Web Hosting vs Website Builder: What's the Difference?

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Are you confused about the difference between web hosting and website builders? You’re not alone. Many people just starting out creating their first website find these terms confusing. But understanding the key differences is crucial for getting your site online.

In this post, I’ll break down everything you need to know about web hosting vs website builders. By the end, you’ll have complete clarity on which option is right for your needs.

Key Takeaways

Web hosting provides server space to store your website files and make them accessible online
Website builders are tools to help you design and create a website without coding skills
All websites require web hosting, but not all require a website builder
Hosting gives you more control and customization; website builders prioritize ease of use
Your choice depends on budget, technical skill, customization needs, and site purpose

What is Web Hosting?

First, let’s define web hosting. In simple terms, web hosting is a service that allows your website to be accessed on the internet. It’s essentially rented space on a powerful server to store all the files, code, images, and content that comprise your website.

Think of web hosting like a plot of land. It provides the essential foundation and space for you to build your website “house.” Just like you need land before constructing a physical building, you need hosting before building a website.

Every single website on the internet, from small blogs to massive e-commerce stores, requires web hosting. Without it, your site has nowhere to live. Web hosting ensures your website is available 24/7 to anyone who wants to access it online.

How Does Web Hosting Work?

When you sign up for web hosting, you’re renting space on a server owned and maintained by the web host. Servers are powerful computers built to store and serve up website files.

When someone types your domain name into their browser, the web host’s server receives that request. It finds the appropriate files for your website and sends that information back to the user’s browser. This all happens in milliseconds behind the scenes.

As long as your website is hosted on a functioning server, visitors can access it anytime from their web browser by navigating to your domain name. The web host is responsible for maintaining the server’s hardware, security, and ensuring it can handle the bandwidth demands.

Types of Web Hosting

Not all web hosting is the same. There are several different types catering to different websites and requirements:

Shared Hosting: The most affordable and beginner-friendly option. Your site shares server resources with other websites. Good for low-traffic sites.
VPS Hosting: A virtual private server that provides dedicated server space and resources. More control than shared, but still affordable. Suits websites outgrowing shared plans.
Dedicated Hosting: You lease an entire physical server for maximum resources, control and customization. Pricey but ideal for large, high-traffic websites.
Cloud Hosting: Distributes your site across a network of servers for maximum speed and uptime. Pay for what you use. Great for scalability and reducing downtime risks.
WordPress Hosting: Optimized specifically for hosting WordPress sites. Usually comes with WordPress pre-installed, automatic updates, and advanced security features.

The type of web hosting you choose depends on your website’s size, traffic demands, required features, growth plans, and budget. Shared hosting suits most beginner websites and blogs, while other options offer an upgrade path as your site expands.

What is a Website Builder?

Now that we’ve covered web hosting, what about website builders? A website builder is a tool that allows you to design and create a website without needing to know how to code. It’s software that provides a user-friendly interface, usually drag-and-drop, along with pre-made templates and elements.

The goal of a website builder is to make crafting a professional-looking site quick and accessible to those without web development knowledge. Rather than building a site from scratch with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc., you visually design pages by choosing layouts, adding content blocks, customizing colors and fonts, and more.

Popular website builders include:

Most website builders offer an all-in-one package that includes everything you need to get a basic site up and running:

hundreds of customizable design templates for different industries
drag-and-drop editor to create pages
pre-built content elements (text, images, buttons, forms, etc.)
hosting for your website files
domain name registration
SSL certificate for security
basic SEO features
extensions to add functionality

The main appeal of website builders is their ease of use. You can create a nice-looking website extremely quickly, with little to no technical knowledge required. It’s a great option for bloggers, freelancers, small businesses, and personal portfolio sites that don’t need advanced functionality.

However, using a website builder does require tradeoffs. You have less control and customization options compared to building a self-hosted site with WordPress. You’re also reliant on the platform – moving your site elsewhere can be difficult. And costs can add up for premium plans and extensions.

Web Hosting vs Website Builder: Key Differences

Now that we’ve defined both web hosting and website builders, let’s directly compare them:

Functionality

Web hosting provides the server infrastructure to store your site files and make them accessible online. It’s one piece of the website puzzle.
A website builder is a complete tool that allows you to create and design your website’s front-end. It includes hosting as part of the package.

