Which domain is better to choose for a website: RU or RF?

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Choosing the right domain name is a key step in creating a website. In Russia, the choice between the .RU and .РФ domain zones is especially relevant. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, and therefore is suitable for different purposes and audiences.

In which zone will the site be better promoted and indexed? why choose vk database What difficulties may arise when working in different domain zones? Some webmasters and business owners already have preferences based on personal experience, but there are also objective factors that can be decisive.

In this article we will consider all the nuances and features of each zone.

Content
A bit of history
Indexing and promotion
Financial issues
Selection criteria
Advantages and disadvantages of the .RU domain
Advantages and disadvantages of the .РФ domain
Conclusions
A bit of history
The national domain .RU was registered back in April 1994, and its growth peaked in 2006-2008, when the number of registered names exceeded 1.5 million. In November 2015, the number of domain names in .RU reached 5 million.



The first Cyrillic .РФ addresses on the network started working in May 2010, immediately after the .РФ domain was officially delegated to Russia. They were the names president.рф and government.рф.



Today, there are about 700 thousand domain names in the .РФ domain, and the domain is growing steadily. Domain names in .РФ are increasingly registered not in reserve and not just as a “nice” name, but to implement new ideas and launch new projects. This suggests that Russian users have begun to actively explore the space of the new domain zone and appreciate the convenience of using domains in their native language.

number of domains in zones ru and rf
Statistics on the number of domains in the .RU and .РФ zones for 2023
Indexing and promotion
As for indexing and website promotion, .RU has some advantage here. Search engines, especially Western ones, index and rank websites in Latin easier. The .RU domain is more recognizable for foreign users and is more easily perceived internationally.

However, the .РФ domain is also successfully indexed by search engines and can be a great choice if your target audience lives in Russia. This domain emphasizes nationality and can be perceived as more trustworthy among Russian users.

Financial issues
The pricing policy of registrars does not reveal significant differences in the cost of .RU and .РФ domains, either at the registration stage or during renewal. For example, at one of the most popular registrars reg.ru, the cost of .RU / .РФ domains varies from 200 to 600 rubles.

Selection criteria
The .RU domain is suitable for any type of project aimed at a Russian-speaking audience. Examples of popular .RU sites: yandex.ru, tinkoff.ru and ozon.ru.
The .РФ domain is suitable for those who are looking for alternative options due to the busyness of the desired names in the .RU zone, as well as for projects aimed strictly at the Russian market. This is due to the fact that in European countries there is no Russian keyboard layout, so writing a domain in Cyrillic is problematic.

.РФ is also used for viral and personalized projects (for example: andreyserov.rf), as well as for sites aimed at an audience that prefers Cyrillic (for example, it is much easier for older people to write such a domain).
which domain to choose ru or rf

Advantages and disadvantages
.RU
Advantages:

Recognizability and ease of perception at the international level.
Ease of indexing by search engines.
A wide range of tools and services for working with a domain.
Possibility of creating corporate email like [email protected] .
Flaws:

High competition for quality domain names.
Difficulty in remembering domains for older audiences who do not know English.
RF
Advantages:

A larger selection of domain names, since this zone appeared later.
Trust perception among Russian users.
Easy domain recognition and memorization.
An opportunity to reach an age audience that is accustomed to the Cyrillic alphabet.
Flaws:

Problems with perception and accessibility for foreign audiences.
Possible technical difficulties due to Cyrillic characters in the URL.
Many services do not understand the .РФ zone and for correct operation they recode Russian letters into the so-called Punycode. Thus, a domain like "мойсайт.рф" will look like "xn--80arbjktj.xn--p1ai".
Conclusions
Choosing between .RU and .РФ is not only a technical decision, but also a strategic one. Consider the specifics of your business, target audience, and scaling plans. Many companies register domains in both zones, ensuring recognition and protecting their interests. This step gives you the opportunity to increase recognition of your company by setting up a 301 redirect (redirecting users from the .РФ domain to the .RU domain).

In our company, at the stage of launching the site, the manager will offer you options for domains that are suitable for the direction and audience of your business. And the purchase and renewal of one domain is included in our technical support of the site , so you will not have to waste time and money.

Regardless of the choice of .RU or .РФ, the key factor in the success of the site will remain the quality of the content and services provided. Each domain can become a successful tool in the hands of a professional who is able to realize its potential to the fullest. Good luck to you!