Web hosting vs email hosting: what Australian businesses need
Your domain, website and email can use one supplier—or three different suppliers. Understanding the separation makes future migrations safer.
Updated 26 October 2026
The four parts of a business presence online
| Part | Job | Typical DNS record |
|---|---|---|
| Domain registration | Licences the business name, such as example.com.au | Controls where the authoritative DNS is hosted |
| DNS hosting | Publishes directions for the domain | A/AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT |
| Web hosting | Serves website files, applications and databases | A, AAAA or CNAME |
| Email hosting | Operates mailboxes and mail delivery | MX plus SPF, DKIM and DMARC-related TXT/CNAME records |
Does web hosting include email?
Sometimes. Traditional shared hosting often includes mailboxes, while managed WordPress, website builders and cloud platforms may not. An included mailbox can be adequate for a small operation, but “included” does not tell you about storage, spam filtering, multi-factor authentication, archiving or support.
Separate business email services can reduce the risk that a website migration interrupts email. They also add another supplier and invoice. The right choice depends on how critical email is, how many staff need mailboxes and who will manage the DNS records.
Can I move the website without moving email?
Yes. Keep the existing MX and email authentication records unchanged while updating only the records that direct web traffic. Before touching DNS, export the complete zone and identify the current nameservers. Never assume that changing nameservers affects only the website: it replaces the whole published DNS zone unless every record is recreated.
Safe website-only migration checklist
- List all current A, AAAA, CNAME, MX and TXT records.
- Confirm which service currently receives email.
- Build and test the website at the new host before changing public DNS.
- Lower the relevant DNS TTL in advance if appropriate.
- Change only the website record unless a full DNS move is planned.
- Test the website, inbound email and outbound email after the change.
- Keep the old hosting available until traffic has shifted and logs are quiet.
Should the domain and hosting be with the same company?
It is convenient, but not required. Keeping the domain in an account controlled by the business can make it easier to replace a host later. Whichever arrangement you choose, record the registrar, DNS provider, web host, email provider, renewal dates and account owner. Use multi-factor authentication and a role-based business email for recovery where possible.
Common mistakes
- Cancelling old hosting before copying the website and mail.
- Changing nameservers without recreating MX and TXT records.
- Assuming a website backup contains email.
- Letting a contractor register the domain in a personal account the business cannot access.
- Moving mail without validating SPF, DKIM and DMARC-related records.
- Testing only the homepage and forgetting forms, password resets and transactional mail.
What to ask a prospective host
Ask whether email is included, how many mailboxes are allowed, how storage is measured, what spam protection and MFA are available, whether mail can be exported, and whether support will help with DNS. If you plan to keep email elsewhere, ask the host to confirm it will not overwrite the existing MX records during setup.
Primary references: business.gov.au: Get a business email address and Register a domain name.