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

Two extensions that signal technology, with different price and renewal profiles. .tech is cheaper in the first year, and over three years (AED 492.99 against AED 598.46).

.io and .tech prices

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

.io and .tech prices in AED; the lower price in each row is marked.
Price.io.tech
First year AED 127.24AED 29.25Lower
Renews at (per year) AED 235.61AED 231.87Lower
Transfer inUsually adds a year to the registration. AED 235.61AED 231.87Lower
3 years in totalFirst year plus two renewals. AED 598.46AED 492.99Lower
Price rise after year one +85%+693%

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
AED 127.24 first year, then AED 235.61 a year

.io details and search

.techGeneric

A 2015 extension for technology companies, products and media.

Run by
Radix
Who can register
Anyone, for any purpose.
Best for
tech or developer project
Costs
AED 29.25 first year, then AED 231.87 a year

.tech 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.

.tech

  • Anyone, for any purpose.
  • 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.

.tech

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.io.io reads as a product brand to investors and users worldwide; .tech is a weaker match for a startup name.
  • Local businessEitherNeither is a natural fit; a broader extension such as .com usually reads better for this.
  • Tech or developer project.techBoth fit equally well; .tech costs less over three years at today’s prices.
  • Online shop.techBoth fit equally well; .tech costs less over three years at today’s prices.
  • Non-profit or community.techBoth fit equally well; .tech costs less over three years at today’s prices.
  • Personal brand or portfolio.techBoth fit equally well; .tech costs less over three years at today’s prices.

.io vs .tech: questions and answers

.tech is cheaper in the first year (.io AED 127.24, .tech AED 29.25). Renewals are AED 235.61 and AED 231.87 a year, so three years cost AED 598.46 for .io and AED 492.99 for .tech, in AED before VAT where it applies.

Got the name? Register it in .io or .tech

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