We tested all of the leading web hosting providers based on cost, speed, reliability, features, and more. See our picks for the best web hosting providers today.
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Bottom Line:
Bluehost takes the top spot for web hosting because of its excellent speed, reliability, prices, and more. However, depending on your specific needs, you may also want to consider SiteGround, Hostinger, or A2 Hosting.
“There is no ‘one size fits all’ web hosting company. Look closely at each of our top-rated hosting providers to determine which one is right for you.” – Michael Levanduski, Web Hosting Industry Expert
High-quality web hosting is something that every website needs today. Whether you are starting a brand new site from scratch or you want to migrate an existing site to a new hosting company, choosing the right provider is essential. We spent over 40 hours researching dozens of different web hosting companies to see how each one excelled.
No matter what type of hosting you need, you will find a company in this list that fits the bill. Take some time to read through the best web hosting companies for each category so you can choose a web hosting provider that will meet your needs.
I have been working in IT for well over 20 years now and have been creating and running websites (both personally and professionally) since I was a child.
In my professional life, I work on a wide range of hardware and software, including web hosting equipment. I have also advised companies on many tech-related subjects, including web hosting, content management, data security, and more.
Simply put, I have been involved in the web hosting industry almost my entire life. I’ve used that experience and knowledge here to help you choose the right hosting solutions for your business.
There are many factors to consider when choosing a web hosting provider. When ranking and reviewing these companies, I look at a number of different things to make sure you have the information you need to pick the right one.
This includes the specific plans and prices, what features are offered, the performance of a hosting company, what type of security is included, and whether the hosting provider is engaging in ongoing improvements.
Let’s look at the specific ways that I use this type of information to determine which hosting companies are the best.
Plans and Pricing
When evaluating any web hosting company, the first thing I look at is what plans are offered, and how much they cost. While it is definitely not essential that a web hosting company offers every type of hosting possible, it is important to be aware of the options available.
In addition, knowing the prices of each hosting plan is critical for determining whether you will get a good value.
Hosting Performance and Uptime
The most important thing any web hosting provider can offer is a fast and stable environment for your website. With this in mind, I run a variety of different tests and perform extensive research to determine how each web hosting company rates in this area.
This includes researching what type of servers the hosting company uses, learning about what data centers and internal network structure it utilizes, and running a number of third-party tests.
All this information will help me paint a clear picture of what type of performance and uptime you can expect from each hosting provider.
Hosting Features Available
Every hosting company has a different set of features that are offered to customers. Knowing what type of features are available will help you to determine if a given hosting provider is the best option for you.
For example, if you are looking to run a simple blog for your website, you may not need a hosting company that offers premium e-commerce features. If you are running an online store, on the other hand, those features are essential.
Security for Your Website
You want to make sure that your website will be safe and secure for you and your visitors. With this in mind, I evaluate the different types of security solutions each hosting provider offers. While there are many different security options available, I ask myself the following key questions:
Are Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates included?
Does a hosting company offer Distributed Denial of Service attack (DDoS) protection?
What are the backup services offered?
Does the hosting company scan for viruses and malware?
What Improvements are Being Made
All areas of technology are constantly advancing, and that is especially true of web hosting. If a hosting company is not actively upgrading and improving its services, it is falling behind. When evaluating a web hosting company, I determine what upgrades and improvements it is making to ensure its hosting is not only great today but will be for years to come.
Bluehost is an extremely popular web hosting company with millions of sites running on its servers. This company has been providing exceptional hosting at a fair price since 2003 and continues to innovate and expand to meet the ever-changing needs of its customers.
Starting Price: $2.95-$119.99/month
Plans and Pricing:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Features:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Performance and Uptime:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Security:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Support:★★★★★★★★★★ (4.5)
Improvements:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Bluehost is one of the largest and most popular hosting companies in the world, and it has achieved this by providing exceptional hosting to all its customers. Whether you are looking to start a small business blog or need to operate a large e-commerce site, Bluehost can handle it all with ease. In addition to ranking Bluehost as the best overall hosting provider, we rated it at the top for VPS and unlimited hosting too.
Bluehost can run just about any type of website you want, including custom-built pages, WordPress sites, WooCommerce sites, and much more. The company is one of the very few official partners of WordPress, so you can be certain that you will get a good hosting experience if you are running a site on the world’s most popular content management system.
Prices at Bluehost start at just $2.95 per month (including the discounts you get for choosing a 36-month hosting agreement). This entry-level hosting package will come with 50GB of storage, up to five email accounts, and a free domain name for the first year.
If you need additional system specs, you can upgrade through the other shared hosting options, which top out at the Bluehost Pro shared hosting package. This one is $13.95 per month and allows unlimited websites, bandwidth, disk space, email accounts, and more.
If shared hosting is not sufficient for your website, Bluehost offers excellent VPS and dedicated servers as well. Simply browse through all of the different hosting packages to see which one will best meet your needs. The one thing lacking from Bluehost is the ability to choose Windows-based hosting, but very few people require that option anyway, so it is not likely to impact you.
Once you choose your hosting package, you will be able to get your site up and running very quickly.
If you opt for WordPress hosting, you can install the platform with just a couple of quick clicks. If you want to make a customized site (whether with WordPress or not) you can use the great Bluehost website builders, which allow drag-and-drop site creation. I found these tools very intuitive and easy to use.
The Bluehost cPanel dash
Who is Bluehost best for?
After extensive testing and a review of everything Bluehost has to offer, we found it is an excellent hosting option for just about everyone.
