Table of Contents
Introduction
Digital content has taken over completely as more and more people rely on accessing information over their mobiles, tabs, and laptops. From news to gathering information to researching about any topic, the internet is where you go to find all your information. As a website owner, it is vital that you use the right domain extension. There are several domain extensions and the majority of the people are familiar with .com, one of the Top-level Domain (TLD) extensions. Apart from .com, there are many other extensions, such as .org, .net, .co, .edu, .gov, etc.
Each domain extension comes with its own set of pros and cons, features, pricing, etc. It is important that you choose the right domain extension for your website which matches your business needs. In this post, find out all about the two most popular domain extensions – .com vs. .org.
What is .com (commercial business)?
With 52% of the websites using .com as their domain extension, it is one of the most common domain extensions used worldwide. Though it was originally introduced to be used by for-profit businesses, today, it has become the go-to extension for almost every website. Because of its wide use, .com compared to other domain extensions is considered to be more trustworthy and has a slightly more authority boost over the other extensions.
.com which stands for commercial and you will find most of the websites and blogs that sell products and services using the .com domain extension. When it comes to comparing .org vs. .com there is no doubt that .com enjoys a much higher score than its competitors on various factors, such as trust, memorability, etc.
When should you opt for .com?
Below are some of the instances when you should opt for .com as your website’s domain extension.
– Selling Products/Services – If your website’s primary aim is to sell products and services online as well as offline, then it is best to choose the .com extension. You can also use this extension if your website focuses on online-only subscription services.
– Blogs – Though blogs are more content-oriented and less of a selling platform, it is recommended that you use .com as the extension as it gives your blog more credibility. By using this extension, you can give your blog a more professional touch and a greater online presence. When you use other cheaper alternatives such as .biz or .info, your blog may not be as appealing as it should be.
– Non-Profit Organizations Selling Products – When it comes down to between .com vs .net vs. .org, the ideal option for a non-profit organization’s website is .org. However, some of the non-profit organizations use .com if they wish to sell some products, the proceeds of which will go to the cause. Again, the primary reason behind using .com is the credibility and trust it offers to the website.
When should you opt for .org?
Similar to .com websites, there are some websites that exclusively use .org as their domain extensions.
– Non-Profit Organizations – If you have a non-profit company or a charity business, it is best to use the .org domain extension. There are a couple of advantages of using .org, such as credibility, sends out a positive message that their main aim is not making profits, most people use .org when searching for non-profit organizations, etc.
– Open Source Websites – Most of the open-source websites use .org as their domain extensions. Though they are not non-profit in nature, by using .org as their extension they can inform their customers that their network, forum, or software is available for free.
– Educational Sites – Most of the educational sites use .edu as their domain extension; however, some websites which offer free education often use .org.
Main Factors to Consider
Below are some of the main factors that you should consider while choosing your domain extension.
– Purpose – The most important factor to consider while choosing a domain extension for your website is the purpose/niche of your website. Depending upon the niche, you can either choose .com, .org, .edu, or even geo-specific extensions, such as .uk, .us, etc.
– Local TLDs – Some people are more inclined towards reaching out to local websites rather than global or overseas ones. So, you can also look for geo-specific domain extensions to reach your local target audience.
– Price – Different domain extensions are priced differently. You can choose the one that falls within your budget; however, you must be careful as some of the cheaper ones are usually scams or spams. When you compare .com vs .org, the prices definitely vary with .com being on the pricier side. But the authority and trust it comes with makeup for the high price.
Comparison between .com vs .org
Below is a brief comparison between the two most popular domain extensions – .com and .org.
| Category | .com | .org |
| Niche | For-profit businesses | Non-profit organizations |
| Mobile Compatibility | High | Low |
| Trustworthiness | High | High when used for the right non-profit organizations/companies |
| Availability | 52% of the websites worldwide have .com as their domain extension | 5.2% of the websites worldwide have .org as their extension, making it more available than .com |
| Cost | Between $8 to $ 16 annually | Between $8 to $ 16 annually |
Pros and Cons
Apart from drawing a comparison between com vs org, it is good to know about their pros and cons as well which will further help you in deciding which domain extension suits your website the best.
Pros of .com
– Builds Trustworthiness – Because of its popularity in the business and e-commerce world, the .com extension helps in building the trustworthiness of your website. When potential buyers see lesser-known domains, such as .info, .biz, etc., they are skeptical and often tend to ignore such websites.
– Striking – When you think of a website, most people tend to think .com rather than .biz, .net, etc. In terms of being memorable and striking, .com definitely takes the cake.
– Mobile Compatibility – When accessing web pages on mobile devices, majority of the people find it easier to just type .com. In fact, most mobile devices also have a dedicated .com button.
Cons of .com
– Cost – It is inevitable that something which enjoys immense popularity and is the most sought after will definitely be priced on the higher side. You will need to shell out anywhere between $8 to $16 for a .com website. When you compare this to the other lesser-known domain extensions, it is pricier.
– Sale Specific – With .com as the domain extension, it is obvious that the website is selling something. This may not work in favor of blogs on business-related websites as they may sound less reputable.
Pros of .org
Trustworthiness – When you choose .org as your domain extension, it gives out a strong message that the website has no intention of making any profits.
More Options – With just 5.2% of websites having the .org extension, there is a wide range of options for you to choose your domain name with the .org extension.
Cons of .org
– Mobile Compatibility – When you compare .org vs. .com in terms of mobile compatibility, .org is slightly less compatible. Most of the mobile devices come with an automatic .com button whereas users will have to type in .org when searching for such websites.
Limited Use – Because .org caters to a particular niche it has limited industry-specific use. It is mostly suitable only to non-profit organizations, charity websites, open-source websites, etc.
Conclusion
Both .com and .org have their own set of features, prices, pros, and cons, etc. The best way to determine the right domain extension for your website is to take into consideration all the factors, particularly the niche of your website. While comparing .com vs .org, it is true that .com fares better than .org in terms of trustworthiness, mobile compatibility, industry-specific options, etc. However, .org also has few advantages over the .com extension, such as there is a higher chance of you getting your desired domain name with the .org extension, build trustworthiness by clearly letting visitors know that you are not a profit-making website, etc.
Once you decide on which domain extension suits your business requirements the best, you can go ahead register your domain name. Go ahead and explore SaaSworthy to get more info on what domain are major SaaS companies using.
