Best Website Hosting Options for your Small Business

Website hosting for small businesses is an absolute must if you want your business to be taken seriously in the age of the internet. Deciding to get web hosting is an easy choice to make. But deciding which platforms are the best website hosting options for your small business can be challenging. If having to sift through countless web host options sounds monotonous, just wait until you come across all the various industry lingo. This also includes varying (and sometimes confusing) features, along with the different tiers of pricing.

These hosting companies are competing to bring your business online and put it in front of the eyeballs of customers. We understand how intimidating this might be, especially if this is all new to you. No need to worry. There are some fantastic hosting providers out there that know precisely what is necessary to get your small business website up and running. We will go over the basics of website hosting, the different types of hosting, and the best website hosts for a small business.

What is Website Hosting?

In short, website hosting is when you buy or rent space from a hosting company to store your site on the world wide web. The website’s content, such as CSS, HTML, and images, requires a home on a server capable of displaying the site online. “What the heck is a server?” you’re probably asking yourself. A server is a high-powered computer specifically used to provide functionality for other programs or devices. For our purposes, a server connects users surfing the internet to your website, no matter where in the world they might be.

And just as the name suggests, web hosting companies have everything necessary from the servers, connectivity, and any other services needed to host a website. They feature a range of plans that cover all the possible hosting needs from the smallest blogs to the largest companies. When a user wants to check out your site, they simply type your website address (AKA domain name) into their browser before their computer connects to your server.

This, in turn, delivers your web pages to them via their browser. Speaking of domain names, one must be purchased so users know how to find your site. Most web host companies will require you to own one before purchasing a web hosting package. However, if you need a domain name, they can help you with that, no problem. It’s also important to note that there are six different types of hosting services available. Up next, we will focus on the three that are the most popular: shared, cloud, and dedicated hosting.

What are the Best Website Hosting Options?

Shared Hosting

Shared website hosting refers to a hosting service that has several websites sharing the same server. In all actuality, there’s one physical server that is divided into multiple smaller servers. As far as server space, your website will use shared server resources with multiple other customers, including but not limited to RAM, bandwidth, and CPU. A good way to think about shared hosting is that it’s akin to your average office space that’s filled with cubicles.

Picture yourself inside your partitioned office cubicle (your website) where you have your desk set up exactly how you like it with several knick-knacks laid out, and your favorite band set as your desktop background. Now, seeing as how all the hardware in this space is owned by the company, if anyone’s computer breaks down, or if there’s an issue with the refrigerator in the break room, the company will take care of the issue and foot the bill if necessary. Next, we’ll go over the advantages and disadvantages shared hosting has to offer.

Advantages of Shared Hosting

Before you commit to shared hosting, you should be fully aware of any advantages it might have over other hosting solutions. We will touch upon the top three reasons you may want to go with shared hosting.

Cost-Efficient

With shared hosting, all you need is a few bucks a month to get your site up and running. Which makes this type of hosting one of the cheapest you’ll find. This is extremely beneficial to small businesses with little to no traffic who are just setting up online. It also gives you the luxury of testing out your site’s appearance and functionality without the need of paying an arm and a leg. If later down the line, your site starts to grow, bringing in more traffic, you can adjust your plan as you feel necessary. 

Simple to use

For those who aren’t familiar with web creation or are just not tech-savvy, shared website hosting is a brilliant solution. For the most part, this type of hosting is managed by multiple control panels via a web interface that’s provided by the hosting company. This is where you’ll have the option to make any changes, add domains, upload images, and so much more. Because of the simplicity of these management panels, it’s no longer necessary to be knowledgeable on Linux or Windows servers when using shared hosting services. Just another reason this service is the most attractive solution for startups and small businesses.

More Bandwidth

Ever since the market has been flooded with hosting providers coming out the wazoo, web hosts have offered improved options in terms of shared hosting. You’ll find packages with killer customization options coupled with cPanel, multiple email accounts, in addition to unlimited bandwidth. This means that if your site grows, you will be able to use more resources and accept more traffic. And the provider may state that there are “no limits” on bandwidth, but that isn’t the case. A much more honest term to refer to this would be “unmetered.”  Considering these benefits, we highly recommend you go with shared hosting as we feel they’re the best website host for small businesses.

