question Appraisal Tools - what's going on!?

[WebDomainsUS]

Newbie here - no idea what I'm doing...

So with that disclaimer out the way, I'm pretty much just listing all my domains on an afternic lander at the GoDaddy appraisal value. Probably the wrong thing to do, BUT, I've just started using all these other tools that give me fairly considerable different prices for the same names. They all claim to use '100's of data points' but they can't all be different data points! How do you guys come up with a price you're happy to list at? Do you use any of these tools for insight or just ignore them all?

A couple of examples with some of my slightly less shit domains:

HeatingOhio (.com)
GD: 1948
Atom: <1000
DD: 7966
CGPT: 1000-2500

Yawpy (.com)
GD: 1657
Atom: 1999
DD: 16204
CGPT: 500-1500

Fillingly (.com)
GD: 1697
Atom: 2299
DD: 10815
CGPT: 800-2000

Retorters (.com)
GD: 1442
Atom: Not available for some reason
DD: 21242 (!!)
CGPT: 400-1200

Hairily (.com)
GD: 1332
Atom: 1899
DD: 54848 (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
CGPT: 700-1800

Bonus question: Has anyone ever heard of anyone actually selling anything at a dynadot appraisal value?!?

Any advice, greatly appreciated! I guess I'm really just curious on what kind of formula or approach you use to price them for a BIN lander.

 

[Eric Lyon]

Most domain investors/resellers shy away from automated tools because of how sporadic they are and generally don't account for things like (But not limited to); market shifts, trends, real would use cases, 12-month revenue projections, etc...

Sometimes, you can run the same domain through the same automated appraisal tool 10 times and get at least 3 different appraisal values.

I normally just do professional appraisals, which is only available to VIP, Pro and Gold members, but occasionally I do one publicly.

This ones public, from back in July 2025 (Not too old). It should give you an idea about how to manually evaluate a domain name leveraging various tools and methodologies: https://www.namepros.com/threads/opioid-domain-appraisal-opioid-com.1353641/#post-9417414

Check out the link above to see if it helps provide something useful for you, that you can stack with your own research techniques.

Note: I've actually added more tools since that evaluation I linked to, but it should still get you headed in the right direction.

 

[Eric Lyon]

Here's my updated list of data source tools:
SEO Stats + Spam Checker
eMail blacklist checker
BackLink Checker 1
Backlink Checker 2
Website Checker 1
Website Checker 2
Taken Domain Extension Checker
Whois Checker
Social Account Checker
Global Corporate Brand Checker
U.S. Trademark Checker
UDRP Case Checker
Development History Checker
Domain sales History Checker 1
Domain sales History Checker 2
TLD Registration Stats
ngTLD Statistics Checker
Niche Keyword Competition Checker
Keyword search trends
Top Keywords Report
Upcoming Niche Trends Checker
Niche/Keyword Domain Sales Trends
U.S. States Consumer Spending Checker
Global Economy Checker
U.S. Government Data-Sets and Tools
Certified SBA Small Business Checker
U.N. Global Data-Sets
Consumer Behavior and Market Trends
Stocks, Bonds and Funds Market Research
Licensed Broker Checker
DNS Security Tools
DNS Zone Files

Enjoy!

 

[Abowt]

Here's my updated list of data source tools:
SEO Stats + Spam Checker
eMail blacklist checker
BackLink Checker 1
Backlink Checker 2
Website Checker 1
Website Checker 2
Taken Domain Extension Checker
Whois Checker
Social Account Checker
Global Corporate Brand Checker
U.S. Trademark Checker
UDRP Case Checker
Development History Checker
Domain sales History Checker 1
Domain sales History Checker 2
TLD Registration Stats
ngTLD Statistics Checker
Niche Keyword Competition Checker
Keyword search trends
Top Keywords Report
Upcoming Niche Trends Checker
Niche/Keyword Domain Sales Trends
U.S. States Consumer Spending Checker
Global Economy Checker
U.S. Government Data-Sets and Tools
Certified SBA Small Business Checker
U.N. Global Data-Sets
Consumer Behavior and Market Trends
Stocks, Bonds and Funds Market Research
Licensed Broker Checker
DNS Security Tools
DNS Zone Files

Enjoy!

