History of the TLD

.services was introduced as part of ICANN’s New gTLD Program and was delegated into the DNS root zone in 2014 with general availability following. It is operated through Donuts Inc as a generic domain option for organisations and individuals offering any type of services. The TLD has been active and open for registration since its launch.

Main Use and Industry Position

.services is widely used by businesses and organisations to emphasise that they provide services. It works across industries including IT services, consulting, hospitality, trades, professional services, and many others. The TLD helps clearly convey the purpose of a website to visitors and adds context to a brand online.

Comparison to Other TLDs

Compared to generic options like .com or .net, .services signals specifically that the site provides services rather than products or information. It is broader and less restrictive than specialised TLDs like .law or .health but carries a clearer industry implication than a generic domain such as .info.

Pros and Cons of the TLD

Pros

• Strong descriptive value for service-oriented businesses

• Open registration with broad eligibility

• Recognised and established since ICANN’s gTLD expansion

Cons

• Less mainstream recognition compared to .com

• Some registrars price it higher than basic generic extensions

• May not be ideal for brands outside service-focused contexts
  
  

Registration Criteria

.services does not have strict eligibility restrictions and can be registered by anyone including individuals and organisations. It is intended to be open and broadly accessible without pre-registration verification.

Summary

.services is a flexible and open generic TLD introduced in 2014 and managed by Donuts Inc with the aim of offering a domain option for websites explicitly tied to services. It supports common DNS features and industry standards and is suitable for a wide range of service-oriented uses.