As it’s your startup, and you’re looking forward to hosting your new website, you may be excited, but that doesn’t mean that you can hurry to grab a hosting without research.
Right web hosting can give your startup rocketing success, but the wrong one can drown your efforts into the water!
There is such a huge list of considerations before buying any hosting that even experienced ones skip one or two. Nope, you don’t have to keep everything at your fingertips. Just ask yourself a few questions, and then, we’re good to go!
- The expected amount of traffic your site to receive
- Your website’s purpose
- What kind of security features you need for your site
- How much you predict your site growing
- How many email addresses and domains you will need
- Do you need any support for designing your site
Contents
- Web hosting for small business and start-ups: What to consider?
- Most popular web hosting service for small business and start-ups
- 1) Accuweb Hosting
- 2) A2 Hosting
- 3) Bluehost
- 4) DreamHost
- 5) GreenGeeks
- 6) HostGator
- 7) HostPapa
- 8) Hostwinds
- 9) InMotion Hosting
- 10) InterServer
- 2 best types of hostings for small business and startups
- Shared Hosting
- Cloud Hosting
- Must-have Features of Web Hosting
Web hosting for small business and start-ups: What to consider?
While web hosting is an affair of selecting a package that meets your needs, many choices can be made depending on your need. Each plan meets the requirements of numerous groups, and you have to ensure that you chose the perfect plan for your company by comprehending the exact requirement for your new website.
The core features to consider when choosing a web host include the sort of your website, budget, facilities offered and expected traffic. Here we present a short rundown on the benefits of each form of hosting:
- Shared Hosting: least-costing choice for websites with less traffic.
- VPS Hosting: perfect for the website owner not willing to spend much but want great control
- Cloud Hosting: It works perfectly with rapidly increasing websites that need scalable features
- Dedicated Hosting: Expensive choice for huge websites where you have to manage all technicalities
Most popular web hosting service for small business and start-ups
1) Accuweb Hosting
If there’s some host out there who understands the hosting-related requirements of new websites and assists them like no other can, then it’s Accuweb Hosting. The variety of plans they have under shared, windows, and cloud hosting can impress anyone. Even more importantly, the offerings under these plans are unbelievable in contrast to the price.
We can’t deduct a single mark for their customer assistance, as it’s not just fast, but always brings solutions whenever you need them. Security is also unquestionable.
We can say this is the most alert web hosting provider out there and always keeps the comfort of their customers on top of everything. That’s the reason you’ll hardly read any bad customer reviews of Accuweb hosting. They have truly earned the golden fame!
Here, in the list of the best web hosting services for small businesses and startups, Accuweb manages to beat giants like A2, Bluehost, Dreamhost, Hostgator, and so on. It’s because they offer great value for your money.
Their shared plan, “WordPress hosting,” begins at just $2.99, and for shared hosting on a cloud server, they charge $4.79 per month for their basic plan. Just grab whichever plan you find sweet for your website, and don’t worry about scalability at all!
Deeper analysis
Now, when you look out to buy a hosting for your new website, you may match the plans with your list of big considerations, which may include SSL certification, backups, security, bandwidth, CPU, storage space, number of email accounts, customer support, and so on.
Now, when you get all those boxes ticked, you have nothing left to neglect such a hosting plan, and Accuweb has a whole bunch of such plans for you. Besides that, speed proves to be unbeatable. That’s another reason we recommend Accuweb Hosting to ambitious e-Commerce startups.
Pros
- Tremendous features at low cost
- Easy scalability
- Free site migration
- Unbelievable speed
- 24 x 7x x 365 dedicated customer support
- Enough specification limits with even the most basic plans
- Free SSL Certificate
- cPanel Included
- 9 data centers
Cons
- Absolutely nothing to mention
2) A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting was brought into existence in 2001 by CEO Bryan Muthig, and it is still independently owned now. The business provides several web hosting options, such as a startup program for $2.99 a month. Together with 100GB of storage, proprietary A2 optimized applications, along unlimited email accounts, it is a fantastic option for companies seeking to keep one website.
