10 Best Web Hosting Services Of 2024 – Forbes Advisor

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10 Best Web Hosting Services Of 2024

Marketing Writer & Editor
Managing Editor, SMB

Reviewed

Updated: Mar 4, 2024, 8:49pm

Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.

A website is essential to build and grow a business today, and web hosting is a crucial part of building a quality website. With so many different providers and plans on the market, choosing a web host can be daunting. To make your decision easier, we narrowed down the 10 best web hosting services based on key features that matter most. We selected these services based on price, performance, security, and extras such as a free domain name and free business email.

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The 10 Best Web Hosting Services of 2024


Why You Can Trust Forbes Advisor Small Business

The Forbes Advisor Small Business team is committed to bringing you unbiased rankings and information with full editorial independence. We use product data, strategic methodologies and expert insights to inform all of our content and guide you in making the best decisions for your business journey.

We reviewed 16 web hosts using a detailed methodology to help you find the 10 web hosting platforms. Our ratings consider factors that included pricing, general features, additional features and a review by our panel of experts. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.


Best for Startups

IONOS

IONOS
4.6
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

$1 per month

(billed for the first six months; renews at $12 per month)

Storage and bandwidth

10GB of storage and unlimited traffic

Extras and inclusions

Free domain, free SSL certificate, daily backups, one email account

IONOS
Learn More Arrow

On IONOS' Website

$1 per month

(billed for the first six months; renews at $12 per month)

10GB of storage and unlimited traffic

Free domain, free SSL certificate, daily backups, one email account

Why We Picked It

IONOS is a top-rated web host that offers a wide variety of hosting plans to start, grow and manage your business website. All plans include a free domain name for one year, a free SSL certificate and 24/7 support. Enjoy 99.99% uptime, DDoS protection, scalable plans, geo-redundant infrastructure, unlimited storage and websites.

IONOS pricing:

Startups that are cash-strapped can appreciate its ultra-low six-month pricing at $1 per month. Pricing goes up to $12 per month after the first year. Even at $12 per month, its optimized CPU and MEM resources make it a great option beyond the initial term.

If you’re not sure which plan to choose, IONOS has expert recommendations for which to pick—for example, starting an online store or finding a better host for your WordPress website.

Learn more: Read our full IONOS review.

Who should use it:

Due to its ultra-low introductory pricing, it’s the best web hosting service for cash-strapped startups looking for a high-quality web host with a minimal investment.

Pros & Cons
  • User-friendly interface
  • Daily backups and data recovery
  • DDoS protection
  • Geo-redundant infrastructure for best uptimes
  • 24/7 customer service
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Monthly plan costs increase significantly after first year (e.g., from $1 to $10 per month)
  • Limited storage in entry-level plan
  • Domain only free the first year
  • Includes just one email account

Best Perks

HostGator

HostGator
4.4
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

$2.64 per month

(three-year term)

Storage and Bandwidth

Unmetered

Extras and inclusions

Free domain registration for a year, free website and domain transfer, free SSL certificate, $500 in Google Ads spend match credit, $100 Microsoft Advertising credit, free email

HostGator
Learn More Arrow

On HostGator's Website

$2.64 per month

(three-year term)

Unmetered

Free domain registration for a year, free website and domain transfer, free SSL certificate, $500 in Google Ads spend match credit, $100 Microsoft Advertising credit, free email

Why We Picked It

HostGator is one of our top picks for best web hosting service because of its exceptional value for money, reliable performance and generous features perfect for small and medium businesses in any industry. Hosting options include shared, WordPress, website builder, dedicated, virtual private server (VPS) and reseller hosting. It offers unmetered disk space, unmetered bandwidth and a 99% uptime guarantee. You’ll also get 24/7 support and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

HostGator pricing:

Plans start at $2.64 per month for your first term. Each plan comes with one-click WordPress installation, unmetered bandwidth, a free SSL certificate, a free domain name and free WordPress/cPanel website transfers. For its midtier shared hosting plan, you can have unlimited websites for $3.50 per month for your first term.

Learn more: Read our full HostGator review.

Who should use it:

HostGator’s shared hosting plans are a great fit for individuals and small businesses who need an affordable plan with flexible hosting options.

Pros & Cons
  • Unmetered disk space and bandwidth on all plans
  • Free domain name
  • Free SSL certificate
  • Free website transfer service
  • $500 in Google Ads spend match credit
  • Support available 24/7/365 via phone, chat, tweet, knowledge base and blog
  • Pricing reflects a three-year commitment
  • Domain privacy costs extra
  • Automated backups cost extra

Best for New Websites

Bluehost

Bluehost
4.3
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

$2.95 a month

Storage and bandwidth

Unmetered bandwidth and SSD storage starts at 10GB

Extras and inclusions

Free domain name and SSL for a year, free CDN, Google Ads/Bing credits for higher-tiered plans

Bluehost
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On Bluehost.com's Website

$2.95 a month

Unmetered bandwidth and SSD storage starts at 10GB

Free domain name and SSL for a year, free CDN, Google Ads/Bing credits for higher-tiered plans

Why We Picked It

Bluehost is one of the most popular web hosting platforms, and for good reason. It offers a wide range of features at competitive prices, making it perfect for people just getting started with web hosting. For its Basic plan, you’ll have 10GB of storage, unmetered bandwidth, a free domain for your first year and up to 25 subdomains. Its Plus plan doubles your storage, gives you $200 in Google Ads/Bing credits and provides unlimited primary domains, parked domains and subdomains.

