.ltd Domain Names
44 registrars compared — cheapest from $4.34 at Spaceship
When .ltd hit the domain root in 2015, it gave businesses a shorthand that had been running in company registries for over a century – but with a twist: no one owns it but a single LLC.
| # | Registrar | Registration | Renewal | Transfer | 5-Year Cost | 10-Year Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spaceship Cheapest | $4.34 | $34.36 | $34.36 | $141.78 | $313.58 | Visit |
| 2 | Namecheap | $4.98 | $58.98 | $45.48 | $240.90 | $535.80 | Visit |
| 3 | Sav | $4.99 | $34.52 | $34.52 | $143.07 | $315.67 | Visit |
| 4 | Dynadot | $5.57 | $35.53 | $35.53 | $147.69 | $325.34 | Visit |
| 5 | Porkbun | $5.66 | $34.50 | $34.50 | $143.66 | $316.16 | Visit |
| 6 | Regery | $5.99 | $35.99 | $35.99 | $149.95 | $329.90 | Visit |
| 7 | INWX | $6.05 | $57.00 | $57.00 | $234.05 | $519.05 | Visit |
| 8 | Hostinger | $6.19 | $36.19 | $6.19 | $150.95 | $331.90 | Visit |
| 9 | OVHcloud | $6.35 | $30.09 | $29.49 | $126.71 | $277.16 | Visit |
| 10 | Above.com | $7.04 | $26.62 | $26.62 | $113.52 | $246.62 | Visit |
| 11 | Cosmotown | $7.12 | $26.40 | $26.40 | $112.72 | $244.72 | Visit |
| 12 | Crazy Domains | $7.39 | $30.49 | $30.49 | $129.35 | $281.80 | Visit |
| 13 | Blacknight | $7.75 | $48.82 | $48.82 | $203.03 | $447.13 | Visit |
| 14 | All Domains | $7.77 | $55.50 | $55.50 | $229.77 | $507.27 | Visit |
| 15 | NameSilo | $7.99 | $42.99 | $35.49 | $179.95 | $394.90 | Visit |
| 16 | Truehost | $8.24 | $55.11 | $31.46 | $228.68 | $504.23 | Visit |
| 17 | EuroDNS | $9.26 | $56.01 | $56.01 | $233.30 | $513.35 | Visit |
| 18 | Name.com | $9.99 | $54.99 | $54.99 | $229.95 | $504.90 | Visit |
| 19 | GoDaddy | $10.19 | $66.19 | $66.19 | $274.95 | $605.90 | Visit |
| 20 | 123 Reg | $10.54 | $65.98 | $32.98 | $274.46 | $604.36 | Visit |
| 21 | IONOS | $10.80 | $45.00 | $45.00 | $190.80 | $415.80 | Visit |
| 22 | Netim | $11.50 | $43.00 | $27.00 | $183.50 | $398.50 | Visit |
| 23 | Directnic | $11.99 | $47.99 | $47.99 | $203.95 | $443.90 | Visit |
| 24 | Gname | $11.99 | $43.99 | $43.99 | $187.95 | $407.90 | Visit |
| 25 | eDomains | $22.80 | $22.80 | $22.80 | $114.00 | $228.00 | Visit |
| 26 | Bluehost | $23.99 | $37.99 | $23.99 | $175.95 | $365.90 | Visit |
| 27 | Cloudflare | $24.20 | $24.20 | $24.20 | $121.00 | $242.00 | Visit |
| 28 | Infomaniak | $24.42 | $24.42 | $24.42 | $122.10 | $244.20 | Visit |
| 29 | NameBright | $26.00 | $26.00 | $26.00 | $130.00 | $260.00 | Visit |
| 30 | Marcaria | $28.00 | $28.00 | $28.00 | $140.00 | $280.00 | Visit |
| 31 | DreamHost | $29.99 | $29.99 | $29.99 | $149.95 | $299.90 | Visit |
| 32 | Hello.co | $29.99 | $29.99 | $29.99 | $149.95 | $299.90 | Visit |
| 33 | UK2 | $30.47 | $30.47 | $30.47 | $152.35 | $304.70 | Visit |
| 34 | Gandi | $32.67 | $63.98 | $27.68 | $288.59 | $608.49 | Visit |
| 35 | Squarespace | $35.00 | $35.00 | $35.00 | $175.00 | $350.00 | Visit |
| 36 | Epik | $37.95 | $37.95 | $37.95 | $189.75 | $379.50 | Visit |
| 37 | MrDomain | $43.23 | $43.23 | $43.23 | $216.15 | $432.30 | Visit |
| 38 | Regtons | $45.00 | $45.00 | $45.00 | $225.00 | $450.00 | Visit |
| 39 | Internet.bs | $45.47 | $46.02 | $39.50 | $229.55 | $459.65 | Visit |
| 40 | Alibaba Cloud | $49.00 | $49.00 | $49.00 | $245.00 | $490.00 | Visit |
| 41 | 101domain | $50.17 | $60.17 | $50.17 | $290.85 | $591.70 | Visit |
| 42 | Hover | $55.19 | $55.19 | $55.19 | $275.95 | $551.90 | Visit |
| 43 | Moniker | $58.39 | $65.51 | $58.39 | $320.43 | $647.98 | Visit |
