Which Type of Web Hosting Is Best?

Web hosting services offer varying amounts of monthly data transfers, storage, email, and other features. Even how you pay (month-to-month vs. annual vs. prorated payments) can be radically different, too. So, taking time to plot exactly what your company needs for online success is essential. Many of these companies also offer reseller hosting services that let you go into business by offering hosting without spinning up your own servers. You should also familiarize yourself with the many available web hosting tiers. You'll find shared, virtual private server (VPS), dedicated hosting, and WordPress hosting plans in your research. Each tier offers different specs and features that you should take the time to analyze. We break them down below.

What Is Shared Web Hosting?

Shared hosting is web hosting in which the provider houses multiple sites on a single server. For example, Site A shares the same server with Site B, Site C, Site D, and Site E. The upside is that the multiple sites share the server cost, so shared web hosting is generally very inexpensive. It's cheap web hosting . In fact, you can find an option for less than $10 per month. Free web hosting is an option if you're willing to make some functionality sacrifices. You could think of the sites that share your server as your roommates; there's really not that much separating you from them. Sure, you can close the bedroom door, but they can still cause nightmares for you in the kitchen and the bathroom. In web hosting terms, all the sites share a single server's resources, so huge traffic spikes on Site A may impact the neighboring sites' performances. It's even possible that another site could take down the shared server altogether if it crashed hard enough.

What Is VPS Web Hosting?

VPS hosting is similar to shared hosting in that multiple sites share the same server, but the similarities end there. In housing terms, VPS hosting is like renting your own apartment in a larger building. You're much more isolated than in the roommate situation mentioned above; it's still possible that a neighboring apartment could annoy you, but far less likely. In web hosting terms, Site A's traffic surge won't impact Site B or Site C nearly as much. As you'd expect, VPS hosting costs more than shared hosting. Expect to pay roughly $20 to $60 per month, depending on the service.

What Is Dedicated Web Hosting?

Dedicated hosting , on the other hand, is both powerful and pricey. It's reserved for sites that require an incredible amount of server resources. Unlike shared or VPS hosting, dedicated hosting makes your website the lone tenant on a server. To extend the housing metaphor, having a dedicated server is like owning your own home. This means that your website taps the server's full power, and pays for the privilege. If you're looking for a high-powered site—an online mansion for your business—dedicated hosting is the way to go. That said, many dedicated web hosting services task you with handling backend, technical issues, much as homeowners have to manage maintenance that renters generally leave to their landlords. Dedicated hosting will set you back close to $100 per month, and that number skyrockets if you opt for high-speed servers and huge RAM and storage totals. Many web hosting services also offer managed hosting. In this type of hosting, the web host acts as your IT department, handling a server's maintenance and upkeep. This hosting option is typically found with dedicated servers, so it's a business -centric addition. Naturally, it adds a few bucks to the hosting cost, but nothing that should break the bank if you have the resources for a dedicated server.

What Is WordPress Hosting?

WordPress hosting is for people who want to build their sites on the back of the popular WordPress content management system (CMS) from WordPress.org. This free, open-source blogging and site-building platform has multiple ways to set up shop. You gain the most web-building functionality if you create a self-hosted site. This typically involves transferring the free WordPress CMS to the server or signing up for a web host's optimized WordPress plan. With an optimized plan, the host automatically handles backend stuff, so you don't have to worry about updating the plug-ins and CMS, and enabling automatic backups. In these instances, the WordPress environment typically comes preinstalled on the server. In most cases, this shouldn't cost much more money than a web host's shared or VPS hosting plans. You can also host your website on WordPress.com , but that's different from the kind of hosting mentioned above. WordPress.com uses the same code from WordPress.org, but hides the server code and handles the hosting for you. In that sense, it resembles website builders. It's a simpler but less flexible and customizable way to approach WordPress hosting.

What Is Cloud Web Hosting?

