Should I use .dev or .io? .dev costs less ($12-20/year vs $30-60 for .io) and requires HTTPS, a built-in security feature. The DNIB Quarterly Report shows new gTLDs like .dev grew 13.5% year-over-year[1]. Choose .dev for developer portfolios and tools where the audience is primarily developers; choose .io for broader tech startup positioning.
.dev Domain Guide
The secure TLD made for developers
What is .dev?
.dev launched in 2019 specifically for developers and development-related projects. Google Registry operates it and uses the extension prominently for developer documentation sites like web.dev, flutter.dev, and opensource.dev. Google Registry reports that .dev ranks among their fastest-growing TLDs alongside .app[2].
The defining feature is mandatory HTTPS. .dev is on the HSTS preload list, meaning browsers refuse to connect without encryption. Every .dev site is secure by default. This isn't a burden for developers who configure SSL anyway. It's a feature that signals technical competence.
Availability is excellent. Unlike .com where most good names are taken, .dev has millions of unclaimed options. Common developer words and patterns remain available at standard prices. By contrast, .io domains cost roughly twice as much and have been registered since the mid-2000s, so prime names are harder to find.
Who Should Use .dev?
Developer Portfolios
YourName.dev immediately signals you're a developer. The HTTPS requirement even proves you can configure SSL, a small detail that technical recruiters notice. Perfect for job applications and freelance profiles where you need to demonstrate competence before the interview. The Stack Overflow Developer Survey finds that the majority of developers maintain personal websites or portfolios, making a recognizable domain extension a valuable professional signal[3].
Developer Tools and Libraries
CLI tools, SDKs, and frameworks fit naturally under .dev. The audience expects the extension and understands what it means. Package documentation sites, API references, and tool landing pages benefit from the instant categorization .dev provides. When developers see toolname.dev, they know exactly what they're getting. Companies like Stripe and Vercel have set this pattern with their developer-facing products.
Open Source Projects
Documentation sites, project homepages, and community portals work well on .dev. Many major projects use it alongside their GitHub repos to separate documentation from source code. The extension signals that a project takes its documentation seriously, important for community adoption and contributor onboarding. Flutter's documentation lives at flutter.dev, establishing the pattern for framework-level projects.
Development Agencies
Teams that build software for clients can use .dev to signal technical competence before the first conversation. Web development shops, freelance collectives, and contract development teams benefit from the instant credibility boost. When a potential client compares agency.dev to agency.biz, the .dev version looks more technically serious. The extension works as a lightweight credential before any portfolio review.
Who Should Avoid .dev
Non-technical businesses. If your customers don't know what "dev" means, the extension adds confusion rather than clarity. A bakery or law firm gains nothing from a .dev domain. It raises questions instead of answering them. Consumer brands targeting mainstream audiences should stick to .com or relevant industry TLDs. For startups debating between a tech-specific TLD and the universal default, our .com vs .io comparison covers the tradeoffs in detail. The .io vs .dev comparison helps distinguish between general tech startup positioning and developer-specific focus.
The HTTPS Requirement
.dev domains only work over HTTPS. Browsers block HTTP connections entirely. This happens because .dev is on the HSTS preload list, a browser-level security feature that Chrome, Firefox, and Safari all enforce.
For most developers, this is simple. Free SSL certificates from Let's Encrypt work fine. Most hosting providers (Vercel, Netlify, Cloudflare) handle SSL automatically. You don't need to configure anything manually.
The requirement filters out people who can't configure basic SSL. Data from W3Techs shows that over 85% of all websites now use HTTPS[4], making the .dev HTTPS requirement less of a barrier than it was at launch. The requirement keeps the .dev namespace technically competent and professional.
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Registrar Pricing
.dev domains cost $10-20/year depending on the registrar. Unlike .ai or premium .io domains, there's no minimum registration period. You can register year-by-year. Cloudflare offers at-cost pricing with no markup, while other registrars add modest margins.
Registrar Price Comparison
Pricing from registrar websites as of early 2026. All registrars include free WHOIS privacy for .dev domains.
| Registrar | Registration | Renewal | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare | $10.18 | $10.18 | At-cost, no markup |
| Porkbun | $10.81 | $12.87 | Free SSL, WHOIS privacy |
| Namecheap | $11-13 | $13-15 | Frequent promotions |
| GoDaddy | $15-20 | $18-22 | Higher prices, upsells |
Cloudflare sells at wholesale cost; others add small margins. Prices may vary with promotions.
How .dev Compares
| TLD | Best For | Price Range | HTTPS Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| .dev | Developer portfolios, tools | $12-20/year | Yes |
| .io | Tech startups, SaaS | $30-60/year | No |
| .app | Mobile/web apps | $14-20/year | Yes |
| .com | Everything | $10-15/year | No |
Email Deliverability on .dev Domains
A common concern: will emails from your .dev domain land in spam? The short answer is no, if you configure email authentication properly. The HTTPS requirement has no bearing on email delivery.
Modern email filtering relies on sender reputation, authentication records, and content analysis rather than TLD alone. Companies like Google send email from their .dev properties (web.dev, flutter.dev) without deliverability issues. The TLD matters far less than your sending practices.
To ensure reliable delivery from a .dev domain, proper email authentication is essential. Mailgun reports that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC configuration prevents the majority of deliverability problems[5]:
- Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC: These authentication protocols prove you control your domain and prevent spoofing
- Use a reputable email provider: Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or a dedicated transactional service like Postmark or SendGrid
- Warm up new domains gradually: Don't send thousands of emails from a fresh domain in the first week
- Keep spam complaints under 0.1%: Gmail and Yahoo now require this threshold; hitting 0.3% can trigger blocking
The .dev extension carries no inherent spam reputation. Your domain's deliverability depends entirely on how you use it, not on the TLD itself.
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Try DecideDomain FreeFAQ
Why does .dev require HTTPS?
.dev is on the HSTS preload list, meaning browsers will only connect via HTTPS. Google implemented this as a security feature when launching the TLD. You must have an SSL certificate for your .dev site to work.
Is .dev good for developer portfolios?
Yes, .dev is perfect for developer portfolios. It signals technical competence, has excellent availability for names, and costs less than .io. The HTTPS requirement even demonstrates you know how to configure SSL.
Should I use .dev or .io for my project?
.io is better for tech startups targeting broader audiences. .dev is better for developer tools, portfolios, and projects where the developer audience is primary. .dev also costs less ($12-20 vs $30-60 for .io).
Who manages the .dev registry?
Google Registry operates .dev. This provides stability and credibility. Google uses .dev itself for properties like web.dev and opensource.dev.
Sources
- Domain Name Industry Brief Q1 2025: New gTLD registrations reached 37.8 million, with 13.5% year-over-year growth
- Google Registry: .dev and .app TLD growth and adoption data
- Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2024: Developer hiring practices and portfolio importance
- W3Techs HTTPS Usage Statistics: HTTPS adoption rate among websites (updated monthly)
- Mailgun: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC Setup: Email authentication protocols for reliable delivery