top of page

Launch your blog with our powerful AI

Wix domain renewal: what happens after the free year?

  • 3 days ago
  • 8 min read

The perfect domain is just a click away: find your domain name→


Wix domain renewal

Your Wix domain registration renews automatically at the end of your subscription period, so if your payment info is current and auto-renewal is on, the domain stays live without any action on your part.


The free domain that comes with a Wix premium plan covers year one, and after that standard renewal rates apply based on your domain extension. Here's everything you need to know to stay ahead of it.


Secure your perfect domain in just a few clicks with Wix. Get everything you need in one place: business email, reliable hosting, SSL protection and full privacy. With 24/7 support and no hidden fees, getting your site live is simple and worry-free.




TL;DR: Wix domain renewal


Wix domains renew automatically by default. You can manage your renewal settings, payment method and registration period from your Wix account. If your domain isn't renewed, it may enter a grace period where you can still recover it before additional fees or permanent expiration apply.


You'll learn:


  • How Wix domain renewal works

  • What the free domain voucher covers

  • What happens when your first year ends

  • How to check your renewal price and manage renewals

  • How to renew or extend your domain registration

  • What happens if your domain expires and how to recover it

  • Tips to keep your domain active and secure





What is domain renewal?


Domain renewal is the process of extending your ownership of a domain name before its registration expires. Unlike buying a domain for the first time, renewal keeps your existing domain active so your website, business email and other services connected to it continue working without interruption.


Most domains are registered for a fixed period, usually one year, though you can often register or renew them for multiple years at a time. When that registration period ends, you'll need to renew the domain to keep it. If you don't, it will eventually expire and could become available for someone else to register.


Many domain registrars, including Wix, offer automatic renewal. When auto-renewal is enabled and your payment method is up to date, your domain renews before it expires, so you don't have to remember the renewal date yourself.





How to renew your Wix domain


Wix automatically renews your domain at the end of each subscription period, so most users won't need to do anything. But if you want to manually extend your registration, or if auto-renewal is off, here's how.


  1. Go to Domains in your Wix account.

  2. Find the domain you want to extend and click Extend next to it.

  3. Select how many additional years you want to add — up to 5 years for .com, .net and .org, or up to 3 years for most other extensions.

  4. Choose a privacy option and click Continue.

  5. Enter your payment information and click Submit Purchase.


Keep in mind that .de, .ch, .at, .nl, .fr and .be domains can't be renewed manually. For these extensions, auto-renewal is the only option. If you've turned it off, you can switch it back on from the Domains page in your Wix account.


When you upgrade to a premium plan, you'll even get a voucher for a free domain name for your first year.




How the Wix free domain voucher works


When you buy a yearly or multi-year Wix Premium or Wix Studio plan for the first time, you get a free domain voucher as a welcome gift. The voucher covers one year of registration for a new domain, meaning your domain name costs nothing for the first 12 months.


The voucher is valid for two months from the date you purchase your plan, so you'll want to claim it promptly. You'll need to enter your payment information when redeeming it, but you won't be charged for that first year. The payment details are saved so Wix can process your renewal automatically once the free year ends.


A few things to keep in mind. The voucher only applies to your first purchase of a qualifying yearly or multi-year plan — it doesn't carry over to plan renewals or upgrades. It covers a wide range of popular extensions including .com, .net, .org, .blog, .shop, .store, .online and .xyz among others. Privacy protection is not included with the voucher but can be added for an extra fee.





What happens when your free year ends


When your free domain year is up, Wix processes the renewal automatically using the payment method on file. As long as auto-renewal is enabled and your payment goes through, your domain stays live and connected to your site with no interruption.


The renewal price depends on several factors — the type of domain extension you chose, your local currency, the number of renewal years selected, whether you add privacy protection and any applicable local taxes.


Wix is a domain registrar trusted by millions of businesses, offering clear first-year and renewal pricing with no hidden costs. To see the exact renewal amount for your specific domain, go to Domains in your Wix account and check the upcoming payment details.


If auto-renewal is turned off or your payment fails, your domain won't renew automatically. In that case it will move into the grace period, which we cover in detail below.





What happens if you don't renew


If your domain isn't renewed, whether because auto-renewal failed, your payment didn't go through or you intentionally turned it off, your domain goes through a series of stages. Understanding these stages can save you from losing your domain permanently.




01. Registration period


This is the active period while your domain is registered and live. Auto-renewal fires during this period to keep things running without interruption. If your domain is set to renew automatically, this is the only stage you'll ever see.



02. Grace period


If the domain isn't renewed before it expires, it enters a grace period of approximately 30 days. During this time, your domain disconnects from your site but stays in your Wix account. You can extend your registration during the grace period at no extra cost — no penalty fees apply. No one else can register your domain during this window.


One important exception: some domain extensions skip the grace period entirely and go straight to redemption the moment they expire. These include .de, .fr, .com.br, .nl, .me, .mx, .at, .be, .ch and a few others. The .it extension gets a shorter 10-day grace period and .me has no grace period or redemption period at all.




