A domain name is a crucial component of any business or organization’s online presence. It is the website address that internet users type in to access your website, such as www.yourbusiness.com.
Having a domain name that matches your brand name lends your business credibility and makes it easier for customers to find you online.
But domain names come at a cost – they must be purchased and renewed every year to retain the rights to that web address.
Pricing can range wildly depending on the domain extension – .com and .net tend to be more expensive, while country-specific domains like .ph for the Philippines tend to be cheaper.
In this post, we’ll focus specifically on the cost of registering and renewing .ph domain names in the Philippines.
The .ph extension is administered by DotPH, the country’s official domain registry.
Quick Facts
Getting a .ph domain ensures your business is recognized as being Philippine-owned and targeted to users in the country.
Here are some key facts about .ph domain pricing:
- There are several accredited .ph registrars you can purchase domains from:
- PLDT
- Globe
- DotPH
- Web.ph
- IP Hosts
- AH Hosting
-bids - Savoir Faire
- Registration periods range from 1 year to 10 years
- Longer registration terms are cheaper per year
- Prices can range from ₱2000 per year to ₱9000+ per year
- Additional fees may apply e.g. admin or convenience fees
Below is a comparison table of .ph domain pricing among some popular registrars:
| Registrar | 1 Year | 2 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truehost.ph | – | – | – | – |
| Hostinger.ph | ₱3599 | ₱7198 | – | – |
| DotPH | ₱2724.96 | ₱5109.30 | ₱12773.25 | ₱25546.50 |
As you can see, PLDT tends to offer some of the most affordable rates for .ph extensions.
However, prices can vary during promotions and special offers.
Some registrars like DotPH also have loyalty programs that give discounts for renewals.
Note that registrars sometimes have additional fees on top of the base registration/renewal pricing.
This includes administration fees, convenience fees for paying online, etc.
So the total cost may be higher than the rates listed above.
Either way, .ph domains still remain very reasonably priced compared to generic extensions like .com.
And longer registration terms give the ability to lock in savings for multiple years in advance.
For any business or organization establishing an online presence in the Philippines, investing in a .ph domain is a strategic and affordable decision.
A Closer Look at .ph Domain Pricing in the Philippines
As mentioned in the introduction, .ph is the official country code top-level domain designated for the Philippines. DotPH is the registry accredited by ICANN to manage registrations under this domain.
Only individuals or organizations with a legitimate connection to the Philippines can register a .ph domain. This includes Philippine residents, companies registered in the Philippines, or foreign entities with a Philippine license to operate.
This exclusive designation makes .ph domains highly valued for establishing your online identity as a Philippine entity. Consumers come to expect and trust .ph sites to be locally targeted.
Now let’s take a deeper look at what goes into the cost of registering and renewing .ph domains:
Accredited .ph Registrars
While DotPH manages the .ph extension, you cannot purchase .ph domains directly through them. Instead, you must go through accredited registrars who essentially resell .ph domains.
Here are some of the main registrars offering .ph domain registration:
- PLDT – The largest telecom provider in the Philippines, PLDT has been in the web hosting and domain business for decades. Their domain registrar platform is under the brand PLDT DIGITAL.
- Globe – Another major telco provider in the Philippines with a domain registration portal as part of their GlobeAtHome Internet plans.
- DotPH – As the official .ph registry, DotPH also acts as a reseller of .ph domains.
- Web.ph – A popular Philippine web hosting company that also offers domain registration services.
- IP Hosts – One of the oldest hosting and domain providers in the Philippines.
- Savoir Faire – A smaller boutique registrar catering to tech savvy clients.
- AH Hosting – Web hosting and domain registration for Southeast Asian clients.
- BidNames – Domain name marketplace allowing you to bid on desired .ph names.
There are a few dozen other accredited .ph registrars. But the ones above are some of the largest and most popular options.
Now let’s see how .ph domain pricing compares across the main registrars.
.ph Pricing Across Registrars
Registrars obtain domains in bulk from DotPH for lower wholesale rates, and then sell them to customers with their own markup. So pricing does vary by registrar.
