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The Difference Between Top-Level Domains (TLDs)

  • Published On: March 8, 2023

  • Category: domains

When looking for premium domain names, you'll encounter top-level domains (TLDs), including .com, .net, .org, and more. A top-level domain is signified by the characters that come after the last dot "." in a website URL. TLDs represent unique categories in the domain name system (DNS) hierarchy. Dot com is the most common TLD used to denote general e-commerce websites. The TLD is also search-engine friendly and has many edges over other names. At DomainMarket.com, we provide the world’s best online store for purchasing super-premium dot com domains.

3 Differences Between Top-Level Domains

The primary suffix after the last dot in a URL can be a top-level or country-level domain. Top-level domains are affiliated with the website's general intent, so .com, .org, and .bet depict commercial, organization, and betting sites. Country-level domains are affiliated with the country, like .us (USA) or .cn (China). We recognize three official types of top-level domains; gTLD, sTKD, and ccTLD.

1.    Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD)

A generic top-level domain is the most recognizable and includes .com, .org, and .net. You can also find generic options like .biz, .info, and .xyz. In 2011, ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) opened the scene for organizations and companies to register their unique gTLDs. Many new gTLDs have emerged since then. Examples of these new domains include .google, .oracle, .mitsubishi, .oracle, .bing, and more.

Organizations can also register generic niche gTLDs like .money, .mum, .realestate, and .motorcycles. GeoTLDs is another subset of gTLDs for domains from specific locations like .paris, .berlin, .nyc. Although the new gTLDs provide more distinction for users, search engines and many people still prefer .com. Dot com is the best top-level domain for commercial outlets. The domain is more brandable and given the top priority by search engine algorithms.

2.    Sponsored Top-Level Domain (sTLD)

A sponsored top-level domain is used by a specified entity, which can be a business, government, or organization. Popular examples include .gov and edu. Dot gov is reserved for the US government, while dot edu is for post-secondary institutions accredited by the Department of Education. You'll also find .mil, which is reserved for use by the US military. Other lesser-known sTLDs include travel, .post, .museum, .jobs, and more.

sTLDs are used by organizations or departments like the Society of Human Resource Management, which sponsors .jobs. We have access to only fifteen sTLDs, compared to the wide range of gTLDs. You can also find top-level domains without owners or uTLDs. ICANN plays the governance role in unsponsored TLDs (uTLDs). If you want to start online e-commerce, you don't need sponsored TLDs. A gTLD like a dot com is much more suitable.

3.    Country Code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD)

A country code top-level domain represents the country where the website or business is licensed. Popular ccTLDs include .us (USA), .uk (United Kingdom), .de (Germany), .fr (France), .ca (Canada), and .ch (Switzerland). Some countries enforce residency restrictions, so only people from the country can purchase domains with the TLD. Other ccTLDs are public, meaning anyone can buy domains with the country code regardless of where they live.

Public ccTLDs have opened the market for off-label use. An example is the .io TLD, which is assigned to British Indian Ocean Territory. Tech companies use this ccTLD more often than other businesses, so most people associate it with the tech industry. You can find many generic ccTLDs that people use outside the assigned geographical regions. Major brands have a gTLD like Amazon.com but also feature ccTLDs like Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.de for specific geo targets.

Other Common Top-Level Domain Names

Premium domain names feature many other TLDs that are less common than those mentioned above. At DomainMarket.com, we specialize in providing a market for premium dot com domain names for businesses seeking improved SEO performance. Firms with a dot com TLD can purchase other TLDs for specific geo targets or products/services. An example is the Infrastructural TLD (.arpa), which is reserved for facilitating reserve DNS lookups and other infrastructural duties.

Dot arpa is named after the US military research organization DARPA and is the first TLD ever created. You can also find Reserved TLDs, which are permanently unavailable for use. An example is the .localhost TLD, reserved for local computer environments. Dot example (.example) is another reserved TLD, only used for demonstrations. Choosing a domain name and a suitable TLD can be daunting, but most businesses need generic TLDs, especially .com.

Purchase Premium Domain Names Today

If you’re looking for premium domain names, consider the top-level domains. A .com domain is the starting point for most ecommerce platforms. You can also look into other TLDs, especially the country code TLDs, if you're targeting a specific geographical area. At DomainMarket.com, we help you find super-premium .com domain names for your brand.

Our online store invites businesses seeking the highest quality, underdeveloped internet real estate brands. You can find and purchase premium dot com domains and secure other TLDs required for the business. A premium domain name features concise dictionary words relatable to the company or its products/services. You can utilize DomainMarket.com to find top-rated brandable domain names.