When managing the Australian domain name, website and online presence, two terms often come into play: Domain Transfer and Domain Connect.
However, both are used to manage the Australian domain hosts between different Australian hosting providers, registrars and platforms.
But one should understand that both Domain Transfer and Domain Connect serve different purposes, and their implication is also different in your website functionality and management.
Thus, to make it easy for you, let’s understand the differences between the two in the form of a table in this article.
Transferring vs. Connecting Domains
| Aspect | Transferring Domains | Connecting Domains |
| Definition | It means moving a domain from one registrar or hosting provider to another. | It means linking a domain to a specific website or platform’s content. |
| Ownership Change | It typically involves a change in the domain registrar or hosting provider. | Domain ownership remains with the same registrar or hosting provider. |
| Process Complexity | It involves several steps, including obtaining an authorisation code and initiating a transfer request. | Connecting domains is more straightforward, as it involves configuring DNS settings to point to the desired content. |
| Purpose | To change hosting providers and registrars or consolidate domain management. | To associate a custom domain with a specific website or platform. |
| Effect on Website Content | This may result in a temporary downtime during the transfer process. Content is moved to a new hosting server. | Content remains hosted on the platform; the domain simply points to that content. |
| Website Branding | It maintains the domain’s branding but may involve changes in the hosting environment. | It provides a custom-branded domain for a website or platform. |
| SEO Impact | It may impact the SEO rankings during the transfer process. Therefore, SEO efforts need to be monitored. | It has minimal impact on SEO as content remains hosted in the same place. |
| Common Use Cases | Changing hosting providers for better services or features. | Using a custom domain with platforms like CMS, website builders, or eCommerce sites. |
| Risk and Downtime | It involves some risk and possible downtime during the transfer. | It generally has lower risk, with minimal to no downtime. |
| Reversibility | It is generally irreversible once the domain transfer is completed. | Reversible by updating DNS settings to disconnect the domain from a specific platform. |
| Costs and Fees | May incur transfer fees charged by the new registrar or hosting provider. | Usually involves annual domain registration fees and possible platform subscription costs. |
| Long-Term Maintenance | It requires ongoing domain management at the new registrar or hosting provider. | It requires periodic renewals and occasional DNS updates. |
| Customisation | It offers flexibility in terms of hosting solutions and server configurations. | It provides ease of use and integration with specific platforms but limited customisation. |
Final Thoughts: Transfer Vs. Connect Domain
The primary difference between domain transferring and domain connecting is in their use, as domain transfers transfer your domain name from one registrar to another. Whereas domain connecting refers to connecting the different domain names with a particular website or platform without changing the domain registrar.
We hope this blog helps you understand each term because getting the concept will help you take the right steps to manage your domain hosting effectively.