Register now for better personalized quote!

The best web hosting services: Build your own website

Sep, 15, 2023 Hi-network.com

There are thousands of web hosting providers out there, and choosing the right web hosting service for you can be quite the challenge. Although you no longer need to be a programmer or an IT professional to properly configure a website, you do need to understand marketing to help get your message across.

Indeed, it was once the case that to access advanced features -- such as e-commerce or forum management -- you would have to pay far more. Now, many web providers will give you these functions, as well as a content management system (CMS) and other features like SEO assistance, included in their base package. 

Also: The best VPNs of 2023

's pick for the best web hosting service overall isDreamHost . Dreamhost provides webmasters with a massive array of features, services, and templates, all set with a money-back guarantee of over three months. Below, you will find the rest of our top recommendations for web hosting services, ranging from providers that give you a quick and easy way to build your website, all the way up to the big companies that provide full data center infrastructure capabilities as a service.

The best web hosting services of 2023

DreamHost

Best web hosting service overall

Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ Pros & Cons Pros
  • Over three-month money-back guarantee
  • Many hosting options
Cons
  • No telephone support
  • Uses a custom-built control panel
More Details

DreamHost featurescPanel: No, proprietary panel  SSL: Free  SSH: Yes  Backups: Yes  Money-back guarantee: 97 days  Support: 24/7 chat, ticket, and call-back

DreamHost's easy-to-use interface, efficiency, and customer support stand out to business owners and new webmasters alike. The hosting provider offers WordPress hosting, shared hosting, virtual private servers, dedicated servers, cloud hosting, and more. 

Nick Farnborough, co-founder of Clavis Social, told that he has "tried almost every host out there over the years and ultimately found DreamHost to be the best overall package taking into account cost, performance, and ease of use." 

We particularly like the fact that DreamHost offers G Suite integration, with domain integration and Google Cloud support. The company also provides a great set of resources and guides that can help customers grow their businesses, all in a cost-effective way. 

Prices begin at$2.59 per month.

View now at DreamHost

GoDaddy

Best web hosting service for GoDaddy domain customers

Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ Pros & Cons Pros
  • Free,unlimited SSL for all websites on the Deluxe plan and up
  • Average load time is 171.1ms
  • Tutorials online to help guide your website-creating process
Cons
  • Large payment down to start hosting
  • Sneaky money-back guarantee
More Details

GoDaddy features: cPanel: Some plans  SSL: Some plans  SSH: Some plans  Backups: Some plans  Money-back guarantee: 30 days for annual plans, 48 hours for monthly plans  Support: 24/7/365 US-based ticket and phone

GoDaddy has made a business of offering as wide an array of services as possible for individuals and small businesses in need of an internet presence. When it comes to security, it doesn't hurt that automatic WordPress updates are applied and malware scanning services are available. 

author David Gewirtz has decades of experience with GoDaddy, and he has come to respect how this web host provides the key services most customers want. They're definitely not the best at anything, but they do a good job with almost everything. 

"GoDaddy, in my opinion, is the best web host," Gerrid Smith, director of E-commerce of Joy Organics, told . "They promise a minimum of 99.9% availability. To prevent malicious activities and repel DDoS attacks, their security team works around the clock."

Pricing begins at$2.99 per month, and with specific plans, you may be eligible for a free domain name. 

Customer service is reasonable, and although not 24/7, if you need a technical lead to get something accomplished, you can usually find someone with a clue (after jumping through a few hoops, of course). However, the refund policy is extremely restrictive.

View now at GoDaddy

Hostinger

Best web hosting service for professional projects

Screenshot via Charlie Osborne ZDNet Pros & Cons Pros
  • Inexpensive
  • One-click WordPress install
  • AI tools
Cons
  • Very limited basic plan
More Details

Hostinger features: cPanel: Yes  SSL: Some plans  SSH: Yes  Backups: Yes  Money-back guarantee: 30 days  Support: 24/7, live chat support

While Hostinger's basic$1.99/month plan is limited to only one website, one email account, and only 50GB storage, the host's premium plan ($2.99/month) is excellent value for money if you want to operate multiple websites for personal or business reasons. 

The premium plan offers support for up to 100 websites. It offers users 100GB storage, up to 100 email addresses and forwarders, free SSL website security, and unlimited bandwidth, alongside a free domain name. However, you aren't eligible for a dedicated IP on this plan. 