Thank you

 

[Eric Lyon]

Thank you

Anytime!

 

[WebDomainsUS]

Most domain investors/resellers shy away from automated tools because of how sporadic they are and generally don't account for things like (But not limited to); market shifts, trends, real would use cases, 12-month revenue projections, etc...

Sometimes, you can run the same domain through the same automated appraisal tool 10 times and get at least 3 different appraisal values.

I normally just do (link removed) which is only available to VIP, Pro and (link removed) but occasionally I do one publicly.

This ones public, from back in July 2025 (Not too old). It should give you an idea about how to manually evaluate a domain name leveraging various tools and methodologies:
(link removed)

Check out the link above to see if it helps provide something useful for you, that you can stack with your own research techniques.

Note: I've actually added more tools since that evaluation I linked to, but it should still get you headed in the right direction.

Wow - thank you so much Eric - this is highly valuable info.

I read your public appraisal and I've never seen anything like it! There's clearly A LOT of research that goes into actually understanding a domains value - it's not just plucking a number out the air (which is kind of how it feels with those tools I mentioned).

It's all a lot clearer now thanks to you. That whole first year revenue / business use case scenario is really clever. It gets you thinking properly about the commercial value of what the domain could be worth if it was in the right hands. Incredibly useful as well for pitching if you get any interested prospects from outbound marketing efforts.
Thank you so much for all your input (and the huge list of tool links!!!), I owe you one...or several!

I've got a lot of learning ahead. I'll look into that gold membership as well. Cheers!

 

[Eric Lyon]

Wow - thank you so much Eric - this is highly valuable info.

I read your public appraisal and I've never seen anything like it! There's clearly A LOT of research that goes into actually understanding a domains value - it's not just plucking a number out the air (which is kind of how it feels with those tools I mentioned).

It's all a lot clearer now thanks to you. That whole first year revenue / business use case scenario is really clever. It gets you thinking properly about the commercial value of what the domain could be worth if it was in the right hands. Incredibly useful as well for pitching if you get any interested prospects from outbound marketing efforts.
Thank you so much for all your input (and the huge list of tool links!!!), I owe you one...or several!

I've got a lot of learning ahead. I'll look into that gold membership as well. Cheers!

Anytime! I wish you the best in your adventures!

 

[Eric Lyon]

It gets you thinking properly about the commercial value of what the domain could be worth if it was in the right hands. Incredibly useful as well for pitching if you get any interested prospects from outbound marketing efforts.

Since you mentioned outbound efforts, these might be of interest to you...

Helpful Outbound articles and tools

• eMail Marketing Best Practices for Domain Outreach
• List of FREE tools for outbound domain sales
• Outbound Domain sales Tips

 

[Eric Lyon]

Ummm... just discovered another tool and added it to my tool belt a minute ago to start using tomorrow...

Similar Domains Already Owned

Enjoy! .. i will

 

[GoDaddy]

Newbie here - no idea what I'm doing...

So with that disclaimer out the way, I'm pretty much just listing all my domains on an afternic lander at the GoDaddy appraisal value. Probably the wrong thing to do, BUT, I've just started using all these other tools that give me fairly considerable different prices for the same names. They all claim to use '100's of data points' but they can't all be different data points! How do you guys come up with a price you're happy to list at? Do you use any of these tools for insight or just ignore them all?

A couple of examples with some of my slightly less shit domains:

HeatingOhio (.com)
GD: 1948
Atom: <1000
DD: 7966
CGPT: 1000-2500

Yawpy (.com)
GD: 1657
Atom: 1999
DD: 16204
CGPT: 500-1500

Fillingly (.com)
GD: 1697
Atom: 2299
DD: 10815
CGPT: 800-2000

Retorters (.com)
GD: 1442
Atom: Not available for some reason
DD: 21242 (!!)
CGPT: 400-1200

Hairily (.com)
GD: 1332
Atom: 1899
DD: 54848 (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
CGPT: 700-1800

Bonus question: Has anyone ever heard of anyone actually selling anything at a dynadot appraisal value?!?

Any advice, greatly appreciated! I guess I'm really just curious on what kind of formula or approach you use to price them for a BIN lander.