A2 Hosting’s solutions can manage numerous sites, and its expensive options utilize turbo servers to get more electricity. All offers consist of infinite bandwidth, a free SSL certificate, and site staging. Uptime for A2 Hosting averages 99.835 percent, and its own WordPress attributes comprise one-click install and improved security.
The organization’s service team, the Guru Crew, provides 24/7/365 help through telephone, live chat, and service tickets. A2 Hosting’s website contains a range of useful resources besides an online search tool.
The business’s anytime money-back guarantee applies to the first 30 days of usage. Following that, you will be given a pro-rated refund. All hosting plans are renewed by default.
Deeper analysis
With a complete suite of hosting options, A2 Hosting can aid your company from startup to complete launch and outside. The organization’s complimentary Server Rewind automatically takes snapshots of information that will assist you to recover lost documents, but it is not on the startup program. Shared hosting clients can buy assignment support for improved response times.
Pros
- Free SSL & offline backups
- Optimized for WordPress
- Free site migration
- 20x faster servers
- Anytime money-back guarantee
- Easy-to-use site builder
Cons
- Somewhat slow control panel
- Smallest plan is quite limited
3) Bluehost
Bluehost’s smallest plan has a promotional price of $3.95; also, with this monthly fee, you get 50GB of SSD storage, unmetered bandwidth, a free SSL certificate, and a single domain name. To get a slightly higher speed, you can get infinite storage and domains. All rates are higher — nearly double — upon renewal.
Though WordPress instant setup is included with the simple program, Bluehost’s WP Guru suite includes a range of tools to assist you in getting started and succeed using a WordPress site. U
nlimited sites, domains, storage, and a staging area to check your articles before publishing make it straightforward to establish your own website, all for a monthly fee.
Bluehost rankings lower in reaction rate (1,176 ms) in comparison to other businesses in this short article, though it includes a dependable uptime of 99.961 percent.
The business has shared, dedicated, and VPS servers. For a fee, you can get different services, such as site design, SEO reports, and pay-per-click advertising campaigns. Bluehost provides advertising credits of $200 upon paying your initial $50. Chat agents are available 24/7. However, telephone availability can fluctuate.
Deeper analysis
HRank monitors businesses’ uptime percentages, and Bluehost scored a 99.961%, putting it near the very top of our testimonials. On the flip side, its pinged reaction time was among the cheapest in the category. Even though the original cost of $3.95 is low, renewal prices are nearly twice.
Pros
- 0.72 seconds loading speed
- 99.98% Uptime
- Free domain, SSL, & Weebly builder
- $150 advertising credits
- Recommended by WordPress
- Great value for money
Cons
- One domain only on basic plan
- Discounts with 36-month plans
4) DreamHost
Employee-owned DreamHost delivers low shared hosting prices according to a three-year program of $2.59 to get 50GB of storage plus one site and $3.95 for unlimited storage and websites. Email accounts to match your domain names are offered for sale to those registering in the Starter program; they are contained in the Unlimited bundle.
DreamHost boasts the very best response time in this review of 396 ms. Also, it’s an HRANK uptime of 99.902%. Every single shared hosting plan includes SSD storage, preinstalled WordPress, unmetered bandwidth, and 24/7 support through tickets and chats. The cheapest tiered plan necessitates an additional fee for the email.
DreamHost includes a 97-day refund accessible for shared hosting clients along with also a 30-day money-back guarantee for people using DreamPress. The business’s innovative WordPress alternatives, for example, DreamPress and VPS to electricity multiple websites, provide business owners with a number of solutions.
Deeper analysis
New clients may enjoy substantial savings (over 63 percent ) by registering for three years’ worth of support, and together with all the 97-day warranty, you know that your money’s refundable. Annual programs are marginally more, and monthly choices are double in cost. Renewals will also be somewhat costly.
