If you are setting up a new website or rebranding your business, one of the first decisions you will face is which domain extension to choose. For years, .com.au was the only option for Australian businesses. Then in March 2022, .au direct domains launched — and suddenly business owners had a second credible choice.
The decision matters more than most people realise. Your domain is part of your brand identity, it affects how customers perceive you, and it influences how easy you are to find and remember. This guide breaks down every difference so you can make the right call for your business.
What Is the Difference Between .com.au and .au?
The core difference is structure and history. .com.au is a second-level domain — it sits under the .au country code and has been in use for over 30 years. .au direct removes the middle layer, giving you a shorter, cleaner web address directly under Australia’s country code.
| Feature | .com.au | .au (direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Example | yourbusiness.com.au | yourbusiness.au |
| In use since | 30+ years | March 2022 |
| Eligibility | Requires ABN, ACN, or Australian Trademark | Any person or entity with an Australian presence |
| Perception | Established, professional, highly credible | Modern, short, memorable |
| Recognition | Familiar to virtually all Australians | Growing fast, still less familiar |
| Length | Longer — harder to fit in ads | Shorter — easier for marketing |
| Best for | Established businesses, professional services, traditional industries | Startups, eCommerce, digital-first brands, campaigns |
What Is a .com.au Domain and Who Can Register One?
.com.au is Australia’s established commercial domain extension, administered by auDA (the .au Domain Administration). It has been the default choice for Australian businesses since the early 1990s and carries deep trust with Australian consumers.
To register a .com.au domain you must have one of the following:
- An Australian Business Number (ABN)
- An Australian Company Number (ACN)
- An Australian Trademark
- An Incorporated Association Number (state-based)
The domain name itself must also be an exact match or close abbreviation of your registered business or trading name. This rule is what gives .com.au its credibility — it is tied to a verified Australian business identity.
What Is a .au Domain and Who Can Register One?
The .au direct domain was launched by auDA in March 2022 to modernise Australia’s online namespace. Instead of yourbusiness.com.au, you get the cleaner yourbusiness.au.
Eligibility is broader than .com.au. You can register a .au domain if you can demonstrate an Australian presence through any of the following:
- An Australian ABN, ACN, or state-based business number
- An Australian Trademark
- An Australian driver’s licence number
- An Australian passport number
- An Australian Medicare card number
This means individuals and sole traders without a registered business can still secure a .au domain — making it more accessible than .com.au for new ventures.
Which Domain Extension Has More Trust with Australian Customers?
.com.au wins on trust — for now. After more than three decades of use, Australians have been conditioned to associate .com.au with legitimate, established businesses. When a customer sees yourbusiness.com.au, they know it is tied to a real ABN and a verified business identity.
.au is rapidly closing that gap. Since its launch in 2022, uptake has been strong and awareness is growing. For digital-first customers — particularly younger audiences — a .au address reads as modern and intentional rather than unfamiliar.
The practical reality is that .com.au is the safer choice for businesses in traditional or conservative industries (legal, accounting, medical, financial services). For technology companies, eCommerce brands, and new businesses launching in 2025 and beyond, .au is already a credible option.
Does .com.au or .au Rank Better on Google?
From a pure SEO standpoint, Google treats .com.au and .au identically. Both are country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) that signal relevance to an Australian audience. Choosing one over the other will not give you a direct ranking advantage.
What actually determines your Google rankings is:
- Locally hosted servers — hosting your site on an Australian server reduces latency for Australian users, which Google’s Core Web Vitals measure
- Relevant content — writing for an Australian audience with locally relevant keywords
- Backlinks — links from other Australian domains
- Site speed and technical health — how fast your pages load and how well they are structured
If your website is hosted on an Australian server with fast infrastructure, both .com.au and .au will perform equally well in local search results.
When Should You Choose .com.au?
