Drop catching
Drop catching is the practice of registering a domain in the moment it becomes available after the previous registrant lets it expire. It is a competitive industry — services like DropCatch, SnapNames, and NameJet operate registrar fleets that submit thousands of registration requests per second when high-value domains drop.
Also known as: Domain catching, Dropping
In depth
When a generic top-level domain expires and progresses through autoRenewPeriod and redemptionPeriod without recovery, it enters pendingDelete for 5 days. At the end of pendingDelete the registry deletes the registration and the domain becomes available for any registrar to register on a first-come-first-served basis.
For high-value domains the moment of release attracts intense competition. Drop-catch services maintain dozens of accredited registrar accounts, each able to submit a quota of registration commands per second. They time their submissions to the exact millisecond of release. The first valid command wins.
For .com and .net the drop times are tightly clustered in an early-afternoon UTC window — a known schedule that drop-catch services have studied to the second. Other TLDs have their own schedules.
For domain buyers, the practical implications: short, dictionary, and brandable names will almost certainly be caught by professional services rather than dropping cleanly. Manual registration via a normal registrar tab almost never wins for these names. For longer or niche names, manual registration usually works fine.
Examples
- DropCatch.com charges around $59 per attempt with no guarantee. SnapNames and NameJet (now merged) operate similarly.
- A 4-letter .com that hits pendingDelete: typically caught within milliseconds of release by a backorder service, then auctioned to the highest bidder.
- A 15-character niche .com: usually drops cleanly. Manual registration via any normal registrar works.
Frequently asked questions
How do I drop-catch a domain?
For competitive names: place a backorder with a drop-catch service (DropCatch, SnapNames). For non-competitive names: keep a registrar checkout tab open and register at the drop time.
How much does drop-catching cost?
Backorder services typically charge $59-$80 per attempt. If the catch succeeds and there are competing backorders, the domain is auctioned to the highest bidder.
What is the success rate of drop-catching?
For competitive names, only services with the most registrar accounts win. DropCatch (which operates the most registrar shells) catches the majority of high-value drops.
When do .com domains drop?
Verisign drops .com domains in a window approximately 11:00–14:00 UTC. The exact second is not public but drop-catch services have it down to milliseconds.
Can I drop-catch ccTLDs?
Some ccTLDs follow a similar drop pattern; others (notably .de) have no formal drop cycle. Check the specific TLD's lifecycle before assuming a drop is coming.
Related terms
- Domain backorderA domain backorder is a paid order placed with a drop-catch service before a domain become…
- Expired domainAn expired domain is one whose registration period has ended without renewal. Expired doma…
- SnippingSnipping is informal slang for drop-catching — the practice of registering a domain at the…
References
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