Web hosting and domain names are often bought together, from one provider. But they’re not the same. If you’re planning to create a website for your business, you’ll need both.
In this guide, we’ll help you understand the difference between web hosting and domain names. We’ve kept things simple here, but you can follow the links to read other guides on our blog which explain some points in more depth.
Let’s get started…
How Does Web Hosting Work?
When you take out a web hosting plan, you’re basically renting storage space on a powerful computer called a server. Servers connect to the internet 24/7. By hosting your website on an internet-connected server, you can make it available to online visitors.
Types of Web Hosting
There are all kinds of websites. Some are large and some are small. Some need powerful servers with plenty of storage space, while some only need basic resources.
Luckily, there are also many varieties of web hosting which cater to the needs of different websites. Some common examples include:
Learn more: You might like to explore our guide to the types of web hosting. We’ve also published a beginner’s guide to website hosting which explores the whole topic in more depth.
What is a Web Domain?
A web domain is a website’s address on the internet. When visitors want to visit your website, they’ll type the address into their web browsers. They might also follow links that point to your web domain.
Web domains are commonly known as domain names, or simply domains. Every domain is unique, and no two websites can ever share the same domain.
What Domain Name Should I Choose for My Site?
You can register a new web domain that’s not owned by anyone, or you can buy a premium domain namethat’s already registered. Either way, you’ll need to choose which domain name is best for your website.
Generally, the best domain names are:
- Short and simple
- Easy to spell, pronounce and remember
- Related to your business name or business activities
Learn More: We’ve created a helpful guide to picking a domain name, which includes more useful pointers.
Can I Use My Domain Name with Any Host?
Many customers choose one provider for their web hosting and domain name. Although this approach makes life a little simpler, you are normally free to use separate companies for each service, if you prefer. You can link the two up by ‘pointing’ the domain name to your web host’s servers.
Before You Buy Website Hosting
Before you buy web hosting and a domain name separately, it’s worth checking that you actually need to. Many web hosts include a free domain name as part of their web hosting plans. Here at tasjeel, domain names are just one of the great freebies we offer with our web hosting packages.
Concluded the Difference Between Web Hosting and Domain Names?
Now that we’ve explored hosting and domains, let’s return to the question we started with: What is the difference between web hosting and domain names?
As we’ve seen, web hosting is all about giving a website somewhere to ‘live’ online. Meanwhile, the domain name is the address used to find that website. To make the point even clearer, you might like to think of a comparison with a house:
Just as a website is on a server, a house needs to be on a plot of land to stand on. Meanwhile, the web domain used for that website is a lot like the address of a house.
Put like this, web hosting and domain names are surprisingly simple! But if you want to explore the technical side to this topic, this guide created by WP Beginner will help: Domain Name vs Web Hosting – What’s the Difference?
