.org

.org Domain Guide

Organization

Originally designated for non-profit organizations, .org is now open to anyone but still carries a non-commercial, trustworthy connotation. It's the TLD of choice for causes and communities.

Price

$10-15/year

Trust Level

High

Popularity

Popular

Type

gTLD

History

The .org TLD was established in January 1985 as one of the original top-level domains. It was designated for organizations that didn't fit other categories, primarily non-profits. While registration was opened to anyone in the late 1990s, .org has maintained its association with non-commercial, mission-driven organizations. Major non-profits, open source projects, and educational initiatives continue to choose .org for its trust signals.

Best For

Non-profits

Charities

Educational organizations

Open source projects

Community groups

Who Should Use .org

Registered non-profit organizations
Charitable causes and foundations
Open source software projects
Educational institutions and initiatives
Community organizations and clubs
Advocacy groups and social movements

Who Should Avoid .org

For-profit businesses
E-commerce stores
Companies selling products or services
Anyone trying to appear non-profit when they're not

Pros

Strong trust signals for non-profits
Well-established and recognized
Affordable pricing
Good availability for relevant names

Cons

May seem inappropriate for commercial businesses
Carries expectation of non-profit status
Less suitable for e-commerce

Technical Details

Registry	Public Interest Registry (PIR)
Restrictions	None - open to anyone
Length	1-63 characters
IDN Support	Yes
DNSSEC	Supported
Privacy Protection	Available

SEO Impact

Neutral. No SEO advantage, but can build trust and credibility for appropriate organizations, which may improve engagement metrics.

Registration Tips

Best choice for genuinely non-profit or mission-driven organizations

Using .org for commercial purposes may face skepticism

Open source projects commonly use .org

Educational content and communities fit well

Consider if .org accurately represents your organization type

Complete Guide

The Complete Guide to .org Domains

The .org TLD carries a unique position of trust and mission-driven purpose. Understanding its implications helps you leverage its power appropriately.

The .org Trust Factor

What .org Signals: When users see a .org domain, they often assume:

Non-profit or non-commercial
Mission-driven organization
Educational or community focus
Trustworthy information source

This Matters Because:

Users may trust .org information more
Donations and support feel appropriate
Commercial activity may seem out of place

Appropriate .org Uses

Non-Profit Organizations: .org is perfect for registered non-profits:

Charitable foundations
Educational institutions
Religious organizations
Social welfare groups

Open Source Projects: The tech community embraces .org for open source:

Programming languages (python.org, rust-lang.org)
Frameworks and libraries (nodejs.org, reactjs.org)
Community-driven projects

Community Organizations: Groups without commercial intent:

Hobbyist communities
Local organizations
Advocacy groups
Professional associations

The Commercial Question

Should Businesses Use .org? Generally, no. Using .org for commercial purposes:

May mislead users about your intentions
Could damage trust when commerce is discovered
Doesn't leverage .org's strengths
Better options exist (.com, .co, .io)

Exception Cases: Some argue .org is acceptable for:

Social enterprises with genuine mission
B-corps with verified impact
Hybrid organizations

Even then, transparency is crucial.

.org and Credibility

Building Trust: .org can enhance credibility for appropriate organizations:

Research and reports carry more weight
Educational content feels authoritative
Calls to action (volunteer, donate) feel natural

Maintaining Trust: To leverage .org effectively:

Be genuinely mission-driven
Be transparent about funding
Avoid aggressive commercialization
Focus on community and education

Open Source and .org

The Open Source Standard: Major open source projects use .org:

Signals community ownership
No corporate "ownership" implied
Trusted by developers
Fits the open source ethos

Examples in Practice:

apache.org - Apache Software Foundation
linux.org - Linux community
gnu.org - GNU Project
python.org - Python Foundation

Technical Considerations

SEO: Google doesn't favor .org in rankings, but:

Trust may improve user engagement
Quality backlinks may come more easily
Content credibility can help authority

Email: .org emails are generally well-received:

Low spam association
Professional for non-profits
Trusted by recipients

Popular .org Domains

wikipedia.orgFree encyclopedia

mozilla.orgFirefox browser maker

archive.orgInternet Archive

nodejs.orgNode.js runtime

python.orgPython programming language

khanacademy.orgFree education platform

Frequently Asked Questions

Can anyone register a .org domain?

Yes, .org is open to anyone. However, using it for commercial purposes may face user skepticism since .org is strongly associated with non-profit organizations.

Is .org better for SEO than .com?

No, Google treats all TLDs equally for ranking purposes. However, .org may build trust with users in certain contexts, which can improve engagement metrics indirectly.