Generic top-level domains

A generic top-level domain, or gTLD, is the segment of a domain name that comes after the final dot, think .com, .org, .app, or .shop. Generic top-level domains sit at the top of the domain name system's hierarchy (you'll also see it written as top level domain, without the hyphen) and are managed by ICANN, which delegates each one to a registry responsible for its technical operation and domain extension rules. Unlike country code top-level domains, a generic top-level domain isn't tied to a specific country, which is what makes it "generic": open, in principle, to registrants anywhere, and it's why this group hosts the largest share of domain names online today.

Generic TLDs is the umbrella term for every top-level domain that isn't country-specific, and it splits into two families. Original gTLDs are the small set launched in the 1980s and 90s (.com, .org, .net, and a few others), while new gTLDs are the hundreds of new TLDs ICANN has approved since 2012 through its New gTLD Program, covering brands, industries, and communities, and adding thousands of new registration options to the pool each year. If you want to browse each group in more depth, see our pages on original gTLDs and new TLDs, this page focuses on generic top-level domains as the category that covers both.

A generic TLD (gTLD) isn't linked to any nation, while a country code top-level domain, a ccTLD like .uk, .de, or .jp, is reserved for a specific country or territory and usually run by a local registry rather than ICANN directly. There are also a small number of sponsored top-level domains, such as .edu or .museum, which sit alongside generic TLDs but are restricted to a defined community. In short: generic top-level domains are open by design, country-code domains are geography-bound, and sTLDs sit in their own restricted category, though all three groups ultimately register domain names the same technical way.

Domain registration starts with checking availability, then paying a registrar to reserve the name for a fixed term, usually one to ten years. Each registry sets its own rules for the TLD it operates, and some apply extra conditions (proof of a trademark for a sponsored TLD, for example, or local presence for certain extensions), while most stay open to anyone registering domain names for personal or business use. Good domain management also means tracking your renewal date and keeping registrant contact details current, since letting that date lapse can mean losing the domain entirely.

Browse the generic top-level domains available in Chinese below, each linked to live domain price comparisons.

Browse the generic top-level domains available in English below, each linked to live domain price comparisons.

Browse the generic top-level domains available in French below, each linked to live domain price comparisons.

Browse the generic top-level domains available in German below, each linked to live domain price comparisons.

Browse the generic top-level domains available in Hindi below, each linked to live domain price comparisons.

Browse the generic top-level domains available in Italian below, each linked to live domain price comparisons.

Browse the generic top-level domains available in Spanish below, each linked to live domain price comparisons.