03. Redemption period


After the grace period, the domain enters the redemption period for approximately 30 days. This is your last chance to recover it. Retrieval comes with a variable redemption fee displayed in your Wix account on the Domains page. Note that because Wix resells domains through a third-party registrar, the domain may be privately auctioned during this window and recovery is not guaranteed.


To retrieve your domain during redemption, go to Domains in your Wix account and click Keep Domain next to the relevant domain. Retrieval can take up to 7 days after payment.



04. Pending delete


Once the redemption period ends without renewal, the domain enters a pending delete phase that lasts 5 to 10 days. At this stage you can no longer retrieve the domain — your only option is to wait.



05. Available to all


After the pending delete phase, the domain becomes publicly available for anyone to register. You have no claim over it at this point and someone else may purchase it before you do.


You can register a domain directly on the Wix website builder and add Whois privacy and domain security for extra protection.




Managing your Wix domain renewal


Wix lets you manage your domain, website and business email from one dashboard, so you don't have to switch between different providers or accounts. As an ICANN-accredited domain registrar, Wix handles your domain registration, renewals, billing and DNS settings in one place, making it easy to keep everything up to date.


Every Wix domain includes a free SSL certificate once it's connected to your site, plus WHOIS privacy protection where available for your extension. You can also enable domain security features like DNSSEC to help protect against DNS spoofing. With 99.9% DNS uptime and 24/7 support, your domain stays reliable and help is available if you need it.





Extend your registration for peace of mind


If your domain is an important part of your business, renewing it for multiple years can give you one less thing to think about. Instead of renewing every year, you'll reduce the risk of missed payments, avoid annual renewal reminders and keep your website and business email connected for longer. It's a simple way to make sure your domain stays yours while you focus on running your business.


Expert tip from Keren Nir, Senior SEO Strategist at Wix:

“Managing domains is simple with Wix. Everything lives in your dashboard: renewals, DNS settings, email connections, so you can handle it all in one place without technical headaches.”


Tips to keep your domain active and secure


Domain expiration is almost always avoidable. These simple habits can help keep your domain, website and business email running without interruption.


  • Turn on auto-renewal: Auto-renewal is the easiest way to avoid losing your domain. As long as your payment method is up to date, Wix renews your domain automatically before it expires, so you don't have to remember renewal dates yourself.


  • Keep your payment details current: An expired credit card or outdated billing information is one of the most common reasons a renewal fails. Check your payment method regularly, especially if it's due to expire soon.


  • Pay attention to renewal reminders: Wix sends reminder emails before your renewal date, giving you time to update your payment information, change your renewal settings or extend your registration. Adding these emails to your safe sender list helps ensure you don't miss them.


  • Renew for multiple years: If you plan to keep your domain long term, registering it for multiple years means fewer renewals to manage and less chance of accidental expiration. It's an easy way to reduce ongoing maintenance and keep your website and business email connected.


  • Protect your personal information: If your domain extension supports it, add WHOIS privacy protection to keep your personal contact details out of public domain records. This can help reduce spam and unwanted contact while adding another layer of privacy.



Find your perfect domain plus 400+ domain extensions on Wix. Search and register your domain in one place.




Domain renewal FAQ:


Does my Wix domain renew automatically?

Yes. Wix enables auto-renewal by default, so as long as your payment method is up to date, your domain renews automatically before it expires. You can turn off auto-renewal from the Domains page in your Wix account, though some domain extensions require it to remain enabled.

When your domain expires and enters the grace period, it disconnects from your Wix site. Your website content stays intact in your Wix account, but visitors won't be able to reach it through your custom domain until you renew. Once you extend your registration, the domain reconnects and your site goes live again.

No. The free domain voucher applies to new domain registrations only — it cannot be used to renew a domain you already purchased. It is also only included with the first-time purchase of a qualifying yearly or multi-year Wix Premium or Studio plan, not with plan renewals or upgrades.

Several domain extensions skip the grace period and go straight to redemption the moment they expire. These include .de, .fr, .com.br, .nl, .me, .mx, .at, .be, .ch and a few others. The .it extension has a shorter 10-day grace period instead of the standard 30 days. Note that .me domains have neither a grace period nor a redemption period.

Go to Domains in your Wix account to see the upcoming renewal details for each domain including the renewal cost. The price varies by domain extension, local currency, registration period and any add-ons like privacy protection. You can also visit the domain pricing page for a general overview of costs by extension.


Discover websites built on Wix

explore website ideas
explore website ideas
explore website ideas
explore website ideas
explore website ideas
explore website ideas
explore website ideas
explore website ideas
explore website ideas
explore website ideas
explore website ideas
explore website ideas
explore website ideas
explore website ideas
explore website ideas
explore website ideas

Build your site with a free template

Find the perfect domain for your site

bottom of page