TLD vs Domain vs Subdomain: What Actually Differs

Read a name from right to left

In tools.example.com, the rightmost label "com" is the top-level domain, "example" is the second-level name that was registered, and "tools" is a subdomain. The dot is the separator, and the hierarchy narrows as you move left.

This is why a subdomain is not a TLD and cannot be bought from a registry: it is a record inside a zone you already control.

Who controls which part

The registry operates a TLD and publishes its rules. A registrar sells registrations under it. Once you register a domain, you control its DNS zone and can create subdomains freely. That split is the reason "registry vs registrar" is a separate question from "which extension should I buy".

• →TLD: delegated in the root zone, managed by a registry, listed by IANA.
• →Registered domain: the name you pay a registrar to hold for a term.
• →Subdomain: a record you create in your own zone; free and unlimited in principle.

Why the distinction matters in practice

Price comparisons apply to registered domains, not subdomains. Geotargeting guidance applies mostly to the TLD and your URL structure. And cookies, certificates and search-engine property verification all behave differently depending on which level you set them at.

Frequently asked questions