Domain vs. Hosting vs. Email
The Problem That Costs You Time and Money
You're ready to launch your business online. You've got your idea validated, your service refined, and your first potential clients lined up. Now you just need a website.
So you Google "how to get a website" and suddenly you're drowning in technical jargon. Domain registrars. Hosting providers. DNS settings. Nameservers. Someone mentions cPanel and you question whether you're cut out for this entrepreneur thing after all.
Here's the truth: you're not confused because you're not technical. You're confused because most companies explaining this have a vested interest in making it seem more complicated than it is.
This confusion has real costs:
You overpay for bundles you don't need because you can't tell which services are actually necessary
You delay your launch while you try to figure out what goes where
You make poor choices that lock you into inflexible services that cost you later
As an entrepreneur, your time should be spent on growth, not weeding through domain and webhost pricing pages to find the right solution. Here's the simple analogy I use to break down what my clients actually need for their business.
The House Analogy: Understanding Domain, Hosting, and Email
Think about your online presence like a house in a neighborhood, or your business's real life storefront.
Your Domain is the Street Address
Your domain is yourcompany.com. It's how people find you on the internet, just like a street address helps people find your physical location.
What you need to know:
A registered name that points to your website
Typically costs $10-20 per year
Registered through companies like Namecheap, Google Domains, or GoDaddy
You don't buy a domain forever—you rent it annually and must renew to keep it
You can transfer domains between registrars, but it's an administrative process
Domain registration is completely separate from hosting or email
Real-world example:
When you register yourcompany.com, you're essentially saying "I want this address on the internet." The domain registrar maintains the global directory that tells browsers where to find your website when someone types that address.
Hosting is the House’s Foundation
Hosting is where your website actually lives. It's server space—a computer somewhere that stores your website files and serves them to visitors when they type in your domain.
What you need to know:
Physical server space that stores your website’s layout and content
Typically costs $5-50 per month depending on your needs
Provided by companies like GoDaddy, Bluehost, Wix, or included in platforms like Squarespace
You can host a website one one service, and point your domain from another
Hosting and domain registration are completely independent services, but can often be bundled
"Managed platforms" like Squarespace include hosting in their monthly fee—you don't buy it separately
You can change hosting providers without changing your domain
Real-world example:
Your website files—HTML, images, CSS, JavaScript—need to live somewhere. A hosting provider gives you space on their servers. When someone types your domain into their browser, the domain points to your hosting server, which sends your website files to their browser.
Email is Your Mailbox
Email is a mailbox at your address. Instead of using yourname@gmail.com, you can use yourname@yourcompany.com.
What you need to know:
Professional email addresses using your domain
Typically costs $6-12 per month per user
Provided by Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or sometimes your hosting company
Email service is separate from hosting (even though some hosting companies offer it)
Professional email significantly increases credibility with clients
You can change email providers without changing your domain or hosting
Real-world example:
When you set up Google Workspace with your domain, Google hosts your email. You configure your domain's DNS settings to route email to Google's servers. Now when someone sends an email to yourname@yourcompany.com, it goes to your Google Workspace inbox.
The Key Insight
These are three separate services. You can buy them from three different companies if you want. The domain registrar doesn't have to be your hosting provider. Your hosting provider doesn't have to be your email provider.
They just need to be connected properly—this is why most businesses buy bundled services. If you are not sure what your business needs, or what will fit right for you, schedule a free consultation here.
When You Don't Need All Three
Here's something most "how to get online" guides won't tell you: you might not need all three components.
The standard advice assumes everyone needs a website. But depending on your business model, you might only need a domain and email—no hosting required.
When domain + email is enough (no hosting):
Social-first businesses: If you run your business primarily through Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn and don't need a traditional website, you still want professional email. Register your domain, set up Google Workspace, and skip hosting entirely.
