What is Web Hosting?
“Hosting a website” is buying space on a web server to store and access your website files. Think about web hosting as a parking space in a crowded city. Just as you need a parking space to park your car, you need a website hosting service to “park” your site online. Just as you pay for a parking space, you also pay for website hosting services to ensure your website stays up and running. That’s why it is important to know the best hosting services available.
Why is Web Hosting Important?
You can completely design your website from top to bottom and buy a domain name for your business, but until you put the site up on a server, it cannot be accessed by anyone online. This is why web hosting is important, no one online will be able to access your website until its hosted on a server. That’s why a website hosting service is needed. So, if website hosting is needed to businesses online, where do you begin when hosting your site?
3 Types of Web Hosting
Here are 3 of the most common types of web hosting services I put them in order of least expensive to most expensive. according to Forbes.com.
Shared Hosting
Shared web hosting, as the name suggests is when multiple websites. Share the same server and its resources. A few examples of shared hosting providers are TMDHosting, Bluehost, InMotion, and DreamHost.
Advantages
- Affordable
- Easy to Use
- 24/7 hosting
Disadvantages
- Not secure
- Reliance on a single server
- Tech assistance could take some time
Reseller Hosting
Reseller hosting allows you to provide a web hosting service without owning the technical equipment or expertise. It entails one to rent a space on a server and resell it to other customers. Some examples of reseller hosting providers are A2 Hosting, Hostwinds, and HostGator.
Advantages
- Cost-effective
- Hassle-free
- Free technical support
- Ideal for web designers and or developers
Disadvantages
- Competitive market
- Requires technical understanding
- Limited resources
WordPress Web Hosting
Managed web hosting is a type of web hosting wherein a client pays a service provider to look after all the technical aspects of a website, such as general upkeep, regular maintenance, performing security checks, and, hosting the data on their servers.
WordPress web hosting (which I am using to publish my site and my blogs) refers to a specialized service available for WordPress users that improves their website’s performance and provides additional features like plugins, security tools, etc. It eliminates the need to perform basic daily tasks, such as backups, core updates, and server-level caching.
Generally, Managed WordPress hosting is used by freelancers, agencies, growing e-commerce sites, and small businesses.
Advantages
- Support from WordPress experts
- Faster loading times
- Saves time
- Easy management
Disadvantages
- Kinda expensive
- Exclusive to WordPress users only
Best Hosting Providers
Now that we covered the best types of web hosting let’s talk about the best hosting providers.
I’ve listed below Forbes’s best web hosting services of 2024 and their reasons why.
- IONOS: Best for startups
- HostGator: Best perks
- Bluehost: Best for new websites
- DreamHost: Best for WordPress beginners
- InMotion Hosting: Best for reliability
- MochaHost: Best for lifetime SSL certificates
- GoDaddy: Best for easy site setup
- Hostwinds: Best for content-heavy sites
- InterServer: Best for website security
- TMDHosting: Best for fast-growing businesses
Sources
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/best-web-hosting-services/
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/in/business/software/types-of-web-hosting/
https://strategynewmedia.com/why-do-you-need-web-hosting