| 44 | OnlyDomains | $63.49 | $70.49 | $70.49 | $345.45 | $697.90 | Visit |
Prices updated daily. Some registrars show promotional first-year prices. Always verify the final price on the registrar's website before purchasing.
A Century-Old Abbreviation Gets a New Home
The 'Ltd.' suffix has been the standard mark of a limited company in the UK and many Commonwealth countries since the 19th century. So it was only a matter of time before it became a top-level domain. Delegated on 6 August 2015, .ltd was part of the 2012 new gTLD program, the largest expansion of the domain name system in its history. Unlike country-code TLDs that follow national rules, .ltd is a generic TLD open to anyone, but its meaning is inherently corporate – it signals legal structure, not geography. For businesses that have 'Ltd.' in their official name, the domain is a natural fit, offering a URL that mirrors their registered company title to the letter.
Binky Moon: The LLC Behind the Corporate TLD
One of the curiosities of .ltd is its registry operator: Binky Moon, LLC, a name that sounds more like a cartoon character than a domain authority. Binky Moon is, in fact, a subsidiary of Donuts Inc., one of the largest registry operators in the new gTLD space. The company was founded to hold and operate a portfolio of TLDs, and .ltd is one of dozens it manages. Binky Moon's own name contains 'LLC', a nod to the corporate structures that the TLD is designed to serve. The contrast between the playful registry name and the buttoned-up nature of 'Ltd.' is a reminder that the domain industry's behind-the-scenes players often have a sense of humor – even when their product is all business.
The .ltd vs. .company vs. .inc Choice
.ltd sits in a crowded field of corporate-oriented TLDs, each with a slightly different connotation. .company is broader, suggesting any type of enterprise, while .inc and .llc are American shorthand for incorporated and limited liability companies. .limited spells out the word that .ltd abbreviates, and .group implies a conglomerate structure. The choice often comes down to the legal format of the business: a UK-registered 'XYZ Ltd' might prefer .ltd for a perfect match, while a US-based 'XYZ Inc.' might lean toward .inc. But .ltd's brevity – it's short and easy to type – gives it an edge in a market where domain names are still judged by how quickly they can be typed into a browser. The 2012 new gTLD program created this entire family of options, leaving businesses with more choices than ever but also more decisions to make.
Pricing: A Wide Gap Between Bargain and Premium
The market for .ltd domains reveals a striking pricing disparity. Across the 44 registrars that offer .ltd, the cheapest option, Spaceship, sells registrations for about $4.34, while the most expensive registrar charges roughly ten times that amount. This isn't a typical mid-range TLD – it's an extreme spread that categorizes .ltd as a budget-friendly extension if you shop around, but a premium one if you don't. Such a wide gap is common in the new gTLD space, where registries sell domains at wholesale rates that vary dramatically, and registrars pass on their own margins. For a business looking to register its exact company name, the lesson is clear: it pays to compare. The registry, Binky Moon, LLC, sets a wholesale price, but the retail cost is up to each registrar. Smart buyers can secure a .ltd for a modest outlay, but the potential for price gouging is real.