Website Hosting Comparison Chart: Which Hosting Provider is Best for You?

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Website Hosting Comparison Chart: Which Hosting Provider is Best for You?

Our independent research projects and impartial reviews are funded in part by affiliate commissions, at no extra cost to our readers.

Web hosting is an essential part of owning a website, so finding the right provider is critical. With so many options to choose from, which hosting plan is the best for your needs?

Our website hosting comparison chart outlines some of the best providers in various categories so that you can compare each service to find the right one for your website.

What is Web Hosting?

In its simplest form, web hosting is a service provided to store data and files that comprise your website and its software. This includes all physical hardware, network infrastructure, and additional vital pieces that make your website function.

A web host can offer a basic hosting package that includes the barebones. The company can give you features like unlimited disk space, free domain registration, or a web design platform.

The web host manages all of your website data and stores it on a server, a computer large enough to hold every aspect needed to power your site.

Instead of needing to learn the ins and outs of web hosting (and it is complicated!), web hosts offer the opportunity to “rent” space on their servers and manage the hosting so you can focus on the more essential parts of your website.

Comparison Chart for Cheapest Plans

When choosing a hosting provider, investing in the “best overall” won’t work. Every company offers different services for different types of websites. You’ll likely choose another web host for your business site and another for your blog.

Here are our favorite web hosting companies for the cheapest plans and how they match up to their competitors:

IONOS may be the most affordable hosting service available, with prices starting at $0.50 per month. That’s almost obscenely low compared to other products, and you can still expect 99.9% uptime and a plethora of other features. Of course, if you want to upgrade or explore alternative hosting, like VPS or dedicated hosting, you can expect to pay a little more.

Hosting Servers

  • WordPress Hosting: starting at $1/month
  • WordPress Pro Hosting: starting at $18/month
  • VPS: starting at $5/month
  • Dedicated Hosting: starting at $45/month
  • eCommerce: starting at $1/month
  • Resellers: professionals can join the partner program for free to access reseller services

Top Features

  • Exceptional price points, especially for new and small businesses
  • Several plan options to meet your needs
  • 99.9% uptime
  • Modern, user-friendly interface 
  • 24/7 support and extensive help center database

InMotion hosting is a fantastic web host for just about any type of website, whether you’re building a WordPress host site or developing the code yourself. In addition to unlimited bandwidth and unlimited disk space, the company will allow you to put up to two sites on its servers with your plan.

Hosting Servers

  • Shared Hosting: Starting at $2.49/month
  • WordPress Hosting: Starting at $4.99/month
  • VPS: Starting at $21.04
  • Dedicated Servers: Starting at $105.69

Top Features

  • Up to two websites are available for hosting
  • Unmetered bandwidth
  • Unmetered disk space
  • 24/7 customer support
  • Free SSL certificate
  • Automatic site backups
  • Website hacking protection

Comparison Chart for Best Plans for Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is one of the most common and cheapest web host options on the market. The company hosts numerous websites on the same server to use the same CPU and RAM disk space.

While this type of hosting certainly slows down a website’s performance and load speeds, it’s an ideal choice for new domains. Any website with low traffic will also benefit from this cost-effective type of hosting.

Here are our favorite platforms that offer at least one shared hosting plan:

Bluehost is one of the top hosting services for WordPress and a popular provider in general, thanks to its ease of use and straightforward plans. The company has something for just about anyone, from WordPress blogs to e-commerce websites.

Hosting Servers

  • WordPress Hosting: Starting at $2.75/month
  • WordPress Pro Hosting: Starting at $19.95
  • eCommerce: Starting at $6.95
  • VPS: $18.99
  • Dedicated Servers: Starting at $79.99

Top Features

  • The entry-level plan includes a free domain for the first year
  • Unmetered bandwidth
  • Up to 50 GB disk space
  • Free SSL (extra fee)
  • 24/7 customer support

SiteGround offers web hosting for small and medium sites, WordPress hosting, and high-performance WooCommerce hosting to meet our needs. They also offer reseller hosting options and affiliate programs. SiteGround’s network is fast and powered by Google Cloud.

Hosting Servers

  • WordPress Hosting: starting at $4.99/month
  • WooCommerce Hosting: starting at $4.99/month 
  • Cloud Hosting: starting at $100/month
  • Reseller Hosting: starting at $7.99/month

Top Features

  • Free email, SSL, and CDN included
  • Top-rated customer service team
  • 100% renewable energy match
  • Unmetered traffic
  • Frequent specials and deals for new accounts

Comparison Chart for Best Plans for Dedicated Hosting

Dedicated server hosting is one of the best plans for high-traffic websites that need fantastic performance. The entire server, including the hard drive, software, and RAM, works solely for your website and yours alone.

Of note, dedicated servers are the most expensive option, and they’re only worth the price for those who have a lot of resources or high-traffic pages. However, if you desire dedicated hosting, this may be your best bet:

Though some hosting platforms offer dedicated hosting, iPower is one of the more transparent options. Aside from dedicated hosting, iPower offers several options to fit individual or business needs. From a basic starter plan to advanced VPS and Pro plans, you can choose a package with features that work for you. 