Cloud hosting services use a network of virtual and physical servers to store and maintain your website. This means that your site is hosted across a multitude of servers, potentially located worldwide. As a result, cloud hosting is generally much more flexible than traditional hosting, which is limited to physical servers rented via data centers. Cloud hosting has numerous benefits, including impressive scalability with storage and RAM resources. Speed and performance are excellent as well because cloud hosting distributes workloads across several servers. Cloud hosting services are extremely reliable, and they can provide fantastic data backup and recovery for the same reason. Cloud hosting is all over the map in terms of pricing, with some companies offering prorated payment options.

What Is the Best Web Hosting for Beginners?

If you're a web hosting novice, there are several key factors to consider when committing to a web hosting service. Many web hosts offer limited features in their starter packages and then expand the offerings (sometimes tremendously) for higher-tier plans. However, a few services, such as A2 , Bluehost , and HostGator , are the best web hosting services for beginners due to their prices, feature sets, and ease of use. Read the small print to ensure the plan you select offers what you need. If you don't want to code the site yourself, make sure that the web host you pick comes with a website builder . Many require you to pay for the builder as a separate add-on. Website builders usually don't cost a lot of money, but if you can find a web host that includes one for free, that's money in your pocket. And if it's integrated with your hosting service, you're more likely to have a smooth, supported experience. Remember, you want a web host with 24/7 customer support—if not by phone, then at least by chat. Forums, knowledge bases, and help tickets are useful, but sometimes you just need to communicate with another human to get things ironed out as quickly as possible. That said, not all 24/7 customer support teams are equal, which we confirmed in our in-depth web hosting reviews. Ease of use and strong uptime are important, too. If you're unsure of the hosting type your business needs, you might want to start with low-cost shared or WordPress hosting. You can always graduate to a more robust, feature-rich package like VPS hosting or dedicated hosting in the future. Unfortunately, some hosts don't offer all hosting types. Consider how much you expect to grow your website and how soon before you commit to anything longer than a one-year plan. It's worth spending the time up-front to ensure that the host you select can provide the growth you envision for your site, as switching web hosting providers midstream is not a trivial undertaking. Once you decide your price range, you need to consider how long you'll need web hosting. If it's a short-term project—say, less than a month or two—you can typically receive a refund if you cancel your hosting within 60 days. Some companies offer 30-day money-back guarantees, and others offer 90-day guarantees. Once again, it's beneficial to do your homework.

What Is the Best Free Web Hosting?

You've come to the wrong place if you're looking for free web hosting. Our list here includes the best web hosting services overall, and they're not free. Check out the best free web hosting services for our top picks in the category.

Which Is the Best Platform for Hosting?

When it comes to server operating systems, Linux is typically the default option. Still, some hosts offer a choice of the Linux or Windows Server operating systems. Don't let the idea of a Linux host intimidate you. Nowadays, most web hosts offer a graphical interface or a control panel to simplify server administration and website management. You'll click easily identifiable icons instead of tinkering with the command line. If you have specific server-side applications requiring Windows, such as SQL Server or a custom application written in .NET, you must make sure that your potential web host offers Windows hosting. Windows hosting is often more expensive than Linux hosting, especially in the dedicated server area (you'll typically see the price difference as you explore the options before checkout). While that's not always the case, you should be aware of it as you shop around.

What Is Email Hosting?

If you aim to have a web presence, you must have email. It's a convenient way for potential customers and clients to send you a message, Word document, or other files. Thankfully, most web hosts include email in their hosting plans. Some web hosts offer unlimited email account creation (which is great for future growth), while others offer a finite amount. You, naturally, should want unlimited email. That said, not all web hosts offer email. WP Engine , for example, does not. In such instances, you must sign up for email accounts from a company other than your web host. GoDaddy, for instance, sells email packages starting at $5.99 per user, per month. That might sound like a hassle, and just one more thing to keep track of, but some webmasters feel that separating your email hosting and web hosting services is smart. That way, one provider going offline won't completely bork your business.

What Is Web Hosting Uptime?

The aforementioned features are valuable to the web hosting experience, but none match the importance of site uptime. If your site is down, clients or customers will be unable to find you or access your products or services. We've added uptime monitoring to our review process, and the results show that most web hosts do an excellent job of keeping sites up and running. Web hosts with uptime issues are heavily penalized during the review process and are unable to qualify for top ratings.

What Are the Best Web Hosting Services for E-Commerce and Marketing?

