Choosing the right domain extension (TLD)
Hundreds of extensions are available beyond .com — here's how to pick one that fits.
The extension at the end of a domain name (.com, .africa, .shop, and hundreds more) is called a TLD, short for top-level domain. myPandos offers hundreds of them, and picking the right one matters more than it might seem.
The main categories
- Generic TLDs (gTLDs) — .com, .net, .org, .info and similar. .com remains the most recognized worldwide and is a safe default if it's available.
- Country-code TLDs (ccTLDs) — two-letter extensions tied to a specific country, like .co.za (South Africa) or .cd (DR Congo). Good for signalling you're a local business, and sometimes required for local trust or legal purposes.
- New/modern TLDs — extensions delegated by ICANN since 2013 that describe an industry or purpose directly: .app, .dev, .store, .agency, .tech, and many more, plus regional ones like .africa.
How to decide
- Check .com first if broad, international recognition matters most — it's still what people assume by default.
- Use a country-code TLD if your business is specifically local — it can build trust with customers in that country and is sometimes expected in that market.
- Use a descriptive new TLD when it fits naturally and your preferred .com is taken —
yourname.devfor a developer tool,yourbrand.storefor a shop — these are increasingly normal and can be more memorable than a compromised .com. - Avoid look-alikes that invite confusion — a TLD so unfamiliar that people mistype your address or don't trust it works against you.
Price varies a lot by TLD
Registration and renewal prices differ significantly between extensions — some cost a few dollars a year, established ones sit in a moderate range, and a handful of premium or niche TLDs cost considerably more. Registration price and renewal price aren't always the same, either. Always check both before you commit — the full, current list is at https://mypandos.io/en/services/domain-pricing.
New TLDs specifically
ICANN continues to delegate new TLDs, and myPandos adds support for them as they become available — see https://mypandos.io/en/services/new-tlds for the most recently added extensions. A newly delegated TLD works exactly like an established one technically; the only real difference is how familiar it is to your audience yet.
Registering more than one
Many businesses register their name under a few relevant extensions (e.g. .com and their local ccTLD) even if they only actively use one — this protects the brand from someone else registering the same name under a different extension. Add each one you want to your cart the same way you would a single domain.