Austria's gold standard: The .at domain as the key to success
For companies and self-employed individuals in Austria, the .at domain is not just a technical detail, but an indispensable element of their digital identity. This is shown by new findings from the Internet Compass survey conducted by world4you, one of Austria's leading hosting providers. The study, carried out in collaboration with market research company YouGov, highlights the central role of domains and trust for success on the internet.
For many Austrians, a website with a .at domain is seen as a symbol of reliability: three out of four respondents (73 percent) rate this extension as particularly trustworthy when used by companies operating in Austria. The proven top-level domain is the clear leader in the ranking: the .com extension follows at a considerable distance, with only 41 percent perceiving it as reliable. This preference is also evident among the self-employed, two-thirds of whom (66 percent) prefer a .at domain for their website. The .at domain is therefore much more than a technical detail—it is a strategic asset for companies: it strengthens brand identity and builds trust among website visitors and thus potential customers.
Next step in digital development: individualization
In addition, personalization is becoming increasingly important on the internet. Currently, only 22 percent of Austrians use an email address with their own domain, and only 14 percent have their own website. But the future shows potential: more than half of those surveyed (51 percent) already have an email address with their own domain or can imagine using an individual email address in the future, while around a third (31 percent) are thinking about creating their own website. A look at the federal states shows that interest in a personalized online presence is particularly strong in Tyrol (54 percent - domain), Upper Austria (32 percent - website), and Vienna (53 percent - domain, 35 percent - website).
“A professional website with a .at domain is the key to a reputable internet presence. It enables companies to position themselves as trustworthy and reliable while meeting the growing demands of Austrian consumers for data protection and digital sovereignty. The .at domain as the gold standard will therefore continue to exist in the future,” says Sandra Trummer-Gabler, managing director of world4you.
About the survey
For the world4you Internet Compass, a total of 2,005 people were surveyed online by the market research company YouGov between September 19 and 25, 2025. The survey was quota-adjusted according to age, gender, and region, and the results were then weighted accordingly. The survey is representative of the Austrian population aged 18 and over.
