Latest news with #cPanel
Techday NZ
5 days ago
- Business
- Techday NZ
HostPapa launches dedicated server hosting with five tiers
HostPapa has expanded its product portfolio to include Dedicated Server Hosting, aiming at businesses with advanced hosting requirements. The new Dedicated Server Hosting service comes in five performance tiers, with each offering a range of hardware configurations intended to support more demanding workloads. Businesses can choose from managed or unmanaged server options, both designed to deliver on performance, security, and reliability. Jamie Opalchuk, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of HostPapa, stated, "HostPapa is known for our powerful hosting options with top-tier customer support. Our new Dedicated Server Hosting plans offer affordable performance and high customer control that was previously out of reach for many small and medium-sized businesses." Hardware featured in the dedicated server plans includes high-performance Intel and AMD processors, NVMe storage, broad bandwidth allocations, and memory options up to 256GB. The managed dedicated server plans include cPanel access, enhanced security functionality, and technical support, while unmanaged options provide customers with maximum configuration flexibility. Corey Hammond, Chief Marketing Officer at HostPapa, commented, "Our product team has carefully designed these plans for businesses that have outgrown traditional shared or VPS hosting. Whether it's hosting high-traffic websites, running data-intensive applications, or supporting resource-intensive business solutions, our dedicated servers deliver the performance, security, and reliability businesses need to succeed." The Dedicated Server Hosting plans are supported by HostPapa's 30-day money-back guarantee and offer comprehensive, round-the-clock assistance via the PapaSquad customer support team. Additional benefits for managed server customers include advanced server control panels, security enhancements such as SSL certificates, and several backup storage configurations. The managed hosting tier is intended for businesses seeking to outsource server upkeep, security updates, and performance management. Marian Onofrei, Vice President of Operations, said, "For managed server customers, we handle the bulk of server maintenance, security updates, and performance optimisation, allowing businesses to focus on their core operations rather than IT management. For unmanaged customers who prefer greater control, our team is still available to provide guidance and support whenever needed." The new Dedicated Server Hosting plans have been made available to businesses looking for hosting solutions that support high-traffic or resource-intensive operations. HostPapa, founded in 2006 and based in Burlington, Ontario, Canada, is a web hosting and cloud services provider for small businesses around the globe. HostPapa is committed to providing a complete array of enterprise-grade solutions to every business owner. These services, traditionally out of reach to smaller businesses, are offered in a one-stop shop, making it quick and easy for customers to select the services they need to grow. HostPapa backs these offerings with around the clock multilingual customer support provided by a team of experts.
Time Business News
09-05-2025
- Business
- Time Business News
Cloudways Review 2025:What's New in Cloudways Hosting? Full Review
If you've been dealing with hosting nightmares, endlessly juggling cPanel, getting lost in server configurations, or worrying about your site going down during traffic spikes, you're not alone. Hosting is supposed to be simple, reliable, and fast. That's where Cloudways steps in and honestly, it feels like it was built for people like us – service providers, freelancers, developers, agencies, and even non-tech-savvy entrepreneurs. This is not your usual tech-heavy review. No jargons, no complexity. Just an honest experience of what Cloudways offers in 2025 and why more and more people are switching to it. When you first log into Cloudways, it immediately feels different. The dashboard is modern, clean, and makes launching servers or applications feel like a walk in the park. You choose your cloud provider – DigitalOcean, Vultr, AWS, Google Cloud or Linode. Then you pick the server size that fits your project and boom, you're live. No need to go through complicated server commands or confusing panels. It's all visual, smooth, and just works. What makes Cloudways insanely fast? The secret lies in its custom-built ThunderStack. It combines powerful components like: NGINX + Apache : The two work together to serve dynamic and static content efficiently. : The two work together to serve dynamic and static content efficiently. Varnish Cache : Speeds up page loads up to 10 times for cloud-hosted websites. : Speeds up page loads up to 10 times for cloud-hosted websites. Memcached + Redis : For database-driven sites, these reduce server load and improve performance. : For database-driven sites, these reduce server load and improve performance. PHP-FPM and PHP 8 : These ensure smooth and fast PHP execution. And yes, you can switch between PHP 7.4, 8.0, 8.2, and 8.3 with a click. : These ensure smooth and fast PHP execution. And yes, you can switch between PHP 7.4, 8.0, 8.2, and 8.3 with a click. MySQL / MariaDB: You get the choice. Most users prefer MariaDB 10.6 for its