Disadvantages of Shared Hosting

We just went over all the reasons for using shared hosting for your small business website. As popular as shared hosting may be, it’s not all roses and rainbows. Now, we’ll briefly go over the primary disadvantages of using shared hosting and why it may not be the best website hosting option for your business.

Crashes

As previously stated, the central idea behind shared hosting is sharing a web hosting server with multiple other websites. The issues arise when the server becomes overloaded by websites using an exorbitant amount of CPU, RAM, and other resources. This can result in everything from slow loading times to your website crashing, leading to a loss of potential income besides customers. Depending on which company you decide on (if you choose this route), you need to know that some companies don’t place this issue very high on their list of priorities. Not to say that all companies operate this way. There are some fantastic providers out there that will not only fix the issue, but they’ll ban the website that’s causing all the problems.

Performance Issues

When you decide to use shared hosting, you are completely blind to everything else that is happening on the server where your website is housed. If your service provider crammed the server to the brim with customers to increase their profit margins, the hardware that your site uses could suffer serious performance issues. Your website will then suffer as a direct impact. Or, if you’re on a server with customers or websites that are involved in some type of nefarious online shenanigans, it can have an even more adverse effect on your website.

Security

You may be unaware of the huge spike in reported cybercrimes over the last few years. It’s gotten so bad that when compared to 2010, there were three times as many cybercrimes reported than in 2020. As a result, it’s not surprising that this sort of activity would spill over into website development and hosting. All it takes is one bad apple abusing the shared resources to open the door to intruders accessing your website and customers’ private data. This is especially prevalent if you aren’t that knowledgeable about website development. It doesn’t always happen, but worst-case scenario, your site gets blacklisted, throwing all your hard work out the window. Therefore, you always want to have a contingency plan on hand to deal with these types of unforeseen situations.

Cloud Hosting

As far as website hosting is concerned, cloud hosting is the new cool kid on the block everyone wants to hang out with. Well, not completely new, but in terms of website hosting, it’s still new when compared to other hosting solutions like shared or dedicated hosting. Cloud hosting is on the cutting-edge regarding hosting websites and apps. Instead of the old-school way of having an on-site server or a shared server, the cloud allows your apps and websites to perform optimally just about anywhere in the world.

With cloud hosting, they place an additional layer of virtual servers on top of the actual physical servers (AKA virtual machines). These virtual machines (or VMs, as they’re commonly referred to) are powered by many actual machines rather than a single physical machine’s CPU and resources. You also receive a lot of benefits and frequently have additional features on top of the hosting itself when you host your website or application in the cloud. Not that it isn’t without issues, just like other hosting solutions. We’ll briefly go over the chief advantages and disadvantages of hosting your website in the cloud.

Advantages of Cloud Hosting

We realize that not someone completely sold everybody on cloud hosting. That’s completely understandable since with new technology comes new terminology and different ways of doing things you’re simply not used to. For those who are still unsure, we’ll talk about a few of the advantages that cloud hosting offers. 

Price

At first glance, cloud hosting may be a pricey investment. But once you realize they feature some great hosting options, the price makes complete sense. They also boast some free features you can take advantage of. These include, but aren’t limited to, resource monitoring, managed hosting, and free data migration. So, having to pay for unwanted and unnecessary features won’t be an issue. Most cloud hosting companies offer pay-as-you-go plans, so if you decide to go this route, you won’t be wasting a lot of money. Since you’re just starting out in website hosting and development, saving money should be a top priority.

Security

You may believe that having your company’s on-site infrastructure is far safer than having it live someplace on the internet. This is not the case and here’s why: If you can access your data remotely, what’s to stop a cybercriminal from doing the same? The top cloud hosting providers employ teams of specialists whose primary responsibility is to identify and avoid any threats. The time and money necessary to keep up with every new virus or hack diverts focus away from your company’s primary goals. Cloud hosting also provides access to some of the top security experts, in addition to high levels of security that surpass anything your on-site system can ever dream of offering.

