Top Level Domain: The Full List

 

What Is a Top Level Domain?

Top Level Domains, or TLDs for short, refer to the last segment after a domain name; a top level domain is the part that comes after the "dot." For example, our domain name is Several.com; the "com" is the top level domain.

There are more than 1,200 TLDs in 2021. These top level domains have three types:
 

1. Generic top level domain (gTLD)

This category contains the most common TLDs, including:

• .com - commercial businesses
• .net - network organizations
• .org - organizations 
   

2. Sponsored top level domain (sTLD)

These are TLDs that are sponsored by entities such as the government or a big business. Examples of sTLD include:

• .gov.(country) - for example, .gov.uk.
• .mil - used by the military. 
• .edu - used by the Department of Education.
• .jobs, .post, .travel, and so on.
   

3.Country Code Top Level Domain (ccTLD)

This category is self-explanatory. Here are some examples of ccTLDs: (There are ~312 ccTLDs)

• .us - USA
• .uk - United Kingdom
• .kr - South Korea
• .es - Spain
• .ca - Canada
• .jo - Jordan
• .cn - China
• .jp - Japan

There are some organizations or parties that will combine two of the categories; gov.uk, gov.jo, edu.co.kr, and so on.

When someone starts an online business or a personal website, the top level domain they choose usually tells so much about it. Some examples of that include:

• .audio/.band for musicians.
• .photography, .photo, .studio for photographers.
• .me / for personal websites.
• .fm for radio stations.
   

The Three Rs

The 3Rs here refer to Registry, Registrar, and Registrant.

Registry

It is an organization that manages top level domain names. A registry creates domain name extensions and delegates the responsibility to registrars to sell these domain names. 

Registrar

It is an organization that sells domain names to the public. It is accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Whenever someone buys a domain name from a registrar, their information gets uploaded on the ICANN database through registries. 

Registrant

It refers to the person or organization that buys or leases a domain name. Registrants only deal with registrars to buy and manage their domain names.
 

WHOIS

WHOIS is not an acronym; it is the combined words of the question "who is?" and is pronounced as so. It is the Internet's record listing for domain names and their owners. The WHOIS database is open to the public, where anyone can look up a domain name and see who owns it and how to contact them.

The info that people can find about you through WHOIS includes:

• Domain name
• Registry data
• Updated date
• Creation date
• Expiration date
• Registrar data
• Registrant organization
• Registrant state/province
• Registrant country

If you think this is a privacy invasion, we can't blame you. The good news is that most domain registrars include a WHOIS privacy feature in their plans where your info will be hidden from the public WHOIS database; some registrars have it for free, some require payment.
 

Recommended Domain Registrars

So, without further ado, let us head right into the best domain registrars on the market in 2021.

1. GoDaddy
 

GoDaddy is one of the best domain registrars on the market. With GoDaddy, not only will you lease a domain name, but you will also get more features like web building and web hosting services. 

Here are the prices of the most common TLDs on GoDaddy:

GoDaddy offers further features like:

• You can have up to 100 subdomains.
• You get real-time monitoring and help from experts.
• You don't have to have any technical skills; GoDaddy's experts will help you throughout the whole process.
• GoDaddy offers you easy and simple tools to migrate your existing domain to GoDaddy.

After leasing a domain name, you get to have it for as long as you pay for the renewal. However, if you fail to pay, you will lose your domain name. But not really. GoDaddy offers a grace period of 12 days in which you can still pay the same price and get your domain name back. After the grace period is over, you still have 26 days to get your domain name back, with a redemption fee of $80. If you don't get it back during this period, your domain name will go to auction, and anyone will be able to buy it.

With GoDaddy's basic privacy plan, our information will be partially hidden from the WHOIS database; if you pay an extra $9.99 per year, you will get full protection.

Grab The Best Deal NOW

2. Name.com
 

 

Name.com is a great registrar for your domain name, with affordable prices and multiple add-on services.

Here are the prices of some TLDs on Name.com:

Name.com offers a variety of features that will give you the best experience:

• Web hosting and website builders.
• Google workspace.
• Website security with SiteLock.
• Branded URL shortener.

As for Name.com's grace period, it is longer than GoDaddy's; Name.com offers a 25-day grace period where you can retrieve your domain name for free if you fail to renew your plan on time. If you don't retrieve it during the grace period, you can get it back throughout Name.com's 30-day redemption period, but this time you'll have to pay a fee of $120.

To get the premium privacy and protection plan at Name.com, you can buy the package for $4.99 (a one-time payment).
 

Claim Your Domain Name Now

 
3. Dynadot
 

Dynadot is one of the best places you can go when you want to claim a domain name. 

Some domain name ideas for Dynadot's TLDs include:

Dynadot's grace period is even longer than Name.com's; if you fail to renew on time, you get 40 days as a grace period in which you can retrieve your domain name. However, we must mention that for the first 30 days you can get it back for free, but for the ten days that are left, you will be charged $10 as a fee. 

Dynadot is an easy-to-use website with one of the best customer services; experts will be there for you through live chat, phone support, email, knowledge-base, blogs, and articles.

Dynadot includes free WHOIS privacy in all plans. 

Click Here To Get The Best Discount

4. Namecheap
 

Namecheap, as you can probably tell by its name, offers a variety of features for very affordable prices. 

Namecheap offers multiple TLDs that you can choose from, including:

With Namecheap, you get:

• A free logo builder.
• A free website builder.
• Free easy WordPress. 

Namecheap offers a 30-day free period where you can retrieve your domain name with no additional fee in case you fail to renew your payment on time.

Namecheap has 24/7 chat and email support, where you can get help from experts around the clock.

You will get free WHOIS privacy protection in any plan at Namecheap.
 

Click Here For A 20% Discount

Check our full list of the best domain registrars on the market in 2021, rated, ranked, and analyzed in detail.
 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

If I have a domain name already, can I transfer from one domain registrar to another?

Yes, you can. Some domain registrars provide domain migration for free; some require payment. If you want to transfer your domain name to a different domain registrar, you will usually need to unlock your domain name from the losing registrar's end and get a transfer authorization. You will then go to the registrar of your choice and provide the information needed, and you're all set.

Can someone transfer my domain without my permission?

All domain registrars include a "Domain Lock" feature. This feature can be paid, or for free, depending on the domain registrar you're using. Domain lock will ensure that no one will transfer your domain or make any changes to the contact info.

Are domain registrars legit and credible?

Yes. Domain registrars are all registered with the ICANN, which validates and gives the license to domain registrars so they can register domains legally.

What are the rules for domain names?

Your domain name must be unique; you don't have to worry about this, as you can check the availability of the domain name in the registrar's name search. A domain name can only contain letters and numbers from the ASCII characters (a-z and 0-9). Hyphens are allowed in the middle of the text. You are also not allowed to use special characters (#%*) or spaces.

For a more detailed answer, you can check our valid domain name characters guide.

Can I buy a domain name permanently?

You cannot buy a domain name permanently. In fact, you don't "buy" a domain name; you lease it. However, you can pre-pay for a domain name for 10 years; this way, you will not have to worry about its expiration.

What makes a domain name good?

Try to make your domain name memorable; use easy words with no or very few numbers. And even though hyphens are allowed, it is better if you avoid using them. Some domain registrars also offer a URL shortening service; this feature will make your URL easy to remember so that people can have no difficulty typing it directly into the search bar.