How to Choose a Web Host | Complete Hosting Guide?

How to Choose a Web Host?

Hosting

This article clarifies the concept of hosting & How to Choose a Web Host. It can be useful to those who are going or have recently organized their representation on the Internet. Hosting is becoming as important to modern people as the concept of television, radio, newspapers and magazines. The article will help to determine what type of hosting is needed to solve certain problems.

First, let’s try to determine what hosting services are for. The word “hosting”, like many other words from the Internet lexicon, comes from the English language from the word “host / hosting”, which has several meanings: host, main device, host computer, innkeeper. The meaning “innkeeper” is closest to the correct interpretation of the term “hosting” on the Internet, since It assumes that your web page is hosted on a computer hosting an Internet service provider along with many other people’s web pages.

To get the answer of your question How to Choose a Web Host lets first determine What is good hosting for? Let’s say you have created a website on your computer. Now you are faced with the following question: how to place it on the Internet so that a certain user can access it at any time? You can arrange hosting. Install the server so that anyone who wants to can view this page from the Internet directly from your computer. But this means that: firstly, your computer must be constantly working; secondly, it must be constantly connected to the Internet; thirdly, the connection to the Internet should be at high speed, because if several people immediately want to view your web page, or if you need file hosting, then the speed of a regular telephone connection will not be enough.

What is Web Hosting?

Web hosting is a way to host a website on the Internet. Once you have placed your site on the server, anyone can access it by typing the domain name in the browser bar. Access to the site is possible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

In order to place your website on the network, you must:

first of all, have your own website. You need to have a copy of the site on your local computer (in html files), or ready-made materials + a script that would allow you to create a website directly on the server.

Domain name. You need to find and purchase the domain name of the site. It is desirable that the name speaks about the subject of the site and be easy to remember. The domain name can be in any domain zone of your choice, for example: .com .net .org etc. For example .Com domains are intended for commercial sites, .org – for government agencies and public organisations. Regional domains indicate that a site belongs to a particular region. This is an optional rule, but worth keeping in mind.

What is a Server?

This is a computer hosted by an Internet provider and connected to the World Wide Web that stores a copy of the website. As a rule, one server can accommodate a lot of websites, due to the large disk space. But in general, it doesn’t matter. It is not the volume of the server that is important, but its computing power and the bandwidth of the provider’s Internet channels.

Using any web browser (program for viewing sites on the Internet), you can access your website by typing the website address in the bar. Let’s discuss the different type of hosting.

Different Types of Hosting

What is Shared Hosting?

Usually this is a hosting organisation in which several sites are located on the same server.

Pros

high speed;

round-the-clock technical and service support;

second level domain name as a gift;

warnings about technical work, notifications about short-term failures, about the possibility of problems of any nature;

disk space can be as large as you like and depends solely on the policy of the company that provides it.

Cons

the complexity of the implementation of non-standard solutions;

site speed depends on the total number of sites on the server.

What is VPS – Virtual Private Server?

Today, specialised hosting companies offer website owners a variety of hosting options. They can vary in cost, disk space, bandwidth, and other parameters.

VPS hosting which is a virtual private server is in great demand. Such hosting organically combines the advantages of a dedicated server with ease of management and affordable cost. I know you are not getting the answer of How to Choose a Web Host but i am dam sure if you will read the full article you will be able to choose a good web host. Let’s move to our topic.

You get full access, the ability to configure system parameters and install any required software.

Pros
low price;

round-the-clock technical and service support;

Second level domain name as a gift;

warnings about technical work, notifications about short-term failures, alerts about the possibility of problems of any nature;

disk space can be as large as you like and depends on the policy of the company providing it;

full access to the server;

the ability to configure any parameters of the system and applications;

the ability to install any software or reconfigure the system software;

deleting, adding, changing any files in the system;

full control over processes, users and files in the system;

the ability to manage your IP-address, ports, filters;

implementation of non-standard solutions;

provision of security measures by the provider;

servicing the mail server through the interface by both the administrator and the office worker.

Cons

server resources cannot be fully utilised.

What is Dedicated Server?

This service involves purchasing a server from a hosting company. The role of the provider in this type of hosting is to provide you with server and monitor its technical condition, as well as maintain uninterrupted Internet provision. The need for this type of hosting arises when the site is technically complex.

