.COM or Not? When Alternative Domains Work — and When It’s Smarter to Start with the Right One
The rise of .ai, .io, and .co shows that .com isn’t the only way to build a brand — but long-term strategy still matters.
Published on
Nov 4, 2025
The Changing Domain Landscape
In the past, securing a .com domain was considered a prerequisite for startup success. Today, however, innovative companies are embracing alternative TLDs — like .ai, .io, .co, and .xyz — to align with their product focus, target audience, and brand identity.
Domains are no longer just web addresses; they’re an integral part of a company’s branding strategy. Choosing the right domain can influence perception, trust, and growth potential.
The Enduring Power of .COM
Despite the rise of new TLDs, .com still carries significant advantages:
Trust and Credibility: Consumers and investors naturally associate .com with established, professional companies.
Simplicity: Easier to communicate verbally and reduces the risk of typos or misdirected traffic.
Scalability: A .com domain supports growth across markets and verticals.
Examples of strategic .com adoption:
Notion moved from notion.so → notion.com, strengthening its brand identity and improving SEO visibility.
Linear transitioned from linear.app → linear.com, providing a cleaner, globally recognizable identity.
For startups preparing to scale internationally or seeking institutional trust, .com can be a strategic anchor.
When Alternative Domains Work Perfectly Well
Alternative TLDs can also serve as strong brand assets, particularly when they reinforce the product or community identity. Startups that intentionally use non-.com domains demonstrate that a carefully chosen TLD can enhance branding rather than hinder it.
Examples:
Perplexity.ai – Signals expertise in artificial intelligence. Although perplexity.com exists, it redirects to perplexity.ai, reinforcing the AI identity.
Character.ai – The .ai extension highlights the company’s focus on AI-driven products, fully integrating the TLD into the brand.
Hugging Face – Owns both huggingface.com and huggingface.co, but actively uses huggingface.co. The .co extension fits their modern, tech-community-focused image, while .com ownership protects the brand.
Key Insight: Alternative domains can be fully sufficient if:
The TLD aligns with your product or industry.
The domain is easy to communicate and recall for your target audience.
The brand is consistent across marketing and digital channels.
Starting Smart: Securing the Right Domain from Day One
For founders thinking long-term, securing a .com from the beginning can save headaches down the road.
Owning the right premium domain avoids:
Future brand confusion or misdirection.
Costly domain acquisitions later.
Loss of investor or customer trust caused by inconsistent branding.
We help startups secure premium .com domains from the start, so your company can grow seamlessly into its brand — instead of outgrowing it. Discover our portfolio here.
Domain Strategy = Brand Strategy
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to domains. Both alternative TLDs and .com domains can support strong branding if used strategically.
The right choice depends on your product, audience, and growth ambitions:
Alternative TLDs work when they strengthen identity, support a niche, or reinforce industry focus.
.COM domains offer universality, credibility, and scalability, making them ideal for companies planning global reach or long-term growth.
Ultimately, domain strategy is brand strategy. Startups that consider their domain as part of their overall brand — and plan early — are better positioned to build lasting, recognizable, and trustworthy brands.
Sources:
wikipedia.com