In reviewing the services listed here (and many more), we learned that even though the packages are similar, they are not identical. Some are more security-focused than others, offering anti-spam and anti-malware tools at every price tier. Others offer a variety of email marketing tools . While most of the hosts we've reviewed have built-in e-commerce tools, you may want to consider using a more robust, third-party e-commerce platform, such as our Editors' Choice winners, Shopify and Wix Stores. Finally, if you're just getting started in web hosting, make sure to check out our primers, 6 essential tips for building an online presence and how to register a domain name for your website .

The Best Web Hosting Services for 2024

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A business that lacks an online presence is at a competitive disadvantage because you miss out on reach and potential profits. People reflexively turn to the internet when searching for products or services, so your company must have an easy-to-navigate website with strong uptime. It doesn't need to be fancy. After all, even a web page that simply lists your operating hours and contact information gives your venture the legitimacy it needs in a cyber-connected world. To do this, you need web hosting to serve as the foundation for your website.

We've tested more than 50 web hosting services to handpick the best ones for a variety of situations. Regardless of the site you wish to build, the services selected here have the power and flexibility to handle your needs.

You Can Trust Our Reviews

Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. Read our editorial mission & see how we test.

Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

HostGator Web Hosting

Best for Shared Web Hosting

4.0 Excellent

Why We Picked It

HostGator is a fantastic web hosting service with a varied selection, including feature-rich WordPress, VPS, dedicated, and cloud server packages. It also includes useful tools, such as the useful Web.com website builder. In a nice touch, HostGator lets you select a Windows-based server, something not offered by every web hosting service.

Who It’s For

HostGator is best for small and midsize businesses that want to quickly build a Linux- or Windows-based website, and have room to grow. Its shared hosting packages have unlimited disk space, monthly data transfers, databases, and email addresses across the board.

PROS

Numerous feature-rich hosting plans
Excellent shared hosting offerings
Good for novice webmasters
Useful site-building software and e-commerce tools
Helpful, 24/7 customer service
Outstanding uptime

CONS

Not all plans have a Windows Server option
Some annual plans cost more than paying month by month

SPECS

Name	Value
Shared Hosting
VPS Hosting
Dedicated Hosting
WordPress Hosting
Cloud Hosting
Reseller Hosting
Linux Servers
Windows Servers
24/7 Customer Support

All Specs

GET IT NOW

Today’s Best Deal

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HostGator Web Hosting Review

Bluehost Web Hosting

Best for Building WordPress Sites

4.0 Excellent

Why We Picked It

Bluehost strikes a balance between pricing and features, offering services that appeal to hobbyists and business professionals. Great uptime, WordPress-enhancing tools, e-commerce add-ons, and overall flexibility make Bluehost a web host you can count on for a rock-solid website. Its website builder delivers drag-and-drop simplicity as well, making it all the more appealing.

Who It’s For

A massive portion of the internet is powered by WordPress (more than 40 percent!), so there's a good chance that you may go that route, too. Fortunately, Bluehost excels at WordPress hosting, offering plans that let you build nearly any website you wish. Plus, Bluehost has custom tools that make building a WordPress site an even easier affair.

PROS

Dependable uptime in testing
Excellent WordPress hosting plans
Useful WordPress site-building software
Terrific customer service
Easy-to-use interface
Free site migration

CONS

Lacks cloud hosting
No monthly shared hosting plans
Lack Windows-based servers

SPECS

Name	Value
Shared Hosting
VPS Hosting
Dedicated Hosting
WordPress Hosting
Cloud Hosting
Reseller Hosting
Linux Servers
Windows Servers
24/7 Customer Support

All Specs

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Bluehost Web Hosting Review

InMotion Web Hosting

Best for a Lengthy Money-Back Guarantee

4.0 Excellent

Why We Picked It

InMotion is a top-tier web hosting provider that delivers reasonably priced shared, dedicated, VPS, and cloud hosting plans. Whether you need WordPress-specific plans or reselling options, InMotion has a well-rounded feature set that appeals to nearly every web hosting need.