Pros

round-the-clock technical and service support;

warnings about technical work, notifications about short-term failures, alerts about the possibility of problems of any nature;

disk space can be as large as you like and depends on the policy of the company providing it;

full access to the server;

the ability to configure any parameters of the system and applications;

the ability to install any software or reconfigure the system software;

deleting, adding, changing any files in the system;

full control over processes, users and files in the system;

the ability to manage your IP-address, ports, filters;

implementation of non-standard solutions;

provision of security measures by the provider;

servicing the mail server through the interface by both the administrator and the office worker.
Cons

high price

Differences between Virtual Dedicated Server and Virtual Private Server

VPS hosting is often called VDS. In fact, they are the same thing. There is no difference between VPS and VDS. The terms stand for Virtual Private Server and Virtual Dedicated Server.

At the same time, there are those who are convinced that there are still differences. According to some, software virtualization is used in VPS servers, and hardware virtualisation in VDS. In fact, this statement is not true.

Cloud Vs Hosting

To host the infrastructure of a company and various projects on the Internet, physical or virtual hosting is most often used. However, in recent years, an alternative solution has appeared in the form of cloud storage. Many organizations do not know which is better to choose – hosting or the cloud, as these technologies are partially similar. However, solutions for diverse tasks are suitable, so it is worth understanding the difference between them. Let’s figure out which server option will be preferable in specific situations.

Common Features in Hosting & Cloud Hosting

Let’s start with general characteristics. And in the case of “traditional” hosting, and with the cloud, you buy a certain server capacity. Then you connect to resources using the network and use it for your business tasks.

In the case of hosting, you can use a virtual or physical server. Almost the same thing happens when you rent capacity on cloud hosting. You can rent a separate virtual machine or the cloud resources of an entire physical server.

What is Best Hosting Features

Now let’s talk about each technology separately. In the case of hosting, we are most often talking about VPS hosting. This is a great way to reduce infrastructure costs. By using a virtual dedicated server, you can save on your own server cost and its maintenance. In this case, you get the same rights as when using a physical server. That is, it is its own RAM, a dedicated IP, etc.

When renting a VPS, you are given space on one server. It is assumed that you are sharing some of the resources with other users. At the same time, each user is guaranteed a certain amount of resources, that is, a virtual machine.

When using such a hosting, you can get a VM with the desired configuration: the required processor cores, the amount of RAM, disk space. At the same time, it is possible to change the system configuration and scale resources at any time of hosting lease.

One of the obvious advantages of this solution is high data security. ISPs use a range of DDoS protection tools, SSL certificates and firewalls to prevent data theft and loss.

VPS hosting is created using a hypervisor – special software that allows you to share the resources of one physical server among several virtual ones. The provider’s clients are isolated from each other, which means there is no risk of data loss. Computing resources and RAM are also distributed between them, so if one of the clients consumes large amounts of power, the others may face a slowdown in their infrastructure.

What is Cloud Hosting?

Now let’s move on to reviewing cloud hosting. Recently, they have been increasingly used as an alternative to VPS servers. The essence of the cloud is that several physical servers of the provider are connected into a single pool, the power of which is divided among several clients.

There is no binding to a specific server, which makes it possible to increase the fault tolerance of the system. In the event of a hardware failure, all data is seamlessly migrated to another, which does not affect the client’s business processes.

The advantage of cloud hosting is that it allows you to use almost any configuration and scale it at any time without outside help. Unlike dedicated hosting, scaling happens immediately, without long waiting times or downtime.

In addition to basic services, cloud storage often provides several additional services. For example:

Data backup and recovery.

Software and applications for work.

Post service.

Comparison between Hosting and Cloud Hosting

Now it’s worth discussing the difference between the VPS / physical server and the cloud. Let’s talk about the main differences according to several criteria:

System Management. Hosting often allows the client to obtain full administrator rights to manage resources. This may be required for testing or software development, as well as when launching large projects. In the cloud, the client is given limited rights, all settings are usually carried out by the provider himself. This option is convenient for those who do not want to hire a system administrator or spend time on self-configuring the system.

