Brand names for tech & software
Industries
Checked 25 Oct 2026, 06:12 UTC
Software buyers check your domain, your code and your company page, so claim one name on all of them. Add both app stores if you ship an app.
Which platforms should a tech brand claim?
The .com or .io, GitHub, X and LinkedIn, plus the App Store and Google Play if you ship an app.
| Platform | Why claim it | Cost to join | Sign-up takes |
|---|---|---|---|
| .com | The address buyers trust and type | $11.08 a year | 5 to 15 min |
| .io | The common startup alternative | $28.12, then $51.80 a year | 5 to 15 min |
| GitHub | Your code and open-source projects | Free | 5 to 10 min |
| X | Launches and tech conversation | Free | 5 to 15 min |
| Business buyers and hiring | Free | 10 to 20 min | |
| App Store | iPhone and iPad apps | $99 a year | 1 to 21 days |
| Google Play | Android apps | $25 once | 2 to 28 days |
Start the app stores early: a company needs a D-U-N-S number for Apple, and new personal Google Play accounts must run a 14-day closed test with 12 testers. See the launch checklist.[1]
Checks the .com, the .io, GitHub, X, LinkedIn, App Store and Google Play in one search.
Which domain endings suit tech?
Get the .com if you can. Startup endings vary widely: .dev and .app renew cheaply, while .io and .ai cost $50 to $83 a year.
| Ending | First year | Each year after |
|---|---|---|
| .com | $11.08 | $11.08 |
| .io | $28.12 | $51.80 |
| .ai | $82.70 | $82.70 |
| .dev | $8.75 | $12.87 |
| .app | $8.75 | $14.93 |
| .software | $15.96 | $36.56 |
| .cloud | $3.88 | $21.11 |
| .digital | $2.57 | $34.50 |
| .tech | $6.99 | $50.98 |
These are Porkbun's prices on 24 Oct 2026; other registrars differ. Porkbun sells .ai for 2 years at a time, so it costs $165.40 to start. More in Which domain ending should I pick?[9, 10]
.dev and .app sites only work over HTTPS, so set up a security certificate before launch.[7, 8]
Which trademark classes cover a tech brand?
Class 9 covers downloadable software and apps; class 42 covers software as a service and software design. Many software brands file in both.
| Class | WIPO covers | For a tech brand |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Computer software, downloadable files, computers | A downloadable app or program |
| 42 | Technological services, software design, SaaS | A web app or platform people log in to |
| 38 | Telecommunications, including streaming of data | A messaging or streaming service |
Each extra class adds $350 in the US, €50 to €150 in the EU and £60 in the UK. Read Do I need a trademark before I launch? before you file.[2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Sources (10)
- PrimaryZero To 1000's platform catalog: costs and sign-up times from each platform's own pages; domain prices from Porkbun's price list
- PrimaryWIPO: Nice Classification, NCL 13-2026
- PrimaryWIPO: class 42 includes software as a service
- PrimaryUSPTO: How much does it cost?
- PrimaryEUIPO: Fees and payments
- PrimaryGOV.UK: Apply to register a trade mark
- PrimaryGoogle Registry: .app
- PrimaryGoogle Registry: .dev
- PrimaryPorkbun: domain name pricing, the public price list our checker reads daily
- PrimaryPorkbun: .ai domain (sold for 2 years at a time)