Do you actually own your website? What to insist on

Ownership is the fine print that bites hardest. A site can look great and still leave you trapped — unable to move hosts, edit content, or even keep your domain if you part ways with your provider. Before you commit, get clear answers on four things.

1. The domain

Your domain should be registered in your name, on your account. If a provider registers it 'for you' on their account, they control your most valuable digital asset. Insist on being the registrant.

2. The content and design

Your text, images, and brand assets are yours. Make sure you can export them and that there's no license that claws them back if you cancel.

3. The ability to leave

Ask directly: 'If I cancel, what do I walk away with, and how?' A fair provider hands over your site files, content, and domain. A proprietary page-builder that locks the site to their platform is a red flag.

4. No long-term lock-in

• •Prefer month-to-month over multi-year contracts.
• •Get the exit process in writing before you start.
• •Confirm there are no 'export fees' to reclaim what's yours.

Good providers earn your business every month instead of trapping you. Ownership isn't a perk — it's the baseline you should demand.