History of the TLD

.place is a generic top-level domain that was introduced as part of ICANN’s New gTLD Program and was delegated to the DNS root zone in 2014. The registry operator is Donuts Inc. The extension was created to provide an open, flexible namespace associated with physical locations, destinations, and community spaces.

Main Use and Industry Position

.place is positioned as a flexible top-level domain suited for entities and individuals that want to emphasize location, destination, place-based services, or community identity. Common uses include local business sites, travel and tourism platforms, real estate listings, event guides, neighbourhood blogs, and venue or region-focused content.

Comparison to Other TLDs

Compared to legacy extensions like .com or .net, .place conveys specific meaning tied to places and locations rather than general commercial intent. Within the thematic gTLD space, it provides more geographic or experiential contextual branding than extensions focused on industry sectors such as .restaurant, .travel, or .store. This distinction makes .place suitable for businesses and projects that rely on a sense of presence, locality, or destination.

Pros and Cons of the TLD

Pros

• Conveys clear location-oriented branding and identity
  

• Open registration with no special eligibility restrictions
  

• DNSSEC support is widely available with eligible domains
  

Cons

• Niche geographic focus may be less relevant for businesses without a place-centered concept
  

• Typically higher registration costs than some generic extensions
  

• May not inherently boost broad search engine visibility beyond location-based queries
  
  

Registration Criteria

Anyone can register a .place domain name. There are no special eligibility rules or restrictions beyond standard domain naming conventions.

Summary

.place is an active generic top-level domain delegated in 2014 and managed by Donuts Inc. It provides an open, descriptive namespace ideal for location-linked branding, venue promotion, local services, and community platforms. Support for DNSSEC and open eligibility makes it accessible broadly to businesses, organisations, and individuals seeking a place-centric online identity.