What’s the difference between registrar and DNS host?
Domain registrar:
- Where you purchased/registered the domain
- Manages domain ownership and renewal
- Controls nameserver delegation
- ICANN-accredited entity
DNS host:
- Where your actual DNS records live
- Where you add MX, TXT, CNAME records
- Runs nameservers that answer DNS queries
Relationship: You tell your registrar which nameservers to use. Those nameservers (DNS host) serve your records.
Many people use their registrar for DNS hosting. But you can use any DNS host by updating nameservers at your registrar.
The government office where you registered your ship versus the harbor authority where you file your manifests.
Need personalized help?
Clear up the registrar vs. DNS host confusion. Open an AI assistant with your question pre-loaded — just add your details and send.
Was this answer helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!