Domain extension .net
Buy a .net domain: price, renewal and rules
The .net is the classic extension for networks, IT and online services – and the obvious alternative when your name is already taken as .com. Any person or company can register it.
- Registration
- CHF 19.90
- in the first year · incl. VAT
- Renewal
- CHF 27.90
- per year · incl. VAT
- Transfer
- CHF 27.90
Is your .net domain still available?
What is the .net domain?
.net is one of the oldest domain extensions on the internet and was originally intended for network operators and internet providers. Today there is no such restriction any more. As with .com, the registry is Verisign and the overarching rules come from ICANN. Technically, .net and .com therefore behave very similarly.
Who may register a .net domain?
Everyone: individuals, sole proprietorships, limited companies, associations – based in Switzerland, the Principality of Liechtenstein or anywhere else. No proof of activity in IT or networking is required. What matters is accurate holder data: after registration you confirm your e-mail address via a link. Without this confirmation the domain can be suspended under ICANN rules.
Technical rules
- The name before the dot can be up to 63 characters long and consist of letters, digits and hyphens.
- Hyphens are not allowed at the beginning or at the end.
- Internationalised domain names (IDN) with umlauts or accents are possible, e.g. zürich-it.net.
- Registration and renewal for 1 to 10 years; a term of more than 10 years in advance is not possible.
Typical uses
- IT service providers, system integrators and developers who want a technical profile.
- Online services, apps and SaaS where the .com is already taken.
- Technical addresses next to the main website, e.g. for status pages, customer portals or mail servers.
- Brand protection: whoever owns the .com often secures the .net too, to rule out confusion.
Cost, renewal and expiry
At HostOn a .net costs CHF 19.90 for the first year and CHF 27.90 per year from the second year. Automatic renewal is preset so that the domain does not expire by accident. If it does, the website and e-mail are no longer reachable. After deletion there is a 30-day period during which the domain can be restored for an additional fee.
Transfer to HostOn
You get the auth code from your current provider. The transfer costs CHF 27.90 and adds one year to the existing term. It takes up to 5 days, because the current provider can release it. A change is currently not possible within 60 days of registration or a previous transfer; ICANN is shortening this period to 30 days. Your website and e-mail keep running during the transfer as long as the nameservers stay the same.
Who is .net suitable for?
For companies in IT, telecommunications and technology, for software and online projects with an international audience and for anyone whose preferred name is taken as .com. If your offer is aimed mainly at customers in Switzerland, a .ch is usually the better main address; the .net can then serve as an addition.
Before registering, check who uses the .com with the same name. If it belongs to a competitor, visitors who mistype the extension will end up there.
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions we are asked most often about this service.
No. The .net has long been open to everyone. No proof of activity is required.
Technically yes: same registry, same rules. The .com is better known. The .net is particularly suitable for technical offers or when the .com is taken.
CHF 19.90 for the first year, CHF 27.90 from the second year. A transfer to HostOn costs CHF 27.90 and extends the domain by one year.
Yes. You can register a .net without a website and use it only for e-mail addresses, for example with an E-Mail Postfach from HostOn.
Only after the lock period, currently 60 days after registration or transfer. After that it is possible at any time with the auth code.