Who It’s For

This is the web host that you should check out when comparing features, as the company casts a wide hosting net. The big exception here is Windows servers, as InMotion uses Linux-based servers to host websites. InMotion also offers an excellent, 90-day money-back guarantee for shared hosting plans, which gives you plenty of time to kick the tires.

PROS

Excellent uptime
Many hosting types
All plans offer unlimited email
Unlimited data transfers with all Shared and WordPress plans
Lengthy, money-back guarantee
Easy-to-use website-building software

CONS

Lacks Windows servers
Not all plans have month-to-month payment options

SPECS

Name	Value
Shared Hosting
VPS Hosting
Dedicated Hosting
WordPress Hosting
Cloud Hosting
Reseller Hosting
Linux Servers
Windows Servers
24/7 Customer Support

All Specs

GET IT NOW

Today’s Best Deal

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InMotion Web Hosting Review

DreamHost Web Hosting

Best for Cloud Web Hosting

4.0 Excellent

Why We Picked It

When it comes to delivering dependable, Linux-powered servers, DreamHost ranks as one of the best services we've tested. The company offers valuable website-building tools and excellently priced hosting plans for all of your needs, including shared, VPS, and WordPress-specific servers. DreamHost also has some of the best cloud web hosting services available.

Who It’s For

With its easy-to-use tools, DreamHost is a great host if you're new to building websites. It also offers fantastic cloud-based hosting with highly competitive rates and a feature-packed toolset that includes site-building software and unlimited data transfers.

PROS

Strong security features
Extensive domain-management tools
Excellent cloud hosting offerings
Unlimited data transfers per month
Generous shared hosting money-back guarantee
Useful WordPress staging feature

CONS

Shared Starter plan lacks email
No telephone support
Lacks Windows-based servers

SPECS

Name	Value
Shared Hosting
VPS Hosting
Dedicated Hosting
WordPress Hosting
Cloud Hosting
Reseller Hosting
Linux Servers
Windows Servers
24/7 Customer Support

All Specs

GET IT NOW

Today’s Best Deal

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DreamHost Web Hosting Review

A2 Web Hosting

Best Customer Service

4.0 Excellent

Why We Picked It

When shopping for web hosting, a strong foundation makes a good first impression. A2 Hosting offers just that with robust hosting packages, excellent uptime, and superb WordPress plans. In addition, the company has an incredibly helpful customer service team that quickly addresses your problems or questions.

Who It’s For

If you have WordPress in mind, and don’t mind utilizing Linux-based servers, A2 is a host you should scope out first. Its plans include highly optimized environments specifically designed for WordPress, plus managed options that deliver 24-hour support and supervision.

PROS

Robust hosting packages, particularly WordPress
Excellent customer service
Terrific uptime
Good money-back refund plan

CONS

Lacks Windows server options
Relatively expensive

SPECS

Name	Value
Shared Hosting
VPS Hosting
Dedicated Hosting
WordPress Hosting
Cloud Hosting
Reseller Hosting
Linux Servers
Windows Servers
24/7 Customer Support

All Specs

GET IT NOW

Today’s Best Deal

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A2 Web Hosting Review

AccuWeb Hosting

Best for Dedicated Web Hosting

4.0 Excellent

Why We Picked It

Fantastic web hosting plans and helpful customer service aptly describe AccuWeb's services. However, the company's excellent dedicated hosting plans make it stand out in a crowded field. In fact, its dedicated packages are so robust that they earned our Editors' Choice award. What’s more, AccuWeb has Windows Server options alongside the common Linux OS, so you have an another potential foundation for your website.

Who It’s For

Companies seeking high-powered dedicated hosting. Dedicated plans costs more money than shared, VPS, WordPress, or cloud options, but the steeper price tag comes with storage and data transfer privileges that are second to none. If you're on the prowl for enterprise-level business hosting, AccuWeb will serve your company well.

