Most Expensive Domain Name Sales

List Last Updated: June 16, 2017

This is a DomainSherpa verified list of the most expensive domain name sales in history greater than $5 million. Sources to original and “best” data are cited below.

Note: This domain name sales list is different from others. On DomainSherpa.com, some domain names may include additional intellectual property (IP). However, based DomainSherpa research, any IP sold with a domain name listed below was deemed to be inconsequential to the final purchase price of the domain names. In contrast, other lists – such as Domaining.com or DNJournal.com – do not include any domain name sales that include IP or are not an all-cash transaction. (DNJournal all-cash transactions.)

Cars.com for $872.3 million in May 2017¹
Insurance.com for $35.6 million in July 2010²
VacationRentals.com for $35 million in 2007³
PrivateJet.com for $30.18 million in February 2012⁴
Insure.com for $16 million in October 2009⁵
Sex.com for $13 million in October 2010⁶
Hotels.com for $11 million in 2001⁷
Fund.com for $9.99995 million in October 2007⁸
Porn.com for $9.5 million in May 2007⁹
Shoes.com for $9 million in April 2017¹⁰
Porno.com for $8.888888 million in February 2015¹¹
FB.com for $8.5 million in November 2010¹²
Formula1.com for $8.5 million in 2002¹³
We.com for $8 million in June 2015¹⁴
Business.com for $7.5 million in December 1999¹⁵
Diamond.com for $7.5 million in May 2006¹⁶
Beer.com for $7 million in 1998¹⁷
Z.com for JPY800 million ($6.784 million) in November 2014¹⁸
Casino.com for $5.5 million in October 2003¹⁹
Slots.com for $5.5 million in May 2010²⁰
Toys.com for $5.1 million in 2009²¹
Korea.com for $5 million in January 2000²²

Sources

1. The Definitive Guide to the World’s Largest Domain Sale, via DNAcademy.com. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
2. QuinStreet Second Quarter 2010 earnings call, via Elliot’s Blog. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
3. Lessons Learned from Brian Sharples, founder & CEO of HomeAway (NASDAQ: AWAY), YouTube video dated 28 July 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2013. Cached copy.
4. Luxury Transportation, LLC press release dated 21 February 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2013. Cached copy.
5. At Insure.com, Inc. press release dated 09 October 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2013. Note: while some may claim that this was a domain name *plus* intellectual property sale, DomainSherpa believes the “website content” to be minimal (such as a logo or copy) and of negligible monetary value.
6. DNJournal.com. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
7. BBC. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
8. CBSNews.com. Retrieved 29 July 2013. Cached copy.
9. DNJournal.com. Published 26 April 2011.
10. Supreme Court of British Columbia in Bankruptcy and Insolvency, PDF 1, PDF 2, PDF 3. Retrieved 13 April 2017. (Shoes.com was the primary asset; marginal domain names, minor trademarks, and social media accounts are deemed by DomainSherpa to be of minimal value in the transaction.)
11. TheDomains. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
12. Reuters. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
13. Forbes. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
14. Namebio.com.
15. DomainSherpa.com interview. Published 26 April 2011.
16. DNJournal.com. Retrieved 31, July 2013.
17. DomainSherpa.com interview. Published 19 November 2012.
18. DNJournal.com. Retrieved 21, November 2014.
19. Boss Media press release dated 24 October 2003. Wayback Machine cached page retrieved 31 July 2013. [PDF]
20. DomainNameWire.com. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
21. TheDomains.com. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
22. Asia Times. Retrieved 31 July 2013. [Alternate: Business Asia]

Questions?

Q: Why isn’t ________ listed?
A: It likely included what we consider to be significant intellectual property, such as a business producing cash flow. If you think we’re in error, we welcome your feedback and data.

Q: Wikipedia shows ________ listed, why don’t you?
A: Don’t believe everything you read on Wikipedia. Their list of top domain name sales is not correct. For example, Israel.com did not sell for $5.88 million, AltaVista.com was not just a domain name, and iCloud.com figures are just rumors.