✅ POLL: Do you buy the domain first or build the product first?
by•
Let’s settle this once and for all.
Do you spend 3 hours trying to find a clever .com before writing a single line of code? Or do you ship the MVP and slap on whatever domain wasn’t taken at the time?
Cast your vote and tell us why.
Bonus points if you’ve ever changed your product idea because the domain wasn’t available.
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Replies
I usually go MVP first and worry about the domain later, but if you’ve got a strong idea you really want to lock in, doing it the other way around totally makes sense too. We actually got lucky and secured our domain without going through resellers.
I’ve also heard that having a .com is still a big plus. My app’s in the wellness space, and the .me domain ended up fitting the brand really nicely.
Product Hunt
I almost try to do it in tandem, so I have domains with half finished projects lol
My Financé
I was reviewing my finances this month and noticed i paid square space 4 times. enough was enough so I killed a bunch of auto renewals and removed an old google business plan i had been paying for.
feel like domains can be a serious black hole of money if you don't keep an eye on your finances..
Happycapy
Everyone says they build the product first… but let’s be real — most of us have emotionally committed to a domain name before we even open VS Code. Haha.
Domain first, denial second, MVP third. 😅💻🌐
I was literally wrestling with this exact question for my upcoming MVP. 😅
In the end, I grabbed the domain first - couldn’t resist locking in the name I really wanted. Then I set up a simple waiting list on it so it’s already doing some work while I build. Feels good to have a “home” for the project right from the start!
Do we even need to build the product? 😂 Buying the domain is priceless!
Just joking, but me and many founders I know feel the urge to buy the domain first and make the decision to build the product or not later. Probably not the best strategy though :)
I think it would be a real pain in the asset to build momentum around a name, only to find out you have to buy the domain from someone at a ridiculous price. Better check the domain first and then name the product. Sometimes it’s way easier and cheaper to tweak the name early than to go chasing someone who’s selling it for a fortune.
Easyclaw
buying a domain first just delays the inevitable costly rebrand later...
Classic founder dilemma do you build or brand first? Personally, I’ve burned more hours than I’d like to admit chasing the ‘perfect’ domain… only to realize the MVP needed reworking anyway. There’s magic in momentum, but branding does shape first impressions. Bonus: I have reshaped a product just to lock a .com that felt clean