How to Start Your Own Website in India
A domain and hosting are the two things people get confused about first. Here is what each one is, what to check before you pay, and when you do not need to pay for hosting at all.
Domain and hosting: the simple difference
- Domain is your website's address, for example yourname.in. You rent it for a year or more and renew it.
- Hosting is the computer (server) where your website's files live, so people can open it any time.
Think of the domain as your shop's name board and hosting as the shop itself.
What you actually need
- A domain name that is short and easy to spell.
- Hosting that matches the kind of site you are building.
- An SSL certificate so the site opens with the padlock (https). Many providers include it.
- An email address on your own domain, if you want to look professional.
Check these before you pay
- Renewal price. Many offers are cheap in year one and cost more at renewal. Read the renewal price, not only the first-year price.
- .in or .com. A .in domain is natural for an India-focused site. A .com is easier for a global audience.
- Backups and support. Check whether backups are included and how you can reach support if the site goes down.
- Who owns the domain. It should be registered in your own name, so you can move it later.
- Do not buy more than you need. A new blog or a small business page does not need a large plan.
When you do not need paid hosting
A simple site made of plain pages and posts (a static site) can be hosted free, for example on GitHub Pages. This very website runs that way. In that case the only thing you pay for is the domain name.
Paid hosting makes sense when you need things like a database, a shop or a content system such as WordPress.
Where to buy a domain or hosting
Several Indian and international companies sell domains and hosting. BigRock is one Indian provider. Compare the renewal price, support and plan limits with one or two other providers before you decide.
Want to look at BigRock's domain and hosting plans?
See BigRock plans Affiliate link: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.Common questions
- Can I move my domain to another company later?
- Usually yes, after the transfer lock period of the registrar ends. Keep your registrar login safe.
- Is a free domain a good idea?
- For a serious project, a domain you own and renew yourself is safer than a free one that someone else controls.
- Do I need to know coding?
- Not for a basic site. Website builders and content systems let you start without code.
AI360Trading is not a seller of these services. Always read the provider's own terms and prices before you buy.