If you’re a budding start-up or an established business owner looking to expand your online presence in the land Down Under, then you’ve come to the right place. In today’s digital age, securing a domain name that truly represents your brand is crucial. And what better way to promote your local web business than using a .com.au domain?
In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the process of buying a .com.au ccTLD (country code top-level domain) demystify any jargon, and provide you with some valuable tips to kickstart your online brand in Australia.
Check Availability
Before you can buy a .com.au domain, you need to check if it is available. Simply enter the domain name you want below and the system will tell you if it is open for registration or not.
Start Your .com.au Domain Search
Who Sells .com.au Domains?
.com.au is managed by auDA, the registry for all .au domain extensions. However, you can’t buy your domain name from the registry directly. That is where sellers like Only Domains come into play. When you chose your domain name provider, look out for good customer service and competitive pricing.
Where to Buy .com.au Domain?
You can buy a .com.au domain from a domain registrar or a domain reseller (which are just different ways of saying the same thing). Registering a domain might be a one-time thing, but keeping it renewed and secure is the real deal. So, make sure your .com.au domain provider (or any domain provider, really) checks off these points:
- Pick a provider who speaks your language. You don’t want to struggle whenever you need to tweak your domain, right?
- Look out for any red flags on sites like Trustpilot.
- Check that your provider supports your local currency. No one needs currency confusion.
How Much Does a .com.au Domain Cost?
The cost of a .com.au domain varies depending on the domain name registrar you choose. Generally, you can expect to pay anywhere from 10 AUD to 50 AUD per year for a .com.au domain. Some companies may offer discounts for multiple-year registrations. At OnlyDomains, you can currently register .com.au domains for 14.99 AUD per year.
Can Any Country Get a .com.au Domain?
To be eligible for a com.au (same for .net.au by the way) name you must have an Australian presence and be a commercial entity. Meaning, only Australian businesses or individuals with an Australian Business Number (ABN) or Australian Company Number (ACN) can register a .com.au domain. If you do not have an ABN or ACN, you can still get a .com.au domain name if you have an Australian Trademark. Or you can check out other Australian domain names such as .au or .id.au which can be registered without.
Find out more about the eligibility criteria here.
Can You Permanently Buy a .com.au Domain?
You cannot permanently buy a .com.au domain. You can only register it for a certain period of time, usually between 1 and 5 years, and renew it after. Similar to your Spotify membership you pay a few bucks a year to keep it. And if you renew your domain name registration before it expires (and no worries, we will remind you when that will be) you can use it for as long as you want.
Conclusion
Buying a .com.au domain is a straightforward process. You need to check availability, choose a reputable company to buy from, and pay the registration fee. Remember that only Australian citizens or businesses with an ABN or ACN can register a .com.au domain, so keep yours handy. Good luck!
