Domain .io - national domain: British Indian Ocean Territory

Registration time: Realtime

How to register a .io internet domain?

  • Registration fee
    $88,99 / year
  • Renewal fee
    $88,99 / year
  • Trade fee
    free of charge
    The domain owner change does not extend its validity.
  • Transfer fee
    $88,99
    renewal included
    The domain transfer requires the authinfo code. The domain transfer extends the domain validity by one year .
  • Reactivation fee
    $118,99
    Additional restore fee is due on the domain renewal date (4 days before expiration date). Restore is possible only within 30 days thereafter.
  • Minimum registration and renewal period
    1 year
  • Registration time
    Realtime
  • Restrictions
    No
VAT may apply for EU individual customers

.io domain information

The .io domain is the country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the British Indian Ocean Territory, but it has become the gold standard for tech startups, SaaS platforms, and software developers. Because "I/O" is a fundamental computer science acronym for Input/Output, the tech community has adopted .io as its premier digital identity. Completely unrestricted and open to anyone worldwide, a .io extension instantly signals tech-savviness and innovation.

Why an .io domain is the definitive choice for tech startups and SaaS

For over a decade, .io has been the preferred alternative to .com for venture-backed startups, cryptocurrency projects, and open-source software developers. It offers distinct branding advantages:

  • The tech insider look: Operating on a .io address gives your company instant credibility within the developer and tech community.

  • Short and memorable names: Finding an available, short, single-word brand name under .com is nearly impossible. The .io namespace offers an excellent alternative to secure the exact corporate name you want.

  • Creative domain hacks: Many brands use .io to build creative URLs, such as stud.io, portfol.io, or aud.io, integrating the extension directly into their brand name.

Is an .io domain good for SEO? 

Yes, a .io domain is highly effective for SEO. Although technically categorized as a country-code domain, Google officially treats .io as a generic top-level domain (gTLD) for search purposes.

This means Google does not geotarget .io websites to its tiny geographic origin. A .io domain can rank globally—whether in Silicon Valley, London, or Tokyo—exactly like a .com or .org address. For tech companies, it also provides a strong contextual signal to search algorithms that the website features tech-related content, products, or services.

How to transfer this domain to Let's Domains

To transfer an .io you'll need the authinfo code from your current registrar. The transfer fee includes one year of renewal, so your domain validity is automatically extended by one year once the transfer is complete.

What happens if an .io domain expires

The restore fee applies from 4 days before the expiration date. If your domain expires without being renewed, you have 30 days to reactivate it. After that window closes, the domain can no longer be recovered.

Information about the .io domain registry

.io - country code top-level domain name (ccTLD): British Indian Ocean Territory

The available domain TLDs: .io

Registry: IO Top Level Domain Registry

Website: https://www.nic.io/

Public WHOIS server: whois.nic.io

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