The switch is optional: a domain can be listed on Afternic on any nameservers. The nameservers decide which landing page visitors see and which commission rate applies. Afternic and GoDaddy pages were checked on 1 November 2026. If the name is not listed yet, start with how to list a domain for sale.
What Afternic’s nameservers do
Afternic’s help article on setting up a For Sale landing page gives the requirement in one line: “Ensure your domain name uses ns1.afternic.com and ns2.afternic.com as Nameservers (Contact your registrar if unsure how to set that up)”. Visitors then land on a sale page. The same article adds: “By default, all domains will use our Request Price for sale landing page.”
Afternic Help lists four lander options:
- Request Price, which Afternic calls “our default recommended For Sale lander”, “best for average-priced to high-value names”, with a contact form.
- Buy-It-Now (BIN), “recommended for low-value listings”; it needs an asking price.
- CashParking, which “will display ads and a for sale banner”.
- Custom Lander, a Buy It Now page “that leads to GoDaddy.com where buyer will complete their purchase”.
The lander is not instant. Afternic Help says to contact support “If you’ve waited 24 hours and the landing page still isn’t loading”. Lander design in general is covered in domain for sale landing page.
Commission by nameserver and Boost
Afternic’s fees article (dated 29 October 2026) lists a “Standard commission of 30% ($15 minimum) of the sales price – 25% +5% Default Boost Benefit” and a “Discounted rate of 20% ($15 minimum) of sales price when using GoDaddy Aftermarket supported nameservers at the time of the sale – 15% +5% Default Boost Benefit”.
Boost is not a nameserver setting. Afternic’s Boost FAQ says it “charges an additional 5% commission on sales in exchange for the added exposure and marketing benefits”, and because it is set per account, it “applies to all domain sales through your Afternic account”. You can opt out “at any time”, though “opting out can take up to 48 hours to sync”.
| Nameservers at the time of sale | Commission (checked 1 November 2026) | Seller payout on a $1,000 sale (Afternic’s example) |
|---|---|---|
| ns1.afternic.com / ns2.afternic.com, no Boost | 15% ($15 minimum) | $850 |
| Other nameservers, no Boost | 25% ($15 minimum) | $750 |
| ns1.afternic.com / ns2.afternic.com, Boost active | 15% +5% Boost (20%) | $800 |
| Other nameservers, Boost active | 25% +5% Boost (30%) | $700 |
The phrase that matters is “at the time of the sale”: move the domain away before it sells and the standard rate applies. Custom Checkout Link sales sit outside the table, and lease to own has its own term discounts (see domain lease to own). How these rates compare with other venues is in Afternic vs Sedo and where to sell domain names.
How to set Afternic nameservers at your registrar
The change is made at the registrar, not at Afternic. Menus differ, but the pattern is the same:
- Sign in to the registrar account that holds the domain.
- Open the domain’s DNS or nameserver settings.
- Choose the option to use custom (or your own) nameservers.
- Replace the existing entries with ns1.afternic.com and ns2.afternic.com, and save.
- Wait, then open the domain in a browser to check the lander.
GoDaddy Help’s page on changing nameservers notes: “when nameservers are changed, the place where you manage DNS also changes.” It also gives the timing: “Most DNS changes take effect within an hour but could take up to 48 hours to update globally.” That is GoDaddy’s general DNS guidance; Afternic’s own note is the 24-hour lander check.
Other supported nameserver endings
The lower rate is not limited to the two Afternic names. The fees article says “GoDaddy Aftermarket supported nameservers end on one of the following: afternic.com smartname.com uniregistrymarket.link dan.com undeveloped.com internettraffic.com cashparking.com”, and GoDaddy Help lists the same endings. So dan.com nameservers count too; for that platform’s story, see what happened to dan.com.
Not the same as the verification nameserver
Afternic can also verify ownership by nameserver, but that nameserver is not ns1.afternic.com. Each account gets a unique string under “Settings – Ownership Verification”: “Add a new nameserver using the verification string copied from your Afternic account.” The alternative is a TXT record, and either method is “valid for the whole account”.
Fast Transfer is a separate thing
Fast Transfer does not depend on nameservers. GoDaddy Help describes it as “an automated process that transfers the sold domain from the seller account to the buyer account, regardless of registrar.” GoDaddy says the Premium (Fast Transfer) network “offers maximum exposure for your domains and eliminates the lengthy escrow process.”
Afternic’s Fast-Transfer Criteria:
- “It must have a Buy Now price”
- “The Buy Now price must be below $100,000 USD”
- “It must be registered for 60 days or longer with the current registrar and must not be subject to a 60-day registry lock”
- “The registration cannot expire in 30 days or less”
- It must be at a partner registrar, using an extension supported for that registrar
Partner registrars include GoDaddy, Namecheap, Name.com, Dynadot and Porkbun, among others. None of the criteria mention nameservers. “Eligible domain listings are automatically opted into Fast Transfer at the end of the transfer lock period”; otherwise Afternic’s Transaction Assurance team contacts you with delivery instructions. General timings are in domain transfer time.
Afternic and GoDaddy
GoDaddy Help states that “Afternic is a GoDaddy company and the world’s largest domain marketplace” (GoDaddy’s own claim), and afternic.com says “Afternic is part of GoDaddy, the leading provider of domain names.” That explains the fees article’s “GoDaddy Aftermarket supported nameservers”, and why the Custom Lander sends buyers to GoDaddy.com to pay.
When not to switch
Do not point a domain at Afternic’s nameservers while it runs a website or email you still need. GoDaddy Help warns: “Changing your nameservers may break existing connections to your website or email. Be sure to verify your settings before and after making changes.” No Afternic page read says it hosts email or keeps your DNS records, and a live site would be replaced by the lander.
For such a domain, keep your own nameservers, accept the standard 25% rate (plus Boost if on) and verify by TXT record. An idle name with no email is the obvious one to switch; parking is compared in parked domain.
Afternic is also not the only venue. You can list your domain on SERPHeroes, a smaller marketplace for aged domains bought by SEOs. It needs no nameserver change: the seller proves control “by adding a DNS record or a file on the domain”, so a working site stays up. Listing is free; on a sale “SERPHeroes keeps a flat 10% commission”, and Escrow.com charges its own fee.
Before changing anything, note the current nameservers so you can switch back. For a quicker exit generally, how to sell a domain fast covers pricing and venues.
Frequently asked questions
What are Afternic’s nameservers?
ns1.afternic.com and ns2.afternic.com. Afternic Help names both for its For Sale landing page and for Afternic Parking.
Do I need Afternic nameservers to list a domain?
No. A domain on other nameservers can still be listed. It pays the standard 25% rate rather than 15% (plus 5% either way if Boost is active) and shows no Afternic lander.
Do Afternic nameservers make a domain eligible for Fast Transfer?
No. Afternic’s Fast-Transfer criteria cover the Buy Now price, time at the registrar, expiry date, partner registrar and extension. Nameservers are not on the list.
How long until the Afternic lander shows?
Afternic says to contact support if it is still missing after 24 hours. GoDaddy Help says DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to update globally.
The takeaway Switch an idle listed domain to ns1.afternic.com and ns2.afternic.com for the lander and the lower rate, and keep it there until it sells. Leave a domain with a live site or email where it is. If you are on the buying side, browse aged domains on the SERPHeroes marketplace.
