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What is a domain name?

The simple answer is that a domain name is your web address; you know, the stuff you type in the search bar of your web browser.

The reason domain names exist is to make it possible for you and I to navigate the internet. They act as an easier to remember and type replacement for the underlying IP address. Because you don’t have to work as hard to remember instead of www.OnlyDomains.com instead of 119.252.177.37.

Frankly, if domain names didn’t exist, we’d have to invent them. And we’re not just saying that because we’re OnlyDomains.

What are top-level domains?

In the simplest terms, a top level domain is the bit after the domain name in a web address. It’s the .com, .org, .gov or more. For example, in RandomExample.com, the .com part is the TLD. They come in many flavours, from country code TLDs to one developed for specific purposes, like .free domains.

What is a subdomain?

A subdomain is an addition to your main domain name that lets you make new parts for your website. You do this by adding a word before the domain name itself. So www.RealFauxLeather.com wants to add an online store to their educational website, they can set up shop.RealFauxLeather.com.

They are more of strict separation than just adding different new webpages to your site, but are cheaper than setting up a completely new domain. You can read more about subdomains, and how they affect your SEO on our blog.

What is a gTLD?

A generic top level domain (gTLD) is probably what you first imagine when you think of a domain extension. The likes of .com, .edu or .net are classic gTLDs. They’re mostly the oldest and most established TLDs around, having been created before ICANN opened up the internet with more ccTLDs, as well as all the creative new TLDs.

What is a ccTLD?

Country code top level domains are domain extensions that have been set aside for different countries. These can take slightly different forms, for example: Canada has .ca, the United Kingdom mostly uses .co.uk, and Australia’s biggest ccTLD is .com.au. But all the various ccTLDs have a shared purpose: to make it easier for locals to find local relevant businesses and pages. This doesn’t mean you can only use a ccTLD if you live or do business in a particular country. Some country’s TLDs have found other markets through their other meanings: like Anguilla's .ai domain.

Like generic TLDs, each country’s domain name registrar has their own set of requirements to register one of their domain names. And our support staff will guide you through the whole process needed to get you online.

What is a domain extension?

Domain extension is just another way of saying TLD. It describes the last part of a web address that comes after the last dot. Things like .com, .au or .xyz are all domain extensions.

Why do I need a domain?

You need a domain name so people can visit your website. Because it just doesn’t matter how nice your design is, how good the products you’re selling or how slick your online store is, if people can’t find you, they’ll never see your website.

Who owns a domain?

Domains are owned by whoever, either person or organisation, is the official registrant through the appropriate domain registry. They own the domain as long as their fees are up to date. You can find out who owns a domain by using a WHOIS lookup to see their contact information (unless they are using a domain privacy service).

How to choose a domain name

Choosing a domain name is just as complicated as working out a name for your business or your baby. You want it to be relevant, short, easy to type and easy to say. Try to keep it as close to your actual business name as possible, and don’t be afraid to look at alternate TLDs .com or your local ccTLD is taken.

On the other hand, stay away from other people’s trademarks, because no one wants a court case. Also, don’t use any special characters like hyphens or dashes (nevermind the more complicated ones). Yes, we know we used both hyphens and dashes in this answer. But it’s a FAQ, not a domain name. Completely different.

We went over the 7 Common Mistakes People Make When Selecting a Domain in our blog.

How many domains are there?

There were 351.5 million domains registered across all TLDs after the 2nd Quarter of 2022, according to, domain registry, Verisign. Of those 134.1 million of those are ccTLDs.

The total has grown 3% since a year before that, with over 10 million new domain name registrations. The largest growth is in the new top level domain category (nTLD), with the likes of .xyz and .online making big gains.

Where to buy a domain name

You can buy domain names from trusted domain registrars, like OnlyDomains. The differences between registrars are similar to other businesses. You can compare on price, on reliability, on the paid and free extra features you get, on how easy it is to use, how much ofyour dream website you can build within their platform, and how good their support is.

You know, all the things we’re great at.

Should I buy multiple domains?

