Guide
.co.uk vs .com: which should a UK business choose?
Most UK businesses serving UK customers should choose a .co.uk, or a .uk, and consider a .com only if they sell worldwide. A UK ending signals that you are local, matches what UK customers expect and is often easier to get in the name you want. Both .co.uk and .uk cost £9.99 a year with us, with the same price at renewal.
Side by side
.co.uk and .com compared
| Factor | .co.uk | .com |
|---|---|---|
| Signals | A UK business | International or no clear location |
| Customer expectation in the UK | Very familiar | Familiar, but may suggest a non-UK business |
| Availability of good names | Better, as fewer are taken | Harder, as most short names are taken |
| Search targeting | Tells Google your audience is the UK | No country signal |
| Best for | UK customers | Worldwide customers |
| Our price | £9.99 a year | Ask live chat |
We register .co.uk and .uk names at £9.99 a year. For a .com, ask our live chat before you order.
Trust
How customers see each ending
People judge an address in a split second. A .co.uk tells a UK customer that the business is based here, follows UK rules and can be reached locally. For a plumber, a shop or a consultant selling to the UK, that is exactly the signal you want.
A .com is the world's default. It does not say where you are, and for some UK shoppers that raises questions about delivery, returns and consumer rights. A .com is not a problem, but it does not help you the way a UK ending does.
There is also habit. Many UK customers type .co.uk without thinking, and if you do not own it, they may land on someone else.
Search
What each does for your Google results
Google uses a country-code ending, such as .uk, as a clear signal that a site is aimed at that country. A .com has no such signal, so Google relies on other clues such as language, links and your location settings in Search Console.
It is a signal and not a magic boost. A well-made site with useful content on a .com can rank in the UK, and a poor site on a .co.uk will not. But if two sites are equal, the UK ending helps Google understand that yours is for UK searchers, which matters for local queries.
Scenarios
Three businesses, three choices
A local accountancy practice. Every client is in the UK, many find the firm through local search and word of mouth. A .co.uk or .uk is the clear choice. It matches what clients expect and supports local search.
A UK shop that ships to a few countries. The shop is based here, and most customers are British. The main site should still be a UK ending, with delivery information for other countries on the pages. A matching .com can be registered as protection.
A software company selling worldwide. Customers are on every continent, and the company wants a neutral international address. A .com is sensible here, with a UK ending registered for its UK marketing and to stop others using the name.
Myths
Common myths about domain endings
One myth is that a .com is always better. It is the best known, but better depends on who you are selling to. Another is that new endings are penalised by search engines. Google treats them like any other, and the .uk is a country-code ending with a clear UK meaning.
A third myth is that a long keyword-rich name will rank by itself. Search engines do not reward names stuffed with keywords. They look at the quality of the site, its content and links. Choose a name for people first.
Quick answer
Which ending for which business
| Your business | Best main ending | Also consider |
|---|---|---|
| Local service, such as a trade or practice | .co.uk | The matching .uk |
| UK online shop | .co.uk | A .com for protection |
| UK brand that wants a short address | .uk | The matching .co.uk |
| International software or service | .com | A UK ending for UK marketing |
| Charity or club | .co.uk or .org.uk | The matching .uk |
The bottom line
Our recommendation
If you are in doubt, register the .co.uk and the .uk of your name for £19.98 a year in total, use one as your main address and redirect the other. That combination covers nearly every UK business, with a very small annual cost and no regrets.
Revisit the question only if your customer base changes, for example if you start selling heavily overseas, when a .com may become worth adding.
One more thing
Do not forget email and branding
Whichever ending you choose, it appears in every email address you give out, so the decision follows you into every message. An address like name@yourbusiness.co.uk reads as local and established. Think about how the full address will look on a quote, an invoice and a business card, and choose the one that reads best to your customers.
Register your UK domain
.co.uk and .uk at £9.99 a year, with the same price at renewal.
Which to pick
When each ending makes sense
Pick .co.uk or .uk when
- Most customers are in the UK
- You are a local or national UK business
- You want the name to be available and affordable
- You want to signal that you are UK based
- You run a UK shop with UK delivery
Consider a .com when
- You sell worldwide with no main country
- Your brand is international from day one
- You already own a matching .com
- You want to prevent others using it
- Your customers include a large overseas audience
Best of both
A sensible way to combine them
Use .co.uk or .uk as the main site
Let UK customers and search engines see a UK address.
Register the .com as protection
It stops others using your name abroad. Point it to your main site.
Redirect properly
Use a permanent redirect so everything ends up at one address and search engines do not see two sites.
Cost and renewal
Comparing the real cost
Domain prices vary between endings, registrars and years. Some endings advertise a low first-year price and charge a higher renewal. Our .co.uk and .uk are £9.99 a year at registration and the same at renewal, so you can plan with confidence.
Add up the cost of every extra you want, such as privacy services or email, and compare totals. With our hosting, email is included in your plan, so you do not pay for it separately.
Changing
If you already have a .com
If your business already trades on a .com, you do not need to rush to change. A UK ending is a useful addition if you target UK customers, because you can register it, redirect it and use it for UK marketing. Keep both and treat one as the main address.
If you decide to move your main site from one ending to another, use permanent redirects from every old page to its equivalent, update your listings and email, and tell search engines through Search Console. Done carefully, the move should keep your visibility.
FAQ
Common questions
Is .co.uk better than .com for UK SEO?
A .co.uk gives a clear signal that your audience is the UK, which helps for UK searches. It is not a guarantee of higher rankings.
Is .uk the same as .co.uk?
They are separate addresses that work in the same way. A .uk is shorter, and a .co.uk is more familiar.
Should I register both?
If you can, yes. It protects your name, and you can point the spare one at your main site.
Can a limited company use a .com?
Yes. Anyone can use a .com. The question is what suits your customers.
Do you sell .com domains?
We focus on .co.uk and .uk at £9.99 a year. Ask our live chat about other endings.
Keep reading
Related pages
Get the UK ending customers expect
Register a .co.uk or .uk for £9.99 a year.