Top 7 domain extensions for businesses in 2025 [and when to use each]

Your domain extension says a lot about your business. With .coms getting snapped up fast and over 1,600 other options out there, picking the right one is tougher - and more important than ever.

In this guide, I'll show you exactly which domain extensions work best for different business types in 2025, plus a simple framework for making your choice.

Domains are evolving, but are you?

There are hundreds of domain extensions out there - which makes one thing clear: people want options. Gone are the days when all we had were a handful of domains: the classic .com, .net, .org, .edu, and so on.

Ever since the early 2010s, though, the number of available extensions has skyrocketed to the number they are now (and we suspect that increase will not stop anytime soon). This rapid spike in available TLDs was spurred by competition and a desire for a choice beyond the traditional .com.

It allowed brands and communities to express their identity more clearly. Desirable domains that would otherwise be taken as a .com became available once more. That in itself was a gigantic step forward as it made the online space much more accessible and less restrictive.

In our experience working with business owners and startups, there has been a clear shift in 2025: branding, SEO, and memorability are no longer afterthoughts. They are instead front and center now.

People realize that a domain name and its extension are much more than just a link to a website. They are now an integral part of that business’s identity. Choosing a fitting TLD has become a much bigger deal than it was ten years ago. We have seen clients reconsider TLDs entirely based on how it affects their brand perception.

So, we came up with this table to quickly show you what our top picks for business TLDs are in 2025. In it we outline each one’s pros and cons, but read on to learn more about each.

The classic picks

Before we dive into some of the trendier extensions this year, we must first discuss why the “classics” remain, well, the “classics.” There are three TLDs that we would easily classify as such: .COM, .NET, and .ORG. They may not be as flashy as some of the newer options, but they still carry a lot of pedigree and authority.

.COM

The .COM extension has transcended its original purpose (as a COMmercial domain) and is now the most recognized of the bunch. Websites of all sorts use .COM–from blogs to stores, non-profits, portfolios, and whatever else you can think of. It has become the quintessential TLD.

This popularity comes with several advantages and disadvantages that you should be aware of if you plan to use it for your business in 2025.

• Upsides

  • Legitimacy: A .COM domain name will look professional from the start–a good way to show you are striving for success.

  • Memorability: Being the “default” means .COM is effortless to remember. It is such a recognizable choice that will save your visitors the headache of trying to recall it.

  • Price: You would assume that being the most used TLD would bring the price down, right? You would be absolutely correct. .COM is one of the most affordable extensions on the market, ranging from $12 to $20 per year (just the $12 if you choose us as your Registrar).

• Downsides

  • Oversaturation: This is the only significant downside we consider worth mentioning. Due to its popularity, finding your perfect one might feel like searching for buried treasure, especially if you want to keep it short.

For the price you pay .COM is the most reliable TLD you could ask for. Click here to check if the name you have in mind is not taken.

.NET

Much like .COM, .NET has outgrown its initial purpose and has become an almost exact copy of its sibling. Initially intended for network providers and tech platforms, .NET is on a similar level as .COM when it comes to popularity and memorability. Many tech-savvy online businesses are drawn to it due to its rich history.

It is not as impactful when it comes to branding, though—the second-choice version of .COM, often overlooked in favor of more flashy TLDs. Still, if your domain name is taken, .NET could be a solid alternative, as all the pluses we described above apply here as well.

.ORG

The final piece of the classic TLD trinity, .ORG carries with itself an air of integrity and dignity. Organizations (especially non-profits) gravitate towards it because it is not as popular as the other two. That, in this case, is a good thing. It still has enough weight to be instantly recognizable and memorable without being assumed as the “default.”

With a .ORG domain for your business, you can let people know that you are a mission-driven organization. It demonstrates purpose and trustworthiness, showing that your organization is committed to fulfilling its responsibilities and achieving its goals. It’s still a relatively inexpensive domain, too, so using it will hardly break the bank.

With all of this said, though, what if you wanted to get more creative with the name of your domain? Read on!