While most people will be happy with its services, Bluehost really stands out with its shared and VPS hosting options, which are ideal for individuals, small businesses, bloggers, and others who need a reliable website. The fact that Bluehost makes it so easy to create and manage a site also makes its service excellent for those new to running websites.
Specifically, we loved the fact that Bluehost provides a diverse set of tools that will allow you to create any type of site you want. You can use the simple WordPress site templates, for example, and have a great site up and running in just minutes.
If you want to make an e-commerce store, make sure to use the WooCommerce options that Bluehost offers. No matter what type of site you want to run, the Bluehost cPanel makes it fast and easy.
Recent upgrades to Bluehost
Bluehost is a great hosting provider, but as a company, it is not simply relying on its existing reputation to keep growing. We found that Bluehost is constantly innovating and upgrading its systems. This starts with the web servers that are used but goes well beyond that.
For example, Bluehost’s parent company (Newfold Digital) recently acquired Yoast, which is a leading SEO tool that website operators will really benefit from. In addition, Bluehost started offering an advanced new site migration tool for WordPress sites and a full marketplace for great site templates.
This constant focus on upgrades and improvements will help ensure that if you opt to host with this company, you will always get a great experience.
Bluehost Pricing
Bluehost has hosting for all types of websites, which means it has options at many different price points. You can start with a basic shared hosting account, which starts at $2.95 per month.
If you need a dedicated server, on the other hand, you can pay up to $119.99 per month for the top-end option. No matter what price point you sign up for, you will be getting a good value thanks to the quality hosting provided.
Pros & Cons
Bluehost offers competitive pricing for the first term and plenty of storage, and its uptime numbers are typically higher than many competitors. Renewal rates might be higher, though, and you have to pay extra for a lot of features that are included in some competitor packages.
Pros
Hugely Popular
Variety of Hosting Options
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Official Partner of WordPress
Cons
No Automatic Daily Backup
No Monthly Billing on Shared Hosting
Longer Wait Times for Tech Support
No Windows Hosting
What Customers Are Saying
Customers praise Bluehost's uptime and features, though some say that the shared hosting options don't have the fastest speeds and they wish they didn't have to pay for some extras. Users also say the support staff is friendly and helpful and that the user interface is easy to use.
SiteGround is one of the leading companies in the hosting industry. It is known for offering premium shared hosting solutions to all of its customers, especially those who want to use WordPress. While it does not offer dedicated servers or VPS options, the exceptional shared hosting options will be an ideal choice for SMBs, individuals, and many others.
Starting Price: $2.99-$400/month
Plans and Pricing:★★★★★★★★★★ (4.0)
Features:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Performance and Uptime:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Security:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Support:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Improvements:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Unlike many hosting companies that work hard to make sure that every type of hosting is offered, SiteGround specializes in shared and cloud hosting options. This is great for many customers because the vast majority of websites do not need the higher-end hosting. With all of SiteGround’s attention being focused on shared and cloud, customers will get more expert support and features that can ensure their websites are running smoothly.
Along with this specialization, SiteGround is really dedicated to making sure that its hosting options are always fast and reliable by using the best hardware and software possible. This means that customers will generally pay more than with other companies, but you do get what you pay for in this case.
Some examples of the types of things you will get when you opt to host with SiteGround include a CDN, a free domain, a free SSL certificate, premium support, and more. I particularly love that a CDN is included with most of the hosting packages. A CDN allows key files from your website to be loaded on systems in multiple locations, which can help to dramatically increase the speed at which your website loads.
The fact that SiteGround uses top quality hardware and networking equipment means that your website will be faster and more stable than would otherwise be possible. If you want to ensure your site is up and running smoothly at all times, you will be hard pressed to find a better option than SiteGround.
Who is SiteGround best for?
SiteGround is an excellent hosting provider for bloggers, small businesses, many e-commerce sites, WordPress sites, midsize companies, and more. Since it specializes in premium shared and cloud hosting services, customers who need this type of hosting will really benefit.
The only people who likely won’t consider SiteGround would be those who specifically need the added control and power that a VPS or dedicated server can provide.
SiteGround’s premium help center has a lot of excellent information, so you can find solutions to most problems on your own. If you do need live support, the SiteGround team is there for you 24/7.
Recent upgrades by SiteGround
One of the things I love most about SiteGround is that it is constantly upgrading and improving its hosting services. The services you receive will always get better over time. Some key upgrades SiteGround recently performed include adding a new data center in Madrid, new site scanner tools for added security, and upgrading to a custom CDN.
SiteGround Pricing
If you are looking for the cheapest hosting options on the market, SiteGround is not the best option for you. SiteGround works hard to provide the best shared and cloud hosting possible, and that means you will pay a little more.
While this is definitely not the right option for everyone, I believe that those who need a fast and reliable hosting company will love working with SiteGround. Hosting starts at $2.99 per month for shared hosting, and can go up as high as $400 per month for its top-of-the-line cloud hosting options.
Pros & Cons
Free site migrations, Google backing, and stellar uptime are all benefits of this service, as is the inclusion of features such as SSL certificates in all plans. Limited data storage on many plans and the higher cost of nonpromotional pricing are potential cons.
Pros
Focused on Shared and Cloud Hosting
CDN Included With Most Packages
Premium Support Available
Official Partner of WordPress
Cons
No Dedicated Servers
No VPS Options
Prices are Higher Than Competition
Limited Disk Space on Some Packages
What Customers Are Saying
SiteGround boasts a 98% client satisfaction rate. Existing customers praise SiteGround customer support in reviews, saying that chat reps are friendly, fast, and helpful. They also say customer support reps are patient and offer helpful advice that the layperson can understand. Customers also like the reliability of the service.
