Subdomain vs Subdirectory: Which Is Better for SEO?

4 min read

The subdomain vs subdirectory debate is one of the oldest in SEO. The consensus: subdirectories are better for most sites.

Why Subdirectories Win

  • Inherit domain authority from the main site
  • Consolidate link equity under one domain
  • Simpler analytics and tracking
  • Easier to manage technically

When Subdomains Make Sense

  • Completely different applications (app.example.com)
  • Different tech stacks needing separate hosting
  • Enterprise organizations with separate teams

Use URL slug generator for clean subdirectory URLs.