Picking a domain name is hard
aetherspe.cc
2 threads
If users actually like what you built, they won't care if your URL ends in .cc, .io, or whatever. The obsession with a clean .com usually just masks procrastination.
OP here: I wish that were the case, however we're targetting old school businesses who unfortunately in my experience get weirded out by .io style domains
Getting a good .com is extremely hard. I find most of these .coms are available but are bought to be resold at high prices (in tens of thousands of dollars). Most people just go with .co or .ai or something like that, until they are big enough to buy a .com of the same name.