If you have ever created a website before, you must be aware of popular top-level domains like .com, .net, .org, etc. But do you know about two letter TLDs?
Well, if you are bored of using the standard domain extensions, and want to make your website stand out, these 2-letter TLDs would surely interest you. I have personally used a lot of these domain extensions on the numerous blogs I’ve created in the past decade.
In today’s article, I’m going to tell you about the most popular 2-letter TLDs, also called ccTLDs. We will begin by understanding what ccTLDs are and then move on to discussing the 23 most popular 2-letter TLDs on the Internet.
So, let’s get straight into it.
Disclaimer : I strongly believe in transparency. If you buy using the links on our site, we may earn a small commission without any extra cost to you. This helps me to keep producing honest reviews. Read More >>
What are ccTLDs?
ccTLD or Country Code Top-Level Domain is a domain name that targets the audience of a specific country. These are 2-letter codes placed right after the domain name of a website.
They are usually an abbreviation for the country they represent. There are 250+ ccTLDs assigned to various countries.
For example, the .in domain is the ccTLD for India. So, a website like Amazon.in targets the audience belonging to Indian countries.
You can purchase a domain name via domain registrars. These are companies that help you register your domain name for a specific period. Some popular examples include Dynadot, Namecheap, GoDaddy, etc.
Now, let us look at a comprehensive list of the most popular Two-letter domains available in the market today.
Best Two Letter TLDs (Comparison Table)
| TLD | Region | Meaning / Use Case | New DomainPricing | Renewal Pricing | Restrictions | Buy Link |
| .uk | United Kingdom | UK websites | $6.98 | $9.48 | N.A. | Namecheap |
| .de | Federal Republic of Germany | German websites | $5.98 | $8.98 | Residence in Germany is not required. Need an authorized representative in Germany to handle official docs. | Namecheap |
| .cn | China | Chinese sites, Cartoon Network domains | $5.99 | $5.99 | N.A. | Dynadot |
| .fr | France | French sites | $12.98 | $12.98 | N.A. | Namecheap |
| .nl | Netherlands | Netherlands sites | $7.99 | $7.99 | N.A. | Dynadot |
| .eu | European Union | EU-based websites | $3.99 | $5.99 | Only open to residents, organizations, or registered offices in Europe. | Dynadot |
| .us | United States | US websites | $2.49 | $7.99 | Only open to citizens, residents, organizations, or foreign entities with presence in the US. | Dynadot |
| .it | Italy | Information Technology websites | $10.25 | $10.25 | Should have citizenship, residence, or commercial headquarters in any one of the following – European Economic Area (EEA), Republic of San Marino, Swiss Confederation, or State of the Vatican. | Dynadot |
| .tk | Tokelau, New Zealand | Tokelau websites | Free for one year but doesn’t allow websites around drugs, adult content, weapons, gambling, viruses, etc. | N.A. | ||
| .co | Columbia | As .com alternative | $3.98 | $25.98 | N.A. | Namecheap |
| .in | India | Indian websites | $6.78 | $9.98 | N.A. | Namecheap |
| .be | Belgium | Used as URL shorter. E.g., youtu.be | $8.99 | $8.99 | Residence in Belgium is not required. Need to set a registrant while registering domain. | Dynadot |
| .me | Montenegro | Personal blogs, branding sites | $4.99 | $15.99 | N.A. | Dynadot |
| .tv | Tuvalu | Television-based sites | $26.99 | $26.99 | N.A. | Dynadot |
| .tw | Taiwan | Taiwanese sites | $19.99 | $19.99 | N.A. | Dynadot |
| .io | British Indian Ocean Territory | Startups, NFT companies, browser games, and tech sites | $31.99 | $34.99 | N.A. | Dynadot |
| .cc | Cocos Island | Sites related to consulting companies, cricket clubs, andCreative Commons | $3.99 | $9.99 | N.A. | Dynadot |
| .fm | Federated States of Micronesia | FM Radio and podcast based sites | $69.99 | $69.99 | Reserved names like .com.fm, .net.fm, .org.fm, cannot be registered. | Dynadot |
| .im | Isle of Man (Island in Irish Sea) | Alternative to .me domain | $7.99 | $9.99 | Maximum 3 year limit for domain registrations and renewals | Dynadot |
| .ai | Anguilla | Artificial Intelligence | $66.99 | $66.99 | Minimum registration period is 2 years at a time. | Dynadot |
| .gg | Guernsey | Gaming or eSports sites | $59.99 | $59.99 | N.A. | Dynadot |
| .vc | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Websites around venture capitalists, video conferencing, orversion control. | $32.98 | $34.98 | N.A. | Namecheap |
| .ac | Ascention | Academics or Education sites | $28.98 | $32.98 | N.A. | Namecheap |
25 Most Popular Two Letter TLDs
Here are 25 Best Two Letter TLDs (Top Level Domain Names) that can give you several advantages of branding & trust. These are ccTLDs which will boost your local presence as well.