PROS

Great budget-friendly shared hosting options
Excellent dedicated hosting plans
Offers a choice of Linux or Windows servers
Helpful customer service

CONS

Limited email accounts with some plans

SPECS

Name	Value
Shared Hosting
VPS Hosting
Dedicated Hosting
WordPress Hosting
Cloud Hosting
Reseller Hosting
Linux Servers
Windows Servers
24/7 Customer Support

All Specs

GET IT NOW

Today’s Best Deal

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AccuWeb Hosting Review

Liquid Web Hosting

Best for Managed Web Hosting

4.0 Excellent

Why We Picked It

There's serious muscle behind LiquidWeb's wide range of cloud, dedicated, VPS, WordPress, and reseller server packages. It lacks a low-cost, shared hosting tier, making this web host more appealing to larger businesses rather than smaller ones. Despite that limitation, you can expect white-glove treatment with LiquidWeb's packages, so your web hosting needs will be handled with exceptional care and attention.

Who It’s For

LiquidWeb offers premium hosting, at a premium price point. The host provides excellent, managed, enterprise-class service, with the muscle to power the website of your dreams. If you want powerful hosting options and impeccable, around-the-clock support, LiquidWeb is a good place to start.

PROS

Robust dedicated, VPS, cloud, and reseller packages
Prorated VPS plans
Powerful, high-end server specs
Terrific customer service
Excellent uptime in testing

CONS

Lacks shared hosting plans
Expensive, with few refund options

SPECS

Name	Value
Shared Hosting
VPS Hosting
Dedicated Hosting
WordPress Hosting
Cloud Hosting
Reseller Hosting
Linux Servers
Windows Servers
24/7 Customer Support

All Specs

GET IT NOW

Today’s Best Deal

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Liquid Web Hosting Review

Hostwinds Web Hosting

Best for Reseller and VPS Web Hosting

4.0 Excellent

Why We Picked It

Shared hosting is a great starting point, but as your traffic and demands grow, so will your hosting needs. VPS is the next step up, and Hostwinds handles VPS hosting extremely well. The versatile web host also has strong reseller hosting plans for people who want to open their own hosting businesses.

Who It’s For

Hostwinds is an appealing hosting choice for a wide range of clients, from mom-and-pop shops to big business, as its services are attractively priced and fairly robust. Give Hostwinds a try if you want to migrate your website to a beefier VPS server, or wish to sell hosting of your own.

PROS

Terrific uptime in testing
Excellent reseller and VPS hosting plans
Good customer service
Minecraft server hosting

CONS

Not every plan has a Windows server option
Short money-back guarantee window

SPECS

Name	Value
Shared Hosting
VPS Hosting
Dedicated Hosting
WordPress Hosting
Cloud Hosting
Reseller Hosting
Linux Servers
Windows Servers
24/7 Customer Support

All Specs

GET IT NOW

Today’s Best Deal

Learn More

Hostwinds Web Hosting Review

Overview: Top Picks Based on Our Testing

HostGator Web Hosting

Bluehost Web Hosting

InMotion Web Hosting

DreamHost Web Hosting

A2 Web Hosting

AccuWeb Hosting

Liquid Web Hosting

Hostwinds Web Hosting

WP Engine Web Hosting

Hostinger Web Hosting

Ionos Web Hosting

The Best Web Hosting Deals This Week*

Table of Contents

HostGator Web Hosting

Best for Shared Web Hosting

Why We Picked It

Who It’s For

PROS

CONS

SPECS

Bluehost Web Hosting

Best for Building WordPress Sites

Why We Picked It

Who It’s For

PROS

CONS

SPECS

InMotion Web Hosting

Best for a Lengthy Money-Back Guarantee

Why We Picked It

Who It’s For

PROS

CONS

SPECS

DreamHost Web Hosting

Best for Cloud Web Hosting

Why We Picked It

Who It’s For

PROS

CONS

SPECS

A2 Web Hosting

Best Customer Service

Why We Picked It

Who It’s For

PROS

CONS

SPECS

AccuWeb Hosting

Best for Dedicated Web Hosting

Why We Picked It

Who It’s For

PROS

CONS

SPECS

Liquid Web Hosting

Best for Managed Web Hosting

Why We Picked It

Who It’s For

PROS

CONS

SPECS

Hostwinds Web Hosting

Best for Reseller and VPS Web Hosting

Why We Picked It

Who It’s For

PROS

CONS

SPECS

WP Engine Web Hosting

Best for WordPress Hosting