Eric Lyon
Scorpion Agency LLCTop Member
- Impact
- 29,264
Today, I'll be analyzing the .cooking gTLD to see if I can dig up any helpful data points to stack with someone elses research into the .cooking extension.
Note: At the time of this analysiss, there was a 1-character minimum to register a .cooking domain. There were also a lot of 1-character .cooking domains available for registration, but with a low to mid-3-figure premium registration cost.
With the above in mind, lets dive right in...
Note: NameBio.com shows 5 .cooking domain sales reports ranging from $115 to $2,600.
The notable sales for this extension include:
Based on registration data from DNS.Coffee, the .cooking gTLD has experienced a period of early growth followed by a steady decline over the last five years. While the extension remains accessible to anyone, its total footprint has contracted by approximately 20.6% from its five-year peak.
.cooking Registration Totals (2021β2026)
The following yearly totals (as of February each year) illustrate the extension's trajectory:
The "What's" Hack (Questions)
This is the most popular use of the extension, turning the domain into a common culinary phrase.
By using a verb or adverb before the dot, the domain becomes an instruction or a description of a lifestyle.
These hacks identify who is doing the activity, creating a personal brand or a community identity.
Using an adjective before the dot describes the type of culinary experience being offered.
As the culinary world digitizes, "hacks" now include tech prefixes to describe automated or assisted food preparation.
Using an English word before the dot creates a seamless linguistic harmony that enhances both memorability and professional branding for a domain. Because ".cooking" is a specific English gerund, pairing it with a non-English prefix can create a "language clash" that might confuse users or weaken the impact of the domain as a cohesive phrase. This synergy allows the prefix and suffix to work together to form a recognizable concept, often referred to as a "domain hack," where the URL reads like a natural English phrase or call-to-action. Ensuring the entire domain remains in one language helps in capturing organic traffic and establishing clear authority within the global market, as it makes the web address more intuitive for users to type and remember.
Cybersquatting and the ACPA
The Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA) is a federal law in the U.S. that allows trademark owners to sue domain registrants. To win, they must prove:
Instead of a lawsuit, most companies use the ICANN UDRP process. It is faster and cheaper than a court case. A panelist will take the domain away if:
Even if you aren't "squatting," using a domain to sell products similar to the trademark holder's can lead to Trademark Infringement claims.
To protect yourself, you must be able to prove a bona fide (good faith) use.
Prioritize "English-to-English" Domain Hacks
As previously noted, matching an English prefix with the English ".cooking" suffix is essential for fluidity and brand recall.
The highest reported sale for this extension is b.cooking at $2,600.
The sale of ai.cooking for $680 signals a clear appetite for tech-integrated culinary domains.
Because the registration count is low, legal scrutiny on "confusingly similar" domains is high.
With renewal prices often exceeding $25.00 at registrars like Porkbun, holding a large portfolio is expensive.
Note: Don't bet on the TLD growing in mass volume; bet on the top 1% of names that function as perfect English phrases or cater to the booming food-tech sector.
Helpful Outbound articles and tools
What works for one may not work for another and vice versa.
Have a great domain investing adventure!
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Note: At the time of this analysiss, there was a 1-character minimum to register a .cooking domain. There were also a lot of 1-character .cooking domains available for registration, but with a low to mid-3-figure premium registration cost.
With the above in mind, lets dive right in...
.cooking domain registration costs
According to Tldes.com the .cooking domain registration cost ranges from $20.13 to $31.81..cooking domains registered today
According to DNS.Coffee there are 2,241 .cooking domains registered today.Public .cooking domain sales reports
It's hard to find many .cooking domain sales reports online, indicating most are private sales.Note: NameBio.com shows 5 .cooking domain sales reports ranging from $115 to $2,600.
The notable sales for this extension include:
- b.cooking: $2,600
- whats.cooking: $1,250
- ai.cooking: $680
- bitcoin.cooking: $115
5-year .cooking domain growth summary
Based on registration data from DNS.Coffee, the .cooking gTLD has experienced a period of early growth followed by a steady decline over the last five years. While the extension remains accessible to anyone, its total footprint has contracted by approximately 20.6% from its five-year peak.