stability and speed. All this makes your WordPress, WooCommerce, Laravel, or custom PHP apps load significantly faster than typical shared hosting platforms. This is where Cloudways really outshines most managed hosting services. With Cloudflare Enterprise integrated, you're getting the kind of protection and performance previously reserved for large-scale businesses. Here's what you get: Fastest CDN with over 200 global locations with over 200 global locations Image Optimization for faster load times for faster load times Mobile Optimization to serve content based on device to serve content based on device Edge Page Caching for lightning-fast delivery for lightning-fast delivery DDoS Protection and Managed WAF for rock-solid security And you don't have to set up anything manually. Just enable it, and you're done. Cloudways gives you full control over your stack. Want to switch between PHP versions? Do it with a dropdown. Need the latest MariaDB version? You got it. The flexibility is unmatched, especially for developers and agencies who manage multiple types of applications. Security is often made overly technical, but Cloudways makes it simple. With their built-in firewall controls, you can whitelist or block IPs, manage TTLs, and even monitor access history. This kind of control is rare in managed hosting, and it makes you feel like you're in charge without needing to be a cybersecurity expert. Cloudways has introduced some powerful updates that make it more practical and user-friendly than ever: Bulk Domain Management : Add multiple domains to an app in one go. : Add multiple domains to an app in one go. MyDumper Backup Utility : Back up large databases in a fraction of the time. : Back up large databases in a fraction of the time. SafeUpdates with Health Check : Updates are now smarter. They won't run if your app is in a broken state. : Updates are now smarter. They won't run if your app is in a broken state. Redesigned Migration Experience : Moving to Cloudways is now a breeze with their full-page migration interface. : Moving to Cloudways is now a breeze with their full-page migration interface. PHP 8.3 Availability : Get the latest performance benefits instantly. : Get the latest performance benefits instantly. Bandwidth Usage Insights: Especially useful for AWS and Google Cloud users to monitor and control costs. These are not just technical upgrades. They solve real user problems. Need help? The Cloudways Knowledgebase is loaded with step-by-step guides and video tutorials. From billing to advanced server tuning, it's all there. And if you get stuck, their 24/7 live chat support is actually helpful. Not just bot replies. Real humans who know the platform. You only pay for what you use. Plans start as low as $14/month for DigitalOcean servers, and you can scale up or down anytime. There's also a 3-day free trial to test things out before you commit. No credit card required. Absolutely. Whether you're a solo entrepreneur managing a portfolio site, an agency with dozens of client projects, or a SaaS builder, Cloudways meets you where you are and grows with you. It's fast, flexible, secure, and most importantly, human-friendly. If you're tired of traditional hosting panels and unreliable support, give Cloudways a shot. It's hosting without the headache. Try Cloudways for Free Visit and start your 3-day free trial. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Time Business News
05-05-2025
- Business
- Time Business News
How Shared Hosting Works Explained Simply
Introduction In the vast world of web hosting, shared hosting stands out as a popular choice for individuals and small businesses looking to establish an online presence without breaking the bank. But what exactly is shared hosting, and how does it function? This guide delves into the intricacies of shared hosting, providing a clear and concise explanation tailored for Canadian users. What Is Shared Hosting? Shared hosting is a type of web hosting where multiple websites reside on a single physical server. Each website shares the server's resources, such as CPU, RAM, storage, and bandwidth. This setup allows hosting providers to offer affordable hosting solutions, as the operational costs are distributed among several users. How Does Shared Hosting Work? When you opt for shared hosting, your website's files are stored on a server alongside those of other websites. The hosting provider allocates a portion of the server's resources to your site, ensuring it operates smoothly. However, since resources are shared, the performance of your website can be influenced by the activities of other sites on the same server. Key Features of Shared Hosting Affordability: Shared hosting is one of the most cost-effective hosting options available, making it ideal for startups and personal websites. Ease of Use: Most shared hosting plans come with user-friendly control panels like cPanel, allowing users to manage their websites effortlessly. Maintenance-Free: Hosting providers handle server maintenance, including software updates and security patches, reducing the technical burden on users. Scalability: While shared hosting is suitable for small to medium-sized websites, many providers offer easy upgrade paths to more robust hosting solutions as your site grows. Pros of Shared Hosting Cost-Effective: Since resources are shared, the cost is significantly lower compared to other hosting