Some hosting plans include free features, like domains and email addresses. You can even get advertising credits for Microsoft and Google to help with marketing efforts.

Hosting Servers

  • Starter Plan Hosting: starting at $3.99/month
  • Pro Plan Hosting: starting at $3.95/month
  • Pro Plus Plan Hosting: starting at $11.99/month
  • WordPress Hosting: starting at $3.75/month
  • VPS Hosting: starting at $19.99/month
  • Dedicated Hosting: starting at $119.99/month

Top Features

  • Unlimited disc space with most plans
  • Access to multiple help features, including 24/7 customer support
  • Multiple plans available
  • eCommerce options available with most plans

Comparison Chart for Best Plans for VPS Hosting

A virtual private server (VPS) host combines shared host and dedicated host services. The company puts multiple websites onto the same server but puts virtual walls to ensure no site uses the same resources.

The benefit of VPS hosts is the ability to get high performance and reliability without the hefty price tag of dedicated servers. 

These providers offer the best VPS hosting options:

FatCow may feature several quips and jokes on its site, but the company has a lot to offer its clients. You have access to several hosting options, including VPS and some key perks that you won’t find elsewhere. FatCow doesn’t even charge you for excess usage, and they deliver multiple customization options.

Hosting Servers

  • WordPress Hosting: starting at $3.75/month 
  • VPS Hosting: starting at $19.99/month
  • Dedicated Hosting: starting at $119.99/month
  • Original FatCow web hosting: starting at $4.08/month 

Top Features

  • Free domain name and free transfer
  • Google Ad and Microsoft Advertising credits
  • VPS hosting includes semi-private resources with guaranteed memory
  • 24/7 customer support via email, chat, or phone
  • Cloud-based flexibility provides room to grow

Though InterServer boasts some of the cheapest prices for hosting, it also offers stellar VPS options. You can access all-inclusive services for a reasonable price, and there are more than a dozen packages to choose from based on your ssd storage needs. Additionally, InterServer offers multiple VPS hosting options, including WordPress and Windows.

Hosting Servers

  • Standard Hosting: starting at $2.50/month
  • VPS Hosting: starting at $6/month 
  • Reseller Hosting: starting at $19.95/month 

Top Features

  • Flexible cloud VPS with remote backup services
  • One-click installation possible
  • Supports most scripts
  • Self-healing hardware for cloud VPS services keeps your site running smoothly.
  • 99.9% uptime guarantee

Comparison Chart for Best Plans for Cloud Hosting

Any type of plan that runs on a cloud server falls under the cloud hosting umbrella. This type of web hosting is popular for smartphone apps because of their fantastic reliability and ability to handle upticks in traffic.

While cloud hosting plans are noticeably more expensive than non-cloud packages, it’s a great option if your site deals with a lot of visitors and you want to minimize downtime as much as possible.

WP Engine boasts more than one million customers from more than 150 countries, including some notable companies. The company offers customized cloud-hosting solutions for individuals and businesses of any size. You can access some innovative features, like GeoTargeting, and increase performance with scalable architecture.

Hosting Servers

  • Managed Hosting: starting at $25/month
  • Managed Hosting Plus: starting at $28/month 
  • eCommerce Hosting: starting at $30/month
  • Secure Hosting: starting at $44/month 

Top Features

  • All hosting is cloud-based
  • Automated plugin updates to keep site operational
  • Free SSL and SSH with each package
  • Secure and dedicated hosting available
  • One-click creation for eCommerce options

Host Color offers one of the best cloud-based hosting packages around with three unique arrangements. Choose Public, Private, or Hybrid to meet your hosting needs. Host Color claims to offer a 100% uptime network for cloud hosting with low latency and multiple internet routes.

Hosting Servers

  • Managed Hosting: starting at $29/month
  • Self-Managed Hosting: starting at $3.99/month
  • WP Hosting: starting at $2.99/month
  • VPS Hosting: starting at $4/month
  • Dedicated Hosting: starting at $99/month
  • Public Cloud Hosting: starting at $19/month
  • Private Cloud Hosting: starting at $39/month 
  • Hybrid Cloud Hosting: starting at $90/month

Top Features

  • Flexible plans and hosting solutions available
  • Uses an advanced Cloud Computing automation platform
  • Independent IT infrastructure 
  • Main facility located in the U.S. with 40 satellites around the world
  • Extensive data center and help network including 24/7 support

Offering private cloud servers and impressive packages, BuildYourSite is one of the best cloud hosting services available. Aside from shared and private cloud hosting services, they offer DIY website building and custom web design.

