Quick Comparison
| TLD | Best For | Price/yr | Trust |
|---|---|---|---|
| .com | Everyone | $10-15 | ★★★★★ |
| .io | Tech/SaaS | $30-50 | ★★★★☆ |
| .ai | AI startups | $80-100 | ★★★★☆ |
| .co | Startups | $25-35 | ★★★☆☆ |
| .app | Apps | $15-20 | ★★★☆☆ |
| .dev | Developers | $12-18 | ★★★☆☆ |
Detailed Breakdown
.com — The Gold Standard
Still the most trusted, most memorable, and most valuable. If yourname.com is available, buy it. Period.
.io — The Tech Favorite
Widely recognized in tech circles. GitHub, Figma, and hundreds of startups use .io. More available than .com.
.ai — The AI Signal
Perfect for AI/ML companies. Instantly communicates your focus. Stability.ai, Perplexity.ai use it.
.co — The .com Alternative
Popular alternative when .com is taken. Twitter used t.co. Risk: people might type .com by mistake.
.app / .dev — Google's TLDs
Good for specific use cases. Force HTTPS (more secure). Less universally recognized than .io.
Decision Framework
Is yourname.com available?
→ Yes → Get it immediately
→ No → Keep reading
Is it an AI company?
→ Yes → Consider .ai
→ No → Keep reading
Is it a tech/SaaS startup?
→ Yes → Go with .io
→ No → Keep reading
Consumer-facing business?
→ Find a different name that has .com available
Famous Startups by TLD
.io Examples
Figma.io (early), GitHub.io, Socket.io, CodePen.io
.ai Examples
Stability.ai, Perplexity.ai, Jasper.ai, Copy.ai
.co Examples
Angel.co, Startup.co, Buffer.co (redirect)
Recommendation
Priority order: .com > .io > .ai (if AI) > .co > others
Pro tip: If your preferred .com is taken, consider adding a word (get, try, use, hello) or changing the name entirely. A great .com beats a mediocre .io.
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