Furthermore, you'll be given basic e-commerce capabilities and one-click WordPress installation. The same WordPress installation can be used to support multiple WordPress websites. If you need a theme, Hostinger also provides a drag-and-drop website builder and 150 templates. 

A downside, however, is that you can only access more advanced features -- such as daily backups and increased performance -- with more expensive subscriptions.

View now at Hostinger

Bluehost

Best web hosting service with a focus on WordPress

Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ Pros & Cons Pros
  • Strong focus on WordPress
  • Free domain for first year
  • Malware scanning on all plans
Cons
  • Limited cheap plans, more advanced plans are on the expensive side
More Details

Bluehost features: cPanel: Yes  SSL: Free  SSH: Some plans  Backups: Basic, plus more on select plans  Money-back guarantee: 30 days  Support: 24/7 chat, phone, email

Bluehost fits into the category we call "standard-fare" hosting providers, in that it offers a wide range of services, ranging from basic shared hosting up to virtual private servers and dedicated machines. However, Bluehost maintains a strong focus on WordPress in its offerings with one-click installation. A variety of themes and plugins are available.

We particularly like how this hosting service segments their WordPress offerings, ranging from basic shared hosting offerings to their higher-performance pro plan, and then on to a WooCommerce-based shopping cart solution. All solutions come with some level of backup, an Office 365 mailbox, and malware detection and removal is also available. 

"In my experience, Bluehost has provided the greatest web hosting services," Henry Waddilove, managing director of Novus Business Connections, told . "You may easily maintain, transfer, buy, and manage your domains with their domain manager. All Bluehost plans are optimized for WordPress performance and use encrypted connections to keep your personal information, e-commerce transactions, and other sensitive data safe."

Web hosting plans begin at$2.95 per month and Bluehost will provide you with a free domain for the first year and a free SSL certificate on eligible plans.

View now at Bluehost

AWS (Amazon Web Services)

Best web hosting service for on-demand cloud computing

Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ Pros & Cons Pros
  • Inexpensive
  • Can host websites large or small
Cons
  • The abundance of options makes decision difficult
  • Only a 48-hour money-back guarantee
More Details

AWS (Amazon Web Services) features: cPanel: Yes  SSL: Free  SSH: Yes  Backups: Automated backup schedules  Money-back guarantee: Within 48 hours  Support: Depends on plan

AWS is a huge player in the cloud computing universe. Perhaps the best example of AWS's power and capability is this:Most of Netflix runs on AWS . When you realize the size of the Netflix library and the incredible demand for Netflix programming, you can begin to understand the scale of AWS.

What makes AWS a truly special web host is how the company has sliced and diced nearly every kind of cloud-based resource, ranging from storage to mail sending to specific, AI-based workloads, and then can sell them to IT operations in very incremental workload-based levels. 

You can rent a virtual server operation to run Netflix, or you can rent a small virtual Linux install with minimum RAM for a few bucks a month, or set up a system to support remote workers. It's all there. Plus you can mix and match services, as long as you have a valid payment method on file.

View now at AWS

Google Cloud

Best web hosting service for Google's infrastructure to manage your cloud

Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ Pros & Cons Pros
  • Many customization options
  • Email and privacy protection included in the subscription
Cons
  • Not the best option for simple projects
  • Paid plans can become expensive
More Details

Google Cloud features: cPanel: Yes  SSL: Yes  SSH: Yes  Backups: Yes with disaster recovery  Money-back guarantee: 30 days  Support: Depends on plan

Beyond Google's software-as-a-service offerings (specifically Google Workspace), Google Cloud provides IaaS capabilities for those interested in managing their infrastructure using Google's cloud and cloud technology. When you realize that Google Cloud uses the same infrastructure as Google's search and YouTube operations, you see how Google Cloud suddenly becomes a very credible contender.

Google Cloud does offer a similar range of cloud services as the other web hosts but also offers cloud-based capabilities based on Google's search and large data management infrastructure. If you want to tap into Google's unique skill set for a challenging project at scale, Google Cloud is a viable option.

You can sign up for a free trial to begin, with$300 in credit applied for you to try out different services and applications. There's a 90-day time limit to spend your credit, though.

View now at Google

Wix

Best web hosting service for simple ecommerce

Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ Pros & Cons Pros
  • Lots of templates to choose from for beginner web designers
  • Simple interface
  • Website apps available with Wix support
Cons
  • Cheapest plan isn't necessarily cheap
  • Can't switch templates, must start from scratch
More Details

Wix features: cPanel: No  SSL: Free  SSH: No  Backups: Site history  Money-back guarantee: 14 days  Support: 24/7 English call-back

If you've ever watched a YouTube video, you've seen a Wix ad. They are everywhere. With 6 million premium subscribers, they've got some momentum -- and are certainly capable of grabbing attention.

