What is Domain Redemption, and what's up with the fees?

When a domain registration expires, you typically have about a month where you could still renew it at the normal price. This period is known as the grace period. Domain Redemption is the status a domain enters after that initial month of expiry. It is meant to be a freeze period between when the domain expires and when it becomes available to the public again. Think of it as a last chance to get it back. Getting a domain out of redemption can be quite costly, and varies per TLD. There is a redemption fee, plus the regular renewal cost. This is not a fee that we set, nor do we add an upcharge on it. This period usually lasts about a month, but can vary by TLD. After that, the domain will enter a PendingDelete stage for about 5 days, after which it will be released back to the public, or auctioned off. Basically, you do not want your domain to enter this status. We send plenty of notice that your domain is expiring, and after as well.