Hosting Servers

  • Shared Cloud Hosting: starting at $11.95/month
  • Private Cloud Servers: starting at $149/month

Top Features

  • Fast, reliable hosting with 12 years of 99.99% uptime
  • Built-in security 
  • Various package levels to accommodate your needs
  • Hosting included with every plan
  • 24/7/365 customer support

Comparison Chart for Best Plans for Reseller Hosting

A2 Hosting is one of the most affordable providers available without sacrificing features and reliability. With a hosting plan, you can benefit from unmetered server use, website staging, a free SSL, and free migration from your previous hosting company.

Hosting Servers

  • WordPress Hosting: $1.99/month
  • VPS: Starting at $5
  • Dedicated Hosting: Starting at $99.59
  • Resellers: Starting at $9.80

Top Features

  • Free migration (extra fee)
  • Free SSL (additional fee)
  • Unmetered bandwidth and disk space
  • Free domain
  • 24/7 customer support

Particular Types of Web Hosting Services

Not every website is built the same, and hosting providers know that. Whether you have a WordPress blog or are an advanced developer, here’s what types of specializations a web hosting company can provide:

Web Hosting Service for Small Businesses

Many web hosting providers offer various business packages aimed mainly at small businesses. Whether you own a restaurant or knick knack shop, you can find the following benefits from a small business web host package:

  • Free business email address (typically for the first year only)
  • SSL certificate
  • User-friendly content management systems
  • Website builders

WordPress Website Hosting

The web hosting hub is lucrative for your WordPress site, and the platform itself recommends several companies for VPS hosting, shared services, and dedicated servers.

While you can host your site on the WordPress system, various companies offer fully managed WordPress hosting packages.

Web Hosting for Blogs and Personal Sites

Blogs and personal websites are usually smaller and easier to manage from a web host perspective, so finding a server is a lot cheaper than if you had an e-commerce or business site. Like the web design platform Squarespace, many platforms offer user-friendly website builder platforms with the ability to publish your website without purchasing a hosting package. That’s right; you can host your site for free.

While the “free” aspect is appealing to all, these types of host servers don’t have unlimited bandwidth, and your site’s uptime may decrease as traffic builds. At that point, it will be time to migrate to a paid hosting service.

E-Commerce and Online Store Hosting Package

Many reliable web hosting providers offer packages specific to e-commerce and online stores. These sites typically require more bandwidth and services, as you’re storing hundreds, if not thousands, of products onto your server.

The number of high-resolution images, demo videos, and product descriptions fill up disk space quickly to add up the price tag. You also need to ensure your customer’s data remains secure, so purchasing a hosting package specific to e-commerce will go a long way in customer loyalty.

Web Hosting on a Budget

If you already explored our web hosting comparison chart, it’s evident that hosting services have a broad price range. If you’re starting a brand-new website or expect low traffic to start, using a service on a budget can help you save money and avoid needlessly spending on services you won’t use.

Keep in mind that a cheap provider won’t have the fantastic load speeds and uptimes as more expensive services. If your website grows exponentially, you may have to consider switching.

Developer Web Hosting Plan

If you’re an advanced website builder or developer, chances are you don’t need user-friendly interfaces or drag-and-drop web design editors. Many web hosts keep developers in mind with plans specific to these tech-savvy individuals. You can find various web hosting packages that offer what you need, whether it’s PostgreSQL or Nginx.

How We Choose the Best Web Hosting Companies

As mentioned above, you don’t need the most expensive web hosting service to fulfill all your needs. Some servers come with free domain names, while others have better load speeds.

To better understand what the best web hosting companies offered, we looked at a variety of factors:

Multiple Servers Available

The best hosting companies offer different types of servers. The server that helps your site function is essential for optimal performance.

A web host with shared, dedicated, cloud, and other server plans available will make it easier to switch over to more reliable packages when your site attracts more traffic. If your host doesn’t have many options, it can be a challenging process to switch to a different hosting provider once your website gains traction.

Reliable Uptime

Uptime is the percentage of which your site’s hosting system remains operational. Obviously, the better the uptime, the better the server.

Fast Load Speed

Load speed is a vital factor in creating a user-friendly website. After all, you don’t want your site’s visitors to be deterred by long loading times and slow pages. A lot of the loading speed can come down to how your host server works.

A strong web host server will keep your website running smoothly and efficiently.

Fantastic Customer Service

You can’t count out customer service! Web hosting is likely not your forte, and you need to reach someone if something goes wrong.

If you look at our website hosting comparison charts, the web hosting providers we included all have excellent customer service. Each one has quick response times and agents available around the clock.

Web Hosting Server Management

When you purchase a plan with a hosting service, they provide a team of experts who know everything about the service you’re receiving. From hardware and software technicians to technical and customer support, there is a large team behind the company.

Managing Your Own Website Server

If you have experience with web hosting, you can manage your own server with the companies that offer the opportunity. You can also purchase a plan that allows the web hosting provider to handle everything for you.

Conclusion

Choosing the web host for your needs can be daunting with the seemingly endless number of providers and hosting option platforms available. With this website hosting comparison chart, you can easily compare the top providers.

Whether you need a reliable website builder or a hosting provider for your e-commerce site, the above providers have something for everyone.