Short answer
Domain registration is reserving a website address, such as yourbusiness.com, so nobody else can use it. Web hosting is the service that stores your website files and makes your site accessible to visitors. You need both, and Ayuni Host offers domains and hosting that you can manage together in one client portal.
What domain registration actually is
Registering a domain means reserving a unique web address, like yourbusiness.com, for a set period, usually a year, through a registrar. Think of it as claiming a name, similar to reserving a shop name before you open the shop. Owning the domain name does not by itself put a website online.
What web hosting actually is
Web hosting is the storage space and technology that keeps your website files, images and content available on the internet. If a domain is the address, hosting is the building itself, where all your website content actually lives. Without hosting, your domain has nowhere to point to.
Our guide on domain names versus web hosting covers this in more detail with everyday examples.
How the two work together
To have a working website, you need a domain pointed at a hosting account. This is usually done by updating settings so your domain address leads visitors to the files stored on your hosting plan. If you are setting this up for the first time, our step by step guide on how to connect a domain to hosting walks through the process.
- Register or transfer a domain through /domains or /domain-search
- Choose a hosting plan that suits your needs, such as /web-hosting or /wordpress-hosting
- Connect the domain to your hosting account so visitors reach your site
- Manage renewals for both the domain and hosting through the client portal
Can you buy them from different providers
Yes, you can register a domain with one company and host your website with another. Some people do this for various reasons, but it does mean managing two separate accounts and renewal dates. Buying both from the same provider, such as Ayuni Host, can simplify things because everything is visible in one client portal.
Getting started with both
If you are starting from scratch, our guide on how to buy a domain and set up hosting explains the full process in order, from choosing a name to getting your site live. If you get stuck at any point, our support team is available through the contact page, and free migration help is offered if you already have a website elsewhere.
Get your domain and hosting sorted
Register your domain and choose a hosting plan that fits your website.
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