.university Domain Names
41 registrars compared — cheapest from $9.99 at Sav
Delegated in April 2014 under the 2012 new gTLD program, .university is run by Binky Moon, LLC—a name that leans playful but operates a serious registry through Identity Digital.
| # | Registrar | Registration | Renewal | Transfer | 5-Year Cost | 10-Year Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sav Cheapest | $9.99 | $56.36 | $56.36 | $235.43 | $517.23 | Visit |
| 2 | Porkbun | $10.81 | $56.13 | $56.13 | $235.33 | $515.98 | Visit |
| 3 | Dynadot | $10.92 | $58.00 | $58.00 | $242.92 | $532.92 | Visit |
| 4 | Regery | $10.99 | $57.99 | $57.99 | $242.95 | $532.90 | Visit |
| 5 | INWX | $12.10 | $99.00 | $99.00 | $408.10 | $903.10 | Visit |
| 6 | Hostinger | $12.19 | $72.19 | $12.19 | $300.95 | $661.90 | Visit |
| 7 | EuroDNS | $18.53 | $102.33 | $102.33 | $427.85 | $939.50 | Visit |
| 8 | Truehost | $18.69 | $81.11 | $62.66 | $343.13 | $748.68 | Visit |
| 9 | Name.com | $19.99 | $94.99 | $94.99 | $399.95 | $874.90 | Visit |
| 10 | eDomains | $48.00 | $48.00 | $48.00 | $240.00 | $480.00 | Visit |
| 11 | Cloudflare | $48.20 | $48.20 | $48.20 | $241.00 | $482.00 | Visit |
| 12 | OVHcloud | $52.59 | $61.49 | $59.09 | $298.55 | $606.00 | Visit |
| 13 | NameBright | $53.00 | $53.00 | $53.00 | $265.00 | $530.00 | Visit |
| 14 | Above.com | $53.02 | $53.02 | $53.02 | $265.10 | $530.20 | Visit |
| 15 | Regtons | $55.90 | $55.90 | $55.90 | $279.50 | $559.00 | Visit |
| 16 | Spaceship | $56.09 | $56.09 | $56.09 | $280.45 | $560.90 | Visit |
| 17 | UK2 | $58.72 | $58.72 | $58.72 | $293.60 | $587.20 | Visit |
| 18 | Epik | $58.95 | $58.95 | $58.95 | $294.75 | $589.50 | Visit |
| 19 | Hello.co | $59.99 | $59.99 | $59.99 | $299.95 | $599.90 | Visit |
| 20 | Crazy Domains | $61.99 | $61.99 | $61.99 | $309.95 | $619.90 | Visit |
| 21 | NameSilo | $61.99 | $62.99 | $58.99 | $313.95 | $628.90 | Visit |
| 22 | DreamHost | $64.99 | $64.99 | $64.99 | $324.95 | $649.90 | Visit |
| 23 | Gname | $64.99 | $64.99 | $64.99 | $324.95 | $649.90 | Visit |
| 24 | MrDomain | $69.87 | $69.87 | $69.87 | $349.35 | $698.70 | Visit |
| 25 | Netim | $71.50 | $71.50 | $51.00 | $357.50 | $715.00 | Visit |
| 26 | 123 Reg | $72.58 | $72.58 | $72.58 | $362.90 | $725.80 | Visit |
| 27 | Gandi | $72.58 | $159.98 | $61.49 | $712.50 | $1512.40 | Visit |
| 28 | Infomaniak | $73.20 | $73.20 | $73.20 | $366.00 | $732.00 | Visit |
| 29 | Internet.bs | $74.02 | $74.02 | $64.41 | $370.10 | $740.20 | Visit |
| 30 | All Domains | $74.37 | $76.59 | $76.59 | $380.73 | $763.68 | Visit |
| 31 | Namecheap | $74.48 | $87.98 | $74.48 | $426.40 | $866.30 | Visit |
| 32 | Marcaria | $75.00 | $75.00 | $75.00 | $375.00 | $750.00 | Visit |
| 33 | Squarespace | $75.00 | $75.00 | $75.00 | $375.00 | $750.00 | Visit |
| 34 | Directnic | $78.00 | $78.00 | $78.00 | $390.00 | $780.00 | Visit |
| 35 | Blacknight | $79.90 | $79.90 | $79.90 | $399.50 | $799.00 | Visit |
| 36 | IONOS | $81.00 | $81.00 | $81.00 | $405.00 | $810.00 | Visit |
| 37 | 101domain | $86.67 | $94.17 | $86.67 | $463.35 | $934.20 | Visit |
| 38 | Hover | $90.19 | $90.19 | $90.19 | $450.95 | $901.90 | Visit |
| 39 | Moniker | $93.81 | $106.31 | $93.81 | $519.05 | $1050.60 | Visit |
| 40 | OnlyDomains | $106.49 | $119.99 | $119.99 | $586.45 | $1186.40 | Visit |
| 41 | GoDaddy | $110.19 | $110.19 | $110.19 | $550.95 | $1101.90 | Visit |
Prices updated daily. Some registrars show promotional first-year prices. Always verify the final price on the registrar's website before purchasing.
The Playful Registry Behind a Serious Academic Label
Binky Moon, LLC may sound like a children's book character, but it's the sponsor of .university, delegated on April 3, 2014 as part of ICANN's 2012 new gTLD expansion. The registry is operated by Identity Digital, a major infrastructure provider. This is not a brand TLD—no single institution owns it—so it's open to any accredited or non-accredited educational entity. The quirk of a whimsically named operator running a domain meant for hallowed halls of learning is a reminder that the new gTLD era mixed commerce with academia.
A Wide Pricing Spread Reflects an Uncertain Market
With over 41 registrars carrying .university, the pricing landscape is far from uniform. At the low end, Sav offers introductory deals that treat it like a budget extension, while other registrars position it as a premium niche. This wide spread suggests registrars themselves are testing demand—some betting on volume from online courses, others targeting prestigious institutions willing to pay for a clean, descriptive address. Renewal rates vary just as much, so buyers should read the fine print before committing.
The Education Cluster: How .university Sits Among Its Peers
.university is part of a crowded field of education-oriented extensions that emerged from the 2012 round. .academy leans toward skill-building, .school covers K-12 and training, while .university aims squarely at higher education. .education and .training are broader. What distinguishes .university is its specificity—it signals a four-year institution, not a coding bootcamp or workshop. But that precision also limits its appeal. For a small liberal arts college, the exactness might justify the cost; for a MOOC provider, .academy might be the more flexible fit.
The 2012 New gTLD Wave That Made .university Possible
Before 2012, higher education was stuck with country-code domains like .edu (U.S.-only) or .ac.uk. The ICANN new gTLD program changed that by opening up descriptive strings like .university. Delegated in 2014, .university was among the first batch of educational gTLDs to go live. Its arrival let universities worldwide claim a global extension rather than a national one. Yet the fact that it remains a niche choice—not the default for academia—shows that even a perfectly descriptive TLD must overcome the inertia of established domains.