http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_name_registrar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_name_registrar Basically, each TLD (.com, .org, .io, etc) has an approve

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_name_registrar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_name_registrar Basically, each TLD (.com, .org, .io, etc) has an approved organization. Different companies (hover.com, godaddy.com) get a license from the parent organizations to register domains for those TLD's. Of course, this requires the registrars to get separate licenses from each parent organization. At this point, its the free market, more or less. This is the level where different licensed companies sell the domains at whatever prices they set. *Edit: Some TLD's have the same parent organization. Not sure if that was clear.