types. Since resources are shared, the cost is significantly lower compared to other hosting types. User-Friendly: With intuitive control panels and one-click installations, setting up and managing websites becomes straightforward. With intuitive control panels and one-click installations, setting up and managing websites becomes straightforward. Managed Services: Hosting providers take care of server maintenance, allowing users to focus on content creation and site management. Cons of Shared Hosting Limited Resources: Sharing server resources means that high traffic or resource-intensive websites can experience slower performance. Sharing server resources means that high traffic or resource-intensive websites can experience slower performance. Security Risks: If another website on the same server is compromised, it could potentially affect your site. If another website on the same server is compromised, it could potentially affect your site. Less Control: Users have limited access to server configurations, which can be restrictive for advanced users. Is Shared Hosting Right for You? Shared hosting is an excellent choice for: Personal Blogs: Individuals looking to share their thoughts and experiences online. Individuals looking to share their thoughts and experiences online. Small Business Websites: Local businesses aiming to establish an online presence without significant investment. Local businesses aiming to establish an online presence without significant investment. Portfolios: Creative professionals showcasing their work to potential clients. However, if you anticipate high traffic volumes or require specific server configurations, you might consider other hosting options like VPS or dedicated hosting. Shared Hosting vs. Other Hosting Types Feature Shared Hosting VPS Hosting Dedicated Hosting Cost Low Moderate High Resource Allocation Shared Dedicated Dedicated Performance Variable Consistent High Control Limited Moderate Full Ideal For Small Websites Growing Sites Large Enterprises Choosing a Canadian Shared Hosting Provider When selecting a shared hosting provider in Canada, consider the following: Data Center Location: Ensure the provider's servers are located in Canada for better performance and compliance with local regulations. Ensure the provider's servers are located in Canada for better performance and compliance with local regulations. Customer Support: Opt for providers offering 24/7 support in your preferred language. Opt for providers offering 24/7 support in your preferred language. Features: Look for features like free SSL certificates, email hosting, and website builders. Look for features like free SSL certificates, email hosting, and website builders. Pricing: Compare pricing plans to find a solution that fits your budget. Conclusion Shared hosting offers an affordable and user-friendly solution for individuals and small businesses looking to establish an online presence. By understanding how shared hosting works and evaluating your specific needs, you can make an informed decision about whether it's the right choice for you. For more information on shared hosting plans tailored for Canadian users, visit TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Best Web Hosting Services for 2025: Tested and Reviewed
Whether you're building your first website for fun or looking to start an online business, you'll need a good web hosting service to make it available online. Searching through hundreds of web hosting companies can be overwhelming, so I've spent the past year researching and testing these companies to compile this list of the best web hosting services and help you choose the right company for your needs and your budget. Hostinger is the best web hosting company in today's marketplace, receiving the highest ranking -- 8.6 out of 10 -- of all the web hosts we've tested so far. Hostinger offers a straightforward signup process and guided tools for installing WordPress on your web server. Hostinger also offers a WordPress site assistant to help you perform key tasks, like creating your first web page. If you don't want to use WordPress, there's also a website builder, complete with an AI site generation tool that builds a website in minutes based on simple information about the topic and purpose of the site you're creating. Hostinger also offers great server performance, top-notch security tools -- especially for WordPress users -- and hPanel, a proprietary alternative to cPanel that simplifies server management tasks like connecting to Google Search Console. Best of all, Hostinger offers these features for highly affordable prices, with the basic web hosting plan starting at just $3 a month for a four-year contract. Renewal pricing is also affordable, starting at just $8 per month (based on a four-year contract). Hostinger is a fast-growing web hosting company that earned top marks in our hands-on Hostinger review thanks to its incredibly easy-to-use site-building tools and top-notch server performance. Hostinger offers a variety of specialized hosting plans for WordPress and WooCommerce, website builder hosting plans, VPS -- Virtual Private Server -- and cloud hosting. Hostinger offers great security, including unlimited secure socket layer -- SSL -- certification to encrypt data sent from or to your sites, firewall protection to keep malware out, and distributed denial of service -- DDoS -- protection