New gTLD vs Legacy TLD: Which to Choose?

## New gTLD vs Legacy TLD: Which to Choose? The domain namespace has two distinct eras: legacy TLDs that predate 2012 and the wave of New gTLD extensions that flooded the market after ICANN's New gTLD Program opened the floodgates. Understanding the differences between these two categories is essential before registering any domain. ## Defining the Categories ### Legacy TLDs Legacy TLDs were delegated before ICANN's New gTLD Program and include: **Original gTLDs (1985-1988):** .com, .net, .org, .gov, .mil, .edu, .int **Later additions (pre-2012):** .info (2001), .biz (2001), .name (2001), .mobi (2005), .tel (2008), .xxx (2011), .post (2012) **Sponsored TLDs:** .aero, .coop, .museum, .travel — restricted to specific communities These extensions have operated continuously for 10-40+ years. Their registries, infrastructure, WHOIS systems, and Domain Registrar networks are mature and well-established. ### New gTLDs The New gTLD Program launched in 2012 allowed anyone to apply for a new gTLD (Generic Top-Level Domain) for $185,000. ICANN delegated over 1,200 new extensions between 2013-2015, with additional rounds ongoing. They include: - **Generic descriptors:** .website, .online, .site, .space, .store, .shop - **Industry verticals:** .tech, .health, .law, .bank, .insurance - **Geographic identifiers:** .london, .nyc, .tokyo, .berlin - **Brand TLDs:** .google, .apple, .amazon, .microsoft - **Lifestyle/hobby:** .photography, .coffee, .yoga, .surf - **Tech-focused:** .io (ccTLD used as new-gtld), .app, .dev, .ai Use TLD Comparison Tool to compare specific new vs legacy options for your use case. ## Trust: The Core Difference The most important difference between legacy and new gTLDs is TLD Trust Signal strength. This manifests in several ways: ### Email Deliverability Domains on new gTLD (Generic Top-Level Domain) extensions with poor spam reputations (particularly .xyz, .click, .loan, .top) face higher email filtering rates. Legacy extensions like .com and .net have decades of reputation that major email providers (Google, Microsoft, Yahoo) use in spam scoring. A business on brand.com with reasonable email practices will almost always achieve 95%+ inbox delivery rates. A business on brand.xyz may struggle to reach 70%, not because of anything the business did wrong, but because of the statistical association of the extension with spam activity. The best new gTLDs (.app, .dev, .shop) have clean enough namespaces that this isn't a significant concern. The worst (.xyz, .loan, .review) have severe spam problems. ### Enterprise Procurement Large enterprise procurement systems, vendor validation tools, and IT security policies were built when .com, .net, and .org were the only meaningful business extensions. Many of these systems still flag non-legacy extensions: - SAP and Oracle procurement modules sometimes reject non-.com vendor entries - Enterprise email security (Proofpoint, Mimecast) may apply stricter rules to new gTLD senders - Some corporate IT policies explicitly require .com or country-specific ccTLD partners This isn't universal, and it's improving as new gTLDs mature. But if your customer is a Fortune 500 procurement department, legacy extensions remain safer. ### Consumer Perception Surveys consistently show that consumers trust .com most, followed by country-specific ccTLDs (.co.uk, .de, .fr), then .net and .org, with new gTLDs at the bottom for general consumers. Technical audiences are significantly more receptive to new gTLDs. ## Memorability: Counterintuitive Results One argument for new gTLDs is that descriptive extensions (.restaurant, .law, .health) aid Domain Memorability by adding context. The domain helps describe the business. Research suggests this is partially true but overstated. A domain like downtown.restaurant is more descriptive than downtown.com, but: 1. Users still tend to append .com when typing from memory 2. Multi-word new gTLD domains (brand.technology) are harder to say and type than equivalent .com domains 3. The cognitive load of processing an unusual extension may actually reduce recall Short, familiar new gTLDs (.shop, .app, .dev) perform better on memorability than long descriptive ones (.photography, .accountants, .plumbing). ## Pricing: New gTLDs Are Often Cheaper (with Catches) Legacy TLDs have regulated or market-driven pricing: - .com: $10-15/year (Verisign-controlled, ICANN-negotiated caps) - .net: $10-12/year (also Verisign) - .org: $10-12/year (Public Interest Registry) New gTLDs vary wildly: - Promotional pricing: Often $0.99-$4.99 for the first year to drive registrations - Renewal pricing: Often $15-40/year — dramatically higher than promotional rates - Premium Domain (Registry Premium) tiers: Registry-level premiums can reach $500-5,000/year for desirable names The Domain Registrar promotional pricing on new gTLDs is a well-known trap. Brand.website for $0.99/year sounds great until renewal at $35/year. Always check renewal pricing before registering. Domain Valuation also differs significantly. A .com domain is worth 10-100x the equivalent new gTLD domain on the secondary market. Brand.online might register for $15/year, but it has minimal resale value. ## When New gTLDs Win Despite the trust and legacy advantages of .com, new gTLDs genuinely win in specific scenarios: **1. Your exact .com is unavailable and too expensive to buy** If brand.com is parked at $50,000 and brand.app is available for $14/year, the new gTLD is the pragmatic choice for most startups. **2. The extension adds clear descriptive value** A .shop extension for a commerce business, a .law extension for a law firm directory, or .health for a health information resource all add genuine communicative value. **3. Your audience is tech-forward** Tech audiences have adopted .io, .app, .dev, and .ai as legitimate and trust-worthy. If your users are developers, CTOs, or technical product managers, new gTLDs carry no trust penalty. **4. You're buying a defensive portfolio** Registering brand.shop, brand.app, and brand.online as defensive redirects to your main domain costs $50-100/year and prevents squatting. ## Legacy TLD Advantages Summary | Factor | Legacy (.com) | New gTLD | |--------|--------------|----------| | Email deliverability | Excellent | Varies (good to poor) | | Enterprise acceptance | Excellent | Varies | | Consumer trust | Highest | Lower | | [[Memorability]] | Highest | Lower-moderate | | [[Domain-valuation]] | Highest | Much lower | | Pricing stability | Stable | Promotional trap risk | | Registry stability | Proven decades | Newer, varied | | Namespace quality | Mixed (many spammers) | Mixed (some excellent, some terrible) | ## Making the Decision TLD Knowledge Quiz can guide you based on your specific situation, but the decision logic is: **Choose legacy .com if:** You need enterprise trust, email deliverability is critical, you're consumer-facing, or you can acquire it at reasonable cost. **Choose a vetted new gTLD (.app, .dev, .shop, .tech) if:** .com is unavailable, your audience is receptive, and you're choosing from the cleaner namespace extensions. **Avoid low-tier new gTLDs (.xyz, .online, .site, .space) if:** Email deliverability, enterprise trust, or long-term brand value matter. For the full trust signal analysis of extensions to avoid, see TLD Red Flags: Extensions That Hurt Your Credibility. For pricing analysis across tiers, see Premium vs Standard TLD Pricing: Is It Worth It?.