Type
Country code (Samoa)
All TLDs / .ws
What is .ws?
The short answer
.ws is the country-code top-level domain assigned to Samoa, run by Government of Samoa Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade. It's live in the IANA DNS root zone. Registration is open through accredited registrars, though some country registries add local-presence or ID requirements.Source: IANA root zone database, checked October 18, 2026.
Is .ws a real domain extension?
Yes — .ws is a real top-level domain. It's present in the official IANA DNS root zone, which is the authoritative list of every live TLD on the internet.
Who runs .ws?
.ws is operated by Government of Samoa Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade, the registry responsible for Samoa, per the IANA root database.
What is .ws used for?
.ws is the extension tied to Samoa. Many country codes are also used generically for branding when the letters spell something useful.
Can anyone register a .ws domain?
Generally yes — .ws is open through accredited registrars, though some country registries require local presence or ID. Availability of a specific name depends on whether it's already taken.
.ws and Samoa
.ws is the country-code top-level domain assigned to Samoa, administered by the registry Government of Samoa Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade.
.ws is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Samoa. It is administered by SamoaNIC, for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Samoa.
Source: Wikipedia — .ws (CC BY-SA)
Where to buy .ws
Renewal trap: .ws costs $7.98 in year one but $23.98/yr to renew — 3× the intro price. Budget for the renewal, not the promo. Full Renewal-Trap Index
| Registrar | First year | Renews | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dynadot Sponsored | $7.98 promo | $23.98 | Go → |
| Porkbun Trust pick | $22.97 | $22.97 | Go → |
| Namecheap Sponsored | Live price unavailable — confirm at the registrar. | Go → | |
| Cloudflare Trust pick at-cost | Live price unavailable — confirm at the registrar. | Go → | |
Porkbun & Cloudflare prices in USD, pulled from their daily feeds (checked 2026-10-21). Cloudflare sells at wholesale cost but requires using Cloudflare’s nameservers.
Some links are affiliate links. Prices are set by the registrar and can change — always confirm at checkout.