.app - The perfect domain for your applications

Google's recent purchase of their .app domain for US $25 million has caused the demand for .app domains to be on a steady incline. The increasing popularity of mobile applications and the growing number of apps being offered in the stores of mobile operating systems, like Android and iOS, generates even more demand for matching .app domains. A powerful .app domain contributes decisively to the success of an application – regardless of whether your project is a smaller app or an ambitious start-up. Pre-reserving your .app domain allows you to secure an in-demand domain that can otherwise be scooped up by potential competitors in your industry. Pre-booking your .app domain is all reward without the risk, as it is completely free and non-binding. If however, your desired domain has already been assigned to an owner, you would have to wait to buy the domain from that owner or find another available address for your web project that may be less favorable. By reserving your unique .app domain right now, you can secure a competitive name for your long-term project and you will not have to end up compromising on your desired domain.

A website with a .app domain becomes a central and easy-to-identify point of contact for the users of your app. For example, you can include a support forum, a contact form or a news section. Keep your users up-to-date and allow them the ability to quickly give feedback. The .app domain can bundle all of these areas under one roof while constantly referencing the actual application, all of which strengthens your brand. In addition, you no longer need to rely on the classic country domains, which is optimal for start-ups who want to launch internationally from the start. A decision in favor of a single country is not necessary, because the .app domain ending is globally understood. Everyone around the world associates the .app domain extension with a website dealing with "application software." This speaks directly to your users who are interested in the topic of your site. In addition, your URL with a new top-level .app domain becomes a lot more memorable than with a generic top-level domain (gTLD).

Yes. There is no charge for you to reserve a .app domain, and once reserved, the reservation remains non-binding. The .app domain, like other new TLDs, is yet to be released by ICANN for the final registration. You can, therefore, reserve your desired address now without hesitation, and still wait for the final registration conditions before making the decision to purchase. You can have security now with the freedom to decide later – 1&1 will even notify you as soon as you can finally register your domain.

So far, no exact .app domain release date is known. You can reserve your desired address at 1&1 free of charge and with no obligation, and we will inform you as soon as a final order is possible. Since .app domains are already very popular and are anticipated by app developers around the globe, it is only a matter of time before the battle over the most coveted domains begins. By pre-reserving your desired .app domain, you are a step ahead of your competitors.

Currently, .app domains can only be reserved. If you have already done this with another provider, you can of course also transfer that domain to 1&1 as soon as you have officially acquired the domain. Only after the official .app domain release date can the domain be used or transferred. When it's time, transferring your domain to 1&1 is easy. You will require an authorization code from your previous provider – sometimes this is simply abbreviated as Authcode or called Authinfo. Each provider is obligated to communicate this code to their customers on demand. The code consists of 6 to 16 characters and is valid for 30 days. During this period, you are responsible for the domain transfer. To do this, simply go to the 1&1 site under domain transfers to enter the domain, then follow the outlined steps. A domain transfer is quite simple and is usually completed within 14 days. Since the transfer depends on the top-level domain – in this case .app – and the corresponding conditions, you simply need to wait for the official .app domain release date to complete the process.

Finding the ideal domain name has become much easier with the introduction of new TLDs, such as the .app domain, than by using a conventional country TLD. While the .com domain, which is particularly popular in the US market, is already highly sought after; most of the particularly memorable domains with this ending have high availability chances with a .app top-level domain ending. Also, by eliminating the country TLD, the entire address becomes more attractive and much more memorable. Regardless of your industry or product, you can find an available .app domain in a variety of attractive combinations. You can let your imagination run free and let your domain more effectively portray your product or speak to the function of your app. Just ask yourself what your app can do, and combine that name or orientation of your app with the corresponding .app top-level domain. Some examples for consideration include: "gaming.app," "dating.app," "network.app," or "sport.app." The advantage of using a .app top-level domain is that it highlights the actual product and makes your users immediately aware of what to expect on your website.

If you're a programmer yourself and are familiar with the CLI (Common Language Infrastructure), you may already have heard of "application domains." Despite the conceptual similarity to the .app domain, the two are not synonymous. The .app domain is just like .com or .org; it is a so-called generic top-level domain with "app" as an ending, indicating that it is a website to a mobile application. On the other hand, the term "application domain" refers to a mechanism within the CLI to isolate running software applications. So don't worry, you don't have to be an IT professional and familiar with application domains in order to be successful with a .app domain on the internet.