.mobi is a generic domain launched in 2006 for mobile sites, and the registry's mobile-compliance rule has since been dropped. WebJi® registers it in INR with a GST invoice, anyone can hold one for one to ten years, and it now serves brand defence or a short redirect.
What a .mobi Domain Is and Who It Still Suits
.mobi is a generic top-level domain launched in 2006, when phones had WAP browsers and the registry required registrants to run a mobile-ready build. Full browsers and responsive layouts ended that need, the compliance rule was dropped, and .mobi now registers like any other gTLD.
Three uses survive:
- Brand defence — holding yourname.mobi so nobody else trades on your name in a second extension.
- Short names — dictionary words that are premium-priced on .com often sit at standard price here.
- Campaign redirects — a memorable address for a launch, pointed at the real site.
What it is not is a mobile version of your site. That job belongs to the responsive design you already run.
Who Can Register a .mobi Domain
Anyone can register .mobi, with no mobile-site test and nothing to upload at checkout. Terms run one to ten years, registration privacy is supported, IDN labels are not, and trademark disputes follow ICANN's UDRP like any other generic extension.
The rules that matter:
| Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Open to anyone | No residency, company or GST number needed to register |
| No mobile compliance | Nothing to prove about the site; the 2006 build rule is retired |
| 1 to 10 year term | Registered and renewed in yearly blocks, up to ten |
| Privacy supported | The registrar can mask your contact details in WHOIS |
| No IDN | ASCII labels only; international characters are not supported |
Clear the name against the IP India register if it is close to an existing brand, and keep the registrant contact current, because that mailbox is how renewals and transfers are confirmed.
What a .mobi Domain Costs in INR
WebJi® quotes .mobi in INR before you pay: the registry rate for that name plus our handling fee, with 18% GST added on the invoice. Premium and short names carry a registry premium, quoted the same way, so the figure you approve is the figure you pay.
For the wider family, the November 2026 prices printed on this site are .in at ₹1,000 a year and .co.in at ₹809 a year, renewing in the same range. If the .mobi is only defensive, judge it on the renewal figure rather than the first-year offer.
| Line item | How it is charged |
|---|---|
| First registration | Registry rate for the name + handling fee, in INR, GST extra |
| Renewal | Same registry rate each year, up to ten years paid ahead |
| Transfer in | Charged as one renewal year, added to the current expiry |
| Restore after expiry | Redemption fee plus the renewal year |
Bands dated October 2026 and shown before 18% GST. The exact .mobi registration and renewal figures are confirmed at checkout or by ticket before payment.
Do You Still Need a .mobi for a Mobile Website?
No. Google indexes mobile-first and judges the one responsive site you already run by how it renders on a phone, so a second mobile domain adds a maintenance job without a ranking benefit. Buy .mobi to protect a name or to point at a campaign, not to host a separate mobile build.
If you already own one and want it working, redirect it at domain level with a permanent 301 to the matching page on the main site. Keep no parallel URLs live, or the two copies compete in search, and renew it only for as long as the defence or the campaign is worth the annual fee.
How to Register a .mobi Domain with WebJi®
The order takes a search, the registrant contact, one payment and a nameserver or redirect change. Nothing is posted or couriered.
- Check the name. Search it in domain availability; if it is taken, you get the closest free variants.
- Enter the registrant contact. Use the person or company that will hold the name, with a mailbox you will keep.
- Choose the term and pay. One to ten years, in INR; the GST invoice arrives with the order confirmation.
- Wait for registry confirmation. Most .mobi orders clear in minutes; if the registry flags the name for review, we come back with what it needs.
- Point it or redirect it. Send nameservers to your WebJi hosting for a live site, or set a domain-level 301 to the main site.
.mobi Renewal, Transfer and Expiry Rules
Renewal runs yearly at the registry rate plus GST, and the name can be paid up to ten years ahead in one order. Keep auto-renew on: a lapsed .mobi stops resolving and returns only through a paid restore.
A transfer in needs the auth code from the current registrar and a domain registered more than 60 days ago. A completed transfer adds one year to the expiry rather than replacing it; the mechanics are on the domain transfer page.
After expiry the name enters a short grace window, then redemption where the registrar charges a fee, then deletion, after which anyone may register it. A defensive .mobi that lapses stops defending anything, so treat the renewal as part of the protection.
Why WebJi® for .mobi Domain Registration
- 21+ years — registering and hosting domains for Indian businesses since 2005.
- 12,000+ clients from solo bloggers to companies, most arriving by referral.
- INR billing with a GST invoice on every registration, renewal and transfer.
- 24/7 email support in Hindi and English, average first reply under 60 minutes.
- Free hosting migration where it applies, subject to terms and approval.
Domain, DNS and renewal reminders sit on one support desk in Jaipur, and a domain ticket is answered by email rather than a chatbot queue. The 24/7 line is support@webji.services; the Jaipur office number is for business hours.
Comparing extensions before you commit? The domain registration India hub sets .com, .in and the gTLDs side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a .mobi domain?
A .mobi domain is a generic top-level domain launched in 2006 as the address for mobile versions of websites. The old rule requiring a mobile-ready build is gone, so it now registers like any other gTLD and is chosen for the name rather than for a device.
Is .mobi still relevant?
Only in three cases: protecting a brand name someone else could take, picking up a short dictionary word that is premium on .com, and holding a memorable address that redirects to a campaign. As the primary home of a site it adds nothing in the responsive era.
Do I need .mobi for a mobile website?
No. Google indexes mobile-first and judges your one responsive site by how it renders on a phone, so a second mobile domain creates a maintenance job without a ranking benefit. Spend the money on speed and content instead.
Can I redirect .mobi to my main site?
Yes, with a permanent 301 redirect from every URL on the .mobi to the matching page on the main domain. Keep the redirect at the domain level so no duplicate URLs stay live, and the .mobi costs you nothing beyond the renewal.
Does Google rank .mobi domains?
The extension carries no ranking bonus or penalty. Google ranks pages on content, links, speed and intent match, and mobile-friendliness is judged from the page itself, not from the letters after the dot.
How much does a .mobi domain cost in India?
WebJi® confirms the .mobi price in INR before payment: the registry rate for the name plus our handling fee, with 18% GST on the invoice. Sibling prices read on 4 November 2026 are .in at ₹1,000 a year and .co.in at ₹809.
Why do companies still buy .mobi?
Mostly defence and convenience: a large brand registers its name across extensions so a squatter cannot trade on it, and a campaign team buys a short .mobi for a landing page it will retire. Neither case needs a separate mobile website.
How do I transfer a .mobi domain to WebJi®?
Take the auth code from the current registrar, confirm the domain is more than 60 days old and not expiring within a fortnight, then place the transfer order. A completed transfer adds one year to the expiry.