Business Website Hosting Options Compared

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Choosing the right business website hosting option can be overwhelming, especially with so many options available. Shared hosting is a popular choice, often costing between $3 to $10 per month, but it may not be suitable for high-traffic websites.

Shared hosting typically offers limited storage and bandwidth, but it's a great option for small businesses or those just starting out. You can expect to have around 5-10 GB of storage space and 10-50 GB of bandwidth.

Many business website owners prefer managed hosting, which can cost between $20 to $50 per month. This option includes technical support and maintenance, making it ideal for those who don't have the technical expertise to manage their website themselves.

Some business owners opt for dedicated hosting, which can cost upwards of $100 per month. This option provides full control and flexibility, but it's often more expensive and requires more technical expertise.

Choosing a Host

Choosing a host for your business website is simpler than you think. Most web hosts have uptime that's near perfect, so you don't have to worry about downtime affecting your business.

For small websites, a 15-minute outage in the middle of the night has zero impact on your business. However, for larger businesses, even a short downtime can be costly.

Stick to popular web hosts like Hostinger, Bluehost, and DreamHost, and choose the one with the best price.

What Matters in Choosing a Host

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Choosing a host can be a daunting task, but let's break it down to what really matters.

Uptime is near perfect with most web hosts, and for small websites, it's not a big deal. A 15-minute downtime in the middle of the night won't impact your business.

However, for larger businesses, downtime can be costly. If you're making over a million dollars, a 15-minute outage can be real money.

Customer service is also important, but it's not as crucial as you might think. Most web hosts offer support through phone, email, or chat, and a good UI should be easy to use, so you don't need to contact support often.

What I care about most is that the web host doesn't cause me problems. I want a simple UI that lets me get WordPress installed quickly, and then I don't want to hear from the hosting company until the next billing notification.

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Pricing is also a key factor. I'm personally not too sensitive about price, but talking to hundreds of people about their websites has shown me that pricing really matters. You don't want to overpay for hosting on a brand new project.

Here are some popular web hosts to consider, along with their price points:

Stick to these popular web hosts, and pick the one with the best price. If you need a serious web host for a website making money, consider WP Engine.

Secure and Reliable

A professional business website should be fast, secure, and reliable.

You can ensure smooth website performance, high uptime, and robust security measures by choosing top web hosting companies that offer these features.

A free SSL certificate is included with many web hosting plans to keep your site secure.

Daily backups are also a must-have to protect your files, emails, and databases from loss in case of a security breach.

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Your data is safeguarded with daily backups to protect your files, emails, and databases.

Malware scans are done 24/7 to minimize cyberattacks and keep your site safe.

Automated software and plugin updates, hardware monitoring, DDoS prevention, periodic malware scans, and network monitoring are all security features you should look for in a hosting company.

These features show that a hosting company is taking steps to protect websites from attacks and safeguard your customer information.

Step 1: Get a

Getting a website is a crucial step in setting up your web hosting business. You can go to HostGator and sign up for a web hosting account.

If you don't have a website yet, it's essential to get one. This will serve as the foundation of your web hosting business.

You can sign up for a web hosting account on HostGator. Their basic plan is a great starting point, and you can always upgrade as your business grows.

Getting a website is a one-time process, but it's a necessary step in setting up your web hosting business.

Business Website Hosting Options

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If you're looking for a web host that's easy to use, consider going with a platform like Wix or Squarespace, they're great for building professional-looking websites.

For small websites, uptime is not a major concern, as a 15-minute outage in the middle of the night won't impact your business.

Customer service is also not as important as you might think, as most web hosts have a decent support system in place, and their UI is usually easy enough to navigate that you won't need to contact support often.

The thing that matters most is that the web host doesn't cause you problems, and the UI is simple enough that you can get WordPress installed quickly.

Pricing is also a major factor, as you want to get the best deal possible, especially on a brand new project.

