Best .ai Domain Registrars 2026: Pricing Compared
⚡ Quick Answer
Spaceship offers the cheapest .ai renewals we've found at $68.98/year. Cloudflare is close at ~$70. Avoid Gandi ($179) and GoDaddy (~$100) for .ai — the markup is excessive. The .ai TLD is managed by the government of Anguilla, and all registrars pay the same wholesale rate.
Why .ai Domains Are Booming
The AI revolution has made .ai the hottest domain extension in tech. Companies like Perplexity.ai, Character.ai, and Stability.ai have legitimized it as a credible alternative to .com for AI-focused businesses. Short .ai domains now sell for five and six figures on the aftermarket.
The .ai TLD is actually the country code for Anguilla, a small Caribbean island territory. The Anguillan government earns millions in revenue from the global demand for their domain extension — a windfall they never anticipated when the extension was first assigned.
.ai Pricing by Registrar
| Registrar | .ai Registration | .ai Renewal | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spaceship | $68.98 | $68.98 | Cheapest option |
| Cloudflare | ~$70 | ~$70 | At-cost pricing |
| Dynadot | $75.00 | $75.00 | Good for investors |
| Porkbun | $80.00 | $80.00 | Free WHOIS |
| Namecheap | $92.98 | $92.98 | Higher margin |
| GoDaddy | ~$100 | ~$100 | Premium pricing |
| Gandi | $179.00 | $179.00 | Avoid — extreme markup |
The spread on .ai is even wider than .com. Gandi charges 2.6x what Spaceship charges for the exact same .ai domain. That's a $110/year difference — per domain. There's no feature or service that justifies this gap.
Things to Know Before Registering .ai
Two-Year Minimum Registration
Unlike .com, .ai domains must be registered for a minimum of 2 years. Some registrars display the 2-year price as the "registration" cost, while others show the annual price. Make sure you're comparing apples to apples.
Limited WHOIS Privacy
The Anguilla registry has specific policies about WHOIS data. Most registrars now offer privacy protection for .ai, but double-check before registering if privacy matters to you.
No .ai Aftermarket (Yet)
The .ai aftermarket is less developed than .com. Sedo and Afternic list .ai domains, but the buyer pool is smaller. If you're registering .ai as an investment, be prepared for longer hold times before finding a buyer.
💡 Our Pick
Spaceship at $68.98/year is the best value for .ai domains. If you want at-cost pricing transparency, Cloudflare at ~$70 is nearly identical. Skip GoDaddy and Gandi — you're paying 30–150% more for no additional value on the .ai TLD.