A domain is the address
The domain is the name a visitor enters in a browser. It is registered for a defined period and commonly renewed each year. The business should normally remain the true domain owner even when a technical partner manages DNS settings.
Ask for registration and renewal costs to be separated clearly. MPC Design charges domains at actual cost without markup.
Hosting is the infrastructure
Hosting is where the website is delivered from. Static websites on Cloudflare infrastructure can be very fast, secure and economical without a complex server or database.
That does not eliminate administration. Deployments, DNS, security settings and availability checks still need clear ownership.
Maintenance protects technical reliability
Maintenance usually covers availability monitoring, technical fixes, domain and DNS assistance, support and recovery. Copy changes, new pages and redesign are not automatically maintenance unless the agreement says so.
Before signing, check who owns the domain, where the code is kept, who can publish changes and how additional work is priced.