Welcome to the world of domain investing! Automated appraisals can give helpful direction of potential value, but building your instincts as a domain name investor is more important long-term.

To go along with the resources from @Eric Lyon, we'll mention Domain Academy's valuation worksheet. This helps you to fully characterize the domain names you own, or are thinking of purchasing using 30+ metrics, plus comparable data.

DM us if you have any questions!

 

[WebDomainsUS]

Welcome to the world of domain investing! Automated appraisals can give helpful direction of potential value, but building your instincts as a domain name investor is more important long-term.

To go along with the resources from @Eric Lyon, we'll mention (Link Removed) This helps you to fully characterize the domain names you own, or are thinking of purchasing using 30+ metrics, plus comparable data.

DM us if you have any questions!
Show attachment 289684

Thank you - looks good I'll check it out!

 

[Altetra]

You can test (appraise net) I was surprised by their appraisals, of how accurate they are, have used free credits which they give for new accounts, they also offer free month subscription with namepros coupon code, I did not try that yet. Search their topic here somewehere.

 

[Ostrados]

For starters ignore all auto appraisal tools, then ignore all SEO metrics (baclinks, DA,..etc) because they are irrelevant to domain investing unless you want to develope the domain.

Look at 2 main things:
1- name demand by end users: this can be checked by:

• Checking number of taken extensions.if a name is takein in only 1 extension then it is probably a bad name. It is also good idea to visit the websites and see how many are developed, the more the better.
• Searching how many companies already using the name (search OpenCorporates or Crunchbase, or LinkedIn)
• Also by searching the name directly in Google and see number of search results (if it is low number less than 100 then it is probably a bad name). Also check the actual search results to see how the name is used.

2- name demand by investors: check if the main keyword or topic or niche is popular among domain investors. See how many are selling domains related to 'crypto' for example and note asking prices. If too few domains are listed then it is a sign of poor niche to invest in. (You can use expireddomains.net or dnx.com)

Now for deciding the value there is no exact formula, it is more like a skill that you develope from practice, checking sales reports, looking at already listed domains in marketplaces (Atom, Sedo..etc).

For me, and for .com domains, if a domain is registered in 1 extension only I would probably list it between $1000 to $2000 depending on the quality of the name. If it is taken between 2 to 6 then I would list it between $2000 to $5000 or even more depending on other factors mentioned previously.. and so on. But be careful sometimes you can see a domain registered in 20 extensions but still has 0 value, that is because all the extensions were registered by same person (you can simply visit the extensions to check). Thats why it is important to verify all other aspects not just number of taken extensions.

 

[alop]

Enjoy! .. i will

Welcome to the world of domain investing! Automated appraisals can give helpful direction of potential value, but building your instincts as a domain name investor is more important long-term.

To go along with the resources from @Eric Lyon, we'll mention Domain Academy's valuation worksheet. This helps you to fully characterize the domain names you own, or are thinking of purchasing using 30+ metrics, plus comparable data.

DM us if you have any questions!
Show attachment 289684

 

[WebDomainsUS]

You can test (appraise net) I was surprised by their appraisals, of how accurate they are, have used free credits which they give for new accounts, they also offer free month subscription with namepros coupon code, I did not try that yet. Search their topic here somewehere.

Interesting, thank you - I've had a look but can't see a free credit option for new users. I'll look for their post on here.

 

[WebDomainsUS]

For starters ignore all auto appraisal tools, then ignore all SEO metrics (baclinks, DA,..etc) because they are irrelevant to domain investing unless you want to develope the domain.

Look at 2 main things:
1- name demand by end users: this can be checked by:

• Checking number of taken extensions.if a name is takein in only 1 extension then it is probably a bad name. It is also good idea to visit the websites and see how many are developed, the more the better.
• Searching how many companies already using the name (search OpenCorporates or Crunchbase, or LinkedIn)
• Also by searching the name directly in Google and see number of search results (if it is low number less than 100 then it is probably a bad name). Also check the actual search results to see how the name is used.

