Quick reference for domain TLDs, social platform username rules, and naming best practices. Bookmark this for accurate information when registering domains or claiming social handles.
Domain TLDs: Quick Reference
Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs)
| TLD | Purpose | Registration Cost | Annual Renewal | Trust Level | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .com | Commercial (global standard) | $8–15 | $8–15 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Every business type |
| .org | Nonprofit/organization | $9–13 | $9–13 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Nonprofits, communities |
| .net | Network infrastructure | $10–15 | $10–15 | ⭐⭐⭐ | ISPs, infrastructure (rare) |
| .biz | Business | $10–15 | $10–15 | ⭐⭐⭐ | Niche businesses |
| .info | Information | $10–15 | $10–15 | ⭐⭐⭐ | Reference sites |
| .name | Personal names | $10–15 | $10–15 | ⭐⭐ | Personal brands |
Tech & Innovation TLDs
| TLD | Purpose | Cost | Renewal | Trust | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .ai | Artificial intelligence | $50–80 | $50–80 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | AI products, ML tools, startups |
| .io | Tech/input-output | $25–50 | $25–50 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Dev tools, SaaS, APIs, startups |
| .app | Software applications | $12–15 | $12–15 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Mobile apps, SaaS, web apps |
| .dev | Developer/development | $15–20 | $15–20 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Developer tools, tech companies |
| .tech | Technology | $25–45 | $25–45 | ⭐⭐⭐ | Tech companies, innovation |
Business & Commerce TLDs
| TLD | Purpose | Cost | Renewal | Trust | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .co | Company alternative to .com | $25–35 | $25–35 | ⭐⭐⭐ | Startups, tech-forward brands |
| .shop | Ecommerce | $30–50 | $30–50 | ⭐⭐⭐ | Online stores, retail |
| .store | Online retail | $20–45 | $20–45 | ⭐⭐⭐ | Ecommerce businesses |
| .online | General online presence | $30–50 | $30–50 | ⭐⭐⭐ | Web-first brands |
| .agency | Creative/marketing agencies | $30–60 | $30–60 | ⭐⭐⭐ | Agencies, freelancers |
| .studio | Creative studios | $30–60 | $30–60 | ⭐⭐⭐ | Design/creative studios |
Geographic/Country Code TLDs
| TLD | Country | Cost | Renewal | Trust | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .uk | United Kingdom | $8–15 | $8–15 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | UK businesses |
| .ca | Canada | $15–20 | $15–20 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Canadian businesses |
| .au | Australia | $12–20 | $12–20 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Australian businesses |
| .de | Germany | $10–20 | $10–20 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | German businesses |
| .fr | France | $10–20 | $10–20 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | French businesses |
| .in | India | $10–20 | $10–20 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Indian businesses |
| .jp | Japan | $20–50 | $20–50 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Japanese businesses |
Social Media Handle Rules by Platform
Platform Handle Requirements
| Platform | Username Length | Allowed Characters | Claim Process | Changeable? | Domain Link? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3–30 chars | Letters, numbers, underscores, periods | Instant (free account) | Yes (1 per 14 days) | Bio link only | |
| TikTok | 3–24 chars | Letters, numbers, underscores | Instant (free account) | Yes | Bio link only |
| X (Twitter) | 4–15 chars | Letters, numbers, underscores | Instant (free account) | Yes | Bio link only |
| YouTube | 3–30 chars (@name) | Letters, numbers, hyphens, underscores | Requires YouTube channel | Yes | Bio link only |
| 5–50 chars | Letters, numbers, periods | Requires account | Yes (limited) | Bio link | |
| 3–30 chars | Letters, numbers, hyphens | Requires account | Yes | Direct profile URL | |
| 3–20 chars | Letters, numbers, hyphens, underscores | Instant (free account) | No (permanent) | Bio link | |
| Twitch | 4–25 chars | Letters, numbers, underscores | Instant (free account) | Yes (change name fee) | Links allowed |
| Custom URL | Variable | Requires account | Yes | Direct profile URL |
Key insight: Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube all accept underscores and most alphanumeric characters. Reddit usernames are permanent (cannot be changed). Keep your username under 20 characters to ensure compatibility across all platforms.