Marketplace sellers: Selling on Etsy, Amazon, or eBay? You don't need your own website. But yourname@yourbrand.com looks far more professional than yourname123@gmail.com when communicating with customers.
This setup also works for service businesses using booking platforms like Calendly or physical-only businesses testing their online presence.
Real-world example:
A personal trainer I worked with runs her entire business through Instagram and uses Calendly for bookings. She registered a domain for $12/year, set up her email through Google Workspace for $6/month, and points her domain to her Instagram bio page. No hosting needed. Total cost: $7/month.
When just a domain makes sense (no hosting or email initially):
Brand protection: You're not ready to launch but want to secure your brand name before someone else takes it. Register the domain now, add email and hosting when you're ready.
What You Actually Need Based on Your Situation
Now that you understand the concepts, here's what you actually need to buy based on your website type.
For a Simple Business Website (Recommended for Most)
What to buy:
Domain: Google Domains or Squarespace ($10-15/year)
Platform: Squarespace, Wix, or Webflow ($12-40/month) — hosting included
Email: Google Workspace ($6/month per user)
Total monthly cost: $18-46/month
Why this works:
Managed platforms include hosting in their price. You don't need to buy separate hosting. You just register your domain, point it to Squarespace in the DNS settings (Squarespace gives you step-by-step instructions), and you're done.
This is the lowest-friction option. You get a professional website, full design control, and reliable performance without needing to understand servers or security updates.
Best for:
Service businesses
Consultants and freelancers
E-commerce stores
Portfolios
Small business websites
For a Simple Landing Page
What to buy:
Domain: Namecheap or Cloudflare ($10-15/year)
Platform: Carrd ($9/year) or Notion-hosted page (free)
Email: Google Workspace ($6/month) or use free domain forwarding initially
Total monthly cost: $6-7/month (or $0 if using Notion and domain forwarding)
Why this works:
You're validating an idea or need an online presence quickly without building a full website. A single landing page with your value proposition, contact info, and maybe a signup form is enough.
Best for:
Testing a business idea
Pre-launch pages
Simple online presence while you build your full site
Side projects with minimal budget
Don’t waste your time & money
Let me save you from the mistakes I see constantly when setting up client websites.
Mistake 1: Using Cheap Email Through Your Hosting Provider
Why it's a problem:
Hosting company email is often unreliable. Messages end up in spam folders. The webmail interface is clunky. You can't access it on mobile easily. When you change hosting, your email breaks.
The fix:
Pay the $6/month for Google Workspace. It's worth every penny. You get Gmail's interface, excellent spam filtering, mobile apps, and 30GB of storage. Your email stays working even if you change hosting.
VISUAL NEEDED: Screenshot comparison
What to capture: Side by side of typical hosting webmail interface vs Google Workspace Gmail interface
Annotations: Highlight usability differences, mobile app availability
Teaching goal: Show visual difference in quality and professionalism
Mistake 2: Not Setting Up Professional Email on Day One
Why it's a problem:
Using yourname@gmail.com for your business looks unprofessional. Clients notice. It signals "I'm not serious" or "I'm brand new."
The fix:
Set up yourname@yourcompany.com before you launch. It takes 20 minutes with Google Workspace and immediately boosts credibility.
Mistake 3: Buying Multi-Year Hosting Upfront for the Discount
Why it's a problem:
Many hosting companies offer steep discounts for 2-3 year prepayment. But if you outgrow the service, have performance issues, or your needs change, you've prepaid for years of service you can't use.
The fix:
Start with monthly or annual billing. Once you're confident the service fits your needs, then consider longer commitments for the discount.
Next Steps
You now understand:
The difference between domain, hosting, and email
What you actually need for your situation
Which pitfalls to avoid
If you're still feeling stuck or want someone to review your specific situation before you spend money, I offer 15-minute setup consultations where I'll walk you through exactly what you need and can answer your questions in real time.
Otherwise, go register that domain and get your business online. You've got everything you need to make this happen.
