Every small business needs a robust online presence to succeed in the marketplace.
However, not every small business owner knows how to create and host a website. This blog post will compare and contrast some of the best web hosting for small business providers. By using this information, small business owners can decide which provider is right for them.
So, what are the best website hosting providers for small businesses? Before we review the 8 small business website hosting platforms, let’s understand a few things about small business web hosting.
What Is Web Hosting?
Web hosting is a service that enables people and companies to publish a website or web page online.
A web hosting service provider is a company that offers the technology and services necessary for a website or webpage to be seen on the Internet. Websites are hosted or kept on servers, which are specialized computers.
Internet users must enter your website’s URL or domain into their browsers to visit your site. Their machine will subsequently establish a connection with your server, and your web pages will be transmitted to their browser.
Most hosting companies ask that you transfer ownership of your domain to them. If you do not have a domain name, the web hosting company will assist you in acquiring one.
Why Is Website Hosting For Small Businesses Important?
Your website is your digital storefront and needs to be up and running 24/7.
This is why website hosting is so important for small businesses. With a reliable host, you can rest assured that your site will always be online and accessible to your customers.
A good host will also provide security features to protect your site from hackers and malware and offer customer support in case you need help with anything.
In addition, a quality host will offer features like unlimited storage and bandwidth, which is essential if you want your site to grow.
Investing in a suitable host ensures that your website is always up and running, which is vital for the success of your small business.
What Are the Web Hosting Features Small Businesses Need?
There’s no question that small businesses need a reliable, high-quality web host. But with so many features and options available, it can be tough to know what you need. While having extra features is always welcomed, some essential components are non-negotiable regarding good web hosting.
Here are some essential web hosting features for small businesses:
- Reliable uptime: Your website needs to run 24/7. Look for a web host that offers 99.9% uptime or better.
- Fast page loading speeds: A fast website is crucial for keeping visitors happy and engaged. Make sure your web host can offer quick page loading speeds.
- Secure hosting: Security is always a top priority for small businesses. Choose a web host that offers secure hosting options, such as SSL certificates and malware scanning.
- E-commerce features: If you plan on selling products or services online, look for a web host that offers e-commerce features, such as shopping carts and payment processing.
- Customer support: When something goes wrong with your website, you’ll want to be able to reach customer support quickly. Look for a web host offering 24/7/365 customer support via phone, live chat, or email.
In our round-up, we will compare and review the list of web hosting companies for the best small business website hosting services based on these factors.
8 Small Business Website Hosting Platforms
Hostgator
HostGator has a long history of providing quality service and support, and its small business plans are specifically designed to meet the needs of growing businesses.
HostGator has everything you need to get your website up and running with unlimited storage and bandwidth, a free domain name, and a user-friendly control panel and their 24/7 customer support team is always ready to help.
which is why it has topped our list of the best website hosting company for small business.
Those unfamiliar with the phrase “dedicated server hosting” refer to having your server within a larger organization’s network. You will not need to share server space with other websites. Instead, you’ll have your server with the necessary software and customer service tools.
HostGator also offers more basic hosting plans that are competitively priced and perform as well as those offered by competing competitors.
With so many features and benefits, it’s no wonder that HostGator is one of the most popular web hosting providers for small businesses.
The main features of HostGator are its unlimited storage and bandwidth, free domain name, and money-back guarantee.
It also offers a variety of other features, such as unlimited email accounts, databases, and FTP accounts. The starting price for HostGator is $5.95 per month, but it offers discounts for longer terms.
Pros: Reliability, uptime, customer support, and security.
Cons: lack of Windows-based servers outside of the US.
Bluehost
Bluehost is a popular choice for both personal and business web hosting because it is easy to set up and use its services. One of their one-year packages comes with a free domain name.
Plus, Bluehost’s prices are low, despite its many features. And as your site grows, you can easily upgrade to more expensive plans, such as VPS and dedicated server hosting, that are still easy on your wallet.
Bluehost also works hard to make things easier for businesses that use its services. For example, its business features, like Google Ads and Google My Business, are right on the dashboard, making them easy to get to.
Aside from that, the host is easy to use. Everything about it is easy enough for a beginner to understand, from setting it up to using the dashboard. So, you can change how you spend your time and put your attention back on your small business.
As the most popular option, shared is used by individuals and small-business owners. If you pay $7.99 per month, you receive e-commerce compatibility, WordPress integration, and a dedicated customer service team.
Bluehost provides a layer of protection and access for enterprises that desire greater control over how they use their server space through a virtual private server. The cost is $29.99 per month.
At a monthly cost of $119.99, Bluehost provides one of the most incredible web hosting options for small businesses with high-traffic e-commerce websites that demand the most bandwidth and security.
Pros:
- Resources and features are available if you need them.
- Several plans and options to choose from for your business needs.
- Unlimited storage and bandwidth, a free domain name, and a user-friendly control panel.
Cons:
- Bluehost’s basic plans do not include some features that are standard with other providers, such as a free SSL certificate or email accounts.
