Domain hosting vs Web hosting: What should you know about them?

When it comes to maintaining a website, both web hosting and domain hosting are required. However, many website owners tend to be confused between the two. Web hosting and domain hosting are essentially two different things. 

In this article, we will delve more into the details of each of these services. We will also look at why you should keep them separate. 

What is Domain Hosting?

Domain hosting is predominantly a service which helps website owners have domain names for websites. Primarily, a domain hosting service sells domains. It also helps the owners to register their website in exchange for a yearly subscription fee. 

One of the common forms of a domain set up found is www.ABCD.com. Generally, every domain has a matching IP address. This sets the website’s location on the internet and it makes it easier for the searcher to find your website through your name. 

Usually, domains are categorized into levels. Some common levels are: 

• Top-level
• Generic top-level
• Second-level

Many web hosting providers who offer domain hosting all the domain levels. You need to select which domain level suits your website the best. Some of the common domain names are:

• .com 
• .net
• .org 
• .edu 

What is Web Hosting?

Web hosting is primarily a service which offers space to keep and store your files for your website. While buying web hosting, the service provider will require you to have a domain ready. In case you don’t have one, many web hosting providers also offer to sell you one. 

There are three types of web hosting commonly offered by service providers. They are:

• Shared: Here, several websites are hosted on the same server.
• Dedicated: This web hosting hosts every website on its dedicated server. 
• Managed: It adds a full suite of tools which help to install and run WordPress, manage files, and manage emails. Managed hosting is also responsible for the smooth running of your website. 

Now, let us look at the reasons to keep domain hosting and web hosting separate:

1. Better security against hacking:

When you separate domain hosting and web hosting, it will help to your website safe from being hacked completely. It secures your website so that if web hackers try to access through your domain and your file, they won’t be able to. It also saves your website from locking down and transferring to any domain. 

When your domain is not hosted by the same provider, then the chances of losing your files reduces. Along with this, you also need to keep your login credentials different for both the hosting.

2. Preventing domain loss:

Although, the web hosting and domain hosting lets you pay for the same provider on the same day but, your yearly fees are delayed then your domain can go into a holding pattern. Furthermore, if you miss on switching the hosts before your domain goes on hold then, you may also lose your domain entirely. 

On a final note, while it may seem a tad bit confusing to distinguish between domain hosting and web hosting at first, this article will help you get more clarity on the same. One of the leading hosting providers in India is Bluehost. To know more about what they offer and what do their web hosting and domain hosting services entail, click here.