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:

Top Website Hosting Services - header
  • 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.

  1. Knownhost
  2. Wealthy Affiliate
  3. Bluehost
  4. Accuweb Hosting
  5. Cloudways
  6. 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.

Top Website Hosting Services - stripe

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

best web hosting - 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.

website hosting services - knownhost services

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:

knownhost pricing

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

Top Website Hosting Services - 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:

  1. 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.
  2. It is the platform that gave me the tools to create this, and a number of other websites.
  3. 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
Top Website Hosting Services - Wealthy Affiliate stripe

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:

Top Website Hosting Services - Wealthy Affiliate costs

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

Top Website Hosting Services - 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.

Top Website Hosting Services - Bluehost stripe

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:

Top Website Hosting Services - Bluehost stripe

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

Top Website Hosting Services - accuweb

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
Top Website Hosting Services - accuweb stripe

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:

Top Website Hosting Services - accuweb costs

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

AccuWeb's Free Web Hosting

5. Cloudways

Top Website Hosting Services - 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
Top Website Hosting Services - Cloudways stripe

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:

Top Website Hosting Services - Cloudways costing

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

The Ultimate Managed Hosting Platform

6. A2 Hosting

Top Website Hosting Services - 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
web hosting affiliate programs - A2 Stripe

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:

Top Website Hosting Services - a2 hosting costs

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.

Set up your A2 account here

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.

Introducing Wealthy Affiliate, My #1 Recommendation for Setting Up Your Own Online Business

wealthy affiliate new home page

When I started, I knew I wanted to work online, but had absolutely no idea where to begin! You see I had watched friends of mine run a sales party to sell essential oils and someone asked if they could just sell them online?

Then, as I sat on the bus heading into my office job, I started to wonder if I could do just that, sell essential oils online.

Anything to stop having to catch this bus to and from work every day right!

The trouble was, as I mentioned above, I had no idea how to even start.

So of course I started to look around online and found all these courses! They all promised me riches then took my money but left me with no riches!

Then I stumbled across the program that didn’t promise me riches, but told me it could help me get started even with no experience!

So I did that, joined Wealthy Affiliate that was it, and the rest as they say, is history!

But it doesn’t come without work!

That is the key here! I began on their starter membership and did the training! I then joined as a member and did some more training!

Each night after work, I would do a little more, then a little more.

And to cut a long story short, after 10 months I realized I didn’t really like writing about essential oils, so I sold the site for about $2000. But I had learned so much that I started another – about fishing and camping!

Then, after 18 months (by which time it had earned me close to $10k), I was offered $17k for the site, so I sold it too.

Now, through my travel blog, I’ve been able to fund my passion for travel and explore different places around the world.

In the past few months, I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to some amazing destinations, including Bali, Los Angeles, Dallas, Vancouver and Las Vegas.

The success of my travel blog has allowed me to fully fund my travels and explore new destinations with my family.

Steps to Creating a Successful Travel Blog - Me at Whistler

Try the Wealthy Affiliate as a Starter Member and Build your First Hub!

As you start your journey, Wealthy Affiliate is there for you with the most comprehensive training package I have ever seen – And as I have mentioned, I have used a few in my professional career trust me.

To get you started, Wealthy Affiliate has recently introduced the Hub.

The Hub

The hub is an AI based niche and website creation tool that will get you up and running with the foundation of your OWN business in just a few minutes. This includes:

  • Your website – hosted and inclusive of a WordPress editor
  • Your brand
  • Your ‘done-for-you’ research
  • Your blueprint
  • A task list that is going to help you drive the creation and growth of your business moving forward.
Wealthy Affiliate Review 24 - Hub screen

The hub makes the website creation process simple which allows you to get started on the training with a solid base and understanding of the processes.

All you need to do is choose your subject – which is known as your ‘niche’ – and follow the steps on the screen.

Oh, and as you run through the training below you may realize that what you created above is not exactly what you want. That’s ok, you can just create a new hub!

Wealthy Affiliate Training

Then as you continue your journey, the Wealthy Affiliate Hub is there for you with the most comprehensive training package I have ever seen – And I have used a few in my professional career trust me.

Above we discussed the use of the Hub to set up a website. Once you have done this, you will be able to access the “Step-by-Step Core Training”.

This is available to all members including starter members and will give you everything you need to know to continue to create your online business.

Wealthy Affiliate Review 24 - step by step core training

Member Training

There are also Live weekly classes taught by REAL industry experts on a range of topics like artificial intelligence (AI), SEO, YouTube, WordPress, PPC marketing and more.

wealthy affiliate master training

Great, What Else Does Wealthy Affiliate Have To Help You?

