Updated 12 November 2026
A backorder is a request to register a domain the moment it becomes available. If a .co.uk, .uk, .org.uk or .me.uk domain you want is registered but might not be renewed, a backorder means you don't have to watch it yourself, or be awake when it drops.
As early as you can. You can backorder a domain while it is still registered, long before it expires. Many domains are renewed at the last minute, in which case nothing happens and, with Drop Catcher, nothing is charged. Booking early also covers the case where the owner cancels the domain before its normal drop date.
With some backorder services, whoever booked first wins, or the name goes to a public auction. At Drop Catcher, if more than one customer books the same domain and we catch it, it goes to a private 72-hour auction between only those customers, starting at £35. Nobody else can bid, and if you don't win, you pay nothing.
Prices across the market range from a flat fee to several hundred pounds, and some services charge up front. At Drop Catcher, booking is free and you pay £35 only if we catch the domain. That includes the first year's Nominet registration, and moving the domain to your own registrar if you want to.
Yes. Each drop catcher sends its own registration requests, and only one can win. Some buyers book the same name with several services to improve their chances. At Drop Catcher you can choose which independent drop catchers chase each of your bookings, at no extra cost.
The domain is registered in your name. You can point it at your own website and email, or move it to another registrar.
New to this? Read What is drop catching? first.
