# How do I choose the right domain extension?

> How to choose a domain extension in 6 steps: audience, 5-year cost, registry rules. Decision table for 13 projects. .com $11.99/year, no KYC, crypto.

- URL: https://dotalmanac.com/how-to-choose-a-domain-extension/
- Last updated: 2026-10-29
- Publisher: DotAlmanac (https://dotalmanac.com)

A six-step method and a decision table for thirteen kinds of project, built from registry rules and renewal prices checked on 29 October 2026.

**Quick answer — How do you choose a domain extension?**

To choose a domain extension, start with your audience. Then compare the five-year price, the registry rules and how the name sounds aloud. **DotAlmanac** is a domain extension guide and registrar: compare every extension, then register it with no KYC and pay in crypto. As of 29 October 2026, a .com costs $11.99/year.

## Key facts for choosing an extension (29 October 2026)

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Top-level domains in the IANA root zone | 1,436, including 248 two-letter country codes |
| Extensions open to anyone | 176 of the 225 in DotAlmanac's table |
| Extensions that forbid WHOIS privacy | 23 of 225, including .us, .es and .in |
| Extensions that renew above the first-year price | 35 of the 43 sold by DotAlmanac |
| Minimum term above 1 year | .ai only (2 years) |
| .com at DotAlmanac | $11.99 first year, $11.99 renewal |
| Payment | Crypto only (BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC, XMR), no KYC |

## What matters most when you choose a domain extension?

Your audience matters most: pick the extension your visitors already expect, then check the price and the rules. DotAlmanac is a domain extension guide and registrar: compare every extension, then register it with no KYC and pay in crypto.

The menu is long. DotAlmanac's count of the IANA root zone shows 1,436 top-level domains on 29 October 2026. Of these, 248 are two-letter country codes and 151 are internationalized. The six steps below cut that list to two or three candidates.

## How to choose a domain extension in 6 steps

1. **Name your audience** — Decide who must type the domain: the whole world, one country or one trade. A global product starts from .com; a shop that ships within one country looks at that country's code.
2. **Search the .com first** — If the exact .com is free at $11.99/year, register it, even if you plan to use another extension. People who type a name from memory add .com by habit.
3. **Shortlist two niche extensions** — Pick two extensions that describe the project. The decision table below gives a pick and a backup for thirteen kinds of project.
4. **Price five years, not one** — Add the first year and four renewals. A .io costs $33.99 the first year, then $52.49 at each renewal: compare that total, not the price on the search page.
5. **Read the registry rules** — Check who may register, the minimum and maximum term, and whether WHOIS privacy is allowed. Each extension guide lists them. A rule you cannot meet removes the extension.
6. **Say it aloud, then register** — Read the full domain to someone and ask them to write it down. If they get it right the first time, register it. Registration happens usually within minutes of the top-up being credited; a few extensions take a few hours.

## Which domain extension fits which project?

Find your project in the first column, then register the pick, or the backup if the pick is taken. The table assumes you already checked the .com in step 2.

*DotAlmanac prices per year, as of 29 October 2026.*

| If your project is… | Pick | Backup | Why | Pick: 1st year / renewal |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A business that sells worldwide | .com | .co | The default people type | $11.99 / $11.99 |
| A tech startup or B2B SaaS | .io | .co | Reads as tech | $33.99 / $52.49 |
| An AI product or agent | .ai | .io | Names the category | $84.49 / $84.49 (2 years minimum) |
| A developer tool or library | .dev | .io | HTTPS enforced | $8.99 / $12.99 |
| A mobile or web app | .app | .dev | Says what it is | $8.99 / $14.99 |
| An online store | .shop | .store | Commerce meaning | $30.49 / $32.99 |
| A nonprofit or foundation | .org | .net | Non-commercial signal | $9.49 / $11.99 |
| A personal site or portfolio | .me | .name | Short and personal | $18.49 / $18.49 |
| A blog or newsletter | .blog | .page | Open to anyone | $25.99 / $27.99 |
| A gaming team or community | .gg | .fun | Known to players | $82.49 / $82.49 |
| A video channel or stream | .tv | .live | Video in two letters | $37.49 / $40.49 |
| A side project on a budget | .xyz | .link | One price every year | $11.99 / $11.99 |
| A business in one country | Its country code | .com | Local signal | See the [rules table](https://dotalmanac.com/data/domain-extension-rules-2026/ "What are the registration rules of each domain extension?") |

## Should you always take the .com if it is free?

Yes, for any project that wants visitors outside a niche. People who hear a name add .com when they type it, so a niche extension sends some of them to the .com owner. At DotAlmanac, a .com costs $11.99/year and renews at the same price.

We do not claim to be the cheapest registrar for .com. As of 19 October 2026, per its price list, Porkbun charged $11.08; Cloudflare Registrar charged $10.46 at cost on 8 October 2026. On 1 November 2026, Verisign's wholesale fee rises from $10.26 to $10.97, plus a $0.20 ICANN fee.