Bluehost pricing:

Bluehost plans start at $2.95 per month for a 12-month term. Its Choice Plus plan is $5.45 per month for 12 months. Online Store costs $9.95 per month for 12 months. Its most expensive plan is Pro, which costs $13.95 per month.

Learn more: Read our full Bluehost review.

Who should use it:

Bluehost is an ideal option for website owners who need a reliable and affordable hosting service that offers a wide range of features and tools to help them manage their site.

Pros & Cons
  • Free domain name
  • Free SSL certificate
  • Free business email
  • Includes a CDN
  • Higher-tiered plans include pro features such as client invoicing, staging and insights
  • 24/7 support
  • Price triples upon renewal
  • Limited storage
  • Must pay for automated backups
  • No phone support on its Basic plan

Best For WordPress Beginners

DreamHost

DreamHost
4.3
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

$2.59 per month

(three-year term)

Storage and Bandwidth

50GB of storage and unlimited bandwidth

Extras and inclusions

Free domain, free SSL certificate, one-click WordPress installation, great support

DreamHost
Learn More Arrow

On DreamHost's Website

$2.59 per month

(three-year term)

50GB of storage and unlimited bandwidth

Free domain, free SSL certificate, one-click WordPress installation, great support

Why We Picked It

DreamHost has quickly become one of the leading web hosting providers. It’s reliable and affordable with feature-rich plans that include everything you need to build a new website, from a domain name and SSL certificate to one-click WordPress installation. In addition to its great value for the price, it also offers a beginner-friendly site builder and, best of all, very helpful support that is there no matter the type of issue you are having with your hosting or site.

DreamHost pricing:

Plans start as low as $2.59 per month for a basic package. Its Shared Starter plan renews at $6.99 per month. This comes with a single website, unmetered bandwidth, 50GB of storage, up to five subdomains, six MySQL databases, free domain name privacy and 24/7 support via ticket.

The best deal is the Shared Unlimited plan, also at $2.95 per month with a long-term 36-month contract. After the promotional period ends, this increases to $12.99 per month. This plan includes unlimited websites, unlimited domain email, unlimited storage and unlimited MySQL databases.

Learn more: Read our full DreamHost review.

Who should use it:

DreamHost is overall a solid choice for web hosting that will suit most businesses’ needs. However, where it really shines is its helpful support, making it ideal for WordPress beginners who might need expert assistance at their fingertips.

Pros & Cons
  • Affordable plans starting at $2.59 per month
  • Free domain name and SSL certificate
  • One-, three-, 12- and 36-month contract lengths available
  • Long 97-day money-back guarantee
  • 100% uptime guarantee
  • Top-notch support
  • Pricing increases upon renewal
  • Lots of upsells in checkout
  • Cheapest plan doesn’t include a custom domain
  • Must pay for its unlimited plan for email

Best for Reliability

InMotion Hosting

InMotion Hosting
4.1
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

$2.29 per month with a 36-month contract

or $3.29 per month with a 12-month contract

Storage and bandwidth

50 GB of storage and unlimited bandwidth

Extras and inclusions

90-day money-back guarantee, automatic backups (for a fee), DDoS protection

InMotion Hosting
Learn More Arrow

On InMotion Hosting's Website

$2.29 per month with a 36-month contract

or $3.29 per month with a 12-month contract

50 GB of storage and unlimited bandwidth

90-day money-back guarantee, automatic backups (for a fee), DDoS protection

Why We Picked It

InMotion Hosting is a leading web host that stands out for its ultra-low pricing, reliability and security. It offers a long, 90-day money-back guarantee, automatic backups, DDoS protection and malware protection to help further safeguard your site and protect the sensitive information it processes, such as payment information and user data.

InMotion Hosting pricing:

Plans start at $2.29 per month with a 36-month commitment, $2.79 with a 24-month commitment, $3.29 with a 12-month commitment or $19.99 month-to-month (only available for the Pro plan). This includes 100GB of solid-state drive (SSD) storage and unlimited bandwidth as well as a free SSL certificate, up to 10 business email addresses and security features.

Learn more: Read our full InMotion Hosting review.

Who should use it:

InMotion Hosting is ideal for businesses that prioritize reliability and peace of mind as well as value for price, given its lengthy money-back guarantee and famously high uptimes.

