The Difference Between a Registrar and a Host

People often confuse domain registrars with web hosts — but they do very different things. One gives you an address, the other gives you a home.

A domain registrar is where you register your domain name. Think GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Google Domains. You manage renewals and DNS settings there.

A hosting provider stores your website’s files and makes them accessible online. Some companies offer both services, but they’re technically separate.

You can buy your domain and hosting from the same place or keep them apart. Some users prefer separate providers for better control or easier migrations.

Want to see who does both well? web hosting for developers breaks down which companies are great at domains, hosting, or both — and which combos give you the best value.