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Choosing the right hosting company for your website can be all the difference between the success or failure. Choose the right hosting company and you will reap the benefits of your site loading fast, being online all the time, and growing with you as your audience and your business grows.

Choose the wrong hosting company or plan and you’ll likely face security issues as well as uptime and performance problems. In this post, I’ve rounded up the best hosting companies for 2019 and I’ll be sharing some important things to keep in mind when it comes to choosing a hosting company.

5 Things to Keep in Mind When Choosing a Hosting Company

When you set out to choose the best hosting company for your website, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. 

1. Don’t settle for the cheapest plan

As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for and when it comes to hosting that statement rings true. The cheapest plans, while wallet-friendly, often limit the amount of features offered. They are also more vulnerable to hacking attempts as they often lack security features offered with more expensive hosting plans. If you’re serious about growing your website, then it pays off to invest in your hosting plan and spend a little more upfront.

2. Be aware of introductory pricing

Some hosting companies will offer low introductory pricing. The downside to this is that the introductory price is only good until it’s time to renew your hosting plan. Then, you’ll have to pay more to renew the duration of the plan. If budget is an issue, make sure to double-check the pricing and look for terms like Renews at regular price or similar.

3. Beware of unlimited offers

It’s not unusual for hosting companies to offer unlimited disk space and unlimited bandwidth in an effort to lure new customers. However, in most cases, your site will get throttled once it reaches a certain amount of visitors or disk space. It’s better to choose a hosting company that is upfront about disk space and allocated traffic or bandwidth allowance.

4. Make sure they offer various ways to get a hold of customer support

Being able to talk to customer support does matter when it comes to hosting. Choose a company that can be reached via email, phone, and live chat on top of support tickets. Ideally, you’ll want a company that’s available 24/7/365. This will ensure that you can reach them using the method that’s most convenient for you and when you actually need the support.

5. Check independent reviews

Lastly, be sure to check independent reviews for any hosting company that you’re considering. You will be able to get a more accurate picture of how satisfied the customers really are than by simply reading the reviews on their site.

Best Web Hosting Companies for 2019

Now that we’ve covered what you need to keep in mind when choosing a hosting company, let’s take a look at the best web hosting companies for 2019. 

Watch the Full Web Hosting Competition Here

1. Siteground ( Won My Speed Test)

Siteground is one of the most popular and top-rated hosting companies and with good reason. For starters, they offer data centers on three continents so you can choose the location that’s the most convenient for you and your site visitors. They are also one of the few companies officially recommended by WordPress itself.

They also offer free website migration, free SSL certificates, 24/7 customer support, and have a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Their plans come with a 30-day money back guarantee.

As far as hosting plans go, they offer 3 different shared hosting plans. What sets Siteground apart is that they tailor the shared hosting plans based on the number of visitors your site receives and the number of websites you plan to host. 

Aside from shared hosting plans, you can purchase dedicated, servers, cloud and reseller hosting, managed WordPress and WooCommerce hosting. It’s worth mentioning that each of their hosting plans uses SSD storage so your sites will load faster.

Siteground also offers domain registrations, however, keep in mind that their plans do not include a free domain name. 

In terms of security features, Siteground offers daily backups, custom firewall, and a unique AI anti-bot system that effectively blocks millions of security threats.

Get 70% OFF SiteGround Here

2. GreenGeeks

If you’re looking for an eco-friendly hosting company, GreenGeeks is the right choice. GreenGeeks does not only offer fast SSD hosting plans but they are also competitively priced. Their hosting plans include a free domain name, free SSL certificates, and free website transfer from your current host. 

Their shared hosting plans are available in three different tiers, with the cheapest plan suitable for 1 website and those that are just getting started. Their higher priced plans include PowerCacher which will help your site load faster. 

On top of shared plans, GreenGeeks offers reseller hosting and managed WordPress hosting if you don’t have the time to handle the technical aspects of managing your site. 

Their customer support is available via LiveChat, email, and phone and you can reach them 24/7. GreenGeeks offers 99.9% uptime guarantee and 30-day money back guarantee.

As far as security features go, GreenGeeks offers real-time security scanning, nightly data backups, built-in spam protection, and more. 

Get 30% OFF GreenGeeks Here

 

3. NameHero

NameHero is best-known for their reseller hosting plans, however, they also offer shared hosting. Their shared hosting plans are one of the fastest hosting plans so if speed is important to you, you might want to consider NameHero.

What makes NameHero stand out is that they offer shared cloud hosting plans which are some of the cheapest cloud hosting plans available. 

Each of the plans tells you what type of site it’s suitable for in terms of visitors. The shared hosting plans include SSD storage, free domain name, free site migrations, and free SSL certificates. 

Aside from shared and reseller hosting, NameHero offers VPS hosting and domain registrations. 

