What is the difference between .COM, .NET, .ORG, .IO, .BIZ, & .CO Domains
You have a handful of domains, like .com, .net, .org, .biz, .io, .co, etc., to choose from. Yet, you can’t decide which domain extension meets your business objectives.
Picking the right option for your brand and business can be overwhelming unless you know the significance of each option. It becomes even more important when you’re buying domain names for the purpose of reselling.
These domain extensions vary in terms of quality, security, privacy, profitability, and reach. So, if you have questions like, ‘What is .com?’, ‘What does ORG mean?’, or ‘What is the difference between .com and .net?’, this post is for you.
Here, you’ll find all the necessary details related to the most popular top-level domains (TLDs), .com, .net, .org, .co, .io, .biz, etc. Also, we’ll share an in-depth comparison between .com and other TLDs, highlighting the benefits and drawbacks of each.
.COM domains need no introduction, and rightly so. Whether it’s Google, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or any other popular website in the world, they all have one thing in common — they’re all .com domains.
This is the reason why .com is known as the ‘King of domains’. According to DomainTools’s research, the .com domain count has nearly 50% share of the total number of registered domains.
What Does .COM Mean in a Web Address? How to Use It
.COM is one of the first six generic top-level domains (TLDs) ever created. It was created in January 1985 and got its first registered domain (second-level domain) in March 1985. The domain was Symbolics.com.
In general, TLDs are located at the extreme right of a web address as a parent domain, while SLDs are located before the dot. It’s the easiest way to recognize what TLD a domain name belongs to.
Now, coming to the question, “What does .com stand for?”
The word ‘com’ indicates ‘commerce’, so the domain was intended for businesses and commercial organizations. However, it’s a different story nowadays.
Anyone, from commercial businesses to non-profit organizations and even individuals, can use this domain for their unique purposes.
Pros and Cons of using a .COM Domain
If you’re new, .com should be your first preference because:
It has been ruling the internet domain industry for almost four decades.
It’s trustworthy
Everyone is familiar with it — nothing shady
Holding more authority than other domains, .com is the best choice for ranking on search pages, regardless of the search engine.
It takes your business across the globe
Now, let’s face the reality.
As we mentioned earlier, the TLD has grabbed almost 50% of the market share. So, it’s most likely that the domain name that meets your objectives has already been taken. And if you intend to buy the name from the marketplace, be prepared to pay a hefty price.
Moreover, consider the price hikes. The wholesale price of the domain rises with time. This means after 10 years, the same domain will cost approximately 70% more than what it costs today.
What is the meaning of .CO? How should .CO be used?
Most of the two-lettered domain extensions are country-specific. So you have the right to know what country is .co.
Initially, .co was reserved for businesses and organizations operating in Columbia. However, it became open for all back in 2010.
If you’re unable to find a domain name with the .com extension or if it is too expensive, the .co extension would be the next best thing.
Let’s answer the burning question, “Is .co a good domain?”
The latest statistics show that the .co extension isn’t as popular as .com. It’s a good sign for newbies and starters as they have a relatively bigger pool of domain names to choose from – and that at a reasonable price.
It offers a lot of options to create a short and memorable domain name according to your objectives.
It’s not country-specific and is relevant for all businesses — profit or non-profit — and individuals.
You can create open-source projects using the .co extension
Did you know that lots of popular websites with the .com domains have acquired the .co domains as well? Take a look at the following:
Amazon.com: Amazon has a domain name, ‘a.co’, that redirects users to amazon.com.
Google uses g.co to redirect users to Google.com
Snapchat utilized s.co for a similar purpose.
The downside of using the .co domain is that non-savvy users may not perceive your website as a trusted platform. Moreover, as most of the users are only familiar with the .com extension, they might add the missing ‘m’ in the end and land on the wrong website.
What Is .IO?
.io is a country-code TLD managed by a domain name registry service called Internet Computer Bureau LTD. This TLD has an interesting history:
This TLD was created in 1997 by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA)
Initially, it was assigned to a British entrepreneur, Paul Kane, from Internet Computer LTD.
The first subdomain registered under the .io TLD was levi.io (registered by Levi Straus & Co.) in 1998.
In 2017, Kane sold this TLD to a private domain registry service, Afilias for over $70 million cash.
In 2020, the domain was sold to Donuts for a handsome amount (sum undisclosed).
In 2021, territorial disputes between the United Kingdom and Mauritius impacted the domain’s ownership.
Over the years, the .io domain has seen a lot of commercial success. It is considered to be the most popular domain in the Web3 space and has been acquired by various crypto companies. There are more than 270,000 domains registered under the .io TLD.
But what does .io mean? Let’s take a deep dive.
.io extension is a a country code TLD that represents “Indian Ocean”. It was operated by Internet Computer Bureau during the period 1997 – 2017 before it was sold to a private business.
This TLD attracts computer enthusiasts. The name ‘IO’, is commonly associated with Input/Output functions. Therefore, this domain garnered special attention:
Software houses
Web development firms
Digital marketing agencies
Programmers and coders
Designers
NFT collectors
Domain investors
Data scientists
Hackers, etc.
.IO Pros and Cons
The major reasons behind the popularity of the .io TLD include:
The .com vs .io comparison shows that the latter has a lot of room and space to acquire. It is more likely that the domain name you’re looking for is available.
This TLD is shorter than other generic TLDs, so it’s easier to remember.
The domain extension has a special attraction for developers and coders. In fact, most of the open-source projects on the web have been registered under .io domain.
Lots of popular businesses have the .io extension, e.g., Freename.io, Github.io, Etherscan.io, and Greenhouse.io, etc.
One major difference between .com and .io TLDs is that the .com TLD is more popular. It carries trust and has a better ranking tendency than any other TLD.
What Is .BIZ Domain?
.biz domain extension is relatively younger compared to .com, net, .org, and .io TLDs. It was created in 2001 specially for commercial businesses who couldn’t find a proper .com domain extension for themselves.
As of 2023, there were 1.4 million domain names registered under .biz TLD.
As the name suggests, BIZ means ‘Business’. The TLD was created to facilitate businesses that were unable to occupy a .com real estate due to the unavailability of relevant domain names.
Also, the word ‘BIZ’ indicates reliability and trust, so the intention was to provide end-users complete satisfaction with legitimate and authentic businesses.
For boasting businesses, launching new products, and promoting services, .biz TLD offers a massive pool of resources. Considering that the .com marketplace is nearly saturated, featuring skyrocketing domain prices, .biz is a sensible option for starters.
.BIZ Domain Pros and Cons
While competing with the .com domains, .biz domains have to face stiff competition. Anyhow, the TLD offers far cheaper domains, making it easier for individuals to launch their products and services online.
Next Новыйs: Buy .io Domain | Perfect for Tech Startups | NiceNIC