Here is a comparison of registration and renewal costs for 1 year to 10 years across the top registrars:
| Registrar | 1 Year | 2 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truehost.ph | – | – | – | – |
| Hostinger.ph | ₱3599 | ₱7198 | ₱17995 | ₱35990 |
| Web.com.ph | ₱2100 | ₱4200 | ₱10500 | ₱21000 |
| DotPH | ₱2724.96 | ₱5109.30 | ₱12773.25 | ₱25546.50 |
| Namecheap | ₱3007.67 | ₱6015.34 | ₱15038.35 | ₱30076.7 |
| GoDaddy | ₱5348.54 | ₱10697.08 | ₱26742.7 | ₱53485.4 |
PLDT consistently has the lowest rates for most registration terms. Although other registrars may match or get close to their pricing during promotions.
You’ll notice how costs decrease per year the longer the registration term. For example, DotPH charges ₱2724.96 for 1 year, but only ₱25546.50 for 10 years – working out to ₱2554.65 per year.
Longer terms are very advantageous, so if your budget allows, you should register or renew for as many years as you can.
This locks in significant savings over time.
Now keep in mind there are some other fees to be aware of that could increase your total cost:
Other Fees and Charges
On top of the base registration/renewal pricing above, most registrars add on some additional charges such as:
- Admin fee – Usually around ₱100 to process the paperwork and registrar side of the transaction.
- Convenience fee – About 3-5% for paying online via credit card rather than over-the-counter.
- Advance renewal fee – If renewing before your current term expires, there may be a small add-on fee.
- Auto-renewal – This convenient option to automatically renew your domain when it expires may come with an extra ₱50 to ₱100 charge each term.
- ID verification – Registrars may charge a fee for verifying your Philippine identification documents to comply with DotPH requirements.
- Domain privacy – For hiding your personal details from the public WHOIS database, expect to pay around ₱500 per year.
So realistically budget about ₱2100 to ₱5000 more on top of the base rates to cover these additional fees. The convenience fee usually makes up the bulk of this.
Free .ph Subdomains
Aside from the regular paid .ph domains, there are also free .ph subdomains you can register under ac.ph (academic), com.ph (commercial), net.ph (network), org.ph (non-profit organizations) and other extensions.
For example, you could register yourbusiness.com.ph for free through a registrar like Globe or PLDT. This at least lets you start building a Philippine web presence.
However, there are major limitations versus paid domains:
- Subdomains are longer and harder to remember
- You don’t have full control or ownership of the domain
- Less credibility than a proper .ph domain name
For most serious businesses, a paid .ph domain name is an essential investment for your brand identity and online presence in the Philippines.
How .ph Compares to Other Extensions
To put .ph pricing in perspective, let’s briefly compare it to some other popular domain extensions:
- .com – The most globally recognized extension. Typically $10 to $15 per year for registration.
- .net – Similar to .com, but less commonly used. $10 to $12 per year.
- .org – Used by non-profit and community organizations. Around $10 to $20 per year.
- .info – Informational sites. $5 to $10 annually.
So you can see that at around ₱2000 to ₱3000 per year, .ph domains are quite affordable compared to global extensions.
And they hold more significance for establishing your Philippine online identity.
For local businesses targeting Filipino users, .ph really is the ideal domain even with the various fees attached.
The local search boost and user trust you get from a .ph site makes it worth the relatively low investment.
Finding the Best .ph Domain Value
Hopefully, this gives you a comprehensive overview of the true cost of registering .ph domains in the Philippines.
To get the best value:
- Compare registrars and look for occasional promotions to get the lowest rates.
- Go for longer registration terms like 5 or 10 years to lock in huge savings.
- Try to renew a little before expiration to get lower renewal pricing.
- If offered, enable auto-renewal to avoid forgetting and losing your domain.
Owning a professional .ph domain puts your business on the Philippine map both online and in the minds of local consumers.
Despite small fees here and there, a .ph domain remains extremely affordable and worthwhile for any enterprise in the country.