Choose .com.au if any of the following apply to your business:
- You are an established business with a long trading history
- You operate in a professional services industry where credibility and trust are critical (law, accounting, finance, healthcare, real estate)
- Your customers are primarily older Australians who are accustomed to .com.au
- You want to signal permanence and stability to your market
- Your business already has a well-recognised .com.au brand that you want to protect
For the vast majority of Australian businesses today, .com.au remains the primary domain of choice.
When Should You Choose .au?
Choose .au if any of the following apply:
- You are launching a new startup or digital-first brand in 2025 or beyond
- You run an eCommerce store where a shorter, cleaner domain is better for marketing
- You want a domain for a specific campaign, product, or promotional landing page
- You are a sole trader or individual without a registered ABN who wants a professional Australian domain
- Your brand name is already taken on .com.au but available on .au
- You want a shorter domain for social media profiles, ads, or printed materials
Should You Register Both .com.au and .au?
Yes — for most businesses, registering both is the smartest strategy. Here is why:
Stops competitors, impersonators, or opportunists from registering the matching domain and causing customer confusion.
Redirect one domain to the other so customers who type the wrong extension always reach your website.
Use .com.au for your main website and .au for a campaign, product launch, or social media bio where brevity matters.
As .au grows in recognition, your business already owns both. Waiting means your preferred name may already be taken.
Domain registration is one of the most affordable investments you can make in your business. Securing both .com.au and .au costs a fraction of what it would cost to rebrand if someone else registers the matching extension first.
What Happened to Priority Registration for .au Domains?
When .au direct domains launched in March 2022, auDA offered a Priority Allocation Process that ran until September 2022. During this window, existing holders of matching .com.au, .net.au, .org.au, and other second-level domains had the first right to register the corresponding .au direct domain.
That priority window has now closed. .au domains are open for general registration on a first-come, first-served basis. If your business name is still available as a .au domain, you should register it now before someone else does — there is no protection or queuing system in place for late registrants.
How Do You Register a .com.au or .au Domain in Australia?
- Search for your domain name — check whether your preferred name is available on .com.au, .au, or both
- Confirm your eligibility — have your ABN/ACN ready for .com.au; any Australian presence proof works for .au
- Register through an accredited registrar — Australian Hosting Solutions is an accredited domain registrar
- Connect to your hosting — point your new domain’s nameservers to your web hosting account
- Set up redirects if needed — if you register both, redirect the secondary domain to your primary website
Search for your domain name at Australian Hosting Solutions — we handle the registration, DNS configuration, and connection to your hosting. If you need help at any step, call (02) 9199 8787 and our team will take care of it on the phone, 22 hours a day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is .com.au or .au better for SEO in Australia?
Neither has an SEO advantage over the other. Google treats both as Australian ccTLDs and ranks them equally. Your rankings are determined by content quality, site speed, backlinks, and technical SEO — not which extension you choose.
Can I register a .au domain without an ABN?
Yes. Unlike .com.au, a .au domain does not require an ABN. You can register one using proof of Australian residency such as a driver’s licence, passport, or Medicare card number. This makes .au more accessible for individuals and sole traders.
What happens if someone else registers my .au domain?
Once a .au domain is registered by someone else, you cannot claim it unless they violate auDA’s eligibility rules or their registration lapses. The best protection is to register both .com.au and .au at the same time.
Can I use a .au domain as my main website address?
Yes. A .au domain is a fully functional domain and can be used as your primary web address, email address, and brand identity. Many Australian businesses are now launching primarily on .au.
How much does it cost to register a .com.au or .au domain?
Domain registration fees vary by registrar. At Australian Hosting Solutions, you can register both .com.au and .au domains at competitive annual rates. Call (02) 9199 8787 or search online for current pricing.
How do I point my domain to my website?
After registering your domain, you update the nameservers to point to your hosting provider. If your domain and hosting are both with Australian Hosting Solutions, we configure this automatically. If they are with different providers, call us and we will walk you through the DNS update on the phone.
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