.Com vs .Net – Which Domain Extension is BEST for You 2022

The first thing for creating a blog or website, you need to register a domain name.

But, the most crucial part is choosing the right domain extension (such as .com, .net, .org etc.) as it highlights your site’s purpose and helps to build your brand.

There are over hundreds of domain extensions available on the internet and amongst them, .Com and .Net are the most popular.

If you are planning to register a domain for your business, blog, organization, or any other purpose, you should know which domain extension is suitable for your website, SEO benefits, and price differences, etc.

So, in this article, I will cover:

What is a Domain Extension?

Each domain name is formed of two different parts – a second-level domain (SLD), and a top-level domain (TLD).

In simple words, a second-level domain (SLD) is your website’s name that comes before the dot (.) sign.

For example, in the domain name “wpmyweb.com“, “wpmyweb“ is the second-level domain.

A top-level domain (TLD), also called domain extension is the last part of a domain name that comes after the dot (.) sign.

There are different types of domain extensions available that were created to differentiate different kinds of websites, for example, a .com extension is mostly used for commercial businesses, a .org used for organizations, .edu for educational websites, etc.

Here are the most popular TLDs:

.Com - .Com stands for “commercial”, which is mainly used for businesses, blogs, or any kind of profitable websites. For example, Apple.com.

.Net - .Net stands for “networking” that is mostly used for networking related websites, such as, Speedtest.net.

.Org- .Org represents “organization” which is used for non-profit organizations. For example, Wikipedia.org.

However, if you are targeting any specific location or country, you can use country-specific TLDs such as “.us” for the United States, “.in” for India, “.eu” for Europe, “.com.au” for Australia, etc.

Now, let’s see the difference between Com vs Net domain extensions to find out which one you should choose for your website.

Difference Between .Com and .Net Domain Extensions

.Com and .Net both are the most popular domain name extensions on the internet.

Nearly 50% of all global websites are registered with the .com domain extension, where 3.5% of total websites are registered with the .net extension.

.Com stands for “Commercial” is the most registered domain extension on the internet.

It is primarily used for commercial businesses, including E-commerce websites, personal blogs, portfolios, or any profitable sites. For example, Amazon.com, Google.com, Facebook.com, etc.

.Net stands for “Network,” which was first created for the use of networking websites such as internet service providers, email and database service providers, technology-related websites, for example, “speedtest.net”.

However, nowadays, many businesses register both .com and .net domain extension to make sure nobody else can use their company name domain.

Now, you know the difference between .net vs .com, let's take a look at when you should use these domain extensions.

When You Should Use a .Com Domain?

The .com is the most registered domain name extension in the domain name system on the internet. 

Due to the vast popularity of the .com domain name, it’s easier for users to remember a .com domain than any other extensions.

You should use a .Com domain extension:

However, due to the massive popularity of the .com extension, most of the proper domain names are already registered, which cannot be registered again.

If this happens, then a .net or any other domain extension would be a great choice.

When You Should Choose a .Net Domain?

The .net extension represents “Network,” which was specially designed for the use of tech-related websites and companies.

Only 3.5% of the total websites are registered with a .net extension, that’s why it’s easier to get a .net domain.

Here’s when you should use a .Net domain extension.

Pros and Cons of Using a .Com Domain

Before you purchase a .com domain, first look at what are the advantages or disadvantages of it.

As .com is the most popular domain name, it’s easier to remember, builds credibility, and suitable for almost all types of websites. The only disadvantage is it’s hard to find a good.com domain name.

Pros of Using a .Com Domain

Cons of Using a .Com Domain

Pros and Cons of Using a .Net Domain

A .net domain is a great alternative to the .com domain. If you can’t find a suitable .com domain, go for .net.

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of using a .net domain.

Pros of Using a .Net Domain

Cons of Using a .Net Domain

.Com vs .Net – Which Extension is Better for SEO?

Now, you may be wondering which domain extension (let’s say .com vs .net) will help you to rank higher on Google or has the maximum SEO benefits.

If you ask so, then none of the extensions will help you to boost SEO. That means both the .net and .com extension will perform very well.

The way you can improve your website’s SEO is by following the best SEO practices such as – link building, creating a high-quality article, using the right keywords, and many more.

Now, you know the difference between .com vs .net domain extensions, let’s take a look at how to choose an SEO friendly domain name.

How to Choose an SEO friendly Domain Name

a) Keep it short - Try to keep your domain name as short as possible. The ideal domain length should be 9-15 characters. Shorter domains are easier to remember.

b) Easy to Pronounce - Make sure your domain name is easy to pronounce. Don’t add any complex letters in your domain that are not understandable at a first glance.