Look, our business is selling domains, so of course we want to say yes (and that’s why we’ve developed a cool to help you do it). But the truth is, like with so many things, it depends. Getting different types of domains can help you target local markets, improve your SEO and, of course, protect your brand from copycats. But at the same time, all these are nice to haves, and not something to stop you getting your new website off the ground.

If you want to find out more, we’ve written in depth about this on our blog.

How long does a domain take to register?

The registration itself will only take a few minutes. Once submitted, the time until you can use your domain depends on the extension you have applied for, as some country specific extensions are manually verified by the registry. Please check your emails regularly for updates, as we may need to contact you to finish the registration.

How much does a domain name cost?

You can get a domain from as little as $0.99, while premium domains go for as much as $4750. And those are just for new domain name registrations. If you’re looking for an existing name, you’ll have to negotiate that with the owner. Most of them won’t break the bank, but if you’re looking to break the record, you’ll need to match the $30 million that paid out for Voice.com in 2019.

If you’re looking for a free domain, you can find special deals, but be aware that most of them are just discounting the first year, and you’ll have to pay afterwards.

What is a domain registrar?

A domain registrar is a company (like us) that provides registered domain names to the public (like you). We’re the consumer facing part of the whole domain business. A domain registrar sources domains from different domain registries (who provide the TLDs) and collects them all in one place for you.

What is a domain registry?

A domain registry is an organisation that provides the TLDs themselves. They control the domain name systems that run the internet, but usually leave the actual selling of domains to registrars like ourselves.

What can I do if my desired domain is taken?

After grumbling to yourself, there are three things you can do.

Firstly, you could see if there are any other types of domains available. If DreamDomain.com is taken, why not get DreamDomain.net or DreamDomain.example? There are so many different TLDs (the ending bit) out there, that you can find the one you need.

The second option is to try and find subtle variations on the name (without adding silly characters). Like, how about YourDreamDomain.com? If you’re stuck, you could check out a domain name generator. Though they tend to be a little formulaic.

Finally, you can run a whois lookup on the domain you want, and see if it’s available for sale. This will be more expensive, but sometimes the perfect domain is worth it.

How to buy a domain name forever?

As much as we’d all like to buy our perfect domain and never have to think about it again, the rules of the internet (as set out by ICANN) mean that you can’t. The maximum period you can register a domain for at one time is 10 years, after which you can renew for another 10 years, and then another.

Some registrars offer Lifetime registrations. But all they’re doing is all your money up front, while, behind the scenes, they’re just renewing every 10 years like everyone else. And, of course, if they go out of business, those renewals will stop.

How to buy a domain name forever?

As much as we’d all like to buy our perfect domain and never have to think about it again, the rules of the internet (as set out by ICANN) mean that you can’t. The maximum period you can register a domain for at one time is 10 years, after which you can renew for another 10 years, and then another.

Some registrars offer Lifetime registrations. But all they’re doing is all your money up front, while, behind the scenes, they’re just renewing every 10 years like everyone else. And, of course, if they go out of business, those renewals will stop.

How to create your own email domain?

It’s simple to replace your generic gmail or hotmail email address with a professional one that is uniquely yours (or a silly one we’re not your mom). First, you’re going to need to hold the domain you want to use with us. Don’t worry, if you currently have it with another registrar, it’s easy to transfer across.

Then you simply need to sign up for email hosting services. There are three different packages to fit your needs, and you can switch between them as those needs grow or shrink. And, if saving the planet is your thing, it’s nice to know that a percentage of every email package we sell goes to support New Zealand’s famous flightless birds.

How to create your own website on a domain?

So you’ve bought a domain and now want to build your own website? Well if you know how to code html and have the raw design chops to do it yourself, or more sensibly have hired a web designer, then you’ll need Unlimited Hosting to give your new website a solid foundation. You can choose between three packages to fit your needs, and up or downgrade as you require.

If you’re more of the DIY type, we’ve got two types of website builders available for you, that’ll help you get a full functional, great looking website and e commerce ready website up in no time. Choose between our Wordpress Hosting or Weebly Website Builder.

We’ve gone into way more detail about how to build your website on our blog, but whatever you decide, our support are there to help and advise you every step of your journey.