Search .com domains

History and momentum. The .com extension launched in 1985 as one of the original top-level domains, intended for commercial entities. It became the default through decades of use, marketing, and the simple fact that it’s what people expect. Today, over 160 million .com domains are registered—more than any other extension.

You have several options: check if it’s for sale on aftermarket platforms (Dan, Sedo, Afternic), contact the owner directly through WHOIS records, try variations (adding a word, using a different structure), or consider alternative extensions like .co, .io, or a country-code TLD.

It varies enormously. Common words and short domains can range from $1,000 to millions of dollars. Single-word dictionary terms in English typically start at $10,000 and can exceed $1 million for high-demand categories. For most practical purposes, expect $500-$50,000 for a quality brandable .com on the aftermarket.

For mainstream audiences and maximum credibility, yes. But “better” depends on context. If you’re building an AI startup for a technical audience, .ai might actually be more appropriate. If you’re targeting developers, .io works. If you need universal recognition and can’t explain your domain extension, .com is safest.

Verisign operates the .com registry under a contract with ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). This arrangement has been in place since the early internet, and Verisign is responsible for maintaining the infrastructure that makes all .com domains work.

Some hosting providers include a free .com for the first year when you purchase a hosting plan (Hostinger, Bluehost, and others offer this). However, you’ll pay standard renewal rates after the first year, typically $12-20. There’s no truly free .com—the registry charges a wholesale fee that someone has to pay.