Web hosting and domain hosting, though closely related, are two different services. Web hosts allow users to create and store content, like a website, on Internet servers. Domain hosts provide domain names, which help visitors access your web content.

This guide explains the difference between the two types of hosting.

Web hosting

If you think of your web content as a store, a web host provides the physical space where you display your store’s products—in this case, the text, images, videos and other content that make up your site.

When you build a site with Squarespace, Squarespace is your web host. We provide a place on the Internet to display your content, in addition to tools for creating and managing that content. Every Squarespace site is stored on our servers, similar to how physical stores rent space in a shopping mall.

To get your own web hosting, just click here.

Domain hosting

A domain host provides a domain name, like www.yourdomain.com, that visitors can use to find you. A domain name is like a street address that directs people to your website’s location.

Domain hosts store domain names and facilitate their registration. If you’re using a domain registered through a third-party provider, like GoDaddy or Hover, they’re your domain host.

When you create a site with WebCreator site, you’re automatically assigned a built-in-domain, like yoursite.smkapps.com. You can also transfer your domain to SMKAPPS or register a new custom domain.