.net Domain Search
Search available .net domains.
Country
United States
Pricing
$12-25/yr
Registrations
12.5M
Launched
1985
.net by the numbers
About 190k new .net domains are registered every month, which is 2.5% of every domain registered across all extensions, up 15% on the same months of 2025. A .net name registered this year averages 11 characters, 10.5% contain a hyphen and 17% contain a digit. 91% of them are registered for a single year. GoDaddy registers 16.5% of new .net domains, and the five largest registrars take 47.5% between them. About 520k .net domains come up for renewal in April 2027, the busiest month ahead.
190k
New registrations a month
Average across 2026
up 15%
Versus the same months in 2025
2.5%
Of all new domains registered
Across every extension
April 2027
Busiest renewal month ahead
About 520k come up
Show the monthly figures
| Month | New .net registrations |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | About 180k |
| February 2025 | About 160k |
| March 2025 | About 170k |
| April 2025 | About 180k |
| May 2025 | About 170k |
| June 2025 | About 160k |
| July 2025 | About 160k |
| August 2025 | About 180k |
| September 2025 | About 180k |
| October 2025 | About 180k |
| November 2025 | About 190k |
| December 2025 | About 140k |
| January 2026 | About 150k |
| February 2026 | About 170k |
| March 2026 | About 170k |
| April 2026 | About 210k |
| May 2026 | About 220k |
| June 2026 | About 220k |
| July 2026 | About 210k |
What a new .net name looks like
The typical .net registered this year is 11 characters long.
How long people register for
Where they get registered
The five largest registrars take 47.5% of new .net registrations between them.
What happens to them
Measured across 2025.
Estimates rounded from our own WHOIS observations. Last measured September 2026.
Why choose .net?
One of the original and most trusted internet extensions
Strong association with networks, infrastructure, and technology
High renewal rates indicating long term user value
Recognized globally and accepted by enterprises
More available and affordable than .com alternatives
Supported by highly resilient registry infrastructure
History
The .net top level domain was introduced in January 1985 as one of the original six generic top level domains. It was designed specifically for network providers and internet infrastructure organizations during the early ARPANET and NSFNET era. The first active registered domain was nordu.net. Since then, .net has evolved from a restricted infrastructure domain into a globally available extension while retaining its technical and network centric identity.
Usage and applications
The .net domain is widely used for network services, internet infrastructure, developer platforms, utilities, open source projects, gaming networks, and large scale online services. It is especially effective for websites that function as hubs, platforms, or communities rather than single product retail brands.
Popular .net domains
speedtest.net
A globally trusted internet performance testing platform.
slideshare.net
A professional content sharing network.
battle.net
Blizzard Entertainment's online gaming and social network.
php.net
The official website and documentation hub for the PHP programming language.
sourceforge.net
A major repository for open source software projects.
behance.net
A creative portfolio and professional networking platform owned by Adobe.
Most expensive .net sales
poker.net
2021High value gambling related domain reflecting strong type in traffic economics.
750,000 USD
mobile.net
2014Premium technology keyword domain acquired for telecom use.
500,000 USD
sex.net
2006Adult industry driven valuation during the early aftermarket boom.
454,500 USD
porn.net
2008Vice industry demand combined with strong generic keyword value.
400,000 USD
realestate.net
2007High value category domain reflecting early real estate online growth.
300,000 USD
First registered .net domain
nordu.net
1985
The first active registered domain name, created for NORDUnet, a multinational research and education network.
Registration
Requirements
Open to anyone worldwide with no restrictions
Registry
Verisign Inc
Key milestones
How can I check .net domain availability
Use a .net domain search tool to instantly check whether a domain name is available for registration.
Is the .net domain search free
Yes. Most registrars allow you to check .net availability at no cost.
Who should use a .net domain
.net is ideal for network services, technology platforms, infrastructure providers, and online communities.
How much does a .net domain cost
Most .net domains cost between 12 and 25 USD per year depending on the registrar.
Is .net a good alternative to .com
Yes. .net is the most established and trusted alternative when a .com is unavailable.
Does Google treat .net as a generic domain
Yes. .net is treated as a generic top level domain and ranks globally.
Can anyone register a .net domain
.net domains are open to individuals and businesses worldwide with no restrictions.
Is .net safe for long term business use
Yes. .net is supported by enterprise grade infrastructure and high security standards.
Why do many infrastructure projects use .net
The extension signals networking, reliability, and technical focus, aligning with infrastructure use cases.
Will .net remain relevant in the future
Yes. While growth is modest, .net remains a stable and essential part of the global internet ecosystem.