Choosing a web and email hosting provider is one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make when starting a business online.
A wide variety of hosting providers are available, ranging from the cheapest to the most expensive.
Websites and e-mails can both be hosted by the same company, but many companies prefer to use different hosting companies for each.
When it comes to selecting a host, there is no right or wrong answer; however, the size and budget of your company will often determine which option you select.
There are advantages and disadvantages to shared hosting if you are debating whether to use the same website and email host (or you don’t know what a web host and email host can offer) in order to make the best decision for you and your business.
What’s the difference between web and email hosting?
Being able to distinguish between web and email hosting can be confusing, especially because there are so many different hosting services available.
Here’s a quick breakdown of each service’s features to help you make an informed decision:
If you’ve ever wondered how to get your own website up and running on the Internet, a web host is what you’re looking for.
In order to get their website up and running, web hosting companies will give them space on their servers.
- Email Hosting –
Providers who rent out email servers to their customers are known as email hosting companies.
Businesses can use their domain name in their email and a dedicated mail server to manage their incoming and outgoing emails by using an email host.
Do you need to use both?
Both website and email hosting services can be run independently of each other.
There is no need to use an email host if you don’t have a website and the other way around as well.
In spite of the fact that it isn’t a requirement for your website, email hosting can be extremely beneficial for your business and can easily be linked to the web address– whether your website is hosted by the very same provider or not.
Using an email host instead of a free email provider has numerous advantages.
As long as you have access to the internet, you can access your emails from any location.
Using a hosting service allows you to choose your email domain name, allowing you to incorporate your business name into your email and give it a more professional feel.
Using the same web and email hosting: Yes, or no?
Your success, sales, and customer satisfaction can all be improved with the help of an effective email strategy.
Businesses of all sizes, both large and small, rely on an email host to ensure that their business emails are optimized, while others opt for “bundled hosting.”
Although it’s the most common practice for a business to use the same web and email hosting provider, this does not imply that this is the only option.
There is a lot of debate about whether or not you should use the same hosting company for both your website and your email, and the best option will depend on what your business needs.
For your convenience, we’ve listed the benefits and drawbacks of using the same web host for both your website and your email:
Advantages of shared hosting
- Easy to set up – By utilising the same web host for both your website and your email, you save time by not having to set up a separate email account for each. Plus, you already know the host and their processes from working with them on your website.
- Cost-effective – Web hosts frequently include email hosting as part of a package deal, allowing you to save money by using just one service provider instead of two.
- Most of the same perks of using an email host – Most of the benefits of using an independent email host, such as a domain name and accessibility from any computer or device, are still available if you use a web hosting service for your email.
- Option to host multiple emails – As part of their web and email package, some shared hosting services charge a flat rate for the hosting of multiple small email accounts.
- A viable option for small businesses – Small businesses are more likely to use shared websites and email hosting because they don’t have the manpower or money to split services between two providers.
Disadvantages of shared hosting
- Shared hosting eats away at your website space – When you host your website and your email on the same server, all of your inbound and outbound mail, along with any attachments from your correspondence, is stored on the same account and takes up valuable space and bandwidth that could be used for your website.
- Failed servers mean complete shutdown – If your service provider goes down, you’ll be completely cut off from the internet. In the event that all of your servers go down, clients will no longer be able to get in touch with you via your website or email.
- Not feasible for big enterprises – Larger businesses will require more database support and higher server configuration, both of which are beyond the capabilities of most shared hosting bundles.
- Lengthy email migration if you change web provider – With email hosted by the same company as the web host, it’s much more difficult to move your website. The process of moving a website is straightforward, but the process of moving an email system can be extremely difficult for those who are not familiar with it.
Shared web and email hosting: the verdict
A business can save money and time by using the same website and email host.
If you stay with the same host, you can take advantage of a slew of special bundle offers, and shared hosting can even be managed for you by a third party, freeing up your time to focus on other aspects of your business.
As long as you’ve got the money and staff to maintain a high-tech email service, you may actually be better off using two separate services for your web and email hosting.
In the end, a shared host bundle is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a low-cost, simple-to-use email service.
Your business will benefit from purchasing a dedicated email host if you need a service that can handle a large database while maintaining high functionality.
Why do businesses still use the same website and email host?
A lot of businesses, despite the advantages of using separate hosts, continue to use the same website and email hosting.
Businesses, especially those with fewer than 100 employees, still prefer to use the same website and email host because they are unfamiliar with the hosting industry and want all their data to be accessible from one location.
As a result, many of the businesses that use shared hosting have a limited budget.
In the past, a small business couldn’t afford to run two separate email services because it required IT staff and additional manpower to maintain in-house mail servers.
The introduction of cloud services may have reduced the number of employees needed to run email, but it hasn’t eliminated the need for small businesses to use separate hosts.
When starting out, many new and small businesses prefer to use shared hosting because it is less expensive than purchasing a dedicated email server.
How to configure email on a different host
It’s possible you’ll start out with a shared hosting plan, only to change your mind later.
Using a different host for your email means you’re not tied to your website’s host; if your preferences change, you can easily switch hosts.
One of the main reasons business owners delay separating their hosting services is that using a separate email host from your web host may seem confusing and complicated. However, it is not an impossible task.
You’ll need to get your domain’s DNS records before you can switch email providers.
These can be found in the DNS records of your domain or obtained from your domain registrar.
There should be two sets of information in your files:
“A” records, also called address records, identify which IP addresses belong to a domain name.
Using the MX record (also known as a mail exchanger record), you are able to tell which mail server your domain is using.
It’s now time to sign up for a new independent email hosting service and update your MX records to point your domain (and all associated emails) to the new host you’ve chosen.
There are many registrars that allow you to edit and modify DNS records directly from their user interface.
Using this method, you can change your MX record to point to a different email provider, or you can delete, edit, or add a new MX record to redirect your emails to a different email provider.
Your domain’s A record may need to be redirected by other registrars.
This information will almost always be included in your host’s guidelines, so it’s worth looking through them to learn more.
Making the right hosting choices
When starting an online business, choosing the right hosting service is essential.
When hiring a web host, think of them as an employee you’re interviewing for a position.
Your company’s size and budget are likely to be the deciding factors when it comes to deciding on an email hosting service.
When starting out, it’s best for small businesses to stick with the same web host and email provider.
In order to ensure the best possible performance, larger companies with more resources and staff will opt for separate hosts.
