Differences between different domain extensions
There are more than 1000 different types of domains, initially created for very specific purposes, and now they are categorized due to the high number of extensions available today.
Type of domains
Domains are divided into three types:
Generic (gTLD)
These were the first Internet domain extensions, and thus, they are the most used and well-known today. Although they were created to meet the needs of certain sectors (for example .com for Commercial websites), over the years this distinction has blurred, and it is common to see any type of website under a generic domain.
Within this category, there are also sponsored domains or sTLD. These are top-level domains sponsored by a specific organization or community, and they are restricted to that sector. Some examples of sTLD are: .cat for the Catalan-speaking community, .aero for the aerospace industry, or .gov for government agencies.
Why register a gTLD
Registering a gTLD is ideal for international or general-purpose projects, as they are the most popular and recognized type of domain among the public.
- .com for commercial purposes.
- .net for network infrastructures.
- .org for organizations.
- .info for information.
- .biz for businesses.
- .mobi for mobile telephony.
Territorial (ccTLD)
These domains are used to locally position a website in specific countries and/or territories. Although some, due to their initials, are used for entirely different purposes. For example, .ai (the domain for the territory of Anguilla) is being used for websites related to artificial intelligence; or .tv, which although belonging to Tuvalu, has always been associated with television.
Why register a ccTLD
When your business or activity is focused on a specific territory or country, registering a territorial domain is one of the best options to help enhance your local presence.
Another common use of ccTLD is using them for various languages. If your main page is in .com, you can use .fr for the French version, .es for the Spanish version...
- .es for Spain.
- .eu for the European Union.
- .it for Italy.
- .fr for France.
- .mx for Mexico.
- .tv for Tuvalu, but it has been associated with television due to its initials.
- .io belongs to the British Indian Ocean Territory, but it is commonly known as the startups' domain.
- .co belongs to Colombia, but due to its similarity, it positions as an alternative to .com
- .ai belongs to the Territory of Anguilla, but due to its initials, it is focused on Artificial Intelligence.
New domains (ngTLD)
They arose in response to the high demand for generic domains. Their peculiarity is that they are, in themselves, specific keywords. This helps the user understand what type of content is associated with these domains.
Why register an ngTLD
ngTLDs are the best option to reinforce your brand identity or membership to a specific niche, and they position as the best option when there is no availability in saturated gTLDs or for brand name protection.
- .app for applications.
- .club for clubs or associations.
- .shop for online stores.
- .online for everything related to the online world.
- .dev for developers.
- .abogado for lawyers and law firms.
- .casa for the real estate sector.
- .menu for bars and restaurants.
Other categories of domains
- Second-level domains: are domains registered under a top-level domain. An example would be "example.es" where "example" is the second-level domain and the extension is .es.
- Third-level domains: are domains registered under a top-level domain. For example, "example.com.es" where "example" is the third-level domain and the extension is .com.es.
What type of domain to choose?
The choice of domain depends on the objectives of the website, some examples:
- For an international or general-purpose business: .com is the most popular and recognized option.
- For a local business or focused on a specific country or language: a ccTLD such as .es or .mx can help generate.
- For a unique brand or project: ngTLDs offer a wide variety of options offering much more exact names.
- For a non-profit organization: .org is the most appropriate option.
Search for your domain in our domain search to see all available domains.