.cooking Registration Totals (2021β2026)
The following yearly totals (as of February each year) illustrate the extension's trajectory:
- 2021: 2,187
- 2022: 2,824 (Peak Growth)
- 2023: 2,750
- 2024: 2,651
- 2025: 2,274
- 2026: 2,241 (Current)
- The 2022 Surge: The extension saw its highest growth between 2021 and 2022, increasing by 29%. This likely aligned with the broader "new gTLD" boom during the pandemic when digital culinary content surged.
- Steady Attrition: Since 2022, the TLD has seen a year-over-year decrease. The drop from 2024 to 2025 was particularly sharp, losing nearly 14% of its total registrations in a single year.
- Market Position: With 2,241 domains registered today, .cooking remains a very low-volume niche. For context, its highest reported sale reached $2,600 for b.cooking, but the shrinking registration base suggests that many owners are choosing not to renew, possibly due to the higher renewal costs (often $25+) compared to other food-related extensions.
8 niches for .cooking domains
- Online Cooking Classes & Education: Professional chefs and culinary schools use these domains to host virtual workshops, certification programs, and technique-based tutorials.
- Specialty Diets & Well-being: A major growth area for 2026, this niche focuses on plant-based, keto, gluten-free, and "artisanal eating" (e.g., fermented foods, probiotics).
- Meal Prep & Subscription Services: Businesses delivering pre-portioned ingredients or ready-to-eat healthy meals use .cooking to differentiate from generic delivery apps.
- Kitchenware & Equipment Reviews: E-commerce stores and bloggers specializing in high-quality knives, air fryers, or "smart kitchen" gadgets leverage the extension for SEO relevance.
- Cultural & Regional Cuisine: This niche highlights specific traditions (e.g., "New-wave Japanese" or "Traditional Levantine") and helps creators stand out as experts in a particular global flavor profile.
- Food Tech & AI Integration: Reflected in sales like ai.cooking ($680), this market includes SaaS platforms for recipe management and AI-driven flavor pairing tools.
- Personal Chef & Boutique Catering: High-end service providers use .cooking to showcase private event menus and professional portfolios.
- Sustainable & Zero-Waste Cooking: A rising 2026 trend involving "upcycling" ingredients, seasonal farm-to-table sourcing, and eco-conscious kitchen practices.
What a playful .cooking domain hack might look like
A domain hack uses the characters before and after the dot to spell a complete word, phrase, or sentence. With a longer extension like .cooking, the "hack" typically functions as a grammatical sentence or a catchy call to action.The "What's" Hack (Questions)
This is the most popular use of the extension, turning the domain into a common culinary phrase.
- Example: whats.cooking
- Status: This is a confirmed high-value sale, sold for $1,250 via NameBio.com.
By using a verb or adverb before the dot, the domain becomes an instruction or a description of a lifestyle.
- Examples: start.cooking, stop.cooking, keep.cooking, or get.cooking.
- Market Data: stop.cooking previously sold for $505, demonstrating that even "negative" hacks have secondary market value.
These hacks identify who is doing the activity, creating a personal brand or a community identity.
- Examples: everyone.cooking, kids.cooking, dad.cooking, or i-love.cooking.
- Market Data: High-value short subjects like b.cooking have fetched up to $2,600 on the secondary market.
Using an adjective before the dot describes the type of culinary experience being offered.
- Examples: home.cooking, fast.cooking, slow.cooking, or healthy.cooking.
As the culinary world digitizes, "hacks" now include tech prefixes to describe automated or assisted food preparation.
- Example: ai.cooking
- Market Data: This tech-focused hack sold for $680 as reported by NameBio.com.
- Memorability: Itβs easier for a user to remember whats.cooking than whatscookingblog.com.
- Character Count: It saves space in social media bios and marketing materials.
- Social Context: Phrases like "What's cooking?" are ingrained in daily language, making the domain feel more "human" and less like a corporate URL.