Just look at the most popular websites - Google, Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, etc. 

They have one thing in common: they are all easy to pronounce.

c) Don’t repeat any letter - Keep your domain name simple. Don’t repeat any letters because of availability. This often makes people confused.

For example,

• MyNewDomain.com - is a good name.

• MyyNewDDomain.com - is a bad name.

d) Avoid numbers and hyphens - Adding numbers and hyphens in your domain name is not a good idea.

For example,

• 123mydomain.com
• My-domain.com

These types of domains are mostly used by spammers. 

e) Come up with a new name - While registering a domain name, you will find most of the names are already registered, which can’t be claimed again.

In this case, you need to think of a new name that is unique and sounds brandable.

The name you are planning to register doesn’t require a meaning. Just think of “Google”. It doesn’t have any actual meaning, but the most popular site.

You can also use your name as a domain name.

How to Register a Free Domain Name?

Before we start registering a domain name, let me ask you a question - 

“Are you planning to create a new website (with a new domain)?” 

Or,

“You need a domain name only (not a website)?”

If your answer is the first one - then I have great news for you. 

The good news is you will get a FREE domain name (with a hosting plan) and it will take only 15 minutes to create a website.

"To create a website whether a blog, business website or an online store, you need to purchase a domain as well as web hosting."

A domain costs around $14 for a year and web hosting plans start from $9 per month. 

Now, if I calculate, that’s around $120 for a year and $360 for 3 years.

That’s too much for those who are just getting started.

Here are the pricing differences below if you do or do not register a domain with Bluehost.

Bluehost is officially recommended by WordPress.org, currently powering over 2 million websites worldwide.

The reasons why people love Bluehost is because of their beginner-friendly dashboard, features they offer, free domain name, and affordable hosting price.

Their hosting plan starts from only $3.95/ month, which includes:

Step 2, choose a hosting plan

Choose a plan, based on your requirements. For now, choose the Basic Plan if you want to host a single website.

For hosting an unlimited number of websites, select the Plus plan. But don’t worry, you can also upgrade your current plan at any time.

Click on the Select button to get started.

Step 3, register a free domain

In this step, you need to register a domain.

However, you can also use a domain that you already purchased or you can decide later.

If you want to register a new domain name,

• Enter your domain name in the blank field
• Choose an extension (.com or .net) from the drop down option
• Click on the Next button

Step 4, Account Information:

Here, you need to fill in your account information, such as your name, email, phone, address, etc.

Step 5, Package Information

In this section, you need to choose your Billing Cycle.

I highly recommend you to choose the 36 months / 3 years package for the maximum discount.

Step 6, Package Extras

You will be asked to add extra packages but it’s optional. I recommend turning them off.

The only feature I recommend adding is Domain Privacy + Protection. This will cost you an extra $11.88, but it will save you from spammers.

Domain privacy hides all your contact information from domain lookup tools. 

If you don’t have domain privacy activated, spammers will collect your name, phone number, email address, and spam you all the time.

Step 7, Payment Information

Now, you need to enter your payment information. You can pay using both PayPal and a Credit card. 

Click on the More payment options to get the PayPal payment option.

Step 8, Submit your info

That’s it. 

Now, check the Terms and Policy and click on the Submit button.

Check your email for cPanel login details.

Once the payment is done, you will receive Bluehost’s cPanel login details on your email.

Using the details, you can access your hosting’s cPanel account and create your website.

Frequently Asked Questions (.Com vs .Net):-

Is .com or .net better?

In a domain name, the only one thing that matters is the domain name, not the extension.

So both the extensions (.net vs .com) will perform very well. These extensions were created for a different purpose in serving your website.

Can You use .NET for a Business?

Yes, you can use a .Net domain for your business. However, I wouldn’t recommend a .Net extension for your business.

Using a .net domain for a business can damage the credibility of a brand and sends a false message to people as the .net represents network-related services.

Should you use .Net if .Com is taken?

If you see a .com domain is already registered, you need to think about new website names that are available to register or go with the .net extension.

How much does a domain extension cost?

Registering a domain costs around $12 to $30 per year. This depends on domain extensions, contract length, and domain register. Plus, domain privacy costs extra bucks. 

But, Bluehost offers a free domain registration with its hosting plan.

.Com vs .Net – The Verdict

Com and Net are the two most popular domain extensions on the internet. They were created to differentiate different kinds of websites. 

So if you are registering a domain name for the first time, you should know which domain extension would be perfect for your new website or business.

If you want to buy a domain name for any kind of commercial business or website, then the .com extension would be perfect.

The .net extension is for those who offer internet, cable-tv services, email hosting, database hosting, and other networking related websites.