.ch

Switzerland

The country code domain for Switzerland. Over 2.5 million registered domains, no residency requirement, instant activation.

€16.01 / year

The Swiss Country Code Domain

With over 2.5 million registered domains, .ch is one of the most successful country code extensions in Europe. It's managed by SWITCH, a foundation based in Zurich that also operates the Swiss university network.

Since January 2015, anyone worldwide can register a .ch domain. The previous requirement to demonstrate a connection to Switzerland was lifted. This makes .ch attractive for international projects as well—especially when the association with Swiss values like quality, precision, and reliability is desired.

For businesses based in Switzerland or targeting Swiss customers, .ch is the obvious choice. Swiss customers expect local providers to have a .ch address.

At a Glance

Registry: SWITCH (Zurich)
Introduced: 1987
Registered domains: ~2.5 million
Minimum length: 1 character
IDN (umlauts): Yes
Residency required: No (since 2015)

.ch in the DACH Region

Germany, Austria, Switzerland—the DACH region is a unified market for many businesses. If you're already present under .de or .at, adding .ch covers the third major market. A local domain signals presence and builds trust.

Not EU

Switzerland is not an EU member. For some projects, this is an advantage: strict privacy laws, neutral location.

.de Germany + .at Austria +

.ch Switzerland

Three domains, one market. Complete DACH coverage.

.ch

Open to everyone worldwide
Instant registration
From €16.01/year
Established since 1987

.swiss

Swiss connection required
Verified by BAKOM
Significantly more expensive
Since 2015

Build Trust

Swiss customers expect local providers to have a .ch address. The domain signals: We're here, we know this market.

Typical Use Case

A German online shop also serves Swiss customers. With a .ch domain and CHF pricing, the offering feels more local. Customers trust a shop at myshop.ch more than myshop.de—even if it's the same company behind it. The €16/year investment pays off quickly.

Registry

SWITCH

Foundation based in Zurich. Also operates the Swiss university network.

Anycast DNS

Your domain is resolved via our global anycast network. Fast response times worldwide.

€16.01

pro Jahr, inkl. MwSt.

DNS management included
No setup fee
Free transfer

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about .ch registration

How much does a .ch domain cost?

A .ch domain costs €16.01 per year. This price applies to both new registrations and transfers. DNS management via our dashboard and anycast DNS for fast resolution worldwide are included.

Do I need Swiss residency?

No. Since January 2015, there's no residency requirement. Any natural or legal person worldwide can register .ch domains—regardless of location.

How quickly is my domain active?

Registration happens in real-time. As soon as your order is complete, your domain is active. You can immediately set up DNS records and connect the domain to your website or other services.

How do I transfer an existing .ch domain?

Request the auth code from your current provider. Enter it during the order process with us. The transfer is initiated automatically and completes within a few hours. There's no additional cost for the transfer.

Can I use umlauts in the domain?

Yes, .ch supports internationalized domain names (IDN). You can register domains with ä, ö, ü. However, keep in mind that many users will type the non-umlaut variant. When in doubt, secure both spellings.

What happens if I don't renew?

With us, domains renew automatically as long as you don't cancel. After cancellation, the domain goes through a 40-day hold period at SWITCH before becoming available to the public again.

More Domain Extensions

Complementary or alternative to .ch

.de Germany .at Austria .eu Europe .com International

View all domain extensions →