Hey there Sea Changers… In a recent post I discussed some steps required to start a website blog and discussed the importance/need to purchase a domain name and have it hosted. Today I will expand on that to outline my 6 top website hosting services this year. We will have a look at:
- What they do
- What they don't do
- How much they cost
- Who they are best suited for
So, if you are looking for a service to host your website, then grab a drink and a notebook and let's dive right in.
- Knownhost
- Wealthy Affiliate
- Bluehost
- Accuweb Hosting
- Cloudways
- A2 Hosting
What is a website hosting service?
Ok, so let's start with some descriptions…'Website Hosting' is a service that allows for a website or web page to be published onto the internet. Website hosts then are a service provider that provides the technologies and services needed for this process to occur. In short, a website can not be found online unless it has a domain URL (known generally as a web address) and is hosted. So, for the purposes of this post, we will look at sites that provide web hosting as part of their range of services which can often include.
- General Website hosting
- URL and Domains
- Website editing
- Security
- Training and information
- Email accounts
- FTP access
- Backup and support
Essentially, at the end of the day, a web hosting service is simply a platform that stores your website for you and publishes it to the world wide web so that others can locate and view it via their internet browser.
What are the best website hosting services
There are literally hundreds (maybe thousands) of web hosting services available out there that may be useful to you. Some are free (usually with a sub domain URL only), some require a once off purchase, others a monthly subscription (most common) and some a mixture of both. Obviously I cannot cover them all so I have chosen a small percentage of them to discuss here based on:
- What the majority of the top web designers use
- Value for money
- Research into online reviews and feedback
- My own personal use and experience
Read on for an outline of my top 6.
Check out these: Best Website Hosting Affiliate Programs
1. Knownhost
Our first option, KnownHost, promotes itself as “the #1 managed VPS hosting provider globally” with an extremely large array of options for hosting services including:
- VPS Hosting
- Dedicated Servers
- Cloud VPS
- Reseller Hosting
- Web Hosting
- WordPress Hosting
- Application Hosting
- Domain Registration
- SSL Certificates
This list really doesn't do the site justice however there are sub options to suit every needs as well here.
Pros
- Ability to purchase services based on level of functionality required.
- Competitive pricing.
- Well known and solid platform.
Cons
- No free trial option.
How much does it cost?
There are a number of pricing options available dependent on the services chosen. The base KnownHost website hosting plans are as follows:
Prices are $USD and are variable depending on whether a 12, 24 or 36 month contract is chosen.
Comments
I have used Knownhost for my a number of my websites where I have needed extra integration for services such as advertising and site speed integrations. They have accommodated every customization requirement I have needed here including external DNS server integrations and migration with ease and excellent support.
Set up your KnownHost account here
2. Wealthy Affiliate
Although our next site, Wealthy Affiliate is not a hosting focused platform as such, I have included it here for a number of reasons including:
- It is an all encompassing affiliate marketing site aimed at assisting people in building their own online business including domain name purchase and website hosting.
- It is the platform that gave me the tools to create this, and a number of other websites.
- Their premium membership price of $49 provides hosting for up to 10 websites on top of its training and support functions.
From a website hosting point of view however, their functionality includes:
- Advanced Website & Hosting
- Website Builder50 Premium Websites
- Advanced Hosting Security Suite
- Free SSL
- Daily Backup
- Hacking Prevention
- SiteSpeed Extreme Caching
- 24/7 Managed
- 24/7 SiteSupport
- Google Pagespeed Optimized
- DDos Protection
- Image optimization
- Dual Server Hosting Redundancy
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Instant DNSHost
- Owned Domains
- 1,000,000 Monthly Visits
- Website Engagement Platform
The platform includes extensive training in regards to website development, domain purchase and hosting as well as the creation of an online business as a whole. The platform is free to join for a starter membership with access to a free sub domain website only. Premium memberships are available at $49 per month for Premium (includes hosting for 10 websites and $99 per month for Premium + (hosting for 50 websites).
Pros
- Free membership option allowing for new web designers to learn the ropes without cost.
- Highly effective hosting features.
- Web page builder and full training included – in reality, it is a training platform that provides hosting as well.
- No lock in contracts.
- Externally hosted websites can be imported and hosted within WA as part of the base membership cost.
Cons
- Costs for hosting alone are slightly higher than other programs listed below (although this improves as more websites are created).
- Not all functions are available on free and premium membership levels.
How much does it cost?
As mentioned above, there are three membership tiers available as per below:
Prices outlined are $USD.
Comments
I have used Wealthy Affiliate to create all of my websites – all of which are making money online. It does cost a little more initially than the others listed below however the fact that it is an all in one platform makes it well worth the layout in my opinion.
Set up your Wealthy Affiliate account here
3. Bluehost
Bluehost, the ” leading web hosting solutions company” is an extremely popular website hosting service provider with a rich coverage of functionality including:
- WordPress hosting
- Shared hosting
- VPS hosting
- Dedicated hosting
- Reseller hosting
And as per most good hosting based sites available, they also offer the following:
- WordPress website builder included
- Managed WordPress
- e-Commerce
- Domain purchase and management
- Full service websites
- SEO services
- PPC services
- Website migration
With a mission to “empower people to fully harness the web”, Bluehost provides web services to over 2 million clients worldwide.
Pros
- Ability to purchase services based on level of functionality required.
- Competitive pricing.
- Well known and solid platform.
- Free domain for first year.
Cons
- No free trial option.
- Prices are charged on an annual basis only.
How much does it cost?
There are a number of pricing options available dependent on the services chosen. The base Bluehost website hosting plans are as follows:
Prices are $USD and are variable depending on whether a 12, 24 or 36 month contract is chosen.
