Defining / Domains / Appraisals
Know what your domain is worth.
Defining provides independent domain name appraisals and valuations for companies, investors, attorneys, accountants, fiduciaries, and domain owners.
From qualified appraisals for federal tax purposes to acquisitions, sales, estates, portfolios, and financial matters, we combine nearly three decades of domain-market experience with rigorous market analysis to deliver credible, well-supported opinions of value.
Domain Valuation
A number is easy. A defensible valuation is not.
Premium domains are unique assets. Comparable sales may be limited or private, and value depends on far more than length, keywords, or automated estimates.
Our appraisals consider comparable sales, scarcity, brand strength, commercial utility, market demand, category relevance, and the universe of potential buyers—along with the specific purpose and effective date of the valuation.
The result is not simply a number. It is a reasoned conclusion supported by evidence.
When value matters
Appraisals for consequential decisions.
Tax & Financial Purposes
Qualified domain appraisals for tax-related matters, including charitable contributions, estate and gift planning, financial reporting, and other circumstances requiring a supportable determination of fair market value.
Acquisitions & Sales
Independent valuations to help buyers and sellers establish realistic parameters and negotiate from an informed position.
Portfolios, Estates & Legal Matters
Valuations of individual domains and portfolios for companies, investors, family offices, attorneys, trustees, executors, and other advisors.
Tax-Purpose Appraisals
When the valuation has to stand up to scrutiny.
Defining prepares qualified domain appraisals for federal tax purposes in accordance with applicable IRS requirements.
Each appraisal includes the appropriate description of the asset, valuation date, fair market value conclusion, methodology, relevant market evidence, comparable transactions, and supporting analysis. We also work with clients’ tax, legal, accounting, and estate advisors as appropriate.
Defining provides valuation services and does not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice.
Our methodology
Market evidence. Experience. Judgment.
Every appraisal considers the factors most relevant to the asset and assignment, including:
01Comparable domain sales
02Scarcity and intrinsic domain quality
03Commercial and strategic utility
04Market demand and category strength
05Potential end-user universe
06Relevant asset-specific factors
No single metric determines value.
Why Defining
Valuation informed by the market—not apart from it.
We don’t simply study the premium domain market. We work in it every day.
Defining advises on, acquires, negotiates, and sells premium and ultra-premium domains for companies and investors around the world. That experience provides insight into how buyers behave, how sellers price, where negotiations settle, and what characteristics actually command a premium.
Nearly three decades of domain experience. Independent analysis. A valuation you can understand and defend.
Get started
Get a number you can defend.
Independent, well-supported valuations for tax, transactions, portfolios, and legal matters.
Domain Appraisal FAQ
Asked, answered.
Can Defining provide appraisals for tax purposes?
Yes. We provide qualified domain appraisals for federal tax purposes where applicable, including charitable contributions, estate and gift matters, and other tax-related assignments.
How do you determine what a domain is worth?
We analyze comparable sales, scarcity, extension, brand strength, commercial relevance, market demand, potential buyers, and other factors specific to the asset and purpose of the valuation.
Is an appraisal the same as an asking price?
Not necessarily. Fair market value, likely transaction value, strategic value to a specific buyer, and an appropriate asking price can differ depending on the purpose and circumstances.
Request an appraisal
Some numbers are too important to guess.
Whether you need to establish fair market value, evaluate an acquisition, prepare an asset for sale, or value a domain for tax, estate, financial, or legal purposes, we can help.