Pros & Cons
  • Ultra-low long-term pricing
  • Automatic backups available (for a fee)
  • Comes with many security features
  • Known for reliability
  • 90-day money-back guarantee
  • Highly rated 24/7 tech support
  • Minimum 12-month contract on most plans
  • Pricing increases upon renewal
  • Domain name not included with its base plan
  • Month-to-month billing only available in highest-tier plan

Best for Lifetime SSL Certificates

MochaHost

MochaHost
3.9
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

$3.18 per month

Storage and bandwidth

Unlimited disk space and traffic

Extras and inclusions

100% uptime guarantee, free website transfer assistance, website builder

MochaHost

$3.18 per month

Unlimited disk space and traffic

100% uptime guarantee, free website transfer assistance, website builder

Why We Picked It

MochaHost is an all-around great pick for nearly any business given its highly competitive price for its feature-rich plans. For as little as $3.18 per month, you get great unlimited storage and bandwidth, making it ideal for businesses building content-heavy sites and high-traffic sites alike, a money-back guarantee, a website builder and a number of extras, such as a free domain name, a free SSL certificate and unlimited business email with Webmail.

It also offers a number of high-value features for an industry-low price. To give you peace of mind, plans come with highly rated, unlimited SSL certificates for life, 24/7 tech support, and to make your life a bit easier, it offers free website transfer service for those changing web hosts. Additionally, it has the Mocha Lightning Fast Guarantee, which promises that it loads sites faster than any other cloud hosting service, complete with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

MochaHost pricing:

MochaHost is one of the most competitively priced web hosting providers on the market for feature-packed plans. It offers four hosting plans, ranging in price from $3.18 per month to $11.95 per month. Every plan includes unlimited disk space, making it one of the most cost-effective hosts for content-heavy sites, as well as unlimited traffic, making it a good choice for those with a high number of website visitors.

Who should use it:

With MochaHost’s impressive range of features at such an affordable price, most businesses will find it to be a good value. However, based on its inclusion of unlimited storage and bandwidth, it’s ideal for those who are building content-heavy sites, such as sites that display a portfolio, an e-commerce site with a large product catalog or any site with a high volume of website visitors.

Read More: MochaHost Review.

Pros & Cons
  • Ultra-low-cost plans for under $4 per month
  • Lock in your price forever
  • Unlimited storage and bandwidth
  • Fast site load speeds
  • Free SSL certificate
  • 24/7 live chat support
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Does not offer the industry-standard one-click WordPress installation
  • Free domain name is not included with the entry-level plan
  • Dated interface

Best for Easy Site Setup

GoDaddy

GoDaddy
3.7
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

$5.99 per month

(three-year term)

Storage and Bandwidth

10GB storage, unmetered bandwidth

Extras and inclusions

Daily backups, one-click WordPress installation, free SSL certificate

GoDaddy
Learn More Arrow

On GoDaddy's Website

$5.99 per month

(three-year term)

10GB storage, unmetered bandwidth

Daily backups, one-click WordPress installation, free SSL certificate

Why We Picked It

GoDaddy is the best web hosting service for businesses that need an easy setup and don’t require a lot of storage. It’s also ideal for setting up WordPress websites, as it offers one-click installation and daily backups. Plus, its plans include a free SSL certificate to keep your site secure. With its DDoS protection, it also offers an added layer of protection against malicious attacks.

GoDaddy pricing:

Pricing starts at $5.99 per month with a three-year contract, then renews at $12.77 per month. Its Web Hosting Deluxe costs $7.99 per month for a three-year term and renews at $13.99 per month. If you’ve got a high-traffic website, its Web Hosting Ultimate plan is ideal and runs $12.99 per month with a three-year contract and renews at $17.99 per month. There is also a Web Hosting Maximum plan available for up to 50 sites at $17.99 per month for the first three years, then for $24.99 per month upon renewal.

Learn more: Read our full GoDaddy review.

Who should use it:

GoDaddy is ideal for small businesses that want to easily set up WordPress websites with one-click installation and want to lock in low pricing that does not increase upon renewal.

Pros & Cons
  • Pricing doesn’t increase upon renewal
  • One-click setup of more than 150 apps
  • Includes daily backups
  • Beginner-friendly website builder
  • Has data centers in North America, Asia-Pacific and Europe
  • Limited storage
  • Storage limits

Best for Content-Heavy Sites

Hostwinds

Hostwinds
3.7
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

$5.24 per month

(renews at $6.99 per month)

Storage and bandwidth

Unlimited

Extras and inclusions

Unlimited storage, free dedicated IP address, unlimited business email, free site migration

Hostwinds
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Read Forbes' Review

$5.24 per month

(renews at $6.99 per month)

Unlimited

Unlimited storage, free dedicated IP address, unlimited business email, free site migration

Why We Picked It

Hostwinds is one of the few web hosting providers that includes unlimited storage and bandwidth with every plan, making it the best web hosting service for content-heavy sites. It also offers unlimited business email, a free SSL certificate, a free dedicated IP address, free site migration, WordPress auto-install for easy installation and 24/7 support. It also uniquely offers three server locations to choose from (Dallas, Seattle or Amsterdam) to give you more control.

Hostwinds pricing:

Pricing starts at $3.74 per month with a 36-month contract, $5.24 per month with a 12-month contract or $6.74 per month with a month-to-month contract. Plans are feature-rich, however, while they include a lot that other web hosts don’t, such as a free dedicated IP address and the ability to choose your location, plans do not include a domain name.

Learn more: Read our full Hostwinds review.

Who should use it:

Hostwinds is ideal for businesses that have outgrown their existing web hosting provider and need more storage without paying a ton for it. It’s also ideal for new businesses setting up content-heavy sites, such as a portfolio website.