to prevent malicious traffic from overwhelming your site. You'll also get a malware scanner and WordPress vulnerabilities scanner for quickly identifying security issues with your site, plus weekly backups (daily on some plans) so you can quickly restore your site if something goes wrong. WordPress users will enjoy the WordPress acceleration through LiteSpeed, automated WordPress updates and pre-built site templates available on most plans. Hostinger also offers a website builder with over 150 designer-built templates. The website builder also includes AI site generation tools; all you need to do is enter some basic information about your website, choose a color scheme and let Hostinger build your site. Hostinger is ideal if you want access to great WordPress features and/or a high-quality website builder for affordable prices. However, Hostinger's customer support is only available via live chat, so you might want to choose a different company if you prefer to communicate with customer support via email or phone. Pricing All Hostinger plans come with steep discounts, typically based on a four-year contract, longer than the one to three years required to get an introductory discount from other hosts. You may have to pay more than the prices listed below if you choose a shorter contract. Shared hosting starts at $2.50 a month. WordPress hosting starts at $2.50 a month. WooCommerce hosting starts at $3.50 a month. Website builder hosting starts at $2.50 a month. VPS hosting starts at $5 a month. Cloud hosting starts at $7.60 a month. See at Hostinger Ionos is a high-quality web host that performed remarkably well in our hands-on Ionos review. You can get several types of hosting from Ionos including shared hosting, WordPress hosting, e-commerce hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated hosting. Ionos plans include top-notch security, starting with SSL certification, firewall protection and DDoS protections. Ionos also offers malware scanning and automated daily backups for quickly restoring your site if something goes wrong. On top of all of this, Ionos offers some of the best customer service in the industry, with 24/7 access to support via live chat or phone. Both live chat and phone support were fast, polite and helpful during our tests. There are also fourteen international numbers for users around the world. You'll also get a personal consultant who can be reached by phone or live chat from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST, although you may be directed to another support agent if your consultant is working on another case when you reach out. Ionos is a great choice if you're looking to create a hobby site or blog thanks to its combination of great features, affordable long-term pricing and excellent customer service. Ionos' prices start lower than most other web hosting services for similar services, but you must sign up for a three-year plan to access the best discounts. The price increases on renewal -- significantly so for some plans -- but most plans are still more affordable than their counterparts at other popular web hosts. The plans referenced below offer the lowest long-term pricing. Some mid-range plans may offer a steeper introductory discount but will cost significantly more than the plans referenced below on renewal. Shared hosting starts at $1 a month, but this is a mid-tier plan that increases to $12 a month on renewal. The lowest-tier plan starts at $4 a month, but only increases to $6 a month on renewal. WordPress hosting starts at $1 a month. However, this $1 deal is for a mid-tier plan that increases to $10 a month on renewal. The lowest-tier plan starts at $5, but only increases to $6 a month on renewal. WooCommerce hosting starts at $16 a month. Website builder hosting starts at $1 a month. Like the shared and WordPress hosting deals, this is for a mid-tier plan that increases to $18 a month on renewal. The lowest-tier plan starts at $6 a month, but only increases to $12 a month on renewal. VPS hosting starts at $2 a month. Dedicated server hosting starts at $48 a month. See at Ionos SiteGround is known for its WordPress-optimized hosting plans and award-winning customer service available 24/7 via phone, live chat and email. You can get WordPress, WooCommerce and cloud hosting through SiteGround. All SiteGround plans are optimized with guided WordPress setup tools, specialized caching tools for improving site speed and proprietary plugins for optimizing your website's speed and security. SiteGround performs automated updates to the core WordPress software, themes and plugins, with options to delay updates or even skip a specific release update if you need to prepare your site. SiteGround security goes beyond the standard SSL certification and firewall protection with a proprietary anti-bot system that claims to block millions of threats every day. You'll also get automated daily backups so you can quickly restore your site if something goes wrong. All of this is great, but the best thing about SiteGround is its customer support. There are comprehensive resources for learning how to perform most web hosting and site management tasks yourself. If you can't figure it out on your own, SiteGround offers customer service via support ticket, live chat and phone. I tested all three of these support channels and was impressed by the SiteGround team's fast, helpful responses. SiteGround