Domain extensions: which one to pick

Types of extension

• Country code (ccTLD): for a country, such as .ke for Kenya. Kenya’s extensions are run by KeNIC, the Kenya Network Information Centre.
• Second-level country extensions: .co.ke, .or.ke and others: a category under .ke.
• Generic (gTLD): .com, .net, .org and newer ones such as .africa, .online or .shop.

The .ke extensions

Extension	For	Price a year
.co.ke	Businesses and companies	Ksh 1,300
.ke	Short national brand names	Ksh 3,500
.or.ke	NGOs, churches, associations	Ksh 1,300
.ac.ke	Universities and colleges (documents needed)	Ksh 1,500
.sc.ke	Primary and secondary schools (documents needed)	Ksh 1,500
.me.ke	Personal sites and portfolios	Ksh 1,300
.info.ke	Information sites	Ksh 1,300
.ne.ke	Network and internet providers	Ksh 1,300
.mobi.ke	Mobile sites and apps	Ksh 1,300

Hostnali registers every .ke extension except .go.ke, which is reserved for government. See all domain prices.

.co.ke, .ke or .com?

	.co.ke	.ke	.com
Tells customers	Kenyan business	Kenyan brand	International
Length	Longer	Shortest	Short
Availability	Good names taken	More names free	Most short names taken
Price a year	Ksh 1,300	Ksh 3,500	Ksh 1,780

Our advice: a business selling in Kenya should use .co.ke (or .ke) as its main address, and register the .com of the same name to protect it.

Does the extension affect Google?

A country extension tells Google your site is for Kenya, which helps you appear in Kenyan searches. A .com can rank in Kenya too, but needs other local signals. Either way, good content matters far more than the ending.

Restricted extensions

.ac.ke and .sc.ke need documents showing you are a registered institution, and .go.ke is for government only. Read the .sc.ke guide for schools for what to prepare.

Global and African options

.africa is a pan-African extension for brands across the continent, and .org suits non-profits with an international audience. Search any name on domain registration to see which extensions are free.