New or potential website owners often wonder about domain hosting and the costs. Many want to know if they have to pay for it, and if so what does that all entail.
Well, the short answer is, yes, you have to pay for domain hosting. However it is more involved than just saying yes and we want to help you with understanding it.
Paying for Domain Hosting
To purchase a domain, you need to go through a registrar. Most registrars will offer a discounted rate for the first year or two of using that domain.
After that rate is up, you will be subjected to the normal rate at which that registrar charges. It is best to buy a domain for as long as you can. This helps with SEO and you can mark it off for however long you purchased.
When purchasing a domain, you don’t truly own it. You are technically renting the domain for as long as you want to use it. It is important to choose a host that will auto renew your domain when the time comes. If your current host doesn’t offer this, you can transfer, which we’ll talk about in a little bit.
Increase or Decrease in Price
A common question for new domain owners is, will the price go up for my domain? While it is possible, the chances of your cost going up is slim. Due to the intense competition between registrars and hosts, prices are very low. One way that your price can change is if you decide to move your domain to a new host. Some hosts may charge less, some may charge more, it is up to you to decide if a change is in your best interest.
However, it is very possible that the price for your domain can go up. Depending on many factors prices are liable to change, as is the same with every other thing you can purchase. It is also possible that your price can go down. There is no real way to tell and that is another reason we recommend buying for a long period of time.
Bundling
Most domain hosts also offer some sort of web hosting as well. We highly recommend bundling your domain and web hosting with the same provider. This makes your life easier in so many ways.
All of your information is in the same place, your info is with a host that you trust and enjoy their services (hopefully), and renewing is easier. Also, the hosts usually offer deals if you host both your domain and website with them, combining money and time saving.
What if I don’t like my current host?
Another common question and issue that newer website owners have. One of the great things about domains is that you can transfer them or point them to another host. The process is usually pretty simple depending on who you choose your new host to be. For example, InMotion Hosting offers free transfers and ensures your website will not suffer from any performance issues during the transfer.
Paying for domain hosting is a part of having a website, and will continue to be. Our recommendation is to find a host that fits what you need and gives you the most bang for your buck. What is their support like? How much does it cost, and what is the process, to transfer a domain or website?
Gather some questions that you have and do research, it will only help you in the end. Also, we are very proud of the hosting that we provide both for domains and websites as well as the perks that you get when going with InMotion Hosting.
We encourage you to look at our offers. Not only do we provide excellent hosting, but our support is unmatched, and without a support system hosting and web management is much harder than it needs to be.