Pros
- Free SSL & backups
- Official WordPress host
- Free domain name
- 97-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Few 1-Click Installs
5) GreenGeeks
With over 40 decades of combined expertise in the internet hosting business, the management group of GreenGeeks comprehends the demand for service. The organization’s searchable knowledge base has subjects on how-to procedures, site construction, email setup, and developer tools. Live service is available 24/7/365 via conversation, and you may also call or email.
Shared hosting plans vary from Lite ($2.95per month) to Premium ($11.95/month) according to a 36-month term. All programs offer unlimited web space and data transfer alongside a one-click program installer. GreenGeeks also includes free email accounts, in spite of the Lite program.
Other hosting choices comprise WordPress, freelancer, and VPS. HRANK lists an uptime of 99.975percent and 866 ms reaction time for the provider.
Firms seeking to enhance their environmental obligation will value GreenGeeks 300% fitting of renewable energy credits along with its own green certification badges, which may be added to hosted sites. Clients can select from among five worldwide data centers.
Deeper analysis
Emphasize your green devotion by putting among the organization’s certification tags on your own site. GreenGeeks lets you make numerous domain matching email accounts on the lowest-tiered program but anticipate monthly prices to increase after it is time to rekindle.
Pros
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Unlimited SSD space & bandwidth
- Top security features
- Free shopping cart, CDN, email
- Developer-friendly
- 300% green hosting
- Free Wildcard SSL
Cons
- Costly renewals
- Offers on 3-year plans
- Limited backups
6) HostGator
HostGator has two chief offices in Texas and many international locations. Along with shared hosting and VPS, the provider offers custom-designed sites and pay-per-click and SEO aid.
HostGator provides live chat, email, and phone 24/7/365 support. E-commerce clients have their choice of 2 shopping carts, and also, a dedicated IP can be obtained for an extra $4 per month (excluding their basic program ). Based on HRank, HostGator boasts a 99.932% uptime, and its own response rate is 1,158 ms, greater than the majority of the other shared hosting companies examined here.
Shared hosting costs from $2.75 to $5.95 a month (according to 36 weeks ), and all programs include WordPress one-click setup, a free SSL certificate, and unmetered bandwidth.
New clients get $100 at Bing charge and Google AdWords (with a purchase of $25 in advertisements). Monthly service at greater prices can be obtained with a cancel-anytime coverage; all other programs have a 45-day refund policy.
Deeper analysis
Though you may generate instantaneous backups anytime, there’s an added fee for automatic daily backups throughout the organization’s CodeGuard feature. However, the shocking negative is that you don’t get SSL certification included in the basic plan, and actually, it’s very harsh. Besides that, renewal rates also hurt.
Pros
- Free migration, SSL, backup
- 99.99% uptime
- Free domain name
- 55% off on 12-months plan
- Drag-and-drop website builder
- Unmetered space & bandwidth
Cons
- No-free SSL on basic plan
- High renewal rate – $10.95
7) HostPapa
The organization’s starter program, which will be advertised at $3.95 a month, comprises 100GB of storage, free domain name registration, alongwith unmetered bandwidth. HostPapa comprises a massive choice of email features together with shared hosting plans, and also the lowest-priced program can manage 100 email accounts.
WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal one-click installation and a complete package of e-commerce choices can be handled by cPanel.
For a monthly fee, clients may also benefit from their organization’s AdGuru online advertising campaigns, client connections email management, and automatic site copies. HostPapa shared hosting includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.
HostPapa provides the following hosting choices: shared internet, optimized WordPress, freelancer, and VPS. All support is 24/7/365, which includes telephone, email, and chat. Additionally, new customers get a free 30-minute working session using a PapaSquad specialist. Response rates listed by HRank for HostPapa are 954 ms, and the organization has a 99.954% uptime.