Ease of Use

Choosing and setting up web hosting requires a bit more technical know-how. You need to select your plan, register a domain, connect it to your host, and install any needed software (like WordPress).
Website builders are designed to be user-friendly for beginners. You can sign up and start creating your site immediately with drag-and-drop tools and templates. Much less of a learning curve.

Customization

With web hosting, you have complete control over every aspect of your website. You can customize at the code level, add advanced functionality, and install any software you need.
Website builders limit customization to what’s possible within the platform. You can’t access core files and have fewer options to add unique features and designs. What you see is mostly what you get.

Cost

Web hosting prices vary depending on the type of hosting and provider. Shared plans start at a few dollars per month, while dedicated hosting can cost hundreds. You also have to factor in domain registration.
Website builder costs depend on the platform and plan. Most offer a limited free plan, with paid plans ranging from around $5 to $40 per month. Ecommerce and third-party extensions can increase the price.

Ideal For

Web hosting is best for those comfortable with a bit of technical setup who want full control over their website and don’t mind a steeper learning curve. It’s a must for sites requiring advanced functions and customization.
Website builders suit beginners wanting to create a basic website quickly and easily. They’re ideal for simple sites like portfolios, blogs, and brochure business sites that don’t need unique features.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. All websites need web hosting to store their files and be accessible online, including those made with a website builder. However, most website builders include hosting in their plans, so you don’t have to purchase it separately.

No. Web hosting provides the server space for your site, but you still need to actually create the website. Many choose to build their site with a content management system (CMS) like WordPress, which requires a separate hosting plan.

However, if you’d prefer to keep things simple with an all-in-one website builder solution, that may be the better route. It depends on your needs, skills, and desired level of customization.

It depends on the website builder platform. Many make it intentionally difficult to move your site files and content. Some allow you to export your data, but you’ll likely need to rebuild your design on the new platform.

Open source platforms like WordPress.com make it easier to move than closed platforms like Squarespace and Wix. It’s important to consider future migration needs before choosing your builder.

Generally, entry-level web hosting plans (like shared hosting) are cheaper than website builders, starting at just a few dollars per month. However, the total cost depends on the resources and features you need.

Website builder plans tend to be more expensive, but remember they also include hosting, domains, security, and other features you’d have to purchase separately otherwise. For some, the simplicity is worth the extra cost.

Yes, most website builders allow you to connect a custom domain to your website. Some provide a free domain for the first year. Alternatively, you can purchase your domain from a third-party registrar and connect it to your site.

Without a custom domain, your site will usually have a subdomain like “yourname.wixsite.com” or “yourname.wordpress.com.” To look professional, it’s worth getting your own domain name.

Website builders have improved drastically in their SEO capabilities in recent years. Most now include basic optimization features like custom titles and descriptions, heading tags, alt text for images, and more. Some also offer advanced SEO plugins.

However, self-hosted websites (especially WordPress) still provide more advanced SEO customization options that may help your site rank higher in search results. But for most beginners, website builders’ built-in SEO tools are sufficient to get started.

The Bottom Line

Choosing between web hosting and a website builder comes down to your individual needs, skills, and goals.

Web hosting is a necessity for any website – it’s the foundation that enables your site to exist on the internet. If you’re comfortable with a bit of technical setup and want full control over every aspect of your site, web hosting alone may be the right choice. You can then build your site using WordPress or another CMS.

On the other hand, if you prioritize simplicity and need to create a website quickly, a website builder could be the optimal path. You won’t have the same level of customization, but you can design and launch a professional site without touching a line of code.

Consider your budget, time investment, need for specific features, and long-term plans when deciding. Whichever you choose, you’ll be on your way to getting your website out into the world!

I hope this clarifies the differences between web hosting and website builders. If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out to me.

Neil Beckett

Neil is an accomplished web, designer and developer with over 15 years of experience in creating and optimizing websites for small businesses and online entrepreneurs. Read full bio

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Web Hosting vs Website Builder: What’s the Difference?