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March 10, 2026
When you start researching how to create a website, you might spend half an hour reading and end up with a head full of new terms: domain, hosting, DNS, SSL certificate. The truth is, beginners don't necessarily need to purchase a domain and hosting separately. When using a SaaS website builder, hosting is already included in the service. You only need to decide whether to use a custom domain, rather than managing servers yourself. This article clears up the 5 most common questions beginners have, so you can decide exactly what you need to prepare.
Understanding these three core concepts is the foundation for everything else.
Domain
This is your website's "address"—the text people type into their browser, such as yourbrand.com. You purchase this from a domain registrar for a small annual fee, and it is an asset you own long-term.
Hosting
This is your website's "warehouse," the physical or cloud server space where your website files are stored. Traditionally, you rent hosting separately, with monthly fees varying based on specifications.
Website Builder
This is the software interface you use to design and manage your website content. It can be a program you install on your own server (like WordPress) or a fully cloud-based SaaS service where hosting and tools are combined (like Kanorio or Wix).
In the past, this was the standard way to build a website: buy a domain, rent hosting, and install website software. If you choose a self-hosted solution like WordPress, this process still applies today.
However, there are many more ways to build a website now. If you use a cloud-based SaaS website builder, the platform handles the hosting for you, so you don't need to rent it separately.
SaaS website builders are subscription-based cloud services. The platform provider handles technical aspects like server maintenance, software updates, and security settings, allowing you to focus entirely on your website content.
When using these services, you don't need to worry about:
The only thing you need to decide is whether to use a custom domain.
If you are happy with the default subdomain provided by the platform (usually in the format yourbrand.kanorio.com), there is no extra cost. If you want your URL to be yourbrand.com, you simply purchase a domain and link it in the platform settings. This is like "changing your address plate" and is straightforward in most SaaS platforms.
Taking Kanorio as an example, the entire process is divided into four steps, requiring zero knowledge of hosting or servers:
After these four steps, AI automatically generates your initial website, which is 80% complete and ready to go live. With your materials ready, the entire process takes less than 15 minutes. Hosting is handled by Kanorio, so you don't have to touch it. For the domain, you can start with the default URL and link a custom domain later when your brand is more established.
There is no single answer, but here is a practical logic:
Many beginners get stuck in the "I haven't figured out which hosting to buy" phase, delaying their website project for months. In reality, you don't need to figure out hosting first. Pick a SaaS website builder, prepare your brand materials, and you can have a live website today.
For most small to medium-sized brands, the basic plans of mainstream SaaS website builders are sufficient. If your website has a large amount of video or image assets, or you expect a sudden surge in traffic, you might consider upgrading your plan. For daily traffic on a typical brand website, basic plans are perfectly capable.
Yes. Most SaaS website builders (including Kanorio) support custom domain linking. You just need to adjust the DNS settings in your domain management dashboard to point to the server address provided by the platform. This usually takes effect within 24–48 hours.
If you purchased the domain yourself, it is yours forever, regardless of the website builder. You can unbind it at any time and point it to another platform. The default subdomain provided by the platform belongs to the platform and will be lost if you switch—which is one of the reasons why using a custom domain is recommended for the long term.
SaaS tools include hosting services by default. The fact that you "didn't buy hosting separately" does not affect the website's operation. Your website runs on the platform's servers, and the management responsibility lies with them.
An SSL certificate allows your URL to start with https:// and displays a secure lock in the browser, which is important for SEO and user trust. When using a SaaS website builder, SSL certificates are usually configured automatically by the platform. You don't need to apply for or set them up yourself, nor do you need to pay extra fees.