--- title: ".com vs .app Domains: Prices, Rules & Verdict | GlobalHostia" url: "https://globalhostia.com/domains/compare/com-vs-app" description: ".com vs .app: $13.94 vs $17.98 first year, renewing at $13.94 vs $17.40. Three-year cost, rules, SEO facts and a verdict per use case." source: "GlobalHostia; prices are synced from the billing system and exclude any taxes shown at checkout" --- Compare extensions # .com vs .app: which domain should you choose? The default address against the extension made for applications. .com is cheaper in the first year, and over three years ($41.82 against $52.78). ## .com and .app prices From our current price list, in USD. +VAT 5% where applicable. The order form always shows the price before you pay. .com and .app prices in USD; the lower price in each row is marked. | Price | [.com](https://globalhostia.com/domains/com) | [.app](https://globalhostia.com/domains/app) | | --- | --- | --- | | First year | $13.94Lower | $17.98 | | Renews at (per year) | $13.94Lower | $17.40 | | Transfer inUsually adds a year to the registration. | $13.94Lower | $16.79 | | 3 years in totalFirst year plus two renewals. | $41.82Lower | $52.78 | | Price rise after year one | None | None | ## Is your name free in .com or .app? [Search multiple domains](https://globalhostia.com/domains/bulk-search) Extension to add when you type a name without one**.com**$13.94**.app**$17.98 Type a name without an extension and pick .com or .app; we check availability live. First-year prices in USD. ## Who each one suits ### .comGeneric The original commercial extension (1985) and the one people type by default. Run by Verisign Who can register Anyone, anywhere, for any purpose. Best for startup or SaaS product, local business, tech or developer project, online shop, personal brand or portfolio Costs $13.94 first year, then $13.94 a year [.com details and search](https://globalhostia.com/domains/com) ### .appGeneric A 2018 extension for mobile and web applications. Run by Google Registry Who can register Anyone. Best for startup or SaaS product, tech or developer project Costs $17.98 first year, then $17.40 a year [.app details and search](https://globalhostia.com/domains/app) ## Registry rules and restrictions What applies before and after you register. We confirm anything special before you pay. ### .com - Anyone, anywhere, for any purpose. - No HTTPS requirement from the registry, but every site should still use SSL. ### .app - Anyone. - On browsers’ HSTS preload list: a .app site only loads over HTTPS, so it needs an SSL certificate from day one. .app is HTTPS-only: browsers refuse plain http:// for every name in the extension. Every GlobalHostia hosting plan includes free SSL, or [add a certificate](https://globalhostia.com/ssl-certificate). ## SEO: does the extension matter? Short answer: not for rankings. Content, links and site speed decide where you rank; the extension mostly affects trust, memorability and which country search engines assume you serve. ### .com A generic extension: no ranking advantage or penalty on its own. Search engines rank the content and the links, and let you target any country. ### .app A generic extension: no ranking advantage or penalty on its own. Search engines rank the content and the links, and let you target any country. Myth check: no extension gets a hidden ranking bonus, and keyword extensions (like .shop or .tech) do not rank better for that keyword. Switching an established site to a new extension costs time while search engines re-learn it, so choose well up front. ## Our verdict, by kind of site Based on what each extension signals to visitors and its three-year cost at today’s prices. - Startup or SaaS product**.com**Both fit equally well; .com costs less over three years at today’s prices. - Local business**.com**.com is what local customers expect; .app reads as less local. - Tech or developer project**.com**Both fit equally well; .com costs less over three years at today’s prices. - Online shop**.com**.com tells shoppers they can buy here or is the address they trust most; .app fits a shop less naturally. - Non-profit or community**.com**.com is the better fit for an organisation or community; .app reads as more commercial or technical. - Personal brand or portfolio**.com**.com reads naturally as a personal name or portfolio; .app is less personal. ## .com vs .app: questions and answers ### .com is cheaper in the first year (.com $13.94, .app $17.98). Renewals are $13.94 and $17.40 a year, so three years cost $41.82 for .com and $52.78 for .app, in USD before VAT where it applies. ### ### ### ### ### ## More on these extensions [All about .com](https://globalhostia.com/domains/com)[All about .app](https://globalhostia.com/domains/app)[.com vs .net](https://globalhostia.com/domains/compare/com-vs-net)[.com vs .org](https://globalhostia.com/domains/compare/com-vs-org)[.com vs .io](https://globalhostia.com/domains/compare/com-vs-io)[.com vs .co](https://globalhostia.com/domains/compare/com-vs-co)[.com vs .ai](https://globalhostia.com/domains/compare/com-vs-ai)[.com vs .dev](https://globalhostia.com/domains/compare/com-vs-dev)[All comparisons](https://globalhostia.com/domains/compare) ## Got the name? Register it in .com or .app Search now and see the live price before you pay. [Search names](#tc-q)[Every extension and price](https://globalhostia.com/domains/all)