When it comes to security, NameHero offers nightly backups, proactive security monitoring, and daily malware scanning. They also use server-level caching to ensure your website loads fast. 

NameHero also boasts 99.9% uptime guarantee, 30-day money back guarantee, and offers 24/7 customer support.

Get 37% OFF NameHero Here

 

4. HostPapa

HostPapa is a well-known name in the hosting company and they offer rock solid, fast hosting and uptime. As far as hosting plans go, HostPapa offers shared, VPS, WordPress, and reseller hosting. You can register domain names and you even get a domain name for free when you sign up for their hosting plan. 

What sets HostPapa apart is the fact that they also offer website building services which are suitable for complete beginners. 

HostPapa’s shared hosting plans include free SSL certificates, SSD storage, 99.9 uptime guarantee and 30-day money back guarantee.

Security is something HostPapa takes seriously. They offer automatic daily malware scans and the ability to install a trust seal from Protection Power on your site. This benefits your visitors as it tells them that not only is your site safe to use but also any information they share is also safe. On top of that, HostPapa offers daily backups and the ability to restore your site with a single click. 

Customer support is available in four languages and available daily via phone, email, and live chat. You can also book a training session with one of their experts. 

Visit HostPapa Here 

5. A2 Hosting 

A2 Hosting is another hosting company that offers fast hosting. Their shared hosting plans come with SSD storage and they use server-level caching which helps your sites load faster. 

Their shared hosting plans are competitively priced and you can easily see which plan is best for you based on the number of websites you want to host and the traffic your site receives. 

A2 Hosting offers free website transfers and while you can register a domain name with them, they don’t offer it for free with their hosting packages. 

A2 Hosting promises 99.9% uptime guarantee and anytime money back guarantee. In addition to that, their data centers are located in Europe, USA, and Asia so you can choose the location that’s the best for your website and your visitors. 

Aside from shared hosting, you can purchase VPS, dedicated, reseller, and WordPress hosting. When it comes to security, each shared hosting plan includes a free HackScan Protection to help block hacks before they can do damage 

Customer support is available 24/7/365 via email, phone, live chat, and ticket system.

Get 55% OFF A2Hosting Here 

6. Liquid Web

Liquid Web is one of the pricier web hosting companies but they do offer fast hosting and a solid support system. They are a great choice if you’re looking for a reliable hosting company for a business website as they handle the technical aspects of managing your site. 

Liquid Web offers shared hosting, dedicated servers, cloud hosting, and managed WordPress and WooCommerce hosting. 

Similarly to other web hosting companies on this list, they tell you upfront how much disk space you’re getting and the bandwidth that you’ll get when you sign up for their plan. 

Liquid Web promises 99.9% uptime guarantee and support is available via phone, chat, and helpdesk. 

As far as security goes, Liquid Web employs the best security practices to ensure your website remains safe and secure from online threats.

Visit LiquidWeb 

7. Bluehost

Bluehost is one of the best-known names in the hosting industry. They even come recommended by WordPress itself. Bluehost offers the most affordable prices on this list and you can purchase shared hosting, reseller, VPS, dedicated, and WordPress hosting. It’s a great choice if you want a reliable hosting company on a budget.

Their shared hosting plans offer fast SSD storage and free SSL certificates. You can register a domain name for free when you sign up for their hosting plan and they offer the industry standard 30-day money back guarantee. 

Bluehost’s support team is available 24/7 via phone, live chat, and email. 

As far as security goes, Bluehost offers proactive security monitoring and resource protection which also protects you from going over the allocated storage and bandwidth limits associated with shared hosting. 

One notable feature that Bluehost offers is the ability to scale your hosting plan as your site grows. In other words, you can start with just the essential features and easily upgrade to more powerful options later on.

Bluehost offers 99.88% uptime guarantee. 

Get 50% OFF Blue Host Here 

8. WP Engine

WP Engine is best-known for their managed WordPress hosting plans. Like Liquid Web, they are one of the pricier solutions on this list but if you don’t want to deal with updating your site and doing backups yourself, WP Engine could be the right choice for you.

Since they specialize in WordPress hosting, everything is centered around it. Their plans include free SSL certificates and you can choose a plan that’s right for you based on the number of sites you plan to host as well as the number of monthly visitors your site receives.

Each platform also includes the Genesis framework for WordPress and 35+ StudioPress themes. You will also get access to 24/7 live chat support. 

WP Engine supports WordPress multisite hosting and even offers features for developers such as staging. 

WP Engine also takes care of your site’s performance through their Page Performance feature and they actively scan and monitor your website to protect it against malware and hacking attempts.

Visit WP-Engine Here

9. GoDaddy

GoDaddy often gets a bad reputation online due to numerous upsells they offer during the signup process. However, their hosting plans are among the fastest hosting plans that performed really well. 

