A backorder is a request for a registrar to try to register a domain name the moment it becomes available.
A domain backorder is a reservation on a name someone else currently owns. If the owner doesn't renew and the domain is deleted, the backorder service tries to register it for you in the first fraction of a second it's free again.
Say you run Smith Plumbing and smithplumbing.com is registered but unused. You can't buy it while it's active, but you can place a backorder. If the owner lets it lapse, the service tries to grab it on your behalf. If the owner renews, nothing happens and you're usually not charged, or you get a refund.
How a domain backorder works
A generic domain like .com doesn't become available the day it expires. It goes through a sequence first:
- Expiry: the expiration date passes without a renewal.
- Grace period: the owner can usually still renew at the normal price, often for up to 30 to 45 days depending on the registrar.
- Redemption period: around 30 days when the owner can still recover the domain, usually for an extra fee.
- Pending delete: about 5 days when nobody can renew or register it.
- Drop: the registry deletes the domain and it's open to anyone.
Backorder services watch for the drop and send registration requests at that exact moment. This is called drop-catching.
Why backorders aren't guaranteed
Many expiring domains never drop, because the owner renews or the registrar sells them at auction during the grace period. And when a valuable name does drop, several backorder services may be racing for it. Only one wins. If more than one person backorders a name with the same service, it often goes to a private auction between them.
Backorder vs buying an expired domain
- Backorder: you wait for the domain to drop and hope you catch it.
- Expired domain auction: some registrars auction names during the grace period, before they ever reach the public.
- Direct purchase: you contact the current owner, or a broker, and offer to buy it outright.
If you really want a specific name, backordering with more than one service, or making an offer to the owner, gives you better odds.
Tips before you backorder a domain
- Check the domain's history. An expired domain may carry spam penalties or trademark baggage.
- Avoid names that match a brand you don't own, which could expose you to a cybersquatting claim.
- Read the service's refund policy for when the catch fails.
- Have a backup name ready, because your first choice may never become free.