A website is a set of files. Those files have to sit on a computer that is always on and always connected, so anyone can reach them at any hour. Web hosting is renting space on that computer. That is genuinely all it is.
These get confused constantly. The domain is the address; the hosting is the building. You need both, and they do different jobs.
Most of the confusion in hosting comes from the names. Here is what each actually means in practice.
A hosting plan is rarely just disk space. The things bundled with it are often worth more than the space itself.
Three things, and one of them is optional if you are prepared to build it yourself.
Hosting from $2.50/month billed annually, with a free domain, free SSL, business email and daily backups included. Choose Starter or above and we design your website free — no agency fee, no contract.
No. But a Facebook page is not a website — you do not control it, cannot be found properly on Google through it, and lose everything if the account is disabled.
Technically yes, practically no. You would need a static IP, an always-on machine, security patching and a way to handle power and connectivity failures.
Far less than most people buy. A typical small business site uses a small fraction of an entry-level plan.
The web interface where you manage your hosting — email accounts, files, databases, backups. We use DirectAdmin, which is straightforward to learn.
No, it is ongoing, like rent. Domains renew annually and hosting renews on whatever term you choose.
The site goes offline and, after a grace period, the data is removed. Keep a backup of anything you cannot lose.