Scalability

Scalability is another major advantage cloud hosting has over alternative hosting options. For small businesses and startups that experience unexpected growth in a short period of time, this is particularly beneficial. There’s no need to spend countless hours revamping your infrastructure, as would be necessary with on-site options. Your server can return to its original configuration after the demand for more resources has passed. You also have the advantage of not being restricted to servers as you would be if you went with traditional hosting.

Disadvantages of Cloud Hosting

Whenever new technology emerges, there are always pros and cons that will come to light. Cloud hosting is no different. Before you decide to implement this new form of technology (or any form of technology for that matter), do your homework to ensure that it is a good fit for your business. To help you out, we’ll go over the top advantages and disadvantages of using cloud website hosting for your small business.

Limited Control

The amount of control allotted to you with cloud hosting can be limited when compared to other hosting alternatives. This is because the remote servers that host the cloud resources are managed, monitored, and owned by your service provider. This can make things difficult if you require more control over your website’s backend. It’s also important to be fully aware of their end-user license agreement (EULA) and other policies that could put further limits on what you can and cannot do to your site. Knowing this information before you decide to go this route can save you from any future headaches when you realize how incredibly limited your control actually is.

Vendor Lock-In

When the cost of transferring services to another provider is so high that the consumer feels locked in or stuck with the original service provider, this is what’s known as vendor lock-in (AKA customer lock-in or proprietary lock-in). This can be detrimental to your business for a handful of reasons, such as if the service provider’s service has become inferior, they have increased their prices, or if they simply end up going out of business. Any one of these problems could damage the livelihood of your business. Therefore, you must fully entrust your service provider with your business-critical files before you decide to go with cloud hosting.

Only Accessible Via Internet Connection

When you have a website hosted in the cloud, you can only access your site and all the files associated with it via an internet connection. Without one, you’re completely locked out of anything you have hosted in the cloud. This will directly affect your business and all its operations. If cloud website hosting is the route you decide on, a contingency plan is an absolute must. This way, if you lose your internet connection for any period of time, your business should still be able to operate without issue. 

Dedicated Hosting

Dedicated hosting refers to your website being hosted on a single server that is only dedicated to your website that you don’t have to share with anyone else. This results in a much more stable site by eliminating the competition for resources that come with other hosting solutions. The service provider works directly with you, providing RAM, CPU, and other resources you may need. The provider also manufactures and maintains the server, avoiding any upfront expenses that they would have to pass on to you if they purchased themselves. When you’re able to utilize everything they offer, dedicated hosting can become the backbone of your business. Not to say dedicated hosting doesn’t have its fair share of faults as well. We’ll highlight the top reasons for and against small businesses using dedicated website hosting, so you can decide if this hosting solution is for you or not. 

Advantages of Dedicated Hosting

Known for its powerful infrastructure and vast catalog of resources, dedicated hosting boasts many reasons you’d want to go with this type of hosting over the alternatives. Here are the top three advantages dedicated hosting should be used over the other hosting solutions currently available.

Security

With any online business, security should always be at the top of your list of priorities. This is particularly important for any eCommerce business or those who collect any type of sensitive data. Using a dedicated server ensures that all business-associated information is kept safe from prying eyes since your hosting company protects you from external threats. This allows you to tailor protection and security measures to your business as you see fit. Furthermore, you may install additional security apps on the server to provide additional levels of protection on top of what your dedicated host has already provided. 

Flexibility and Control

A dedicated server offers you greater control than other hosting options, resulting in a high level of flexibility. This provides you with the luxury of choosing the platform and any resources you may need, which gives you optimal control over your server’s configuration. Having full control of these resources is fantastic as long as you have the technical know-how regarding software and programming languages. Dedicated servers can also meet your business’s growing needs when the time arises. And once your business experiences growth, merely add or change resources as you wish. If the traffic subsides, you can revert to your original resources and settings before the growth spurt. This differs from some of the other hosting companies that will charge you for apps and features that you don’t even want and will never even use.