Naming Best Practices Quick Reference
What Makes a Good Brand Name
| Criterion | Example Good | Example Bad | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memorable | Stripe, Notion, Canva | GHU5434X, DigitalSolutionsInc | People should remember it after hearing once |
| Unique | Figma, Slack, Notion | Digital Services, Web Design | Easier to own across domains/social |
| Pronounceable | Airbnb, Uber, Shopify | Qwerty, Xzprm | People should say it correctly without training |
| Domain-available | Slack.com, Notion.so, Figma.com | Alreadytaken.com, Unavailable.co | You must own your primary address |
| Timeless | Google, Amazon, Apple | WebZ, E-Business Now, MySpace | Won't feel dated in 5 years |
| Spellable | Grammarly, Asana, Notion | Grammarre, Asanya, Notian | People should spell it correctly in search |
Username Rules Across Platforms
Safe username rules (works on all platforms):
- Under 20 characters
- Letters (a–z, A–Z) + numbers (0–9) only
- Start with a letter
- No spaces
Avoid:
- Numbers at the start
- Special characters (except underscores on some platforms)
- Forced misspellings (don't use "Y0urBrand" for "YourBrand")
- Double underscores (looks spammy)
If your first choice is taken:
- Add _co, _official, _io (consistent across all platforms)
- Add a number only if necessary (yourname_1, not yourname22)
- Modify the core name (notmyidea.io is better than notmyidea_io)
Domain Registration Checklist
- Name is available as .com
- Name is available on Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube
- Name is pronounceable and spellable
- Name is not too similar to competitors
- Trademark search done (USPTO.gov)
- Register domain immediately on Namecheap or Hostinger
- Claim social handles within 24 hours
- Set up email forwarding on your domain
- Add domain to your email signature
Start selling today
Start with a free trial, then $1/month for your first 3 months. No developer required.
Pricing Summary (2026)
Domains:
- .com: $8–15/year
- .io, .co, .ai: $25–80/year
- .app, .dev: $12–20/year
- Country codes: $8–50/year (varies)
Social media handles: Free (all platforms)
Email forwarding: Free (most registrars)
Total first-year investment: $8–80 (just the domain; social handles are free)
Quick Decision Tree
Do you have a .com available?
├─ YES → Register it immediately. No debate.
└─ NO → Is .io available? → YES → Use .io if tech audience
└─ NO → Is .ai available? → YES → Use .ai if AI-related
└─ NO → Is .co available? → YES → Use .co if startup
└─ NO → Change the name
Common Questions
Q: Can I register multiple domains? A: Yes. You can register yourbrand.com and yourbrand.io together, then redirect .io to .com. Most businesses use one primary (.com) and maybe one alternative (.io) for brand protection.
Q: Should I buy .com, .net, and .org of the same name? A: Only if you have the budget and want to prevent competitors from using them. For most small businesses, just the .com is fine.
Q: How many social handles should I claim? A: Minimum: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X. Optional: Facebook, LinkedIn (B2B), Reddit, Pinterest. Don't claim every platform — just the ones your audience uses.
Q: Can I change my domain after launch? A: Technically no, but you can buy a new domain and redirect the old one to it. This is messy and hurts SEO, so get it right the first time.
Q: Is .io really unstable (as a country code)? A: The British Indian Ocean Territory's TLD governance is uncertain long-term, but .io has been stable for 20+ years and is unlikely to disappear. Use it confidently for tech startups.
Reference: Domain & Social Availability Checker
Use Namecheckly to verify your chosen name across domains and social media simultaneously. This saves time and prevents the mistake of claiming social handles for a name whose .com is unavailable.
Pro Tip: Secure your brand handles early. Even if you aren't ready to build your website or post content yet, registering your brand name across key platforms prevents squatters from hijacking your identity later.
