.com.br or .com?
- .com.br: the best choice for businesses serving Brazil. It builds trust with Brazilian customers and is registered at Registro.br with a CPF or CNPJ.
- .com: good if you sell to other countries or want an international brand. It is registered through registrars and usually priced in US dollars.
- Both: if the brand matters, register both and point one to the other.
How to choose a good name
- Short and easy to say: you will say it on the phone and print it on cards.
- No hyphens or numbers replacing letters: "your-company" and "y0urcompany" confuse people.
- Same as, or close to, your brand: customers try the company name first.
- Watch out for other brands: registering a domain with another company's trademark can lead to a dispute and losing the domain.
Step by step
- Check whether the name is available at Registro.br (for .com.br).
- Create an account with your company details (CNPJ) or the owner's (CPF).
- Pay the annual fee and turn on auto-renewal so you never lose the domain.
- Point the domain to your website hosting (DNS). Your web developer usually handles this.
Common mistakes
- Domain registered to the developer or agency: if the relationship ends, you may lose your address. Insist that it is in your name.
- Forgetting to renew: an expired domain takes your site and email offline, and someone else can register the name.
- Using Gmail for the business: with your own domain you can have [email protected], which looks more trustworthy.
At ON Network (page in Portuguese), we help register the .com.br under your CPF or CNPJ and point it to your site at no extra cost. See also how to choose hosting.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a .com.br domain cost?
About R$ 40 per year at Registro.br, renewed annually.
Can I register a .com.br with a CPF?
Yes. Registro.br accepts registration with a CPF or CNPJ. For businesses, the CNPJ is the better choice.
Does the domain include the website?
No. The domain is only the address. You also need hosting (where the site lives) and the website itself.