A domain is your address on the web; hosting is the server that stores and serves your website. They are separate things, often bought from different providers, and both should be registered in your business’s name so nobody else controls your presence.
Two things people confuse
Your domain is the name people type: yourbusiness.co.uk. Hosting is the computer somewhere that holds the website's files and sends them to visitors. The domain points at the hosting. You can move either without the other, and understanding that separation is what keeps you in control.
Domains: registration and renewal
A domain is registered through a registrar for a period, usually a year at a time, and renews on that cycle. If it lapses, the website and any email on that domain stop, and someone else can register the name. The registrar account should be yours, with your contact details and your payment method, and renewal set to automatic.
Choosing a domain: your business name if it is available, a country extension such as .co.uk or .com.au where your customers are local, .com where they are international. Avoid names that need spelling out on the phone.
Hosting: where the site lives
Hosting is a recurring service. Shared hosting suits most small business sites; managed platforms suit specific stacks; larger or busier sites need more. Providers such as Hostinger, Cloudflare, Vercel and Netlify each fit different kinds of website, and part of a developer's job is recommending one that matches yours rather than defaulting to a favourite. Our web hosting setup service does exactly that.
The hosting account, like the domain, should be in your name. A developer can be given access to deploy and maintain without owning the account.
Why ownership matters so much
- If a developer registers the domain in their name, you do not own your address.
- If the hosting is on their account, your site depends on their business continuing and their invoices being paid.
- Moving away from a provider who holds both can mean starting again.
- Email on your domain depends on the domain staying registered and correctly configured.
Our guide to who owns your website covers the full picture, including the design files and code.
Email on your own domain
An address at your own domain looks more credible than a free webmail one and is usually included with hosting or available cheaply from the registrar. It depends on DNS records being set correctly, which is a configuration task rather than a mystery, and one we handle as part of setup.
SSL: the padlock
Every site should be served over HTTPS. Browsers warn visitors about sites that are not, and search engines prefer those that are. Most hosting now includes a certificate at no extra cost; it needs to be enabled and renewed, and a developer should confirm it is.
How we handle setup
We help you register or connect the domain in your own account, choose and configure hosting in your name, deploy the site and set up email and HTTPS — then hand you the access details. Ownership stays with you. Ask through the enquiry form whether you already have a domain or hosting; either way, we work with what exists.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a domain and hosting?
The domain is the address people type; hosting is the server that stores and serves the website. They are separate, often from different providers, and the domain simply points at the hosting. Either can be moved without the other.
Who should own my domain and hosting?
Your business. Both accounts should be in your name with your contact and payment details, and a developer given access rather than ownership. A domain registered in a developer’s name means you do not own your own address.
What happens if my domain expires?
The website and any email on that domain stop working, and after a grace period someone else can register the name. Keep the registrar account in your name and set renewal to automatic.
Which hosting provider should I use?
It depends on the kind of website. Shared hosting suits most small business sites; managed platforms such as Vercel or Netlify suit particular technical stacks; busier sites need more. A developer should recommend one that fits the site rather than defaulting to a favourite.
Planning a Website?
Tell us about your business and what the website needs to achieve. We review every enquiry personally and reply with a scope and a customised quotation — UK and international projects welcome.