Domains: Addon vs Alias

When managing multiple websites or domain names under a single hosting account, terms like addon domain and alias domain often come up. Understanding the difference between these two is essential for anyone managing web hosting, especially if you’re planning to expand your online presence. In this blog post, we’ll explore what addon and alias domains are, how they work, and when to use each.

What Is a Domain?

A domain name is your website's address on the internet It is what users type into their browsers to access your site. When you register a domain name, it points to the content hosted on a server managed by a hosting provider.

Web hosting providers often allow you to manage multiple domain names within a single account. This is where addon and alias domains come into play.

What Is an Addon Domain?

An addon domain is a completely separate website hosted under the same hosting account. When you create an addon domain, you're essentially hosting multiple websites from one cPanel (or another control panel) account.

Key Features of Addon Domains:

• Each addon domain has its own content, email accounts, and can be managed independently.
• It has its own directory within the main hosting account.
• You can install CMS platforms like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal on each addon domain.
• Visitors to the addon domain won’t know it’s part of another hosting account—they will see it as a standalone website.

Example Scenario:

Suppose your main domain is You want to launch a second website for your new brand,. Instead of buying a new hosting plan, you can add as an addon domain under your current hosting account. Both websites will function independently.

What Is an Alias Domain?

An alias domain (also known as a parked domain) is a domain that points to the same content as your primary domain. It doesn’t host separate content but simply mirrors another domain.

Key Features of Alias Domains:

• Alias domains are used to redirect traffic from one domain to another.
• Useful for brand protection or handling misspelled versions of your domain.
• No need for a separate content directory or CMS installation.
• Visitors typing the alias domain will see the same website as the main domain.

Example Scenario:

You own the domain, and you register and to protect your brand. You set these up as alias domains so that if someone types , they’re automatically taken to.

Addon Domain vs Alias Domain: Key Differences

Feature	Addon Domain	Alias Domain
Purpose	Hosts a separate, unique website	Redirects to an existing website
Directory	Has its own directory/folder	Shares the same directory as primary domain
CMS Installation	Can install a separate CMS	No CMS installation needed
Email Accounts	Can have unique email addresses	Shares email accounts with primary domain
SEO Impact	Indexed as a separate site	Not separately indexed
Use Case	Running multiple websites	Redirecting or brand protection

When to Use an Addon Domain

Addon domains are ideal when you:

• Want to host completely different websites under one hosting account.
• Need independent email addresses for each domain.
• Are managing client websites under one control panel.
• Need to test or develop separate websites on different domains.

When to Use an Alias Domain

Alias domains are the right choice when you:

• Want to redirect multiple domains to your main domain for branding or marketing purposes.
• Want to capture traffic from common typos or alternative extensions .
• Need to rebrand without losing traffic from the old domain.
• Are managing a site with multiple domain names for accessibility or regional reasons.

SEO Considerations

Addon Domains and SEO:

Each addon domain is treated as an entirely separate website by search engines. This means you can target different keywords, audiences, and regions with each site. However, managing SEO across multiple domains can be time-consuming and may dilute your domain authority if not handled carefully.

Alias Domains and SEO:

Alias domains do not contribute to separate SEO rankings. All SEO efforts consolidate under the main domain. This is good for maintaining domain authority and avoiding duplicate content issues. However, it won’t help you rank for different sets of keywords across different domains.

If you're using alias domains for regional targeting or branding, ensure proper redirection and canonical tags are used to avoid SEO penalties.

Technical Setup: How to Add These Domains

Addon Domain Setup (in cPanel):

1. Log in to your hosting control panel.
2. Navigate to Addon Domains.
3. Enter the new domain name.
4. Specify the directory where files will be stored.
5. Set up associated email accounts or CMS as needed.

Alias Domain Setup (in cPanel):

1. Log in to your control panel.
2. Navigate to Aliases or Parked Domains.
3. Enter the domain name to alias.
4. Confirm that it redirects to your primary domain.

Note: Make sure your alias domain is pointed to the same nameservers as your primary domain.

Which One Should You Choose?

The choice between an addon and alias domain comes down to your website strategy:

• Choose addon domains if you need multiple unique websites.
• Choose alias domains if you want to redirect traffic from similar domain names to one main site.

Here’s a quick checklist:

Objective	Best Choice
Run multiple sites	Addon Domain
Protect brand variations	Alias Domain
Consolidate SEO efforts	Alias Domain
Launch a new product site	Addon Domain
Redirect .net or .org to .com	Alias Domain

Conclusion

Both addon and alias domains offer useful ways to expand and protect your online presence, but they serve different purposes. If your goal is to create and manage multiple distinct websites, addon domains are the way to go. If you're looking to simplify domain management and protect your brand, alias domains are the better fit.

Understanding the roles each plays will help you make smarter decisions when managing your domains and hosting resources.