Deeper analysis
Clients seeking to sell services and products on the internet can reap the benefits of four e-commerce programs that have inventory management and payment processing. New users might be disappointed at the limited capacity of the site builder, which comes free with all the beginner programs.
Pros
- 400+ Business-oriented apps
- Extremely fast
- Free SSL & domain
- Drag-and-drop site builder
Cons
- Unclear ToS
- Backups not included in all plans
8) Hostwinds
Offering shared, cloud hosting, VPS, and dedicated hosting options, Hostwinds records an Hrank uptime of 99.722% and a reaction time of 547 ms. The organization’s fundamental shared program is 3.29/month plus contains a single domain name, SSD storage, free site transfers, and infinite bandwidth and disc space.
Company programs at $5.64 per month provide 500% faster rates with fewer websites per server. All programs have a 30-day warranty.
Customer care is handled by a group of specialists that are available 24/7/365 through chat, email, support tickets, and phone. The organization’s knowledge base offers help for novices and data on billing and accounts policies. Hostwinds uses three information centers located in Seattle, Dallas, and Amsterdam.
Services available to get a one-time fee to comprise Windshield (security improvement ) and also Windspeed (performance optimization). Additionally, Hostwinds has cloud host templates for many different programs and completely free site transfers done by migration specialists. The business offers managed and unmanaged Windows and Linux VPS hosting.
Deeper analysis
Firms planning a change will appreciate the free site migration service, which contains database transfers; also, when an update is in your near future, Hostwinds provides an assortment of VPS hosting alternatives. Keeping your information safe can be pricey, with fees for each nightly backup, including 0.3 cents per 1 GB storage.
Pros
- Weebly site builder
- Award-winning support
- SSD hosting
- Free domain name
- Powerful add-ons
- Nightly backups
Cons
- Limited choice of data centers
9) InMotion Hosting
At $6.39 a month, InMotion’s shared hosting basic program is a bit greater than its rivals. However, the organization’s Launch program includes two sites, a free SSL certificate and unlimited storage, bandwidth, and email. Additionally, it supplies a 90-day guarantee plus a free domain name (new or transfer). InMotion ‘s uptime is 99.836%, while the reaction time is 1,168 ms.
Along with company shared hosting, the business has WordPress and managed hosting, such as VPS and dedicated servers. InMotion Hosting also offers customized solutions for companies considering high performance and complete server management applications. The business is going to construct a WordPress site for a one-time fee of $99 that’s prepared to start in just two days.
The InMotion service center includes tutorials, FAQs, useful articles, and a forum. Present-day clients can talk about online, telephone, email, or submit a service ticket 24/7/365. Upgrades can be performed with no downtime through the account management panel.
Deeper analysis
Those new to WordPress will appreciate BoldGrid, which can be packed with InMotion’s WordPress hosting alternatives and carries a drag-and-drop net interface and complimentary built-in themes. Even though the organization’s basic strategy, Launch, is marginally more costly than other starter packs, it features unlimited email and two sites.
Pros
- Free SSL & domain
- 400+ integrations
- Unlimited bandwidth, email
- 90-day money-back guarantee
- Free website builder
- DDoS protection
Cons
- Cap of 50,000 files on every single shared plans
- Starting fees not that low
10) InterServer
Clients using InterServer’s shared hosting may reap the benefits of 461 one-click installment software, a completely free migration service, and site builder also guaranteed email shipping. The organization’s basic plan is $4 per month and includes unlimited storage, 25 sites, and free SSL certificates. 30-day money-back guarantee accompanies with all plans.
InterServer’s expert hosting is made for agencies running numerous sites. All programs include infinite domains, a one-click program installer, and SSD servers.
Cloud-based VPS feature handled service and are offered in Windows, WordPress, and Webuzo. InterServer’s e-commerce options for online companies incorporate secure shopping carts, SEO optimization, and simple setup, eliminating the need for coding information.
