Domain SearchInstantly check and register your preferred domain name
Web Hosting
cPanel HostingHosting powered by cPanel (Most user friendly)
KE Domains
Reseller HostingStart your own hosting business without tech hustles
Windows HostingOptimized for Windows-based applications and sites.
Free Domain
Affiliate ProgramEarn commissions by referring customers to our platforms
Free HostingTest our SSD Hosting for free, for life (1GB storage)
Domain TransferMove your domain to us with zero downtime and full control
All DomainsBrowse and register domain extensions from around the world
.Com Domain
WhoisLook up domain ownership, expiry dates, and registrar information
VPS Hosting
Managed VPSNon techy? Opt for fully managed VPS server
Dedicated ServersEnjoy unmatched power and control with your own physical server.
Website Builder
Online Store BuilderLaunch a professional e-commerce store without writing code.
Web Design ServiceGet a custom-designed website tailored to your brand and goals. From just KES 15,600
BlogRead our guides on web hosting, online business, digital marketing, and more
SupportOur support guides cover everything you need to know about our services
ContactContact us via chat or emailRegister Your Official .shop Domain Name
Establish your dedicated digital storefront, build customer trust, and secure a memorable domain extension engineered for online sales. Active instantly.
Explore Other Extensions
.shop Domain Pricing
Start your e-commerce journey. We offer highly competitive, transparent pricing with zero setup fees.
New Registration
Verify your preferred storefront or shop name in the search bar above to register immediately.
Instantly claimed in your client portal. Simple, e-commerce friendly registration rules.
- Instant registration & delegation
- DNS management panel included
Annual Renewal
Renew your domain annually to maintain control and avoid premium recovery or redemption fees.
Configure convenient automated renewals via card or M-Pesa inside your billing portal.
- Renew up to 10 years in advance
- Automated expiry notification system
Transfer In
Consolidate your digital assets by migrating your .shop domain to Truehost Cloud.
All transfers include a free 1-year registration extension added automatically.
- Free 1-year registration extension
- Zero downtime migration guarantee
What is a .shop Domain?
The ultimate generic extension built specifically for retail storefronts, e-commerce merchants, and consumer brands.
Directly representing commerce itself, .shop is one of the world’s most rapidly expanding top-level domains. Managed by the GMO Registry, it immediately brands any website as a place of business, retail transaction, or digital commerce, serving over **1.5 million active registrations**.
- Instant Store Identification. Tells search engines and web visitors exactly what your business does immediately.
- Shopify & Platform Ready. Integrates seamlessly with popular commerce stacks like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento.
.SHOP Registrations by Store Type
Fashion & Apparel
Online clothing boutiques, shoes, and lifestyle brands
Tech & Gadgets
Consumer electronics, gaming setups, and smart gadgets
Food & Groceries
Organic food hubs, restaurants, and snack delivery setups
Digital Products & Services
Printables, SaaS licenses, templates, and courses
Scale Your E-Commerce Venture Beyond Domain Registration
A domain name is just step one. Truehost delivers the complete cloud hosting stack with local currency billing and 24/7 support.
Open to Every E-Commerce Business. Globally.
Registering a .shop domain is completely unrestricted and carries zero setup boundaries.
Open Globally
Any store owner, dropshipper, artisan, or retail brand globally can register a .shop domain. No local presence rules, company licenses, or identity verification audits required.
Clear Commercial Intent
The default retail extension. Tells search engines and online shoppers that you are actively selling products, helping you filter high-intent traffic and increase organic click-through rates.
Instant Activation
No manual approval queues or business verification delays. Your .shop domain goes live in global DNS within minutes of M-Pesa or card checkout completion.
Launch Your E-Commerce Site Free for 1 Year
Truehost is committed to bringing retail stores online. Register your .shop domain today and get our basic web hosting plan free for the first 12 months.
Free Web Hosting with Every .shop Domain
Perfect for testing a boutique shop concept, setting up dropshipping, or hosting a personal store catalog. Our Webhosting Lite FREE plan is bundled with every .shop domain registration. Powered by SSD, hosted on cPanel, and includes automated SSL certificates.
Standard domain renewal at KSh 6,162 / yr. Free hosting requires domain active at Truehost.
Register Domain & Claim HostingWho is .shop Designed For?
From boutique apparel designers in Nairobi to global dropshippers, a .shop domain establishes a distinct retail identity.
Online Retail Stores & Brands
Perfect for e-commerce platforms selling physical items, custom designs, clothing, crafts, or digital merchandise online.
boutique.yourbrand.shopBoutiques & Physical Stores
Enables local brick-and-mortar stores, supermarkets, groceries, and specialty shops to transition easily into online selling.
grocery.yourname.shopShopify & Etsy Creators
Upgrade from a generic subdomain like yourname.shopify.com to a branded, professional, search-engine friendly custom domain.
