Head-to-head / .ai vs .com
.ai vs .com
If you can own the clean .com of your name at sane money, take it — a strong .com needs zero explanation and .ai becomes optional. But when the .com is a $200k aftermarket listing and the .ai is $80, the .ai is not settling; it's how the AI category names itself now. The only bad move is paying ransom for a mediocre .com.
If you can own the clean .com of your name, you don't need the category costume — openai.com and anthropic.com prove the point. But when the .com costs $200k and the .ai costs $80, the answer changes fast. For an AI-native product, .ai isn't settling; it's how the category names itself now. The only bad move is paying ransom for a mediocre .com when the .ai was right there.
When to pick which
Choose .ai — Pick .ai when your product is AI-native and the exact-match .com is taken, parked, or priced in the five or six figures. The extension signals the category for free and availability is far better.
Choose .com — Pick .com when the clean .com of your brand is actually attainable. openai.com and anthropic.com prove a great .com plus a great product needs no category costume — and .com still wins email deliverability and default trust.
Side by side
| .ai | .com | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical price / yr | ~$80–160 (2-yr minimum) | ~$10–12 (if unregistered) |
| Category signal | AI-native, unambiguous | Neutral / universal |
| Availability of good names | Good | Poor — most short names are taken or premium |
| Email deliverability reputation | Fine, still newer | Best-in-class |
| Registry operator | Government of Anguilla | VeriSign |
| Our rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Around since | 1995 | 1985 |
| Type | ccTLD (Anguilla) | generic |
| One-liner | The hottest TLD on earth. If your product is AI, this is the .com of your category — pay up. | Still the king. If the .com is available and affordable, stop reading and buy it. |
Common questions
Should an AI startup use .ai or .com?
Use the clean .com if you can get it at a reasonable price — it carries the broadest trust and best email deliverability. If the .com is taken or costs five figures, .ai is the right call for an AI-native product: it signals the category instantly and good names are still available.
Do investors care whether you use .ai or .com?
Not in a way that decides funding. Investors care about the product; a .ai on an AI company reads as native, not cheap. What does raise eyebrows is a confusing or hard-to-spell domain — clarity beats extension.
Deeper dives: the full .ai review and the full .com review. Not sure a name is even free? Here’s how to check a domain the honest way.