The service team at InterServer is available 24/7 through chat, email, and telephone, and present customers can log to specialized assistance. Response times are listed at 724 ms in Hrank, and the uptime is currently 99.920%. The business also offers free hosting solutions to non-profits and cheap alternatives for students.
Deeper analysis
InterServer has a lot of unique advantages to website owners, adding up to 25 sites on its ASP.NET bundle and a price-lock warranty, which prevents increases in renewal prices. Domain Names fees for transport or registration operate at $1.99 each when followed by a hosting package.
Pros
- Free SSL & migrations
- Price lock
- Very secure
Cons
- A single shared plan available
- Backend struggles with concurrent users
2 best types of hostings for small business and startups
Cloud and shared hosting are the most suitable web hosting services for small businesses and start-ups because of their low cost.
Shared hosting is the unconquered king of hosting concerning popularity. It’s the biggest user base for 2 chief reasons: unmatched affordability and unparalleled ease of use. Shared hosting is the”entrance” level hosting, so to speak.
It’s the ideal web hosting solution for small business owners or for beginning bloggers since it requires no specialized expertise, quite restricted care, and costs a couple of bucks a month. The lowest-priced shared hosting programs vary between $3 and $5, generally, while the priciest ones seldom surpass $20 each month.
These low prices aren’t a marketing trick but a fact since the end-user pays only for some of the net server and its own sources.
The price for conducting a Linux host 24/7/365 is spread among users — often a few hundred a server — who cover smaller chunks of their server area. That is the reason why this arrangement is known as”shared hosting”; most users share the tools of one machine.
Neat, eh?
The major tradeoff is restricted control. Since the host is utilized by a lot of individuals, no one user has root (administrator) access together with all the chances to change the server settings. Another inherent downside, which the trustworthy web hosting providers mitigate nicely, is the existence of different users.
Occasionally it requires one badly coded website to hog plenty of server resources and slow down the operation of all sites hosted on precisely the exact same machine.
Furthermore, bad maintenance and poor security practices may result in safety dangers. Website owners neglect to upgrade their CMSs in time, receive their passwords stolen, utilize a lousy plugin, or possess a badly coded webpage.
These can lead relatively readily to a security violation, make sure that a malware shot or something different. Otherwise included in time, the hackers may access other websites hosted on precisely the exact same server.
These constraints and possible dangers go unnoticed in 99 percent of those instances, however. A well-configured host with appropriate accounts segmentation and shields is largely resistant to the dangers. The hosting companies are well conscious of those dangers and take considerable steps to keep them from happening.
Shared hosts are so popular not just since they’re the very best cheap web hosting alternative but also because this type of solution readily powers a huge assortment of websites. It’s easily the best web hosting for sites as it manages WordPress easily and retains its ground when the monthly traffic reaches triple digits.
Many shared servers set particular efforts to offer the very best web hosting for eCommerce by providing free SSLs, innovative service, and lots of 1-click installers of their very popular eCommerce solutions. But if you would like to run a huge shop, sharing may not be the most suitable choice.
Cloud Hosting
Cloud is all of the rages in calculating for almost a decade now but describing what’s cloud hosting isn’t always simple. The expression is fluid and changing, the same as the actual clouds. Its key features are redundancy, scalability, higher accessibility, and safety, but the real implementations differ considerably.
Such versatility comes in several flavors. It’s possible to find quite an inexpensive cloud hosting or even extravagantly costly platforms that appeal to huge corporations.
Cloud hosting is also, more than anything, a catchy marketing phrase. In the domain of hosting, especially, the expression”cloud” can explain several things. Broadly speaking, the basis of any cloud hosting infrastructure demands a network of connected servers.
Their connectivity comprises the cloud: an abysmal, adaptive environment that mechanically”reacts” to both changing stimuli such as the requirement for additional server space and spikes in traffic.
In theory, this server system ought to be the most protected hosting solution as a result of its redundancy — when one machine goes down, whatever the motive might be, the remainder pick up the slack as well as the support continues uninterruptedly.
