.blog tells readers before they click that they'll find writing, opinion or regular updates, and it works on whichever blogging platform you choose. It opened to the public on 21 November 2016, anyone aged 18 or over can register one, and you can keep it for up to ten years at a time.
We're PD Hosting, a British company accredited by Nominet as a registrar. We register your .blog as soon as you check out, give you full control of its DNS so you can point it at any host, and send reminders before it renews. Search for your name below.
Per year. Compare every extension on our domain pricing page.
What is a .blog domain?
- Type
- A generic top-level domain (gTLD), added to the root zone in May 2016 under ICANN's new gTLD programme. Source
- Registry
- Knock Knock WHOIS There, LLC, an Automattic company, which has run .blog since it was delegated in 2016. Source
- Launched
- Sunrise for trademark holders opened in August 2016 and general availability began on 21 November 2016, first come, first served. Source
- Who may register
- Anyone aged 18 or over, in any country. Registrants also agree to keep their contact data accurate and to the registry's anti-abuse terms. Source
- Name format
- Letters, numbers and hyphens, up to 63 characters before the dot, not starting or ending with a hyphen. Some names sit in higher registry pricing tiers. Source
- Email verification
- ICANN requires us to verify the owner's email address after a new registration or a change of owner details. If there's no reply within 15 days, the domain is suspended until there is. Source
- Public WHOIS
- Personal details such as your name, postal address, phone and email are hidden from the public lookup; your country is still shown. Source
- After expiry
- ICANN's rules require reminders about a month and a week before expiry. A deleted name enters a 30-day redemption period during which it can still be restored. Source
Facts checked against the registry on 9 November 2026.
Who a .blog domain suits
A .blog is the obvious home for anyone whose site is mainly writing: a food writer in Bristol posting weekly recipes, a retired engineer documenting a canal-boat restoration, a parent writing about raising a child with additional needs, or a travel writer who wants a name that's easy to say on a podcast. Many of these people start on a free subdomain and move to their own .blog once readers begin to follow them.
Businesses use it too. A software company might run product news at its brand name followed by .blog while keeping sales pages on its .com or .co.uk. A law firm, an estate agent or a garden centre can separate helpful articles from the main brochure site, which makes the purpose of each address clear to visitors.
- A personal blog, journal or newsletter archive
- A company news and updates site alongside the main .com or .co.uk
- A writer's or journalist's portfolio of published pieces
- A podcast or video series with show notes
- A redirect from a short, memorable name to an existing blog
Benefits of a .blog domain
Says what's inside
Visitors know they're arriving at articles rather than a shop or a login page, which sets expectations before the page even loads.
Free from any one platform
The registry belongs to a blogging software company, but nothing in its policies ties you to that software. Point your .blog at any host or service you like and move it later without changing the address.
Good names are still free
Plain, readable names that went long ago in .com, such as a surname or a hobby, can often be found under .blog.
An address your readers keep
Owning the domain means subscribers, links and search history follow you if you switch platform, rather than staying behind on someone else's subdomain.
The .blog rules: age, accuracy and abuse
Unlike most generic extensions, .blog has a minimum age. The registry's terms of service ask everyone who registers a name to confirm they are 18 or older. A teenager who wants to write can still publish on a .blog, but the domain needs to be registered by a parent, guardian or school, who then becomes its legal holder and the person we contact about it.
The same terms ask you to keep your registration details complete and accurate, and to accept the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), which is how disputes over trademarks in domain names are settled. They also list what is forbidden: malware, phishing, spam, impersonation, intellectual property infringement and fraudulent or illegal content. The registry says it doesn't pre-screen content, but it can suspend, delete or transfer a name that breaks these rules.
None of this restricts ordinary opinion or criticism; robust writing is what the extension is for. What it means in practice is simple. Register in your own name or your organisation's, keep your email address current so you receive our verification message, and don't use your .blog to pass yourself off as someone else. Do that and the rules will never affect you.
One more point is worth knowing. .blog is run by Automattic, the company behind a popular blogging platform, and you'll sometimes read that you must use its service. You don't. A .blog registered with us works exactly like any other domain: you set the DNS records, and your site can live on any hosting, website builder or newsletter platform.
.blog pros and cons
Works well if
- Your site is mostly writing, and you want the address to say so
- You're moving off a free subdomain and want readers to follow you
- Your company wants news and articles kept apart from its sales site
- The plain version of your name is long gone in .com
Look elsewhere if
- You're under 18: the registry requires an adult to hold the name
- Your site is really a shop or a service business: a .co.uk, .com or .shop describes it better
- You're watching every pound: .blog renews for more than a .co.uk or a .uk
- You plan to stop writing within a year or two: a personal .me or your own name in .co.uk ages better
.blog compared with similar extensions
| Extension | Best for | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| .blog | Writers, bloggers and company news | Says exactly what the site is; registrants must be 18 or over. |
| .news | Publishers and regular news updates | Suits reporting and announcements rather than personal writing. |
| .me | Personal sites that may change over time | Not tied to one kind of content, so it survives a change of direction. |
| .co.uk | UK businesses that also publish articles | A blog can sit at a page or subdomain of your main British address. |
Register your .blog domain
- Search for the name you want below.
- Add it to your basket and choose how many years to register it for.
- Check out. Your domain is registered straight away and appears in your client area, ready to point at your website and email.
Every domain includes DNS management, DNS backup and restore, and free mail forwarding.
.blog questions
Do I have to use a particular blogging platform with a .blog?
No. The registry is owned by Automattic, but its policies don't require any platform. Once you register a .blog with us, you can point it at any host, website builder or newsletter service by changing its DNS records, and move it again whenever you want.
Is there an age limit for registering a .blog?
Yes, 18. The registry's terms of service ask every registrant to confirm they're an adult. Younger writers can still run a .blog, but a parent, guardian or school needs to register it and remains the legal holder.
Is a .blog better than a blog on my main website?
It depends on your aim. Articles at a page of your main site build that site's authority in search, which often suits a business. A separate .blog makes sense when the writing is a project in its own right, such as a personal blog, a podcast or a publication with its own audience.
Will a .blog address affect my Google rankings?
No, not in itself. Google says it treats new generic top-level domains like .blog in the same way as .com and .org, so your writing, links and site quality decide how you rank. There's no penalty and no built-in advantage.
What will my .blog cost after the first year?
With us a .blog renews at £45.95 a year, which is more than the discounted first year. Some short or popular .blog names are in higher registry pricing tiers, and the search result shows their price before you buy.
If I miss my .blog renewal, can I get it back?
Usually, yes. We remind you before the date, as ICANN requires, and if it lapses anyway the site and any email on it stop while you can still renew. Once the name has been deleted, there's a 30-day redemption period in which it can be restored before it's released for anyone to register.
Will email addresses work on a .blog?
Yes. A .blog works with any email provider, and every domain we register includes free mail forwarding, so you could send readers' replies at [email protected] to your existing inbox without setting up a mailbox.
Sources: .blog Launch and Registration Policy · .blog Terms of Service · IANA .blog delegation record · ICANN RAA: WHOIS Accuracy Program Specification · ICANN Expired Registration Recovery Policy · Google on new top-level domains
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