Almost every new business in Qatar faces the same small decision with long consequences: which domain goes on the trade licence paperwork, the shop sign, the email signature and the vehicle livery. The choice is usually between the national extension .qa, the commercial second-level .com.qa, and the global .com. Changing your mind later means reprinting, redirecting and re-teaching customers, so it is worth ten minutes now.
This guide is written for companies operating in Qatar. It covers what each extension signals, who is allowed to register it under the rules the Qatar Domains Registry adopted in October 2026, what the names cost over five years, and how each choice affects search visibility inside and outside Qatar.
What each extension says about your business
.qa is Qatar's country-code domain. A name like yourcompany.qa tells a visitor, before they open the page, that you are a Qatar business. For local service companies, clinics, contractors, restaurants and retailers, that signal builds trust, especially with customers who are wary of look-alike international sites.
.com.qa is the commercial second level under .qa. It has long been associated with registered companies, so yourcompany.com.qa reads as formal and corporate. The downside is length: it is a few more characters to type, say on the phone and fit on a business card.
.com is neutral. It does not say where you are, which is exactly what you want if you trade across borders, run a regional brand or expect to open in Riyadh or Dubai later. It is also the extension people type by habit, which is why owning it matters even when it is not your main address.
There is also the Arabic-script country domain .قطر. It is a strong brand statement for Arabic-first audiences, but it is rarely used as a primary business address today, because many email systems and forms still handle non-Latin domains poorly. Treat it as an optional extra, not a replacement.
Who can register .qa and .com.qa after October 2026
The Qatar Domains Registry, operated by the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA), moved to a new platform and revised policies on 22 October 2026. The most important change for businesses: second-level .qa names are no longer open to anyone in the world by default. Each application is checked against an eligibility category and may need documents such as:
- A Commercial Registration (CR) or trade licence for a company in Qatar.
- A valid Qatar ID (QID) or proof of residency for an individual applicant.
- A qualifying trademark registration, which can open the door for a brand based outside Qatar.
- Other official documents the registry asks for during its review.
Two practical consequences follow. First, a name that shows as available is not guaranteed to be approved, and payment does not mean instant activation; budget a review period before any launch date. Second, changes to an existing .qa registration, such as new nameservers, can trigger the same eligibility check, so keep your CR and contact details current with your registrar. The registry publishes its policies on the CRA website, and that is the source to follow when the rules are updated.
At the time of writing, BIGBANG ITS is holding new second-level .qa orders while the registry's document-verification procedure is finalised for our registrar channel. Existing .qa domains and renewals are not affected, and we can register the matching .com immediately so your name is protected while the .qa application waits.
Cost over five years
Domain fees are small next to a website or a phone system, but renewal prices differ from first-year prices, so compare five years rather than one. The figures below are the prices shown on our domains page on 23 October 2026, in Qatari riyals; check that page for current pricing before you order.
| Extension | First year | Each renewal | Five years |
|---|---|---|---|
| .com | QAR 49.14 | QAR 63.70 | QAR 303.94 |
| .qa | QAR 120.12 | QAR 120.12 | QAR 600.60 |
| .qa + .com together | QAR 169.26 | QAR 183.82 | QAR 904.54 |
Holding both names costs well under QAR 200 a year. Compare that with reprinting signage and stationery, or with a competitor or squatter registering the .com version of your brand and catching your mistyped emails.
How Google treats .qa and .com
Google treats a country-code domain such as .qa as a signal that the site is meant for users in that country. That can help a little for searches made in Qatar, and it also means the site is less likely to be shown to searchers elsewhere. A .com has no country attached, so Google relies on your content, your language versions and your Google Business Profile to understand where you serve.
In practice, content and reputation matter far more than the extension. A .com with clear Qatar addresses, Arabic and English pages, and a verified Business Profile in Doha ranks well locally. What harms rankings is splitting one business across two live copies of the same site; always choose one primary domain and permanently redirect (301) the others to it. Our guide to SEO for Qatar businesses covers the bilingual side in detail.
The setup we recommend for most Qatar businesses
- Decide your primary address: .qa or .com.qa if you serve Qatar only and are eligible; .com if you are regional or international.
- Register the other extension at the same time and redirect it to the primary with a 301 redirect.
- Use the primary domain for email as well, so the address on your card, your website and your inbox match. See business email for Qatar companies.
- Put the domain in the company's name, not an employee's or an agency's personal account, and keep the registrant email on a shared mailbox you control.
- Turn on auto-renewal and keep a valid payment method on file; expired names are often caught by others within days.
When .com alone is enough, and when .qa alone is enough
A .com on its own works for startups that are not yet eligible for .qa, for online businesses selling across the region, and for brands whose .qa is already taken. Add the .qa later when your CR is issued.
A .qa on its own can work for a small local business with a strong Qatar identity, but we still recommend registering the .com when it is available, if only to stop someone else using it.
Frequently asked questions
Can a company outside Qatar register a .qa domain?
Not by default under the rules in force since 22 October 2026. Applicants must fit an eligibility category; a foreign company may qualify through a registered trademark, but open worldwide registration can no longer be assumed.
Is .com.qa better than .qa for a company?
Neither ranks better. .com.qa reads more formal and corporate, while .qa is shorter and easier to say and type. Most new brands prefer the shorter .qa where they are eligible for it.
Does a .qa domain rank higher in Google in Qatar?
It sends a country signal, which can help slightly for searches in Qatar. Content quality, Arabic and English pages, reviews and your Google Business Profile matter much more than the extension.
Which domain should redirect to which?
Choose the one you print and advertise as primary, and redirect every other version to it with a permanent 301 redirect. Never run two live copies of the same site.
How much does a .qa domain cost per year?
On 23 October 2026 our domains page listed .qa registration and renewal at QAR 120.12 a year. New .qa orders are on hold while the registry's verification procedure is finalised, so contact us before planning a launch around a new .qa name.
Register the right name with BIGBANG ITS
We register and manage .com, .qa and hundreds of other extensions, with prices shown in QAR, free DNS management and support in Arabic and English. Check availability on our domain registration page, or send us your shortlist on WhatsApp at +1 (667) 222-1616 or by email to info@its.qa and we will tell you which names are free and what the registry is likely to ask for.
Questions about your own setup?
Tell us what you run today and what you need. We reply by email, usually within one business day.