Comments
I have use Bluehost for my websites in the past and always found it to be solid and reliable platform. It also allows for full WordPress management as well.
Set up your Bluehost account here
4. Accuweb Hosting
AccuWebHosting offers more that 17 years of experience as a “one stop shop for all your hosting requirements”. With a mission to “ensure productive, warm and friendly relationships with their customers, both before and after their targets have been achieved”, they offer the following services:
- WordPress Hosting
- Web hosting
- Cloud hosting
- Application hosting
- VPS hosting
- Windows VPS
- Dedicated servers
- Web services
- Network tools and resources
And as with most other professional operations such as this, they also offer a number of add on services such as:
- Domain purchase
- Email management
- Backup
- Software licensing
- Speed testing
Pros
- Free lifetime hosting option.
- Ability to purchase services based on level of functionality required.
- Competitive pricing.
- Well known and solid platform.
- Free domain for first year.
Cons
- Prices are charged on a minimum 6 monthly basis only.
- Does not contain the tuition/education services of some others.
How much does it cost?
There are a number of pricing options available dependent on the services chosen. The base website hosting plans are as follows:
Prices are $USD and are variable depending on whether a 6, 12, 24 or 36 month contract is chosen.
Free hosting is for one website only
Comments
This is a great option for those looking to get themselves started with a hosted wordpress site for free prior to ramping up to more service rich options as the site matures. In addition, there are a great number of hosting options here to suit both individual, professional and corporate requirements alike.
Set up your Accuweb Hosting account here
5. Cloudways
Our next option is a good one for those who prefer cloud based hosting on well-known service providers such as AWS and Google etc. Cloudways offers website hosting on 5 well-known and stable cloud based providers with a large range of services including:
- Free SSL
- CDN Add-on
- Free Migration
- Unlimited Application Installation
- Team Management
- Dedicated Firewalls
- 24/7 Real-time Monitoring
- Automated Backups
- Staging Environment
- Optimized With Advanced Caches
- Auto Healing
- Regular Security Patching
- HTTP/2 Enabled Servers
- SSH and SFTP Access
And as mentioned, sites can be hosted on 1 of 5 well-known cloud service providers including:
- Digital Ocean
- Linode
- VULTR
- AWS
- Google Cloud
Pros
- Free trial option.
- No lock in contract.
- Ability to purchase services based on level of functionality required.
- Services hosted on well-known and trusted cloud platforms.
Cons
- Prices are a little higher than some other options.
- Does not contain the tuition/education services of some others.
How much does it cost?
Free trial with some limitations on functionality. Pricing starts at $10 for base hosting and up as follows:
Prices are $USD
Comments
I have experience with cloud based hosting in a previous professional capacity and always found them to be extremely reliable and effective. This is a good site for those looking for predominately cloud based hosting on well-known and trusted servers. They also offer the convenience of being able to sign up without the need for lock in contracts.
Set up your Cloudways account here
6. A2 Hosting
And finally we look into a site offering to boost SEO and conversions with up to 20x faster hosting in A2 Hosting. Founded in 2001 in a two room office, the company has now grown to host data centers around the globe. Apart from fast hosting, their range of products is similar to others listed here with:
- Web Hosting
- WordPress Hosting
- Managed WordPress Hosting
- Reseller Hosting
- VPS Hosting
- Managed VPS Hosting
- Cloud Hosting
- Dedicated Server Hosting
- Email Hosting
- Developer Friendly Hosting
- Domain Registration
- Domain Transfer
- SSL Certificates
- Swift Servers Fast Hosting
There is a great blog and knowledge base on this site as well as domain and managed WordPress hosting too.
Pros
- Up to 20x faster hosting than other services.
- No lock in contract.
- Ability to purchase services based on level of functionality required.
- Optimized for the optimal configuration with a number of web design and ecommerce packages.
Cons
- Advertised prices rise if long term options are not chosen.
- Does not contain the tuition/education services of some others.
How much does it cost?
Pricing varies greatly based on hosting options chosen. Base WordPress hosting is as follows:
Prices are $USD
Comments
This looks to be a great option site for those looking at sites with a large amount of graphics/videos to be hosted as well as designers who are looking for speed as their highest requirement. There are also some good dedicated high speed server options for corporate needs as well.
My Recommendation
To be honest, if you are looking for a good web hosting service then any of the 6 listed above will do the job for you. I have built my websites with Wealthy Affiliate, currently use KnownHost and have hosted with Bluehost in the past and found them all extremely effective. The next three options I have included due to their large range of services, trusted name and the ability to offer options for all levels of use.
So, in short, I would go with the following:
- Guided website setup and hosting – Wealthy Affiliate
- Budget hosting – KnownHost, Bluehost, Accuweb Hosting
- Trusted cloud hosting – Cloudways
- Speed – A2 Hosting
- Advertising integrations including DNS server redirections – KnownHost
Conclusion
Ok, so there you have my top 6 web hosting services this year. There are many others out there so if you have a good experience with one of them please comment below and I would be more than happy to check it out and add it to this post. Would also love to hear about your experiences with any that I have outlined here. Have I missed anything or is there anything you feel I should highlight? If so, again, please comment below.
Do you need help with setting up own hosted website?
If you are looking for a comprehensive training platform that can give you step by step training, 24/7 support, tools to develop and host your very own website and access to some of the best affiliate marketing minds on the planet, then click on the following link to read more about Wealthy Affiliate.
Until next time
Have fun
Paul
Note: If you make a purchase from this page, there is a very good chance that I make a commission from it – these commissions do not increase your sale price. This may include purchases made via KnownHost, Wealthy Affiliate, Bluehost, A2 Hosting, Accuweb and Cloudways.