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.Org vs .Com: What’s The Difference?

Jeff White,  Kelly Main
Contributor,  Editor

Updated: Apr 30, 2024, 1:13am

Aaron Broverman
editor

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.Org vs .Com: What’s The Difference?

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There are hundreds of domain extensions that are used on the web all around the world, but two of the most popular and recognizable ones are .org and .com. Both are top-level domains (TLDs) and are also known as domain extensions. This is the last part of a website address and each provides the site visitor with an initial impression of the website based on that extension. It’s important that you choose the right type of TLD to reflect your business or site purpose.

  • .org: The .org extension is short for “organization” and was created for charities or non-profit organizations to provide valuable information for a specific purpose.
  • .com: The .com extension is the most universally used TLD by businesses for commercial purposes.

.Org vs .Com Compared

Both .org and .com extensions are similar in price to register and maintain the domain but differ slightly in intended purpose. While any URL and TLD can give your business a professional feel, the right one could give you a leg up on communicating to your audience what your purpose is. When using a .org extension, it is natural for the reader to think that you’re not trying to sell them anything, while a .com extension is commonly used for commercial purposes. The .com extension is the most popular TLD, which makes it difficult to find the domain name you want.

.org vs .com


.com .org
Business types Any commercial business or other website purpose Charities, non-profits, other organizations
Average price $9 CAD to $20 CAD per year $9 CAD to $20 CAD per year
Availability Very difficult due to popularity Difficult, but more available than .com
Examples Forbes.com

Google.com		 RedCross.org

Wikipedia.org

It’s important to understand that there aren’t any official rules as to what domain extension you can use for any type of website that you’re building. Any business can use a .org extension, even if you’re a for-profit commercial business. In fact, some businesses choose this domain on purpose to give them more of a look of authority at launch. There is no right way to do it but, traditionally, it makes more sense to stick to the unofficial rules of what the TLDs are each used for.

The costs for either a .org or .com domain aren’t set in stone. You can buy each from most major domain registrars but each will have its own price. Many will run special deals giving you a domain for a discounted price for your first year and then you would pay the normal domain annual fee when you renew. You can expect to pay a similar annual fee for registration for either a .com or .org domain that varies between around $9 CAD and $20 CAD per year.

The .com extension is the most popular domain used in the world, as the first commercial companies used it for their websites before so many extensions became available. It stuck for major commercial businesses and sites and most large brands today use it for their home online. This makes it hard to find the name you may want if you’re just starting your website today, but you may still find good options. The .org extension is also well used but is a bit less popular than .com.

When To Choose a .org Domain

Traditionally, you would want to choose the .org domain extension if you’re a charity or non-profit organization looking to launch a website about your organization. However, anyone can use the .org domain and you may be interested in finding an extension that tells people you aren’t trying to sell them anything, and if that’s the case, then .org is a great extension. Most small businesses will likely want to find a .com domain instead.


Pros: Cons:
  • Professional and trusted domain that anyone can use
  • More likely to find the name you want than trying with .com
  • Can be cheaper annually to maintain
  • The connotation that you are a non-profit or charity when you are not may turn off some customers
  • Limited availability compared to other domain extensions (not .com)
  • Some believe that .org is not as marketable of a name as .com, depending on your business type

When To Choose a .com Domain

The .com extension, short for “commercial,” is the most popular and widely used extension online. Any type of business can use a .com domain name but it can be difficult to find the name you want because of the competition. Every commercial business will find a .com name to be the most beneficial and should try to find a name that works for them with this extension before looking elsewhere.


Pros: Cons:
  • It’s the most widely used domain extension and is widely trusted and respected
  • Any type of business or website can use a .com name
  • Affordable to maintain
  • There is limited availability to find named domains because of the popularity
  • Names can be expensive on the secondary market

Where to Get a Domain Name

Once you know which extension you’d like to use, then it’s time to purchase your domain. You can purchase your domain at a number of different places as long as it is a registrar. Domain registrars are allowed to purchase and register domain names for certain domain extensions with the central domain name registry. Not every registrar can register every domain extension, for example, many don’t let you buy .io domain extensions, but you can buy a .com or a .org pretty much anywhere. Here are the three main places to buy a domain:

  • Domain name registrar: Some businesses offer a domain registrar as their primary business, such as Domain.com.
  • Web hosting service: One of the most popular places to get a domain name is at a web hosting service provider. Many sites that offer web hosting will also be registrars. In fact, many web hosting services will give you a free domain name for a full year when you pay them to host your site.
  • Website builder: A website builder, such as Squarespace, is an all-in-one solution where you can register a domain name, build your site and host it all in one place. Most web builders are also registrars and many offer a free domain name when you sign up as well.

The registrar you use is up to your preferences but you should find the best one that meets your needs and offers an affordable rate for the domain name extension you’re looking to register. You can also check out our article on the best domain registrars.

Bottom Line

Building a website is one of the most important things you can get for your business as you’re looking to launch and market to your customers, especially in today’s economy. Getting a domain with the right extension is important to giving your customers an immediate impression of what you do and whether or not you’re a respectable organization. Both .com and .org are great choices but the biggest difference is that .com domains are for commercial use and .orgs are for non-profits, traditionally. You can use any domain extension you would like to, though.

Canadian specific editing provided by Anna Rey.

Related: .Net vs .Com: What’s The Difference?

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Jeff White Contributor

Jeff is a writer, founder, and small business expert that focuses on educating founders on the ins and outs of running their business. From answering your legal questions to providing the right software for your unique situation, he brings his knowledge and diverse background to help answer the questions you have about small business operations.

Kelly Main Editor

Kelly is an SMB Editor specializing in starting and marketing new ventures. Before joining the team, she was a Content Producer at Fit Small Business where she served as an editor and strategist covering small business marketing content. She is a former Google Tech Entrepreneur and she holds an MSc in International Marketing from Edinburgh Napier University. Additionally, she manages a column at Inc. Magazine.