.li Domain Names
26 registrars compared — cheapest from $5.49 at OVHcloud
When you see .li, your mind might jump to lithium, but this tiny European ccTLD belongs to a principality of 39,000 people — and it's run by a Swiss education network.
| # | Registrar | Registration | Renewal | Transfer | 5-Year Cost | 10-Year Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OVHcloud Cheapest | $5.49 | $7.49 | $7.49 | $35.45 | $72.90 | Visit |
| 2 | Crazy Domains | $5.95 | $6.19 | $5.95 | $30.71 | $61.66 | Visit |
| 3 | IONOS | $6.00 | $10.00 | $8.50 | $46.00 | $96.00 | Visit |
| 4 | Infomaniak | $6.66 | $9.87 | $10.23 | $46.14 | $95.49 | Visit |
| 5 | Dynadot | $7.83 | $7.83 | $7.83 | $39.15 | $78.30 | Visit |
| 6 | Regery | $8.49 | $8.99 | $1.99 | $44.45 | $89.40 | Visit |
| 7 | Internet.bs | $8.99 | $10.29 | $9.99 | $50.15 | $101.60 | Visit |
| 8 | Hostinger | $9.99 | $9.99 | $9.99 | $49.95 | $99.90 | Visit |
| 9 | All Domains | $13.32 | $18.87 | $18.87 | $88.80 | $183.15 | Visit |
| 10 | Netim | $14.50 | $14.50 | $14.50 | $72.50 | $145.00 | Visit |
| 11 | Hover | $14.99 | $14.99 | $14.99 | $74.95 | $149.90 | Visit |
| 12 | Gandi | $15.05 | $39.98 | $15.05 | $174.97 | $374.87 | Visit |
| 13 | INWX | $16.20 | $16.20 | $16.20 | $81.00 | $162.00 | Visit |
| 14 | 101domain | $16.99 | $25.99 | $16.99 | $120.95 | $250.90 | Visit |
| 15 | Marcaria | $17.00 | $17.00 | $17.00 | $85.00 | $170.00 | Visit |
| 16 | eDomains | $17.50 | $17.50 | $17.50 | $87.50 | $175.00 | Visit |
| 17 | Name.com | $17.99 | $17.99 | $17.99 | $89.95 | $179.90 | Visit |
| 18 | MrDomain | $22.14 | $22.14 | $22.14 | $110.70 | $221.40 | Visit |
| 19 | Blacknight | $23.85 | $23.85 | $23.85 | $119.25 | $238.50 | Visit |
| 20 | Regtons | $24.60 | $24.60 | $24.60 | $123.00 | $246.00 | Visit |
| 21 | Moniker | $25.99 | $28.85 | $27.99 | $141.39 | $285.64 | Visit |
| 22 | OnlyDomains | $25.99 | $28.99 | $28.99 | $141.95 | $286.90 | Visit |
| 23 | Directnic | $26.35 | $26.35 | $26.35 | $131.75 | $263.50 | Visit |
| 24 | Gname | $35.00 | $35.00 | $35.00 | $175.00 | $350.00 | Visit |
| 25 | EuroDNS | $37.70 | $37.70 | $37.70 | $188.50 | $377.00 | Visit |
| 26 | Epik | $39.95 | $39.95 | $39.95 | $199.75 | $399.50 | Visit |
Prices updated daily. Some registrars show promotional first-year prices. Always verify the final price on the registrar's website before purchasing.
A Country Code With a Swiss Operator
Delegated on February 26, 1993, .li is the country code for Liechtenstein, the microstate nestled between Switzerland and Austria. But the registry isn't run from Vaduz — it's operated by SWITCH The Swiss Education & Research Network, the same organisation that manages Switzerland's own .ch. The arrangement makes sense: Liechtenstein uses the Swiss franc, shares a customs union, and its telecom infrastructure is deeply intertwined with its larger neighbour. For SWITCH, adding a second country code to its portfolio was a natural extension of its role as the backbone of Swiss academic networking. The delegation date is recorded on IANA's .li record.
From Lithium to Liechtenstein: The Accidental Meanings
Two-letter country codes are notoriously prone to reinterpretation, and .li is a prime example. Officially, it's for entities connected with Liechtenstein — banks, tourism boards, and local businesses. But the same two letters spell the chemical symbol for lithium, and a small but persistent corner of the internet uses .li for pages about batteries, electric vehicles, and mental health (lithium as a mood stabiliser). It's a niche that the Wikipedia entry on .li acknowledges, noting the actual use extends beyond the principality. There are no registration restrictions, so anyone can grab a .li for whatever meaning they choose — no connection to Liechtenstein required.
No Restrictions, but a Certain Exclusivity
Unlike many ccTLDs that demand local presence or trademark proof, .li imposes no restrictions on who can register. That open policy makes it attractive for global registrants who want a short, memorable domain. Yet it hasn't exploded into mass popularity the way some open ccTLDs have. Part of that is price: the spread across registrars is wide, with some charging notably more than others — you can find budget options and premium ones. 26 registrars currently offer it, and the cheapest is OVHcloud. The relatively low demand outside the lithium and Liechtenstein niches keeps availability high, but the cost structure means it's not the obvious pick for domain hacks.
The Lithium Domain Hack That Chemistry Built
For the scientific community, .li is a quiet inside joke. Lithium's atomic symbol is Li, and domains like battery.li or lithium.li carry an elegant double meaning. It's a pattern that repeats across the periodic table — .li is one of the few element-symbol TLDs that's also a real country code, alongside others like .in (Indium/India) and .cu (Copper/Cuba). The actual use section of the .li Wikipedia page explicitly notes these non-Liechtenstein uses, which range from chemistry blogs to electric vehicle startups. While never a mainstream choice, this chemical resonance gives .li a distinct flavour among European ccTLDs, appealing to a small but passionate group of registrants who prize the visual pun.
DNSSEC and the Swiss Precision Behind .li
One technical detail sets .li apart from many ccTLDs of its size: it has fully deployed DNSSEC. That means every .li domain can be cryptographically signed, protecting against DNS spoofing and cache poisoning. The .li Wikipedia entry confirms this security feature, which aligns with SWITCH's reputation for rigorous infrastructure management. For Liechtenstein's financial sector — the principality is home to numerous banks and trust companies — DNSSEC provides a layer of authenticity that matters when clients access online banking portals. It's a quiet but meaningful advantage in a region where trust is currency.