is a great option if you want a WordPress website without worrying about managing the WordPress software yourself. The long-term pricing is high for a personal site -- the lowest-tier plan rises to $18 a month on renewal -- but totally reasonable if you're building a business website. WordPress hosting starts at $3 a month. WooCommerce hosting starts at $3 a month. Cloud hosting starts at $100 a month. A2 Hosting offers shared, VPS, dedicated, WordPress, reseller and cloud hosting, including tiered options within each plan. Shared hosting, for example, offers plans labeled Startup, Drive, Turbo Boost and Turbo Max. These additional plans give customers more options to choose from to better fit their needs and allow customers to scale their operations as needed. One of the biggest benefits of A2 Hosting is the comprehensive security, which includes SSL certificate, dual firewalls, a virus scanner, DDoS protection and brute force defense. Most plans also include automated backups, although this isn't available on the lowest-tier plan. Our A2 Hosting review showed that A2 Hosting also has great tools for beginners, including a guided WordPress setup process and site assistant. Server performance was also good, with 100% uptime during our week of testing -- exceeding the official 99.9% uptime guarantee -- and good overall site speed. Customer support can be slow when contacted via support ticket or phone. A2 Hosting is a great choice if you're completely new to website building and WordPress. A2 Hosting pricing is about average at first glance, but renewal pricing is relatively high when compared to other popular web hosts. When you factor in all of the security features and additional features like the site assistant and unlimited email hosting, A2 Hosting is worth the price. Shared hosting starts at $3 a month. WordPress hosting starts at $12 a month. Unmanaged VPS hosting starts at $3 a month. Managed VPS hosting starts at $36 a month. Dedicated server hosting starts at $129 a month. Reseller hosting starts at $18 a month. See at A2 Hosting GreenGeeks offers shared, VPS, dedicated, WordPress and reseller hosting plans. Each plan offers tiered options that let you scale up as your site's needs grow. Some plans are managed but at a higher cost. Each plan also includes a website builder so you don't have to build your site from scratch. Every GreenGeeks plan includes a slew of security features like SSL certificates, DDoS protection, daily backups, malware cleanups and more to help protect your site. GreenGeeks says it checks its servers every 10 seconds for any issues, while other services might check every 30 seconds, every minute or longer. For more direct customer support, GreenGeeks offers 24/7 chat support. You can also email GreenGeeks support, and the company says you can expect a resolution in about 15 to 20 minutes. The other thing that stands out about GreenGeeks is its commitment to the environment: for every hosting account, GreenGeeks plants a tree, and GreenGeeks also creates three times the amount of energy used through wind power credits. GreenGeeks is a great choice if you want to offset the environmental costs of hosting your website. GreenGeeks' pricing is average compared to other web hosting services. Most of the lowest prices from GreenGeeks require a three-year contract paid in full upfront. Other contracts are available at an increased price per month, but must also be paid in full upfront. Shared hosting starts at $3 per month. WordPress hosting starts at $3 per month. VPS hosting starts at $70 per month. Dedicated server hosting starts at $169 per month. Reseller hosting starts at $20 per month. See at GreenGeeks AccuWeb Hosting offers shared, VPS, dedicated, WordPress, app, reseller and cloud hosting options. Customers can also choose which of AccuWeb Hosting's global data centers will host their data. This means if you anticipate that most of your traffic will come from outside the US, you can choose to store your site in a different location so your site loads quicker for non-US visitors. AccuWeb Hosting offers top-notch security on all plans, including SSL certification, free antivirus tools and free daily backups. AccuWeb servers are also LiteSpeed enhanced for improved speed and performance. The other major benefit of AccuWeb Hosting is affordability. Specifically, WordPress hosting starts at just $2.75 a month and the lowest-tier plan doesn't become more expensive on renewal, something unique to AccuWeb. AccuWeb is ideal if you're looking to build a personal or hobby WordPress site and you want to make it work on a tight budget. Some AccuWeb Hosting plans, like shared plans, are a little higher than other services, while mid-level plans, like VPS plans, are cheaper than other services. Introductory prices for most hosting types are only available with a three-year term, but the price increases on renewal are reasonable when compared to other popular hosts. Shared hosting starts at $3 a month. WordPress hosting starts at $2.75 a month -- and the cost of this plan doesn't increase on renewal. VPS plans start at $4 a month. VPS cloud hosting starts at $6.50 a month. Dedicated hosting starts at $103 a month. Reseller hosting starts at $12 a month. See at AccuWeb Hosting The most common types of hosting are shared hosting, virtual private server hosting and dedicated hosting. Shared hosting is typically