.us Domain Names
40 registrars compared — cheapest from $4.14 at Spaceship
Delegated in 1985, .us is the country-code domain for the United States—yet it remains less popular than generic top-level domains. Its story is one of a demanding geographic connection rule that is rarely enforced.
| # | Registrar | Registration | Renewal | Transfer | 5-Year Cost | 10-Year Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spaceship Cheapest | $4.14 | $6.48 | $6.48 | $30.06 | $62.46 | Visit |
| 2 | Sav | $4.15 | $6.75 | $6.75 | $31.15 | $64.90 | Visit |
| 3 | Dynadot | $4.30 | $6.96 | $6.49 | $32.14 | $66.94 | Visit |
| 4 | Porkbun | $4.43 | $7.00 | $7.00 | $32.43 | $67.43 | Visit |
| 5 | NameSilo | $4.49 | $7.99 | $6.49 | $36.45 | $76.40 | Visit |
| 6 | Truehost | $5.38 | $9.61 | $9.74 | $43.82 | $91.87 | Visit |
| 7 | Namecheap | $5.98 | $10.98 | $7.98 | $49.90 | $104.80 | Visit |
| 8 | Cloudflare | $6.50 | $6.50 | $6.50 | $32.50 | $65.00 | Visit |
| 9 | Cosmotown | $6.92 | $7.13 | $7.13 | $35.44 | $71.09 | Visit |
| 10 | Gandi | $6.99 | $39.98 | $15.50 | $166.91 | $366.81 | Visit |
| 11 | Above.com | $7.15 | $7.15 | $7.15 | $35.75 | $71.50 | Visit |
| 12 | GoDaddy | $7.99 | $19.99 | $19.99 | $87.95 | $187.90 | Visit |
| 13 | Internet.bs | $7.99 | $9.29 | $8.99 | $45.15 | $91.60 | Visit |
| 14 | Name.com | $7.99 | $18.99 | $7.99 | $83.95 | $178.90 | Visit |
| 15 | Regery | $7.99 | $7.99 | $7.99 | $39.95 | $79.90 | Visit |
| 16 | OVHcloud | $8.49 | $10.49 | $9.29 | $50.45 | $102.90 | Visit |
| 17 | Crazy Domains | $8.50 | $8.79 | $8.50 | $43.66 | $87.61 | Visit |
| 18 | Hostinger | $8.99 | $8.99 | $8.99 | $44.95 | $89.90 | Visit |
| 19 | eDomains | $9.00 | $9.00 | $9.00 | $45.00 | $90.00 | Visit |
| 20 | Epik | $9.95 | $9.95 | $9.95 | $49.75 | $99.50 | Visit |
| 21 | Hello.co | $9.99 | $9.99 | $9.99 | $49.95 | $99.90 | Visit |
| 22 | 101domain | $10.49 | $13.99 | $10.49 | $66.45 | $136.40 | Visit |
| 23 | Moniker | $10.99 | $13.39 | $12.99 | $64.55 | $131.50 | Visit |
| 24 | Regtons | $11.00 | $11.00 | $11.00 | $55.00 | $110.00 | Visit |
| 25 | MrDomain | $11.04 | $11.04 | $11.04 | $55.20 | $110.40 | Visit |
| 26 | Blacknight | $11.08 | $11.08 | $11.08 | $55.40 | $110.80 | Visit |
| 27 | Infomaniak | $11.14 | $11.14 | $11.14 | $55.70 | $111.40 | Visit |
| 28 | DreamHost | $11.95 | $11.95 | $11.95 | $59.75 | $119.50 | Visit |
| 29 | INWX | $12.45 | $12.45 | $12.45 | $62.25 | $124.50 | Visit |
| 30 | Directnic | $12.99 | $12.99 | $12.99 | $64.95 | $129.90 | Visit |
| 31 | Alibaba Cloud | $13.00 | $13.00 | $13.00 | $65.00 | $130.00 | Visit |
| 32 | Hover | $14.99 | $14.99 | $14.99 | $74.95 | $149.90 | Visit |
| 33 | IONOS | $15.00 | $15.00 | $15.00 | $75.00 | $150.00 | Visit |
| 34 | Marcaria | $15.00 | $15.00 | $15.00 | $75.00 | $150.00 | Visit |
| 35 | Bluehost | $18.99 | $19.99 | $18.99 | $98.95 | $198.90 | Visit |
| 36 | Netim | $19.00 | $19.00 | $9.00 | $95.00 | $190.00 | Visit |
| 37 | 123 Reg | $19.78 | $19.78 | $19.78 | $98.90 | $197.80 | Visit |
| 38 | Squarespace | $20.00 | $20.00 | $20.00 | $100.00 | $200.00 | Visit |
| 39 | EuroDNS | $23.16 | $23.16 | $23.16 | $115.80 | $231.60 | Visit |
| 40 | OnlyDomains | $27.99 | $30.99 | $30.99 | $151.95 | $306.90 | Visit |
Prices updated daily. Some registrars show promotional first-year prices. Always verify the final price on the registrar's website before purchasing.
