⚡ Quick Answer
There's no rule preventing businesses from using .org. But user expectations matter—people associate .org with nonprofits. Using it for a commercial business can feel misleading.
The Perception Problem
| TLD | User Expectation | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| .com | "This is a business" | For-profit companies |
| .org | "This is a nonprofit/organization" | Nonprofits, NGOs, charities |
| .net | "Could be anything" | Tech, networks, alternatives |
When .org Works for Non-Nonprofits
- ✓ Open source projects: Mozilla.org, Python.org, WordPress.org
- ✓ Community projects: Wikipedia.org, Craigslist.org
- ✓ Standards bodies: W3.org, IETF.org
- ✓ Educational resources: Khan Academy (khanacademy.org)
These work because they're community-focused, even if not technically nonprofits.
When .org Backfires
- 🚩 E-commerce sites: "Wait, this .org wants my credit card?"
- 🚩 SaaS products: Mixed signals about your business model
- 🚩 Professional services: Law firms, agencies on .org look odd
- 🚩 Donation requests: "Is this a real charity or scam?"
The Price Comparison
~$10.44
.com (Cloudflare)
~$10.11
.org (Cloudflare)
Price difference is negligible—choose based on fit, not cost.
The Right Approach
For-Profit Businesses
Use .com. It matches user expectations. If .com is taken, try .co, .io, or modified name.com—not .org.
Actual Nonprofits
Use .org. It signals your nonprofit status and aligns with donor expectations.
Community/Open Source Projects
.org works well even if you're not a formal nonprofit. The community focus justifies it.
The Bottom Line
Just because you can use .org for a commercial business doesn't mean you should. User expectations are powerful, and mismatched TLDs can erode trust.
.org = organizations. .com = companies. Keep it simple.