.com domains explained: pricing, history, and best uses
The original commercial top-level domain. Operated by Verisign, in continuous use since 1985, and still the most commercially valuable TLD on the internet.
Quick facts
- Registry
- Verisign
- Introduced
- 1985
- Typical price
- $8.00 – $15.00 / year
What is .com?
.com is the original generic top-level domain (gTLD) for commercial entities. Delegated by IANA in 1985, it was one of the first six top-level domains and is operated by Verisign under a long-running registry agreement with ICANN.
Why .com still dominates
Despite hundreds of newer TLDs, .com remains the default a user types when they don’t know a domain. That recall advantage translates directly into traffic, brand trust, and resale value. Premium .com inventory routinely sells for six- and seven-figure sums on secondary markets.
Registration
There are no eligibility restrictions on .com — anyone, anywhere, can register an available .com name through any ICANN-accredited registrar. Standard term is 1 year, renewable up to 10 years.
Famous examples
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Google (google.com)
Search engine.
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Amazon (amazon.com)
E-commerce + cloud.
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Microsoft (microsoft.com)
Software + cloud.
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Apple (apple.com)
Consumer electronics + services.
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Wikipedia (wikipedia.com)
Redirects to wikipedia.org.