1) .uk domain
The .uk domain is the official ccTLD for the United Kingdom, which has over 11 million+ domains registered till date. Users and businesses operating in the United Kingdom widely trust it.
Even though it does not impose any restrictions, it is mostly popular for UK based websites.
| ccTLD | .uk |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| New Domain Price | $6.98 |
| Renewal Price | $9.48 |
| Usage | UK websites |
2) .de domain
The .de domain is the ccTLD for the Federal Republic of Germany. It is one of the oldest TLDs and has over 11.2 million+ domains registered till date. German websites usually use it. Whereas, we also see its usage as domain hacks.
In order to get a .de domain, you need not be a resident of Germany. However, you should have an authorized representative in Germany to handle the official documents. So, if you have a product or service to sell in the German market, a .de domain would be the right choice!
| ccTLD | .de |
| Country | Federal Republic of Germany |
| New Domain Price | $5.98 |
| Renewal Price | $8.98 |
| Usage | German websites, domain hacks |
3) .cn domain
The .cn domain is one of the most popular ccTLDs representing China. It has over 20 million+ domains registered across the globe. Chinese websites mostly used it along with Cartoon Network-related domains.
If you wish to establish your online presence in China, which has an enormous population of 1.4 billion people, then a .cn domain would be a great choice. It is no longer restricted to Chinese users. So, no matter where you are, you can get this domain registered for your website.
| ccTLD | .cn |
| Country | China |
| New Domain Price | $5.99 |
| Renewal Price | $5.99 |
| Usage | Chinese sites, Cartoon Network domains |
4) .fr domain
The .fr is the ccTLD for France and has more than 3 million domains registered. There are no restrictions on its International usage. So, if you wish to target the French audience with your business or blog, a .fr domain would be the right choice.
| ccTLD | .fr |
| Country | France |
| New Domain Price | $12.98 |
| Renewal Price | $12.98 |
| Usage | French websites |
5) .nl domain
The .nl domain stands for the Netherlands. It is one of the most popular domain names and has over 17 million domains registered worldwide. Netherlands-based websites mostly use it.
If you want to target the Dutch market with your website, you need a .nl domain!
| ccTLD | .nl |
| Country | Netherlands |
| New Domain Price | $7.99 |
| Renewal Price | $7.99 |
| Usage | Netherland websites |
6) .eu domain
The .eu domain is the ccTLD for the European Union. It has over 2.3 million+ domains registered till date. In order to use this domain, you need to be a resident or have an organization or registered office in the European Union.
So, if you wish to target over 50 million people in Europe all at once, then the .eu domain would be helpful for your business!
| ccTLD | .eu |
| Country | European Union |
| New Domain Price | $3.99 |
| Renewal Price | $5.99 |
| Usage | European websites |
7) .us domain
The .us is the country code TLD for the United States. It is one of the most popular domains that can give you access to about 300 million+ customers.
For registering a .us domain, you need to be a resident, citizen, organization, or a foreign entity with presence in the United States.
So, if you wish to build a blog or a business aimed at the US-based audience, a .us domain would be a perfect option!
| ccTLD | .us |
| Country | United States |
| New Domain Price | $2.49 |
| Renewal Price | $7.99 |
| Usage | US-based websites |
8) .tk domain
The .tk domain is the ccTLD for Tokelau, New Zealand and has 1.2 million+ domains registered. For the first year, this domain is free. This is why it is widely chosen by a lot of users around the world.