Emerging extensions that work in 2025

The classics still hold power; there is no denying that. However, the world of domain names has evolved significantly around them. Thanks to that, businesses today have access to a staggering range of new TLDs that are meaningful, memorable, and more available than .COMs.

The best part? Many of these can be used as a branding tool. Here are some standout choices for 2025.

.CO

No, we did not miss a letter there. .CO has, much like its grandparents, evolved beyond its original purpose (as Colombia’s country-specific domain). Now, it is the short and sharp alternative to .COM that many modern businesses prefer.

It is a global alternative to the king of TLDs. Startups, creatives, and entrepreneurs love it, but in reality, we have seen a wide variety of sites choose .CO. Being one letter short, it’s still as memorable, but the pool of available names is much larger.

.AI

Did you know that the .AI TLD has been around for a while? You would assume it is a new addition, given the increase in popularity of artificial intelligence in recent years. However, it is actually the country-specific domain for Anguilla. It was created in the 1990s!

If that was not enough evolution for you, it is now used by tech companies and startups (Claude.ai and Perplexity.ai for example) of all kinds, not just those focused on artificial intelligence. The TLD instantly conveys innovation, the cutting edge of technology. From the URL, you can immediately show your visitors that you’re all about technology.

Just bear in mind that if you are targeting a specific country’s audience, a country-code TLD (.UK for example) might yield higher click-through rates. Google is more likely to suggest sites with ccTLDs to local searches. Especially if you are looking for a cheaper solution, since .AI can be on the pricier side.

.TECH

We would argue that .TECH is a classic as well. What better way to show that your business revolves around technology than proclaiming it via your domain? Whether it is gadgets, software, hardware, or consulting, .TECH is an absolute favorite.

You can even come up with creative ways to combine various words. Here is a free domain name example on us: cyber.tech. It is memorable, spot-on with the branding (for a tech company), and an excellent domain name idea for a business in 2025.

.STORE

The same way .TECH screams technology, .STORE will instantly let visitors know what your site is about. It literally says so. .STORE is the tailor-made choice for eCommerce businesses, regardless if you are selling physical products, online services, or dropshipping.

The branding is right there in the domain, and when named well it can tell your customers exactly what they are in for. Not just that they are in a place to buy, but what they will find as products. tech.store is the perfect example of how a .STORE extension can work in your favor.

Bonus TLDs

So far, the domain extensions mentioned above are all solid choices for a business in 2025. However, what if they don’t fit your company? Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. Here is a quick, scannable list of TLDs that should cover an even wider range of businesses.

• .IO: Initially the country-specific domain for the British Indian Ocean Territory (noticing a pattern here?), it has been fully adopted by the tech world due to its meaning in computing terms, specifically input/output. 

• .APP: The ideal extension for application developers of all kinds, .APP will show the world what your business is all about: creating applications!

• .DESIGN: Whether you are a graphic, UX/UI, interior, or any other type of designer, this extension immediately communicates what you do. It is clean, brandable, and stands out in emails and on business cards.

• .LAW: If your new business in 2025 is a law firm or you are an independent practitioner, this TLD is one we highly recommend. It’s professional, industry-specific, and inspires credibility in prospective clients.

• .MEDIA: Podcasts, digital publications, or production companies can all benefit from the .MEDIA extension. It ties your domain directly to your work, and is much more descriptive than .COM.

• .HEALTH: If your business offers health-related services, this domain will make that clear. A solid alternative to it is .CLINIC, if you are running your own practice.

• .ACADEMY: Finally, online courses, tutoring services, and any manner of educational platforms will benefit from a domain like .ACADEMY. It is the open alternative to the reserved .EDU TLD.

None of those extensions fit your business? There is nothing to worry about. With over 1,500 TLDs available, we are confident that you will find the perfect one. Before you go on that quest, though, let us save you some effort with a few TLDs to avoid. These are typically overpriced, suffer from poor memorability, or are even often abused by spammers.

• Overpriced: TLDs like .GLOBAL, .FINANCE, .MARKETING, and .EXPERT can be enticing at first, but their price per year often doesn’t justify their generic appeal. Unless your website will truly benefit from any of these, there is likely to be a cheaper alternative that will be more recognizable to users.

