10 Best Web Hosting Services Of 2024

Finding the best web hosting services can be a challenge, especially when many providers include technical jargon on their pricing plans. While these are the best services of their kind on the market, others may not find these applicable for their needs. We analysed  more than 50 providers narrowing down the top 10 options business owners can find in 2024.

Forbes Advisor researched the industry and analysed dozens of different web hosting providers and plans. We then scored each of these providers across five categories of features looking at 23 different metrics that were weighted to favor features that small business owners find valuable in a web host.

Web hosting is a service that allows anyone to essentially rent space on the internet, and websites must have web hosting to be accessible online. Some content management systems (CMS), such as Squarespace and Wix, include web hosting as part of their monthly fee, whereas if you’re building a site on WordPress, you’ll need to purchase web hosting from a web hosting provider, such as MochaHost or IONOS.

Using a good web host can have many advantages. And almost half of all enterprises  (46%) and around one-third of small to medium businesses (35%) globally use private cloud services to manage their workloads, according to Finances Online’s web hosting market data and statistics for 2023.

Among the benefits of using a paid-for web hosting service, as opposed to a free service, are the following features:

• Heightened security. If you’re paying for the service you’re likely to have enhanced security features so your site is less vulnerable to being hacked or attacked by malware, for example. Research by web host Hostinger found that 43% of cyber-attacks are targeted at small businesses
• Faster speeds and load times. Statistics from Web Host Review show there is a 74% increase in conversion rate when a site’s load time falls from eight seconds to two seconds.

Web hosting vs. domain hosting

Before you can find a home for your website via web hosting, you first need a domain name. While related, web hosting and domain hosting are very different services. Web hosting is the process of connecting your website to a server, whereas domain hosting is the process of securing a domain name or web address for your website.

If web hosting is akin to renting space in a building then domain hosting is like putting a nameplate outside your door with your name and address. The domain is what people use to navigate to your address on the Internet.

Many service providers provide both domain hosting and web hosting, which can provide one-stop-shop convenience but, depending on your needs, you may want to consider separating the services. Regardless, before you can even consider web hosting, you first need a domain name via a domain registrar.

When it comes to deciding on a web host most people will compare offerings predominantly based on cost and the support they’ll get from their service provider.

In a WordPress hosting survey (see table below), almost one in three respondents ((31%) said they valued good customer support from their web host. This compares to 14% who cited cost as an important factor and another 14% who said ease of use. Only 3% said security was a major factor and less than 3% valued a service being free of charge.

Essential web hosting features

We recommend that you look for a web hosting provider with the following key features, regardless of your specific website needs:

• Reliability and performance: Look for a hosting provider with good uptime, preferably 99.9% or higher so your site won’t experience outages. Most hosts provide a contractual guarantee where they’ll reimburse you part of your premium for outages
• Security: Make sure your web host has DDoS protection, SSL certificates and other security features so your site is safe from malicious attacks
• Customer service: Look for a host with 24/7 customer support, so you can easily get help if something goes wrong. What support options are available? Chat, phone, ticket and email support are typical for web hosts
• Storage and bandwidth: Storage and unmetered bandwidth are two of the most important factors to consider when choosing a web host. The more storage you have, the more content you can store, such as videos and images. Bandwidth affects how quickly your website loads and how much data is transferred when visitors view your site. Look for a host that provides unlimited storage and bandwidth
• Backups: It’s important to have regular backups of your website, so make sure the web host you choose offers automatic backups. If a hosting provider doesn’t automatically back up your website, consider investing in a third-party backup service.

Ease of use

Look for a web hosting provider with an intuitive user interface and control panel. This will save time in the long run if you need to make changes or updates to your website.

A good web host should offer one-click instalations for popular content management systems (CMS), such as WordPress or Drupal, and a drag-and-drop website builder if you’re not comfortable with coding.

Scalability

Finally, it’s important to consider scalability when choosing a web hosting service. How will you grow your website in the future? Will your host’s services be able to keep up with your growth? Does the host offer an easy way to scale up, such as offering VPS and dedicated hosting options? A good web host should be able to handle the growth of your website. Similarly, if you’re taking a break for a while, can you drop to a lower-tiered plan?

There are several different types of web hosting available. While there may be a tendency to favor the cheapest option, depending on your needs, this can lead to problems down the road. For this reason, it’s important to look not just at cost but customer service, security, speed and customisation options as well.

Shared hosting

Shared hosting is most popular with small businesses and websites that don’t need a lot of customisation or expect a lot of traffic. Shared hosting provides space for several websites – dozens, hundreds or thousands – on one server.

Because the costs are relatively low, it is an economical option, but there could be service disruptions or slower connection speeds because several clients/websites are all accessing the same server’s resources, including disk space, RAM and central processing unit (CPU) power.

Virtual private server (VPS) hosting

A step up from shared hosting is VPS hosting. Similar to shared hosting, various websites are all housed on the same server, but each website’s files and content are housed in its own dedicated space on the server.

You will pay a little more than with shared hosting, but you also have your own section of the server isolated from other clients on the server. For this reason, VPS hosting is more secure. Additionally, VPS hosting is scalable to your needs and you’ll be able to modify the server and install any software that you need.

VPS hosting can be managed or unmanaged. If you choose managed VPS hosting, the host will provide all maintenance and services necessary to keep the website and server up and running. You’ll pay a little more for managed VPS hosting but you won’t be responsible for maintenance.

