4 ms·

Ask HN: .io vs .ai for a startup?

6 points by genevpd 9y ago

.com is taken, both .io and .ai are available. Would you pick .io or .ai for a business app where ML/AI is major value proposition?

deurzen 9y ago
.io is becoming increasingly popular amongst startups. https://www.forbes.com/sites/christophersteiner/2017/05/03/most-startups-still-believe-they-need-a-dot-com-domain-but-that-is-changing/#542f33bc6a21 https://www.forbes.com/sites/christophersteiner/2017/05/03/m... I would go for the .io TLD myself.
nightfly 9y ago
buy both
- genevpd 9y ago
  Several people suggested to buy both, in that case, which one you will make primary and other for redirect?
  - eb0la 9y ago
    Don't redirect. Just setup the same site with the same content and see what happens / converts better / etc.
edward8628 9y ago
I would go with .io and .ai is not bad neither
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
sgillen 9y ago
Either is going to be fine honestly. I agree with the others in that I would choose .io
throwaway180118 9y ago
Which domain registrar would you recommend?
- tedyoung 9y ago
  I like HexoNet (https://www.hexonet.net/ https://www.hexonet.net/) and NameCheap (https://www.namecheap.com/ https://www.namecheap.com/) and pick the one that has the lower price for the TLD that I'm interested in. In this case, HexoNet has .ai for $80/year, and NameCheap has the .io TLD for $32.88/year.
rcfox 9y ago
It sounds like the .io TLD is very poorly managed, what with people being able to take over the nameservers. https://hackernoon.com/stop-using-io-domain-names-for-production-traffic-b6aa17eeac20 https://hackernoon.com/stop-using-io-domain-names-for-produc...
- LiamPa 9y ago
  Agreed good advice that came from this was to host anything important (API) on www.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
tedyoung 9y ago
I would personally get both: you want the .ai, because that's your niche, and add on the .io given that it isn't very expensive at $32.88/year.
segmondy 9y ago
None, leave it and find an available .com
- eb0la 9y ago
  Today .com is a serious asset. It it's taken, buy it as soon as you raise money. Investors won't protest if you buy a $XXX asset that might not loose value if everything goes bad.
throwaway413 9y ago
.ai is the new .io
nik736 9y ago
I would only get .io or .ai if the .com is taken but can be bought. Otherwise add a word to take the .com.
innoprenuer 9y ago
I would go for .ai because thats the core feature. domain with .ai gives away your core offering (i.e. ML/Al) and you would have customer attention from the very beginning. According to me, it also adds credibility and legitimacy in a subtle way which goes a long way in lead conversion.
rajacombinator 9y ago
Doesn’t matter at all but “AI” is still in the buzz cycle might as well hop on board.

6 points by genevpd 9y ago

.com is taken, both .io and .ai are available. Would you pick .io or .ai for a business app where ML/AI is major value proposition?

deurzen 9y ago

.io is becoming increasingly popular amongst startups. https://www.forbes.com/sites/christophersteiner/2017/05/03/most-startups-still-believe-they-need-a-dot-com-domain-but-that-is-changing/#542f33bc6a21 https://www.forbes.com/sites/christophersteiner/2017/05/03/m... I would go for the .io TLD myself.

nightfly 9y ago

buy both

genevpd 9y ago
Several people suggested to buy both, in that case, which one you will make primary and other for redirect?
- eb0la 9y ago
  Don't redirect. Just setup the same site with the same content and see what happens / converts better / etc.

edward8628 9y ago

I would go with .io and .ai is not bad neither

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

sgillen 9y ago

Either is going to be fine honestly. I agree with the others in that I would choose .io

throwaway180118 9y ago

Which domain registrar would you recommend?

tedyoung 9y ago
I like HexoNet (https://www.hexonet.net/ https://www.hexonet.net/) and NameCheap (https://www.namecheap.com/ https://www.namecheap.com/) and pick the one that has the lower price for the TLD that I'm interested in. In this case, HexoNet has .ai for $80/year, and NameCheap has the .io TLD for $32.88/year.

rcfox 9y ago

It sounds like the .io TLD is very poorly managed, what with people being able to take over the nameservers. https://hackernoon.com/stop-using-io-domain-names-for-production-traffic-b6aa17eeac20 https://hackernoon.com/stop-using-io-domain-names-for-produc...

LiamPa 9y ago
Agreed good advice that came from this was to host anything important (API) on www.

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

tedyoung 9y ago

I would personally get both: you want the .ai, because that's your niche, and add on the .io given that it isn't very expensive at $32.88/year.

segmondy 9y ago

None, leave it and find an available .com

eb0la 9y ago
Today .com is a serious asset. It it's taken, buy it as soon as you raise money. Investors won't protest if you buy a $XXX asset that might not loose value if everything goes bad.

throwaway413 9y ago

.ai is the new .io

nik736 9y ago

I would only get .io or .ai if the .com is taken but can be bought. Otherwise add a word to take the .com.

innoprenuer 9y ago

I would go for .ai because thats the core feature. domain with .ai gives away your core offering (i.e. ML/Al) and you would have customer attention from the very beginning. According to me, it also adds credibility and legitimacy in a subtle way which goes a long way in lead conversion.

rajacombinator 9y ago

Doesn’t matter at all but “AI” is still in the buzz cycle might as well hop on board.