Domain + Hosting in the UK: How They Fit Together

Your domain is your address; hosting is where the site lives. You can buy them together or separately, and it's worth understanding the difference before a "free domain" decides your host for you.

Domain vs hosting

A domain name (like yourbusiness.co.uk) is registered through a registrar for a yearly fee. Hosting is the server space that stores and serves your site and, often, your email. DNS connects the two.

.co.uk, .uk or .com?

.uk domains, including .co.uk, are managed by Nominet, the UK registry. .co.uk is the most familiar choice for UK businesses; .com suits international audiences. Many businesses register both and redirect one to the other. Compare first-year and renewal prices in our cheapest .co.uk domains guide.

Which hosts include a free domain?

Hosts in our data that list a free domain with hosting: Fasthosts, SiteGround, Hostinger, IONOS, Heart Internet, GoDaddy, 123 Reg. "Free" is typically for the first year only, and may need a 12-month or longer term. Check the domain renewal price before you buy; it's often not shown next to the hosting price.

• Fasthosts: free domain for first year (source)
• SiteGround: Free domain (limited-time offer) (source)
• Hostinger: Free domain listed on Single plan (source)
• IONOS: Free domain for 1 year (source)
• Heart Internet: Free UK domain for 1 year on yearly plans (source)
• GoDaddy (source)
• 123 Reg: free domain for first year (source)

Should you buy them together?

• Together is simpler: one account, one bill, DNS set up for you.
• Separately keeps your domain independent of your host, so changing host later is just a DNS change. It also avoids losing your domain if a hosting account lapses.

Whichever you choose, make sure the domain is registered in your (or your business's) name and that you can log in to manage it.

Moving a domain

You don't have to move your domain when you change host; you can point it at the new host with DNS. If you do want to move it, .uk domains are transferred by changing the "IPS tag" at your current registrar to the new registrar's tag (Nominet explains the process); generic domains like .com use an authorisation code. See our guide to moving host for the hosting side.

Email on your domain

Email is routed by your domain's MX records, so it can live with your web host or somewhere else. If professional email matters most, see best email hosting. For Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 and Proton compared with hosts' mailboxes, see business email UK.