org vs. .com vs. .net: Differences and How to Choose

Every website has a domain name, like squarespace.com. Part of every domain name is the top-level domain (TLD), an important signal to visitors of what your website contains.

For example, .com is a TLD, and the mostly commonly used one. There are others you might be familiar with, like .org, .net, .gov, for official government websites, or .io in tech circles. Each domain extension can serve a different purpose in signaling what type of brand or organization you're running.

This guide will help you understand what a domain extension is, what each of the three most common domain extensions are used for, and tips for choosing the right one for your website.

What are domain extensions?

Domain extension and TLDare used interchangeably to refer to the last few letters of a website's URL. There are thousands of TLDswith millions of domains registered around the world, but there are a few that are most common.

Approved domain registrars-like Squarespace Domains-sell TLDs, which must be registered to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). ICANN manages domains across the web, and authorizes companies as registrars.

Between .com, .org or .net, each has a specific use and role, providing legitimacy and visibility to different types of websites.

Understanding .com vs. org vs. .net

Let's dive deeper into each of these recognizable and commonly used domain extensions. Each one serves a different purpose. Depending on your needs for your website, you may want to use one over the other.

.com

Easily the most recognizable of all the domain extensions, .com is also one of the most popular. According to Statista, 44% of registered domainsare .com domains. Initially, this domain extension was used for commercial website purposes-think ecommerce. Thus the .com from commercial.

These days, it's used for any website type. For example, a freelance designer may have their portfolio end in .com. Its familiarity gives a domain authority. However, its popularity may mean it's a bit more difficult to secure your preferred website domain namewith a .com TLD.

Pro of using .com

• Has global reach and recognition

• Easy to find and remember

• Isn't tied to specific site categories, like government websites that use .gov

Cons of using .com

• Less availability for website domains because of sheer popularity

• May require you to use a less preferred alternative for your domain name

• Domains can be pricier to buy

.org

The next most used domain extension is .org. At over 4%of all domains, this domain extension is used primarily for community advocacy organizations, charities, and nonprofits. It's easy to recognize a professional or charitable business or organization website with the .org at the end of its domain name.

.org TLDs were originally a necessary distinction to ensure business owners and users alike could differentiate these websites from a military, government, networking, or commercial groups. In recent years, lighter regulations around the types of organizations using .org mean the TLD is largely open to everyone now.

However, the general public still associates .org with specific types of organizations. So, it's still beneficial for nonprofit, social, charitable, or educationally minded brands to use the extension.

Pros of using .org:

• Credible, recognizable, and has authority in nonprofit or charitable categories

• Higher visibility and reach available to businesses or charities using .org

• More domain name availability because of lower usage

Cons of using .org

• Potential misinterpretation if using .org for anything other than social, charitable, or nonprofit reasons

• Higher lift for branding and communication if business attached is commercial vs. charitable

• Potential for less credibility or trust if used for commercial reasons

.net

Originally, .net was used for networks, and was created specifically for network-based technology like email or data services and internet service providers (ISPs). It's largely open to other website types and businesses now, and is usually a good alternative to .com.

There are a number of ways to use .net today. For example, this domain extension can be used to create forums or community websites.

Pros of using .net

• Versatile and applies to a number of different website types

• Has authority as a recognizable domain extension, similar to .com

• Higher availability of website domains than .com

Cons of using .net

• Missed traffic if potential visitors default to .com

• Website may be perceived to be tech-based

• Potential confusion with similar .com domains

How to choose the right top-level domain (TLD) for your website

There are a few things to consider when deciding which is the right TLD for your website. Whether you're launching a business, creating a community forum, or centralizing a spot for educational resources, you can pick any of the above domain extensions, or even consider a less common one.

To pick the best domain extension type for you, consider the following details.

• Website purpose: What will your website actually do for you and your potential customer? If you're selling goods or services, chances are a .com TLD is going to be best for you.

• Target audience: Consider your audience and which type of domain extension resonates with them. For example, a .net extension might works for a more tech-savvy audience. Research on potential competitors can help you too.

• Industry relevance: While there's more flexibility now, .org is still more prominent and expected for nonprofit organizations while .com signals a brand or ecommerce website. Your industry or category may be a deciding factor for you.

• Brand and trust: Not every commercial business needs to choose a .com domain extension, but consider how another TLD could impact your brand authority. For a pizza shop whose first-choice .com domain is taken, .pizza is a more on-brand TLD than .org.

• Availability: Because .com is so popular, there's a higher chance that you'll need to be flexible with your first-choice URL. If your exact business name is taken as a .com domain, consider whether a shortened or edited version will be less confusing than using a different TLD.

• SEO: Search engine optimization (SEO) doesn't favor one domain extension over the others. That said, clicks from search results to your site can impact your search rankings. If your domain TLD makes your website seem less legitimate or trustworthy, that could impact clicks. However, this is just one of many factors that go into search rankings.