People often ask 'what is the difference between domain names and hosting'.
Well, quite a lot. Firstly you need both working together in order to have any sort of web presence or email functionality. We like to explain it in the following analogy: A house is the hosting, the mailbox is the domain name. Without a mailbox (i.e. a domain name), then no one cant get through the house and send messages to it. And vice versa, a mailbox with no house means that anyone sending messages to that house won't get a reply.
Hosting is generally the more expensive of the two - hosting is the server / computer device that 'serves' your website to the people requesting it on the web. Commonly a person clicking on your website after searching you on Google, or someone keying in your website from your business card. Hosting is more high maintenance, it requires monitoring and regular updates to keep the server running smooth and protect against security vulnerabilities; hence why hosting is generally more expensive. Managed hosting from web design companies such as us range from $25 - $60 per month depending on the size of the site.
Domain names are generally only $30-$50 per year - and are the unique identifier that allows people to bring up your website. They're generally very low-maintenance, once they're setup there is no ongoing changes required, just pay the renewal bill and it'll go for years to come!
If you're still a bit confused as to the differences between them, then maybe get in touch and we can set you straight with some free advice - or we can look after the headache and setup your hosting for you!
Get in touch with RAZOR Web Design here if you need hosting or domain support / advice.
