A domain registrar looks after your website’s address, and a web host stores the website itself. The registrar holds the licence for yourbusiness.com.au and says where it points. The host runs the server your pages live on. They can be the same company or two different ones. Either works, as long as the domain is in your business’s name and you hold the login.
Key takeaways
- The registrar manages your domain licence. The host stores and serves your website.
- DNS connects the two. It tells the internet which server your domain points to.
- Keeping both together is simpler: one login, one bill, one support desk.
- Keeping them apart adds resilience. A problem with your host doesn’t touch your domain.
- Whichever you choose, the domain should be in your business’s name, with your own login.
What does a domain registrar do?
A registrar manages your right to use a domain name. You never own a domain outright. As auDA puts it, “Registrants do not own a domain name”: you hold a licence for a set period (auDA). The registrar records that licence in the registry, handles renewals and lets you set where the name points.
For .au names, registrars are companies accredited by auDA. Many businesses buy through a reseller instead, which uses an accredited registrar behind the scenes. That’s normal, but it means there may be two companies between you and your domain.
What does a web host do?
A web host runs the server that stores your website’s files and database. When someone types your address, the server sends them your pages. Good hosting also covers speed, security, backups and support. Our Australian web hosting is an example of that second job.
The domain is the street address. The hosting is the building. You can move to a new building and keep your address, as long as you update where the address points.
How do the domain and hosting connect?
Through DNS. Your domain’s DNS records point visitors to your web host, and your email to your mail provider. MDN describes the domain as “a human-readable address for any web server” (MDN). DNS is the directory that turns that address into the right server.
That’s why the domain matters so much. If it lapses, auDA notes your “website and email services will stop working”, even if the hosting is fine (auDA). If you’re unsure who should run your DNS, our guide to DNS records explained compares the options.
Should my domain and hosting be with the same company?
There’s no single right answer. Here’s how the two approaches compare:
| Same company | Separate companies | |
|---|---|---|
| Logins and bills | One of each | Two of each |
| Support | One team can see the whole picture | Each blames the other more easily |
| Changing hosts | Domain may need to move too | Just update the DNS |
| If one account is hacked or suspended | Domain and site may both be affected | The other keeps working |
| Renewal dates to track | Fewer | More, and easy to miss |
When keeping them together makes sense
For most small businesses without IT staff, simplicity wins. One provider can fix a DNS problem, renew the domain and restore the website in one call. In our experience, the outages owners struggle with most happen between two companies, each saying the problem is with the other.
When keeping them apart makes sense
Separate providers suit businesses with several websites, an in-house developer or a habit of changing hosts. If your host has a major outage or goes out of business, your domain sits safely elsewhere. You can point it to a new host the same day.
What matters more than where the domain lives?
Three things protect you either way:
- Your business is the registrant. Not your web designer or a staff member. Our guide on who owns my domain shows how to check.
- You hold the login, with two-factor sign-in. Many stolen domains start with a hijacked registrar account. Our guide to domain hijacking explains how attackers work.
- The registrar offers proper security. That includes transfer locks and, where you want it, DNSSEC to stop forged DNS answers.
Get those right, and the together-or-apart decision becomes a matter of convenience.
Does the registrar affect my SEO?
No. Google doesn’t rank sites by which registrar or reseller holds the domain. What matters is the name itself, your content and how fast and reliable your site is. If you’re still choosing a name, our guides on a domain name for tradies and exact match domain SEO cover what helps.
Hosting can affect SEO indirectly, through speed and uptime. That’s one reason to host close to your customers.
How we handle domains and hosting
We offer both, and we’re happy either way. You can register domain names for Australian businesses with us, starting with a .com.au at $80 + GST for two years. Our hosting runs in NEXTDC data centres in Brisbane and Melbourne, and every plan includes free SSL and free migration. If you’d rather keep your domain where it is, we’ll simply help you point it at your new hosting.
Frequently asked questions
Is a domain registrar the same as a web host?
No. A registrar manages your domain name licence and where it points. A web host stores and serves your website. Many companies offer both, which is why they’re easy to confuse, but they’re separate services with separate renewal dates.
Can I keep my domain and move my hosting?
Yes. You update the DNS records, or the nameservers, to point at the new host. The domain stays with your registrar. Plan the email at the same time, because changing nameservers can also move where your email is delivered.
What happens to my domain if my web host goes out of business?
If the domain is with a different registrar, nothing happens to it. You point it at a new host. If the host was also your reseller, contact the registrar of record, which you can find with the auDA WHOIS lookup.
Is it cheaper to keep domain and hosting together?
Sometimes, but watch for free domain offers tied to hosting that renew at a higher price. Compare the renewal price of the domain on its own, and the cost of moving it later, before deciding on price alone.
How do I find out who my registrar is?
Look up your domain in a WHOIS tool. For .au names, use auDA’s lookup, which shows the registrar of record. If you bought through a reseller, the reseller’s name may not appear, so check your invoices too.
Sources
- Key terms explained: registrants, registrars, resellers and the registry, auDA, 12 August 2021
- What is a domain name?, MDN Web Docs
- Renew your .au domain name, auDA