Pros & Cons
  • Low-cost plans start at $3.74 per month (with 36-month contract)
  • Multiple contract lengths available (one month to 36 months)
  • Unlimited storage and bandwidth on all plans
  • Free SSL certificate
  • Unlimited business email included
  • Does not include a domain name
  • Backups cost an extra $3 per month

Best for Website Security

InterServer

InterServer
3.7
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

$2.50 per month

(no contract)

Storage and bandwidth

Unlimited

Extras and inclusions

Unlimited business email, free website migration, free SSL certificate, website builder, 30-day money-back guarantee

InterServer
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Read Forbes' Review

$2.50 per month

(no contract)

Unlimited

Unlimited business email, free website migration, free SSL certificate, website builder, 30-day money-back guarantee

Why We Picked It

For a low price, InterServer provides a lot of tools with a number of useful features that help keep a website secure and protected. For example, plans include InterShield Security to help protect your site from web attacks, and it also has an in-house malware database, a machine learning firewall and an automatic virus scanner so the health of your site is always upheld. This makes it great for businesses that handle sensitive information, such as customer contact info.

InterServer pricing:

InterServer offers one straightforward web hosting plan that costs $2.50 per month—no contract required. It comes with unlimited storage and bandwidth and a number of industry-leading security features including Inter-Insurance, which will clean up any messes made should there be a security breach attack, and InterShield Security. In addition to its top-notch security, its plan comes packed with extras, such as 24/7 managed support, unlimited storage, free site migration, unlimited business email and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Learn more: Read our full InterServer review.

Who should use it:

InterServer is the best web hosting service for businesses on a budget that need to ensure website security, such as those that handle sensitive information and process online payments. For example, an online store, a medical practice or a financial services provider.

Pros & Cons
  • Unlimited storage on all plans
  • Free Cloudflare CDN
  • Includes InterShield Security
  • Weekly backups included
  • Free unlimited business email
  • Includes a WordPress installer
  • Free website migration service
  • 99.9% uptime guarantee
  • Does not include a free domain name
  • Dated cPanel
  • Live chat can be slow to respond

Best for Fast-Growing Businesses

TMDHosting

TMDHosting
3.7
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

$2.99 per month

(one-year term)

Storage and bandwidth

Unlimited SSD storage and unlimited bandwidth

Extras and inclusions

Free domain, free SSL certificate, free site transfer, website builder, unlimited business email

TMDHosting
Learn More Arrow

Read Forbes' Review

$2.99 per month

(one-year term)

Unlimited SSD storage and unlimited bandwidth

Free domain, free SSL certificate, free site transfer, website builder, unlimited business email

Why We Picked It

TMDHosting offers a wide variety of plan options to grow with your business, such as web, cloud, WordPress, VPS and reseller hosting. Some plans even offer dedicated servers. Smaller companies typically start with web or cloud hosting before upgrading to VPS, which is a virtual private server, or dedicated servers.
Access support via phone or email 24/7/365 with response times as little as 15 minutes. There is an extensive knowledge base for self-help. However, it hasn’t been updated since 2018.

TMDHosting pricing:

Plans start at $9.99 per month (paid monthly), but TMDHosting offers regular discounts, so it’s usually available for as little as $2.99 per month with a longer contract. A 12-month contract costs $2.99 per month and a month-to-month contract costs $10.99 per month.

All plans include unlimited SSD storage and unlimited bandwidth, as well as money-saving extras such as a free domain name, free account set up and a free SSL certificate. Plans also come with 24/7 support and a 60-day money-back guarantee, giving you a way to try it risk-free.

Learn more: Read our full TMDHosting review.

Who should use it:

Businesses looking for high-quality and affordable web hosting plans that can grow with them. Since its plans come with everything a business needs to build and launch a website (e-commerce sites included), it’s the ideal solution for those who are in the early stages of building a website.

Pros & Cons
  • Unlimited storage and bandwidth
  • Free domain name
  • Free unlimited business email
  • User-friendly cPanel
  • 60-day money-back guarantee
  • Higher-tiered plans offer unlimited websites hosted
  • Knowledge base last updated in 2018
  • Price increases after introductory period ends
  • Not the most affordable for contract-free plans
  • Domain privacy costs extra

