So what exactly is the difference Between Domain Registration and Web Hosting?

August 20, 2020

Two things are absolutely vital when setting up a website: a domain name and hosting. As they often come together in package deals, it can sometimes be difficult to tell them apart, yet alone the difference between the two, but they are quite separate and fundamentally different things.

What is a Domain Name?

The domain name is the address of your website that people will type into their browser's URL bar to visit your website. In other words, if your website was a house, then your domain name will be its address.

Australian websites tend to end in .com.au or .com (although literally hundreds of variations exist), and although you buy it you have to pay to renew it regularly in order to keep it (some registrars allow you to register for two years at a time). Depending on where you register your domain and which extension you choose, it should (on average) cost less than $20 per year.

What is Hosting / Web Hosting?

Web Hosting is where you store all the files (HTML, CSS & JS) that make up your website. When people visit your domain name, it needs to locate the images, the text and the site design. These file exist with your hosting provider and let people see your site in all its glory. Hosting prices vary dramatically, depending on the features offered, the reliability of the service and how many extras you want - all of which are offered by us.

As with domain name registration, hosting is generally renewed on an annual basis.