What is the difference between Domain and Hosting? A complete Guide

Are you excited to know the difference between domain and hosting?

This is a separate concept that many beginners do not understand but I will try my best to explain a complete comparison of domain and hosting.

In simple terms, what is a domain name?

To visit your website, people type the domain name into the URL bar of their browser.

If your website were an apartment, your domain name would be its location.

Let’s now discuss the domain and hosting in more detail.

Computers are connected through cables to form the Internet, which can be thought of as a titan network. A series of numbers called IP Addresses are assigned to each computer so they can be easily identified.

This IP address is a sequence of figures separated with dots. Typically, IP addresses resemble this:

66.245.66.1

Computers have no problem revealing and remembering these numbers. However, humans can’t look back and use these numbers to connect to websites on the Internet, To fix this problem, domain names were invented.
A domain name can have words that make it easy to recall website addresses.
Now, if you want to visit a website on the internet, you don’t need to type a string of numbers. Instead, you can type in an easy-to-remember domain name.

In simple terms, what is Web Hosting?

Web hosting is the location where all the files of a website host. It is similar to the home of the site, where it resides. A good way of thinking about this is if the URL was the address of your home, then web hosting would be the actual residence that the URL leads to.
All sites on the internet require web hosting. When a user puts your domain name in their browser, the domain name gets converted into the IP address of the web host’s server. This server stores and serves the files of your site. Web hosts offer different types of services to their clients. Some provide shared hosting, others provide dedicated servers, and some offer both.

Read more related to this article: The best free web hosting services in 2023

How to connect domain and hosting?

Domain names and web hosting are two different services. However, they work together to make websites possible.
Basically, a domain name system is like a massive address book that is steadily updated. Behind each domain name, there is an address of the web hosting service storing the website’s files.
Without domain names, it will not be possible for people to find your website and without web hosting, you cannot build a website.

Do I have to purchase them together with the domain and hosting? or I purchase them separately?

You can buy domain names and web hosting from two separate companies. However, in order to do so, you’ll have to point your domain to your web host by editing its DNS settings, otherwise, you won’t be able to access your website.
On the other hand, purchasing your domain and hosting from the same company means you won’t have to edit any DNS settings.

It’s also easier to maintain and renew them together.

If you want to purchase domain names separately, then you can do so from top providers like:

  • NameCheap.com
  • Godaddy.com
  • NetworkSolutions.com
  • domain.com

Where is the cheapest place to host a website?

  • Hostinger
  • HostGator
  • Dream Host
  • Site Ground
  • TLD-List     (one of the most favorite domain name providers)

What are The best top 5 domain and hosting services for 2022?

  1. InMotion Hosting – Best reseller web hosting.
  2. Domain.com – Best shared hosting provider.
  3. GoDaddy – Best multilingual support web host.
  4. Bluehost – Best web hosting overall.
  5. HostGator – Best shared web hosting.