When selecting a website builder, why would you go with Wix over WordPress? The answer is: Simplicity. WordPress offers tremendous depth and customization options with plugins and widgets, but Wix gets you up and running with an attractive site quickly. 

There is nothing like the thousands of plugins and themes offered by WordPress in the Wix world, but if you want a well-designed site and you need an e-commerce solution, this is a great option. I selected this provider when I assisted someone in setting up a small online business, and the learning curve was easy, with no payment or downtime issues.

Free versions, however, do contain Wix banners. You can start there and if you like the system, convert to a paid plan and link up your chosen domain name.

View now at Wix

What is the best web hosting service overall?

Dreamhost is 's top choice because it offers excellent features at outstanding price points, with a large selection of tools to make the process easy, even for beginner webmasters.

Web hosting service

Starting price per month

Free SSL

Money-back guarantee deadline

DreamHost

$2.59

Yes

97 days

GoDaddy

Free, $2.99+

No 

30 days

Hostinger

$1.99+ Yes 30 days

Bluehost 

$2.95

Yes

30 days

Amazon Web Services

Free, paid plans

Yes

48 hours

Google Cloud

Free, paid plans

No

30 days

Wix

Free, paid plans

Yes

14 days

Which web hosting service is right for you?

To help make the process of selecting your new web hosting provider simpler, here is a guide to making your decision less of a hassle, based on what is most important to you. 

Choose this web hosting service...

If you want or are...

DreamHost

Shared web hosting packages and a wide array of features and services. Web designers or developers can take advantage of an over 3-month money-back guarantee period. 

GoDaddy

A web hosting platform that tightly integrates with GoDaddy's impressive array of additional services. They do a good job with almost everything, including pricing and customer service.

Hostinger

A one-size-fits-all hosting provider which will accommodate multiple businesses, side gigs, and personal websites, for less. Its a great way to quickly streamline the website build and management process.

Bluehost

Based in the US and don't mind spending a little extra money on add-ons. Bluehost has a strong focus on WordPress in its offerings.

Amazon Web Services

A web host that is home to some of the biggest streaming services online. You can use AWS for projects as big as Netflix or as small as backing up your files.

Google Cloud

Willing to spend the extra cash to get a complex web hosting platform. Google Cloud uses the same infrastructure as Google's search and YouTube operations.

Wix

A website with a simple setup, with a focus on ecommerce. Wix gets you up and running with an attractive site quickly.

How did we choose these web hosting providers?

When we compiled this list, we began with web hosts authors are personally familiar with. Some of us have been running production websites for decades, with sites that have served millions of pages. Others have used web hosts for personal blogs, writing projects, and to help individuals launch small businesses. We chose these providers because we believe they offer some of the best services in the market. These are the main factors we considered:

  • Features on offer: Deciding on the best web hosting provider for you requires you to think about what features are a priority. We've included options for CMS implementation, e-commerce, design services, and more. 
  • Price: The price point, naturally, is a very important factor when you choose your web hosting provider. We have included options suitable for varying budgets.
  • Stability: We have included only reputable web hosting providers that provide stable services with minimal downtime.  
  • Customer experiences: If you are going to sign up for a web hosting service for a long period, you need to know how the company treats and supports its customers. We have examined customer reviews and feedback.

Which web host is best for beginners?

Wix and Squarespace are the two web hosts we would recommend for beginners. With an abundance of creative templates between the two platforms, users will be able to gain experience in web development with an attractive site.

Can you get web hosting for free?

Simply put, yes. There are many sites that allow for free hosting, but to do so, you will have a generic, branded domain. For example, if you were to have a free WordPress website, your domain would be [yourwebsitename].wordpress.com. Be careful, though. Many of the free offers end after a period of time and then you're stuck on a service that will likely charge you a considerable additional fee to keep using it.

Who is the largest web hosting company?

GoDaddy is one of the most popular web hosting service providers. Then, of course, there are the hosting plans from Amazon and Google, which are larger (in terms of revenue) than some countries.

What are the best WordPress hosting services?

We might as well get WordPress out of the way since if we're talking web hosts, we're going to talk WordPress. About 63% of websites with content management systems use the open-source WordPress CMS. And 43.1% of all websites use WordPress. 