Hostinger is a popular hosting company that has options for just about any type of site you can imagine. Whether you are an individual just starting to blog, or a large company looking for stable hosting, you will find it here. One of my favorite things about Hostinger is that it has managed to balance prices and services perfectly to meet the needs of most customers.
Starting Price: $1.99-$79.99/month
Plans and Pricing:★★★★★★★★★★ (4.0)
Features:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Performance and Uptime:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Security:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Support:★★★★★★★★★★ (4.5)
Improvements:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Hostinger is a great option for anyone who wants to run a website on a stable system that is still quite affordable. We selected this company as the best hosting option for small businesses because it has options for companies to upgrade over time, while still being affordable.
In addition, Hostinger has a great lineup of different options for WordPress and WooCommerce websites, which are extremely popular for small businesses. Being able to set up your website or e-commerce store with just a few clicks makes it an obvious choice for companies that just need easy and reliable services.
On top of that, Hostinger offers some key tools and features with its hosting packages, so you don’t need to seek them out and secure them on your own.
For example, all its hosting packages include SSL certificates, which are critical for security today. You will also get email hosting with most hosting packages, so you can have your own custom email domain. Overall, we just love how easy Hostinger makes it for anyone wanting to run their own website.
Who is Hostinger best for?
Hostinger is especially well suited for small businesses. This company has so many different hosting options and features available, making it easy for SMBs to get sites up and running smoothly in no time. In addition, everyone (including small businesses) will likely love that the hosting servers are very reliable, so there is no need to worry about outages or other issues.
Hostinger’s Business Shared Hosting plan starts at $3.99/month, just $2.00 more than its Single Shared Hosting plan.
Recent upgrades to Hostinger
Keeping your hosting environment working properly is a big focus for Hostinger, and that means making sure its hosting environment is always up to date and on the cutting edge. Hostinger is constantly working on adding new features and functionalities.
The company recently added features including advanced account sharing, the ability to boost your system specs temporarily when needed, and improved WordPress migration tools. We love how Hostinger is always looking for new ways to innovate and provide value to its customers.
Hostinger Pricing
Hostinger’s prices are very affordable and competitive, though you couldn’t call it a cheap hosting provider. You can get entry-level shared hosting starting as low as $1.99 per month, get the Business Shared Hosting plan for $3.99 per month, or go up to advanced VPS hosting for $77.99 per month. Either option provides a good value.
Pros & Cons
Considering their prices and features, the benefits of choosing Hostinger are obvious. But one drawback to using this provider is that they don't offer phone support.
Pros
Free Domain With Hosting
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Options for Game Server Hosting
Excellent Value
Cons
Limited Technical Support Options
Some Issues With Loading Speed
No Dedicated Servers
No CDN on Entry-Level Hosting
What Customers Are Saying
Unsurprisingly, many of the customer reviews for Hostinger highlight the excellent value that they provide with their low prices. Users also report that Hostinger's interface is very easy to navigate.
A2 Hosting is an excellent hosting provider that has a lot of different options available to meet the needs of just about everyone. This company is best known for offering exceptionally fast response times on its hosting, which is very important for most websites. While it is not the cheapest hosting around, it does have a good overall reputation and can more than meet the needs of most people.
Starting Price: $2.99-$505.99/month
Plans and Pricing:★★★★★★★★★★ (3.5)
Features:★★★★★★★★★★ (4.0)
Performance and Uptime:★★★★★★★★★★ (3.0)
Security:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Support:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Improvements:★★★★★★★★★★ (3.0)
A2 Hosting is an excellent hosting option for most individuals and businesses. This company has earned a very positive reputation over the years. While there are a few things that could be improved, the vast majority of people will be very happy with the hosting available from A2 Hosting.
A2 Hosting is best known for its extremely fast hosting servers. This is one of the most important things for most websites since visitors get frustrated if they experience slow response times. The speed is made possible by A2 Hosting’s top-of-the-line servers as well as the great CDN used for most hosting accounts.
In addition, you will have access to the premium customer and technical support teams at this company. So if you do ever run into problems you will be able to get them solved right away.
We also love that all the hosting packages at this company come with top security, including a free SSL certificate. Your servers will also have protection against DDoS attacks and in most cases, free automatic backup tools to keep your data safe.
Who is A2 Hosting best for?
If you need fast and reliable hosting, A2 Hosting is an excellent option for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and e-commerce sites. The biggest reason not to choose A2 Hosting would be its prices are a little more expensive than many other options, so anyone who just needs a cheap hosting solution may want to skip this company.
A2 Hosting offers solid support to all its customers. If you ever run into problems, you will be able to find the solution either on the FAQ page or through this company’s excellent live support options.
Recent upgrades by A2 Hosting
While A2 Hosting is a solid platform today, we are a little concerned that this company is not actively engaged in many upgrades or improvements (or at least not publicly). It has done a good job of keeping existing systems up to date through regular upgrades, but that is really the bare minimum for a hosting company. I do like that it added support for Magento and some other systems but would really like to see a bigger focus on upgrades and improvements.
A2 Hosting Pricing
Hosting at A2 Hosting is not overly expensive, but it isn’t cheap either: entry-level hosting starts at $2.99 per month, but only if you sign up for three years at a time. The highest-priced hosting package is the managed dedicated server with Turbo, and that will run you up to $505.99 per month (again, with the three-year commitment). While you do get an ideal hosting environment for these prices, some people would consider the costs a little steep.
