A standard domain registration costs between $10 and $20 CAD per year for popular extensions like .com, .ca, .net, or .org through registrars like Namecheap, Google Domains (now Squarespace Domains), or Cloudflare. The .ca extension, managed by CIRA, usually runs $15–$18 annually and requires Canadian presence, making it ideal for businesses targeting Canadian search visibility. Pricing varies based on the top-level domain (TLD). Newer extensions like .design, .agency, or .studio often cost $30–$60 per year. Country-specific domains range widely—some like .tv or .io command $40–$80 annually because they're marketed as specialty TLDs despite being country codes. Premium domains, which are pre-owned names with perceived value, can cost anywhere from $500 to tens of thousands per year if you're leasing, or a one-time purchase of $1,000 to seven figures. Registrars play games with pricing. Many offer first-year discounts ($2–$5 for a .com) then jack renewal rates to $18–$25. Always check the renewal price before committing. Some registrars bundle privacy protection (WHOIS masking) for free, while others charge $8–$12 extra per year—worth comparing since privacy prevents your contact details from appearing in public domain databases. At Ottawa SEO Inc., we manage 500+ domains and register everything through providers with transparent renewal pricing and bulk discounts. We avoid GoDaddy's upsell maze and prefer registrars that don't hold domains hostage with complicated transfer processes. For client projects, we typically budget $15–$20 per domain annually and always register for multiple years upfront to lock in rates and avoid accidental expiration, which can tank a site's SEO overnight if you lose the domain to a drop-catcher. Don't forget renewal reminders. Set calendar alerts 60 days before expiration. Losing a domain because of an expired credit card is an entirely preventable disaster that still happens to experienced operators.