Here are the top features to look for in a web host for your small business:

  • CDNs
  • WHOIS privacy
  • SSL certificates

These features will ensure your website is secure, private, and fast, which is essential for any business website.

If you're looking for a web host that's specifically designed for small businesses, consider going with a popular web host like Hostinger, Bluehost, or DreamHost, as they usually offer the best price.

Providers and Builders

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If you're looking for a hosting provider with an integrated website builder, consider GoDaddy's Websites + Marketing, which includes many built-in marketing functions. You can get started for free, but then you'll need to add paid features starting at $10/month.

GoDaddy also offers a basic web hosting plan starting at $6/month for 25 GB with free matching domain, email, and SSL. Another alternative is Ionos, which has a simple website builder and offers similar features.

For a more comprehensive website builder, look into Webnode, which offers many beautiful templates and free, safe, and reliable hosting. Webnode's hosting can grow along with your business, and you can easily upgrade to a Premium plan for higher storage and bandwidth options.

Here are some of the top web hosting companies to consider:

DreamHost is also worth considering, as it has strong privacy policies and a comprehensive set of features at a reasonable price. It's a dependable choice for businesses that prioritize data integrity and availability.

GoDaddy: Provider

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GoDaddy is a well-established hosting provider that offers a user-friendly website builder called Websites + Marketing. This builder includes many built-in marketing functions.

GoDaddy's basic web hosting plan starts at $6/month for 25 GB with free matching domain, email, and SSL. It also comes with a free 1-click WordPress install.

GoDaddy offers a range of hosting options, including shared, VPS, and dedicated servers. Its largest hosting company in Europe, IONOS, has over eight million customers and offers a free SSL certificate, free domain name, and free email.

GoDaddy's page loading speed is around 300 ms, making it a fast website host. However, its base plans lack some of the features other hosts include free of charge, such as SSL certificates, site migrations, and security checks.

Here are the key features of GoDaddy's hosting plans:

GoDaddy's customer support is available 24/7 through live chat, phone, and WhatsApp. However, some users have reported lots of upselling in the purchase process.

Step 5: Upload

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Uploading your client's website to your reseller hosting account is a crucial step. Use an FTP client or cPanel to make the upload process smooth.

You can customize the web hosting interface before handing over the account credentials to your customers. This will help you white label your web hosting company by replacing the HostGator logo with your own logo.

Make the necessary changes to the web hosting interface to ensure it's tailored to your brand. This will give your customers a professional and personalized experience.

Companies to Avoid

I've personally used two web hosting companies that I would NEVER sign up with again.

One of them has a reputation for being unreliable, with users reporting frequent downtime and slow loading speeds.

Another company I've had a bad experience with is known for its poor customer support, with users complaining about long wait times and unhelpful representatives.

I've heard from others who have also had issues with these companies, and it's clear that they're not the best choice for web hosting.

GoDaddy Support Issues

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GoDaddy's support has a horrible reputation for being unhelpful. The author of the article had a particularly bad experience with them.

They were forced to migrate their website from Media Temple to GoDaddy, which was a disaster. The transition was poorly managed, and the author had to deal with broken admin features and outdated software.

GoDaddy also jacked up the author's hosting price from $20/month to $29/month, and then expected them to continue paying that rate after the migration. This is a classic example of price gouging.

The author was also offered a free SSL certificate that would cost $99 after the promo period ended. This is a common tactic used by GoDaddy to upsell unnecessary features to their customers.

Here are some key statistics about GoDaddy's support issues:

  • Author's hosting price increased from $20/month to $29/month
  • Author was offered a free SSL certificate that would cost $99 after the promo period ended

GoDaddy's support issues are a major red flag for anyone considering using their services. With so many other reliable web hosting options available, it's best to avoid GoDaddy altogether.

Reseller Hosting

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Reseller hosting is a great option for those who want to get into the hosting business without investing in expensive resources to manage servers and hosting infrastructures. It allows you to sell white labeled hosting services to your clients under your brand name.

