How to Evaluate .com Domains in 2026: My 5-Step Framework

Evaluating .com Domains: The 5-Step Filter

150M+ .com domains registered. 99.9% are worthless. Here's how I find the 0.1% worth buying.

Step 1: Length Filter (Eliminates 80%)

• 3-4 chars: skip unless < $500 (usually taken/premium)
• 5-8 chars: proceed to step 2
• 9-12 chars: proceed only if strong keyword
• 13+ chars: skip (too long for branding)

Step 2: Keyword Value (Eliminates 15%)

Check Google Keyword Planner for exact match:

• CPC < $1: skip
• CPC $1-3: proceed with caution
• CPC $3-8: strong signal
• CPC $8+: excellent signal

Step 3: Brandability Test (Eliminates 3%)

Ask 5 people: "Is this easy to spell after hearing it once?"

• 4-5 yes: proceed
• 2-3 yes: proceed if strong keyword
• 0-1 yes: skip

Step 4: Traffic Check (Eliminates 1%)

Check SimilarWeb/Ahrefs for:

• 0-10 visitors: skip unless strong keyword
• 10-100 visitors: proceed
• 100+ visitors: strong buy signal

Step 5: Market Check (Final Validation)

Check NameBio for similar sales:

• 0 similar sales: risky, proceed only if strong other signals
• 1-3 similar sales: proceed if price matches
• 4+ similar sales: strong validation

Real Examples

Rejected: best-algerian-restaurant-algiers.com

• Step 1: 38 characters → SKIP
• Reason: Too long, hard to remember, terrible for branding

Rejected: xyz123.com

• Step 1: 6 chars → proceed
• Step 2: CPC $0.05 → SKIP
• Reason: No commercial intent

Accepted: tartine.com (fictional example)

• Step 1: 7 chars → proceed
• Step 2: CPC $4.20 → proceed
• Step 3: 5/5 people could spell it → proceed
• Step 4: 150 monthly visitors → proceed
• Step 5: Similar sales: $2,200, $1,800, $2,500 → BUY at $1,500

Tools I Use

My 2026 Results

Applied this filter to 50,000 .com domains:

• Step 1: 10,000 passed (20%)
• Step 2: 2,500 passed (25% of step 1)
• Step 3: 1,750 passed (70% of step 2)
• Step 4: 350 passed (20% of step 3)
• Step 5: 87 passed (25% of step 4)

Result: 87 domains purchased from 50,000 checked (0.17%).

The Opportunity Cost

Time spent: ~3 hours/day filtering.

Value created: ~$5,000/month in acquired assets.

Effective hourly rate: ~$55/hour for filtering work.

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*Related: Domain Flipping Reality Check — what 3 years of data actually shows. Domain Investing Business Lessons — turning flipping into a system.