Never Buy A .online Domain
Hacker News
February 25, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Buying a .online domain can lead to unexpected headaches, as one developer discovered when his site suddenly went offline due to a security blacklist and DNS issues. After purchasing the domain during a Namecheap promotion, he initially set up the site with Cloudflare and GitHub without any problems. However, weeks later, the site vanished from search results, showing a "site not found" error despite correct domain settings. The domain was placed on serverHold by its registry, Radix, due to Google's Safe Browsing blacklist.
The developer faced a verification Catch-22: Google required a DNS TXT or CNAME record to verify ownership, but the site couldn’t resolve because of the blacklist. Attempts to contact Namecheap and Radix revealed gaps in communication between registrars, registries, and search engines, leaving the domain stuck in limbo.
The experience highlights the risks of using less common TLDs like .online. While they may seem appealing due to promotions or perceived relevance, they often lack the stability and reliability of .com domains. The developer learned a costly lesson: sticking with .com can prevent such issues, ensuring smoother operations and better search engine trust for tech projects and startups. This story underscores the importance of choosing reliable TLDs and maintaining vigilance against domain-related pitfalls.
Verticals
techstartups
Originally published on Hacker News on 2/25/2026