details). Sometimes regulators also control the wholesale price of domains. For .nz domains, the regulator is InternetNZ.

Registries run the systems that record the current owner of each domain. They collect a wholesale price for each domain registered, and they make sure that all the providers who offer domains to the public are following the rules that the regulator sets. For .nz domains, the registry is the Domain Name Commission or DNC, which is part of InternetNZ.

Registrars are companies that are allowed to record domain name ownership directly with the registry. They are the first level of companies that offer domain names to the public. Not every domain name retailer is a registrar, though. Registrars need to be officially credited, which means proving that they abide by all the right regulations, and that their systems are compliant with the registry as well.

Resellers are a larger group of companies that offer domain names to the public. Rather than being directly connected to the registry, resellers work through registrars. They are an extra link in the supply chain. In some cases, you can get multiple resellers in a single supply chain.

Registrants are the people (or companies) who register and use domain names. Like you!

No matter which reseller or registrant you use to register your domain, the registration is ultimately held in the same registry. It’s worth comparing different options, though, because these things can all differ a lot:

The price you pay to register (and, later, to renew) your domain.
The domain-management tools that you get access to.
The support that you can call on from your provider.

Domain Registration 101: Everything You Need to Know

2024-03-17T00:00:00Z

Domain registration is the process of acquiring a domain name for use on the internet. It’s a crucial step in establishing an online presence for you or your business. The first step in domain registration is choosing a domain name that is relevant to your website's content or purpose. Once you have selected a name, you can check its availability through your choice of domain retailer.

When registering a domain name, you will need to provide your contact information, including your name, address, email address, and phone number. This information is used to create a record of ownership for the domain name and is stored in a public database called the WHOIS database. It’s possible to hide these details from the public by adding domain privacy, which usually costs extra. It is important to keep your contact information up to date to ensure that you receive important notifications about your domain name.

When you register a new domain you will need to choose a registration period. For .nz domains the minimum is one year, and the maximum is 10 years. Once your registration is complete (including your payment to the retailer), the domain name will be registered in your name and you will have the exclusive right to use it for the duration of the registration period.

Some retailers might offer a discount for multi-year registrations, or they might offer a first-year discount. Some retailers charge different amounts depending on whether you are registering a new domain, or renewing an existing one. These are things to check when you compare prices.

At the end of the registration period, you have the option to renew your domain for another 1-10 years. If you don’t renew it, the domain name will be made available for others to register in their name.

Choosing the Right Registrar for Your Domain

2024-03-17T00:00:00Z

When you register a new domain, you have a range of registrars or retailers to choose from. How can you compare them?

Firstly, check that they offer “top-level domain” (TLD) that you want - like .co.nz or .org.nz. Once you’re sure of that, the points of difference will include:

The exact services offered. You might want tools to manage a lot of domains at once, for example, or you might want to bundle your domain and web hosting together.
The price you’ll pay for your new domain, as well as things like domain privacy and other extras.
Levels of customer support. You probably won’t need help with your domain very often, but when you do it can be very important if, for example, your website appears to be offline.

When choosing a registrar or retailer, look at customer reviews to understand their reputation, overall quality, and the.sort of customer support you can expect.

Pricing transparency is also essential, which is the idea behind our comparison table. Can you find a renewal price? Are discounts clearly labelled? Some registrars offer low initial prices but then increase renewal fees significantly. Make sure to understand the registrar's pricing structure, including any hidden fees or charges, before committing to their services. Additionally, consider any additional services offered by the registrar, such as domain privacy protection, email hosting, or website building tools, which can add value to your registration experience.

Behind the Scenes: How Domains Actually Work

2024-03-17T00:00:00Z

Domain names may seem simple on the surface, but there is a complex system that makes them work seamlessly on the internet. When you type a domain name into your browser's address bar and hit ‘Enter’, several steps occur behind the scenes to take you to the right website.

Every website can be found at a particular IP address. This is a bunch of numbers (and sometimes letters) that won’t mean much to any human who sees it. Domains make website addresses easy to remember and understand. But the internet is connected up by machines that only understand IP addresses. So we need a sort of translation service between domains and IP addresses.

That translation service is called DNS resolution. After you hit ‘Enter’ on a web address, the first thing your browser does is send a request to a DNS server to translate the domain name into an IP address. The DNS server looks up the IP address associated with the domain name and sends that information back to your browser. Your browser then uses this IP address to connect to the web server hosting the website.

Once connected, the web server retrieves the requested web page and sends it back to your browser, which then renders the page for you to view. This entire process typically takes just a fraction of a second, allowing you to access websites quickly and easily.

Understanding how domains work can help you troubleshoot issues and make informed decisions when managing your domain name. By knowing the basics of domain name resolution and the role of DNS servers, you can ensure that your website remains accessible to your audience.

Domain Compare - Comparing .nz domain name provider prices

Industry statistics: .nz domains set another record in April 2026

How many .nz domains are there? #

What is the growth rate of .nz domains? #

How many .nz domains were created and deleted? #

Direct .nz domains driving growth #

Renewal rate stays steady, retention ratio is introduced #

The other number that matters #

Industry statistics: All-time record total of NZ domains

How many .nz domains are there? #

February 2026 was the biggest month for .nz domains #

What is the growth rate of .nz domains? #

How many .nz domains were created and deleted? #

Direct .nz domains growing the most #

Renewal rate stays steady #

The latest reported .nz price data #

Protect yourself: Domain Name Commission warns of phishing scams

Phishing attacks targeting .nz domain holders #

What can I do to protect myself from phishing attacks? #

Jargon busting: Domain-related words and terms, defined

AAAA record | A record

Auth code

Auto-renewal

ccTLD

CNAME record

DKIM

DMARC

DNC

DNS

DNS records

Domain Privacy

gTLD

ICANN

IP address

MX record

Name server

Premium domain

Registrant

Registrar

Registry

Regulator

Renewal

Reseller

Retailer

Second-level domain

SPF

Subdomain

TLD

Transfer

TXT record

UDAI

WHOIS

Simple NZ domain price comparisons

Just the data that matters to you: Simple domain price comparisons for stress-free shopping #

Domain pricing isn’t everything, but it’s a very good start #

The other info in our simple domain price comparison table #

DNS Records: A Beginners' Guide

What is DNS? #

DNS Record Types #

A Record (Address Record) #

AAAA (Quad-A Record) #

CNAME Record (Canonical Name Record) #

MX Record (Mail Exchange Record) #

TXT Record (Text Record) #

SRV Record (Service Record) #

Choosing a Domain Provider #

DNS doesn't have to be DIY #

Melbourne IT - domain prices, ownership and more information

What do .au domains cost at Melbourne IT?

Who owns Melbourne IT?

What do ratings and reviews say about Melbourne IT?

Is Melbourne IT a registrar or reseller of .au domains?

Is Melbourne IT on social media?

Where does Melbourne IT report outages?

Metaname - domain prices, ownership and more information

What do .nz domains cost at Metaname?

Who owns Metaname?

What do ratings and reviews say about Metaname?

Is Metaname a registrar or reseller of .nz domains?

Is Metaname on social media?