ExpiredDomains.net Review: Complete Setup Guide

What Is ExpiredDomains.net?

ExpiredDomains.net is a searchable database of expired, pending delete, and deleted domains. It aggregates data from multiple registrars, WHOIS records, and third-party backlink tools to provide a comprehensive snapshot of each domain's SEO value.

Primary use case: Discovery stage — finding high-DR domains before investing in deeper vetting with Ahrefs or SpamZilla.

2026 Pricing

• Free Account: Full access to all features with ads, limited sorting speed
• Premium Account: $29.95/month — Ad-free interface, faster database updates, saved filters, export to CSV

Step-by-Step Setup for Finding High-DR Domains

1. Navigate to the Deleted Domains List

Go to expireddomains.net → Deleted Domains. This is the primary search interface. You'll see a table with thousands of recently expired domains.

2. Configure Essential Filters

Click the filter icon to open the advanced search panel. Here are the must-configure filters:

TLD (Top-Level Domain)

• Recommended: .com, .net, .org (trusted by Google, higher resale value)
• Avoid: .info, .biz, .xyz (often spammy, harder to monetize)

Domain Age

• Minimum: 3 years (older domains tend to have more authority)
• Optimal: 5+ years for PBN use, 10+ years for money sites

Backlink Metrics

• Ahrefs DR: Minimum 20 (adjust based on budget — DR 30+ costs more)
• Referring Domains (RD): Minimum 10 (signals real backlink diversity)
• Backlinks: Minimum 100 (ensures the domain has actual link equity)

Majestic Metrics

• Trust Flow (TF): Minimum 10 (quality signal)
• Citation Flow (CF): Optional, but TF/CF ratio should be close to 1:1 (avoid spam)

Additional Filters

• No Hyphens: Check this box (hyphenated domains are harder to brand)
• No Numbers: Check this box (cleaner domains, better resale)
• Word Count: 1–2 words (shorter = more valuable)

3. Exclude Common Spam Indicators

Use the "Exclude" tab to filter out domains with spam signals:

• Blacklists: Exclude domains on SURBL, URIBL, or other blacklists
• Archive.org Status: Exclude domains with no Archive.org history (possible spam)
• Banned TLDs: Exclude .tk, .ga, .ml (free TLDs with high spam rates)

4. Sort by Best Opportunities

After filtering, sort the results by:

• Ahrefs DR (descending): Highest authority first
• Referring Domains (descending): Most diverse backlink profiles first
• Drop Date (ascending): Newest drops first (higher chance of availability)

5. Review Individual Domains

Click any domain name to view its detail page. Key sections to check:

• WHOIS History: How long was it registered? Recent ownership changes?
• Backlink Summary: DR, RD, and backlink count from Ahrefs/Majestic
• Archive.org Snapshots: What did the site look like before expiration?
• IP History: Has the domain moved between IPs frequently? (possible spam signal)

Column Explanations: What Each Metric Means

ABY (Archive.org Birth Year)

The year the domain first appeared in Archive.org snapshots. Older ABY = more authority potential.

RDP (Restore Deleted Period)

The date the domain entered Pending Delete status. Useful for estimating when it will drop.

BL (Backlinks)

Total backlinks from Majestic's index. More backlinks = potential link equity, but quality matters more than quantity.

RD (Referring Domains)

Number of unique domains linking to this expired domain. Higher RD = better diversity (10+ is a good baseline).

ACR (Alexa Country Rank)

Historical Alexa ranking (now deprecated as of 2022, but some data remains in older listings). Ignore this column in 2026.

DMOZ

Whether the domain was listed in the DMOZ directory (now defunct). Historical signal only — not relevant for 2026 SEO.

Changes

How many times the domain's WHOIS information changed. Frequent changes can indicate domain abuse or reselling.

Search Operators & Advanced Techniques

Keyword-in-Domain Search

Use the "Contains" filter to find domains with specific keywords:

• Example: tech finds domains like techblog.com, digitech.net
• Use cases: Niche-specific PBNs, exact-match domains for local SEO

Niche-Specific Topical Trust Flow

Majestic's Topical Trust Flow categorizes domains by industry. Use the TTF filter to find:

• Computers/Internet: Tech-focused domains
• Health: Medical, wellness, fitness domains
• Business: Finance, consulting, B2B domains

Combining Filters for Maximum Precision

Advanced filter combo for high-quality PBN domains:

• TLD: .com, .org
• Age: 5+ years
• Ahrefs DR: 25+
• RD: 15+
• TF: 15+
• No hyphens, no numbers
• Exclude: All blacklists, no Archive.org history

This narrows results to ~50–100 domains per day, making manual vetting manageable.

Account Tiers: Free vs. Premium

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Comprehensive database: Millions of expired domains, updated daily
• Free tier is fully functional: No paywalls for essential features
• Multi-metric support: Ahrefs, Majestic, Archive.org data in one place
• Advanced filters: Granular control over search criteria
• Historical data: WHOIS history, IP changes, registration timeline
• CSV export: Easy to batch-analyze in Excel or Google Sheets

Cons

• Data accuracy varies: Backlink metrics are often outdated (use Ahrefs/Majestic for validation)
• No spam scoring: You'll need SpamZilla or manual checks to detect spam
• Cluttered UI: The interface hasn't been updated since ~2018, feels dated
• Heavy ads on free tier: Can slow down browsing on lower-end devices
• No bulk vetting: You still need to manually check each domain

When to Use ExpiredDomains.net

Ideal Use Cases

• Initial discovery: Find domains worth investigating further
• Budget-conscious buyers: Free tier is perfect for low-volume acquisition
• Niche research: Use keyword filters to find topically relevant domains
• Pending delete monitoring: Track domains approaching drop dates

When NOT to Rely on It

• Final purchase decisions: Always validate with Ahrefs/Majestic before buying
• Spam detection: Use SpamZilla or manual Google searches to verify cleanliness
• High-stakes domains ($500+): Cross-check all metrics with primary sources

Workflow Integration

Here's how ExpiredDomains.net fits into a complete vetting workflow:

1. Discovery (ExpiredDomains.net): Filter for DR 20+, RD 10+, age 5+ years → Export 50 domains
2. Spam Check (SpamZilla or Google): Remove domains with spam signals → 30 domains remain
3. Backlink Validation (Ahrefs): Batch analyze for real DR and referring domains → 15 domains remain
4. Historical Check (Archive.org): Verify previous content wasn't spammy → 10 domains remain
5. Purchase Decision: Buy the top 3–5 domains based on niche relevance and budget

Alternatives to ExpiredDomains.net

If ExpiredDomains.net doesn't meet your needs, consider:

• DomCop: Paid aggregator with cleaner UI and faster updates ($49–$199/mo)
• SpamZilla: Discovery + spam detection in one tool ($79+/mo)
• FreshDrop: Budget-friendly alternative with simpler filters ($19.99/mo)
• Manual registrar monitoring: Check NameJet, SnapNames, GoDaddy Auctions directly (free but time-intensive)

Final Verdict

ExpiredDomains.net remains the best free discovery tool in 2026. Its comprehensive database, multi-metric filtering, and zero-cost entry make it essential for anyone in the expired domain space.

The UI is dated and the data isn't always current, but for initial discovery and pre-filtering, nothing beats it at the free tier. Upgrade to Premium only if you're searching daily and the ads become a productivity drain.

Bottom line: Start here, validate elsewhere, and you'll build a solid expired domain pipeline without spending a dime.