Who Should Own Your Domain, Hosting and Website Accounts?
Why business-critical website accounts should normally be registered in the client’s name, what access a developer needs and when managed hosting can still make sense.
Your business should normally own the domain registration, hosting account, WordPress administrator, analytics, Search Console, Google Business Profile, payment accounts and other critical services. A developer should receive appropriate access without becoming the only person who controls them.
Account ownership is easy to ignore while a website project is going well. It becomes critical when a provider changes, a payment fails, an employee leaves or the business needs urgent access.
Domain registration
The domain is the address customers use and often supports business email. It should be registered under the business’s legal control, with a current business email, secure password and multi-factor authentication.
A developer may manage DNS records, but should not be the only registrant or the only person capable of renewing the domain.
Hosting
Client-owned hosting is the cleanest default for many business websites. The client pays the provider directly, controls renewal and can grant the developer technical access.
Managed hosting through a developer can still be appropriate when the client wants one technical point of contact or the website requires a controlled environment. In that case, the monthly fee, backups, updates, support boundaries, migration process and excluded work should be written down.
WordPress administrator access
The business should have at least one administrator account using a company-controlled email address. Developers should use their own named account rather than sharing one generic password.
Administrator access is powerful. It should be protected with strong passwords, appropriate roles and multi-factor authentication where available.
Analytics and Search Console
These accounts contain the website’s history and measurement. The business should be the owner, with the developer added as a user or administrator only as needed.
This arrangement prevents years of search and analytics data from disappearing when an agency relationship ends.
Google Business Profile
The business itself should own the profile. Providers can be added as managers. No website company should create a profile in a way that leaves the owner unable to access or verify it.
Payments and subscriptions
Payment gateways, WooCommerce accounts, premium plugin subscriptions and external services should clearly identify who pays, who owns the licence and what happens when the project ends.
Some developer licences cannot legally or technically be transferred. When that is the case, the proposal should explain whether the client needs to purchase its own licence later.
A simple ownership checklist
| Account | Preferred owner | Developer role |
|---|---|---|
| Domain | Client business | DNS access as needed |
| Hosting | Client by default | Technical administrator |
| WordPress | Client administrator | Separate administrator or developer account |
| Analytics | Client business | User or administrator |
| Search Console | Client business | Delegated owner or user |
| Business Profile | Client business | Manager |
| Payment processor | Client business | Limited technical access if necessary |
What should happen at handoff?
- Confirm the client’s administrator access
- Document domain and hosting ownership
- List critical services and renewal responsibilities
- Remove temporary accounts that are no longer needed
- Store credentials in a secure password manager
- Explain backups, updates and support boundaries
- Confirm where future requests should be sent
Why REVOLT keeps hosting separate
Separating hosting from the website price makes ownership and ongoing obligations easier to understand. Most clients can use an account registered directly to their business. REVOLT hosting is offered monthly only when there is a real reason for REVOLT to manage the environment.
Next step
Read the REVOLT hosting policy or discuss a client-owned website build.