For an Australian business, the choice is usually between a .com.au name, which has commercial eligibility and name-connection rules, and a shorter .au direct name, which still requires a validated Australian presence but does not use the same business-name connection test. A global .com has no .au registration test. Check the registrant and the name rules before paying for a website package.
Once you know which name you can use, compare shared hosting plans for the website against the pages, software and support you need. Buying hosting does not itself register a .au name or confirm that you are eligible to hold it.
.com.au, .au direct or .com?
| Extension | Who it may suit | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| .com.au | An Australian commercial entity wanting a recognisable business address. | Eligible Australian commercial presence, a connection between the proposed name and the business, and ongoing eligibility. |
| .au direct | A person, project or organisation with a validated Australian presence that wants a short name. | Evidence of Australian presence, availability and any reserved-name or other registry restrictions. The name does not need the same connection to a business name as .com.au. |
| .com | A business that wants a global generic extension or cannot use an .au name. | Availability, trade mark rights and the registrar's renewal terms. It does not establish eligibility for an Australian namespace. |
These are separate registration choices, not different hosting plans. auDA sets the .au rules. A registrar or reseller processes the registration; a website host supplies the server service. Some companies sell several of these services together, so check what the order actually includes.
When does .com.au fit a business?
A .com.au licence is for an eligible commercial entity with a connection to Australia, and the chosen name must meet the allocation criteria. Common examples include a match or acronym of the business name, an Australian trade mark, or a name connected to a good, service, event or activity the business provides. A business cannot assume that being located in Australia makes every available name eligible.
An active ABN or ACN is the common route for many Australian businesses, but auDA's detailed guidance also describes other eligible circumstances, including some Australian trade mark and foreign-company cases. The physical address of a business is not, by itself, the eligibility test. Check the exact rule for your entity and proposed name before registration.
When might .au direct fit instead?
.au direct is a general-purpose namespace. It can suit an eligible individual, organisation or business that wants a shorter address for a new idea, side project or existing brand. You still need a validated Australian presence, but you do not need an ABN or ACN specifically in every case, and the name does not have to match a commercial entity in the way a .com.au name does.
This does not make .au direct open to anyone anywhere. The registrant must meet the Australian presence requirement, and the requested name must be available and comply with the rules. The two popular .au choices are not in the process of replacing each other.
A worked example for a local service business
Example only: a fictional Australian joinery business has an active ABN and wants a website for local customers. It could check whether a name based on its business or service meets the .com.au criteria, then see if the name is available. It might also consider the matching .au direct name if it qualifies and wants a shorter address. It does not have to buy both.
If it registers more than one name, it should decide which one is primary and ask its domain provider how to redirect the other. It should enter the business as the licence holder and keep renewal notices in a monitored business contact address. A web developer can help build the site, but that does not decide which legal entity holds the domain licence.
A short checklist before you choose hosting
- Write down who the registrant will be: an individual, company or other eligible entity.
- Choose the namespace, then check both eligibility and whether the name is available.
- Check that the name does not conflict with a trade mark or another protected name.
- Save the registration details and renewal date where the business can retrieve them.
- Then compare hosting against the website itself: one or several sites, WordPress or another platform, recovery needs and support.
The domain extension does not tell you which hosting package or server location to buy. For the website decision, compare the current Australian shared-hosting options using the requirements you have written down.
Sources and photo credit
Registry and business guidance checked on 29 October 2026.
- auDA — .au domain names for Australian businesses
- auDA — .com.au domain names
- auDA — .au direct domain names
- business.gov.au — Register a domain name
Cover photo: Vitaly Gariev / Pexels. Illustrative workspace; it does not show an Australian registry or domain-search result.