Getting started
What is web hosting? Types, costs and what to look for
Web hosting is the service that stores your website's files on a server that is always online, so visitors can open your site at any time. Together with a domain name, it is what makes your website reachable. This guide explains what hosting is, the main types, what to look for in a provider and how it works if you use a website builder.
In short
- Hosting stores your website on a server that is always connected to the internet, and your domain name points visitors to it.
- The main types are shared hosting, VPS, dedicated servers and managed or all-in platforms. They differ in price, control and how much work you do yourself.
- Speed, uptime, security, backups and support matter more than the lowest price.
- Where your server is located affects speed and data protection, which matters for European businesses under the GDPR.
- With a website builder, hosting is included, so you do not manage servers yourself.
What web hosting is
Every website is a set of files: pages, images, scripts and often a database. Those files have to live on a computer that is connected to the internet around the clock. That computer is a server, and the company that runs it for you is your hosting provider.
When someone types your address into a browser, the domain name tells the browser which server to ask, and the server sends back your pages. Hosting and a domain name are two different things: the domain is your address, hosting is the building at that address. You need both for a working website.
Hosting, domain and email
- Domain name: your address, such as yourbusiness.com
- Hosting: the server that stores and serves your site
- Business email: addresses on your domain, often a separate service
- SSL certificate: the padlock that encrypts the connection
Types of hosting
Shared hosting puts many websites on one server. It is the cheapest option and fine for small sites, but your site can slow down when neighbours use a lot of capacity. A VPS (virtual private server) gives you a reserved part of a server with more power and control, and also more to configure. A dedicated server is a whole machine for one customer, mostly used by large sites with heavy traffic.
Managed hosting, such as managed WordPress hosting, adds updates, backups and support on top. A website builder or all-in platform goes one step further: hosting is part of the product, so there is nothing to install or maintain.
Which fits whom
- Shared hosting: small sites and a limited budget, with some technical comfort
- VPS: growing sites and developers who want control
- Dedicated: large sites with heavy traffic
- Managed hosting: you want less maintenance work
- Website builder: you want to focus on content and customers
What to look for in a hosting provider
The cheapest plan is rarely the best value. Look at uptime, which is the share of time your site is reachable, and ask what the provider promises. Check speed, because slow pages cost visitors and hurt search results. Look at security: HTTPS, firewalls, regular updates and protection against attacks. Check backups: how often they run, how long they are kept and how you restore one.
Also check support. When your site is down at an inconvenient time, you want a person who answers. And read the price carefully. Many providers advertise a low first-year price and charge much more on renewal, and extras such as a domain, SSL certificate or email can be separate bills.
Checklist
- Stated uptime and what happens when it is missed
- Fast loading on mobile
- HTTPS included
- Automatic backups that you can restore
- Support in your language
- The renewal price, not only the first-year price
Where your server is located
The location of your server matters for two reasons. Speed: data travels faster over a short distance, so a server in Europe is usually quicker for European visitors. And data protection: personal data of European customers falls under the GDPR. Hosting in the EU makes it easier to keep that data within European jurisdiction and to explain to your customers where it is stored.
If you collect names, email addresses or orders, ask your provider where the data is stored, who can access it and which sub-processors are involved. When a provider processes personal data for you, you need a data processing agreement.
Good to know
SitePack hosts your website on European servers, with SSL and daily backups included in your plan.
Hosting with a website builder
With a website builder, you do not buy hosting separately. The builder runs the servers, installs the security certificate, applies updates and keeps backups. You trade some technical freedom for simplicity: you cannot install any software you like, but there is also nothing to break or patch.
For most small businesses, shops and personal sites, this is the easier route. If you need a custom application or full server control, a VPS or dedicated server is the better fit. Whichever you choose, add up all costs: hosting, domain, SSL, email and backups, because that total is what you really pay.
Questions to ask yourself
- Do I want to manage a server, or just publish content?
- How much traffic do I expect?
- Do I sell online and need payments and security built in?
- Where do my customers live?
- What is the total yearly cost?
Good to know
On SitePack, hosting, your domain, business email and SSL are in one plan. You start with a 14-day free trial, and the current prices are on the pricing page.
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