the most basic, and the least expensive, type of hosting. Continuing the art example, shared hosting is like a small gallery presented in a coffee shop. Yes, the art you created is there, but so is art by other people. Shared hosting is similar. You're usually charged a few bucks a month to house your site, but you don't get a lot of resources to help you take care of your site. These plans usually cost between $2 and $20 a month. VPS hosting is a step up from shared hosting and is a little bit more expensive. Here, your art is stored in a gallery downtown. Other art is still stored and displayed alongside yours, but unlike shared hosting, each artist has their own booth within the gallery. With VPS hosting, you get more resources which allows you to handle more traffic and display more items. These plans usually cost between $2 and $110 a month. Dedicated hosting is when you house your site on a whole server without anyone else. This is like having the entire art gallery to yourself. Everything there is your art and you get dedicated people to help take care of your art. These plans are the most expensive, but you get the most resources. Dedicated hosting plans usually cost between $47 and $540 a month. Your web host should offer a variety of shared and VPS hosting plans to accommodate your site as it grows. You may want to choose a host that also has dedicated hosting options if you're planning to grow your site into an enterprise business, but this limits your options -- a lot of the best web hosts only offer shared and VPS hosting. You may also want to consider cloud hosting if you want to start a business website. You can learn more about cloud hosting -- and all the other hosting types mentioned here -- in our guide about types of web hosting for more details. It's important to secure your site so you don't compromise the personal information of your site's visitors or yourself. At a minimum, your web hosting should include two security features: Secure socket layer certification: The secure socket layer protocol automatically encrypts all data sent to and from your website, protecting key data like your customers' contact information. Browsers and VPNs rely on SSL certification to determine if a site is safe and may block sites without it so potential visitors can't even load the page. Google may also penalize sites without SSL certification. Firewall: A firewall is a type of software that scans data sent to your site and filters out malware attempting to infiltrate your site. Some web hosting companies use the open-source Mod Security firewall, while others have custom firewalls designed to protect against more advanced threats like distributed denial of service attacks. Many of the best web hosts also provide brute force and DDoS protection, malware scanning/repair and automated backups. Uptime is the amount of time your site spends online. The industry standard site uptime is 99.9%, which means your site won't go down for more than nine hours per year. Some hosts provide uptime guarantees as high as 99.99%, which means your site won't go down for more than 56 minutes per year. Note that this guarantee only refers to server performance; your site may still go down due to other reasons, such as being hacked or a botched WordPress update. You could run into an issue with your site at any time, so choosing a web hosting service that can give you 24/7 customer service is vital. Email support is good, chat support is better and phone support is best. Addressing any issues or outages as quickly as possible ensures your site is reachable and your visitors have a good experience. Web hosting pricing can be confusing. For example, a service might list its lowest shared hosting price as $5 a month. That price is a promotional rate and comes attached to a one-year contract. At the end of the contract, the price reverts to its regular price of $10 a month, double what you were paying. With that in mind, shared hosting can cost anywhere between $2 and $23 per month, VPS can cost between $2-$110 a month and dedicated hosting can cost between $47-$540 a month on average. My testing process begins with analyzing web hosting companies' plans and packages to determine their value. If the plans look good, I move on to checking reviews on sites like Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau to get a feel for the level of service they provide to customers and their overall reputation. Next, I create an account with each web host and use our web hosting test framework to evaluate the service in four categories: Ease of use Performance (speed and uptime) Customer support Value I then average out the rankings from each category to give the host an overall ranking out of 10. The following services aren't as robust as our top picks, but they're still reasonable offerings. Some specialize in one type of hosting, like WordPress hosting, so they're not ideal for hosting a non-WordPress site or accommodating its long-term growth. Others have extremely high renewal costs or lack certain types of customer service. Pay close attention to the details when choosing one of these hosts. Namecheap offers some of the cheapest pricing plans. Month-to-month plans in particular are less expensive compared with monthly plans from other services. Some other services might offer monthly shared hosting plans for $20, but all Namecheap monthly shared hosting