Forbes Advisor Ratings

Company Forbes Advisor Rating Best For Starting price Storage and bandwidth LEARN MORE
Ionos 4.6 4.5-removebg-preview Best for Startups $1 per month (billed for the first six months; renews at $12 per month) 10GB of storage and unlimited traffic Learn More On IONOS' Website
HostGator 4.4 4.5-removebg-preview-1 Best perks $2.64 per month (three-year term) Unmetered Learn More On HostGator's Website
Bluehost 4.3 4.5-removebg-preview Best for new websites $1.99 a month (billed annually, renews at $3.99 per month) Unmetered bandwidth and SSD storage starts at 10GB Learn More On Bluehost.com's Website
DreamHost 4.3 4.5-removebg-preview Best for WordPress Beginners $2.59 per month (three-year term) 50 GB of storage and unlimited bandwidth Learn More On DreamHost's Website
InMotion Hosting 4.1 4.0 star Best for Reliability $2.29 per month with a 36-month contract or $3.29 per month with a 12-month contract 100GB of storage and unlimited bandwidth Learn More On InMotion Hosting's Website
MochaHost 3.9 4-removebg-preview Best for lifetime SSL certificates $3.18 per month Unlimited disk space and traffic View More
GoDaddy 3.7 3.5-removebg-preview Best for easy site setup $5.99 per month (three-year term) 10GB storage, unmetered bandwidth Learn More On GoDaddy's Website
Hostwinds 3.7 3.5-removebg-preview Best for content-heavy sites $5.24 per month (renews at $6.99 per month) Unlimited Learn More Read Forbes' Review
InterServer 3.7 3.5-removebg-preview Best for website security $2.50 per month (no contract) Unlimited Learn More Read Forbes' Review
TMDHosting 3.7 3.5-removebg-preview Best for fast-growing businesses $2.99 per month (one-year term) Unlimited SSD storage and unlimited bandwidth Learn More Read Forbes' Review

What Is Web Hosting?

Web hosting is a service that allows anyone to essentially rent space on the internet, and websites must have web hosting to be accessible online. Some content management systems (CMS), such as Squarespace and Wix, include web hosting as part of their monthly fee, whereas if you’re building a site on WordPress, you’ll need to purchase web hosting from a web hosting provider, such as MochaHost or IONOS. Learn more about what web hosting is.


How Does Web Hosting Work?

Think of web hosting as the process of finding your website a home. The contents of your website—the domain name, HTML code, images, text and so on—all need a place to live. Web hosting provides a place for this content to live on a server.

In short, a server is a computer that connects users to your website. In other words, the server is like a large condo building or office building and web hosting is the process of renting office space or buying a condo in that building.

Web Hosting vs. Domain Hosting

Before you can find a home for your website via web hosting, you first need a domain name. While related, web hosting and domain hosting are very different services. Web hosting is the process of connecting your website to a server, whereas domain hosting is the process of securing a domain name or web address for your website.

Following our earlier analogy, if web hosting is akin to renting space in a building then domain hosting is like putting a nameplate outside your door with your name and address. The domain is what people use to navigate to your address on the Internet.

Many service providers provide both domain hosting and web hosting, which can provide one-stop-shop convenience but, depending on your needs, you may want to consider separating the services. Regardless, before you can even consider web hosting, you first need a domain name via a domain registrar.


How To Choose the Best Web Hosting Service for You

When choosing the best web hosting service, consider factors such as pricing, storage space and bandwidth limits, customer service, server location options, security features and whether it has automatic backups. Another thing you need to consider is its scalability. Migrating a website, even when a web hosting service does it for you, isn’t an easy task. Does the host offer a wide range of options that will scale with your site? Additionally, how easy is your web host to use?

Essential Web Hosting Features

We recommend that you look for a web hosting provider with the following key features, regardless of your specific website needs:

  • Reliability and performance: Look for a hosting provider with good uptime, preferably 99.9% or higher so your site won’t experience outages. Most hosts provide a contractual guarantee where they’ll reimburse you part of your premium for outages.
  • Security: Make sure your web host has DDoS protection, SSL certificates and other security features so your site is safe from malicious attacks.
  • Customer service: Look for a host with 24/7 customer support, so you can easily get help if something goes wrong. What support options are available? Chat, phone, ticket and email support are typical for web hosts.
  • Storage and bandwidth: Storage and unmetered bandwidth are two of the most important factors to consider when choosing a web host. The more storage you have, the more content you can store, such as videos and images. Bandwidth affects how quickly your website loads and how much data is transferred when visitors view your site. Look for a host that provides unlimited storage and bandwidth.
  • Backups: It’s important to have regular backups of your website, so make sure the web host you choose offers automatic backups. If a hosting provider doesn’t automatically back up your website, consider investing in a third-party backup service.

Ease of Use

Look for a web hosting provider with an intuitive user interface and control panel. This will save you time in the long run if you need to make changes or updates to your website. A good web host should offer one-click installations for popular content management systems (CMS), such as WordPress or Drupal, and a drag-and-drop website builder if you’re not comfortable with coding.

Scalability

Finally, it’s important to consider scalability when choosing a web hosting service. How will you grow your website in the future? Will your host’s services be able to keep up with your growth? Does the host offer an easy way to scale up, such as offering VPS and dedicated hosting options? A good web host should be able to handle the growth of your website. Similarly, if you’re taking a break for a while, can you drop to a lower-tiered plan?


Types of Web Hosting

There are several different types of web hosting available. While there may be a tendency to favor the cheapest option, depending on your needs, this can lead to problems down the road. For this reason, it’s important to look not just at cost but customer service, security, speed and customization options as well.

Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is most popular with small businesses and websites that don’t need a lot of customization or expect a lot of traffic. Shared hosting provides space for several websites—dozens, hundreds or thousands—on one server.

Because the costs are relatively low, it is an economical option, but there could be service disruptions or slower connection speeds because several clients/websites are all accessing the same server’s resources, including disk space, RAM and central processing unit (CPU) power.

Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting

A step up from shared hosting is VPS hosting. Similar to shared hosting, various websites are all housed on the same server, but each website’s files and content are housed in its own dedicated space on the server. You will pay a little more than with shared hosting, but you also have your own section of the server isolated from other clients on the server. For this reason, VPS hosting is more secure. Additionally, VPS hosting is scalable to your needs and you’ll be able to modify the server and install any software that you need.

VPS hosting can be managed or unmanaged. If you choose managed VPS hosting, the host will provide all maintenance and services necessary to keep the website and server up and running. You’ll pay a little more for managed VPS hosting but you won’t be responsible for maintenance.

Conversely, using unmanaged VPS hosting will mean you are responsible for configuring and maintaining the server yourself, monitoring security threats, installing software upgrades and backing up your data. Unmanaged VPS hosting is a good option for website developers, businesses with a dedicated IT department and individuals with a technology background.

WordPress Managed Hosting

Because WordPress is such a popular content management system, many web hosting providers offer WordPress-specific hosting. In addition to web hosting, these providers also offer services such as technical support and software updates specific to WordPress. It offers advantages like scalability, speed and security but it comes at a price with a cost of about $2 to $30 per month. Additionally, there are fewer customization options since it is limited to WordPress features.

Cloud Hosting

Cloud hosting houses your website on multiple servers for maximum performance and connection speeds. It is more expensive than shared hosting but it will minimize any connection or speed issues because it can handle traffic surges with ease. Cloud hosting also offers scalability, backups and disaster recovery. These additional services come with a price, however, and the pricing models of cloud hosting providers can be confusing, depending on customization of the plan.

Dedicated Hosting

Dedicated web hosting is when a website has sole use of the entire server. Because you have your own dedicated server, you minimize security and connection issues. But it comes at a price.

The costs may be justified, however, in a few situations. For instance, if you expect your website traffic to increase significantly, service disruptions and slow connection speeds could be detrimental to your business. In this case, the cost of a dedicated server would be worth it because it will provide uninterrupted service and quick connection speeds. A dedicated server will also provide additional security, which will be helpful if you are dealing with personal information like credit card information.

Type of Web Hosting Pros Cons Appropriate For
Shared Hosting
Economical
Increased potential for service disruption and slower connection speeds
Small websites Personal blogs Startup websites
VPS Hosting
Additional security and customization, while still being relatively economical
More expensive than shared hosting
Medium-sized businesses Professional blogs
WordPress Managed Hosting
Security and speed Ease of use
More expensive than shared hosting Lack of customization
Medium-sized businesses Professional blogs
Cloud Hosting
Minimizes service disruptions Maintains quick connection speeds
Can be confusing to set up
High-traffic websites
Dedicated Hosting
Minimizes service disruptions Maintains quick connection speeds Offers additional security
Most expensive
Websites that maintain personally identifiable information


Web Hosting Cost

Web hosting can range from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars a month, so it’s important to find a plan that fits your budget. Consider the renewal cost of the hosting plan as well since some providers offer a lower rate for the first term and then significantly increase the price when it’s time to renew. Additionally, keep in mind that there may be some hosting features that you don’t need or can live without, so look for a plan that offers the best value.

For example, a cheaper plan doesn’t usually include a domain name and often includes just one website. A more expensive plan may include multiple domains, more storage and bandwidth and other features.

Average Cost By Hosting Type

Pricing varies significantly between various types of web hosting services. Even within each type, there can be price differences between service providers depending on the level of customer service and the length of service plan chosen. In general, prices range as follows:

  • Shared web hosting: up to $15 per month
  • VPS web hosting: $18 to $85 per month
  • WordPress managed hosting: $2 to $30 per month
  • Cloud hosting: $5 to $50 per month
  • Dedicated server hosting: $80 to several hundred dollars per month

Website Hosting Cost Factors

There are several factors that go into the cost of website hosting. These include:

  • Storage: The amount of data storage your hosting plan allows.
  • Bandwidth: How much traffic you can have on your website without interruption or slow speeds.
  • Number of websites: Depending on the plan, you may be able to host multiple websites with one account.
  • IP addresses: If you need a static IP address with your hosting plan, you may have to pay an additional cost.
  • SSL certificate: An SSL certificate keeps your website secure and safe from hackers. Some hosting plans offer a free SSL certificate but others may require you to purchase one in addition to the hosting plan.
  • Customer service: Some hosting companies offer 24/7 customer service while others may only provide limited support. Others will charge a premium but will walk you through fixing things that break on your site.
  • Customization options: Hosting plans that allow for customization and add-ons, such as databases or web servers, will usually cost more.

Fees & Add-Ons

Your web hosting provider may also charge additional fees, such as setup fees (often waived when signing a contract and paying up-front), domain registration fees or monthly support fees. Additionally, there may be add-on services you can purchase to enhance your website, such as SEO optimization or extra security features. Be sure to read the fine print of your contract and thoroughly understand what is included in your hosting plan before signing up.


Do I Need A Web Host?

Having a website for your business or personal use is essential in today’s digital world. You can choose to build and host your site yourself, or you may opt for an all-in-one website builder that includes hosting. However, if you want more control over your site and access to additional features, using a separate web hosting service might be the better choice.