Digital Content & Courses
Secure a professional checkout hub for selling downloadable digital assets, eBooks, software licenses, or training videos.
downloads.yourbrand.shopSix Free Tools Included with Every .shop Registration
We don’t lock domain management behind extra fees. Every .shop domain comes with a full suite of tools from day one.
DNS Management
Full control over your records. Add or modify A, MX, CNAME, TXT, and SRV records from your dashboard client portal.
Free Email Forwarding
Redirect incoming emails from your official domain to your personal or agency inbox at no extra cost.
Registrar Lock
Prevent unauthorized domain transfers. Keep your nameservers locked and prevent accidental or malicious hijacking.
URL Forwarding
Easily forward visitors to your main shop page or direct them to social media business pages at no extra cost.
Custom Nameservers
Create branded nameservers (e.g. ns1.yourbrand.shop) using our private nameservers service. Increase business professionalism for online stores.
Nairobi-Based Support
Get fast support from experts based in Nairobi.
Available 24/7/365 via phone call, live chat, or email tickets.
Target Active Shoppers Directly
A .shop domain signals clear commercial intent, helping you stand out on search result pages and filter organic shopping traffic.
Commercial Keyword Relevance
While general domains require extensive content layers to build shopping relevance, a .shop suffix signals clear buyer intent immediately.
Online shoppers looking for “buy product online” search terms display higher click-through-rates (CTR) on .shop domains, lowering bounce rates and building instant purchase trust.
Check AvailabilityWhich Extension is Best for Your Store?
Compare how .shop stacks against classic commercial and local extensions for online sales.
.shop vs .com
RETAIL FOCUS VS GENERAL.com represents generic global authority. .shop represents direct storefront identity and online commerce, offering a broader pool of highly brandable store names.
.shop vs .co.ke
GLOBAL SALES VS LOCAL SHIELD.co.ke is excellent for targeting local search rankings in Kenya. .shop is ideal for pan-African or global e-commerce shipping, bypassing geographic boundaries.
Explore Alternative TLD Options
If your preferred store name is taken on .shop, search these alternative commerce namespaces to secure a match.
The undisputed standard for commercial websites. Perfect for general business authority and corporate divisions.
A highly popular alternative retail suffix, ideal for WooCommerce, Shopify storefronts, and catalog sites.
Target shoppers inside Kenya with the country’s default extension. Best for localized retail and local shipping.
Highly accessible and general extension. Popular among web3, tech startups, and alternative retail boutiques.
Who Manages the .shop Domain?
Operated globally by GMO Registry, a subsidiary of the leading Japanese IT giant GMO Internet Group.
GMO Registry won the rights to operate `.shop` in a historic ICANN auction in 2016. They maintain the domain’s core database, server lookup networks, and registration guidelines.
GMO Registry operates as the central wholesaler, ensuring 100% operational uptime for the `.shop` DNS root zone. Registrars like Truehost Cloud are authorized to interface with their registry, manage customer billing, configure DNS tables, and issue new licenses.
What Happens If Your .shop Domain Expires?
GMO Registry enforces a strict lifecycle timeline. If you miss a renewal date, your domain is locked and then redemption-suspended before being permanently deleted.
Activate auto-renew in your billing portal to ensure constant retail site uptime.
Active State
1 – 10 Year TermYour domain is fully active. You can host storefronts, configure customer mail, and renew at standard rates anytime during this period.
Auto-Renew Grace
1 – 40 Days Post-ExpiryDNS resolution stops. Your retail site and email go offline. You can still renew at standard pricing with no penalty fees.
Redemption Grace
41 – 70 Days Post-ExpiryLocked by GMO Registry. Restoring the domain requires a renewal fee plus a premium restore fee set by the registry.
Pending Delete
5 DaysQueued for permanent deletion. The domain cannot be recovered, restored, or transferred at this stage.
Released
Day 76+Completely purged. Released back to the public pool for fresh registration by anyone globally.
Renewing On Time Costs KSh 6,162. Recovering Late Costs a Lot More.
Avoid premium registry restoration penalty fees. Set up auto-renewal or register for multi-year terms to guarantee ownership safety.
| Status Period | Timeline | Action Required | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-Time Renewal | Before Expiry Date | Standard Renewal | KSh 6,162 |
| Auto-Renew Grace | 1 – 40 Days Post-Expiry | Standard Renewal | KSh 6,162 |
| Redemption Recovery | 41 – 70 Days Post-Expiry | GMO Registry Restore Request | Premium Restore Fee (Contact support) |
| After Day 76 | Post-Deletion | Fresh Registration | KSh 311 (Risk of name loss) |
Register Your .shop Domain in Three Steps
Registering your domain is quick and simple. Gets active globally in under 5 minutes.