You can sublease your hosting space to your clients, buying a hosting service, typically a VPS (Virtual Private Server), from a hosting provider for a wholesale rate and configuring and dividing the hosting space per individual client needs. This can be a profitable venture if you choose the right plan.

HostGator is considered one of the best reseller hosting services, offering affordable reseller hosting plans that make it easy to make a profit. You can control the resource allocation based on your client's needs, which is a big plus.

Some popular features of reseller hosting plans include 300 websites per account, daily backups, free email, unlimited free SSL, unlimited bandwidth, and free CDN. Hostinger's Hostinger Pro reseller hosting service is another great option, offering all of these features and more.

Credit: youtube.com, 7 Reseller Web Hosting Services 2024 (White Label Web Hosting)

To get started with reseller hosting, you'll need to choose a reseller hosting plan, such as HostGator's Aluminium plan, and select a domain name. You can use a domain name generator to find a domain that suits your business.

Here are some key steps to follow when choosing a reseller hosting plan:

  • Research the market and choose a niche
  • Select reliable servers
  • Set up your infrastructure
  • Create hosting plans
  • Market your services to attract customers

By following these steps and choosing the right reseller hosting plan, you can start a successful web hosting business and offer a range of hosting services to your clients.

Reviews and Recommendations

Our expert team has evaluated various web hosting services to ensure they meet the needs of small businesses effectively. We use a comprehensive methodology to identify top web hosting providers.

We looked at uptime guarantee, customer support, security features, pricing and value for money, and user reviews and feedback. Our goal is to help you find the right hosting service that supports your business growth and online presence.

Here are the top 10 best web hosting for small businesses, based on our evaluation criteria:

Our Methodology

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We carefully evaluated various web hosting services to ensure they meet the needs of small businesses effectively. Our goal is to help you find the right hosting service that supports your business growth and online presence.

To identify top web hosting providers, we use a set of criteria that includes uptime guarantee, customer support, security features, pricing and value for money, and user reviews and feedback. We checked each hosting platform's uptime records to ensure they offer at least 99% uptime, keeping your website accessible to visitors.

We evaluated the availability and quality of customer support, including 24/7 chat and phone support, crucial for resolving issues promptly. Customer support is essential for resolving issues quickly, and we looked for services that offer reliable support.

We checked for essential security measures like SSL certificates, backup services, and malware protection to ensure your business data and customer information are protected. This includes services that offer automatic backups and robust security features.

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We compared pricing plans across different hosts, looking for services that offer a good balance of features and affordability for small businesses. This helps us provide recommendations that fit your budget and meet your needs.

We analyzed customer feedback and reviews to gauge overall satisfaction and common issues faced by other small business owners. This gives us a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each hosting service.

Trust My Recommendations

I've been doing online marketing and running websites since 2009, giving me a deep understanding of what works and what doesn't. I've managed websites that drove 8-figures in annual revenue and grown websites from scratch to hundreds of thousands of visitors per month.

My experience has taught me the importance of evaluating hosting services based on specific criteria, such as uptime guarantee, customer support, security features, pricing and value for money, and user reviews and feedback. I use these criteria to provide detailed and dependable recommendations tailored to small businesses' needs.

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I'm not afraid to give you 100% transparency - if you click links in this post, I do make some money off of it, just like every post ranking in Google works in the web hosting space. You should be skeptical of every post ranking, I know I am.

My top recommendations are based on thorough research and evaluation, not just to make a sale. For example, I've compared the prices and features of various hosts, looking for services that offer a good balance of features and affordability for small businesses.

Here are some of my top recommendations:

These hosts have been thoroughly evaluated and meet the needs of small businesses effectively. Trust my recommendations, and you'll be on your way to establishing a robust online presence for your business.

Flywheel Downtime and Poor Support

Flywheel's issues with downtime started shortly after we began managing a site already using them.