plans cost less than $10. Namecheap also offers VPS, dedicated, WordPress and reseller hosting plans. Namecheap has a 99.9% uptime guarantee for VPS and reseller plans, as well as a 100% uptime guarantee for most shared, VPS and dedicated plans. Each Namecheap plan comes with a free virus scanner, two-factor authentication and DDoS protection to help secure your data and your visitors' data. SSL certificates are free for one year. After that year, you can buy SSL certificates through NameCheap for $6 per year with a five-year contract. Namecheap offers 24/7 email and chat support but no phone support. Namecheap plans start at $2 per month. GoDaddy offers shared, VPS, dedicated and WordPress hosting plans, a 99.9% uptime guarantee and 24/7 customer support by phone or chat. GoDaddy is also the only web host on this list you can contact via text, and we found customer service highly responsive during our GoDaddy review. GoDaddy also had impressive server performance. The big drawback of GoDaddy is that some security features are inconsistent. For example, SSL certificates are included with all shared hosting plans, but with the lower-tiered shared plan, you have to purchase an SSL certificate after one year no matter how long your hosting contract is. SSL certificates are also a paid option in lower-tiered VPS and dedicated hosting plans, but they're included in the higher-tiered options. GoDaddy Web Hosting plans start at $6 a month. HostGator offers shared, VPS, dedicated, WordPress, eCommerce and reseller hosting plans with tiered options. Most of HostGator's plans include a firewall with DDoS protections and SSL certification for at least one year. Some plans come with automated backups, but HostGator writes that anyone with "critical business information or important data are STRONGLY encouraged to seek a third-party backup service…" (emphasis theirs). Undermining your own backup system is an odd choice. In theory, customer support from HostGator is available via chat, email or phone 24/7. Some plans limit the types of customer service you can access and we experienced inconsistent service across support channels during our HostGator review. HostGator pricing starts at $3.75 a month. HostPapa has global data centers, so you can choose the best data center to reach your visitors the quickest. Hosting options include shared, VPS, managed and unmanaged WordPress hosting, reseller hosting and PapaCare, which is similar to managed shared hosting. HostPapa has free SSL certificates, DDoS protection and other security features included in each plan, a 99.9% uptime guarantee and 24/7 phone, chat and email support. The lack of a dedicated hosting option means that if your site grows too large, you'll have to migrate to another service. In addition, renewal pricing isn't listed on plan pages and can be quite expensive. Moreover, some features, like automated backups and a security tool, are automatically added for an additional charge during check-out. These features are included in higher-tier plans, but not in all plans. HostPapa plans start at $3 per month. Hostwinds offers unlimited storage and bandwidth, as well as unlimited free business email accounts with each plan. It offers shared, managed and unmanaged VPS, dedicated, reseller and cloud hosting plans, as well as a business-centered shared hosting plan it calls business hosting. Hostwinds has a 99.9999% uptime guarantee, which is above average, and it offers 24/7 support via live chat, email and support ticket; there are no hours listed for the support phone number. Hostwinds plans also come with free SSL certificates and free nightly backups. In comparison with other services, Hostwinds isn't as forthcoming with information on other features or plan differences. Usually, services show detailed charts that lay out what features come with plans. Hostwinds' shared chart, for example, lists only bandwidth, disk space and how many domains come with each plan. Hostwinds plans start at $5.24 a month. Bluehost specializes in WordPress hosting and many of its plans include custom themes and other WordPress tools. It offers shared, VPS, dedicated hosting, managed and unmanaged WordPress hosting, as well as an option called Online Store that includes additional e-commerce tools with each plan. All plans include two-factor authentication and anti-spam protection. You'll also get an SSL certificate, but it's only free for the first year on the lowest-tier plan; after that, you'll be paying $90 a year. Bluehost customers can call or chat with a customer support representative 24/7. Bluehost doesn't offer an uptime guarantee but instead says it resolves issues within 15 minutes of them being reported. It doesn't say how many issues you should expect on average. If your site is down for about 15 minutes a week, your site could be down for about 13 hours a year, which is higher than standard. Bluehost plans start at $3 per month. Glowhost offers shared, cloud VPS, dedicated, semi-dedicated, reseller and what Glowhost calls elastic site hosting, which it compares to a managed VPS plan. Security features include free SSL certificates and McAfee Secure, which is included for free, and customer support is available by phone or chat 24/7. Glowhost also promises 100% network uptime and 99.95% overall uptime. If it doesn't live up to those expectations, you can take advantage of the 91-day money-back