Pros & Cons
A2 Hosting offers quick speeds to help combat bounce rates, and it specializes in WordPress hosting with cPanel or Plesk control panels. Users also get support for a variety of development tools. Be aware, though, that pricing that starts at $2.99 a month is a potentially temporary discount, so future renewals might cost more.
Pros
Exceptionally Fast Hosting
Lots of Options to Upgrade Your Hosting
Excellent Security and Backup Options
Premium Support Available
Cons
Expensive Compared to Competitors
Three-Year Commitment Required for Lowest Prices
No Domain Name Included
No Windows Hosting
What Customers Are Saying
Customer reviews note that Web Hosting Hub offers excellent features for its plans and that it can support a wide range of website types. Reviewers also call out the friendly customer service and talk about how reps walk them through complex features when needed. Customers also like the uptime percent they experience.
DreamHost is a highly rated hosting provider that has a lot to offer anyone who wants to run a website. While it does offer excellent VPS and dedicated servers, DreamHost is best known for exceptional shared hosting solutions. The shared hosting is so good that we listed it as the best-shared hosting provider in the industry.
Starting Price: $2.59-$279/month
Plans and Pricing:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Features:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Performance and Uptime:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Security:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Support:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Improvements:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
We have named DreamHost as the best-shared hosting provider because it has a long and impressive record of giving users a positive overall experience. While this company also offers VPS hosting, dedicated servers, and other types of hosting, it is best known for the shared hosting market.
If you host with this company, you will see that it has different shared hosting options to choose from, each of which provides a great overall service at a fair price. Whether you are a small business, a blogger, a social media influencer, or anyone else, you will likely love the level of service you get from DreamHost.
DreamHost really does a noteworthy job at putting its customers first. This is made obvious with the offer of an impressive 97-day money-back guarantee on all its hosting accounts. In addition, DreamHost is recognized by WordPress as an official partner, so if your site uses WordPress, you are sure to get excellent service.
The DreamHost control panel
Who is DreamHost best for?
While anyone can use DreamHost, we primarily recommend it for bloggers, small businesses, and entrepreneurs who are going to be running a site on WordPress. This is especially true for those who will just need a good shared hosting account.
There are many reasons to use DreamHost, including that this company uses solid-state drives (SSDs) throughout most of its hosting servers. SSDs help to speed up sites and make them more reliable. In addition, DreamHost offers unlimited bandwidth and storage, which helps to make your hosting experience worry-free.
Recent upgrades by Dreamhost
DreamHost has been a leader in the web hosting industry for years, and it continues to work hard to stay on top. This company is constantly innovating and upgrading to provide customers with the services they need. Recently, DreamHost upgraded its control panel to add more control over DNS, which is important for many users, and upgrades to the technical support team also took place in 2022 to ensure customers were always helped.
Dreamhost Pricing
DreamHost’s prices are very reasonable and properly balanced between cost and quality. You can sign up for a wonderful shared hosting account that will only cost you $2.59 per month. If you need something more advanced, you can go all the way up to a premium dedicated server, which will run you $279/month. No matter which option you choose, the hosting is a great value.
Pros & Cons
DreamHost offers web design tools better than average industry uptimes make it a great choice for web hosting. But, customers don't have access to cPanel, which might be a disadvantage for more advanced site managers.
Pros
Fair Prices
Official WordPress Partner
Excellent Customer Support
Impressive 97-Day Money Back Guarantee
Cons
Email Not Included With Shared Hosting
Website Builder is Not Free on All Plans
Some Reports of Long Wait Times for Live Support
No Windows Hosting
What Customers Are Saying
Customers like the intuitive, easy-to-use interface and report being satisfied with DreamHost's customer service. Reviews also note that the provider has been around for more than two decades and make it easy to create basic sites for personal, nonprofit, or community use.
GreenGeeks is best known for its commitment to using 100% renewable energy, including the power required for the data center and servers. Given that large tech companies like this require a lot of electricity, this is an amazing commitment. While being eco-friendly is important, providing high-quality hosting is essential for customers, and GreenGeeks does that as well. According to our analysis, GreekGeeks is an exceptional hosting provider, and its dedication to environmental causes is just icing on the cake.
Starting Price: $2.95-$109.95/month
Plans and Pricing:★★★★★★★★★★ (3.5)
Features:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Performance and Uptime:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Security:★★★★★★★★★★ (4.5)
Support:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Improvements:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Anytime someone brings up GreenGeeks, the main thing talked about is the use of green energy. This makes sense because that is how GreenGeeks markets itself, and it is one of the very few hosting companies that use renewable energy for all its power. That being said, this company would never have become popular if it were not able to provide excellent hosting to its customers.
Customers who need their website up and running smoothly would not tolerate low-quality hosting solutions just because they are ‘green.’
While I certainly love that GreenGeeks uses eco-friendly energy sources, I am much more impressed with its hosting. This company has built up an excellent service with a large number of loyal customers because it offers fast and reliable hosting year after year.
You can choose from shared, WordPress, VPS, or reseller hosting options, all of which will provide you with an excellent environment for your website. While it does not offer dedicated servers, most websites will never need that level of service anyway, so it can hardly be considered a major reason to disregard this company.
Who is GreenGeeks best for?
GreenGeeks is an ideal option for websites ranging from basic blogs to small business sites. The managed VPS hosting solutions are quite robust and can handle a lot of traffic, so even if you have a fairly large e-commerce site, the GreenGeeks servers will be able to provide everything you need.
GreenGeeks’ use of SSDs really helps to ensure your site can handle lots of traffic at the same time without slowing down. Being able to tell your visitors that your website is hosted on servers powered by green energy may also be great for your overall marketing strategy.
