What is Web Hosting and Domain Name?
A website requires a domain name and web hosting service to be viewable on the Internet. The domain name is like the “address” of your website, and web hosting is the computer server space that is rented to make your website available for public viewing.
You will need to purchase web hosting from a web hosting company (like Hostinger) and a domain name from a domain name registrar (like Namecheap). Both the domain name and hosting can (but do not have to) be purchased from the same company.
We have extensively tested
all the major hosts and domain name registrars and compiled this information on various features to consider for both domain name and web hosting .
The easiest way to build a website for beginners is to use an all-in-one service like Wix . Wix provides web hosting, a domain name, and a very simple (yet powerful) website builder all in the same online account.
Read on for more information about domain names and web hosting, and more hosting options.
What Does Web Hosting Mean?
Web hosting means renting space on a computer server for all of your website’s pages, images, and other content . The server allows anyone to view your website’s content through a web browser. But they can’t change or delete it.
There are many types of web hosting that vary significantly in price , but when you’re first starting out, there are two types of hosting that are considered reasonable: website builder hosting and shared hosting.
“Shared web hosting” means that your site will share server resources with many other websites. This solution is the cheapest option for a new site that doesn’t yet get a lot of visitors . It may also sometimes include a site setup wizard or even a website builder to help you get started. But typically, you’ll use a content management system (CMS) like WordPress to create and manage your site with a shared hosting provider.
Not all web hosts are created equal, so you need to choose one that offers value for money
The best web hosts have good server performance, are easy to use netherlands telegram data and provide free security features like SSL certificates to ensure your website is up to date.
During our testing, we found that Hostinger offers the best price/performance ratio among shared plans. It offers everything you need for your first website at an affordable price.
What Does Domain Name Mean?
A domain name is an address for your website, such as “websiteplanet.com .” To access any website, you must type its address (also called a domain name or uniform resource locator (URL)) into your web browser. You can also click on a link that takes you to that address.
To get a domain name, you need to register a suitable domain name with a domain name registrar . Since most web hosting companies also offer domain name registration, you can usually register your domain name (or a free one) with the company you get your hosting from.
When you choose a domain name, you also need to choose a domain name extension
The most preferred domain name extension for companies and individuals has been “.com”, which is the most common and memorable domain name.
If you can’t get your domain name with a .com extension (if it’s registered by someone else), you can always try .co, .net, or other extensions . If you’re a non-profit organization, you can go with .org or a country code extension (like .tr if you’re a company in Turkey).
You don’t have to buy your web hosting and domain name from the same company
When you want to change your host, it’s easier to do so if you have registered your domain name with a registrar other than your web hosting company. However, the easiest and quickest way to get started is to get your hosting plan and domain name from the same place.
Here Are My Best Web Hosting Recommendations (Some Come With a Free Domain!)
My top recommendations below start with web builder hosting, as it’s the easiest for beginners. Then, I list some shared hosting providers that work with WordPress, which gives you more flexibility when building your site, but has a slightly steeper learning curve.
1. Wix: Best All-in-One Website Builder and Web Host
Wix’s Combo plan gives you everything you need for your first website , including a domain name, hosting, and site builder. But what makes Wix an ideal choice for beginners is its easy-to-use, drag-and-drop website builder.
With over 900 website templates, the builder will have you setting up layouts for almost any type of website in minutes . Making changes to the layout is easy, as Wix doesn’t impose any restrictions on where you can place page elements (text, images, menus, etc.).
Unless you’re very design-savvy, it’s a good idea to leave the template-based layout as is, then replace the placeholder text and images with your own content .
Features:
- Wix ADI. If you’re looking to create something different from standard template-based designs, Wix’s artificial design intelligence (ADI) makes key layout decisions based on what it thinks is most effective for you. This can help you create your website pages in a unique way, but still follow the principles of effective user interface design.
- Free domain name registration. With most of Wix’s plans, you can get one free domain name registration for the first year and choose from the following extensions: .com, .net, .org, .info, .biz, .rocks, .pictures, .co.uk, .club, .space, and .xyz.
- 14-day free trial. Wix offers a 14-day free trial so you can try the service risk-free.
2. Squarespace: Very Close to Wix with Some Unique Features
Similar to Wix, Squarespace is an all-in-one solution . It’s a good option for those just starting out, offering everything you need for hosting, a domain name, and site-building. Squarespace’s site builder is more conservative and doesn’t let you move page text, images, and menus around on each page.
But that’s not always a bad thing, because it’s harder for things to go wrong. Squarespace enforces proper layout principles for your website, so you don’t need a college degree in UI design.
Squarespace’s plans can be more expensive than Wix’s, but you get a free domain registration with its entry-level plan, and it may be worth the higher price if you like how the builder works .
Features:
- Unlimited site traffic. Squarespace offers something with its two entry-level plans, where Wix doesn’t offer unlimited bandwidth or site traffic, meaning the number of visitors your website can handle grows without you having to upgrade your plan.
