Do I need a domain and hosting, and what's the difference?

The short answer: Yes, for a normal business website you need both. A domain is your address on the internet, and hosting is the rented space where your website's files sit and are served to visitors. They do different jobs, but they must be connected, and the domain should always be registered in your business's name.

What a domain is

A domain name is your business's address on the internet, such as yourbusiness.com or yourbusiness.com.na. People type it into a browser or tap it in a search result to reach you. It is also the part that comes after the @ in your email address.

When you register a domain, you become what is called the registrant. Registering means entering into a contract with a registrar, the company that registers and maintains the name for you. You then manage the domain's settings through that registrar. ICANN explains this on its registrant information page.

This is why who is named on the registration matters. We always register your domain in your business's name, so it belongs to you.

What hosting is

Hosting is where your website actually lives. Your pages, pictures and forms are stored on a server, which is a computer that is always switched on and connected to the internet. When someone visits your address, the server sends them the site.

The simplest way to think of it: the domain is the street address, and hosting is the building at that address. An address with no building leads nowhere. A building with no address is very hard to find.

Good hosting is more than storage. It affects how fast your site loads, how well it is protected, and whether you can recover if something goes wrong. Speed matters in Namibia in particular, because most people visit on their phones, often on mobile data.

Do you need both?

For a custom business website, yes. You need a domain so people can find you, and hosting so there is a site to find.

There are a few honest exceptions:

• A social media page or a Google Business Profile needs neither. If you only want a simple presence while you start out, that can be enough for a while.
• Some website builders bundle a domain and hosting into one monthly fee. That can be a reasonable start. The trade-off is less control, and you should check who is named as the owner of the domain and whether you can take your site with you if you leave.
• Subscription software, such as the MotorsMatrix platform we offer to vehicle dealers, includes hosting, security and backups. You do not buy hosting separately for it.

If you want a website that represents your business properly, with your own address and your own email, plan for both.

Choosing a domain: .na, .com.na or .com

Namibia's extension is .na, managed by NA-NiC, the Namibian Network Information Centre. You have a few choices.

• yourbusiness.na is the short, second-level option. These are treated as premium and are very expensive, so few businesses use them.
• yourbusiness.com.na or yourbusiness.co.na are the common choices. They clearly say you are a Namibian business and cost a fraction of the short version.
• yourbusiness.com is a good choice if you have international customers, such as a lodge that takes bookings from abroad.

We register .com.na and .com domains from N$500 per year, for both registration and renewal, excluding VAT. A domain is usually active within a day, though .na domains can take a few working days. Prices vary widely between registrars, and registering through a local provider is usually far cheaper.

Hosting and where it sits

Our hosting starts from N$1500 a year. It covers the server side of your site: an SSL certificate (the padlock that shows a connection is secure), protection and fast loading through Cloudflare, uptime monitoring, security updates and regular backups.

Your site runs on servers we manage in Johannesburg, which is close to Namibia, so pages load quickly. Cloudflare's global network speeds it up further and helps protect it from attacks. We also restore backups to test that they work, so they are not just a box ticked.

If you host with the studio that built your site, you speak to people who know how it works. That is simpler than chasing a call centre that has never seen it.

Can you buy them from different companies?

Yes. The domain and the hosting do not have to come from the same place. Many people buy a domain from one company and host somewhere else, and the two are joined by a setting called DNS, which tells the internet where your site is.

Splitting them can work, but it adds a step and means two bills, two logins and two renewal dates. If either lapses, your site can disappear. Keeping them together with someone who looks after both is simpler for most small businesses. When we set up your domain, we include the DNS setup, renewal reminders, and connecting it to your website and email.

Email on your own domain

A domain also lets you have email such as [email protected] instead of a Gmail or Yahoo address. It looks more credible, and with the right setup your messages are less likely to land in spam.

Our business email uses Microsoft 365. You pay Microsoft's licence price per mailbox, plus a once-off setup fee of about N$750 to N$1,500, which includes moving over any existing emails. Setup usually takes one to three working days.

What to check before you buy

Whoever you buy from, ask these questions:

• Is the domain registered in my business's name, and will I have the login details?
• What does renewal cost, and when is it due?
• If I want to move my site or domain later, what is the process?
• What does hosting include: backups, security updates and monitoring?
• Who do I contact when something breaks?

A domain and hosting also fit inside a larger picture. Your website, email, Google profile and business tools work best when they are set up as one system. You can read more about our infrastructure work, or about websites and online stores.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if my domain expires?

Your website and any email on that domain can stop working. That is why renewal matters, and why our domain service includes renewal reminders. Ask any provider how and when they will warn you.

Do I need a domain just to have business email?

To have an address like [email protected], yes, because the part after the @ is your domain. You do not need a website for it, though the two work well together. A free Gmail address needs no domain, but it looks less professional.

How long does it take to get a domain and hosting set up?

A domain is usually active within a day, but .na domains can take a few working days. Hosting is set up within one to two working days, usually alongside your website launch.

Can I move my domain or hosting to another provider later?

Moving is normally possible, but the process depends on the provider, so ask before you commit. With us, your domain is registered in your business's name and your content belongs to you. Once a website is paid in full, the code is yours too, and we will hand it over if you want to move.

Are your prices inclusive of VAT?

No. All our prices are in Namibian dollars and exclude 15% VAT.

Ready to talk about your project?

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