Oceania ccTLD, open registration

Register a .ws domain

Split your brand name across a .ws domain and it reads as "website" — Samoa's ccTLD, one flat price at Modusdom. Samoa owns .ws, but the letters get borrowed constantly for a different reason: split a name across the dot and it parses as "website" or "world site." Modusdom prices it flat, with email authentication set up before you launch.

$48.10/yr Renews at the same price. No tricks. Privacy free

Who picks .ws?

Consumer apps punning on "website" by splitting the brand name at the dot
Businesses or organizations genuinely serving Samoa and the wider Pacific
News or link-shortening projects chasing the ne.ws-style split-word pattern

What it signals

A .ws purchase means one of two things: a real Samoa or Pacific connection, or a founder who liked that "yourbrand.ws" reads as "yourbrandsite" out loud — it's a wordplay call, not a default.

Pros

No citizenship, residency, or local-presence requirement for the standard .ws
The split-word "website" trick is a real, repeatable naming device, not a stretch
Google indexes it generically rather than geo-targeting to Samoa, so it can rank for a worldwide audience
Legitimate option if you're actually building for the Samoan market
Modusdom's flat renewal skips the teaser-then-hike pattern

Watch-outs

Most people still read .ws as an unfamiliar country code before they parse it as "website" — you're spending effort teaching that trick
The split-word trick is popular enough that good word-break names get claimed fast
No UDRP-caliber, court-backed dispute process specific to this ccTLD — recourse leans on general policy

Registry restrictions

The base .ws is open worldwide with no citizenship, residency, or local-presence requirement to register. Reserved second-level zones such as .gov.ws and .edu.ws are restricted to qualifying Samoan government and education entities, but the plain .ws that most registrants want carries no such limits.

Examples of .ws domains in the wild

Common questions about .ws domains

How much does a .ws domain cost?

A .ws domain is $48.10 per year at Modusdom, and it renews at the same $48.10 every year — no discounted first year that jumps later.

Does a .ws domain renew at the same price?

Yes. Our renewal price equals our first-year price — written into our promises — so your .ws stays $48.10/yr in year 1, year 2, and year 10. Most registrars advertise a cheap first year, then quietly renew higher.

Do I get free WHOIS privacy on a .ws domain?

Yes — free WHOIS privacy is included on every .ws domain, hiding your name, address, email and phone from the public WHOIS record at no extra cost.

Can I transfer an existing .ws domain to Modusdom?

Yes. Transfers are free and add a year to your registration. Unlock the domain at your current registrar, copy the EPP/auth code, and start the transfer — we walk you through it, and your website and email keep working the whole time.

Is a .ws domain right for my business?

A .ws purchase means one of two things: a real Samoa or Pacific connection, or a founder who liked that "yourbrand.ws" reads as "yourbrandsite" out loud — it's a wordplay call, not a default. It is a strong fit for: Consumer apps punning on "website" by splitting the brand name at the dot; Businesses or organizations genuinely serving Samoa and the wider Pacific; News or link-shortening projects chasing the ne.ws-style split-word pattern.