💻 Nice Class 9: Software, Apps & Electronics
With 803,027 trademarks, Class 9 is the largest class in the EU register, 442,744 of them currently registered (as of July 2026, EUIPO register data).
803,027
Marks in the EU register
442,744
Registered with the EUIPO
+14 %
Growth 2020–2024
60 %
Word mark share
If you are launching an app, downloadable software or an electronics product, Class 9 is almost unavoidable. It is by far the largest class in the EU trademark register: 803,027 trademarks have been filed here in total, and 442,744 of them are currently registered. In practical terms, that means no other class carries a higher risk that your preferred name is already taken or too similar to an existing mark. And the class keeps growing. There were 38,707 new registrations in 2020 and 43,944 in 2024, an increase of 14 percent. In 2025 the level stayed high with 43,557 new registrations. The most active filers include LG Electronics (2,633 trademarks), Samsung (1,725), Huawei (1,630), Deutsche Telekom (1,490) and NOVOMATIC (1,385). So you are not only competing with other founders here, but with corporations that expand their portfolios systematically. A thorough search before filing matters more in Class 9 than almost anywhere else.
What belongs in Class 9?
Class 9 covers electronics and downloadable software: computers, hardware, scientific and photographic apparatus, plus software and apps that users download onto their devices. The distinction matters: this class is about the goods, not the service behind them. Typical examples: a mobile app in an app store, downloadable desktop software, computers and accessories, wearables and other gadgets, measuring instruments, cameras and headphones, but also downloadable digital content such as e-books or audio files. If you offer your software as a cloud service that nobody downloads, that is a service and belongs in Class 42 instead. Many SaaS providers file for both, because a mobile app is almost always part of the offering.
Typical examples: Downloadable software/apps, computers, hardware, electronics
New EUIPO registrations per year in Class 9
Most active applicants in Class 9
| # | Applicant | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lg Electronics Inc | 2,633 |
| 2 | Samsung Electronics Co Ltd | 1,725 |
| 3 | Huawei Technologies Co Ltd | 1,630 |
| 4 | Deutsche Telekom Ag | 1,490 |
| 5 | Novomatic Ag | 1,385 |
| 6 | Microsoft Corporation | 1,258 |
| 7 | Apple Inc | 1,168 |
| 8 | Adp Merkur Gmbh | 1,080 |
| 9 | International Business Machines Corporation | 891 |
| 10 | Nintendo Co Ltd | 888 |
Word mark or figurative mark?
Often combined with
Describe your goods as specifically as possible, for example "downloadable accounting software" rather than just "software". That lowers your collision risk and makes your trademark easier to defend. Also check whether a combination makes sense: the most frequent companion classes are 42 (SaaS, software development, IT services), 35 (advertising, retail, online shops) and 41 (education, courses, entertainment). A typical software startup does well with 9 + 42, often adding 35 when a platform or shop is part of the model. And because Class 9 is the largest class in the EU register: before filing, search not just for identical names but for similar spellings and phonetically related signs as well.
Common mistakes with Class 9
The most common mistake: SaaS founders file only in Class 9 even though their actual offering is a cloud service that belongs in Class 42. The reverse happens too: app providers skip Class 9 because they think of their product as a "service", when the downloadable app itself is a good. Second classic error: claiming goods too broadly. If you claim "software" without narrowing down its purpose, you will collide with older marks in the register's largest class far more often than necessary. Third, the search effort is underestimated: 60 percent of the trademarks in Class 9 are word marks, so name conflicts here arise mainly from how your name sounds and is spelled, not from your logo.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does my app need Class 9 or Class 42?
It depends on the product. A downloadable app is a good and belongs in Class 9. A cloud service that users access in the browser is a service in Class 42. Many providers offer both and therefore file in both classes. Class 42 is also the most frequent companion class to Class 9.
How crowded is Class 9 really?
Class 9 is the largest class in the EU register: 803,027 trademarks in total, of which 442,744 are currently registered (as of July 2026, EUIPO). And it keeps growing: new registrations rose from 38,707 in 2020 to 43,944 in 2024, an increase of 14 percent. Another 43,557 followed in 2025.
Who files the most trademarks in Class 9?
The top filers are large electronics and telecommunications corporations: LG Electronics leads with 2,633 trademarks, followed by Samsung (1,725), Huawei (1,630), Deutsche Telekom (1,490) and NOVOMATIC (1,385). For you, that means tech-related names deserve an especially careful similarity search.
Is a word mark enough in Class 9, or do I need a logo?
Word marks dominate Class 9 at 60 percent. That fits the market: with software and apps, what counts most is the name users search for and install. A word mark protects that name in any styling. You can always register your logo separately as a figurative mark later, once it matters for your brand.
Sources
EUIPO – European Union Intellectual Property Office: register data on EU trade marks and international registrations with EU protection, as of July 2026.
WIPO – Nice Classification: class definitions and headings (11th edition).
Methodology: own analysis by markencheck.ai; counted per filing entity, name variants merged.
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