GreenGeeks is not just energy efficient, it offers an easy and efficient control panel to run your site.
Recent upgrades by GreenGeeks
One of our favorite things about GreenGeeks is that the company does not rely just on using green energy to attract customers. It is truly focused on providing the best overall hosting solutions possible. This means that GreenGeeks is always working on upgrading and improving its systems.
Recently, for example, GreenGeeks upgraded to fully RAID-10 SSD for storage, which is faster and more secure. In addition, all of the servers had PHP7 installed and enabled by default, which is important for modern sites. These are just a couple of the many important improvements that GreenGeeks has made recently.
GreenGeeks Pricing
GreenGeeks hosting is not the cheapest on the market. That being said, as I looked through each of the hosting packages available, I felt that they were all a good value.
This company clearly put a lot of thought into its prices to ensure customers were getting a notable product at a fair price. Whether you want the entry-level shared hosting at $2.95 per month, or you need advanced VPS hosting at just over $100, you will be getting a great service that will meet your needs.
Pros & Cons
GreenGeeks offers above-average uptimes and page load times that are lower than the industry average. Site migrations are free, and GreenGeeks purchases wind energy credits to offset its environmental impact. Low pricing is only for the first year, though, and any refunds are offset by the regular purchase price of free domain names.
Pros
Eco-Friendly Hosting
Constant Upgrades and Improvements
Use of SSDs
Free CDN Included
Cons
Not the Cheapest Hosting Around
Support Teams May Take a Bit to Reply
Must Commit to Three Years for Lowest Prices
What Customers Are Saying
Customers report being happy with the value they get for the price and speak well of GreenGeeks customer support processes. Users note that, while prices might be higher in general than some other services, the plans include many features that competitors charge extra for.
InMotion is widely considered a high-end hosting provider that focuses on giving customers exceptional services at a somewhat higher price than its competition. This company uses premium hardware throughout its data center and configures all servers to run fast while maintaining minimal downtime. If your website is a critical component of your business, the slightly higher prices from InMotion may be money well spent.
Starting Price: $2.29-$539.99/month
Plans and Pricing:★★★★★★★★★★ (4.5)
Features:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Performance and Uptime:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Security:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Support:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Improvements:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
If you are looking for the best hosting option on the market, you will be hard-pressed to find a company that does a better job than InMotion Hosting. While the prices are a little higher than the competition, this company really does give you premium results regardless of which hosting packages you choose.
We chose InMotion Hosting as the most reliable hosting provider because it consistently has exceptional uptime on all its servers. Running multiple tests using both our own internal experience as well as third-party testing tools, we never had any issues.
This is all on top of InMotion’s 99.9% uptime guarantee. We found that this company consistently exceeds this standard.
The company offers much more than just a stable hosting environment. It also has very responsive servers at all levels. Whether you are looking for a shared hosting environment, a VPS, or even dedicated servers, you will find plenty of options at InMotion.
While most websites can run smoothly on a shared server forever, we love it when hosting companies are able to meet the needs of websites as they grow.
Who is InMotion Hosting best for?
We do not hesitate in recommending InMotion Hosting for just about everyone who wants a very fast and reliable hosting experience. Specifically, we think InMotion is a strong fit for small businesses, entrepreneurs, bloggers with popular sites, e-commerce websites, and more.
It is important to note that even average hosting companies can generally offer uptime significantly higher than 99%. With this in mind, if a few minutes of downtime every now and then is not a big concern, you may find it worth it to go with a lower-cost option. But if you want maximum uptime, InMotion is one of the best companies to work with.
InMotion Hosting has a lot to offer its customers no matter what type of hosting server you need.
Recent upgrades by InMotion Hosting
The hosting industry is not one where a company can set up shop and just coast on its previous accomplishments. This is a very competitive industry and requires the best companies to work hard to stay on top. We loved that InMotion Hosting is always upgrading and improving its systems to stay ahead of the game.
Recently, for example, InMotion started offering customers access to the full suite of Google Workplace applications. It also upgraded its shared hosting services to include unlimited bandwidth to make it easier for customers to manage. This is in addition to regularly upgrading and improving its hosting hardware throughout all of its data center facilities.
InMotion Hosting Pricing
As the saying goes, you get what you pay for, and that really applies to the hosting industry. No matter what type of hosting you need, you will be paying a little extra with InMotion than you would with ‘discount’ providers like BlueHost or HostGator. For this extra monthly expense, you will get improved uptime, fast servers, and constant performance improvements.
It is important to pay attention not only to the advertised price with this company but also to the renewal rates. For example, the entry-level shared hosting option with InMotion is just $2.29 per month, but after the initial three-year contract, that goes up to $8.99 per month.
If you opt for shorter payment periods, you will pay even higher rates. For companies that need exceptional hosting, though, it is likely worth the investment.
Pros & Cons
InMotion Hosting offers a generous 90-day money-back guarantee, free SSL certificate, and reliable uptime. Page load speeds can be slow on some of their servers, though, and account setup can require manual verification, which can lead to some delays.
Pros
Very Reliable Hosting Environment
Fast Response Times
Constant Upgrades and Improvements
Great Marketing Tools Included
Cons
More Expensive Than Most Hosting
Technical Support is a Little Slow
Automatic Backups Are Not Free
No Windows Hosting
What Customers Are Saying
Customer reviews mention the excellent customer support received when logging in to chat or the online portal. They also mention smooth and professional migrations and other services, though consumers have found some delays due to the company's verification and security processes.
