.com vs .com.au: Which Is Better for an Aussie Business?
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The short answer
Is .com or .com.au better for an Australian business? For a business that sells to Australians, a .com.au is a good fit. Google says country-code endings "provide a strong signal to both users and search engines that your site is explicitly intended for a certain country".3 The catch is auDA's rule: "To register a com.au/net.au domain name you must be an Australian commercial entity."1 A .com is a generic ending, meaning "domains that aren't associated with specific locations", so it's a good fit for a business that sells worldwide.3
What's the difference between .com and .com.au?
A .com isn't tied to a place. Google calls this kind of ending a generic one, meaning "domains that aren't associated with specific locations".3
A .com.au is Australian. auDA, the body that runs the .au space, says "com.au domain names are for businesses with a connection to Australia."1
So the real difference isn't the letters. It's who is allowed to own the name, and what the ending tells a visitor.
Is .com.au better than .com for an Australian business?
If your customers are in Australia, yes, it's usually the natural pick. Google's documentation says country-code endings "provide a strong signal to both users and search engines that your site is explicitly intended for a certain country."3
That's about signals, not a ranking boost. Nothing here says a .com.au will outrank a .com, and we wouldn't promise it.
A .com is the better fit when you sell to people overseas as much as at home, because it isn't "associated with specific locations".3
Who can register a .com.au?
This is where people get caught. Not everyone can hold one.
auDA's rule is plain: "To register a com.au/net.au domain name you must be an Australian commercial entity."1
Com.au names "can be held by commercial entities registered to trade in Australia or that hold an Australian trade mark."1 The name also "needs to have a connection to your business".1
The rules keep applying after you register. auDA says "you must meet the requirements at the time you register and for the entire time that you hold the domain name."1
Those are .au rules. Check your registrar's terms for any other ending, including .com.
Should I buy both the .com and the .com.au?
Not by any rule we found. For the .au and .com.au pair, auDA's fact sheet says "you do not need to register both".2 It's silent on the .com, so what follows is our view.
Buy the .com.au first if you're eligible. Add a matching .com only if it's free and you want to protect the name, or you plan to sell overseas. Each extra name is another renewal, so check the price with your registrar.
If you do hold two, pick one main address and ask your registrar to redirect the other to it.
What if the .com is already taken?
It happens. If you're eligible, the .com.au can be your main address, and you don't need the .com to run a good site.
Don't register a near-miss .com just to have one. If it isn't yours to hold, it only confuses customers.
Also check the shorter option. Our page on whether you need the .au version too covers it.
Your domain ending and where your site is hosted are separate questions. We cover the second one in where your host's servers sit and how it affects SEO.
How to choose in two minutes
Customers mostly in Australia, and you qualify: go for the .com.au. auDA says it's open to "commercial entities registered to trade in Australia or that hold an Australian trade mark".1
Customers worldwide, or you're not an Australian commercial entity: a .com is a good fit, because it isn't "associated with specific locations".3
Both audiences: a .com.au plus a .com that redirects to it, or the other way round. Pick one main address.
Once you've picked, you'll connect it inside your site builder, such as Wix or Squarespace. Our guides show where that happens if you make a Wix website, set up a Squarespace site or build a free WordPress.com site.
Frequently asked questions
Is .com or .com.au better for an Australian business?
For a business serving Australians, a .com.au is a good fit. Google says country-code endings "provide a strong signal to both users and search engines that your site is explicitly intended for a certain country."3 You must qualify first: "To register a com.au/net.au domain name you must be an Australian commercial entity."1
Should I buy both the .com and the .com.au?
No rule we found says you must. For the .au and .com.au pair, auDA's fact sheet says "you do not need to register both".2 If you hold a second name, ask your registrar to redirect it to your main one.
Can I get a .com.au without an Australian business?
Not as a general rule. auDA says com.au names "can be held by commercial entities registered to trade in Australia or that hold an Australian trade mark."1
Do I keep my .com.au if I close my business?
Not necessarily. auDA says "if you close your business and the ABN / ACN tied to it is cancelled, you are no longer eligible to hold that domain name."1
Sources
- com.au and net.au rules: eligibility and allocation, auDA. Checked 26 October 2026.
- .au direct fact sheet, auDA. Checked 26 October 2026.
- Managing multi-regional and multilingual sites, Google Search Central. Checked 26 October 2026.