Will my web designer own my website?
Key takeaways
- Website ownership is several separate pieces: domain, content, data and the software that runs the site.
- Always register the domain in your own business name, never the designer's or an employee's.
- Most websites run on software the business does not own, which is normal as long as the terms are written down.
- With a Kensoftware website, your domain and content are yours, and the CMS is our software provided to run your site.
- This is general guidance, not legal advice; have your agreement reviewed by a lawyer in your country.
Many business owners only find out who really controls their website when they try to change something big, or change supplier, and discover the domain is in someone else's name. "Owning a website" is not one thing. It is a handful of separate pieces, and each one can belong to a different person. This guide explains each piece in plain words, what should be yours, and how to make it clear before any work starts.
Who owns a website by default?
It depends on what your agreement says. In many countries, whoever creates something owns it unless a written agreement says otherwise, so a clear agreement is the only reliable answer.
That is why the most important step is simple: before the project begins, get a written list of what will belong to you, what will not, and what you will receive at handover.
Which parts of a website can be owned separately?
A website is made of several pieces: your address on the internet, your content, the design, and the software that runs it. The table shows the usual arrangement to aim for.
| Part | Who should own or control it | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name (yourbusiness.com) | You, registered in your business name | Losing it means losing your address, your email and your place in search results |
| Content (text, photos, logos, product details) | You | It describes your business and was yours before the project began |
| Your data (orders, customers, form messages) | You | It is your business record |
| Visitor statistics accounts (such as Google Analytics) | You | Your history stays with your business |
| The software that runs the site (the CMS) | Usually the company that made it, provided to you to use | Normal for any software you use, as long as the terms are clear |
| Bought extras (fonts, stock photos, add-ons) | The maker, licensed for your use | Check whose name the licence is in |
What is the difference between "owned" and "licensed"?
Owning something means it is yours outright; a licence means you have permission to use it. You already use licensed software every day, such as your phone's operating system or your accounting program.
Websites are no different. Most run on software the business does not own: WordPress sites run on WordPress, and Wix or Shopify sites run on those companies' systems. What matters is that you own the parts that are truly yours, your domain and your content, and that the terms for the software are written down.
How does ownership work with a Kensoftware website?
Your domain and your content are yours, and the CMS is our software that we provide to run your website. We say this plainly at the start, so there is nothing to discover later.
- Your domain is registered in your business name. If we help register it, we set it up so you are the owner.
- Your content and data belong to your business: your text, photos, products, orders and customer records.
- The CMS is the system we built and maintain for all our clients. You get your own admin login to use it fully; see what the Kensoftware CMS is.
- What you receive is set out in writing in our proposal before work begins.
What should a website agreement say about ownership?
The agreement should state what belongs to you, what is licensed to you, and what you receive at handover. Look for these points:
- Domain: registered in your name, with you as the contact.
- Content and data: confirmed as yours.
- Software: what it is, who owns it and the terms for using it.
- Access: which logins you receive, in your own email address.
- Leaving: what happens to your content and domain if you move to another supplier.
- Portfolio: whether the designer may show your website as an example of their work, which is common.
What are the warning signs you might not control your website?
- The domain is registered in the designer's or an employee's name.
- You have never had your own admin login.
- Nobody can tell you where the website is hosted.
- There is no written agreement about ownership at all.
- You cannot get a copy of your own content when you ask for it.
How do I take control of a website I already have?
Start with the domain, because it matters most, then collect everything else in writing.
- Check your domain: ask the company it is registered with whose name and email are on it.
- Ask for your own logins to the admin panel and visitor statistics, in your own email.
- Ask for a copy of your content and keep it somewhere you control.
- List every service with its renewal date; our guide to hosting and domains explains each one.
- Put it in writing: if ownership was never agreed, ask for a short written confirmation.
Ownership questions often come up alongside connections to other systems, such as stock or accounting; see connecting your website to business tools. For what happens once your site is live, read what happens after your website launches.
Planning a new website and want ownership spelled out from day one? Talk to Kensoftware.
How Kensoftware approaches this
- We recommend registering the domain in your business name, and when we help with registration we set it up so you are the owner.
- Our proposals state in writing what belongs to you, your domain, content and data, and that the CMS is our software provided to run your site.
- Every client gets their own admin login to the CMS, so you control your content from day one.
- We explain upfront what a move to another supplier would involve, so you can decide with full information.
Frequently asked questions
Can a web designer hold my website hostage?
If they control your domain and every login, they can make changing supplier very difficult. Prevent this by keeping the domain in your name and having your own admin access from the start.
Can my web designer show my website in their portfolio?
Most agreements allow it, and it is common practice. If your project is confidential, ask for a clause that requires your approval first.
Do I own a website built on Wix or Squarespace?
You own your content and domain, but the website runs on the builder's own software, which you use through your subscription. Many builders do not let you take a working copy of the site elsewhere.