- Customer service has been known to be slow and unresponsive at times.
Namecheap
For many reasons, Namecheap is an outstanding choice for small business website hosting.
Namecheap offers a choice of alternatives that are specifically geared to the needs of small businesses. It provides excellent customer support, with a team of experts on hand to help with any issues that may arise.
You can get a money-back guarantee, ensuring that you are satisfied with your service. Namecheap will provide you with a free domain name when you join up for a new plan, which might help you save money on your overall web hosting costs.
You are also provided with a variety of tools and resources to help you design and manage your website, including a website builder, templates, and e-commerce choices.
Pros
- Free domain and migration
- Money-back guarantee
- Quick load time
Cons
- Poor customer service
Inmotion
InMotion hosting is a well-known brand in the market as one of the best hostings for small businesses, and its business-class hosting has always performed well.
They are a user favorite because of their 99.9% uptime and award-winning technical assistance. Their unrivaled customer care in the United States is always willing to assist.
WordPress for small business hosting from InMotion is built for active small service business and bloggers and allows your website to expand in a variety of ways. Users may enjoy a 57 percent discount, as well as a free domain and SSL certificate.
The web hosting service includes a wide range of features that fit various personal and commercial web hosting needs, including economical shared, dedicated, reseller, virtual private server (VPS), and WordPress plans. It also offers excellent uptime and customer service.
When your business grows, you don’t have to worry about shifting to a new hosting company. If you ever find yourself in need of more significant resources, just increase your hosting package.
Pros:
- 90 days money-back guarantee
- Free website transfer
- Option to choose the data center in US
Cons:
- No monthly billing
- Expensive than the alternatives
Dreamhost
DreamHost is a popular choice among small business web hosting companies and small business owners.
A relatively low cost is offered for hosting for a year or month-to-month. Not only that, but the service also comes with a bevy of handy add-ons. It’s also simple to use, particularly for WordPress sites.
DreamHost, a significant participant in the business, is well-known for its affordable, feature-rich plans. For the low, low sum of $2.59 each month, you can have it all. This package includes a rapid WordPress installation, automatic updates, daily backups, and free domain privacy for all users.
In addition, DreamHost has one of the most cost-effective one-year hosting options on the market. Service providers routinely hike rates for shorter contracts, as you can see. On the other side, DreamHost does not have this issue. The Unlimited plan is considerably cheaper, while the Starter plan has only seen a $0.36 monthly price increase.
DreamHost also goes above and above in terms of ease of use for WordPress users, especially when compared to another hosting. Additionally, BoldGrid, DreamHost’s WordPress website builder, will make things a lot easier for you.
BoldGrid’s ease of use will be appreciated by first-time users. All you need is a drag-and-drop editor with no coding skills to have your corporate website up and operating in a matter of hours.
With its affordable costs, extensive range of services, and user-friendliness, DreamHost is the gold standard for small business web hosting.
Pros:
- Officially recommended by WordPress
- Award-winning support
- Impressive 97-day money-back guarantee
Cons:
- Data centers based only in the US
- Some users have reported confusing control panel and find it difficult to use.
iPage
To help small companies break into the e-commerce space, iPage offers a comprehensive suite of domain and web hosting services under one roof as the best web hosting for beginners.
Single shared hosting from iPage is among the most affordable, coming in at just $1.99 a month for three years. Additionally, they provide two WordPress-based memberships that include extras like SiteLock and malware removal.
iPage comes with a slew of features to make setting up your website as simple as quick as possible. These features include an infinite amount of storage space, a free domain name, and an unlimited number of email addresses.
There are hundreds of pre-built themes and styles for websites. You may create a mobile-friendly website utilizing their website builder.
Small business owners will enjoy the ease with which shopping carts and PayPal integration may be quickly implemented. iPage is compatible with several popular Content Management Systems (CMS), including WordPress, Drupal, and Magento.
An online ticketing system and chat and phone help are accessible around the clock for iPage customers. For 30 days, iPage will refund your money if you are not satisfied with the service you receive.
Pros
- Cheap and inexpensive
- Supports third-party applications
- 30-days moneyback guarantee
- Good customer support
Cons
- Only 99.75% uptime
- Isn’t as fast as other competitors with loading time
- Extra charge for additional services
- No C-panel
A2 Hosting
If you’re looking for a web hosting provider that offers fast, reliable, and affordable service, you should definitely check out A2 Hosting. In business since 2001, A2 Hosting is one of the most experienced providers in the industry. The company offers a wide range of hosting plans to suit any budget or need, and they provide great 24/7 customer support.
A2 Hosting plans start at just $3.92 per month, making them one of the most affordable providers out there. And, if you sign up for a longer term, you can get even greater savings. For example, their 36-month plan is currently discounted to just $2.59 per month.
In addition to being affordable, A2 Hosting is also extremely fast. Their Turbo Server option can give your site a speed boost of up to 20X. And, they offer free Site Accelerators to help further optimize performance.
A2 Hosting is also very reliable, with an uptime guarantee of 99.9%. If your site goes down, you’ll receive a credit for the downtime.
