.fm Domains in Price Comparison

Radio and Music: the .fm Domain Compared

As with other Top Level Domains (TLDs) used for various purposes, the .fm Domain is not an extension through generic, new domain endings - rather, it represents the abbreviation for the "Federated States of Micronesia." Generally, it is perceived as an abbreviation for the FM frequency band used in traditional broadcasting, and thus, like .radio, primarily stands for music and related services.

Who can register a .fm Domain?

Like many other small countries, Micronesia does not impose conditions to register their ccTLD. In fact, the state derives a significant portion of its income from the relatively low fees in the global price comparison and operates similarly to Djibouti, also active in the music sector as .dj, or other island nations such as Tuvalu with .tv. In general, a .fm Domain can be freely registered and used after a domain check, with price differences for certain subdomains like org.fm, .net.fm, and .com.fm in direct price comparison.

What are the Pros and Cons of a .fm Domain?

The .fm Domain has never established itself as a Country Code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) but is almost exclusively interpreted in connection with FM for radio stations. This effect has been reinforced by some prominent websites like Libre.fm, Overcast.fm, and especially Last.fm, which have a direct connection to music and streaming. Typical features usually include:

• Affordable in price comparison for commercial use
• Direct reference to music and streaming
• Wide selection of addresses for individual use
• Short and memorable TLD
• Free use for commercial, private, or social appearances
• Wide availability through different registrars and web hosts
• Clear association with streaming, music, and podcasts

Technically, the .fm Domain is quite innovative. While it does not support non-Latin characters or numbers, it is competitive in price comparison and is one of the few TLDs that allow registering emojis as addresses, unlike many new domain endings.

What are the Alternatives to an fm Domain?

Still, a new .fm domain continues to suffer from the disadvantage of being perceived as less reputable compared to, for example, a .de domain, which requires a fixed contact address in Germany. Although it shares similarities in its characteristics with other extensions like the .org, .info, or .com domains, the latter have become more firmly established in societal awareness due to their age and prominence. Therefore, it makes sense to additionally register other web addresses that prove to be cheap in international price comparisons to ensure optimal accessibility in commercial and public appearances.