HostGator is perhaps the most recognized name in the web hosting industry. This company has been around for many years and has done an efficient job at advertising itself so when the average person thinks about hosting, HostGator comes to mind. While HostGator had some issues with quality years ago, it has a lot to offer, especially for people who are looking to build their first website.
Starting Price: $2.75-$139.99/month
Plans and Pricing:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Features:★★★★★★★★★★ (4.5)
Performance and Uptime:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Security:★★★★★★★★★★ (4.5)
Support:★★★★★★★★★★ (4.5)
Improvements:★★★★★★★★★★ (4.5)
HostGator has been around for a long time and it has done a lot of marketing and advertising to become one of the best-known companies in the hosting industry. Unfortunately, while it was running lots of ads, HostGator did not do well at keeping its systems upgraded and available, giving many customers a less-than-perfect experience.
But for the last several years, HostGator has worked hard to improve its systems and give customers a solid hosting option. While some people who have been in the hosting industry for a long time may remember this company as a sub-par option, that is simply not the case any longer. I have personally used HostGator for running websites and found the services to be easy to use and very reliable.
Today, HostGator offers good quality hosting whether you want shared, VPS, or dedicated servers. In addition, this company has very competitive prices no matter what type of hosting you need. The fact that HostGator has great services at affordable prices makes it really easy to pick out the right option, even if you don’t have a lot of experience running websites.
The HostGator control panel
Who is HostGator best for?
Whether you are an individual, a blogger, small business owner, or just about anyone else looking to start a new site, HostGator will be able to meet your needs. Since HostGator markets its services well, it knows that it will get a lot of people who are new to making websites. To help with this, HostGator has built up its customer and technical support teams so you can get great service if you need it.
We named HostGator as the best hosting provider for entry-level sites because it offers exceptional hosting options, and its systems are very easy to use. The shared hosting packages offered by HostGator will work really well for websites that do not get a huge amount of traffic, and since these options are very affordable, it is an obvious choice.
HostGator’s control panel has a lot of features, but it is still surprisingly easy to use.
Recent upgrades by HostGator
HostGator got a bit of a bad reputation for not keeping its systems up to date, but that was a long time ago. For about the past decade, this company has really worked hard to make sure it provides excellent services to all of its customers. In addition, it has done a good job of adding in new features and services to meet the ever-changing needs of website owners.
In recent years, for example, HostGator has significantly expanded its support of e-commerce sites, including providing great plug-ins for the WooCommerce platform. HostGator is also the leader in the industry when it comes to giving customers helpful blogs and videos that can help people learn how to run websites better.
HostGator Pricing
One of the many reasons why we think HostGator is an ideal option for entry-level websites is its prices. You can get high-quality hosting at an affordable introductory rate of $2.75 per month when you choose the Hatchling Plan or $5.25 per month for the Business Plan. Even the higher-end hosting plans with this company are surprisingly affordable, so you will be able to upgrade as needed without breaking your budget.
Pros & Cons
HostGator is known for excellent uptime and offers a one-month credit if uptime drops below a certain level. It also offers free cPanel and site migrations and is known for good customer service. But the service does tend to come with slower-than-average page upload speeds, and extras sometimes included for free by competitors come at a cost with HostGator.
Pros
Hugely Popular
Excellent Technical Support
Very Easy User Interface
Free Domain and SSL Certificate
Cons
Negative Reputation in the Past
Not All Hosting Uses SSDs
Not HIPAA Compliant by Default
No Free Daily Data Backups
What Customers Are Saying
Customers like HostGator's competitive prices and professional customer service and support. Reviews also call out the ample space and reliability and reasons they would recommend HostGator.
Nexcess is a popular web hosting company owned and operated by Liquid Web, which runs a variety of web hosting-related websites and has a great reputation for providing excellent services throughout the industry. Specifically, Nexcess is known for the managed services offered. If you want great hosting that is virtually worry-free, this may be the perfect option for you.
Starting Price: $9.50-$429.50/month
Plans and Pricing:★★★★★★★★★★ (4.0)
Features:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Performance and Uptime:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Security:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Support:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Improvements:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Running a website can be very rewarding, whether it is just a personal blog or a corporate site. It can also be a lot of work. If you want to have the easiest possible hosting experience, make sure to opt for a managed hosting environment.
With this type of hosting, the company you work with will take care of things like installing software, keeping systems updated, performing backups, and much more. If you want managed hosting for your e-commerce site, you won’t find an option better than Nexcess.
Nexcess is owned and operated by Liquid Web, which has a quality reputation throughout the hosting industry. You can choose from a number of hosting options, including those that are configured specifically for an online store. Whether you are using WooCommerce or another content management system, you will get the premium support that you need to make running your digital platform fast and easy.
In addition to managing the back end of your e-commerce platform for you, Nexcess will provide visitors to your site with fast response times and a stable environment. This means your online store will always be up and ready no matter when people want to shop. For e-commerce business owners, this is absolutely essential.
Who is Nexcess best for?
Nexcess specializes in helping people with e-commerce pages. We love that it has technical experts on staff who know how to use all the different e-commerce platforms including WooCommerce, Magento, StoreBuilder, and many others.
Whether you are just starting a new online store, or you have a popular e-commerce site that needs a hosting upgrade, Nexcess is an excellent option to consider.
Nexcess makes it so you can focus exclusively on your store and let it handle the back-end management of your site.
Recent upgrades by Nexcess
Nexcess is already a leader in providing customers with excellent hosting that is easy to use. But this company has not stopped working hard to improve and maintain its position as a hosting industry leader. Recently, for example, Nexcess upgraded its systems to provide full integration with HubSpot.