• Poor memorability: On the other hand, you have domains that are simply not memorable enough to be worth it in most cases. .INTERNATIONAL, .ACCOUNTING, .SOLUTIONS, and .COMMUNITY are all the perfect examples. They are lengthy, unintuitive to spell and–in .COMMUNITY’s case–too generic.

• Low trust: Finally, there are some TLDs that are associated with spam and not very trusted. .XYZ, .TOP, .CLICK, and .REVIEW are all examples of such extensions. Not all websites who use them are malicious, of course, but just be wary of their reputation.

So should you never buy any of those TLDs? No, not necessarily. We bring them to your attention due to pronounced flaws they have. Helping you make informed decisions is the whole point of this blog post, and we felt we must mention some of them.

What to consider when choosing

With so many options available, we would not blame you if you felt paralyzed by choice or are uncertain about what “perfect” even means. Here are three pieces of advice that should help to narrow down your choices.

1. Industry Fit: Firstly, ensure that your chosen domain name matches the industry of your business. That will not only reduce the number of TLDs you have to choose from but also help with memorability and a professional appearance.

2. Trustworthiness: Consider TLDs that have market recognition. That means users tend to trust them, which will help with credibility. Depending on your business website, research the TLDs associated with it. No extensions are exclusively used by malicious parties, but some are more so than others.

3. Availability: Finally, newer extensions are typically more accessible in terms of naming. They have fewer domains registered, so if yours is not available with one, try another!

These three points should help reduce the number of choices you have to go through and even provide inspiration for what to look for. However, what if your choice impacts your site’s SEO? 

You will be relieved to hear that TLDs don’t have a direct impact on Google's ranking algorithms. The search engine treats TLDs equally, with the only exception being country-specific TLDs. They can signal to Google that you are targeting a specific country, which can improve local SEO.

A domain extension will affect site memorability and users trust it more than it will SEO.

Your domain extension says more than you think

In the past, a domain was just an address–a simple way to save folks the headache of remembering an IP address. Now, however, it is so much more. It’s your brand, a way to inspire trust in potential visitors–it’s the first impression your site makes.

A solid domain name with an extension that compliments it can be inviting, reassuring, and professional. There is not much more you can ask from it. It will help visitors understand the purpose of your website and reinforce its credibility.

So, before you settle on a domain, make sure it’s saying the right thing about your brand.

FAQ

1. Are newer domain extensions like .AI or .TECH as trustworthy as .COM?

   1. Yes, in many cases! Extensions like .AI and .TECH have become widely accepted (especially in tech circles) and often reflect modern, innovative branding. Trust comes down to how the domain is used, not just the TLD.

2. Will my choice of domain extension affect SEO?

   1. Not directly. Google treats most TLDs equally. The only exception is country-code domains (like .UK or .CA), which can impact local SEO. What matters more is content quality, user experience, and backlinks, not the extension itself.

3. What’s the downside of using a .COM domain in 2025?

   1. The biggest issue is availability. Because .COM is so saturated, finding a short and brandable name can be tough. You might have to get creative or settle for a longer domain.

4. Is it better to pick a trendy extension like .STORE or stick with a classic?

   1. It depends on your goals. A trendy TLD can boost branding and memorability (e.g., tech.store), while classics like .COM or .ORG lend immediate credibility. Match the TLD to your brand tone and audience.

5. How do I know if a domain extension has a “bad” reputation?

   1. Some TLDs, like .XYZ or .CLICK, are known for being used in spam or low-trust sites. That doesn’t mean all sites on them are bad—but they can raise red flags with users or spam filters. Stick with extensions that are recognized in your industry.

6. What if the exact domain name I want is taken on .COM?

   1. Don’t give up! Consider alternatives like .CO, .NET, or an industry-specific TLD like .DESIGN or .MEDIA. These can help you preserve branding while increasing availability.

7. Should I buy multiple extensions to protect my brand?

   1. If your budget allows, yes. Securing your brand across popular TLDs (.COM, .NET, .CO, etc.) can prevent impersonation and protect your online identity. It’s especially useful for growing businesses or startups.