.app vs .dev: Price, Renewal and Availability
Both are Google Registry extensions with the same rules (HTTPS required, HSTS-preloaded) and the same $8.75 first year, so pick by audience: .app for a product people install or use, .dev for developer tools, docs and portfolios. .dev renews cheaper: $12.87 vs $14.93, $60.23 vs $68.47 over five years. 37% of .app names checked on domhaul were already registered, against 55% of .dev.
Standard (non-premium) names, USD per year, quoted October 24, 2026.
| Measure | .app | .dev |
|---|---|---|
| First year (lowest) | $8.75 | $8.75 |
| Renewal (lowest) | $14.93 | $12.87 |
| Renewal vs first year | +71% | +47% |
| 5 years, cheapest registrar | $68.47 (Porkbun) | $60.23 (Porkbun) |
| Minimum term | 1 year | 1 year |
| Porkbun first year | $8.75 | $8.75 |
| Porkbun renewal | $14.93 | $12.87 |
| Porkbun transfer | $14.93 | $12.87 |
| Dynadot first year | Not sold | Not sold |
| Dynadot renewal | Not sold | Not sold |
| Taken when checked on domhaul | 37% of 399 | 55% of 55 |
| Type | Generic | Generic |
| Registry | Charleston Road Registry Inc. | Charleston Road Registry Inc. |
| Rules | Open to anyone; HTTPS required (HSTS preload) | Open to anyone; HTTPS required (HSTS preload) |
| DNSSEC | Signed | Signed |
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Pick .app if
- Your users are consumers or business users, not engineers.
- The thing you are naming is an app.
- The .dev of your name is taken.
Pick .dev if
- Your audience is developers.
- It is a tool, library, docs site or portfolio.
- You want the slightly lower renewal.
.app vs .dev questions
What is the difference between .app and .dev?
Only the audience they signal. Both are run by Google Registry, both are open to anyone, and both are on the HSTS preload list, so both only load over HTTPS. .app opened in 2018, .dev in 2019.
Which is cheaper, .app or .dev?
.app costs $8.75 for the first year and $14.93 to renew; .dev costs $8.75 and $12.87. Over five years (first year plus four renewals at the cheaper registrar) that is $68.47 for .app and $60.23 for .dev, so .dev is the cheaper one to keep. Standard names at Dynadot and Porkbun, quoted October 24, 2026.
Do .app and .dev both require HTTPS?
Yes. Both extensions are on the HSTS preload list in every major browser, so sites on them only load over HTTPS. Most hosts issue the certificate for free; email is not affected.
Can I use .dev for local development?
Not anymore. .dev was a common made-up suffix for local sites (myapp.dev) until Google launched it as a real extension in 2019. Because .dev is HSTS-preloaded, browsers force HTTPS on every .dev hostname, including local ones, so those setups break. Use .test or .localhost for local work; both are reserved and will never be real extensions.
More comparisons
- .com vs .app 5 yrs $54.40 vs $68.47
- .io vs .app 5 yrs $235.32 vs $68.47
- .com vs .dev 5 yrs $54.40 vs $60.23
- .io vs .dev 5 yrs $235.32 vs $60.23
Full price pages: .app and .dev. All domain extension comparisons, the price list for every TLD, and the long read on .com vs .io vs .app vs .dev for startups. Have a name? The domain value calculator prices it and finds available alternatives.