.ac Domain Prices — Compare 35 Registrars
Delegated in 1997, .ac is a country-code domain extension for Ascension Island, part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha run by Internet Computer Bureau Limited. See more about .ac →
Across 35 registrars, .ac registers from $25 and renews from $45.
All 35 registrars
The 3 cheapest .ac registrars to keep for 3 years
Renewals included. Prices updated 14 minutes ago.
| Registrar | Register | Renew | Transfer | WHOIS privacy | 3-year | Payment | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cheapest to keep
NicNames
|
$25.00 | $45.00 | $45.00 | Free | $115.00 | Register → | |
|
Runner-up
Porkbun
|
$26.06 | $46.65 | $46.65 | Free | $119.36 | Register → | |
|
Third
Cosmotown
|
$27.18 | $48.34 | $48.34 | Free | $123.86 | Register → | |
| all other registrars, sorted by three-year cost | |||||||
|
Atom
|
$27.00 | $48.70 | $48.70 | Unknown | $124.40 | Register → | |
|
Dynadot
|
$27.50 | $49.50 | $49.50 | Free | $126.50 | Register → | |
|
Above.com
|
$49.50 $27.94 | $49.50 | $49.50 | Free | $126.94 | Register → | |
|
Regery
|
$50.39 $27.99 | $50.39 | $50.39 | Free | $128.77 | Register → | |
|
NameSilo
|
$34.99 | $47.99 | $46.99 | Free | $130.97 | Register → | |
|
Cloudflare
|
$45.00 | $45.00 | $45.00 | Free | $135.00 | Register → | |
|
NameMart
|
$31.99 | $52.99 | $52.99 | Free | $137.97 | Register → | |
|
Domgate
|
$28.00 | $56.00 | $56.00 | Unknown | $140.00 | Register → | |
|
Hostinger
|
$58.99 $28.99 | $58.99 | — | Not offered | $146.97 | Register → | |
|
Njalla
|
$50.40 | $50.40 | — | Free | $151.20 | Register → | |
|
Upflare
|
$52.63 | $52.63 | $52.63 | Free | $157.89 | Register → | |
|
Truehost.com
|
$37.83 | $61.61 | $61.09 | Free | $161.05 | Register → | |
|
Netcetera
|
$35.87 | $64.58 | $64.58 | Free | $165.03 | Register → | |
|
Atak Domain
|
$39.99 | $62.99 | $58.49 | Unknown | $165.97 | Register → | |
|
Netim
|
$60.48 | $60.48 | $45.36 | Free | $181.44 | Register → | |
|
Infomaniak
+$2.53/yr for privacy
|
$58.08 | $58.08 | $58.08 | $2.53/yr | $181.83 | Register → | |
|
Namecheap
+$0.20 ICANN fee
|
$63.18 $29.18 | $77.18 | $63.18 | Free | $183.54 | Register → | |
|
Marcaria
|
$71.00 $49.00 | $71.00 | — | Unknown | $191.00 | Register → | |
|
Joker.com
+$1.68/yr for privacy
|
$77.40 $32.75 | $77.40 | $77.40 | $1.68/yr | $192.59 | Register → | |
|
Blacknight
|
$66.63 | $66.63 | $66.63 | Unknown | $199.89 | Register → | |
|
Directnic
+$5.00/yr for privacy
|
$49.99 | $69.00 | $69.00 | $5.00/yr | $202.99 | Register → | |
|
Regtons
|
$69.00 | $69.00 | $69.00 | Free | $207.00 | Register → | |
|
INWX
+$5.03/yr for privacy
|
$70.50 | $70.50 | $70.50 | $5.03/yr | $226.59 | Register → | |
|
one.com
|
$88.48 $53.75 | $88.48 | $53.75 | Unknown | $230.71 | Register → | |
|
Name.com
|
$49.99 | $99.00 | — | Free | $247.99 | Register → | |
|
NiceNIC
|
$49.99 | $99.99 | — | Unknown | $249.97 | Register → | |
|
101domain
+$10.99/yr for privacy
|
$66.49 | $83.49 | $66.49 | $10.99/yr | $266.44 | Register → | |
|
Easyspace
|
$80.24 | $94.58 | $44.47 | Unknown | $269.40 | Register → | |
|
Moniker
|
$90.95 | $102.95 | $99.95 | Unknown | $296.85 | Register → | |
|
Epik
|
$99.95 | $99.95 | $99.95 | Unknown | $299.85 | Register → | |
|
iwantmyname
|
$104.90 | $117.49 | $113.90 | Free | $339.88 | Register → | |
|
Instra
|
$133.00 | $136.49 | — | Unknown | $405.98 | Register → | |
Cheapest renewal over time
How much does a .ac domain cost over 3 or 5 years?
