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.io vs .ai: which domain should you choose?

Two country codes that tech companies adopted worldwide. .io is cheaper in the first year, and over three years (S$209.68 against S$396.27).

.io and .ai prices

From our current price list, in SGD. +VAT 5% where applicable. The order form always shows the price before you pay.

.io and .ai prices in SGD; the lower price in each row is marked.
Price.io.ai
First year S$44.58LowerS$132.09
Renews at (per year) S$82.55LowerS$132.09
Transfer inUsually adds a year to the registration. S$82.55LowerS$264.17
3 years in totalFirst year plus two renewals. S$209.68LowerS$396.27
Price rise after year one +85%None

Who each one suits

.ioCountry code

A country code adopted worldwide by tech startups, developer tools and SaaS.

Run by
The registry of the British Indian Ocean Territory
Who can register
Anyone, with no local presence needed.
Best for
startup or SaaS product, tech or developer project
Costs
S$44.58 first year, then S$82.55 a year

.io details and search

.aiCountry code

Anguilla’s country code, now the extension of choice for AI products.

Run by
The registry of Anguilla
Who can register
Anyone, with no local presence needed.
Best for
startup or SaaS product, tech or developer project
Costs
S$132.09 first year, then S$132.09 a year

.ai details and search

Registry rules and restrictions

What applies before and after you register. We confirm anything special before you pay.

.io

  • Anyone, with no local presence needed.
  • The territory’s status is changing after the 2024 UK–Mauritius agreement on the Chagos Islands; .io registrations continue to work normally today, but some owners keep a second extension as a fallback.
  • No HTTPS requirement from the registry, but every site should still use SSL.

.ai

  • Anyone, with no local presence needed.
  • The .ai registry has sold names for a minimum of two years at a time; the order form shows the periods available.
  • No HTTPS requirement from the registry, but every site should still use SSL.

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.

.io

A country code that Google treats as generic, like .com: it is not tied to one country in search results and gives no ranking boost on its own.

.ai

A country code that Google treats as generic, like .com: it is not tied to one country in search results and gives no ranking boost on its own.

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.ioBoth fit equally well; .io costs less over three years at today’s prices.
  • Local businessEitherNeither is a natural fit; a broader extension such as .com usually reads better for this.
  • Tech or developer project.ioBoth fit equally well; .io costs less over three years at today’s prices.
  • Online shop.ioBoth fit equally well; .io costs less over three years at today’s prices.
  • Non-profit or community.io.io is the better fit for an organisation or community; .ai reads as more commercial or technical.
  • Personal brand or portfolio.io.io reads naturally as a personal name or portfolio; .ai is less personal.

.io vs .ai: questions and answers

.io is cheaper in the first year (.io S$44.58, .ai S$132.09). Renewals are S$82.55 and S$132.09 a year, so three years cost S$209.68 for .io and S$396.27 for .ai, in SGD before VAT where it applies.

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