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Startup Domain Names: The Best Tech Domain Extensions to Consider
Written by Sarah Johnson ·
🔍 Summary:
TL;DR – As a startup, the right domain can propel your branding and marketing forward. With that in mind, a .com domain extension is the gold standard, but you might find it difficult to find an available domain name that matches your branding. A country-code TLD can help you reach a local audience, while an industry-specific one can give you instant recognizability in the industry (though it may lack broader appeal elsewhere).
📋 Table of Contents
1. Importance of a Good Domain Name for Your Startup
Your domain name is usually the first thing a prospective customer or client will see when interacting with any of your content online, so you want to make a good first impression. And for startups, these first impressions can mean the difference between landing a good investor or close up shop for good.
A strong startup domain name ensures that your website is credible and legitimate, but beyond that, it also needs to be memorable, catchy, and "brandable."
But for a long time, companies typically had three very similar domain extensions they could use for their websites: .com, .net, and .org. These three domain extensions still make up the bulk of all registrations, with .com leading the pack at over 37% of all registrations across all domains. As such, most of the "good" .com names were taken, and startups faced a choice between adding clunky hyphens or numbers to their domains or choosing something that sounded completely out of left field.
In 2013, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), began implementing more generic TLDs (meaning those that weren't bound to specific countries or territories). This led to somewhat of a "land rush" where companies could find similar names across different startup domain extensions and further their branding by choosing the precise domain for their industry. But now companies faced a choice between using the established .com or .net vs. a new domain.
2. Case Studies and Lessons From Successful Startup Domain Names
In general, most prominent companies use the .com domain extension, with the domain name part being carefully chosen to display the company's purpose at a glance while still being creative.
For example, Dropbox uses the words "drop" and "box" to immediately signal it has something to do with storage, while GitHub simply uses the word "Git" (the version control system) with the community-oriented "hub."
On the other end of the spectrum, del.icio.us is one of the most prominent early displays of domain hacking. The website used the ccTLD for the United States (.us) to make it a part of the domain itself. Eventually, the website acquired delicious.com and changed its name, showcasing just how natural the .com is for internet browsing and online visibility.
When you look across all major startups in recent years, there are a few notable patterns that keep repeating:
- Made-up names need to have intrinsic meaning – In general, words need to either imply something about the company (typically from the word roots or parts), or the domain name itself should be a proper word that has a meaning other than what the company is using it for.
- The startup domain extension can be used creatively or for instant recognition. There are three options here. The .com and similar popular domains are used since they're reliable. Country TLDs can be used for regional SEO or for working with the short two-letter domain name itself. Industry-specific generic TLDs should be used only if you're certain about targeting that audience niche.
- Made-up words need to be pronounceable – It doesn't matter how creative your company or domain name is if nobody can remember it and type it into the browser. Companies like Slack or Figma use words with no meaning or ones different from the usual, but are still easy to remember.
- If in doubt, create a word that defines your branding – Words have meaning, and giving your company a descriptive name can make it difficult to pivot later. Consider Amazon, which ordinarily has nothing to do with the river, which has expanded from selling books online to being the premier online shopping experience.
3. Key Strategies for Generating Domain Name Ideas
3.1 Brand Relevance
One of the first things you have to do when determining a domain name is to align it with your company's name and intended branding. Your domain should connect to your core value proposition, target audience, or the problem you're solving. This doesn't mean being overly literal, but there should be a logical bridge between your name and your mission.
Start by listing keywords that describe your startup. You can do so by answering these questions:
- What problem do you solve?
- Who are your users?
- What technologies do you use?
- What industry are you disrupting?
- What emotions should your brand evoke?
For a project management SaaS company, relevant keywords might include: task, team, workflow, collaborate, organize, and plan. From this foundation, you can build compound words (Taskflow), modify spellings (Taskim), or create entirely new brandable terms (Asana).
3.2 Memorability and Simplicity
You can apply a "radio test."
Tell someone around you your intended domain name out loud, then ask them to write it down or type it into a browser. If people can't properly identify how your domain name is written after hearing it, you've failed the radio test and will likely need to go back to the drawing board.
Of course, there are exceptions when marketing overcomes spelling oddities. For example, Lyft isn't entirely clear that it should be spelled with a "y" instead of the usual "i."
3.3 Length and Complexity
Simplicity begets brevity, and shorter domains are easier to remember and reproduce. For made-up words, the root would have all the intended meaning anyway.
With that in mind, most startups end up having a domain name that's between six and 12 letters long. This gives enough room to create something unique while ensuring the name is available for purchase in the first place.