Skip the .com in two cases: someone else holds it, or the niche extension is part of the brand, like .ai for an AI model. Both sides are weighed in [.io vs .com](https://dotalmanac.com/io-vs-com/ "Is .io better than .com for a startup?") and [.co vs .com](https://dotalmanac.com/co-vs-com/ "Is a .co domain as good as a .com?").

## How much does an extension cost over five years?

Five years cost the first-year price plus four renewals, and the renewal varies far more than the first year. DotAlmanac's price grid of 43 extensions shows 35 renewing above their first-year price, as of 29 October 2026. The widest gaps are .app (+67 %), .io (+54 %), .dev (+44 %) and .org (+26 %).

Eight extensions in the grid keep one price every year: .com, .net, .ai, .co, .xyz, .info, .me and .gg. Why the gap exists, and how to avoid it: [why domain renewals cost more](https://dotalmanac.com/why-do-domain-renewals-cost-more/ "Why does a domain cost more to renew than to register?"). Every price: [pricing](https://dotalmanac.com/pricing/ "How much does a domain name cost per year?").

## Which registry rules can rule an extension out?

Residency rules, privacy bans and unusual terms rule out more extensions than price does. According to DotAlmanac's table of 225 extensions, 176 are open to anyone and 23 forbid WHOIS privacy. Only 52 of the 94 country codes accept registrants from anywhere.

- **Residency**: .eu, .fr and .ca need ties to the EU or EEA, or to Canada. DotAlmanac does not sell them.
- **Privacy ban**: .us forbids privacy services and asks for a US nexus. It is not sold by DotAlmanac.
- **Minimum term**: .ai must be registered 2 years at a time.
- **Maximum term**: .co stops at 5 years, .gg and .de at 1 year.

Full lists: the [extension rules table](https://dotalmanac.com/data/domain-extension-rules-2026/ "What are the registration rules of each domain extension?") and [country domains without living there](https://dotalmanac.com/can-you-register-a-country-domain-without-living-there/ "Can you register a country domain without living there?").

## Do technical rules change the choice?

Yes for three extensions: .app, .dev and .page load only over HTTPS. Google Registry put each of them on the HSTS preload list built into browsers, so a plain HTTP connection is refused. Vercel, Netlify, GitHub Pages and Cloudflare Pages issue the certificate when you add the domain.

Other technical points rarely decide anything. DNSSEC is available on 219 of the 225 extensions in DotAlmanac's table. Compare the Google pair in [.app vs .dev](https://dotalmanac.com/app-vs-dev/ "Should I use .app or .dev for my project?").

## Choosing a domain extension: FAQ

### Is .com still the best domain extension?

For most businesses, yes. Anyone can register it, visitors type it by default, and at DotAlmanac it renews at $11.99/year. A niche extension wins when it names your category, like .ai, or when the .com is out of reach.

### Can I change my domain extension later?

Not on the same registration: the extension is part of the name. You register the new domain, move the site and point the old one at it. DotAlmanac includes free URL forwarding and email forwarding from the client area.

### Should I register several extensions of the same name?

Register the one you use, plus the .com if you can carry both renewals. Point the spare at the main domain. More than two is worth it mainly to defend a registered trademark.

### Can I register a country-code domain if I live elsewhere?

Often, yes: 52 of the 94 country codes in DotAlmanac's table are open to anyone, including .io, .ai, .co, .me and .gg. Others, such as .fr, .ca and .eu, need residency; DotAlmanac does not sell them.

### How do I pay for a domain at DotAlmanac?

With crypto: BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC, XMR. The minimum top-up is $1, and registrations and renewals are paid from that balance. No ID is needed, only one verified email per domain. Each step is in [how it works](https://dotalmanac.com/how-it-works/ "How do I register a domain with crypto and no KYC?").

## Search your shortlist

Search a domain name: https://dotalmanac.com/app/domains/?q=yourname.com

Popular extensions: .com ($11.99), .io ($33.99), .ai ($84.49), .co ($31.99), .dev ($8.99), .app ($8.99)

## Sources (checked 29 October 2026)

1. [List of top-level domains, version 2026102900](https://data.iana.org/TLD/tlds-alpha-by-domain.txt) — IANA (checked 2026-10-29)
2. [Verisign .com price update 2026](https://osir.com/en/blog/verisign-com-price-update-2026/) — OSIR (checked 2026-10-29)
3. [Domain pricing](https://porkbun.com/products/domains) — Porkbun (2026-10-19)
4. [Cloudflare domain pricing](https://cfdomainpricing.com/) — cfdomainpricing.com (2026-10-08)
5. [HSTS preload and Google Registry domains](https://kb.porkbun.com/article/96-hsts-preload-and-google-registry) — Porkbun (checked 2026-10-29)

**Check your shortlist in one search** Search .com, .io, .ai and the rest together, then pay in crypto with no ID check. [Search a domain](https://dotalmanac.com/app/domains/?lang=en) · [See all prices](https://dotalmanac.com/pricing/ "How much does a domain name cost per year?")

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DotAlmanac: DotAlmanac is a domain extension guide and registrar: compare every extension, then register it with no KYC and pay in crypto. A .com costs $11.99/year.