Performance

Another significant advantage dedicated hosting has over alternative hosting solutions is the high performance it offers. Seeing as how you have exclusivity of your server and all its resources. Having your server dedicated solely to your website eliminates the need to share space or resources with others. And, unlike other website hosting solutions, you won’t have to worry about your hosting company overselling server resources. As a result, the probability of your website crashing is greatly reduced. Your website will load significantly faster besides being able to handle more traffic. When you have a high-performing website, you can naturally build your business much more effectively as well.

Disadvantages of Dedicated Hosting

Dedicated hosting, as beneficial as it is, does come with its own set of drawbacks. You’ll want to be fully informed of the service’s drawbacks so you can decide whether it’s right for your business or not. We’ll discuss the primary drawbacks of dedicated website hosting compared to other website hosting solutions.

Technical Knowledge is a Must

With shared hosting, you don’t need to have any real technical knowledge to get your site set up and running. Given that your service provider will manage the server and resources that you share with other websites. Dedicated hosting, on the other hand, offers you the freedom to set your website up however you like, just minus the help that shared hosting solutions provide. Therefore, having technical knowledge is an absolute must if you’re going to use dedicated hosting.

Not to say that dedicated hosting providers don’t offer managed hosting packages where they do the heavy lifting for you. Just be aware that these extra services will come at a hefty price. Thus, dedicated server setup and management demand someone with a high level of technical expertise that can perform security optimizations, file, and directory management, among other necessary tasks. Only a professional system administrator will have the correct skill set necessary for performing such tasks.

Price

You probably notice that we have listed only two downsides to using dedicated hosting: technical knowledge being a must, along with the price tag that comes with these services. That’s because having technical know-how and a cost-effective price are huge deciding factors for those looking for small business website hosting solutions. This is particularly important if you are just starting, and you want your bank account to stretch as far as possible.

It’s not that dedicated hosting is inherently more expensive than other hosting alternatives, you merely aren’t sharing the expenses with other websites and customers as you would with shared hosting solutions. Especially in your website’s infancy, you more than likely won’t have much traffic to speak of. Thus, making dedicated hosting a complete waste of money for the time being. The price will rise even more so if you want your service provider to manage things for you as well. Which is just another reason to lean towards shared hosting for your small business.

The Best Website Hosting Options

We’ve gone through what website hosting is, the three main types of web hosting, and the benefits and drawbacks of each of these website hosting options. You should have enough information to select which type of hosting is ideal for you and your small business. Now, we’ll briefly discuss the most popular hosting options regarding cloud, shared, and dedicated hosting solutions. This can be quite a tedious task with the sheer abundance of web hosting options currently available at your fingertips. Particularly when you consider all the technological advancements in recent years. You want to be fully aware of all the pros and cons of each option so you can make a fully informed decision. 

AWS

AWS, or Amazon Web Services, is a complete cloud hosting solution that was introduced by Amazon back in 2006. It offers on-demand storage and computing capabilities with a pay-as-you-go pricing model that allows your small business to scale as it grows. It’s specifically developed to offer your business various types of cloud services such as PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service), IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service), and SaaS (Software-as-a-Service).

Google

They released the Google App Engine as a preview in September 2011, with the moniker Google Cloud Platform (GCP) becoming official in 2013. The GCP is a collection of cloud computing services provided by Google that run on the same infrastructure as Google’s end-user applications like YouTube, Gmail, and others. They use a straightforward file system along with putting quite a bit of effort into ensuring the backend is as simple as can be. This technology serves as the foundation for Google’s cloud services. 

Bluehost

Founded almost 20 years ago back in 2003, Bluehost has developed into one of the world’s leading providers of website hosting. They host more than two million websites worldwide, so they must be doing something right. They have done a fantastic job at streamlining the entire website hosting and creation process. This draws countless small businesses and startups alike who are just getting their feet wet in website development. If we had to recommend any of these options for the best website host for small businesses, we’d have to go with this one. Bluehost just has a lot going for them that makes them ideal for small businesses.