Conversely, using unmanaged VPS hosting will mean you are responsible for configuring and maintaining the server yourself, monitoring security threats, installing software upgrades and backing up your data. Unmanaged VPS hosting is a good option for website developers, businesses with a dedicated IT department and individuals with a technology background.

WordPress managed hosting

Because WordPress is such a popular content management system, many web hosting providers offer WordPress-specific hosting. In addition to web hosting, these providers also offer services such as technical support and software updates specific to WordPress.

It offers advantages like scalability, speed and security but it comes at a price with a cost of about £1 to £17 per month. Additionally, there are fewer customisation options since it is limited to WordPress features.

Cloud hosting

Cloud hosting is the most popular option, followed by shared hosting. As the following table shows, cloud hosting is predicted to grow the most over the next two years – with estimated compound annual growth of 18.3% per year between 2019 and 2025.

Cloud hosting houses your website on multiple servers for maximum performance and connection speeds. It is more expensive than shared hosting but it will minimise any connection or speed issues because it can handle traffic surges with ease.

Cloud hosting also offers scalability, backups and disaster recovery. These additional services come with a price, however, and the pricing models of cloud hosting providers can be confusing, depending on customisation of the plan.

Dedicated hosting

Dedicated web hosting is when a website has sole use of the entire server. Because you have your own dedicated server, you minimise security and connection issues. But it comes at a price.

The costs may be justified, however, in a few situations. For instance, if you expect your website traffic to increase significantly, service disruptions and slow connection speeds could be detrimental to your business.

In this case, the cost of a dedicated server would be worth it because it will provide uninterrupted service and quick connection speeds. A dedicated server will also provide additional security, which will be helpful if you are dealing with personal information like credit card information.

Pricing varies significantly between various types of web hosting services. Even within each type, there can be price differences between service providers depending on the level of customer service and the length of service plan chosen. In general, prices range as follows:

• Shared web hosting: up to £19 per month
• VPS web hosting: £1 to £30 per month
• WordPress managed hosting: £1 to £17 per month
• Cloud hosting: £4 to £60 per month
• Dedicated server hosting: £60 to several hundred pounds per month

Website hosting cost factors

There are several factors that go into the cost of website hosting. These include:

• Storage: The amount of data storage your hosting plan allows
• Bandwidth: How much traffic you can have on your website without interruption or slow speeds
• Number of websites: Depending on the plan, you may be able to host multiple websites with one account
• IP addresses: If you need a static IP address with your hosting plan, you may have to pay an additional cost
• SSL certificate: An SSL certificate keeps your website secure and safe from hackers. Some hosting plans offer a free SSL certificate but others may require you to purchase one in addition to the hosting plan
• Customer service: Some hosting companies offer 24/7 customer service while others may only provide limited support. Others will charge a premium but will walk you through fixing things that break on your site
• Customisation options: Hosting plans that allow for customisation and add-ons, such as databases or web servers, will usually cost more.

Fees and add-ons

Your web hosting provider may also charge additional fees, such as setup fees (often waived when signing a contract and paying up-front), domain registration fees or monthly support fees.

Additionally, there may be add-on services you can purchase to enhance your website, such as SEO optimisation or extra security features. Be sure to read the fine print of your contract and thoroughly understand what is included in your hosting plan before signing up.

In addition to hosting, there are a few other items you may want to consider when setting up your website. These include website builders, domain registration, email hosting and ecommerce functionality.

Website builder

Website builders are tools or programs that allow you to create a website without the need for coding. They provide a variety of drag-and-drop templates and often include hosting, so you don’t need to purchase a separate plan.

Domain registration

Your domain name is the URL or web address that users type in to access your website. You can usually purchase and register a domain name when signing up for hosting, though many web hosting companies have an additional fee for domain registration. A domain name is important for businesses as it helps to create a professional online presence.

Email hosting

Having a dedicated email address is essential if you want to build customer trust. You can usually purchase email hosting from your web host or use a separate service such as Google Workspace (formerly known as G Suite). Other web hosts include email hosting for free in their hosting plans.

Ecommerce functionality

If you plan to sell products or services online, then you’ll need to look for a hosting plan that offers ecommerce functionality. Hosts usually offer ecommerce hosting tools such as payment gateways, shopping carts and secure checkout pages to help you get started.

As the internet continues to grow and develop at an astounding rate, the web hosting industry has adapted to increased demands and greater expectations. These adaptations are apparent in the major 2024 web hosting trends we are seeing as we move into the new year.

Fewer on-site data centres

Similar to everywhere else, the cloud is becoming the number one choice for consumers in the web hosting industry. Companies are moving away from dedicated on-site servers and instead choose to base operations out of third-party, cloud-hosted servers.

Servers that operate in the cloud provide a tremendous number of benefits, including increased scaling potential, more flexibility, lower costs, the ability to create backups, improved security, regular maintenance and better software capability. Cloud computing is here to stay, and we expect more entities to move operations onto the cloud in 2024.

Multicloud hosting

Multicloud hosting refers to the practice of delegating a site’s computing tasks to two or more different cloud computing platforms. Essentially, some functions of a site are performed by one vendor and other functions by another.

Multicloud hosting has become increasingly popular in recent years. By using this model, a company is not dependent on a single vendor for all its needs, and it can take advantage of the unique benefits and areas of strength each host offers.

We expect to see multicloud hosting becoming an even more popular choice in 2024 as companies try to stay competitive in the virtual world.