TL;DR
- .com — Best overall. Highest trust, memorability, and backlink potential
- .ai — Best for tech and SaaS. Fast-growing, high credibility in the startup world
- .org — Strong authority and trust signals, especially for content-heavy sites
- .net — Safe fallback if .com is taken
- .xyz — Avoid. Spam-riddled, indexing issues, blocked by firewalls
- .top — Avoid. Zero trust, near impossible to build backlinks
- .cc — Avoid. Blocked by VPNs and security tools by default
Google’s official position is clear: top-level domains have zero direct impact on rankings. Matt Cutts said it. John Mueller said it. Gary Illyes said it. All gTLDs are treated equally in the algorithm.
Here’s the problem: the data tells a completely different story. Real-world ranking patterns, click-through rates, trust signals, and indexing behavior all point to TLDs mattering, a lot. This post looks at what actually works, ranked from best to worst, based on evidence rather than official statements.
Why TLDs Affect SEO Even If Google “Doesn’t Rank Them Differently”
Google’s technically correct that TLDs aren’t a direct ranking factor. But indirect effects create massive SEO consequences.
User trust and CTR shape rankings. Thirty years of internet use trained people to trust .com domains. Unfamiliar extensions like .xyz or .top trigger hesitation. Lower click-through rates from search results send weak engagement signals back to Google, which impacts rankings whether Google admits it or not.
Backlink acquisition becomes exponentially harder. Webmasters and editors are far less likely to link to a .xyz or .shop domain than a .com or .org. When you’re pitching a guest post or earning an editorial mention, your TLD creates instant credibility judgments. Cheap or unfamiliar extensions make legitimate link building feel like pushing a boulder uphill.
Spam neighborhood effects are real. Cheap TLDs attract spammers by the thousands because they’re cheap. Your legitimate business gets guilt by association. Security tools, browser warnings, and user skepticism don’t distinguish between your site and the thousand spam sites sharing your extension.
Indexing behavior varies dramatically. One documented case study showed 1,100+ pages on a .xyz domain remaining unindexed despite complete technical SEO implementation. While Google claims equal treatment, practical indexing outcomes suggest otherwise.
Access matters more than rankings. Some TLDs face blocking by corporate firewalls, VPNs, and security software. Email deliverability plummets. If users can’t reach your site or receive your emails, your search rankings become irrelevant.
The Best TLDs for SEO (Ranked)
.com , Still the Undisputed King
The numbers don’t lie: .com has 25.27 billion indexed pages, more than any other TLD by a massive margin. It holds a 44% memorability score, higher than any other extension tested.
Every type of user, in every market, recognizes and trusts .com by default. You don’t lose credibility by using it. Editorial teams don’t hesitate to link to it. Users don’t pause before clicking.
Building backlinks is easier. Brand recall is stronger. Email deliverability is better. Security tools don’t flag it. If the .com version of your brand is available, there’s no good reason not to use it.
.ai , The Best Rising Alternative
Originally the country code for Anguilla, .ai has become the de facto standard for AI-focused companies and tech startups. Registration growth surged 7.8% in recent periods, outpacing every other tech TLD.
Within the tech and startup ecosystem, .ai carries high trust. Webmasters actively link to it. It signals clear niche authority without the spam associations that plague cheaper alternatives.
The extension works because it serves a purpose beyond being available. It tells visitors what you do before they read a word of your content. Best for SaaS companies, AI tools, and tech startups where the extension reinforces rather than contradicts your positioning.
.org , Trusted, Authoritative, Underrated
The .org extension carries strong associations with nonprofits, research institutions, publications, and authoritative sources. It’s the second most established TLD after .com in terms of indexed content volume and user familiarity.
User trust runs high across all demographics. There’s no hesitation to click, no spam stigma, no credibility questions. For content sites, nonprofits, publications, and community-driven projects, .org often outperforms .com in perceived authority.
.net , The Reliable Fallback
The original runner-up to .com still holds widespread recognition and trust. Memorability runs slightly lower than .com, but it carries zero spam stigma and faces no blocking or deliverability issues.
If your preferred .com is taken and you’re not in a niche where .ai or .org fits naturally, .net remains a safe choice. It won’t help your SEO, but it won’t hurt it either, which is more than most alternatives can claim.
The Worst TLDs for SEO (Avoid These)
.xyz , The Spam Capital of the Internet
Famously cheap at $1 introductory pricing, .xyz became the go-to extension for spammers, phishers, and churn-and-burn sites. Google’s Gary Illyes said it explicitly: “My gut reaction is people should stay away from the cheapest TLDs.”
One documented case showed 1,100+ pages on a .xyz site remaining unindexed despite full technical SEO implementation. Corporate firewalls and VPNs block .xyz domains outright. Email deliverability suffers severely, messages often route directly to spam folders.
According to Spamhaus data, .xyz shows extremely high malicious activity rates. Even Alphabet’s use of abc.xyz for its corporate restructuring didn’t rehabilitate the extension’s reputation. The spam association runs too deep.
.top , Low Trust, High Spam
The .top extension appears frequently on blocklists alongside .xyz. It carries zero brand recognition outside of spam operations and offers no user trust.
Earning backlinks from legitimate sites becomes nearly impossible. Editors see .top and assume spam. Users see .top and skip the click. For any serious SEO effort, it’s essentially a dead end.
.cc , The Hidden Landmine
Originally the country code for Cocos Islands, .cc became heavily associated with malware and spam campaigns. The consequences go beyond rankings.
Malwarebytes and other security tools block .cc domains by default. Enterprise networks frequently block the entire .cc namespace due to documented malware volume. Google previously de-indexed co.cc entirely due to abuse.
The risk isn’t just SEO performance, it’s whether your target audience can access your site at all. When VPNs, corporate firewalls, and security software block your domain by default, you’ve lost before you start.
Quick Reference: TLD Tier List
| Tier | TLDs | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Best | .com, .ai, .org, .net | Use these, no hesitation |
| Acceptable | .io, .co, .dev, .app | Solid for tech/startups with strong branding |
| Avoid | .xyz, .top, .cc | Ranking is the least of your problems |
The Bottom Line
Google will keep saying TLDs don’t matter. Technically, they’re right about direct ranking signals. Algorithms don’t award bonus points for .com or penalize .xyz in isolation.
But SEO has never been just about algorithms. It’s about trust, clicks, links, and whether people actually engage with your site. On all of those dimensions, your TLD matters enormously.
Pick .com if you can. Pick .ai if you’re building in tech. Pick .org if you’re publishing authoritative content. Avoid anything that costs $1 for a reason, the savings aren’t worth the uphill battle.
Before you worry about your TLD, check where your site stands today. Use SEO Mode’s free Domain Rating checker to see your current authority and identify what’s actually holding your rankings back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Google really treat all TLDs equally?
Google treats them equally as a direct ranking factor, but indirect effects create massive differences. User trust, click-through rates, backlink acquisition difficulty, and spam association all vary dramatically by TLD. These factors influence rankings even when the TLD itself doesn’t.
Is .ai only for AI companies?
No, but it works best when the extension aligns with your brand positioning. Tech startups, SaaS companies, and innovation-focused businesses use .ai successfully. If the extension reinforces what you do rather than creating confusion, it works.
Can I recover SEO performance after switching from a bad TLD?
Yes, with proper 301 redirects and patience. The technical migration preserves link equity, but rebuilding trust signals and click-through rates takes time. Most sites see recovery within 2-6 months if the migration is executed correctly.