The WordPress ecosystem is huge, and finding the right WordPress host is a challenge all its own. Beyond WordPress.com, the service offered by the creators of WordPress, there are a large number of managed hosting providers and an even larger number of hosting providers that specialize in providing a WordPress-optimized server for your website. Nearly every hosting provider will allow a WordPress install.

What are the best Infrastructure-as-a-Service providers?

Our recommendations include IaaS providers you probably know intimately, such as Amazon. They are highly credible vendors who've been providing infrastructure for years.

If you're just starting, you might not want to go all-in with an IaaS provider, although they offer the most flexibility. Some, like Amazon with Lightsail and Digital Ocean with Droplets, allow you to point-and-click configure virtual WordPress machines or almost any other open-source content management system you may want.

What are the best point-and-click website builders?

A website builder is a piece of software that lets you craft your business website, generally without programming. Many allow you to choose from templates and then modify those templates to suit your look and layout.

Nearly all web hosting providers include some sort of website-building software. But for most hosting plans, it's often an afterthought. By contrast, the website builders listed in this section are provided by web hosting services that have made point-and-click website building tools with excellent customer support and solid up-time a core priority in their offering. Each offers a rich library of gorgeous starting templates and then lets you build out from there.

You do sacrifice some control when choosing a website builder solution, but if you've never done any web development and you want a beautiful, usable website by tonight, these services are for you. One warning: There are a lot of lock-ins here. You won't be able to transfer the look of your site (and sometimes the content) to another hosting provider easily. So keep that in mind when you choose a website builder. Still, we like Wix as one of the easiest starting points in setting up a new website.

Are there alternative web hosting services to consider?

There are countless web hosting providers out there and not all of them can make our top five recommendations, despite offering excellent service. Below, you will find other hosts to consider that may be more suitable for your requirements:

Best alternative for the environmentally-conscious

GreenGeeks

The "green" in the company's name reflects GreenGeeks' commitment to the environment. It purchases three times the energy it actually uses in wind energy credits, essentially putting energy back into the economy. 

View at GreenGeeks

Best alternative for cloud management

Liquid Web

Liquid Web is a higher-end provider. If you're a larger small business, a departmental-size organization, or an enterprise, LiquidWeb's managed hosting services might appeal to you.

View at LiquidWeb

Best alternative for WordPress domains from its creator

WordPress.com

WordPress.com offers services ranging from free websites with restrictions, all the way up to major VIP websites like those of CNN and The New York Times.

View at WordPress

Best alternative for the OpenStack project

Rackspace

Rackspace is a mostly cloud-centric IaaS provider and is an excellent choice for OpenStack implementations.

View at Rackspace

Best alternative for virtual servers

DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean offers cloud-based infrastructure including scalable compute services such as virtual machines.

View at DigitalOcean

Best alternative for gorgeous templates

Squarespace

Squarespace offers SSL, mobile-optimized websites, SEO features, 24/7 support, and a massive portfolio of beautiful templates.

View at Squarespace

Best alternative for business scaling

Inmotion Hosting

Inmotion Hosting is a secure, scalable web hosting platform suitable for any business, large or small. 

View at Inmotion Hosting

Best alternative for WordPress users

Pagely

This hosting service is powered by the AWS cloud for clients that want managed WordPress solutions. It has an enhanced SLA and personalized technical account management. 

View at Pagely

Best alternative for pay-as-you-go usage

Microsoft Azure

Azure's cloud platform spans more than 200 products and cloud services. It offers you security and the promise of innovation. 

View at Microsoft

Best alternative for free

Weebly

Weebly has a free version, which comes with free SSL Security and an add third party embed code feature. It also has additional plans that come with more features. 

View at Weebly

Recommends

The 5 best VPN services (and tips to choose the right one for you)The best AI art generators: DALL-E 2 and other fun alternatives to tryThe best Android phones you can buy (including a surprise pick)The best robot vacuum and mop combos (and if they're worth the money)
  • The 5 best VPN services (and tips to choose the right one for you)
  • The best AI art generators: DALL-E 2 and other fun alternatives to try
  • The best Android phones you can buy (including a surprise pick)
  • The best robot vacuum and mop combos (and if they're worth the money)


tag-icon Hot Tags : Our process Innovation Cloud

Copyright © 2014-2024 Hi-Network.com | HAILIAN TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED | All Rights Reserved.