What is the difference between a domain name and web hosting?
A domain name and web hosting are two separate but related things that both work together to make your website accessible on the internet. Your domain name is your website's address. Web hosting is the server that stores your website's files. You need both to have a working website.
Disclosure: What's Hosting operates a GoDaddy reseller storefront. Competitor guides are editorial research, not products we sell.
Think of it like a phone number and a physical office. The phone number (domain) is how people reach you. The office (hosting) is where your business actually operates from. Without both, your website cannot function: a domain with no hosting has nowhere to point to, and hosting with no domain has no address for visitors to reach it.
A domain name (like yourname.com) costs around $10 to $15 per year to register and renew. You purchase it from a domain registrar. Web hosting costs $3 to $100+ per month depending on the type of hosting you choose. Shared hosting is the most affordable at $3 to $10 per month.
You can buy your domain and hosting from the same company or from different companies. Buying both from one company (like GoDaddy or Bluehost) is convenient because they configure the connection automatically. Using different companies is common and gives you more flexibility to choose the best option for each independently.
When you register a domain, you update its nameservers to point to your hosting provider. The nameservers are addresses that tell the internet where your website is hosted. This is the technical link that connects your domain name to your hosting server.
Common questions
Can I have a domain without hosting?
Yes. You can register a domain and have it point to a parked page or nothing at all. However, without hosting, your domain will not display a website when visitors type it in.
Do I need both a domain and hosting?
Yes, if you want a website with your own domain name. Some website builders like Wix or Squarespace include both in one subscription. For self-hosted websites (like WordPress), you need to purchase them separately or together from a hosting provider.
Should I buy my domain and hosting from the same company?
It is convenient but not necessary. Buying both from the same company simplifies setup. Buying separately gives you flexibility to choose best-in-class for each (for example, Namecheap for the domain and SiteGround for hosting).