Using an English word before the dot creates a seamless linguistic harmony that enhances both memorability and professional branding for a domain. Because ".cooking" is a specific English gerund, pairing it with a non-English prefix can create a "language clash" that might confuse users or weaken the impact of the domain as a cohesive phrase. This synergy allows the prefix and suffix to work together to form a recognizable concept, often referred to as a "domain hack," where the URL reads like a natural English phrase or call-to-action. Ensuring the entire domain remains in one language helps in capturing organic traffic and establishing clear authority within the global market, as it makes the web address more intuitive for users to type and remember.
10 lead sources for .cooking domain outbound campaigns
- Instagram & TikTok:
- These are the primary "visual feasts" for the culinary world. Search for creators using hashtags like #HomeCooking, #ChefLife, or #RecipeIdeas to find influencers who may need a shorter, punchier branded URL.
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator:
- Filter for job titles such as "Executive Chef," "Culinary Director," or "Food Blogger". This is ideal for professional branding pitches like [Name].cooking or [Business].cooking.
- Professional Culinary Associations:
- Organizations like the American Culinary Federation (ACF) (20,000+ members) and the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) provide directories of certified professionals who may want to upgrade their digital identity.
- Cozymeal & Private Chef Platforms:
- Platforms like Cozymeal are leaders for personal chefs and cooking class instructors. These professionals often operate as independent brands and are prime candidates for a .cooking domain.
- Food Blogger Communities:
- Sites like Food Blogger Pro or specific Facebook groups for food entrepreneurs are hubs for creators looking to monetize their content.
- Restaurant & Hospitality Directories:
- Use local directories or Yelp to find restaurants that currently use long, cumbersome .com URLs. A domain hack like [BrandName].cooking can serve as a more memorable redirect for their "Order Online" or "Recipes" page.
- Pinterest Trends:
- Since Pinterest is a massive driver for recipe traffic, look for users with high-performing "pins" who are currently hosting their content on free platforms (like .blogspot or .wordpress).
- Culinary Schools & Bootcamps:
- Students and alumni from institutions like the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) often need personal portfolios as they enter the workforce.
- Startup & Crowdfunding Sites:
- Search Kickstarter or Indiegogo for new kitchen gadgets, cookbooks, or food-tech startups that haven't secured their primary domain yet.
- YouTube Cooking Channels:
- Identify "rising stars" in the cooking tutorial space who have a large following but lack a dedicated, professional website.
- How to leverage an Ai Assistant to find domain leads
- How to leverage Social media to find domain leads
- How to leverage Job Boards to find domain leads
- eMail Marketing Best Practices for Domain Outreach
- List of FREE tools for outbound domain sales
- Outbound Domain sales Tips
Legal considerations when selling a domain to an existing business
Approaching a business to sell a domain that matches their trademark is a high-stakes move. While .cooking has a small footprint of 2,241 registrations (per DNS.Coffee), the legal risks are the same as those for a .com.Cybersquatting and the ACPA
The Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA) is a federal law in the U.S. that allows trademark owners to sue domain registrants. To win, they must prove:
- Your domain is identical or confusingly similar to their trademark.
- You registered it with "bad faith intent to profit."
- The Risk: Under the ACPA, a court can order you to forfeit the domain and pay statutory damages up to $100,000 per domain.
Instead of a lawsuit, most companies use the ICANN UDRP process. It is faster and cheaper than a court case. A panelist will take the domain away if:
- The domain is confusingly similar to a trademark.
- You have no rights or legitimate interests in the name.
- The domain was registered and is being used in bad faith.
- The Evidence: Your outbound "sales pitch" is often the "smoking gun." If you offer to sell BrandName.cooking to BrandName Inc. for a high price, the panel often views this as definitive proof of bad faith.
Even if you aren't "squatting," using a domain to sell products similar to the trademark holder's can lead to Trademark Infringement claims.
- Likelihood of Confusion: If you own Nike.cooking and use it to sell aprons, the court asks: "Will a consumer think Nike is making these aprons?"
- Dilution: Famous brands (like Coca-Cola or Apple) have extra protection. You cannot use their names even for unrelated products because it "blurs" or "tarnishes" their brand.
To protect yourself, you must be able to prove a bona fide (good faith) use.
