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.co vs .net

Which domain extension should you choose? Here's how the two compare — and when each one is the better pick.

.co Colombia's country code, relaunched worldwide in 2010 as a short alternative to .com. .net The original 1985 TLD for network infrastructure, now a general-purpose fallback to .com.

Side by side

.co.net
What it isColombia's ccTLDLegacy generic TLD, since 1985
Runs the registryMinistry of Information and Communications Technologies (MinTIC)VeriSign, Inc.
In the root zone sinceEarly ccTLD (date not recorded)January 1, 1985
Popular meaningcompany, or a short alternative to .com—
Search geotargetingccTLD that Google treats as genericGeneric — not tied to a country
DNSSEC-signedYesYes
Name servers (IPv6)4 (4)13 (13)

Choose .co if…

  • Startups and small businesses wanting a short brand
  • Companies that read ".co" as "company"
  • Colombian businesses, obviously

Watch out for

  • Visitors and email senders often autocorrect to .com
  • If someone else owns your name on .com, you'll leak traffic and email to them

A good second choice when the .com is gone, especially for short names. Own the .com too if you can, because people will type it.

Everything about .co → Register a .co domain (Colombia) ↗.co WHOIS lookup ↗Sell .co domains via API ↗

Choose .net if…

  • Infrastructure, hosting and network services
  • Technical products and internal platforms
  • Protecting your brand alongside the .com

Watch out for

  • Visitors default to .com — make sure you control both

Fine for technical services and as a backup to your .com. As a primary consumer brand, people will still type .com.

Everything about .net → Register a .net domain ↗.net WHOIS lookup ↗Sell .net domains via API ↗

Check one name on both endings

Type a name and see whether it's free as .co, .net and other endings.

Atak Domain is our sister registrar.

.co vs .net FAQ

Is .co better than .net?

Neither is better across the board. A good second choice when the .com is gone, especially for short names. Own the .com too if you can, because people will type it. Fine for technical services and as a backup to your .com. As a primary consumer brand, people will still type .com.

Does .co or .net rank better on Google?

Google doesn't give either ending a ranking bonus. What differs is geotargeting: .co is cctld that google treats as generic, and .net is generic — not tied to a country. Content and links matter far more than the TLD.

Can I use both .co and .net?

Yes, and many brands do: register both, pick one as the main site, and redirect the other to it so links and email never go astray.