TLD Guide

.app Domain: Price, Registration Rules & Is It Worth It (September 2026)

.app is a newer generic top-level domain (gTLD) operated by Google Registry (Charleston Road Registry). It's been available since 2018 and is best known as the domain of choice for mobile and web applications.

Quick answer: A .app domain costs $15–$20/yr and requires HTTPS, enforced via mandatory HSTS preload — that's the only real eligibility rule. Anyone building a mobile or web app can register one as long as they're ready to serve it over HTTPS from day one.

Who Can Register a .app Domain?

Registration is open to anyone, with one technical requirement: every .app domain must serve traffic over HTTPS, enforced through mandatory HSTS preload at the registry level. There's no residency, business-registration, or approval process — the restriction is purely technical, not administrative. If your host or CDN already issues free HTTPS certificates, which most do by default, this requirement is a non-issue in practice.

How Much Does a .app Domain Cost?

.app domains typically run $15–$20/yr, putting them in the mid-price tier — more than a standard .com but well below premium extensions like .io. As with most domains, check whether your registrar's quoted price is a first-year promotional rate before assuming it's the ongoing renewal cost.

What Is a .app Domain Actually Used For?

.app is most commonly chosen for mobile apps, web apps, and app-adjacent products, largely because the extension itself signals "this is an application" before a visitor reads a word of content. The mandatory HTTPS requirement also means every .app site starts with baseline transport security already enforced, which some teams treat as a small trust signal in its own right.

How Does .app Compare to .com, .dev, and .io?

Extension	Typical Price/Year	Eligibility	Best For
.app	$15–$20	HTTPS + HSTS preload required	Mobile and web applications
.com	$13–$20 renewal	Open to anyone	Maximum general-audience recognition
.dev	$12–$20	HTTPS + HSTS preload required	Developer tools and technical projects
.io	$35–$70 renewal	Open to anyone	Startups and tech-forward products

.app and .dev share the same HTTPS-enforcement mechanism, so the real decision between them usually comes down to audience: .dev reads as "built by developers, for developers," while .app reads as "this is an application" to a broader, less technical audience. .io costs more but carries no technical restriction and has strong recognition in startup circles; .com remains the safest default when broad, non-technical recognition matters more than a purpose-built signal.

Is .app the Right Choice for Your Project?

.app makes sense if your product is genuinely an application — mobile, web, or otherwise — and you're comfortable with HTTPS-only delivery from launch. It's part of the newer wave of top-level domains ICANN approved from 2012 onward, so recognition still skews toward technical and startup audiences rather than general consumers. The availability of your exact name, not the extension's novelty, should drive the decision.

What Should You Check Before You Buy a .app Domain?

Before registering, confirm three things: the actual renewal price once any first-year discount ends, whether WHOIS privacy is bundled or billed separately, and that your hosting setup can serve HTTPS immediately — a .app domain that isn't HTTPS-ready at launch won't resolve correctly in most browsers. Skipping that last check is the single most common mistake people make with this specific extension.

Still weighing it against the alternatives in the table above? See our full .com guide, .dev guide, and .io guide for the same price-and-eligibility breakdown, or read our domain registration guide for the fundamentals that apply no matter which extension you pick.

Once you've decided, check .app availability instantly for your exact name, or run a WHOIS lookup if you find it's already registered and want to see who owns it and when it expires.

Quick Answers

Can anyone register a .app domain?

Not without meeting the eligibility requirement: Requires HTTPS — enforced via mandatory HSTS preload. Check with your registrar on the specific documentation needed before attempting to register.

How much does a .app domain cost?

Typically $15–$20/yr. As with most domains, confirm the renewal price separately from any first-year promotional discount before registering.

What is .app commonly used for?

.app is most associated with mobile and web applications.

Who operates the .app registry?

Google Registry (Charleston Road Registry) operates the .app registry, which has been in operation since 2018.

Does .app affect SEO compared to .com?

No direct ranking penalty exists for any legitimate TLD — Google has stated extensions themselves aren't a ranking factor. What matters more is the same thing that matters for any domain: relevant content, backlinks, and a name people trust enough to click.

Can I transfer a .app domain to a different registrar later?

In most cases yes, following the standard domain transfer process (unlocking, obtaining an authorization code, and waiting out the 60-day post-registration transfer restriction). Restricted extensions may have additional registry-specific transfer requirements beyond the standard process.

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