The 1985 Origin and a Naming Irony
The United States received its ccTLD on February 15, 1985, making it one of the earliest country-code domains. But the American internet quickly embraced .com, and .us settled into a supporting role. The IANA record describes its intended use as "Entities connected with the United States," which sounds straightforward—except that the country itself is also the source of the world's dominant TLD. Americans often assume .us is a generic alternative, but it is officially a country-code with a specific registry, Registry Services, LLC. The Wikipedia entry notes that while the connection requirement can be enforced by challenge, it rarely is.
A Geographic Rule That's Rarely Enforced
The .us namespace carries a real restriction: registrants must have a connection to the United States. In theory, that limits it to citizens, residents, or organizations with a presence in the country. In practice, the rule is enforced only through the formal challenge process—and actual challenges are uncommon. This makes .us a hybrid: technically a restricted ccTLD, functionally open to many. The dispute policy for .us, known as the usDRP, adds a layer of protection for trademark holders. It mirrors the UDRP but is tailored to the U.S. context. For registrants, the gap between the letter of the rule and its enforcement means .us is accessible, yet it carries a legal obligation that other domains don't.
Why .us Lags Behind the Generic Crowd
In the decades since 1985, .us has never reached the popularity of .com or even other ccTLDs like .de or .uk within their own countries. The Wikipedia entry acknowledges it is "not as widely used as generic TLDs." Several factors explain this. The U.S. market was the birthplace of .com, and early internet adopters naturally gravitated to it. Also, .us does not carry the same cachet for local businesses that, say, .co.uk does for British ones. The American public largely defaults to .com, viewing .us as either a government or novelty choice. Registry Services, which also operates .biz, .club, and other niche extensions, has not changed that perception.
The .us Price Puzzle: Wide Spread, Budget Roots
A quick glance at the registrar market shows a wide spread of prices for .us. Some registrars list it as a budget domain, while others charge a premium, reflecting its dual identity as both a ccTLD and a niche alternative. The 40 registrars offering .us range from Spaceship at $4.14 to $27.99. That spread is unusual for a country-code domain. Renewal prices are similarly uneven, with $6.48 a common baseline. Budget registrars use .us as an entry point, but the geographic restriction—even loosely enforced—adds a layer of complexity that can justify higher service costs.
A Name With Political and Civic Overtones
Outside of pure commerce, .us has become a marker of civic and political identity. From grassroots campaigns to local government sites, the domain signals a U.S. focus that generic TLDs cannot. The country code belongs to the United States, but its use often carries a patriotic or community-minded tone. For instance, political candidates and advocacy groups sometimes choose .us to emphasize national reach, while state or city-level projects use it to denote American jurisdiction. The usDRP also gives trademark owners a specific path to challenge abusive registrations, reinforcing that .us is not just another domain—it's a namespace with legal weight tied to U.S. law.