ETB
KES - Kenya
NGN - Nigeria
ZAR - South Africa
GHS - Ghana
ZMW - Zambia
USD - International
Short answer
Both can be registered online in minutes, by anyone. .com is the best-known address in the world and the safe first choice; .africa is newer, often has short names free and shows customers you're proud to be an African business. Many businesses register both. Ethiopia's .et domains (such as .com.et) need an application to the Ethiopian registry; ask our team and we'll help.
| .com | .africa | |
|---|---|---|
| Example | yourbrand.com | yourbrand.africa |
| Best for | Any business, at home and abroad | African brands, startups, campaigns |
| Who can register | Anyone | Anyone |
| First year at Hostnali | ₵178 | ₵250 |
| Renewal | ₵210 | ₵250 |
When to choose .com
Customers in Ethiopia and in the diaspora type .com without thinking, and it works just as well for a shop in Addis Ababa as for an exporter selling coffee to buyers in Europe or the Gulf. If the .com of your name is free, take it: it’s the safe choice for most businesses.
When to choose .africa
A .africa address tells visitors straight away that you’re an African business, and good short names are often still free when the .com is taken. It suits brands, startups, tour operators and campaigns aimed at the continent.
What about .com.et?
Ethiopia’s own extensions, such as .com.et, need an application to the Ethiopian registry. We can’t register them online, but ask our team and we’ll help you with the process. Meanwhile, a .com or .africa can be registered and running in minutes.
Our advice: register the .com of your name, add the .africa if it’s free, and point both to the same website. See prices on the .com and .africa pages, or read how to choose a domain name.