What is the difference between a Top Level Domain and an Apex Domain?
A Top Level Domain (TLD) is a fancy way to refer to the right-most part of the URL that you might type into your web browser to visit a website. In short, this will be the .com, .org, .net (etc.) in a URL.
An Apex Domain (also referred to as a root, naked, base, or bare domain) refers to a main domain that includes the top level extension but does not contain a subdomain prefix.
To better explain apex domains and TLDs, let's look at some examples below:
Examples of Apex Domains |
Non-Examples of Apex Domains |
TLD |
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In the above examples, blog.reclaimhosting.com and www.reclaim.cloud are not apex domains because they include subdomain prefixes ("www." and "blog." respectively), making them subdomains themselves. The domain and subdomain do include the same TLD however (".com" and ".cloud" respectively)
An apex domain sits at the top of the Domain Name System (DNS) hierarchy and links directly to your site's IP address. In DNS terms, it’s the root of your DNS zone. You can read more about Apex domains in this helpful blog post.
An apex domain can have an unlimited amount of subdomains, each with their own independent website attached to them. Learn more about subdomains and how to make them in our subdomain guide.
What TLD Extensions are offered at Reclaim Hosting?
The following TLD extensions are offered at Reclaim Hosting:
- .com
- .org
- .net
- .name
- .us*
- .ca
- .uk
- .co.uk
- .org.uk
*note that .us domains do not allow for ID protect, which prevents your domain contact information from being available publicly. For this reason, while we allow .us domains, we do not recommend them.
There are certainly other TLD extensions out there, but these are the ones available directly in house in order to keep costs low for Reclaim Hosting customers. If you're interested in registering a domain extension not listed above, you can still connect it to your Shared Hosting account later on. (Psst, we have a guide on how to do that here!)
How much do Apex Domains cost?
Apex Domains can be purchased separately or in conjunction with a Shared Hosting Plan. Current plan pricing is subject to change and is always available on our Shared Hosting product page. You are more than welcome to register a domain for safekeeping or to point elsewhere, though if you want to use your apex domain with a cPanel account at Reclaim Hosting, you will also need a Shared Hosting plan.
How to Register an Apex Domain at Reclaim Hosting
Click here to be directed to the Apex Domain order form. You'll first want to make sure that your ideal domain name is not already registered elsewhere:
Once you've found a domain that's available, click continue. On the next window, you'll have the ability to add a shared hosting plan if you'd like. We also recommend clicking the checkbox to enable free ID protect, then click continue:
On the following window, enter your payment details and proceed with checking out. Once payment is complete, the domain will automatically register and populate in your Client Area Portal. If this not your first domain registration with Reclaim and you want to use the new apex domain in your cPanel, you'll need to complete these extra steps.
Questions? Let us know here.