# Which domain extension should you choose?

The popular TLDs, who they suit, and the one thing worth knowing before you buy. Prices change often, so check them at your registrar.

| TLD | Best for | Worth knowing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [.com](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/com.md) | Anyone, anywhere | The default people type. Short names are rare, so expect to add a word or pay a premium. |
| [.ai](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/ai.md) | AI products | Open to everyone worldwide. Historically sold in 2-year minimum terms and usually priced above .com. |
| [.io](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/io.md) | Developer tools, SaaS | A tech favorite for a decade. The 2024 Chagos sovereignty agreement raised questions about its long-term future; worth watching. |
| [.co](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/co.md) | Startups, companies | Marketed globally as "company". Easy to mistype as .com, so watch for leaked email. |
| [.dev](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/dev.md) | Developers, docs, side projects | HSTS-preloaded: browsers only load it over HTTPS, so you need a TLS certificate from day one. |
| [.app](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/app.md) | Web and mobile apps | Also HSTS-preloaded, so HTTPS is mandatory. |
| [.so](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/so.md) | Productivity and tools | Short and readable. Notion famously ran on notion.so for years. |
| [.sh](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/sh.md) | CLIs, infra, dev tools | A nod to shell scripts. Handy for domain hacks that end in -sh. |
| [.xyz](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/xyz.md) | Experiments, web3, catch-alls | Huge inventory, so short names are still around. Alphabet uses abc.xyz. |
| [.me](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/me.md) | Personal sites, portfolios | Reads naturally in phrases like about.me or hire.me. |
| [.gg](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/gg.md) | Gaming, communities | "Good game". Popular with esports and Discord-adjacent projects. |
| [.tv](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/tv.md) | Video, streaming, creators | Twitch made it famous. Revenue is a meaningful income source for Tuvalu. |
| [.fm](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/fm.md) | Podcasts, radio, audio | Reads as "FM radio". A natural fit for podcasts and audio apps. |
| [.tech](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/tech.md) | Tech companies, hardware, events | Says what you do. Generic TLD with plenty of short names left. |
| [.net](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/net.md) | Networks, infra, fallback for .com | Original 1985 TLD, run by Verisign. Fine as a fallback, rarely a first choice. |
| [.org](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/org.md) | Open source, nonprofits, communities | Open to anyone; no nonprofit status required. |

## How to choose

If the [.com](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/com.md) is available at a sane price, it’s still the safest default. Otherwise, pick the extension your audience will recognize: [.ai](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/ai.md) for AI products, [.dev](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/dev.md) or [.sh](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/sh.md) for developer tools, [.io](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/io.md) and [.co](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/co.md) for startups in general.

Country-code TLDs (two letters, like `.ai` or `.io`) belong to a country or territory and set their own rules. Most popular ones are open to anyone, but check before you build a brand on one. More in the [naming tips](https://availablewhois.com/tips.md).

[Check a name across all of them](https://availablewhois.com/)

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Canonical page: https://availablewhois.com/tlds · Check a domain: https://availablewhois.com/ · All docs: https://availablewhois.com/llms.txt