From a functionality perspective, sometimes, the cloud does not amount to anything more than the usual shared surroundings, with specialized features well-aligned with regularly shared alternatives.
In others, however, the cloud may outperform the most effective dedicated server hosting alternative. Many well-built servers which operate in unison might offer unmatched scalability and absolute power.
Cloud Hosting Advantages
Normally, the Primary advantages you can expect from cloud hosting Would Be:
- Possibility to devote more resources readily — Allocating extra disk space or processing capacity ought to be simpler.
- Distributed load — If the operation of the hosting server stinks, your website can be transferred automatically to a different host to prevent disruption of support.
- Better protection against DDoS (possibly ) — Theoretically, well-built cloud infrastructure may manage DDoS attacks better, but that depends upon many, many elements.
Remember these are extremely general features, as cloud options vary from a single company to the next. Further, when developed in-house, every cloud hosting system has given specifications that make them exceptional.
To illustrate the differences, together with Dreamhost DreamCompute, the support is comparable to a virtual private server, whereas, talking about HostGator Cloud, we’ve got a much better (and more expensive ) variant of their hosting plans.
An increasing number of cloud hosts use the infrastructure of AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, along with other enormous cloud server suppliers. Developing functioning cloud surroundings from scratch controls a prohibitive first investment for adequate machines and employees that may configure and maintain them.
The large three in cloud computing systems are already known as reliable and secure, and their charges are more flexible enough to allow for financial preparation. In addition to that, their cloud and server configurations are available in all sizes and shapes, allowing internet hosting providers to make any merchandise they need.
Obviously, this leads to an unparalleled assortment of products.
What did I tell you? Cloud hosting is a tricky marketing phrase at its finest. What’s concealed behind it changes a good deal.
Must-have Features of Web Hosting
Assessing features from one business to another can be hard. Some only let you know exactly what your source allocation is, while some others record every kind of software that could be run on one’s website. Below is a listing of the most significant features we believe you should concentrate on when exploring web hosts.
Customer Support
Customer care is indispensable, particularly for site beginners or when something goes wrong. Many hosting companies provide 24/7 technical assistance, but there are a few which could be tough to reach out of regular business hours.
Additionally, think about your communication preferences when exploring hosts. Some hosts allow just client service tickets, but some provide stronger live chat and/or telephone assistance.
Money-back Guarantees
Most hosting providers request that you commit to a yearly (or perhaps liberating ) contract when you get web hosting services. But with a money-back warranty, you can be certain that in the event the service you bought is not exactly what you need or anticipated, you can cancel your account and get a refund.
Free Domain Names
Some hosting providers bundle a free customized domain name with their hosting packages, but this isn’t a universal custom. Some just provide a completely free domain name with much more costly packages.
Many just cover your domain name registration fees for your first year of support. Read the fine prints carefully, so you understand precisely what you’re getting. Watch out for web hosts who have a free domain with hosting programs.
SSL Certificates
SSL certificates are critical for maintaining the personal information sent between your customers and your site secure. It is also a part of earning certain your website ranks well in search engine results.
For many users, a fundamental free SSL certificate is adequate, and lots of hosts comprise one in the very basic hosting packages. However, you’ll hardly find any big name in the hosting field not offering you SSL, but yes, with the basic shared plans of some hosting providers, you don’t get it. Just don’t go with such hosts.
Email Accounts
If you need an email address that matches the domain name of your site, then search for a hosting firm offering email-related services. Some hosts package basic email services together with the hosting program, but others permit you to easily buy and synchronize services out of a third-party supplier such as Google or Microsoft.
Control Panel / cPanel
The control panel is a sweet tool you can use to handle all aspects of your hosting, such as charging, assessing source utilization, installing third-party programs (such as a CMS), and domains.
The most frequently provided tool for this particular job is the cPanel. However, three are options like Plesk. Some hosting providers only offer you custom-branded or in-house management panels.