WP Engine

WP Engine is a specialized website hosting company that features one service, and one service alone: managed WordPress hosting. Unlike most hosting providers, WP Engine doesn’t provide email, reseller hosting, or any other sort of web hosting. WP Engine is a solid option for anyone who needs more than what most low-cost web hosts can offer. This is accomplished through offering high-performance hosting environments that are specifically optimized for WordPress websites, as well as handling many of the ongoing activities necessary to maintain a fast and secure WordPress website. They even boast over 120,000 customers in 140 countries, which is how five percent of people surfing the net visit one WP Engine site every single day.

All-In-One Hosting Solutions

After speaking about some of the best and most popular hosting solutions, we’re going to discuss all-in-one website hosting. These hosting solutions are all-in-one website builders developed to help those who aren’t familiar with coding or website development. With very little time and effort, you can effortlessly create a magnificent website you can be proud of. They offer multiple packages that include everything from built-in eCommerce tools and SSL certificate protection to a custom domain name. You’ll also find it beneficial to only have one web hosting invoice instead of multiple, like with other solutions. We will go over the most popular all-in-one website hosting solutions and the pros and cons of each one.

Shopify

Shopify is a popular eCommerce platform where you can effortlessly create online stores to sell items via social media or a website. They offer countless tools to make your eCommerce experience much easier by managing your shipping, inventory, logistics, and more. The company operates on a monthly subscription-based system, providing these tools so that everyone from newbies up to experts can build an online eCommerce presence. It’s through these special tools that you can create a fully customized experience for your customers, maximizing your ROI (Return on Investment). Inventory management, transactions, and customer-client relationships may all be automated using these solutions.

Squarespace

In 2003, Anthony Casalena started Squarespace in his dorm room at the University of Maryland to bring basic website development to the masses. One of the primary reasons people gravitate towards Squarespace is that you don’t need any website development experience to get started. Within a short period of time, you can have a fantastic-looking website that features a custom domain name, an SSL certificate, and a wealth of checkout tools for easy management. Another key factor that sets Squarespace apart from other hosting solutions is their sheer dedication to stylish design. This is apparent when you explore their templates, which unquestionably outperform the bulk of other website builders in terms of appearance and general performance. It’s for this reason that Squarespace is ideal for photographers, designers, and artists alike.

Wix

Founded in Tel Aviv back in 2006 by three developers, Wix’s primary goal was to create a platform to help anyone create a website, no matter what their coding and design skills may be. They make the website creation process effortless with their 800+ templates and drag-and-drop interface. Those seasoned in web development can implement more customizations, whereas those with deep pockets can add increased functionality through a custom domain name, scheduling, and various eCommerce tools. Essentially, you create your site using their proprietary software and tools. Whereas other hosting solutions will have you access your website via FTP panel or dashboard, Wix has you access your site through their Wix admin panel. The Wix platform is available in over 200 countries and seventeen languages, allowing easy access to anyone looking for an online presence.

GoDaddy

Found in 1997, in Baltimore, Maryland, GoDaddy is one of the biggest web service companies in the world, even hitting the milestone of being the world’s biggest domain registrar in 2005. Not only are they a domain registrar, but also a renowned web host that provides storage and website-building services. Their primary goal is to provide their 20+ million customers with all the tools necessary to create a successful online website. GoDaddy has a plan for everyone, from bloggers seeking a low-cost basic shared hosting plan to corporations in need of powerful dedicated servers that can manage a large amount of traffic.

Final Thoughts

We’ve taken the time to go over the various types of the best website hosting options, along with some all-in-one solutions. And as previously stated, we feel that the best website hosting service for small businesses is Bluehost, due to it being the most reasonably priced option available. Whichever hosting solution you end up going with, you will be fully equipped with all the information necessary to make an educated decision on whichever option is best suited for you and your small business.