History of the TLD

.gratis is a generic top level domain created as part of ICANN's New gTLD Program. It was delegated into the DNS root zone in 2014. The TLD is active and used worldwide for websites that emphasise free offerings.

Main Use and Industry Position

.gratis is intended for businesses, organisations, and individuals providing free products, services, content, or promotional material. It appeals to marketing, freemium services, nonprofits, and educational resources aiming to highlight no‑cost value.

Comparison to Other TLDs

Compared with traditional extensions like .com or .net, .gratis is niche oriented toward free offerings. Unlike open gTLDs with broad use, it signals context and value proposition directly through the domain itself. Compared to other themed gTLDs such as .shop or .online, .gratis communicates a clear semantic intent pointing specifically to free goods or services rather than general commercial or online presence.

Pros and Cons of the TLD

Pros

• Communicates a clear value proposition of free offerings

• Supports marketing and promotional branding

• Less crowded namespace for desirable names

Cons

• Lower general recognition than .com or .net

• Potential for misuse if misaligned with business intent

• May not improve SEO inherently without supporting content

Registration Criteria

Anyone worldwide can register a .gratis domain name. There are no specific industry or geographic restrictions. Domain names must adhere to standard syntax rules for generic TLDs and can be registered on a first‑come, first‑served basis.

Summary

.gratis is an active generic top level domain created through ICANN’s New gTLD Program and delegated in 2014. It is designed for websites that focus on free services, content, or products. Its positioning is commercial and marketing‑oriented, offering a namespace that signals no‑cost value. Registration is open globally without special restrictions.