In addition, Nexcess upgraded the WooCommerce suite to help provide better testing for busy sites. The constant attention to providing quality systems today and long into the future is just one more reason why we love Nexcess for any e-commerce site.
The Nexcess control panel
Nexcess Pricing
If you are looking for cheap or even mid-range prices for your hosting, Nexcess is not for you. This company takes pride in the fact that it offers high-quality hosting that is fully managed so you don’t have to worry about anything.
With the extra work that Nexcess has to put into each customer’s account, it is not surprising to see that the monthly costs are higher than other companies. Still, if you’re looking for quality managed hosting over unmanaged options, Nexcess is an excellent company to work with and beats other web hosting providers.
For instance, it’s Managed WordPress Hosting plan starts at $9.50 per month while WP Engine’s Managed WordPress Hosting starts at $20 per month.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Fully Managed Hosting
Support for All Major E-Commerce Platforms
Regular Updates to Systems
CDN Included
Cons
Significantly More Expensive
No Unmanaged Options
Phone Support Can Take a While (Use Live Chat)
Some Features Reserved for Enterprise Customers
What Customers Are Saying
Nexcess’ customers’ service is commendable. One of their satisfied customers mentioned, “Working with Nexcess has been excellent. If ever there is a problem, support is readily available and very knowledgeable. I’ve not run into any situation yet that they have not been of great assistance. We have switched from Magento to WordPress with no issues. We’ve grown via WordPress and had to change plans, and the transition went perfectly smooth. I have nothing but good things to say about Nexcess and their support team.
If you want to run a WordPress-based site, but you don’t want to deal with any of the technical aspects, WP Engine is perfect for you. This company specializes in WordPress hosting and can get your site up and running without any trouble. In addition, since it offers managed hosting, you won’t have to worry about things like data backup, updating systems, or even troubleshooting problems, which is why we rank WP Engine among the best hosting options around.
Starting Price: $20-$600/month
Plans and Pricing:★★★★★★★★★★ (4.0)
Features:★★★★★★★★★★ (4.8)
Performance and Uptime:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Security:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Support:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
Improvements:★★★★★★★★★★ (5.0)
WP Engine specializes in managed WordPress hosting. Anyone who wants hassle-free hosting for their WordPress site should at least consider using WP Engine because it offers the best systems and support for this type of site.
The downside of using WP Engine is that it costs a lot more money than the competition. In general, you will be able to find basic shared hosting for less than $5 per month, compared to $25 per month to start with from WP Engine. You are paying for the premium support, experience, and overall quality of the hosting.
Naming WP Engine as the best-managed WordPress hosting was an easy choice for us since this company really is exceptional at what it does. While WP Engine is not going to be the right option for everyone, it is definitely the best for those who need this type of hosting.
Who is WP Engine best for?
If you want hassle-free premium hosting and you are planning to use WordPress, WP Engine is a clear choice. No other hosting company can really compete with the types of services that are offered, so, whether you are a blogger, small business, or even an e-commerce company, WP Engine is an excellent option if you don’t mind the price.
WP Engine’s User Panel makes managing your site fast and easy.
Recent upgrades by WP Engine
The team at WP Engine knows that it is an industry leader because it offers exceptionally high-quality hosting to its niche customers. To ensure it stays on top, this company is constantly upgrading and improving. Recently, WP Engine optimized its servers for improved speed and reliability, began offering a ‘headless’ WordPress solution, and added a number of new free features to its hosting services. Also, WP Engine added the Flywheel Growth Suite for when you’re ready to scale your small business.
WP Engine Pricing
WP Engine is not cheap, so you can expect to pay several times more money for your hosting than you would with another provider. Its entry-level, Managed WordPress Hosting plan starts at $20 per month (compared to Nexcess at $9.50 per month) and it goes up from there.
You really do get what you pay for though, so if you want a worry-free hosting company, this is likely your best option.
Pros & Cons
WP Engine's performance is optimized for the WordPress platform, and they offer plenty of features that are useful to WordPress users as well. Their starting price is relatively high compared to other providers, though.
Pros
Focused on WordPress Hosting
Exceptional Support
Servers Configured for Speed
Always Upgrading and Improving
Cons
Quite Expensive
No Options Other Than WordPress
No Email Hosting
Restrictions on Allowed Plug-ins
What Customers Are Saying
Customers praise Bluehost's uptime and features, though some say that the shared hosting options don't have the fastest speeds and they wish they didn't have to pay for some extras. Users also say the support staff is friendly and helpful and that the user interface is easy to use.
I test each web hosting service by signing up and purchasing a plan to check out what each provider offers new users and how easy it is to navigate around each brand’s dashboard. I also pay a great deal of attention to the support provided.
I weigh the details and rank each web hosting provider based on the quality of its features and how transparent the company is regarding its product.
It’s crucial to pick a web hosting company you can trust, so I focus on whether each provider presents its products honestly, clearly, and transparently. In my tests, this is easy to pick up on as I compare the list of features each company claims it offers to what I have access to once I begin using their service.
Lastly, I base my web host speed tests on a provider’s cheapest shared hosting plan.
I then upload a basic static site to my web space, including HTML and CSS files and images, and configure Uptime.com to check my site’s availability and server response time at five-minute intervals. This test gives me a general indication of the speed and uptime you will likely experience when you finally decide on the best web hosting provider for you.
Each web hosting provider has been selected based on its being at the top of its game for one aspect of web hosting service or another.
What You Need To Know About Web Hosting
Every website needs a server to make it available online. Web hosts are the companies that supply and manage these servers. The overwhelming majority of businesses use web hosts to keep their websites online.
