Different types of web hosting services available
A web hosting service is one that allows individuals or organisations to create a website
and post it on the internet. There are hundreds of web hosting service providers out there,
essentially providing the services and technology needed for the page to be viewed by
other users. We’ve compiled a list of the best web hosting services available that will
help you bring your website to the next level.
What should you be expecting from your web hosting service provider?
The first question you need to ask yourself is what kind of web hosting do you need. It
seems like a daunting task initially, with technical terms, coding, and other jargon you’ll find
thrown at you. How much should you pay, should you consider shared hosting, cloud
hosting or managed services? Unfortunately, there is no “one size fits all” solution to this
question.
The answer depends on what you want from your website, what size it will be, what it will
be used for, and how much you are expecting it to grow. Regardless of these things, in our
opinion, a good service provider should include basics like the following.
WordPress access and support
One of the best blogging and website content management systems out there, WordPress
has both free and paid options that will allow you to build and manage your own website
with a number of plugins and other features over time. Most hosting service providers are
compatible with WordPress.
Mail account
An easy way for your followers, customers or readers to reach out to you is to have an
email account linked to a contact form that is similar to your domain, for example:
abc@mywebsite.com
FTP Access
FTP – or File Transfer Protocol – is a way of transferring files computer to your web server.
Having a hosting domain which grants FTP access will allow you to remotely access a
computer on the network to receive or send files.
Virtual Private Server (VPS)
A VPS server is a step up from shared hosting which allows for resources like a RAM and
CPU to be dedicated to you. A VPS web hosting account, allowing for greater stability,
better security, and superior performance, as you will be allocated a set amount of
resources, regardless of what other users on the server are doing. The list of hosting
service providers below all come with a VPS server.
What are the best web hosting service providers?
Bluehost
Useful and easy to use with a range of features and affordable pricing packages, Bluehost
is one of our top picks. The packages start at $AUD5.88 for a year and include a free
domain name for the first year, one-click WordPress installation, and 24/7 customer support.
With thousands of templates, included SSL certificate, and user-friendly functions, this is
the host of choice for over two million established domains.
GoDaddy
One of the most popular web hosting services, GoDaddy boasts of speedy services, a user-
friendly website developer, free backup and restore features, a business email, unlimited
storage, bandwidth, and a free domain name. These features are included in the annual
plan, starting at around $AUD6.40 a month. GoDaddy can increase hosting capacity on-demand, which makes it the best-managed service provider if your website takes off at a
rapid pace.
HostGator
Making shared web hosting easy and affordable, HostGator’s plans are as low as
$AUD8.48 a month, offering features like a free single domain, WordPress installation, and
control panel, unmetered bandwidth, and SSL certification included. This hosting service
offers great value for money and multiple features for a basic website.
Hostinger
One of the best business web hosting providers, it comes with 100 GBs of storage, and SSL
certificate, MySQL databases, email accounts, and daily backups, making it ideal if you want
to design a business website. Using its own technology, Hostinger’s control panel has
better performances and features and will set you back $AUD1.41 a month if you sign-on
for a four-year contract.
Alternatives to web hosting services
If you’re planning to design a business website or work on a larger project which requires
significantly more storage space, better privacy, and flexibility, you can look at alternatives
to web hosting.
Cloud Hosting
Like VPS hosting, cloud hosting allows the user to pay a set amount for a web space, RAM
CPU and bandwidth, but these resources are spread across multiple devices. Changing
your plan later is easier and faster, allowing for increased reliability for website owners.
Cloud hosting is scalable and can be used to host your emails or replace your business
server. Well suited to larger websites and projects, it’s a great option to consider.
An easier way to understand cloud hosting is to look at the popular iCloud storage on iOS
devices. The cloud storage and cloud computing service give users a chance to store
documents, photos, and videos on remote servers, without worrying about running out of storage on their devices. You can back up your phones or laptops and share videos, games, and files instantly.
Managed Hosting
This is a dedicated hosting service where a website owner leases an entire server and it is
not shared between different people. Managed hosting takes away the burden of constantly
monitoring your server and allowing experts of the hosting services to manage your website
efficiently. Purchasing a managed hosting server allows for more flexibility as the website or
business owner can decide which operating system, and hardware to use.
Designing your own website and managing it can be hard when you’re new to the digital
world and are unsure about the next step. Lack of information or limited coding proficiency
may stand in your way, so it is important to plan ahead and think of the features you want
your website to have.
Choose your website hosting service provider wisely, even paying for a shorter duration so
you can test it out, before spending hard-earned money on a website and adding on other,
expensive features.
