Public Interest Registry (PIR)
Short answer
Public Interest Registry (PIR) is the registry operator for 2 of the top-level domains we track, including .org, .foundation. It runs the authoritative registry for those extensions and sets the wholesale price registrars pay; it does not sell domains to the public. The cheapest verified renewal we hold for .org is $11.59 a year.
Registry facts
Registry operator facts| IANA TLD Manager | Public Interest Registry (PIR) |
|---|
| Tracked extensions | 2 |
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| IANA classification | generic |
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| Extensions with a verified price | 2 |
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| Extensions where a flat price exists | 2 of 2 |
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The operator name is the exact TLD Manager string from IANA's root database, which is a registry record rather than a corporate hierarchy. We do not merge strings that may belong to the same company, because merging would assert a relationship the record does not state.
What these extensions cost
This operator runs 2 tracked extensions, which is too few to characterise as a portfolio. The prices below are stated per extension rather than summarised.
Extensions run by Public Interest Registry (PIR), cheapest verified renewal first| Extension | Cheapest renewal | Verified sellers | Flat option |
|---|
| .org | $11.59 | 11 | 2 of 11 |
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| .foundation | $22.39 | 9 | 2 of 9 |
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"Flat option" counts the verified sellers charging the same price in the first year as at every renewal. Prices last checked 2026-09-29, all-in including any fee a registrar itemises separately. How we check prices.
FAQ
Who runs .org?+
.org is operated by Public Interest Registry (PIR). That is the TLD Manager string published in IANA's root database, which is the authoritative record of who runs each top-level domain. The registry operates the extension; the company you buy a domain from is a registrar, and many registrars sell the same extension at different prices.
Can I register a domain directly with Public Interest Registry (PIR)?+
Generally no. Registry operators sell wholesale to ICANN-accredited registrars rather than to the public, and registrars set their own retail prices on top. That is why the same extension costs different amounts at different registrars, and why the cheapest registrar for one extension is often not the cheapest for another.
How much do Public Interest Registry (PIR) extensions cost?+
Across the 2 of its extensions we hold verified prices for, the cheapest renewal is .org at $11.59 a year and the dearest is .foundation at $22.39. Those are the cheapest verified all-in renewals at the registrars we check, not the wholesale price the registry charges: registries do not publish that.
Do these extensions get more expensive after the first year?+
Often, and this portfolio's steepest example is .org: a first year of $1.00 against a renewal of $20.00, which is 20.0 times as much. The discount is set by the registrar rather than the registry, so it varies between sellers of the same extension. Judge any of these on the renewal column.