NicNames has the lowest cost for .ac over both 3 years ($115.00) and 5 years ($205.00).
Is the cheapest first year also the cheapest over time?
The lowest first-year price and the lowest 3-year total are at the same registrar: NicNames.
Transfer terms for .ac
The transfer prices in the table are what registrars list. Whether a transfer of a .ac domain is free or paid, and whether it adds registration time, is not confirmed here and depends on the extension and the registrar.
Bottom line
NicNames is the one to beat for .ac: $115.00 over 3 years.
On paper, .ac belongs to Ascension Island, a small British territory in the South Atlantic. But most people who buy it are thinking of "academic." The registry knows this, and it sells .ac to students and teachers who want a short address or email they can keep after they graduate.
There are no eligibility restrictions. Internet Computer Bureau runs it. Anyone, anywhere can register a second-level .ac name, first come, first served. A few third-level spaces under .ac have their own rules, so check which level you're buying.
The odd part is that the registry itself suggests universities and schools look at other extensions. So if you're a university and want an official-looking address, .ac probably isn't the one. For a personal research page or a lecturer's email, it fits nicely.
Source: .AC registry (nic.ac)
How .ac second-level domains work
A second-level domain sits one step below .ac: instead of example.ac, a name is registered as example.com.ac, with com marking out one branch of the extension. We track 6 second-level extensions under .ac and 6 of them have registrar prices so far.
The .ac extension is managed by Internet Computer Bureau Limited. Who can register under each second level, and on what terms, is decided at the registry rather than by the registrar, and a few zones may be administered separately, so confirm eligibility with your registrar before buying.
A name under any of them has three labels — your name, the second level, then ac — and DNS works exactly as for any other domain. Registration data is published through the .ac WHOIS server, whois.nic.ac. The .ac registry supports DNSSEC, so zones under its second levels can be signed and validated end to end.
Technical details
| Type | ccTLD · Countries |
| Registry | Internet Computer Bureau Limited |
| Delegated | 19 December 1997 |
| WHOIS server | whois.nic.ac |
| Domain level | Top-level domain |
| IDN / punycode | No |
| DNSSEC | Supported |
Related extensions
Average cost per year over 5 years, at the cheapest registrar to keep.
.ac questions
What is a .ac domain?
.ac is a country-code domain extension. It is operated by Internet Computer Bureau Limited and has been part of the domain name system since 1997. It is associated with Ascension Island, part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.
Which registrars are cheapest for .ac?
Three years of .ac costs least at NicNames ($115.00), then Porkbun ($119.36) and Cosmotown ($123.86).
Which registrars accept Bitcoin or crypto for .ac?
Among the registrars that sell .ac, BTC and crypto payments are accepted at NicNames ($115.00 for 3 years), Porkbun ($119.36) and Atom ($124.40). Others also accept crypto; see the table.
Does .ac support DNSSEC?
Yes, .ac supports DNSSEC. You can sign your zone and resolvers can check the signature.
Watch .ac
We will email you if the price drops.