- Free domain name registration. Just like Wix, Squarespace offers free domain name registration for the first year.
- 14-day free trial. Again, just like Wix, you can try Squarespace for free for 14 days and see if it’s for you
3. Hostinger: Lightning Fast and Reliable Shared Hosting
Hostinger’s Premium shared hosting plan offers the best value for money , as it comes with a free domain name. However, to get the lowest possible price with Hostinger, you’ll need to sign up for a long-term plan of one, two, or four years.
Hostinger doesn’t offer a website builder with its shared plans, so its platform is designed for building a website with a content management system (CMS) like WordPress. While it has a steeper learning curve, WordPress is an easy way to launch your first website because it offers access to thousands of free, premium themes . WordPress themes are like a template for your website’s design.
Once you install WordPress and choose a theme, you can start creating pages and blog posts. All you have to do is check out the menu bar on the left and click on “Posts” or “Pages” to get started.
Hostinger Web Hosting
Features:
- WP Starter. A site setup wizard specifically for WordPress. This can help you install WordPress and choose a theme.
- Free email addresses. With Hostinger’s entry-level plan and Premium Shared hosting plans or higher, you can set up a custom email address on a custom domain. You can have up to 100 custom email addresses.
- Optimized for WordPress. Hostinger uses the LiteSpeed web server and other technological advancements specifically developed to run WordPress-based websites efficiently.
4. InterServer: Shared Network Hosting with Unlimited Features (But Domains Are Not Free)
InterServer’s unlimited features such as bandwidth, storage, email addresses and the number of websites allowed make it stand out from its competitors.
InterServer’s Standard shared hosting plan includes access to the SitePad drag-and-drop website builder, but you can also use WordPress, which you can install with just a few clicks. You can try out a variety of content management systems with InterServer.
Unlike many other hosts, InterServer’s shared plan comes with a simple monthly fee, so you don’t have to commit long-term to get a reasonable price. You do have to pay extra to register a domain name, but the annual fee isn’t too much.
InterServer Web Hosting
Features:
- “Inter-Insurance.” InterServer offers a strong security solution and backs it up with a promise to clean up your website if it is under threat.
- More reliable email delivery. Allowing an unlimited number of email accounts means InterServer has to make sure that customers do not use them to send spam. All customer emails are filtered through a series of careful checks, meaning your emails will never be flagged. InterServer guarantees that all your messages are delivered successfully.
- Plenty of server resources. Most shared hosting providers load up their servers with as many clients as possible, reducing overall performance. InterServer’s policy is to run servers at only 50% of capacity, so your site(s) won’t slow down if another client’s site is busy.
5. 1&1 IONOS: Lowest Possible Price for WordPress Hosting (First Year Only)
While the starting price for 1&1 IONOS’s WordPress Business plan is the lowest on this list, it’s only valid for your first year. After that, the price goes back to normal and doesn’t stay very competitive.
So, if you’re just starting out, IONOS’s Essential WordPress plan is a much more sensible choice , as it offers more than enough features for a single website and is much more affordable in the long term. You also get a free domain name registration for your first year.
IONOS also offers separate website building plans that include templates suitable for various types of online businesses , but the price increases significantly if you want to add online store functionality.
Features:
- One-click software installer. Install WordPress in seconds and use one of thousands of themes to create a lightning-fast framework for your website.
- Daily site backups. Your website and all its content are backed up at least every 24 hours, so if you make a big mistake and break your site, you can restore to an older version.
- Unlimited traffic. With IONOS you get unlimited bandwidth (traffic) on your website so you don’t have to worry about any limitations or excessive fees.
- Email, phone and chat support are available in Turkish
Domain Name and Web Hosting are Required for Your Website You Can Get Both Easily
To make a website visible on the internet, you will need to register a domain name and purchase a web hosting plan . Once you have both of these, you will also need a way to create your website.
Wix and Squrespace are both website builders, hosting platforms, and domain name registrars all in one. Wix’s Combo plan includes 2GB of bandwidth, 3GB of storage, and a free domain name for one year. This is more than enough for beginners, allowing you to create your first site even if you have little to no web development experience.
Instead of a site builder, Hostinger’s Premium shared plan comes with a free domain name for the first year, the WP Starter wizard, which helps you install WordPress and choose a theme, and also includes 100GB of storage and unlimited bandwidth. This is more than enough to support your new website for a very long time.
What does web hosting mean and how does it work?
Web hosting stores your text, images, and other digital content on a server, allowing visitors to view them with a web browser. For a full explanation if your website does not meet google’s please see the What is Web Hosting section above. If you want to set up a website, check out our guide to choosing a host and launching a site in 2024
What are the differences between web hosting and domain name?
Web hosting provides your site on a computer server, and the domain name provides the address for people to find it.
What does domain name mean?
A domain name, also called a uniform resource locator (URL), is the online address that allows site visitors to find your site using a web browser. Without a domain name by lists a website cannot be found online because it is impossible to locate it or even know it exists. See the What Does a Domain Name Mean section above for more information.
