Ownership is really four things
- The domain name: your address (yourbusiness.com). It should be registered in your name, not the agency's.
- The hosting: where the site's files live. You can move hosts if you own the files.
- The code and design files: the actual website. This is the part most often withheld.
- The content: your words, photos, and logo. These should always be yours.
Where people lose ownership
The two common traps are pay-monthly website plans and proprietary website builders. On a pay-monthly plan you often never own the code. Stop paying and the site goes dark. On a closed builder, the site is locked to that platform and cannot be exported and hosted elsewhere. In both cases you are renting, not owning, even though it feels like you paid for a website.
How to check what you actually own
- Ask, in writing: is the domain registered in my name and under my account?
- Ask: do I receive the source code and design files on final payment?
- Ask: can I move the site to another host or developer without your permission?
- If any answer is no, you are renting. Factor that into the price.
How Press handles it
When you keep a Press website, the finished site and its source code are yours outright on full payment: no lock-in, no holding it hostage. You can host it with us on the optional care plan or take it anywhere. See how it works or request a free preview.
Questions
No. 01Do I own my website if I paid for it?
Not always. You own it only if the domain is in your name and you receive the source code and design files. On pay-monthly plans and closed website builders, you are usually renting: you keep the site only while you keep paying.
No. 02Do I get the source code when a designer builds my site?
You should, but you must confirm it in writing before hiring. Not every arrangement includes it. Press hands over the full source code on final payment.
No. 03Can I move my website to another host or developer?
Only if you own the code and control the domain. If a provider refuses to release your files or transfer the domain, you do not truly own the site. Press sites are yours to move anywhere.