EXTENSIONS
.co vs .com: which one is right for your business in 2026
.com is the extension everyone assumes. .co is Colombia's country code, adopted worldwide as a short alternative by companies and startups. Here is how to decide, and why the answer for many businesses is both.
What .com gives you
Recognition. Customers type .com by default, email apps autocomplete it, and partners and investors expect it. If the .com of your name is available, register it today, whatever else you choose.
What .co gives you
.co is the country code of Colombia, but anyone in the world can register it, with no residency or company requirement. It is short, it reads naturally as "company", and it is often available when the .com is taken.
Google treats .co as a generic extension, the same way it treats .com, so a .co site can rank in any country. That makes it a credible choice for an international brand, and it also means .co alone does not tell search engines that you are in Colombia.
If you sell in Colombia: .com.co
.com.co is Colombia's commercial extension. Google associates it with Colombia, which helps when your customers search from there, and it tells visitors right away that you are a Colombian business. It is also open to anyone, with no local presence required.
Where people get it wrong
- Building on .co while a competitor owns the .com. Every misdirected email and every "I typed .com" visit goes to them. If you must launch on .co, keep trying to buy the .com and always say the extension out loud in your marketing.
- Assuming .co helps local SEO in Colombia. It does not, because Google treats it as generic. Use .com.co for that.
- Registering only one. The extension you skip is the one a competitor or an impersonator can register.
How to run two or three domains as one site
- Choose one main address. Build the site and your email on one domain, usually the .com if you own it.
- Redirect the others with a 301. A permanent redirect sends visitors and search engines to the main address, so you do not split your traffic or show duplicate pages.
- Keep email on the main domain. If you like, forward messages sent to the other domains to the same inbox.
- Align the renewals. Register them all for the same term, turn on auto-renew and let them expire on the same date.
Price and renewal
At MultipleNames, each of these extensions renews at the same price you register it:
- .com: $14.99 a year, renews at $14.99.
- .co: $46.99 a year, renews at $46.99.
- .com.co: $23.99 a year, renews at $23.99.
Prices in US dollars. The .com also carries the ICANN fee of $0.20 a year. Premium names can cost more, and the search shows the exact price before you pay.
Our recommendation
- Colombian business: .com + .co + .com.co, all pointing to the same site.
- International startup whose .com is taken: .co for the brand, and keep trying to buy the .com.
- Everyone: register the names before you announce the brand. See the brand protection page for the full set.
Frequently asked questions
Is .co a good domain for a business?
Yes. It is open to anyone, short and widely recognized by startups and companies. The main risk is not owning the .com of the same name.
Does Google treat .co as a Colombian domain?
No. Google treats .co as a generic extension, like .com, so a .co site can rank in any country. For a Colombian signal, use .com.co.
Do I need to be in Colombia to register .co or .com.co?
No. Both are open to people and companies in any country.
Will two domains pointing to one site hurt my SEO?
No, as long as the extra domains use a permanent (301) redirect to the main one. Search engines then treat them as a single site.
Should I register both .co and .com?
In most cases, yes. Point both to the same site so customers reach you whichever one they type.
Search .co and .com together
See which ones are available and what each costs to register and renew.