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The perfect domain is just a click away: find your domain →
The internet is home to hundreds of millions of registered domains, and the list grows longer every single day. That sheer scale shapes what's still available, how much names cost and which extensions are worth considering for your own site.
Knowing how many domains exist, how they split across different extensions and what keeps fueling that growth gives you useful context before you register your own. Here's where the numbers stand today, broken down clearly.
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TL;DR: how many domains are there
More than 386 million domain names are registered around the world, spread across roughly 1,600 top-level domain extensions. The .com extension still leads by a wide margin, while country-code and newer niche extensions keep gaining ground as more people and businesses come online. There's no single best extension, just the one that fits your brand, audience and goals.
You'll learn:
What a domain name is and the parts it's built from
The main types of domain extensions and what each is for
How many domains and TLDs exist today, by the numbers
What's driving the steady growth in domain registrations
How to get and manage your own domain
What is a domain name?
A domain name is a unique web address that helps people find a website online. Instead of remembering complex IP addresses (a series of numbers, like 192.168.1.1), you can type in a domain name like “wix.com” to visit the website.
Domain names are part of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), which also includes details about the specific page being accessed.
For example:
Domain name: wix.com
Full URL: https://www.wix.com/plans
In this case, “wix.com” is the domain name, while the URL includes additional information, like the protocol (https://) and specific web page (/plans).
"When choosing a domain, prioritize one that aligns with your brand and is easy for customers to remember. A domain should reflect your business and make it simple for people to find you online." - Einat Shafir, product manager at Wix
For a more detailed guide on domain names, check out our article: What is a domain name?
Parts of a domain
A domain name is made up of different parts, each playing a specific role in how websites are structured and identified on the internet. The parts of a domain include:
Top-level domain (TLD): Also called the “domain extension,” this is the section of a domain name that appears after the last dot (e.g., .com, .org, .net). It helps classify websites based on purpose, industry or geographical location. Wix recommends relevant domain extensions to match your business or brand.
Second-level domain (SLD): SLD is the customizable part of a domain name that comes before the TLD. It often represents the brand name (like “wix” in “wix.com”).
Subdomain: This is an extension of the main domain that appears before the SLD. It helps organize different sections of a website without requiring a new domain name. For example, “support” is the subdomain in the domain “www.support.wix.com.”
Learn more:
Types of domain extensions
Different domain extensions serve different types of websites. Let’s look at some examples.
"The extension matters more than you think. .com is often the default, yet choosing something like .store or .design can immediately signal what your website offers." - Keren Nir, senior SEO strategist at Wix
Generic top-level domains (gTLDs)
These are the most popular domain name extensions and aren’t tied to a specific country. They include:
.com domains: Most popular TLD and widely used for businesses and general websites.
.org domains: Originally intended for organizations and nonprofits.
.net domains: Initially used for network-based sites but now widely adopted for general use.
.info domains: Intended for informational websites.
.website domains: Used by small businesses and individuals.
.digital domains: Used by technology companies and startups.
Country code top-level domains (ccTLDs)
Country-code TLDs are specific to individual countries and often indicate a website’s geographic region.
Some popular ccTLDs include:
.us (United States)
.uk (United Kingdom)
.ca (Canada)
.de (Germany)
.au (Australia)
New generic top-level domains (ngTLDs)
As the demand for domain names grew, new gTLDs were introduced to provide more branding options. Some ngTLDs can also be found as cheap domains, giving small businesses budget-friendly alternatives without sacrificing relevance.
Popular ngTLDs include:
.tech: Ideal for technology-related websites.
.blog: Perfect for bloggers and content creators.
.store: Best for eCommerce businesses.
.online: Flexible option for digital businesses.
Sponsored top-level domains (sTLDs)
Sponsored TLDs are restricted to specific organizations or industries.
Some well-known examples include:
.edu: Reserved for accredited educational institutions.
.gov: Used by government entities.
.mil: Exclusively used by the U.S. military.
.museum: Designed for museums and cultural institutions.
For more TLD examples, read our article on types of domains.