GoDaddy offers a wide range of hosting packages which include shared hosting, business, reseller, and WordPress hosting. They also offer Site Security services for an additional fee as well as domain registrations. 

Their shared hosting plans come with a free domain and you can choose a plan based on the type of site you have: basic, small business or high-traffic site. In addition to that, their shared hosting plans offer 24/7 security monitoring and DDoS protection. 

It’s worth mentioning that when you sign up for their shared hosting plan, you’ll get a year free of Microsoft Office 365 Business Email. Free SSL certificates are available only on the most expensive shared hosting plan.

As far as support goes, it’s available 24/7 via chat, phone, and email. GoDaddy offers 99.9% uptime guarantee. 

Visit Go Daddy Here

10. Hostinger

Hostinger is another hosting company that offers the most affordable prices on this list. Their shared hosting plans start at $0.80/month and they offer shared, VPS, and cloud hosting plans. They offer domain name registrations for as low as $0.99/year. 

However, despite their cheap prices, they do offer fast SSD hosting with server-level caching which enables your site to load faster. On top of that, Hostinger offers a 99.9%uptime guarantee and 30-day money back guarantee. 

Their cheapest shared hosting plan is suitable for one site but it doesn’t include a free domain name. That feature is available on higher-priced hosting plans which are suitable for hosting multiple sites. Free SSL certificate is available only on the most expensive shared hosting plan which is still affordable at $3.45/month.

In terms of security features, Hostinger offers weekly backups and security monitoring. They also offer HotLink protection which means nobody can waste your site’s bandwidth by linking to videos or pictures from your site. They have 24/7/365 customer support that’s available via live chat.

Visit Hostinger Here

11. Mediatemple

Mediatemple offers a wide range of hosting services and plans such as shared hosting, dedicated servers, managed WordPress hosting, and more. 

Their shared hosting plans are described as best suited for business sites, portfolios, and personal sites. Each plan uses SSD storage and is fully scalable which means you can easily upgrade or downgrade based on the needs of your website. 

Their shared hosting plans also include DDOS protection, security monitoring, and automatic backup and restore features for an added peace of mind. 

Mediatemple offers domain registrations, however, note that free domain is not included with their hosting plans. 

When it comes to support, the company offers 24/7/365 support that’s available via live chat, phone, and email. They also offer a range of services geared for helping you grow your business which include GSuite, Security Pack, and SSL certificates.

Get Media Temple Here

12. DreamHost

DreamHost offers shared hosting as well as other hosting plans which include VPS, dedicated, and cloud hosting. They also offer managed WordPress and WooCommerce plans and domain registrations. On top of that, DreamHost is another hosting company that comes recommended by WordPress itself.

In terms of shared hosting, each plan includes SSD storage as well as a free domain. DreamHost offers 100% uptime guarantee and a free SSL certificate. 

DreamHost offers one of the longest money-back guarantees in the industry: 97-day money back guarantee. 

If you already have a website, DreamHost will transfer it to their hosting plans for an additional $99 fee, unless you purchase their managed WordPress hosting. In that case, the transfer is free. 

As far as security goes, DreamHost offers security monitoring and daily automated backups. 

Support is available 24/7 via email and you can also reach them via live chat from 5:30AM–9:30PM PT. 

Visit DreamHost Here

13. InMotion Hosting

InMotion Hosting offers shared hosting, WordPress hosting, VPS, and dedicated servers. They are reasonably priced and offer domain registrations. 

Their shared plans come with SSD storage, free SSL certificate, and a free domain name. Unlike other hosting providers that limit their cheapest plans to one website, InMotion Hosting allows you to host 2 websites. Higher priced plans allow for unlimited websites and include improved performance for faster loading times. 

It’s worth mentioning that each shared hosting plan also includes a suite of marketing tools and security features such as DDOS protection, security monitoring, and automatic daily backups. 

InMotion Hosting offers 99.9% uptime guarantee and a 90-day money back guarantee. They will also transfer your website and your domain for free. 

Their support is US-based and available 24/7/365 via email, live chat, and phone.

Visit Inmotion Hosting

Hosting Plans: Shared, VPS, Cloud, Dedicated Servers, Managed WordPress Hosting

By now, you’ve probably noticed that there are a variety of hosting plans to choose from no matter which company you’re considering. However, how do you know which hosting plan is right for you? Below, I’ll explain the differences between various hosting plans, some common hosting terms, and share tips on how to choose the best hosting plan for your website. 

Basic Hosting Terms Explained

Here are a few basic hosting terms you need to know so you can make an informed decision about the best hosting plan for your website. 