- Safe: You own whats.cooking (which sold for $1,250 via NameBio.com) because it is a generic English phrase.
- Unsafe: You own GordonRamsay.cooking and email his team asking for $2,600 (the price of b.cooking). Because that name is tied to a specific persona/trademark, your offer is seen as a "ransom" attempt.
- Check the TESS Database: Use the USPTO Trademark Search (TESS) before buying or pitching. If a direct match exists for the same industry, avoid it.
- Generic is King: Stick to "hacks" using generic English words. Selling healthy.cooking is much safer than selling WeightWatchers.cooking.
- Wait for Inbound: Often, the safest legal path is to set up a "For Sale" landing page on a marketplace like Sedo or Afternic and let the buyer come to you. This makes it harder for them to claim you "targeted" them in bad faith.
Potential .cooking domain investing strategy
Based on the current market data and linguistic trends, a successful investment strategy for the .cooking gTLD requires a "Quality over Quantity" approach. With only 2,241 total registrations according to DNS.Coffee and a steady decline from the 2022 peak of 2,824, the market is currently shedding "junk" registrations, leaving room for high-value, strategic assets.Prioritize "English-to-English" Domain Hacks
As previously noted, matching an English prefix with the English ".cooking" suffix is essential for fluidity and brand recall.
- The Strategy: Focus on "Sentence" domains (e.g., lets.cooking, start.cooking) or "Question" domains (e.g., whats.cooking, which fetched $1,250 according to NameBio.com).
- Why: These are intuitive to type and have the highest potential for end-user adoption by media companies and influencers.
The highest reported sale for this extension is b.cooking at $2,600.
- The Strategy: Acquire one- or two-letter prefixes if they become available or can be negotiated at a low secondary price.
- Why: Short domains are "trophy" assets that retain value regardless of the TLDβs overall registration volume. They are versatile and appeal to tech-forward startups.
The sale of ai.cooking for $680 signals a clear appetite for tech-integrated culinary domains.
- The Strategy: Look for prefixes that align with the 2026 tech landscape, such as smart.cooking, bot.cooking, or app.cooking.
- Why: As the industry moves toward automated recipe generation and "smart kitchens," these domains serve as the primary digital real estate for SaaS companies.
Because the registration count is low, legal scrutiny on "confusingly similar" domains is high.
- The Strategy: Strictly avoid any brand-specific names. Instead of targeting a business with an existing trademark, which risks a UDRP or ACPA filing, invest in generic keywords.
- Why: Generic keywords like home.cooking or fast.cooking protect you from "bad faith" claims and appeal to a much broader pool of potential buyers.
With renewal prices often exceeding $25.00 at registrars like Porkbun, holding a large portfolio is expensive.
- The Strategy: Limit your portfolio to 5β10 "premium-generic" names. Use an outbound strategy targeting the top 8 niche markets (like Meal Prep or Specialty Diets) rather than waiting for an inbound buyer.
- Why: At 2,241 registrations, the "passive" secondary market is slow. Proactive selling to culinary schools or influencer agencies is necessary to realize a return on investment.
| Feature | Investment Grade | Low Value / High Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Full English Phrase | Hybrid (e.g., Cucina.cooking) |
| Length | 1-5 Characters | 12+ Characters |
| Category | Generic/Actionable (e.g., Keep.cooking) | Trademarked (e.g., Target.cooking) |
| Sales Goal | $500 - $2,500 | Registration Fee / "Flip" |
Note: Don't bet on the TLD growing in mass volume; bet on the top 1% of names that function as perfect English phrases or cater to the booming food-tech sector.
Helpful Outbound articles and tools
- How to leverage an Ai Assistant to find domain leads
- How to leverage Social media to find domain leads
- How to leverage Job Boards to find domain leads
- eMail Marketing Best Practices for Domain Outreach
- List of FREE tools for outbound domain sales
- Outbound Domain sales Tips
Questions for you
- Do you own any .cooking domains?
- If so, how are they doing for you?
- Thinking about investing into .cooking domains?
- If so, what niche will you target and why?
What works for one may not work for another and vice versa.
Have a great domain investing adventure!