Brand top-level domains
Brand TLDs are custom extensions operated by individual companies for their own exclusive use. Common examples include .google, .apple and .amazon. These extensions give companies full control over a unique slice of the domain name system and aren't available for public registration.
Internationalized domain names (IDN TLDs)
IDN TLDs use characters outside the Roman English alphabet, such as Chinese, Arabic or Cyrillic scripts. These extensions make the internet more accessible to people who don't use Latin-based languages. An example is .닷컴, the Korean equivalent of .com.
How many domains are there?
According to the latest Domain Name Industry Brief (DNIB), there were 386.9 million registered domain names across all top-level domains at the end of the fourth quarter of 2025.
As of December 31, 2025, the .com domain name base totaled 161 million registrations worldwide. Registrations for other popular TLD categories include:
ccTLDs: 145.6 million
ngTLDs: 47.8 million
.net: 12.5 million
Beyond .com, the global domain landscape is led by a mix of country-code TLDs and other legacy gTLDs. As of the end of 2025, the largest TLDs by registration volume included .com, .cn, .de, .net, .org, .uk, .ru, .nl, .br and .xyz.
How many TLDs are there?
Currently, there are 1,601 TLDs based on data from Domain Name Stat. The numbers are distributed as follows:
gTLDs: Only eight exist, yet they dominate the market with over 337 million registered domains.
ngTLDs: A whopping 1,252 TLDs fall into this category, but they account for just 113 million registrations.
ccTLDs: With 341 options, these contribute over 312 million registrations.
Choosing the right domain extension can influence your website’s credibility and visibility.
Explore our guide to domain extensions to learn which TLD best suits your needs.
What's driving the growth in domain registrations
Domain registrations aren't slowing down and several long-term trends keep pushing the numbers higher each year:
Global internet adoption keeps expanding: Over 5.5 billion people, roughly two-thirds of the world's population, now have internet access. As more people come online, demand for unique web addresses grows with them.
More businesses are digital-first by default: Startups, eCommerce brands and service providers increasingly launch online before (or instead of) opening a physical location, making a domain name a critical first step.
eCommerce keeps expanding: Online sales accounted for more than 20% of global retail purchases in 2025 and that share is projected to keep climbing.
Personal branding and the creator economy are growing: Freelancers, consultants and content creators register domains to manage their online businesses and promote their services.
How to get a domain name
Let’s now look at two paths you can follow to get a domain name.
"Domains are like digital real estate: the right name can grow in value as your brand grows. Choose wisely now and you'll thank yourself later when your online identity feels timeless and recognizable." - Ofir Gvili, domains product marketing manager at Wix
Buy a domain name
Buying a domain gives you full ownership and control over your web address. Before you purchase one, you need to perform a domain name search to check if it’s available.
If you’re struggling to find one that’s not taken, a domain name generator can suggest creative options based on your brand, keywords or industry.
Once you have a shortlist of potential names, check on the domain name cost before making a final decision. In most cases, a standard domain from one of the best domain registrars should typically cost you between $10 and $45 per year.
Another option is to look into domain flipping, where people buy and resell domains for a profit. If you decide to go down this path, make sure to check the domain history before purchasing.
Not planning to use your domain immediately? You can keep it as a parked domain, which means it's registered but not actively being used for website or email services. That will help protect the name so that someone else doesn’t acquire it until you’re ready to use it.
Learn more:
Get a free domain name
One of the best ways to get a free domain name is by bundling it with website hosting. For example, when you purchase any Wix premium plan, you receive a free domain for one year, along with free website hosting, making it a cost-effective option for getting your website online.
Additional perks you get with Wix’s website builder include:
Guaranteed uptime of 99.99% so your site remains accessible at all times.
A drag-and-drop editor and 900+ templates to create and edit your pages to your liking.
Site reliability and scalability, allowing your website to grow with your business.
Enterprise-grade website security to protect against cyber threats.
Top-tier website performance for a seamless user experience.
Wix Analytics to gain actionable insights into your website’s traffic and performance.
Learn more: How to get a free domain name.
