Web server vs web hosting: what is the difference?
People mix these two terms up all the time. A web server is the technology. Web hosting is the service you buy that gives you use of that technology.
Disclosure: What's Hosting operates a GoDaddy reseller storefront. Competitor guides are editorial research, not products we sell.
A web server is the computer and the software, like Nginx or Apache, that delivers website files to visitors. It exists whether or not anyone sells it.
Web hosting is the product. A hosting company owns many servers, looks after them, and rents you space and resources on one. You get a control panel, support, backups and an address to upload your files.
An easy comparison is a restaurant building and a table booking. The building and kitchen are the server. Your booking is the hosting plan. You use the space without having to build or run the restaurant.
This matters when you buy. Ask what the plan includes: storage, bandwidth, backups, email, a free security certificate and how easily you can upgrade. Those are hosting questions. The brand of web server software is rarely something a beginner needs to decide.
You only deal with the web server directly on a VPS or dedicated server, where you install and set up the software yourself. If that sounds like too much, choose shared or managed hosting.
Common questions
Do I need both a web server and web hosting?
You need a web server to run a site, and hosting is how most people get one. Buying hosting means you get the server part included.
Is cloud hosting a web server?
Cloud hosting is a type of hosting that runs your site on several connected servers instead of one.
Can I switch hosts later?
Yes. You copy your files and database to the new host and point your domain at it. Choose a host that allows easy backups and exports.