Here’s a comparison of domain name escrow services based on price – but price shouldn’t be the only thing you consider.
There are a lot of options when it comes to domain name escrow. Naturally, price is a variable when selecting an escrow service. So I put together a simple chart that compares prices of 7 escrow services at different transaction values.
The prices make a few assumptions:
1. You’re in the U.S. and the transaction is in U.S. Dollars.
2. You accept the cheapest option for funding the transaction and the cheapest for receiving your funds, but receive the funds in a single payment.
3. Your bank doesn’t charge you a wire fee.
I’m a bit hesitant to publish this price list because I truly believe price isn’t the only thing you should consider for an escrow transaction. In fact, it’s not the first thing. You need to consider all of the company’s policies, how it will resolve disputes, licensing, customer service, ease of use, privacy…the list goes on and on.
Here’s the list in alphabetical order:
Here are details on each provider:
Afternic
Transaction fee: 3% of sales price.
Funding charges: checks are free, credit card or PayPal are 4%, US wire $15, international wire $25
Withdrawal charges: ACH, Check, and PayPal are free, $35 for international wire.
Agreed.com
Transaction fee: 3% of sales price up to $5,000, $150 plus 0.25% of the amount over $5,000 for transactions up to $25,000, and flat 0.85% for transactions over $25,000.
Funding charges: all funding options are free except for credit card. Credit card fee is 3% with $5,000 limit.
Withdrawal charges: no charge for U.S. mail check, mailing fees for expedited mail, $20 for domestic wire ($25 international) and $10 fee for first ACH; free after that.
eCop.com
Transaction fee: 2% of sales price plus $5 for each additional domain. Also handles “domain swaps” for $20.
Funding charges: $35 wire fee. Credit cards up to $1,000 ($3,000 for verified members) with 4% fee.
Withdrawal charges: $40 wire fee. Withdrawals up to $1,500 via PayPal for free, but if you pay yourself out over time for a sale there’s an additional $5 fee per withdrawal.
Escrow.com
Transaction fee: 3.25% of sales price up to $5,000 (with $25 minimum), $162.50 plus 0.26% of amount over $5000 for transactions up to $25,000, and flat 0.89% for transactions over $25,000.
Funding charges: Wires are free, credit card and PayPal up to $5,000 accepted on Premier Service level at additional charge, check/money order accepted on some transactions with $2,000 limit.
Withdrawal charges: Checks are free, mailing fees for expedited mail, $20 domestic wires and $40 international, and $10 fee for first ACH; free after that.
EscrowHill
Transaction fee: 2.5% of sales price up to $5,000 (with $50 minimum), $125 plus 0.25% of amount over $5k for transactions up to $25,000, and flat 0.70% for sales over $25,000. Premium escrow, which includes holding of domain, is $50 extra.
Funding charges: Free wires. Will accept additional funding options, including PayPal and credit card, in the future.
Withdrawal charges: Free wire.
(as a new service, it is still evaluating its funding/withdrawal charges)
Transaction fee: Flat rates dependent on dollar tranche up to $50,000, 0.93% on transactions over $50,000.
Funding charges: Free check and ACH payments. $25 bank wire fee. PayPal payments must add to cover fees.
Withdrawal charges: Free withdraws via check, expedited mailing for a fee, $5 fee for PayPal payment (maximum $10k), $15 domestic wire fee, $45 international wire fee. Sellers can also deposit funds in their Moniker or SnapNames account.
Sedo
Transaction fee: 3% of sales price. If the domain is listed with Sedo, you have to pay full commission.
Funding charges: No fee on wires, credit card up to $500 with no charge, PayPal up to $5,000 with 3% fee if amount is over $500.
Withdrawal charges: Free wires, PayPal for up to $10,000 with no fee, ACH to US/CAN residents up to $20,000 with no fee, check for any amount to US/CAN residents with no fee.
Transpact.com
Transaction fee: £2.99/€3.49/$9.99 per party per transaction. Note ancillary fees.
Funding charges: No charges for funding. Most payments must be made direct by bank transfer.
Withdrawal charges: It’s complicated. There are fees based on value ranges, plus an additional $15 charge for U.S. payments.
cybertonic says
We charge 2% at ecop.com whatever is be the transaction cost, so for:
$1,000 sales the escrow fee is $20 for example.
And for sales with a payment plan we are still lower than anyone.
Domain Buyer Broker says
There is escrow.com and then everybody else as far as I am concerned.
I have done MANY deals through escrow.com, since 2001 I think. NEVER had any reason to even try another escrow.com service.
Fast, reliable, great customer service and priced right.
(unsolicited and unpaid comment 🙂
David Anthony says
Moniker is only service i know of where both domain and funds are held in escrow accounts they fully control and also include the sales agreements. This separated them from others listed. Only service for large transactions.
Andrew Allemann says
I had forgotten about Moniker. It appears they still do small transactions:
https://www.moniker.com/domainappraisalbrokerage/domainescrow.jsp
Domainer Extraordinaire says
I use Escrow.com because they are integrated into my sales system.