Creative domain examples
These domain examples show how domain names can be creative and different from standard formats.
awakenstudio.nyc mixes a brand name with a location ending, which adds a clear sense of place. Find out more about this creative studio website
lirona.me is short and personal, making it easy to remember and direct. Learn more about this personal website example
blinkmybrain.wtf uses a bold extension that feels playful and grabs attention right away. Get inspired by this experimental website
How to manage your domain
Domain management involves handling various aspects of your domain to keep your website running smoothly and prevent issues like expiration or website security risks.
Here are some key steps to effectively manage your domain:
Keep your domain registration active
Your domain needs to be renewed periodically with your registrar or web hosting provider to avoid losing ownership. Enable auto-renewal through your domain registrar to prevent your domain from expiring and becoming available for others to purchase.
Learn more:
Enable domain privacy protection
When you register a domain, your contact details are stored in a public WHOIS database. To protect your personal information from spammers and cyber threats, you need to enable domain privacy protection.
Many registrars offer this as an optional service, but Wix allows you to select private registration when you create a website at no extra cost. This will replace your personal details with Wix's details so your information isn’t revealed in the public WHOIS databases.
Learn more: What is domain privacy?
“Certain domain registrars offer packages with added security (like WHOIS privacy protection), premium DNS services, SSL certificates or website-building tools. While these extras can increase the annual cost, they offer value in terms of convenience, security and performance. For businesses handling sensitive data or relying heavily on online transactions, these features are crucial." - Kumar Abhinav, senior link building analyst at Mavlers
Redirect or forward your domain
Domain forwarding allows you to automatically redirect visitors from one domain to another if you have multiple domain names. This becomes useful when you want to change your brand name and keep traffic from your old domain.
Learn more:
Keep an eye on your domain authority
Your domain authority (DA) score predicts how well your website will rank on search engines. Factors like the quality and number of backlinks coming from other websites and domain age influence the score.
Learn more: How to check domain authority
How many domains are there? FAQ
Is .org or .co better?
Choosing between .org and .co depends on your website's purpose and audience.
.org is traditionally used by nonprofits and organizations. It carries a sense of trust, credibility and authority. .co is often seen as a short alternative to .com and is commonly used by businesses and entrepreneurs.
If you're running a nonprofit or an organization, .org is the better choice. But if you want to build a business or brand and .com isn't available, .co can be a solid alternative.
Will we ever run out of domain names?
It's highly unlikely that we'll ever run out of domain names entirely. While many .com domains are already taken, new TLDs (like .tech and .store) provide more options.
Since the domain name system keeps evolving, there will always be new ways to secure a great web address.
What is the most trusted domain?
The most trusted domain is .com since it's the most widely used extension for businesses and personal websites.
Other highly trusted domains include .org (commonly used by nonprofits and organizations) and .gov (exclusively for government entities). .edu is also highly reputable, as it's restricted to accredited educational institutions.
Which website builders offer a free domain?
Several website builders offer a free domain as part of their paid plans. Wix, for example, provides a free domain for one year when you purchase any premium plan. After the first year, you’ll need to renew your domain at the regular price to maintain ownership.
You may also be interested in:
How many types of domains are there?
There are several types of domains, primarily categorized based on their purpose and extension. The main types include:
Top-Level Domains (TLDs) – These are the highest level in the domain name system, such as .com, .org, and .net.
Country Code TLDs (ccTLDs) – These are specific to countries, like .us (United States) or .uk (United Kingdom).
Generic TLDs (gTLDs) – These include both traditional options like .info, .biz, and newer extensions like .blog, .shop, and .tech.
Second-Level Domains (SLDs) – These are the names chosen before the TLD (e.g., in “example.com,” “example” is the SLD).
Subdomains – These are extensions of an existing domain, such as blog.example.com.
How many .com domains are there?
There are over 170 million .com domains currently registered. As one of the most popular and widely used top-level domains (TLDs), the number continues to grow steadily. However, the exact number can change frequently due to new registrations and expirations.
For a more specific, up-to-date figure, domain registration platforms or domain industry reports typically provide the latest statistics.
