Website hosting, domains and site builders
To launch a website you need a domain name (your address) and somewhere to host it. A website builder bundles hosting with an editor; traditional hosting gives you more control.
Domain names
- Choose a short name that’s easy to say and spell.
- Check the renewal price — first-year prices are often discounts.
- Consider your country’s domain (like .com.au or .co.uk) if you serve local customers.
- Register it in your business’s name, with an email address you’ll keep.
Website builder or hosting?
| Website builder | Web hosting | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Simple sites, no coding | Custom sites, WordPress, more control |
| Setup | Drag and drop | Install software yourself or with one-click tools |
| Moving later | Can be harder | Usually easier |
What to check in a hosting plan
- The renewal price, not just the introductory price.
- Whether an SSL certificate (https) is included.
- Backups: how often, and how easy they are to restore.
- Email hosting, if you want addresses at your own domain.
- Where the servers are — closer to your visitors is usually faster.
- How easy it is to leave, including exporting your site.
Before launch
Use KitWren’s free tools to create your meta tags, favicon and robots.txt so your site looks right in search results and browser tabs. Then check your pages on a phone — most visitors will see them there first.
Free tools that help
- Meta Tag GeneratorGenerate title, description, canonical, Open Graph and X/Twitter meta tags with live Google and social previews.
- Favicon GeneratorCreate a complete favicon package — ICO, PNG, Apple and Android icons — from an image or text.
- Robots.txt GeneratorCreate a robots.txt file with crawler rules, sitemap links and presets, including blocking AI crawlers.
- Business Name GeneratorGenerate business and company name ideas from your keywords and industry, and build a shortlist.
Hosting, domain and website-builder providers
We may earn a commission if you sign up through this link. It doesn’t change the price you pay or our tools. You complete any purchase or sign-up on the partner’s own website; KitWren never handles your money or account details.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a domain and hosting from the same company?
No. You can register a domain with one company and point it at hosting elsewhere. Keeping them together can be simpler to manage.