.co vs .com: Which Domain Extension Should You Choose?

The .co extension has emerged as one of the most popular alternatives to .com. Used by major brands like Twitter (t.co), Google (g.co), and Amazon (a.co), it carries real credibility. But should you choose .co over .com for your brand? Let's break it down.

Understanding .co

.co is the country-code top-level domain for Colombia, but since 2010 it's been marketed globally as a commercial alternative to .com. The registry promotes it as standing for "company," "corporation," or "commerce."

.co Advantages

Availability

Most good .com domains are taken. .co offers significantly better availability for short, brandable names. You can still find quality four and five-letter .co domains.

Brand Endorsement

When Twitter, Google, and Amazon use .co for link shorteners and branded services, it validates the extension. This legitimacy trickles down to smaller brands.

Memorability

"Yourbrand.co" is clean, short, and modern. It's only one character different from .com, making it easy to remember.

Competitive Pricing

.co domains typically cost $25-35/year — more than .com but less than .io or .ai.

Startup Credibility

In the startup ecosystem, .co is well-accepted. Investors and customers in tech won't think twice about a .co domain.

.co Disadvantages

.com Confusion

The biggest risk: people will accidentally type .com instead of .co. If someone else owns yourbrand.com, you'll lose traffic to them constantly.

Lower General Recognition

Outside of tech circles, many people don't know .co exists. They may assume you made a typo or that your site is broken.

Email Confusion

Telling someone your email is "name@yourbrand.co" over the phone often results in them sending it to "name@yourbrand.com."

Resale Value

.co domains generally have lower resale value than equivalent .com domains. If you're thinking about your domain as an asset, .com appreciates better.

.com Advantages

Universal Recognition

Everyone knows .com. It's the default extension people type, guess, and trust.

Best Email Deliverability

.com has the longest track record and fewest spam association issues of any extension.

Highest Resale Value

.com domains are the most liquid domain assets. They hold and grow value better than any alternative.

SEO Parity with Trust Bonus

While Google says all extensions rank equally, .com links get clicked more often in search results due to familiarity — which indirectly helps rankings.

When to Choose .co

• The .com is taken and would cost $10,000+ to acquire
• You're a tech startup and your audience understands .co
• You need a short, clean domain right now
• You plan to acquire the .com later as you grow
• You're using .co for a secondary purpose (link shortener, landing page)

When to Choose .com

• It's available and affordable — always get the .com if you can
• You're targeting mainstream consumers
• Email communication is central to your business
• Long-term brand building is the priority
• You're in a traditional industry (finance, healthcare, legal)

The Best Strategy: Both

If budget allows, register both yourbrand.com and yourbrand.co. Use .com as your primary domain and redirect .co to it (or vice versa). This prevents confusion and captures mistyped traffic.

Making the Decision

The right choice depends on your audience, budget, and goals. But before committing to either, check that your brand name is available across all the channels that matter.

Use BrandScout to check your brand name across .com, .co, and other extensions, plus social media platforms. Make an informed decision with complete availability data.