What are the .io domain names used for?
Let us put it this way: How much time do you have? A .io domain registration comes with a bucket full of creative ways how to use it. First and foremost, the .io domain is the official country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) of the British Indian Ocean Territory, which is a territory of the United Kingdom located in the Indian Ocean. That fact by itself is already pretty amazing, but over the last few years, the meaning of the .io domain has changed. The .io domain extension has gained great popularity as the digital home for technology companies worldwide. I/O is known as input/output and is widely associated with technology and innovation.
Is the .io domain a good web address for start-ups?
Yes! It's short, it's memorable, it's tech-friendly, and most importantly, the odds are in your favor that your desired name will be available to buy your .io domain name as early as today.
When registering a domain name, you should always think about your target audience first and if they know what your .io domain extension ultimately stands for. So, if you're looking to establish a strong brand identity and don't want to deal with complicated restrictions on the type of content to put out or where you're located, a .io domain registration should be on top of your list. And if you're working in the Artificial Intelligence sector, you should also consider the .ai domain extension (LINK to .AI) as a potentially great fit for your needs.
Why do I need a .io domain name?
- Memorable
Have you ever noticed how many words end with "io"? There's portfolio, studio, audio, and cheerio to name a few! .io domain names are great for wordplay, and give brands an opportunity to get their name in a shorter website address. - Relevant
To the tech and software development world, "io" is a common industry term so it speaks directly to that audience. However, .io domain hasn't always been used by the tech industry. It wasn't until recently that .io domain began trending for input/output, that it really took off. - Shorter Names, Greater Availability
When it comes to domain names, the fewer characters the better. An advantage of .io doman is that it is only two characters long instead of traditional top-level domains like .com. Since not everybody is an early adopter like you, there are many great domain names still available!
We cover more about the .io TLD in this blog post.
The Meaning Behind That IO Domain You Keep Seeing Everywhere
You have probably seen .io domain names around on billboards or associate them with new software developments on the market, but if you work in the tech industry you know...
Read MoreSome examples of .io sites already seeing the benefits!
-
dictation.io
-
codepen.io
-
ouo.io
-
fontawesome.io
-
gleam.io
.io is also associated with "Input/Output"
Take advantage of a short, two-letter extension! Because the .io domain operates without restrictions, it can be registered like a generic domain for "Input/Output". You can also check out our list of generic country domains for other options.
Frequently asked questions about .io.
Technical information for .io.
- TLD .io
- Type ccTLD
-
Registration
62.99 USD / year
On Sale 53.99 USD first year only - Renewal 65.99 USD / year
- Transfer 62.99 USD / Transfer in your .io
- Time to Register Instant
- Registration Period 1 - 10 years
- Private Registration Available
- DNSSEC Supported / Learn how to add DNSSEC
- Registry Lock Available
- Trustee/Proxy Service No
- Blocking Service Part of DPML Blocking Service / Learn more Part of the GlobalBlock Service / Learn more
- Languages Supported Arabic, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Danish, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Swedish, Ukrainian,
- Individuals can register Yes
- Businesses can register Yes
- Registry NIC IO
- Information updated 2025-06-30
Why manage your .io domain with 101domain?
101domain is an international domain registration service with the largest selection of global domain names across a variety of regions. A .io domain is just one of the many TLDs we can find, register, and manage for you and your business.