poll What is your participation level currently in the domain industry? 2025 version

[equity78]

What is your participation level currently in the domain industry, are you full time, part time, hobbyist?

We did this 6 years ago and here were the results.

If you voted back then are you the same, have things changed?

 

[Coconuts]

Surprised at the results six years ago. Thought more full timers.

 

[enterscope]

I'm more surprised at how many responses there were. Where did all these domainers go? Did they quit?

 

[johnn]

No one will admit that they are losing money in this business.

 

[Gabriel360]

Where did all these domainers go?

Twitter.

 

[cooljub]

No one will admit that they are losing money in this business.

I just did.

 

[Bob Hawkes]

Thanks for redoing this poll @equity78 - will be really interesting to see the results, both in absolute terms and as a shift over the years.
-Bob

 

[D Haynes]

I voted hobbyist then and the same now. Would be nice to become more but I don't have the time or the money. Slowly building up inventory but I think there's probably a huge leap between hobbyist and real income.

 

[J.D.]

I'm surprised there could be 16% full-time Domainers back in 2019.
I'd be shocked if more than 10% are full-time in 2025.

In the States, full-time Domainer means $45K+ strictly from domain sales net income.

Only the most skilled and experienced Domainers are going to make a full-time living moving forward. End-user demand is lower than ever, wholesale prices are higher every year while average retail prices are unchanged, and ICANN is launching another 1K extensions next year.

Its a pure quality game as we close Q1.

 

[AbdulBasit.com]

Full time domain investor since 2010.

 

[Inframan]

I just did.

I'm in the same boat. I have 1.5 years of experience in domaining.

 

[cooljub]

I'm in the same boat. I have 1.5 years of experience in domaining.

It's a marathon, not a sprint.

 

[IrfanHabib]

I am a full time domain developer. I spend my whole day building awesome domain tools.

 

[Ziny]

businesses changed as the times changed, i found a place with proxies, a sister to these type of business

 

[Optimal Names]

No one will admit that they are losing money in this business.

I did.

These past several years have been excruciating. Oh, there are offers and inquiries but no one wants to pay more than $50-100 There seems to have been a shift out there, people tend to treat me as a squatter. I try to educate them, ask them what they see when they drive around their town/city.... are there people "squatting" on commercial lots that they'd like to have for, I dont know, $50 lets say?

Some of these people are the founder/ceo of a company so its not just some kid younger than the domain they are interested in who wants to do a "science project" in school. Its a noticeable shift. IMO - thats been my experience basically the past several years.

2024 I came very close to break-even so it wasnt as bad as the prior years, but still. It seems to be a trend.

I think that I will slowly start to outbound this year. I see no reason not to. I used to be worried about getting labeled a spammer but since I am a squatter what am I worried about!??

 

[johnn]

Missing 2 options:

- I did what my wife tell me to do and I make money
- I did what my wife tell me to do and I lost money

 

[pb]

No one will admit that they are losing money in this business.

Is that why there is no "Full time - Domaining activities are running at a loss" option?

 

[PhongSGC]

voted the last, seems I'm lossing

 

[Mister Funsky]

My option was not available...it is below:

FULL time - Domaining activities are running at a loss

(been at it for a couple decades now...soon, very soon, I plan to make money at it)

 

[Altetra]

It is more than part time, there is big loss!
Should I have accepted previous offers, maybe.
Many offers were generated as soon I post on NP by AI, fakers detected fast!