Finally, A2 Hosting provides great customer support. Their team is available 24/7/365 to help you with any issues you might have. They also offer a wide range of helpful tutorials and FAQs on their website.
Overall, A2 Hosting is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a web hosting provider that offers great value, speed, reliability, and customer support.
Pros
- Fast page loading speed
- Reliable server monitoring and malware removal service
- Free site migration
- Website building tools
- Money-back guarantee
Cons
- No free domain name
- High-renewal rate
- Limited with cheaper plans
Hostinger
Hostinger began as a free web hosting service more than a decade ago. It is now a well-known web hosting firm that provides diverse solutions for website owners at competitive costs.
Hostinger is renowned for delivering low-cost shared, cloud, and virtual private server hosting options. All options feature a 30-day money-back guarantee and a free website builder.
Hostinger is perhaps best known for its low-cost web hosting solutions. Industry standards reasonably price this Hostinger hosting bundle. You may sample any plan for free for the first 30 days.
All Hostinger plans come with a free SSL certificate, except for the entry-level Single Shared Hosting plan. An SSL certificate is required for any website worth it’s salt. Browsers may mark your site as “not secure” if you don’t have an SSL certificate. The price of an SSL certificate may differ significantly between hosting companies.
Hostinger’s in-house website builder is a big draw for customers. Using a website builder is an excellent option if you’re a small company owner who needs low-cost hosting but doesn’t want to utilize a content management system like WordPress. Creating landing pages is a breeze with Drag-and-Drop Editor, an intuitive drag-and-drop builder with a modern user interface.
Hostinger’s shared and WordPress plans come with the company’s control panel. Everything from payment information to domain names to email addresses to FTP tools may be found here.
Automated installation for extras like photo galleries, blogging suites, forums, and more is accessible using these solutions for moving data to and from your server.)
With the cloud-based hPanel, it’s a breeze to get started. Hostinger solicits feedback from its customers and responds to it regularly with new features and advancements. OpenResty (Nginx web server Plus LUA and Redis) is used to speed up response times.
Pros
- User-friendly control panel
- Multiple Data Centers
- Free backups
- 30-days money-back guarantee
Cons
- Unreliable website speed
- Complicated refund process
- Limited phone call support
At last
So, which is the best website hosting for small businesses?
The answer to that question will vary depending on your specific needs and budget. But we hope that this article has helped you better understand the different types of website hosting services available and what to look for when making your decision.
At the very least, we hope you have a few new questions to ask your web host before signing up.
Don’t forget to read some frequently asked questions and answers about the best hosting services for small businesses.
Web Hosting FAQs
The cheapest way to host a website is to use a free web hosting service. There are several free web hosting services available. However, free web hosting services generally have fewer features and resources than paid web hosting services, and your website may be subject to advertisements from the free web host.
If you want to avoid advertisements and have more control over your website, you may want to consider a paid web hosting service.
How much you pay for someone to host your website depends on a variety of factors, such as the size and complexity of your website, the amount of traffic you receive, and the features and resources you need.
In general, you can expect to pay anywhere from $5 to $100 per month for web hosting. However, if you require a lot of resources or have a very large website, you may need to pay more.
There are a variety of web hosting services that are well suited for startups and small businesses. From our experience, Namecheap, Hostgator and iPage offer affordable, feature-rich web hosting plans that are perfect for small businesses.
The cost of self-hosting a website depends on a variety of factors, such as the size and complexity of your website, the amount of traffic you receive, and the features and resources you need.
There are a variety of web hosting services that are well suited for beginners. Services such as Hostinger, Bluehost, and iPage offer affordable, feature-rich web hosting plans that are perfect for beginners. These services typically offer a variety of features, such as unlimited storage and bandwidth, a free domain name, and easy-to-use website builders for beginners with no extensive learning curve.
There are many things to look for when choosing a web hosting company. Check reviews to see what other people have said about the company. Also, compare the features and prices of different web hosting companies before making your decision.
There are several risks associated with self-hosting a website. These include the potential for data loss, increased vulnerability to hackers, and downtimes. However, if you take the proper precautions, such as backing up your data and using a secure hosting environment, you can minimize these risks.
The quality of your web hosting company can have an impact on your SEO. If you choose a reputable and reliable web hosting company, your website will likely enjoy better uptime, faster loading speeds, and increased security. These factors can all have a positive impact on your SEO.
Yes, you need web hosting to have a website. A web host provides the server space and resources that your website needs to operate.
There are several web hosting services that are well suited for eCommerce websites. Shopify, Bluehost, Hostinger, and Dreamhost offer affordable, feature-rich web hosting plans that are perfect for small businesses. These services typically provide a variety of features, such as unlimited storage and bandwidth, a free domain name, and easy-to-use website builders.
Services such as Wix, Weebly, and Squarespace offer user-friendly platforms that allow you to create a professional website without prior experience. These services typically provide a variety of features, such as templates, custom domains, and eCommerce functionality.