It doesn’t allow websites related to drugs, adult content, weapons, gambling, spam and viruses, etc. A range of websites uses the .tk domain, along with Tokelau-based websites. However, it is not available for registration in India.
| ccTLD | .tk |
| Country | Tokelau, New Zealand |
| New Domain Price | N.A. |
| Renewal Price | N.A. |
| Usage | Tokelau websites, all kinds of websites |
9) .it domain
The .it domain is the ccTLD for Italy and has been registered by more than 1.7 million domains. It is majorly used by Italian websites, for domain hacks, or for websites related to Information Technology.
To register a .it domain, you should have citizenship, residence, or commercial headquarters in the following areas.
- European Economic Area (EEA)
- Republic of San Marino, Swiss Confederation
- State of the Vatican
| ccTLD | .it |
| Country | Italy |
| New Domain Price | $10.25 |
| Renewal Price | $10.25 |
| Usage | Italian websites, Domain hacks, Information technology sites |
10) .co domain
The .co domain belongs to Columbia and has over 1 million domains registered under it. It can be an abbreviation for ‘company’, ‘community’, or ‘committee’.
It is viewed as the perfect alternative to .com domains. Columbian websites or company websites mostly use it. There are no restrictions on its International usage either. So, you can get this for your website as well.
| ccTLD | .co |
| Country | Columbia |
| New Domain Price | $3.98 |
| Renewal Price | $25.98 |
| Usage | Columbian websites, or company websites |
11) .in domain
The .in domain is the country-code TLD for India. It has more than 1 million domains registered. Indian-based websites mostly use it, but you can also use it as an International domain.
If you want to target the Indian market with your product or service, you should get a .in domain today!
| ccTLD | .in |
| Country | India |
| New Domain Price | $6.78 |
| Renewal Price | $9.98 |
| Usage | Indian websites |
12) .be domain
The .be domain stands for Belgium and has over 910k+ domains registered. In order to register a .be domain, you don’t need to be a resident of Belgium.
However, while registering a .be domain, you need to set a registrant that cannot be changed later on from the control panel. Belgium-based domains, and URL shorteners popularly use this TLD. For instance, YouTube uses it in its URL shortener as Youtu.be.
If you wish to establish your credibility in the Belgian market, then a .be domain would easily do the trick for you!
| ccTLD | .be |
| Country | Belgium |
| New Domain Price | $8.99 |
| Renewal Price | $8.99 |
| Usage | Belgium sites, as URL shortener (like Youtu.be) |
13) .me domain
The .me is the ccTLD for Montenegro. There are over 478k+ domains registered with this extension. As the TLD suggests, the .me domain is all about you!
So, if you wish to build a personal branding, a .me domain would be especially useful. Montenegro websites, personal blogs, startups, and branding websites mostly use it.
| ccTLD | .me |
| Country | Montenegro |
| New Domain Price | $4.99 |
| Renewal Price | $15.99 |
| Usage | Montenegro sites, personal blogs, branding sites. |
14) .tv domain
The .tv domain is the domain extension for Tuvalu. It has over 320k+ domains registered under it.
Being an abbreviation of the word ‘Television’, this domain extension would let your audience know that you have a video website just by your URL! It is popular with video bloggers, film professionals, media students, web designers, etc.
| ccTLD | .tv |
| Country | Tuvalu |
| New Domain Price | $26.99 |
| Renewal Price | $26.99 |
| Usage | Tuvalu websites, as abbreviation for ‘television’ |
15) .tw domain
The .tw domain stands for Taiwan. It has 246k+ domains registered across the globe. The Taiwanese audience recognize .tw domains as authentic and reliable for eCommerce, business, services, etc.
So, if you wish to strengthen your brand identity in Taiwan or sell a service or product to the Taiwan audience, then a .tw domain is the ideal choice!
| ccTLD | .tw |
| Country | Taiwan |
| New Domain Price | $19.99 |
| Renewal Price | $19.99 |
| Usage | Taiwan websites |
16) .io domain
The .io domain stands for the British Indian Ocean Territory. It has over 194k+ domains registered under it. This TLD is trending in the technology sector right now.
