com.au vs .au Domains - Which One Should You Choose?

Choosing the right domain name is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your online business presence. In Australia, you now have two main options: .com.au and the newer .au domain. So, what’s the difference, and which is right for your business?

What’s the Difference?

.com.au has been the go-to Australian domain extension for over 20 years. It’s trusted, professional, and instantly recognised by Aussie customers.

.au is shorter, launched in March 2022, and gives you a more modern, streamlined web address. It’s great for branding but still gaining adoption.

Trust and Credibility

Many customers still associate .com.au with legitimacy. It’s widely accepted by Australian businesses and customers alike. If you want to project experience and authority, .com.au is the safer bet for now.

That said, .au is growing quickly and is perfect for marketing, younger brands, or when your ideal .com.au domain is taken.

Should You Register Both?

Absolutely. Owning both yourbusiness.com.au and yourbusiness.au helps protect your brand from impersonators or competitors. You can redirect one to the other and control your traffic.

SEO Impact

Both are considered equally valid by Google, as long as your site is hosted locally and optimised. But the domain extension helps users recognise your location and builds trust.

Our Advice at iWebHost

If you're a business operating in Australia, .com.au is still the standard and should be your first choice. But securing the .au version is a smart move for brand protection.

At iWebHost, we offer free .au domain names with every annual hosting plan. You can also register both versions at once through our domain name portal.

Visit iWebHost.com.au to check your domain availability today.