Most business owners assume that if they paid for a website, they own it. Usually that’s true. Sometimes it isn’t, and the moment you find out is when you try to change providers. That’s why it pays to ask who owns your website before you sign anything.
Suddenly the domain is registered in someone else’s name, nobody can find the logins, or there’s a contract with an exit fee you’d forgotten about. A few good questions up front can save a lot of stress later.
Why who owns your website matters more than it seems
Your website is a business asset. It holds your words, your photos, your enquiries and often years of work building your name on Google.
If you don’t control it, you can’t easily:
- Move to a different web designer or host
- Make changes when your provider is slow to respond
- Sell the business with its website and email intact
- Recover quickly if your provider closes or stops answering
None of this means web designers are out to trap you. Most aren’t. But “who owns what” is often never written down, and it’s much easier to agree on it at the start than to untangle it later.
Your domain name: the most important question
Your domain (yourbusiness.com.au) is the foundation of your website and your email. If you lose control of it, you can lose both.
Questions to ask:
- Whose name is the domain registered in? It should be your business, not the designer or their company.
- Whose contact details are on it? Renewal notices and transfer codes go to that email address.
- Can I get the login or a transfer code if I need it? The answer should be a simple yes.
- When does it renew, and who pays? A lapsed domain can be snapped up by someone else.
It’s common for an agency to manage the domain and DNS for you, and that’s fine. Managing it on your behalf is different from owning it. auDA, which administers .au domain names, has more on what it means to hold a .au domain.
Hosting access and admin logins
Hosting is where your website files and database live. Ask whether you’ll be able to get a copy of your site if you leave, and in what form.
Then ask about the website itself:
- Will I have an administrator login to my website? Not just an “editor” account, but one that lets you control users and settings.
- Who else has admin access? You should know, and be able to remove people who no longer need it.
- Where are the logins kept? Ideally somewhere you can get to without ringing anyone.
Having your own admin login doesn’t mean you have to touch anything. It just means you’re never locked out of your own business.
Content, photos and design
The words on your site, the photos of your team and your logo files are worth checking too.
- Do I own the content and design once the site is paid for?
- Are the photos mine to use elsewhere? Stock images usually come with a licence that has conditions. Photos taken of your own business are a different story, which is one reason we offer brand photography through Bella.
- Will I get my logo in proper file formats? You’ll want them for signage, uniforms and print, not just the website.
- Is the site built on a platform I can take with me? Some website builders only work inside their own system, so moving means starting again.
Lock-in contracts and exit terms
This is where the fine print matters most. Some website deals look cheap up front because the cost is spread across a long contract. That can be fine if you understand it, but read it carefully.
Questions to ask before you sign:
- Is there a minimum contract term?
- What happens if I want to leave early? Is there a fee?
- If I stop paying the monthly fee, do I keep the website or does it switch off?
- Will you help move the site to a new host if I ask, and is there a cost?
- Is all of this written down in the quote or agreement?
A good provider will answer these clearly and without getting defensive. If the answers are vague, that’s worth noticing.
A quick checklist to keep handy
Before you sign with anyone, make sure you can answer yes to these:
- The domain is registered to my business
- I have, or can easily get, an administrator login to my website
- I know who else has access
- I own the content, design and my logo files
- I know the contract length and what it costs to leave
- I can take a copy of my site with me if I move
Where Inversit stands
We keep the question of who owns your website simple: you do, and there are no lock-in contracts.
Here’s how working with us goes:
- A free consultation to talk through what you need
- A clear written quote before any work starts
- Design and build, with you involved along the way
- Launch, once you’ve approved it
Custom WordPress websites start from $1,595 + GST, and eCommerce sites from $2,950 + GST. WordPress is widely used, so you’re not tied to a system only one company can work on. Our website pricing guide explains what affects the cost.
If you’d like us to look after hosting, it’s $49.95 + GST per month for managed Australian WordPress hosting with backups and security updates. We stay with you because the service is useful, not because a contract says you have to. There’s more on our hosting, email and domains page.
Not sure who owns your current website?
If you’re unsure where your domain, hosting or logins sit, we can help you work it out in plain English. Book a free website health check or a free consultation through our contact page, or call us on 02 6610 9202.