So, if you are a startup, NFT company, tech website, or browser game site, you should definitely check out this TLD.
| ccTLD | .io |
| Country | British Indian Ocean Territory |
| New Domain Price | $31.99 |
| Renewal Price | $34.99 |
| Usage | Startups, NFT companies, browser games, tech sites, etc. |
17) .cc domain
The .cc is the official domain extension for Cocos Island with more than 187k+ domains registered under it.
It is an abbreviation for a lot of phrases, which makes it a popular choice for consulting companies, cricket clubs, cycling clubs, Creative Commons websites, Christian churches, etc.
| ccTLD | .cc |
| Country | Cocos Island |
| New Domain Price | $3.99 |
| Renewal Price | $9.99 |
| Usage | Abbreviation for consulting companies, cricket club, and creative commons, Christian churches, etc. |
18) .fm domain
The .fm is the ccTLD for the Federated States of Micronesia and has 17k+ domains registered under it.
The restriction with this domain is that reserved names like .com.fm, .net.fm, .org.fm, cannot be registered by anyone. It is mostly used by FM Radios, Podcast sites, and DJs.
| ccTLD | .fm |
| Country | Federated States of Micronesia |
| New Domain Price | $69.99 |
| Renewal Price | $69.99 |
| Usage | FM Radio and podcasts |
19) .im domain
The .im is the domain extension for the Isle of Man, which is an island in the Irish Sea and has over 9.5k+ domains registered. It is an abbreviation for the phrase “I am”, which makes it a fantastic choice for personal branding sites and blogs!
The only condition on using a .im domain is that you can only register or renew your domain for a maximum of 3 years at a time. We popularly use it as an alternative to .me domains.
| ccTLD | .im |
| Country | Isle of Man (Island in Irish Sea) |
| New Domain Price | $7.99 |
| Renewal Price | $9.99 |
| Usage | As an alternative to .me domain |
20) .ai domain
The .ai is the official ccTLD for Anguilla with over 9k+ domains registered. However, the minimum registration period for a .ai domain is 2 years at a time.
Being an abbreviation for “artificial intelligence”, it is mostly used by tech websites, AI sites, tech startups, and all innovating companies today.
| ccTLD | .ai |
| Country | Anguilla |
| New Domain Price | $66.99 |
| Renewal Price | $66.99 |
| Usage | Anguillian websites, or as abbreviation for “artificial intelligence” |
21) .gg domain
The .gg is the ccTLD for Guernsey with 4.9k+ domains registered till date. Being an abbreviation for the phrase “good game”, it is popular with e-sports and gaming websites.
With a .gg domain, you can establish a strong connection with followers of a game or teams playing a particular sport.
| ccTLD | .gg |
| Country | Guernsey |
| New Domain Price | $59.99 |
| Renewal Price | $59.99 |
| Usage | Guernsey sites, gaming / eSports websites. |
23) .vc domain
The.vc is the ccTLD for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and has over 3.8k+ domains registered. Because of its various abbreviations, venture capitalists, version control, or video conferencing websites popularly use it.
So, if you wish to establish yourself as a professional in these industries, a .vc domain would be right for you!
| ccTLD | .vc |
| Country | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
| New Domain Price | $32.98 |
| Renewal Price | $34.98 |
| Usage | As abbreviation for venture capitalists, video conferencing, or version control. |
24) .ac domain
The .ac domain is a ccTLD of the Ascention region with over 2.4k+ domains. Being a popular abbreviation for Academics, this domain is widely used by Academics, school and college websites, educational institutions, etc.
| ccTLD | .uk |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| New Domain Price | $28.98 |
| Renewal Price | $32.98 |
| Usage | UK websites |
Conclusion
So, these were the best Two Letter TLDs that you can use for several industry-specific websites, or to just stand out from the crowd! I hope you found this information helpful for the next time you register a domain.
Have you registered a 2-Letter TLD before? Which one did you use and why? Let me know about it in the comments box below.
If you want to stay updated with more such informative stuff, you can subscribe to my weekly newsletter. This is Kripesh signing off. Take care and keep learning. Cheers! 🙂