2- name demand by investors: check if the main keyword or topic or niche is popular among domain investors. See how many are selling domains related to 'crypto' for example and note asking prices. If too few domains are listed then it is a sign of poor niche to invest in. (You can use expireddomains.net or dnx.com)

Now for deciding the value there is no exact formula, it is more like a skill that you develope from practice, checking sales reports, looking at already listed domains in marketplaces (Atom, Sedo..etc).

For me, and for .com domains, if a domain is registered in 1 extension only I would probably list it between $1000 to $2000 depending on the quality of the name. If it is taken between 2 to 6 then I would list it between $2000 to $5000 or even more depending on other factors mentioned previously.. and so on. But be careful sometimes you can see a domain registered in 20 extensions but still has 0 value, that is because all the extensions were registered by same person (you can simply visit the extensions to check). Thats why it is important to verify all other aspects not just number of taken extensions.

That's really interesting and makes a lot of sense, thank you for the advice! It's interesting that you look at pricing domains by the number of additional extensions already taken - that's a really clever insight for how popular that exact domain is.

I'm really interested in developing some of the more broad generics (but short catchy domains - texaslawns.com for example) into directories and seeing how to monetize those effectively, so maybe i should also be checking all that DA and backlink stuff on those specifically.

Thank you for all of this it's incredibly helpful!

 

[WebDomainsUS]

Ummm... just discovered another tool and added it to my tool belt a minute ago to start using tomorrow...

(Link removed to allow reply)

Enjoy! .. i will

Wow!!! That is an incredibly useful tool....and surprisingly fast.

 

[WebDomainsUS]

Since you mentioned outbound efforts, these might be of interest to you...

Helpful Outbound articles and tools

• (links removed to post reply)

You're actually a domain oracle!

Just out of interest, how long have you been doing this for? I noticed you do a lot more than domains but would you say it makes up a decent proportion of your income? I'm wondering at what point, with a strong, sizeable portfolio, that it becomes a comfortable ongoing revenue stream where you wouldn't need to rely on anything else.

On the outbound email side, this is thankfully my strength. Not in the domain name arena, those guides are highly appreciated - but just in terms of cold email for generating leads. I've been doing email marketing as my primary career for decades. Our main product in the last year or so is a fully autonomous AI sales bot which writes highly personalized emails based on individual prospect research reports, our clients' knowledge base, and it's persona. It gets amazing results - infinitely better than a 'scripted' cold campaign - across pretty much any business sector. I like to think of it as a really good sdr - spending time researching the prospect and then writing highly relevant emails to them based on the research. It's at the point now where it writes emails that are better than anything i could write and it does it thousands of times a day, with consistent follow ups, thoughtful responses to prospect replies, appointment setting, and everything else.

I'm speaking to our dev team about building one which works specifically as a domain broker. You would add a bunch of domains in the app and then it finds the prospects that each domain would be relevant for and runs the campaign. We hold a huge clean database of prospects and it could build its ICP from keywords, company names, peoples names, industry sectors, geo locations - whatever is relevant to that specific domain name and the prospect.

I'll let you know once it's up and running, probably a couple of months, and if it works (generates sales!) it would be amazing if you could use it and give us your feedback on it - no charge obviously. All the tech side is taken care of internally (domains, mailboxes, best practices for deliverability etc). I think it'll be quite an exciting project.

 

[Eric Lyon]

You're actually a domain oracle!

Just out of interest, how long have you been doing this for? I noticed you do a lot more than domains but would you say it makes up a decent proportion of your income? I'm wondering at what point, with a strong, sizeable portfolio, that it becomes a comfortable ongoing revenue stream where you wouldn't need to rely on anything else.

I invested into my first domain in 2004, moved my design agency online in 2005, scaled it into design + marketing in 2007, ventured into brand management on the next scale with a menu of services in 2010 and still operating as a brand management agency today in 2025, but as an LLC with a few extra protections and some cool tax right-offs.

Over the years I've develop hundreds of mini-sites (Pre-Google Panda era) that did well with ppc/ppl revenue and died a horrible death after all the algorithm updates.

The domain industry is pretty much a full-time dedication for me, with some side kick revenue streams. Just about everything flows through my LLC to keep it all organized and separate from my personal.

Though, to be point blank (as I like to shoot from the hip), reselling domains is not my primary revenue stream.