Reliability. VPS is a fairly reliable option for IT infrastructure, as the provider can ensure the continuity of the system. But it should be understood that in case of technical problems, the entire server crashes. System recovery may not take place immediately. In this regard, cloud solutions are more reliable. Most system failures will go unnoticed by users, as traffic in the cloud is automatically redistributed to production servers.

Scalability. For hosting a decrease or increase in consumed resources is possible through a tariff change. This does not happen instantly, so there is a risk of downtime of excess capacity or incorrect operation of applications. But cloud hosting is more flexible in terms of scaling – the procedure is much easier and faster. There is no need to pre-reserve resources or change the tariff plan – you can increase or decrease the capacity yourself. This is convenient for companies with peak loads.

Flexibility. Hosting assumes the use of one virtual server, therefore it offers only one OS. The cloud is a multitude of virtual servers that provide a choice. This means that cloud technologies are more flexible. However, the cloud has fewer administrative options.

Security. Both in the case of hosting and in the case of the cloud, a lot of attention is paid to data security. When using a physical or virtual server, all data is stored in one place, so the user has the opportunity to fine-tune security tools. However, in the event of an attack or VPS failure, other users will also see the problem in the server’s operation. In cloud storage, resources are distributed across multiple servers, so they can be stored in different locations. This approach complicates the procedure for protecting data, but at the same time ensures their isolation from each other.

Rental price. Another important factor is the cost of renting a server. There is no fundamental difference in this parameter, since you pay a fixed amount of monthly rent. The price depends on the chosen configuration and other parameters.

I think now you have got the answer of How to Choose a Web Host.

How to Choose a Web Host for a Specific Type of Website

Blog: Choose WordPress Hosting

The total number of web resources managed by CMS WordPress. The content management system is very convenient, simple for everyone who wants to put their ideas on the Internet.

Almost every hosting provider offers customers a quick installation of CMS WordPress from the control panel. However, the best hosting providers specifically optimise the server hardware and software for the CMS and offer technical support specialised in solving any WordPress issues.

Online Store: Service required for Online Commerce

An online store from a marketing project is becoming a real need for modern business. To date, the volume of purchases on the Internet has already exceeded the volume of sales through ordinary stores. Due to this, business owners should look for a hoster with good online commerce support.

An online store needs an increased level of security to protect customer data and their payments, but it also requires a website with a high-quality design, email marketing tools, stable and reliable software to fully organise the shopping cart and integrate with payment systems.

Resume and Online Portfolio: Better to Choose Website Builders

Nowadays, for a successful job search, an online presence is required, even in cases where the candidate’s activities are not related to Internet projects. And for those who have no idea about Internet technologies, website builders can become a real lifesaver.

How to Choose a Web Host for a Personal Site : low-cost plans matter

If you have a desire to share travel photos, or inform friends and family about the events of your own life, a personal web resource will be an excellent tool for solving these problems. In order to create such a site, you do not need to break the family piggy bank. Hosting providers offer a very large selection of hosting plans with affordable prices.

Low cost does not mean that the service will necessarily be of the “so-so” category. There are many options with unlimited disk space, bandwidth, a large number of mail accounts and 24/7 technical support. Pay attention to those companies that offer their customers site placement on SSD drives or CDN connectivity options.

Free Hosting

Why free hosting is a big Mistake?

Oftentimes, the choice of free or cheap web hosting seems to be very profitable from a financial point of view, however, such savings are achieved by reducing the cost of technical support and a number of features.

Also, free hosting has serious requirements and restrictions on the projects being hosted. For example, most providers block the creation of business cards, online stores, online exchanges or file archives on a free server. And even if you do not fall under the restrictions, there is no guarantee that the list will not be expanded in the future and your site will not be blocked for violating the rules. However, these are far from all the problems that you can face when using free hosting. Let’s talk about other reasons to refuse such a decision:

Hidden payments… Using free web hosting doesn’t always mean you don’t have to spend money. There is always a risk that, at first glance, a free, “protection” service has hidden payments that will need to be paid in the future. Many providers have a free period for a limited time, so after its expiration you will need to either pay for services or find a new server for your project. Another option assumes that with unpaid resource use, you will receive limited functionality.