  • Disk Space or Storage: the amount of space you get on your hosting server for storing website files, images, and databases. 
  • Bandwidth or Data Transfer: the number of unique visitors that your website gets as well as the amount of data transferred between your website and the visitor’s browser. The more visitors you have, the more bandwidth you’ll need as the amount of data that gets transferred is higher. 
  • SSD: stands for Solid State Drives. Type of hard drive used by your hosting company. SSD usually have better performance which results in faster loading sites. 
  • Uptime: the total time your website stays up during a certain period of time. Almost all hosting companies claim to have a 99% uptime. 

Shared Web Hosting

Shared web hosting refers to a hosting plan where your site shares server space with other websites. This allows shared web hosting to be cheap. However, there is a downside to shared hosting plans. 

One of the downsides is that the performance of your site depends on other sites that are on the same server as you. If you’re sharing server space with a popular site, your site could load slower because the popular site is using up all the available resources.

However, a shared hosting plan is a great way to get started with your site. As your site grows, you can easily upgrade your hosting plan to a more feature-rich hosting plan with more resources. 

Cloud Hosting

Cloud hosting refers to a number of individual servers that are interlinked and work together as one large server. Cloud hosting usually uses hundreds of individual servers. An advantage of this approach is that you can easily add more resources as your website grows and get extra disk space or bandwidth. 

In other words, if your site suddenly starts getting a high volume of visitors, your hosting plan will be able to handle it. This means your site won’t get throttled or shut down because it went over the resource limit. 

Cloud hosting plans are a great choice if you want reliable uptime and aren’t worried about the cost. 

VPS

VPS stands for Virtual private servers. Unlike cloud hosting that uses multiple servers that act as one server, VPS is the opposite. They use one physical server that acts as multiple separate servers. Each instance of the server gets its share of the server resources so you don’t have to worry about other websites impacting the performance of your site.

VPS servers usually host a smaller number of sites. This is a great way to upgrade your shared hosting plan without immediately purchasing expensive plans like cloud or dedicated hosting servers. 

Dedicated Web Server

When you buy a dedicated server, you get an entire server from your hosting company for yourself. This means that you have complete control over the server and as such dedicated hosting plans are not recommended for beginners or those that don’t have technical knowledge required for running and maintaining a server. 

Dedicated servers also have better security measures than other hosting plans and are best suited for corporate websites that receive hundreds of thousands of visitors on a daily basis. 

Reseller Web Hosting

If you want to make money online, reseller hosting could be for you. Reseller hosting packages allow you to sell hosting space to someone else. Depending on your reseller company, you could be selling shared, cloud or dedicated servers. 

Keep in mind that some technical knowledge is required if you want to become a hosting reseller and you will also have greater technical control over the server through the Web Host Manager (WHM) panel. 

Managed WordPress Hosting

Lastly, many hosting companies are starting to offer managed WordPress hosting plans. This means that the hosting company will install WordPress for you and take care of WordPress updates and backups

This eliminates a lot of technical headaches associated with running a WordPress website so this plan is a great choice if budget is not an issue and you don’t want to worry about handling the maintenance yourself. 

It’s worth mentioning that if you want complete control over your site, managed WordPress hosting is probably not for you. Companies that offer managed WordPress hosting often limit access to the control panel so you can’t install any other applications. You’re also limited in which plugins you can install as the company will often blacklist certain plugins due to known issues.

How to Choose the Best Hosting Plan for Your Site

Now that we’ve covered the basic hosting terms and you know the differences between hosting plans, here are a few tips that will help you choose the best hosting plan for your site. 

1. Know your numbers

If you already have a website, it’s important to know how many visitors you’re getting on a monthly basis. As you’ve seen from the examples above, most hosting companies specify the number of monthly visitors recommended for each plan. Knowing this number will help you choose the best hosting plan for your site. 

2. Keep your type of website in mind

It’s also important to consider the type of website you’re running. If you own a personal blog that’s purely a hobby blog, you don’t need all the bells and whistles as someone running an e-commerce website or a large corporate website. A shared hosting plan is perfect for those just starting out as well as for personal sites and hobbyists. 

Small business websites would do well with a VPS or a cloud hosting plan while corporate websites should look into dedicated servers. 

3. Plan for the future

Make sure that the hosting company you choose has the ability to grow with you. In other words, choose a company where you can easily switch to a higher priced plan with more features as your website starts to grow and get more visitors. 

4. Don’t forget support

Don’t forget to take support into account. As mentioned earlier, you want customer support to be available around the clock as malware and hackers don’t sleep. You also never know when something will go wrong or when you’ll need help to figure out how to do something. Knowing that someone is available to help you undo what you’ve done is a big plus.

Final Thoughts

Finding the right hosting company is crucial if you want to make sure your website stays safe, loads fast, and doesn’t suffer from downtime. The hosting companies in this article are the best ones on the market so no matter which one you choose, you can rest assured your website will be taken care of. 

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