guarantee. Glowhost plans start at $3.50 per month. Mochahost offers shared, VPS, dedicated cloud, WordPress and reseller plans and 24/7 live chat support. Phone support and ticket creation are also available. Free SSL certificates are included in each plan as well, but other security features, like spam and malware filters, come at an additional cost or with more expensive plans. Mochahost plans start at $4 per month, and the renewal prices are affordable too, with the lowest-tier plan renewing at $6.35 a month. InMotion Hosting offers shared, VPS, dedicated, WordPress and reseller hosting with different tiered options for each type of hosting. InMotion Hosting also offers managed hosting services. These services can be purchased for one hour for $90, or you can purchase these services for three months, six months or a year with prices starting at $48 a month. Each plan comes with free SSL certificates, DDoS protections and hack and malware protections. Automatic daily backups are also available, but these are an additional $2.50 a month. All of this looks great, but our review process revealed serious issues with InMotion Hosting, including slow server speeds and a massive one-hour and 12 minutes of downtime during our week of testing. InMotion Hosting customer support was also impossible to get in touch with. Shared hosting at InMotion Hosting starts at $3 a month when you choose a three-year plan. Liquid Web: No shared hosting. Security features include an integrated firewall and standard DDoS protections. Offers 100% uptime and 24/7 chat or phone support plus you can create tickets. Prices start at $5 a month for VPS hosting. Web Hosting Hub: Offers shared and WordPress hosting. Has free SSL certificates but other security features cost extra. Offers 99.9% uptime and has 24/7 chat and phone support as well as ticket submission. Prices start at $6 a month. WP Engine: Offers WordPress hosting. Security features like free SSL certificates and daily backups. Only custom-managed WordPress plans have an uptime guarantee, and the company offers 24/7 chat support, phone support is offered at higher plan levels. Prices start at $20 a month. Kinsta: Offers WordPress, web app, managed database and static site hosting. Security features like free SSL certificates and automatic backups. Has a 99.9% uptime and 24/7 chat support. Prices start at $30 a month for WordPress hosting, with a one month free trial. Web hosting is the act of storing a website's data on a server or series of servers. Imagine a website as a work of art. That art needs to be housed somewhere for people to see, and web hosting is like a gallery where your art can be stored for others to view. There are three common types of web hosting: shared hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated hosting. Shared hosting is the simplest and least expensive type of hosting, often starting at $2-5 a month, with costs kept low by sharing a web server -- and its resources, like bandwidth and data storage -- with other sites. VPS hosting is more advanced, creating a virtual private server with dedicated resources for your site so it can handle more traffic and store more data. VPS hosting packages typically cost between $2 and $110 a month. Dedicated hosting gives you an entire physical server, typically including large amounts of storage and bandwidth. Dedicated hosting plans usually cost between $47 and $540 a month. Check out our guide about types of web hosting for more details. Some other types of hosting include reseller, cloud and WordPress hosting. Reseller hosting involves subscribing to a web hosting service and selling that space to a person who wants to put a website online, essentially becoming a web host yourself. Cloud hosting stores your data in a network of servers so if anything happens to one server, visitors can still view your site like usual. These are generally used by larger businesses and organizations. WordPress hosting is optimized to use WordPress, a popular system used by many organizations, offering over 54,000 plugins that make it possible to build any kind of website you can imagine. For gamers, there is also Minecraft hosting. Minecraft continues to be one of the most popular games, and hosting a dedicated Minecraft server can ensure you and your friends have your own place in the game to enjoy. Some of the key security features you should be on the lookout for are secure socket layer certificates, DDoS protections and web application firewalls. SSL certificates encrypt and authenticate data sent between servers, machines and applications operating within a network to protect your -- and your visitors' -- information. A DDoS attack is a flood of traffic to your site that overwhelms and shuts down your site, and potentially the sites of others depending on your hosting plan. DDoS protection monitors your site's traffic for anything suspicious and stops DDoS attacks from happening before they cause significant damage. A WAF is a layer of security on your site that filters, monitors and blocks malicious traffic and data from accessing your site. If something looks suspicious, the WAF blocks it. A2 Hosting's shared hosting is the best web hosting for beginners thanks to its guided WordPress setup process and site assistant. A2 Hosting also offers good server performance and excellent live chat support, although phone and email support can be slow.