This can only become apparent after a while. Very often, free hosting services have serious restrictions on the amount of resources provided, so you will have to pay for all resources in excess of the free tariff. There are also restrictions on the amount of memory available for the site. There are often bandwidth issues, etc. At the same time, you can expand the functionality and resources only with additional payment. Leaving a free provider is not so easy, since, most likely, the contract will contain a number of restrictions and conditions that will have to be met.

Impossibility to transfer the site. A serious disadvantage of free hosting services is that they have a restriction on site transfer. That is, the owner of the project cannot dispose of it alone, which will not allow selling the resource, transferring it to third parties, publishing content on another site, etc

Reliability problems. Typically, free web hosts are provided by young companies that invest heavily in promoting their own services. Almost always, new customers are attracted by the help of a free-package of services, but the user has to purchase all additional options at a high cost. But this is not the main problem – hosting a site on the servers of a developing company is often unreliable

Cheap Windows VPS or Linux VPS

Cheap Windows VPS and Linux VPS is a topic that always provokes discussions among all those involved in hosting.

What is Linux Hosting?

You probably know that Linux is an open source operating system that is widely used by the developers. It is also the best choice for hosting.

The popularity of this system is not accidental, but it cannot compete with Mac OS or Windows when it comes to home personal computers.

This is why the Linux operating system preferred when it comes to servers:

More stability. Linux OS is renowned for its stability. Since it is an open source site, it can be adapted to virtually any environment, and it gets better every day.

Enhanced security. This operating system considered more secure than the Windows due to its open source design.

Lower price. Linux is free, while the official Windows license has to be paid for if you want to use it on one of the servers. This means that in the first case, the hoster will be able to offer you a cheaper tariff.

What is Windows Hosting?

The Windows operating system needs no introduction as it is the most popular operating system in the world. While you may be familiar with it as an addition to your personal computer, an option is currently available for Windows Server hosting as well.

In past years, the idea of comparing Windows and Linux operating systems for hosting would have been laughable at all – after all, the latter was a much more sophisticated system in terms of security and customisation. However, Microsoft was able to refine the Windows operating system. Now it even has a number of advantages over Linux:

Easier setup. In case you have used both systems, you are probably nodding now. Windows is much easier to install and then configure than Linux.

Easier to use .NET Framework. Creation of Internet projects using the .NET Framework is much easier in the Windows environment.

But you may have noticed by now that there has been no mention of security and stability yet. While Windows is inherently unreliable – here, unfortunately, it has not yet reached the level of Linux.

How to Choose a Virtual Dedicated Server?

There are many different hosting providers operating in the market. What should you pay attention to in order to be satisfied with the choice?

Data Center. The choice should start with the data centre. The most important thing is your information: it should be constantly available and there shouldn’t be any trouble with it. No one will be happy with the low cost if their web resource is unavailable most of the time and the data regularly disappears somewhere.

According to the recognised modern classification, the data centre is assigned a special level – from I to IV. The most secure and expensive ones are Level IV. Cost-optimised – Tier III. These data centres provide almost 99.98% availability. Who owns the data center does not matter?. It can even be rented. If you choose between your own data center of the second level and a rented third, then the choice is quite obvious – Tier III.

Cost. When you are convinced that everything is fine with the data center, you can proceed to the cost comparison. The price of the service depends on many important characteristics: the number of processors and their type, the pool of equipment, the amount of RAM, the size and type of storage, the number of allocated IP addresses, official software licenses, and the width of the communication channel.

Control panel. The third important factor is the presence of a control panel for all rented resources. If it is not there, then you will have to manage resources from the usual command line and this requires certain qualifications and is generally inconvenient. If you have a control panel, everything is simple – deploy the server, change its configuration – just a few clicks. Be sure to verify that the required operating system is supported.

Disks. Some companies are not very honestly selling SSD drives, which they limit on the number of operations, and as a result, the real performance is at the level of a simple HDD. You can check the overall disk performance in the Windows operating system with the special application Crystal DiskMark, and in the Linux operating system – with the dd command.

Technical Support. The last factor that deserves attention is the work of technical support. What are the options for contacting support? Does it work around the clock? During the trial period, you can also check the work of technical support: contact support outside of working hours and see how quickly they react there, as well as whether they react at all.