Website Builders Offers Hosting As Part of Their Plans
Shopify
Yes, plans start at $29 per month
Wix
Yes, plans start at $16 per month
Squarespace
Yes, plans start at $16 per month
Weebly
Yes, offers a free plan
GoDaddy
Yes, plans start at $9.99 per month


Low-Quality Web Hosting Affects Customer Loyalty

Quality web hosting is vital for businesses, as it directly impacts customer experience and loyalty. Our survey of 2,000 respondents illustrated just how much web hosting can impact customer loyalty, with statistics that reveal how site visitors react in response to poor-performing websites.

Website Users Will Wait an Average of 8 Seconds for a Website to Load

The average site visitor surveyed said they would wait up to eight seconds for a website to load. However, the second most common threshold reported by nearly one-third of respondents dropped down to just three to six seconds. This shows how crucial every second is when it comes to site speed, a factor in website performance that web hosting is largely responsible for.

The Majority of Website Users Find a Slow or Unresponsive Website to be Frustrating

Just two percent of respondents reported that they do not find a slow website to be frustrating, unsurprisingly, clearly illustrating the vast majority of people who do. Meanwhile, 97 percent of respondents said that an unresponsive website is frustrating. While there are many factors involved in a site’s speed and responsiveness, the quality of its web hosting service is one of the biggest aspects–and one of the easiest that a business can quickly change.

43% of Website Users Will Go to a Competitor if a Business’ Website Doesn’t Load or is Unresponsive

One of the most concerning website performance statistics is that nearly half of all site visitors will go to a competitor if your site is slow or unresponsive. This alone could be responsible for a high customer attrition rate, but it could also lead to a lot of wasted money for those using their marketing budget to drive traffic to their website.

66% Will Not Visit Websites if They Don’t Have “HTTPS” Security

While businesses often focus primarily on web design–and rightfully so–only 21 percent of respondents said they wouldn’t use an unattractive website. Meanwhile, nearly 7 in 10 respondents said that they would not use a website that is not secured with an HTTPS protocol. While all sites that accept online payments are required to use HTTPS, it can easily be installed using an SSL certificate that is often available for free through web hosting providers. This web hosting statistic illustrates the importance of securing your site in order to build trust with your site visitors.

Survey Methodology

This online survey of 2,000 U.S. adults was commissioned by Forbes Advisor and conducted by market research company OnePoll, in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. The margin of error is +/- 2.2 points with 95% confidence. This survey was overseen by the OnePoll research team, which is a member of the MRS and has corporate membership with the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR).


Beyond Hosting: Other Website Setup Considerations

In addition to hosting, there are a few other items you may want to consider when setting up your website. These include website builders, domain registration, email hosting and ecommerce functionality.

Website Builder

Website builders are tools or programs that allow you to create a website without the need for coding. They provide a variety of drag-and-drop templates and often include hosting, so you don’t need to purchase a separate plan.

Domain Registration

Your domain name is the URL or web address that users type in to access your website. You can usually purchase and register a domain name when signing up for hosting, though many web hosting companies have an additional fee for domain registration. A domain name is important for businesses as it helps to create a professional online presence.

Email Hosting

Having a dedicated email address is essential if you want to build customer trust. You can usually purchase email hosting from your web host or use a separate service such as Google Workspace (formerly known as G Suite). Other web hosts include email hosting for free in their hosting plans.

Ecommerce Functionality

If you plan to sell products or services online, then you’ll need to look for a hosting plan that offers ecommerce functionality. Hosts usually offer ecommerce hosting tools such as payment gateways, shopping carts and secure checkout pages to help you get started.


Methodology

Forbes Advisor researched the industry and analyzed dozens of different web hosting providers and plans. We then scored each of these providers across five categories of features looking at 23 different metrics that were weighted to favor features that small business owners find valuable in a web host.

Pricing

We did a deep dive into each provider’s pricing options. Focusing on shared hosting, we looked at the starting price of each one’s lowest-priced plan to see what it cost per month, how long of a contract (if any) was required, and what features come with that plan. Then, we looked at each provider’s high-tiered plans with the same scrutiny as well as how much the price increased for each plan upon renewal. We also looked at how many sites each provider covered for hosting under each plan as well as its money-back guarantee. Pricing accounted for 10% of our weighted scoring.

Features

We had high expectations for features offered by web hosts―not only essential features that we thought that each platform should offer but additional features that helped a provider stand out from the rest of the pack. We graded many of these features on whether they came as part of the original plan or were available as a paid add-on. Some of the essential features we looked for included unlimited storage and bandwidth, free SSL certificate and domain name, one-click WordPress installation, offering an uptime guarantee and 24/7 support in some format.

Some of the unique features we gave weight to included offering a CDN, free business email address, website builder, automatic backups and free domain name privacy protection. Combined, features accounted for 50% of our total score.

Third-party reviews

Many real users of these web hosting platforms posted reviews on Trustpilot, so we reviewed that site to gauge what these users thought of each one. We first looked at the number of reviews left for each provider, giving a higher rating to those that received positive reviews of 3.5 or higher of at least 300 or more. These accounted for 10% of the total score.

