If you're targeting a UK audience, .co.uk and .com are the two extensions that matter. They're not interchangeable — and the "better" one depends on who you're selling to.
The global default: .com
.com is the extension buyers type from memory. It carries the highest average sale prices globally and the largest pool of potential buyers — anyone, anywhere. That reach is its main advantage: a .com can be sold to a buyer in Manchester, Miami, or Mumbai.
The downside is competition. Nearly every short, brandable .com is already registered, so acquisition costs are high and the good inventory is thin.
The local champion: .co.uk
.co.uk is the trusted default for UK businesses and consumers. It signals "we're a real British company" in a way .com doesn't quite match, and it tends to rank well in UK search results. For a business whose customers are predominantly in the UK, .co.uk can convert better than .com despite a lower headline price.
Average .co.uk sale prices sit well below .com, but demand is steady and the buyer pool — UK SMEs and startups — is active.
Which is more valuable?
It depends on the buyer:
- Selling to a global or US audience, or a brand that may expand →
.comis worth more and sells faster. - Selling to a UK-only business →
.co.ukcan be the more useful and sometimes more convertible` asset, even if its market price is lower. - Holding for resale to investors →
.comhas more liquidity.
A common strategy is to own both and redirect. If you can only afford one, pick the one that matches your buyer's market.
Appraise both versions of your name to see how they compare side by side.