Let’s try to Summarise our conversation that How to choose a good web host?

How to Choose a Best Web Host?

Millions of web hosting companies claim that they are the leaders in this business, that they can provide the best service possible, and that no other company can match their prices. Needless to say, an experienced user sees all the tricks right away and can determine if this web hosting is right for him or not.

Any webmaster wants to sleep at night and be sure that his site is working. Reliability is the determining factor when choosing a paid hosting. It largely depends on the location of the server, the support service, and the hardware itself. A good hosting provider has a support service that works 24/7/365. Customer support is provided not only by phone (by the way, most hosting providers do not even have a phone) and e-mail. A big plus is the support forum. The provider must fulfill the responsibilities specified in the service network. For example, any self-respecting paid hosting service has a back-up data.

Back-up is a daily / monthly (who has how) caching of information in order to restore it at the request of the client. Unfortunately, again in our experience, not everyone fulfills this point. There was a case when the forum database mistakenly destroyed. Submitting a request to the support team gave nothing. They said that “just on that day the backup system was being updated”.

In case of any repair or maintenance work or other actions accompanied by server unavailability, a reliable hosting provider informs in advance by e-mail.

Also pay special attention to where the hosting provider’s servers are located.

Before starting your search on How to Choose a Web Host, determine what exactly you need. What features of the site would you like to use? What programming language will you use? Do not disregard the possibility of using a feedback form, communication with a database and any other possibilities that are not available in simple HTML language. Do you need email addresses? Do you have a domain name? How many visitors do you expect? All these and many other questions will help you make a decision when choosing a web host.

As you search about best web hosting providers, you will likely come across companies offering unlimited bandwidth. It can’t be. The term “bandwidth” refers to the amount of information transferred from the servers of web hosting companies to the users. Most companies use a high-speed Internet connection (UUNET, Sprint, AT&T, etc.) for which they pay according to the amount of information transferred per month. It is clear that if the exchange of information with the site is 25 GB per month, then this is not profitable for the web host. Read the terms of service carefully, especially if they advertise their services as “free” or “unlimited.” How to Choose a Web Host

Top 10 Best Web Hosting Providers 2021

Bluehost – hosting # 1 in the world

Bluehost: the best hosting

Official site: bluehost.com

Year of foundation: 2003

Servers: USA

Free period: no (30 days money back)

Tariff plans: from $ 2.95 per month

Bonuses: free domain, SSL

Control Panel: cPanel

Bluehost is the best and collectively the most interesting hosting provider in the world. It is officially recommended for use by the developers of WordPress.org – the most popular CMS! No matter the location, Bluehost hosting will be the best choice. Its servers are located in the United States and cover an area of about 5 square kilometers, and support for this power is 118 data centers around the world. This makes CloudFlare CDN extremely efficient, delivering lightning-fast data transfer speeds, no matter how high the physical distance between site visitors and servers. Average server uptime is 99.95%, TTFB latency is below 500 ms. The operating system is Linux-based CentOS, and Windows can also be installed on dedicated servers.

Bluehost Hosting Price:

Shared hosting – from $ 2.95 / month for 1 site and 50 GB of disk space. There is no explicit storage limit on higher plans.

Virtual dedicated server (VPS / VDS) – from $ 19.99 / month, dedicated server (Dedicated Server) from $ 79.99 / month

Professional WordPress hosting with advanced site management tools – from $ 19.95 / month

FREE domain name for 1 year

Hostgator – powerful hosting for any website

Hostgator – powerful hosting for all types of sites

Official site: hostgator.com

Year of foundation: 2002

Servers: USA

Free period: no (45 days money back)

Tariff plans: from $ 2.75 per month

Bonuses: free domain, SSL

Control Panel: cPanel, Plesk

Hostgator is another best hosting provider with data centers in the USA, thanks to its participation in the international association of hosters and the use of CDN, provides quality services around the world. Opportunities for webmasters as per standard: shared hosting on Linux and Windows, VPS, dedicated server rental. There is a Linux and Windows reseller hosting that allows users to resell the Hostgator resources. The hosting can also register a domain in popular geographic and thematic zones.