Search Your Name
Use the search tool at the top of this page. Enter your company, boutique, or e-commerce brand name to check if the .shop extension is available.
Consider variations: yourbrand.shop, shop-yourbrand.shop.
Pay via M-Pesa or Card
Add your domain and optional e-commerce hosting bundle to your cart. Complete payment instantly via M-Pesa STK push or Credit Card.
No administrative forms. No local presence audits. Immediate processing.
Deploy and Go Live
Your domain updates in global DNS databases within minutes. Access your control panel to set up your professional email or link it to your Shopify/WooCommerce store.
Start marketing your storefront to a global audience immediately.
Transfer Your .shop Domain to Truehost
Already own a .shop domain with another global registrar? Move it to Truehost for simplified local M-Pesa billing and Nairobi support.
Request Your EPP Code
Log in to your current domain provider. Disable the registrar transfer lock and request your EPP authorization code. This is legally required to be released to you.
Submit Transfer Order
Enter your EPP code and domain on our transfer portal. Complete the transfer fee payment — KSh 5,614. This automatically adds 1 year of registration.
Confirm Domain Transfer
Click the verification link in the transfer approval email. The transition process takes 5-7 days, with zero website or checkout downtime.
.shop Domain FAQs
Everything you need to know about registering, managing, and utilizing your .shop domain answered directly.
What is a .shop domain name, and what is its main purpose?
A .shop domain is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) specifically designed for e-commerce websites, digital retail storefronts, physical boutiques, online services, and subscription brands. Launched in 2016 and operated globally by GMO Registry, it acts as an immediate visual signpost for digital commerce.
Using a .shop extension offers several core advantages to commercial merchants:
- ✓Clear Shopping Intent: Instantly tells web surfers and search algorithms that you are selling products, filtering out non-commercial traffic.
- ✓SEO Association: Matches high-intent buyer keywords like “buy”, “store”, and “shop” directly inside search queries.
- ✓Name Availability: Offers a wide pool of premium, short, and memorable brand names that have long been registered on older extensions.
Is .shop a good domain extension compared to .com or .store?
Yes. `.shop` is one of the most successful new gTLDs, with over 1.5 million active registrations. The choice between `.shop`, `.com`, and `.store` depends on your brand focus:
| Extension | Primary Focus | Best For | Key Metric |
|---|---|---|---|
| .shop | Retail transactions, boutiques, e-commerce | Direct sales, apparel, lifestyle shops | High purchase conversion intent |
| .com | General commercial business authority | Corporate hubs, SaaS, tech platforms | Established global industry standard |
| .store | Warehouse portals, product catalogs | Dropshipping setups, inventory portals | Clear product storage association |
For brands whose primary goal is driving customer checkouts, .shop delivers a shorter, more targeted domain handle than a general corporate .com.
How much does a .shop domain cost at Truehost?
At Truehost Cloud, `.shop` registration and renewals are transparent with no hidden setup surcharges:
- 1Registration: Starts at KSh 311 for the first year (bundled with a free Webhosting Lite plan).
- 2Renewal Rate: Standard renewal pricing is KSh 6,162 per year to maintain domain rights.
- 3EPP Transfer: Priced at KSh 5,614, extending domain validity by an additional full year.
How do I connect my .shop domain to Shopify or WooCommerce?
Connecting your `.shop` domain to Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, or Etsy requires editing your DNS records inside the Truehost dashboard:
- 1Access DNS zone editor: Log in to the Truehost Client Portal, navigate to Domains, and select the Zone Editor.
- 2Point the A record: Edit your root A record (`@`) to point to your commerce host’s IP address (e.g.,
23.227.38.65for Shopify). - 3Point the CNAME record: Edit your `www` CNAME record to point to your store subdomain (e.g.,
shops.myshopify.com). - 4Verify platform: Go to your Shopify or WooCommerce settings page, click “Connect Existing Domain”, and wait for propagation to complete.
What happens if I miss my renewal date and the domain expires?
If you fail to renew your domain before its expiry date, GMO Registry enforces a structured deletion timeline:
| Status Period | Timeframe | Impact on Domain & Shop | Total Cost to Recover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active State | 1 – 10 Year Term | Store resolves; emails function normally. | Standard renewal rate |
| Auto-Renew Grace | Days 1 – 40 Post-Expiry | DNS stops; storefront and checkouts go offline instantly. | KSh 6,162 (No penalty) |
| Redemption Grace | Days 41 – 70 Post-Expiry | Registry locked. Restoration requires manual request. | Renewal fee + Premium Registry Restore Fee |
| Pending Delete | Days 71 – 75 Post-Expiry | Purging phase. Restoration is not possible. | Non-recoverable (lost) |
| Released State | Day 76+ | Available for fresh registration by anyone globally. | Standard Registration Fee (first-come basis) |