Expert analysis

Turning to customer reviews again, our panel of experts looked at certain criteria that are also important to users of web hosting platforms. These categories included ease of use, value for the money, stand-out features and popularity. Our experts’ analysis accounted for 30% of the total score.


2024 Web Hosting Trends

As the internet continues to grow and develop at an astounding rate, the web hosting industry has adapted to increased demands and greater expectations. These adaptations are apparent in the major 2024 web hosting trends we are seeing as we move into the new year.

Fewer On-site Data Centers

Similar to everywhere else, the cloud is becoming the number one choice for consumers in the web hosting industry. Companies are moving away from dedicated on-site servers and instead choose to base operations out of third-party, cloud-hosted servers. 

Servers that operate in the cloud provide a tremendous number of benefits, including increased scaling potential, more flexibility, lower costs, the ability to create backups, improved security, regular maintenance and better software capability. Cloud computing is here to stay, and we expect more entities to move operations onto the cloud in 2024.

Multicloud Hosting

Multicloud hosting refers to the practice of delegating a site’s computing tasks to two or more different cloud computing platforms. Essentially, some functions of a site are performed by one vendor and other functions by another.

Multicloud hosting has become increasingly popular in recent years. By using this model, a company is not dependent on a single vendor for all its needs, and it can take advantage of the unique benefits and areas of strength each host offers. We expect to see multicloud hosting becoming an even more popular choice in 2024 as companies try to stay competitive in the virtual world.

 


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the best web hosting company?

If you’re searching for a web host that can support and grow your business website, IONOS is the perfect solution. With all of their plans, you’ll receive one year of complimentary domain name registration, an SSL certificate free-of-charge as well as 24/7 customer service should any unforeseen issues arise.

HostGator has earned a place in our list of the best web hosting services due to its impressive value for money and dependable performance, as well as its abundant features tailored specifically to small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). It provides limitless disk space, unlimited bandwidths and even boasts a 99% uptime guarantee.

Bluehost stands out as one of the most popular web hosting solutions, and there’s a reason why. It provides users with an impressive array of features at budget-friendly prices – perfect for novices in need of reliable web hosting.

How do I transfer my site from one host to another?

If you are planning to transfer your website from one host to another, the process is relatively straightforward but can vary depending on your current web hosting provider. Generally, you will need to create a backup of your website, download it from your current host and then upload it to the new hosting provider. You should also update your domain name record to point to the new server. Your web hosting provider may be able to help you or provide assistance with this process.

What is bandwidth in web hosting?

If you want to ensure efficiency and reliability for your website, be sure to select a web hosting plan with an adequate amount of bandwidth. Bandwidth is the measure of data that can be transmitted between your site and its visitors, typically in megabytes or gigabytes per second. The higher it is, the more guests you can accommodate on your page without lagging speeds. Many hosts offer numerous levels of bandwidth so make sure to pick one tailored toward fulfilling all needs pertaining to your website!

What is web hosting and why do I need it?

Web hosting is a service that allows anyone essentially to rent space on the internet, and websites must have web hosting to be accessible online. Some content management systems (CMS), such as Squarespace and Wix, include web hosting as part of their monthly fee, whereas if you’re building a site on WordPress, you’ll need to purchase web hosting from a web hosting provider, such as IONOS or HostGator.

What are the different types of web hosting services?

There are a number of different web hosting services but the most common are shared, VPS (virtual private server) and dedicated. Shared is the most popular choice as it’s also the most affordable. However, VPS and dedicated hosting offer more site security and enhanced website performance, making them a more popular choice amongst large and well-established websites.

How do I choose the best web hosting services?

When choosing the best web hosting services for your business, you’ll need to consider a variety of factors. The most important include your website’s size, traffic and goals. You’ll also want to consider the type of hosting you need—shared, VPS or dedicated hosting. And finally, factors such as which come with the extras you need (e.g., a domain name or business email) and support in your preferred contact method, such as live chat, phone or email, should influence your decision.

What is the cheapest way to host a website?

There are some web hosts offering free hosting and domain names but you shouldn’t use them as a business. This is because you’ll have the web host’s domain after yours (mycoolsite.webhostname.com). Shared hosting is your cheapest option, and we have a list of the best cheap web hosting services to consider.

Why is website hosting so expensive?

Website hosting can be expensive because it’s a competitive market. Most web hosts offer similar features and resources, so the best way to stand out is to offer more features, which often come at an additional cost. Web hosts also have to pay for the servers and infrastructure that power their websites, as well as 24/7 customer support.

Can I host my own website?

You can host your own website but, for most, this doesn’t make the most sense. It will be more costly and time-consuming than using a web hosting company because you’ll need your own servers and software as well as the knowledge of how to maintain them.

What is the difference between shared hosting and VPS hosting?

Shared hosting is the most affordable type of web hosting as multiple websites are hosted on the same server, thus sharing resources and reducing costs. VPS hosting‌ is a more secure type of hosting as each website is hosted on a virtual private server with its own resources. This setup allows for more control over the server, making it ideal for larger and more established websites. However, VPS hosting is more expensive than shared hosting.


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