For shared hosting and VPS, the provider offers to use the cPanel. You can install cPanel or Plesk on a managed dedicated server. The provider provides protection against DDoS attacks and firewall – these tools are available at all tariffs. On shared hosting, SSL offered as a gift. When ordering hosting, you can purchase an antivirus and malware scanner, as well as a tool for managing backups. To resolve technical issues, there is support through tickets and by phone.

[i2pc pros_icon=”icon icon-check-6″ cons_icon=”icon icon-ban-1″ show_title=”true” title=”Hostgator Hosting Pros & Cons” show_button=”false” pros_title=”Pros” cons_title=”Cons” ][i2pros]Excellent uptime performance. According to independent tests, Hostgator’s servers are available 99.99% of the time. Rare failures are quickly resolved.

High speed of website loading and content delivery, including through the use of the CDN network.

Free transfer of web projects from other hosting.

24/7 support, a large knowledge base and an active user forum.[/i2pros][i2cons]Hosting has implicit limitations. When the set load limit is reached, the webmaster receives a warning about the need to reduce the load or switch to a more powerful tariff. There is also a list of prohibited software – for example, torrents cannot be placed on shared hosting.

When the tariff is renewed, the cost becomes higher than it was at the original purchase.

The company’s servers are located in the United States; CDN is used to quickly transfer content to other regions of the world.[/i2cons][/i2pc]

Price:

Shared hosting – from 2.75 USD / month (for 1 site with unlimited disk space and traffic), for an unlimited number of sites – from 3.5 USD / month.

Special rates for WordPress – from 5.95 USD / month (1 site, up to 100 thousand visitors per month, guaranteed 99.9% uptime).

VPS servers – from 19.95 USD / month.

Dedicated servers – from 89.98 USD / month.

Cloud hosting – from 4.95 USD / month.

Windows hosting – from 4.76 USD / month.

HostPapa – hosting for websites in the USA and Canada

Official site: hostpapa.com

Year of foundation: 2006

Servers: Canada, USA

Free period: no (money back 30 days)

Tariff plans: From $ 3.95 per month

Control Panel: own or cPanel

HostPapa is a large Canadian hosting company that works primarily with small businesses. The list of services includes shared and reseller hosting, VPS, online website builder. Data centers scattered in different regions, as the company focuses on cooperation with clients from different countries: Europe, USA, Australia, Asia, etc. And everywhere HostPapa uses exclusively green energy for power (from environmentally friendly renewable sources).

In the market of western hosters, the company stands out favorably with its high-quality technical support – the response in the chats is almost instantaneous, the response to tickets – within 1-2 minutes. At any time, you can call and ask your question by phone. The rest is a reliable and secure hosting with a lot of additional services (backups, Jetpack for WordPress, virus protection, etc.).

[i2pc pros_icon=”icon icon-check-6″ cons_icon=”icon icon-ban-1″ show_title=”true” title=”Hostpapa Hosting Pros & Cons” show_button=”false” pros_title=”Pros” cons_title=”Cons” ][i2pros]At many tariffs, disk space and network traffic are not explicitly limited.

They use efficient and reliable equipment, data centers with redundant power supply and access channels.

One-click CMS installation and free site transfer, SSL provided by Let’s Encrypt.

Prompt multilingual technical support, several communication channels (phone, chat, tickets).

Spam, virus protection, free CDN.

Special rates for WordPress with optimized environments.[/i2pros][i2cons]There is no test period, although you will have a full 30 days to test. If you don’t like something, you will be refunded 100% of the expenses.

The minimum purchase of shared hosting is 1 year.[/i2cons][/i2pc]

Price:

Shared hosting plans start at $ 3.95 / month. At the minimum rate, you can place up to 2 sites, disk space – 100 GB SSD. In higher tariffs, you can place any number of sat, disk space without hard restrictions.

Special high-performance plans for WordPress – from 5.95 USD / month.

VPS servers – from 19.99 USD / month (in the minimum configuration 4 cores, 2 GB RAM, 60 GB SSD).

Automatic backup system – 19.95 USD / year.

I have tried to explain you all the aspects related to hosting as well as also shared some top rated hosting providers of the market so now i would expect that the have found the answer of your question How to Choose a Good Web Host. Feel free to share your experience with any hosting company in the comments section.

How to Choose a Web Host | Complete Hosting Guide?