3.4 Choosing Domain Extensions
For tech startup domains, the .com is the golden standard, but given the number of new companies emerging, it's safe to say most good names are taken by now. Here's a list of a few excellent alternatives.
| Extension | TLD Type | Best For | Avg. Annual Cost | Perception | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .com | Generic | General startups, maximum credibility | $10-15 | Universal trust, professional | Very Limited |
| .io | Country-code British Indian Overseas Territory | Developer tools, tech startups | $50 | Tech-savvy, innovative | Moderate |
| .ai | Country-code Anguilla | AI/ML companies, tech startups | $80-120 | Cutting-edge, specialized | Good |
| .co | Country-code Colombia | Startups, companies (alternative to .com) | $30 | Professional, modern | Good |
| .tech | Generic, new | Technology companies, startups | $50 | Industry-specific, forward-thinking | Very Good |
| .app | Generic, new | Mobile/web applications, software companies | $10-15 | Clear functionality signal | Very Good |
| .dev | Generic, new | Developer-focused products | $10-15 | Technical, credible in dev community | Very Good |
| .cloud | Generic, new | SaaS, cloud services | $20-30 | Modern infrastructure | Very Good |
| .net | Generic, new | Networks, tech infrastructure | $10-15 | Established but less premium than .com | Moderate |
Pricing from Register.Domains for the first year, so it can vary by registrar.
3.5 Legal Considerations
Before you buy a domain name, you need to ensure you can actually legally use it, which is done by a comprehensive trademark search. An existing trademark on a name you're planning to get means that the registration holder could, in theory, at any point ask for that domain name and file a dispute to obtain it or prevent you from using it.
Beyond trademarks, check social media relevant to your intended audience to see if there's an available username that's the same or similar to the domain name. Most companies end up having the same social media handle and domain name for simplicity.
Finally, make sure to do a broader Google search for the meaning of your domain name in other languages.
4. Steps to Secure a Domain Name
Once you've identified potential domain names that pass your brand, legal, and availability checks, it's time to secure your choice.
Checking Availability
Start with a comprehensive search across multiple tech domain extensions simultaneously. Register.Domains allows you to search your desired name across all major tech and startup-friendly extensions in one query, including .io, .ai, .co, .tech, .dev, .app, and .cloud.
Use the bulk search feature if you have multiple name variations to check. This saves time when you're comparing options like "taskflow," "task-flow," and "flowTask" across different extensions.
If your first choice is unavailable, the availability checker often suggests alternatives. Pay attention to these, as sometimes a slight modification you hadn't considered actually ends up working better than the original idea.
Registering the Domain
Once all the prepwork and creative processes are done, the actual registration should be simple:
- Head on to Register.Domains and enter your desired domain name in the search.
- Select the available domain name and choose the registration duration.
- Add WHOIS privacy protection if you want (which masks you from being identifiable as the owner of the website).
- Set up automatic renewal.
- Add extras such as DNS hosting or domain forwarding if needed.
- Finish the payment and start setting up your website.
5. Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
One of the biggest issues new startups encounter is a lack of available names on the .com domain. Some compensate for this by adding hyphens or numbers to their domain names, but this is ultimately counterproductive. Special symbols are much more likely to be forgotten by the end user, and if there's an existing company that has a domain without them, they can soak up your traffic.
Naming-wise, the more complicated or obscure the name, the less likely the user will be able to intuit what your company is about. You need to be memorable but distinct from the crowd.
Don't use a free domain name service, as most common websites are typically associated with scams and use obscure domain extensions. This can make your business seem less legitimate or downright dangerous.
Finally, make sure to leave room for growth by making sure that the name doesn't actually describe your current services entirely (this is also good advice for creating trademarks). Otherwise, you might get new products or services later and get stuck with an unsuitable name or need to register multiple new domains.
6. Rebranding Considerations
Not all names end up being perfect, and you might consider changing it entirely to suit an updated image of your company. Here's when you might want to make the switch:
- Legal issues involving a registered trademark that's a bit too close to your brand name.
- You've launched a domain from a non-tech domain extension or one that doesn't have the right connotation.
- If you can acquire the .com version of your domain name, and you're using one of the less-populated startup domain extensions.
When making the switch, you can keep both the new and the old domain active and implement redirects to ensure clients land on the new website. Additionally, make sure to properly notify your clients of the upcoming change.
7. Conclusion
Using one of the newer tech domain extensions can be a lucrative option if your startup domain name is unavailable for .com or .net. However, make sure that your intended name actually properly conveys your branding and mission and is catchy enough to stand out from established competitors. Beyond that, you can use a cheaper domain to make the growing pains smaller or make it easier to transfer to a new one.
To make the search easier, you can use Register.Domains to browse through all the available tech- and startup-oriented domain extensions, then register your website in minutes. The best time to claim your new website is now.
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Search Domains Now8. FAQs
Can I Sell My Domain Name to Another Startup Company?
Domain names can be sold, and some companies even operate entirely by trading domain names on the secondary market. Most domains sell for roughly the same price you paid to register them, unless the name becomes hugely popular.
What Is the Reason for Choosing Weird or Unusual Domain Names for Startups?
Common words are typically already taken for .com or .net domain extensions. Plus, made-up words can be given whatever meaning you want.
How to Find a Startup Domain Extension for a Small Company?
Beyond brainstorming by yourself, you can use an AI domain generator. It can help you narrow down the list of possible TLDs based on your industry and intended audience.
What Are the Most Important Domain Extensions for a Tech Startup?
The .tech domain is practically synonymous with the industry. Other vital extensions are .ai, .io, or .app. However, don't discount the clarity and trustworthiness of a good .com domain.
Should I Register Multiple Domains Even if I'm Using a Tech Domain Extension?
This is called defensive registration and is a common practice to prevent cybersquatting or impersonation. However, make sure that your budget can allow it.