Operating a server is costly and requires technical knowledge. Third-party web hosts (all the companies listed above) streamline the process by renting server space or, in the case of dedicated hosting, entire servers.
Who Manages The Servers?
When you choose a web host for your business website, you’ll have the option of choosing either “managed” or “unmanaged” hosting. It’s an important distinction, so you’ll want to understand the differences:
Managed Hosting is best for most small and mid-sized business websites. With managed hosting, you don’t need to worry about configuring the server yourself. Your web hosting provider will keep it running smoothly, ensuring the server’s operating system is up-to-date and secure.
Unmanaged hosting is an option for organizations to fully be in control of their hosting services and software. It is a hosting plan with few to no additional services provided. They cost significantly lower and give complete control and freedom to the clients however, the opportunity cost involves much more work on the clients’ end.
What Types of Servers Do Web Hosts Offer?
There are many types of web hosting options available and hosting plans vary by provider. Which web hosting provider is best often comes down to a website’s specific needs. A simple, personal blog with limited traffic can choose a different hosting option than a large e-commerce website with thousands of visitors a day.
Aside from the managed versus dedicated distinction explained above, there are different server types you should be aware of. These include:
Shared hosting is the most popular and least expensive option available. This is because web hosting companies host many websites on the same server, with each site drawing on a communal pool of CPU and RAM. For websites just starting out this can be a cost-effective web hosting solution, especially if the web traffic is low. The trade-off — because you’re sharing resources with other websites on the server, your website’s performance could be affected by other websites on the same server.
Unless you have a high-traffic website, shared hosting will likely meet your needs. Shared hosting is also the most cost-effective option at less than $10 per month.
Virtual private server (VPS) hosting is a cross between shared hosting and dedicated hosting. Web hosting providers still place multiple websites on a single server, but using virtualization software, the host sets up “walls” that prevent a site from using resources dedicated to another site. This means you’ll get better performance over a shared server without the higher cost of a dedicated server.
Dedicated servers are best for highly trafficked, resource-intensive websites. Dedicated servers offer unparalleled performance, security, and isolation. The entire server — both in terms of hardware and software — is dedicated to running your website. Dedicated servers are among the most expensive hosting options available. Though, only websites with high traffic volumes or complicated resource needs are likely to need this option.
What Do All These Web Hosting Terms Mean?
As you research the best web hosting services, you’ll see a lot of specialized terminology. Here are some key phrases you should know to help you make an informed decision.
Term
Definition
Add-on Domain
An additional website that can be added to your hosting plan. Most basic web hosting plans include one domain. Advanced plans will give you multiple domains, or let you add more as needed.
Admin or Control Panel
The administration panel of your hosting account, which lets you upload and download files, create email addresses, install applications, and more. The most commonly used control panel software is cPanel. Other admin panels include Plesk and Webmin.
Bandwidth or Data Transfer
The measurement of how much data can flow through a connection in a given amount of time. The more visitors your site has, the more data you transfer, and the more bandwidth you need. Limited bandwidth can negatively impact your website’s speed and accessibility.
Disk Space
The amount of storage space available on the server for storing your website files, including text, images, databases, media, and more.
Domain Name
Your website’s unique name that users enter into the browser’s address bar to access your website.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) access
This is how you upload your website’s file to your server. Most control panels have a File Manager tool for this. You can also use an FTP client, such as FileZilla.
Internet Protocol (IP) address
This is the unique numerical address that identifies your website, and connects visitors to it from their browser. Because it is too difficult for people to remember individual IP addresses, website addresses are simplified with domain names.
Linux and Windows Servers
The two types of operating systems used by web servers. Linux is an open-source OS that is cheaper and arguably more versatile than Windows. Linux can handle a variety of programming languages and applications. Windows OS requires a license, and is therefore more expensive, but is ideal for websites that rely on Windows technologies.
Name Servers
This application translates domain names into IP addresses, so when your site visitors type in your domain name, they are directed to the correct IP address.
Server
A powerful computer that hosts websites, and provides data to other computers by running specific software depending on the server type. When someone visits your website, they are connected to the server hosting the files that make up your website.
Subdomain
A subsection of the main domain, such as blog.yourmaindomain.com.
Uptime
The total time your website is accessible during a certain period of time. It’s usually measured in percentage, and most web hosts advertise a guarantee of 99% uptime or better.
You’ve Chosen a Web Host, So What’s Next?
After choosing your web host, you’ll need to register your domain name with the host. Many web hosts combine both steps, but with others, you’ll need to configure the service to use your company’s chosen URL.
If your company already has a website with a different host, you’ll need to transfer the website files over to the new host. All hosting providers have instructions for how to do this, and it’s usually quick and painless.
If you don’t already have a website, then the only thing left to do is to build one! “Website builders” are the tools used for this and there are many options available. Too many, in fact, so head over to our Best Website Builders of 2022 page for a list of the best options and the pros and cons of each.
Compare Popular Web Hosting Plans
Need a great web host? Want to save some time? This shortlist is your best place to begin:
Michael Levanduski is an IT professional with over 20 years of experience in the industry. He regularly advises businesses on a range of topics, including web hosting, content management and data security. He lives in West Michigan with his family where he enjoys camping, hiking, and of course, writing. Michael’s expertise has been shared on a variety of websites, including Hostadvice.com, Neweggbusiness.com and Gogetspace.com.
Our methodology is designed to help small businesses avoid a common, costly mistake: Choosing the wrong IT solution. We present only options that work well for a majority of SMB use cases after weighing cost, functionality, ease-of-use, user reviews
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