Web Hosting Review

If you want to publish a website, web domain hosting is a necessity. Websites consist of several data files that together form navigable site pages online. A web hosting service stores those files on a data server that uploads them directly to the web, providing internet connectivity and allowing users to access your site through your chosen domain name.

Web hosting companiess can vary greatly, ranging from small-scale file hosting for personal webpages to more comprehensive hosting with database and script support. Our web hosting reviews focus on services suitable for small to medium-sized businesses. While web hosts provide different hosting packages with varying functionality, every service in your lineup provides reliability and an array of both beginner-friendly and advanced features at a low monthly cost that will appeal to budget-conscious business owners. Be sure to check out our side-by-side comparison, articles on web hosting and the overall best web hosting services on the market: Just Host, Go Daddy and iPage.

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Web Hosting Services: What to Look For

Top hosting providers all have the same fundamental functionality of internet connectivity, but they can vary greatly when it comes to a few key factors. Here are the criteria we used to determine the best web hosting company and the factors you should consider when looking for a service to suit your needs.

Hosting Package
Most web hosting sites provide monthly service subscriptions with different price points and varying levels of service. All packages contain integral hosting components including disk space, bandwidth and domains. Some services have fixed allotments for these factors while others provide unlimited server storage, bandwidth and number of domains you can host under your account.

The type of hosting package you select largely depends on the type and number of websites you want hosted. Smaller, affordable web hosting packages are sufficient for simple websites, but if you have multiple sites or want a professional website that can expand with the growth of your business, opt for a robust hosting package that meets your needs.

Features
A top web hosting company should provide an array of features that enable you to create, publish and maintain your website. As such we looked for a website builder, one-click installation of supported apps and an integrated control panel for easy site management. Email functionality should also be included, with unlimited email addresses that include your domain name, autoresponders and spam filters.

We also looked for advanced supplementary features that will appeal to users with experience in web design and programming languages. These include custom cron jobs, a script library, raw access logs and customizable error pages. The best web hosting sites should also provide ample server access options. Even the cheapest web hosting companies should provide unlimited FTP accounts, .htaccess and secure shell (SSH) access.

Ease of Use
A web host’s usability is crucial to consider, especially if you’ve had little experience with shared web hosting providers. We looked for services that provide intuitive and user-friendly interfaces that allow easy management of your website.

Tech Support
When it comes to web site hosting and site management, technical problems can occur anytime. Subsequently, responsive tech support is critical and reps should be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist you. Small business web hosting services should also provide comprehensive resources to help you become familiar with their service and how it works. These should include but are not limited to user forums, video tutorials, a knowledgebase and getting-started wizards that walk you through how to get your site up and running.

Choosing the right eCommerce web hosting service can help give your business a competitive edge online, with a wide range of features, tools and capabilities at your disposal. Whether or not you are well-versed in web design and hosting, the services in our lineup can help you create, publish and maintain a successful, business-driving website.