.ink Domain Names
41 registrars compared — cheapest from $1.75 at Spaceship
Delegated in 2014, .ink is one of the hundreds of new generic top-level domains that emerged from ICANN's 2012 expansion round, aiming to carve out a niche for creative expression and digital publishing.
| # | Registrar | Registration | Renewal | Transfer | 5-Year Cost | 10-Year Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spaceship Cheapest | $1.75 | $26.08 | $26.08 | $106.07 | $236.47 | Visit |
| 2 | Sav | $1.76 | $26.20 | $26.20 | $106.56 | $237.56 | Visit |
| 3 | Alibaba Cloud | $1.88 | $25.00 | $38.00 | $101.88 | $226.88 | Visit |
| 4 | Dynadot | $2.00 | $26.97 | $26.97 | $109.88 | $244.73 | Visit |
| 5 | Porkbun | $2.06 | $26.26 | $26.26 | $107.10 | $238.40 | Visit |
| 6 | Truehost | $2.85 | $41.46 | $32.76 | $168.69 | $375.99 | Visit |
| 7 | Namecheap | $2.98 | $43.98 | $33.98 | $178.90 | $398.80 | Visit |
| 8 | Name.com | $2.99 | $65.99 | $65.99 | $266.95 | $596.90 | Visit |
| 9 | NameSilo | $2.99 | $32.49 | $26.50 | $132.95 | $295.40 | Visit |
| 10 | GoDaddy | $3.19 | $50.19 | $50.19 | $203.95 | $454.90 | Visit |
| 11 | Regery | $3.69 | $26.99 | $26.99 | $111.65 | $246.60 | Visit |
| 12 | Gname | $6.99 | $35.99 | $35.99 | $150.95 | $330.90 | Visit |
| 13 | eDomains | $21.99 | $21.99 | $21.99 | $109.95 | $219.90 | Visit |
| 14 | DreamHost | $24.99 | $36.99 | $36.99 | $172.95 | $357.90 | Visit |
| 15 | Cloudflare | $25.20 | $25.20 | $25.20 | $126.00 | $252.00 | Visit |
| 16 | Epik | $25.95 | $25.95 | $25.95 | $129.75 | $259.50 | Visit |
| 17 | Above.com | $27.72 | $27.72 | $27.72 | $138.60 | $277.20 | Visit |
| 18 | Blacknight | $27.73 | $27.73 | $27.73 | $138.65 | $277.30 | Visit |
| 19 | OVHcloud | $29.39 | $27.19 | $27.09 | $138.15 | $274.10 | Visit |
| 20 | Crazy Domains | $29.95 | $31.99 | $29.95 | $157.91 | $317.86 | Visit |
| 21 | Hello.co | $29.99 | $29.99 | $29.99 | $149.95 | $299.90 | Visit |
| 22 | MrDomain | $31.02 | $31.02 | $31.02 | $155.10 | $310.20 | Visit |
| 23 | Gandi | $31.90 | $63.98 | $27.03 | $287.82 | $607.72 | Visit |
| 24 | Infomaniak | $32.85 | $32.85 | $32.85 | $164.25 | $328.50 | Visit |
| 25 | UK2 | $33.25 | $33.25 | $33.25 | $166.25 | $332.50 | Visit |
| 26 | Regtons | $34.00 | $34.00 | $34.00 | $170.00 | $340.00 | Visit |
| 27 | Directnic | $35.00 | $35.00 | $35.00 | $175.00 | $350.00 | Visit |
| 28 | Marcaria | $35.00 | $35.00 | $35.00 | $175.00 | $350.00 | Visit |
| 29 | All Domains | $38.85 | $46.62 | $46.62 | $225.33 | $458.43 | Visit |
| 30 | 101domain | $39.67 | $49.17 | $39.67 | $236.35 | $482.20 | Visit |
| 31 | Bluehost | $39.99 | $42.99 | $39.99 | $211.95 | $426.90 | Visit |
| 32 | IONOS | $40.00 | $40.00 | $40.00 | $200.00 | $400.00 | Visit |
| 33 | Hover | $40.19 | $40.19 | $40.19 | $200.95 | $401.90 | Visit |
| 34 | Netim | $44.00 | $44.00 | $28.00 | $220.00 | $440.00 | Visit |
| 35 | INWX | $44.40 | $44.40 | $44.40 | $222.00 | $444.00 | Visit |
| 36 | EuroDNS | $45.24 | $45.24 | $45.24 | $226.20 | $452.40 | Visit |
| 37 | Internet.bs | $45.99 | $51.95 | $51.95 | $253.79 | $513.54 | Visit |
| 38 | Moniker | $45.99 | $51.95 | $51.95 | $253.79 | $513.54 | Visit |
| 39 | 123 Reg | $46.18 | $46.18 | $46.18 | $230.90 | $461.80 | Visit |
| 40 | OnlyDomains | $47.99 | $53.99 | $53.99 | $263.95 | $533.90 | Visit |
| 41 | Squarespace | $55.00 | $55.00 | $55.00 | $275.00 | $550.00 | Visit |
Prices updated daily. Some registrars show promotional first-year prices. Always verify the final price on the registrar's website before purchasing.
From Paper to Pixels: The Genesis of .ink
When Registry Services, LLC applied for .ink, they joined a wave of applicants in the 2012 new gTLD round seeking to create a dedicated space for writers, artists, and designers. The name plays on the double meaning of 'ink' — both the physical substance used in printing and the digital 'ink' of screen displays. Delegated on February 27, 2014, .ink launched with a clear creative purpose, unlike many generic TLDs that targeted broad commercial use. Its registry, which also operates .design, .wiki, and others, positioned the extension as a premium brand for the creative community.
A Niche for Creatives, Not a Substitute for .com
The .ink extension never pretended to be a universal default. Instead, it aimed to attract portfolios, online magazines, and digital artists seeking a memorable, thematic address. Its creative angle is its strongest differentiator — a portfolio site on .ink signals the owner's trade directly, akin to how .design speaks to designers. The registry's ownership of multiple creative TLDs suggests a curated approach rather than a land-grab. But the extension's reliance on its niche is also its limitation: it lacks the broad appeal of legacy TLDs, making it a deliberate choice for a specific audience rather than a mass-market option.
Pricing: A Double-Edged Sword
For those ready to commit to the .ink identity, the financial barrier is remarkably low at the entry point — Spaceship lists it at $1.75, a fraction of what premium TLDs cost. However, the pricing landscape is wildly uneven: the most expensive registrars charge roughly ten times that amount, making first-year costs a poor predictor of long-term expenses. Renewals at $26.08 and averages around $26.45 mean that buyers must shop carefully, as the gap between budget and premium providers is extreme. This spread suggests a TLD still finding its footing, where pricing varies more by registrar strategy than by established market value.
Registry Siblings: A Creative Family
Registry Services, LLC doesn't run .ink in isolation. The company also manages .biz, .club, .design, .wiki, and even .us. This portfolio approach allows for shared infrastructure and marketing synergies, particularly among the creative extensions like .design and .wiki. For a registrar, offering all these TLDs under one roof simplifies cross-selling to customers who want a cohesive online presence. For registrants, it means the technical backend is battle-tested, but it also raises questions about whether .ink receives sufficient individual attention or if it's just one product in a larger portfolio where only the strongest performers thrive.