So, let’s keep this short, Wealthy Affiliate is a one-stop-shop platform that provides:

  • The Hub – this is the starting point and uses AI processes to assist you in determining your niche and creating your brand.
  • Complete training programs to assist with the development of your own affiliate marketing website in your own niche.
  • Website creation and publishing tools including access to WordPress editors and themes.
  • AI Content article design and content creation
  • Domain name purchasing (you get a free domain when you upgrade to the Premium membership).
  • Website hosting, security and backup.
  • Online help and chat forums.
  • Weekly live training events.
  • 24/7 support.
  • Keyword access tools.
  • SEO assistance.

The platform has been active for over 15 years with the original developers and owners, Kyle and Carson, still extremely active in its day to day operations – especially as they rollout their AI capabilities.

wa first two steps

You Can Try it Yourself For Free

Now of course I can tell you all about how Wealthy Affiliate works (because it does) until I am blue in the face. But every other program out there – including the shams and scams – will tell you the same thing!

So how about you just try it for free yourself. The Wealthy Affiliate Starter membership is free to join and gives you access to everything you need to get started – all without the need to spend a cent!

With the starter membership, you get:

  • 1 Limited Business Hub
  • 1,500 AI Word Credits
  • Try the AI Author Platform (BETA)
  • 1 Practice Website
  • Jaaxy Starter
  • Limited Help & Support
  • Core Niche Training (8 Classes)

And of course I will be there to help you every step of the way as well!

Look, in the interest of transparency, whilst Wealthy Affiliate does offer a free starter membership, this is designed to give you a look around, have a practice and see if it is worthwhile for you – which is a really great option.

However, as with all new businesses, you will need to make some investment so if you are serious about making money online , you will need to upgrade to a premium membership as this will give you access to all the tools you need in the one spot to succeed!

Afterall, every business needs tools to grow!

So How Much Does This Really Cost?

Wealthy Affiliate does not use upsells once you join – but as I mentioned in the video, to succeed here you will need to invest in a membership. There are a couple of options that provide access to all the tools, training and assistance that you could need – and a free domain as well.

Wealthy Affiliate offers a trio of membership tiers, as detailed on their pricing page.

You can opt for the Starter membership at no cost, the Premium membership for $49 per month or the Premium Plus+ membership for $99 per month. That’s the full extent of it – and you can absolutely build your website without having to spend another cent.

You won’t encounter any unexpected additional charges or covert fees and as a Premium member, you’re equipped with all the essentials to initiate, develop and expand a thriving online enterprise.

Those who opt for the Premium membership are provided with

  • Hosting for their websites
  • A complimentary domain name
  • Access to hundreds of hours of current expert tutorials
  • Various marketing and research tools
  • Personal guidance from seasoned professionals in the field
  • And much much more

And for those of you who want to make a serious investment into your future, there are some yearly options as well below to give you peace of mind that you have a whole year ahead of you to get stuff done!

And Don’t Forget the Personal Coaching

Once you join, not only do you get plenty of assistance from me, but you also have access to expert coaching, support and mentorship from real industry experts.

I mean, you can have access to all of the top-tier affiliate marketing training in the world, but inevitably, questions arise, particularly during the initial stages.

With an exceptionally dynamic and engaged community that boasts over 2.7 million members, Wealthy Affiliate offers an environment where you, as a member, can fully immerse and leverage this network.

You’re never alone; you have the collective wisdom of an entire community at your fingertips, ready to assist at any moment.

Plus, there’s always-on, rapid-response website support to handle any technical queries you may encounter.

WA graphic

Wealthy Affiliate Works: Real Results From Real People

As I have mentioned a number of times, Wealthy Affiliate has helped me make real money online though its training and tools.

I have made money each month as well as a sale for $17,000.

But again, those promoting other programs will tell you the same thing!

So let’s get away from me and see what others are saying:

To start with, Wealthy Affiliate has a 4.9 out of 5 Star TrustPilot rating, which is a remarkable accomplishment in any industry, let alone the online business industry.

WA trust pilot image

And here are some of those reviews:

wealthy affiliate trust pilot

And this is what people are saying within Wealthy Affiliate as well:

home page - success at WA

So, Let’s Make a Decision!

Let’s be frank, you have read this far so why not go all in, click on the button below to get started on the way to your very online business.

And once you are in and have had a play around with the hub, look for the little envelope on the top right and there will be a message from me. It is of course automated so respond to let me know you are there and we can start this journey together.

(oh, and the profile is mine so you can find me that way as well)

wealthy affiliate envelope

See you there

Paul

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