Automated appraisal tools give you a number in seconds. Used well, they speed up research. Used blindly, they lead to overpaying for names and underpricing good ones. Here’s how the main tools differ.
- No appraisal tool knows your buyer. Use them for screening, not final pricing.
- Compare several tools. When they disagree widely, dig into comps.
- A sales database is evidence. An appraisal is an estimate.
GoDaddy Domain Appraisal
GoDaddy’s free appraisal tool estimates value using machine learning trained on domain sales data, and shows comparable names alongside the estimate.
Good for: a quick free estimate and a list of related sold names to research. Watch out for: estimates can be optimistic or conservative for unusual names, and the comps it shows are a starting point, not a full picture.
Estibot
Estibot is one of the longest-running automated appraisal services. Beyond a value estimate, it surfaces keyword data such as search volume and ad costs, and offers bulk appraisals on paid plans.
Good for: screening large lists and seeing the keyword data behind a name. Watch out for: keyword-heavy scoring can overrate long exact-match names with little brand appeal.
HumbleWorth
HumbleWorth offers free AI-driven appraisals and is popular with investors for quick checks on individual names and lists.
Good for: fast, free second opinions. Watch out for: like every model, it can’t see a specific buyer’s needs.
NameBio
NameBio is not an appraisal tool. It’s a searchable database of reported domain sales. That makes it the most important evidence source on this list, because it shows what buyers actually paid.
Good for: finding comps by keyword, length, extension, and date. Watch out for: reported sales are only a portion of the market, and many private sales are never published.
The Moneyball Names NAR score
Our NAR score takes a different approach. Instead of a single dollar figure, it breaks a name into seven scouting stats, shows each one, and explains the strengths and weaknesses in plain language. It also gives a rough value band, clearly labeled as an estimate.
Good for: understanding why a name is strong or weak, and comparing a batch of names quickly. Watch out for: it’s a transparent heuristic model, not a sales-trained appraisal, so pair it with comps.
How to use them together
- Screen a list with NAR or another bulk tool to find the strongest candidates.
- Cross-check the finalists on two or three appraisal tools. Note where they agree and disagree.
- Research comps on NameBio for anything you plan to buy or price seriously.
- Identify buyers. Look at who uses the name in other extensions and who operates in the niche.
- Price using the valuation framework, not the single highest appraisal.
Red flags when reading appraisals
- A seller showing you one high automated appraisal as proof of value.
- Huge disagreement between tools, which usually means the models are guessing.
- High estimates for names that fail the radio test or contain trademarks.
Try the NAR Score on your own list, and find every tool mentioned here in the Dugout.