The site, generating 7-figures in annual revenue, experienced multiple downtime incidents due to Flywheel's mistakes.

Credit: youtube.com, Flywheel Hosting Review [2023] 🔥 Best Web Hosting Provider? (Live Demo, Speed Test & Recommendation)

Their support team's lack of understanding made things worse, causing a major site outage.

I had to get a CTO from another company to intervene and help resolve the issue.

These problems happened in the middle of the night, resulting in 2am fire drills to get the site back up.

We had two major incidents, and after the second one, we immediately started planning our site migration to WP Engine.

We've had no issues since moving to WP Engine, which suggests that Flywheel's problems are significant.

Flywheel was acquired by WP Engine in 2019, but it seems they're still struggling with downtime and support issues.

Cost and Pricing

The cost of business website hosting can vary greatly, depending on the size and complexity of your website, as well as the additional features you need. You can get a good website on shared hosting for less than $10/month, while larger sites with e-commerce features can cost around $30/month.

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For small businesses, reliable and fast hosting is crucial, and you can get this for under $100/month. Look for hosting with an uptime guarantee, automatic software updates, and a solid technical support team. Most web hosting contracts work on a monthly basis, but many hosts offer discounts for purchasing a year, two years, or three years in advance.

Here are some pricing options to consider:

  • Shared hosting: $5.99/month after a 3-year promo period ends
  • VPS hosting: $100/month or more
  • Dedicated hosting: $100/month or more
  • Monthly billing: $4.95/month for 3 months, then $7.99/month

Bottom Line

Pricing for web hosting can vary greatly, but good web hosting for small businesses can cost less than $10/month.

You can get a shared hosting plan from a reputable web hosting company for a low price, making it the cheapest sensible way to host a professional business website.

Most web hosting contracts work on a monthly basis, but many hosts offer big discounts for purchasing a year, two years, or three years in advance.

Managed web hosting services, which include features like an online store, automated backups, and unlimited bandwidth, can raise the price to around $30/month.

Even with managed web hosting, most small business sites cost under $100/month to host.

Look for web hosting with an uptime guarantee, automatic updates of software, and a solid technical support team that can quickly help you out with any issues.

Cost

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Web hosting costs can vary greatly depending on the size and complexity of your website, as well as the features included in your hosting plan. You can get a good web hosting plan for less than $10/month for a small business.

A shared hosting plan is usually the cheapest option, with prices starting from around $2.59/month, as seen with DreamHost's lowest promo pricing. However, be aware that most web hosts require a minimum 12-month contract, and you might not get the best price with monthly billing.

If you need more features, such as an online store or automated backups, you can expect to pay around $30/month. Managed web hosting services, where the hosting company handles all the daily upkeep of your website, can cost a little more, but most small business sites cost under $100/month to host.

Here's a rough guide to help you estimate the costs:

Keep in mind that these prices are only estimates, and the actual cost may vary depending on the hosting company and the features you need. It's essential to research and compare prices before making a decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best web hosting for business?

For businesses, we recommend SiteGround, HubSpot, or Bluehost for their reliable performance, robust security features, and excellent customer support. These top-rated web hosts offer scalable solutions to meet the unique needs of growing businesses.

Is Wix hosting really free?

Yes, signing up for Wix is 100% free, allowing you to create a fully functional website without any upfront costs. However, you may choose to upgrade to premium features later on.

Is GoDaddy an hosting site?

GoDaddy offers web hosting services, including affordable plans with generous storage and bandwidth. Explore our hosting options to find the best fit for your website.

Mona Renner

Senior Copy Editor

Mona Renner is a meticulous and detail-driven Copy Editor with a passion for refining complex concepts into clear and concise language. With a keen eye for grammar and syntax, she has honed her skills in editing articles across a range of technical topics, including Google Drive APIs. Her expertise lies in distilling technical jargon into accessible and engaging content that resonates with diverse audiences.

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