Domains

Domain Names Australia – A Buyer’s Guide to .au Domains

by Andrew Moore

Given that you’ve chosen to read this, it’s safe to assume you’re an Australian business owner or individual that wants to build an Australian website on .au domains. You probably have one or more social media accounts or pages that currently define your online presence but have realised it’s time to stop leaving your future in the hands of uncaring social media companies, and actually invest in yourself and set up a website that you control.

The good news is that as an Australian you have a lot of choices and can pick a domain ending that shows your Aussie connection. Especially with the recent launch of .au domains, it has become much easier to register an Australian domain. You see, you no longer need an ABN/ACN to get a domain; more on that below.

Ready for .au?


What is an Australian Domain?

If you’re reading this article, you may already know what a domain name is and certainly what an Australian domain name is. But just in case, we’ll go over a few basics to get you up to speed.

  • A domain name is your website’s address. It allows people to find you on the Internet by typing your domain name into their browser‘s search bar or into a search engine. It’s the web address that you share on your socials, business cards, and advertising.
  • An Australian domain name is pretty much the same as above but it ends in .au, and can only be registered by an Australian business or individual.
    .au is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) of Australia operated by auda, the .au registry. The Australian namespace has been around since March 1986. Yup, .au is an (old-ish) millennial.

Domains like .com have a global appeal because they’re not associated with a specific country or industry. This has its benefits if you’re a global company. However, if you want to talk to businesses in a specific country, a .com will never be as effective.

So, if you want to let visitors to your site know you’re Australian, and that your website is meant for them, you could use a domain name that ends in .au instead of .com. You won’t be alone, as there are over 3.6 million websites that end in .au. (Source: .au insights)

Australian Domain Options

Now that you know a little bit more about Australian domain names, it’s time to go over the registration options available to you. There are four domain endings that you can choose from:

  • .au
  • .com.au
  • .net.au
  • .org.au
Can I register an Australian Domain?

.au Domain Names

A .au website would be something like yourblog.au or yourbusiness.au. This is the new kid on the block and was launched in March 2022 and has over ~195,000 domains registered. We love this shorter, sharper, and more flexible Australian domain!

Requirements: This is the easiest Australian domain to register as anyone with an Australian presence, i.e. an Aussie passport, driver’s license, citizenship, or ABN/ACN, can secure a .au domain.

Bonus: You are free to register any .au domain name, it doesn’t necessarily need to match or have a relation to your business as mandated in .com.au or .net.au.

Price: Get your .au from AU$16.99/yr.

.com.au Domain Names

It’s the original Australian domain name! If you’ve ever thought about registering a domain name before, chances are .com.au was at the top of your list, given most Australian companies, whether small businesses or big brands, use a domain name that ends in .com.au.

.com.au domains were originally meant for commercial entities (yeah, that’s what the .com stands for) doing business and trading in Australia. So, if you’re a for-profit Australian business, then this is the one for you. There are close to 3.1 million .com.au domains registered in total. Which for those of you good at maths (and memory) means that, right now, most au domains are .com.au.

Requirements: You need to have an ABN/ACN or a registered trademark to register a .com.au domain name. The domain name you choose to register also needs to be a close or exact match of your business name, or an abbreviation or acronym of it.

Price: .com.au domains can be registered for AU$14.99/yr.

.net.au Domain Names

If .com.au is the dad of Australian domain names, .net.au is more of a little brother. It’s the domain you would choose if you’re looking to register an Australian domain but the .com.au you’re interested in has already been registered.

Despite playing second fiddle to .com.au, very popular websites like whirlpool.net.au and abc.net.au use it as their domain of choice.

Its intended use is very similar to .com.au, meant for for-profit organisations doing business and trading in Australia, but in practice, it tends to lean towards the telecommunications and internet industries, which makes sense since, you know, it’s the ‘net’ in internet.

Requirements: You need to have an ABN/ACN or a registered trademark to register a .net.au domain name. The domain name you choose to register also needs to be a close or exact match of your business name or an abbreviation or acronym of it.

Price: .net.au domains can be registered for AU$16.99/yr.

.org.au Domain Names

.org.au is geared towards not-for-profit and Australian charities. As of July 2022, there are ~74,000 .org.au domains registered out there.

The domain name registration requirements and prices are similar to .com.au and .net.au. The big difference is that, internationally, .org domains are for charities and NPOs. Or in .org.au’s case: Australian charities and non-commercial organisations.

Requirements: An ABN/ACN or a registered trademark is required to register a .org.au domain name. The domain name you choose to register also needs to be a close or exact match of your company name or an abbreviation or acronym of it.

Price: .org.au domains are available for AU$16.99/yr.

Which is the Most Popular Australian Domain Name?

Australian Domains Marketshare

Benefits of Australian Domain Names

Local SEO

Any domain ending in .au shows that your website is Australian and meant for Australian visitors. And it’s not just other Aussies that know this, Google does too. And it increases your chances of ranking better in Australia versus websites that use global extensions like .com. That said, it’s not a magic bullet. You need to do all the other good SEO stuff, like creating a good website and having relevant content to get your ranking up there. But getting a .au is a good first step.

Better Availability

There are 3.6 million .au domains registered vs. 161 million .com domains. This means, based on simple math, you’re much more likely to get the domain you want in .au instead of .com. That way you can get a shorter, easier-to-remember .au domain instead of settling for a two or three-word .com domain name.

But if you’re undecided between a .com or a local domain ending, here are the factors you should consider.

A Secure Namespace

Unlike .com domains, which can be registered by anyone, all Australian domain names require some sort of local eligibility. This is to ensure that the registered domain is owned by a real person or business that has an Australian connection.

This is what sets Australian domains apart from unrestricted domains like .com, .net, and .org, and makes them seem more trustworthy to visitors. Because the strict local requirements make it seriously hard to use an Australian domain for fraud or nefarious purposes.

How to Register .au Domains in Australia

You now know your options and the rules associated with them. It’s time to register that perfect, new domain name! First, you’ll need to select a domain name registrar (us, you should pick us) and start with a domain search.

OnlyDomains has been a .au accredited registrar for over a decade and offers the best pricing for .au domains in the market.

We also support .au for individuals, i.e. you can simply register a .au by providing your Australian passport or driver’s license as proof of your Aussieness.