You inquired about a sizeable portfolio sustaining you moving forward and I think the best members to ask about that are the large portfolio holders (I manage a very small niche portfolio).

Tagging: @bmugford and @Future Sensors - As they are both large portfolio holders that can address that type of business model better than I can. We all do this differently and what works for one may not work for another, and vice versa.

On the outbound email side, this is thankfully my strength. Not in the domain name arena, those guides are highly appreciated - but just in terms of cold email for generating leads. I've been doing email marketing as my primary career for decades. Our main product in the last year or so is a fully autonomous AI sales bot which writes highly personalized emails based on individual prospect research reports, our clients' knowledge base, and it's persona. It gets amazing results - infinitely better than a 'scripted' cold campaign - across pretty much any business sector. I like to think of it as a really good sdr - spending time researching the prospect and then writing highly relevant emails to them based on the research. It's at the point now where it writes emails that are better than anything i could write and it does it thousands of times a day, with consistent follow ups, thoughtful responses to prospect replies, appointment setting, and everything else.

I'm speaking to our dev team about building one which works specifically as a domain broker. You would add a bunch of domains in the app and then it finds the prospects that each domain would be relevant for and runs the campaign. We hold a huge clean database of prospects and it could build its ICP from keywords, company names, peoples names, industry sectors, geo locations - whatever is relevant to that specific domain name and the prospect.

I'll let you know once it's up and running, probably a couple of months, and if it works (generates sales!) it would be amazing if you could use it and give us your feedback on it - no charge obviously. All the tech side is taken care of internally (domains, mailboxes, best practices for deliverability etc). I think it'll be quite an exciting project.

Right on! When you get it working and converting shoot me a DM and I'll take a look at it. I also do a bit of outbound myself (daily sometimes), but mostly work with Mozilla ThunderBird, PipeDrive, Verifalia, Apollo, and other various outbound email and lead procurement tools.

Again, Welcome to NamePros! Looks like you may fit right in here, so get comfortable...

 

[Eric Lyon]

You're actually a domain oracle!

I actually owned PersonalMuse.com about 15 years ago, but flipped it to @RJ for $54 bucks back in 2011.

You're just at the tip of iceberg, I'm currently working on gTLD analysis, doing each one individually here: https://www.namepros.com/forums/gtld-discussion.217/

Some other musings and potentially helpful writings from me over the years:
156 Different ccTLDs Analyzed individually
(Insight) Domain Evaluation/Appraisal Methodologies - VIP, Pro or Gold required to access
Domain Selling Psychology - An Inside Look
Domain Investment Capital - Options - VIP, Pro or Gold required to access
Marketing Ideas and Techniques
eMail Marketing Best Practices for Domain Outreach
List of FREE tools for outbound domain sales
Outbound Domain sales Tips
Highest Mark-up Products Start-ups gravitate to - VIP, Pro or Gold required to access
Free Local Advertising Options for domain resellers
Best-selling products start-ups gravitate to - VIP, Pro or Gold required to access
Top Trends Start-ups Gravitate to - VIP, Pro or Gold required to access
How a domains spam score can hurt it's value
List of domain monetization options
List of ADULT monetization options
How to navigate a list of expiring/dropping domain names
Negotiating Strategy and Closing Techniques to Sell Domain Names
Types of domains to park for revenue and how to test them
How to generate traffic to your landing or sales pages
Social media usernames as potential leads
List of FREE design and multimedia tools
50 Small Manufacturing Machines Under $500 to Start A Business - VIP, Pro or Gold required to access
Navigating Cultural Differences to Sell a Domain
How to Start and Manage a Domain Investors Group
Monetizing NP Landing Page and Formatting NP Landing Page
How to Sell a Domain Portfolio in Bulk
Free domain evaluation tools and practical applications
Analysis of 11 different domain marketplaces
Dissecting similar domain name sales history
Leveraging 5 different predictive business models to identify potential buyers
How to Determine Domain Liquidity
Getting started - Selecting domains and where to list them for sale
Comparing 10 Different Investment Types and Domains Still WIN!
Why you shouldn't register a word in a random extension just because it's taken in others
Managing a Garden Vs. a Domain Portfolio
Domain Extensions and SEO/SEM

Enjoy!