Louise says
How about add Moniker to your list?
Here is the link: https://www.moniker.com/domainappraisalbrokerage/domainescrow.jsp
I don’t get, why you didn’t add Moniker.
cybertonic says
For your information David, ecop.com also escrows the domain + the money.
Robbie says
Wow suprised to see ecop.com as such a pricey service, I would use all the services above except transpact, afternic, and ecop. Transpact based on never heard of it, or anyone talk of it, and the other two, as they seem very pricey.
I have used escrow.com since 2004 without fail.
cybertonic says
This chart is pure shit full of errors Robbie.
Andrew Allemann says
For the record, the chart shows the pricing based on the cheapest option each company offers, including funding/withdrawing options.
As I explained to Francois, the other companies offer a free option for both – usually check or wire. All of eCop’s options come with a fee.
Because fees vary, I put the the charge details in the post so people can understand if one will be better than the other based on their favorite method of payment.
teri says
Also, for those that prefer to transact primarily via Paypal, Ecop is the best. I prefer to pay and to be paid by paypal. With the new bitcoin addition, even better.
Louise says
My experience with Cax.com has been good!
Andee Hill says
EscrowHill takes possession of the domain and the funds. This is our Premium service.
Edward Jeffries says
I think Andrew’s table speaks for itself.
The exclusion of Moniker.com is a clear error and should be rectified, but apart from that the table nails it.
By the way, the following thread appeared on Acorn Domains forum last night – Acorn is one of the UK’s premier domain websites:
http://www.acorndomains.co.uk/domain-tools/122776-transpact-escrow.html
It is genuine, and none of the parties has any affiliation (neither direct nor indirect) with any escrow company
Certainly makes you wonder about domain and website buyers and sellers behavior.
Andrew Allemann says
I’m adding Moniker, but I need to get payment options and costs from them first.
Andrew Allemann says
Story updated to include Moniker.
Choo Jen-Sin says
Hi Andrew, if you have the time, appreciate if you can update this article as many changes have occured since the time of posting.
If I’m not wrong, Afternic and Moniker do not offer escrow any more, Agreed has been acquired by Escrow.com, EscrowHill has been acquired by Greenberg & Lieberman, DN.com is one major alternative etc.
Many thanks in advance.
Colin Jones says
Dear Choo Jen-Sin,
As I subscribe to this thread, I received your request to Andrew.
Just to confirm, Transpact.com’s prices (a UK company) are still correct as shown in the table above, as they have not changed.
With our top quality service and reasonable prices, and our secure automated website-based process, Transpact.com seems to have become the domain name service of choice for many.
Some points to note:
1) Our prices quoted include our same-day/next-day wire transfer fee to the payment-recipient, so the table above makes us look more expensive than we are in comparison to others (even though we are already the lowest cost in the table).
2) Our prices quoted in the table above are the total prices that both the buyer and the seller pays. At least one, if not both of the parties, will pay much, much less for each transaction.
Thus again the table makes us seem more expensive than we are.
3) We operate much higher levels of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing than other services.
So trusts with (for example) bank accounts based in the Cayman Islands won’t be able to use our service, and should use another escrow alternative.This rules us out of a significant number of domain name transactions (as quite a few have foreign haven tax structures), but if you are a local individual or company it should not prove a problem.
To see if you can use our services, check our Countries web-page to see if the country where your bank account is situated is listed. Please note that we are based in the UK, and operate under UK and EU law, and if you choose to use our service from outside then you are choosing to transact purely in the UK and EU at your own choosing.
4) For transactions within the EU which are denominated in Euros, we are much lower cost again (just €6.98 for transactions under €15,000).
Choo Jen-Sin says
Hi Colin,
What instant messenger / email can I reach you to find out more?
Thanks!
Colin Jones says
Jen-Sin,
You can use My.Name @ Transpact.com (replace My.Name with my name).
Or use the comment or feedback forms on our website.
Paolo says
“4) For transactions within the EU which are denominated in Euros, we are much lower cost again (just €6.98 for transactions under €15,000).”
and you have been hidden until now?!?…
Colin Jones says
Paolo,
We perform many domain transfers every day – so no – not hidden – just successful.
We presented last year at the Domaining Europe – Valencia – conference (the leading European domain conference).
So no – not hidden.
We have been operating successfully for nearly six years.
Try us and see.
Andrew Allemann says
Colin, are you licensed to perform escrow in Texas?
Colin Jones says
Andrew,
We are based solely in the UK, where we are authorised and regulated.
See what I said above
Quote:
‘Please note that we are based in the UK, and operate under UK and EU law, and if you choose to use our service from outside (we do not market outside) then you are choosing to transact purely in the UK and EU at your own choosing.’
Greg Janssen says
As of 5/3/17, Afternic escrow commission is 20%!!
Greg Janssen says
Sedo’s minimum escrow commission is 15%! What good is the chart above?
Andrew Allemann says
You are looking at their sales commissions, not their escrow only fees