.tools is an open extension for anything people use to get a job done, from hammers and drills to online calculators and software. Identity Digital runs it, there are no eligibility rules, and it was added to the internet's root in January 2014.
PD Hosting is a London company and Nominet accredited registrar. Register a .tools here and it's created immediately, managed from your client area and covered by our renewal reminders.
Per year. Compare every extension on our domain pricing page.
What is a .tools domain?
- Type
- A generic top-level domain. Source
- Registry
- Binky Moon, LLC, within the Identity Digital group. Source
- In the root since
- 23 January 2014. Source
- Who may register
- Open to all; no proof of trade is needed. Source
- Public WHOIS
- Owners' personal data is withheld from public lookups, as ICANN policy has required since 2018. Source
- Transfers
- Moves between registrars with an auth code, under ICANN's Transfer Policy. Source
- Email check
- ICANN makes us verify a new owner's email address; a .tools whose owner stays silent for 15 days must be suspended. Source
Facts checked against the registry on 9 November 2026.
Who a .tools domain suits
Hardware shops, tool hire depots and trade suppliers can use a .tools for their catalogue or hire list, and makers who review or restore hand tools can build a following around one. A yourtown.tools name suits a local hire counter.
On the software side, .tools fits collections of online utilities: unit converters, image compressors, SEO checkers, developer helpers. Agencies and freelancers also use it for a public set of free calculators that sends visitors on to their main site.
- A hardware or tool hire shop
- Free online calculators and converters
- Add-ons or utilities for a software product
- Reviews and restoration of hand and power tools
- An agency's public toolkit for clients
Benefits of a .tools domain
Physical and digital alike
The same extension works for a builders' merchant and a web app, so it doesn't box you into one meaning.
Short utility names
Single words such as resize.tools or quote.tools are often still free here when they're long gone elsewhere.
Clear intent
Visitors expect something practical they can use, which suits free tools that attract links.
Free tools as a reason to visit: how .tools gets used
One of the commonest ways businesses use a .tools address is as a home for free utilities. A web agency publishes a page-speed checker; a mortgage broker offers repayment calculators; a print shop provides a file-size converter. Each tool solves a small problem, gets shared and linked, and introduces the visitor to the company behind it.
A separate .tools domain keeps those utilities tidy and gives them a name that explains itself, while the main site stays on the company's usual .com or .co.uk. Link the two clearly so visitors can see who made the tools, and use the same branding on both.
For physical tools the logic is similar but more local. A hire depot can print yourtown.tools on vans and hire tags, and a restorer of old planes and chisels can use one name for videos, a shop and a mailing list. Either way, keep the name to one or two words: people often type a .tools address from memory after seeing it once.
.tools pros and cons
Works well if
- You offer free online utilities and want a self-explanatory home for them
- You sell, hire or repair tools and want the trade in your address
- You want a short single-word name that is unavailable in .com
Look elsewhere if
- Software is your main product: .software or .tech may describe it better
- Your shop sells far more than tools: .store or .shop leaves room to grow
- You want the lowest yearly cost: .tools renews above its first-year price
.tools compared with similar extensions
| Extension | Best for | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| .tools | Utilities, hardware and hire | Practical meaning in both the physical and digital sense. |
| .software | Software products and companies | Describes what you make rather than what it does. |
| .store | Shops with a broad range | General retail, not tied to one kind of product. |
| .tech | Technology firms | A wider tech brand, less practical in meaning. |
Register your .tools 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.
.tools questions
Is .tools only for hardware shops?
No. It's just as common for software utilities, online calculators and developer toolkits. The registry sets no rules on what a .tools site must contain.
Who can register a .tools?
Any individual or organisation, in the UK or elsewhere. There's nothing to prove before you register.
Does a .tools domain help SEO?
The extension itself doesn't. Google treats .tools like any generic domain. A genuinely useful free tool, however, tends to earn links and repeat visits, and those do help.
How much will renewing my .tools cost?
Renewal is £51.95 a year, more than the discounted first year. We email you before each renewal falls due.
Can I keep my main site on .com and use .tools for utilities?
Yes, and many businesses do. Keep the main site where it is, put the tools on the .tools address and link the two so visitors know who is behind both.
What is the email verification I'm asked to complete?
ICANN requires us to check that the owner's email address works. We send a confirmation email after registration and after contact changes; if 15 days pass without a reply, the domain is suspended until you confirm.
Sources: IANA .tools record · ICANN .tools registry agreement · ICANN Transfer Policy · ICANN Registration Data Policy · ICANN 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement
Navigation
Useful Links
Contact Us
- +44 (121) 828 8723
- [email protected]
- Office 403, Screenworks 22 Highbury Grove, London, United Kingdom, N5 2ER
Terms and Conditions · Privacy Policy
PD Hosting is the trading name of Projektif Digital Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 12482555.