You cannot buy a custom TLD off the shelf. A custom top-level domain that everyone on the internet can reach exists only if ICANN delegates it — in practice, a brand-TLD application costing $227,000+. For a private network you can safely use .internal (permanently reserved by ICANN). Alternative roots like Handshake or ENS .eth create TLDs outside ICANN's root, but they don't resolve for ordinary users without special software.
“Custom TLD” is one of those phrases that sounds simple and turns out to mean three very different things. Do you want a personalized extension the public can visit, like .google? A name for your internal network that never touches the open internet? Or a blockchain-style name from an alternative naming system? Each has a different answer, and confusing them leads people to waste money or trust a name that quietly doesn't work. This guide separates the three paths so you can match your goal to reality. If you are still fuzzy on the underlying concept, start with what a TLD is.
A personalized top-level domain you create for your own brand or network, rather than registering a name under an existing extension. A globally resolvable one requires ICANN delegation; private-use and alternative-root versions work only in limited contexts.
Can I make a custom TLD the whole internet can reach?
Yes — but only one way, and it is expensive. To create a public, globally resolvable custom extension, you apply to ICANN through its New gTLD Program to operate the TLD as a registry. When companies obtain .google, .bmw or .audi, this is exactly what they have done. We cover the corporate use case in depth in brand TLDs explained; here the point is simply that this application is the only legitimate route to a custom TLD that resolves for everyone.
The cost is the reason it stays rare. ICANN's 2026 round charges a USD 227,000 evaluation fee per application, and once you add a Registry Service Provider, legal work and ongoing fees, the realistic total runs from $300,000 to well over $1,000,000. Applications are also only accepted during a defined window — the 2026 round runs from 30 April to 12 August 2026. The full process is laid out in how to register a new TLD.
Beware “get your own TLD” offers
If a service claims to sell you a personal top-level domain for a small fee, read the fine print. Either you are buying a normal second-level domain dressed up in marketing language, or you are getting a name in an alternative root that most visitors cannot reach. No company can sell you an ICANN-delegated TLD outside an official application round.
Can I use a custom TLD privately, for free?
Yes — inside a network you control. You don't need ICANN's permission to use a made-up extension on your own internal systems, and there is now an official, safe choice for exactly this. In July 2024 ICANN's Board permanently reserved .internal so it will never be delegated in the public root. That makes it the recommended private-use TLD — the naming equivalent of the private IP ranges like 192.168.x.x that everyone uses behind their router.
A few other names are reserved for technical use under RFC 6761 and are safe to use locally: .localhost, .test, .example and .invalid. The crucial caveat is that all of these work only within networks you control. Type printer.internal at the office and it resolves on your LAN; type it from a café and it goes nowhere. They are private by design.
Why .internal matters
Before .internal was reserved, admins often invented extensions like .local or .corp for internal use — risky, because ICANN could one day delegate a clashing real TLD and break those private setups. Reserving .internal permanently removes that risk, giving organizations a guaranteed-safe namespace for internal hostnames.
What about Handshake, ENS and other alternative TLDs?
There is a third world: alternative roots. Projects such as OpenNIC, Handshake and Ethereum's ENS (.eth) let people create top-level names entirely outside ICANN's root. Within their own ecosystems these names are real and even tradable. The catch is fundamental: ordinary internet users cannot reach them without special resolvers, browser extensions or gateway services. Type a Handshake or .eth name into a standard browser on a standard connection and, by default, nothing loads.
That does not make these systems useless — they power Web3 and decentralized-naming experiments — but it does mean they are not a substitute for a globally resolvable ICANN TLD if your goal is a website normal visitors can open. We dig into these in Handshake domains explained and Web3 domains explained.
The three custom-TLD paths, side by side
| Path | Example | Cost | Who can reach it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand TLD (ICANN) | .google .bmw | $227k+ (often $300k–$1M+) | Everyone on the internet |
| Private-use TLD | .internal .localhost | Free | Only devices on your own network |
| Alternative root | Handshake, ENS .eth | Varies (often low) | Only users with special resolvers |
The practical answer for most people
If you simply want a memorable, branded web address that everyone can visit, you almost never need a custom TLD. Register a strong second-level name under an existing extension — yourbrand.com, yourbrand.io, or a relevant new gTLD like yourbrand.shop. It is reachable by all, costs a few dollars a year, and gives you the identity a custom TLD promises without the six-figure price tag. See how to register a domain name.
★ Key takeaways
- You can't buy a custom TLD off the shelf — there is no retail product for it.
- A public custom TLD means an ICANN brand-TLD application ($227k+).
- For private networks, use
.internal(permanently reserved) or RFC 6761 names like.localhost. - Alternative roots (Handshake, ENS
.eth) exist but don't resolve for ordinary users. - For most people, a strong second-level name under an existing TLD is the right answer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy a custom TLD off the shelf?
No. There is no shop that sells you your own top-level domain. A custom TLD that resolves for everyone on the internet only exists if ICANN delegates it into the root zone, which means applying through the New gTLD Program. There is no retail product equivalent to registering a normal domain.
How do I make my own custom TLD that the whole internet can reach?
The only way is a brand-TLD application through ICANN's New gTLD Program. The 2026 round charges a USD 227,000 evaluation fee, and the realistic all-in cost is typically $300,000 to $1,000,000 or more. You then operate the extension as a registry, usually with a contracted Registry Service Provider. See how to register a new TLD.
Is there a free way to use a custom TLD privately?
Yes, inside your own network. ICANN's Board permanently reserved .internal in July 2024 so it will never be delegated in the public root, making it safe for private internal use — much like 192.168.x.x private IP addresses. RFC 6761 also reserves .localhost, .test, .example and .invalid. These names work only within networks you control, not on the public internet.
What about blockchain TLDs like .eth or Handshake names?
Alternative roots such as OpenNIC, Handshake and ENS .eth create TLDs outside ICANN's root. They are real within their own systems, but ordinary internet users cannot reach them without special resolvers, browser extensions or gateways. They are not a substitute for a globally resolvable ICANN TLD.
What is a brand TLD?
A brand TLD is a custom top-level domain matching a company name, such as .google or .bmw, obtained through the ICANN New gTLD Program. The brand operates the extension as its own registry and can create names like home.brand. It is the main legitimate route to a personalized, fully resolvable custom TLD — see brand TLDs explained.
If I can't get a custom TLD, what should I do instead?
For almost everyone, the practical answer is to choose a strong second-level name under an existing TLD — for example yourbrand.com, yourbrand.io or a relevant new gTLD like yourbrand.shop. It is reachable by everyone, costs a few dollars a year, and delivers the branded presence most people actually want.