When you’re new to the web hosting game, it can get a bit confusing trying to decide which web hosts are the real deal and which ones you may regret going with. Fortunately, there are a number of hosts that have built up a great reputation for delivering consistently good service over a prolonged period. Using reviews from both experts and customers, we have listed our top 5:
HostGator – Highly ranked in most reviews, HostGator provides a range of attractive hosting packages to suit most needs. It is recommended particularly for shared hosting solutions and has excellent 24/7 customer service. It also provided dedicated hosting for businesses who need that next level of service. It also works well with the most popular CMS of all – WordPress.
GoDaddy – Originally started out as a domain provider but has expanded massively over the last few years. They now offer a huge range of services including web development and managed WordPress should you require it. GoDaddy scores highly with both experts and customers alike and is well regarded for its high quality customer service and excellent uptime.
1&1 – Another company that can provide packages for all types of requirements, 1&1 provides website creation tools that are probably the easiest on the market to use. It also scores very highly in terms uptime and customer support, both key qualities in any good web host provider.
InMotion – They offer a range of packages including Business, VPS, Dedicated, Reseller and WordPress hosting. You also have a number of free tools for website building and their managed WordPress hosting is a highly popular choice.
Hostwinds – And to make up our top 5 we have to include Hostwinds because it is one of the top options for VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting. For businesses looking for enhanced security for their website, a good quality VPS host is a great solution. Hostwinds also provide a really good level of customer service, meaning you can have peace of mind knowing that help is there if and when you require it.
- Will I be uploading lots of data?
- Do I need unlimited storage?
- Will I be using WordPress?
- Should I go for shared hosting or do I need a dedicated hosting option?
- Could I want to set up more websites under the same package in the future?
- Do I want unlimited storage and bandwidth?
- What level of security will I be happy with?
These are just a few of the considerations that will help you to decide what the right host is for you. Remember that some packages may offer way more features that you could ever need, so it is pointless paying more for features that you won’t use.
If you are not sure what your future website requirements look like, make sure that you go with a host that offers expandability, so if your business grows, your website can still support it effectively. It will be extremely frustrating if you select a web host and put in months or even years of content development only for your business needs to outgrow your web host’s capabilities. That is why it is recommended that you go for one of the most highly rated web hosts, as they are highly experienced at supporting businesses of all sizes.