12 Best Web Hosting Services for Small Businesses

Getting to know the best web hosting services for small businesses is very important if you want to create a website. After all, the web host is responsible for maintaining your page online and running smoothly. 

This way, people from all around the world can browse through your website, and enjoy your content. Good Web hosting is essential for having high traffic on your pages, it's necessary to select a high-quality provider. 

Types of Web Hosting

Shared Hosting

This type of hosting plan is frequently used by small businesses and beginners in the digital world because it has a more affordable price. You will share the physical server space with other website owners, that's what makes that option cheaper since the operating costs aren’t entirely up to one company or person. You will pay only for the part you use. 

Main characteristics: 

• Cheap  website hosting option
• Easy to manage
• Recommender for starters and low-traffic or low-bandwidth websites
• Limited amount of storage space
• LVE limits may be a problem for high-traffic websites
• Other customers' usage levels may affect the website's performance

VPS Hosting

VPS stands for Virtual Private Server Hosting, in this case, your website will be hosted on a server that is divided into separate compartments. It's an option between Shared Hosting and Dedicated Hosting, cheaper than the second one, and more stable than the first one for high-traffic needs. 

You are going to divide the server with other customers, but the quantity of websites sharing the same space is considerably smaller than when compared to Shared Hosting. Besides, you have more resources to take care of your website maintenance.

Main characteristics:

• An intermediate option between shared and dedicated hosting
• Customizable server
• Storage space and bandwidth that support heavy and high-traffic pages
• Demands technical knowledge to run the server
• Cheaper than dedicated hosting

Dedicated Hosting

With a dedicated hosting plan, you are going to have a server entirely to store your website. You can customize everything you need, and self-manage the server, which gives you more control but also requires having some specific technical skills. 

Tasks that would be dealt with by the hosting provider company in a shared plan, for example, usually will be your responsibility when opting for dedicated hosting. The advantage is being able to deal with high traffic and preventing instabilities on your website. That's why this type of plan is recommended for big companies and websites with a heavy number of users.

Main characteristics:

• Single server for your website
• Entirely customizable
• Requires technical skills
• Self-manageable
• More storage space and bandwidth
• More expensive

Cloud Hosting

With cloud hosting, you will have multiple virtual servers working to host your website, which helps to handle traffic spikes without affecting the performance of your pages. The resources allocated are going to expand or diminish depending on the quantity of traffic you get. 

This usually is a more affordable option than the dedicated hosting plan, which allows you to scale your website, and be sure, for example, that your online store will support high-traffic periods. You can grow your business and still keep the same plan. 

Main characteristics:

• Use multiple virtual servers
• Handle traffic spikes well
• Scalable
• Resources adaptable to your needs
• Cheaper than dedicated hosting

Features to Look For in a Web Hosting Service for Small Businesses

Having an efficient web hosting provider is going to make a huge difference in whether your target audience will want to spend time on your website or not. When pages take too long to load, or the layout is misconfigured, many people don't think twice about exiting them and not coming back. 

Therefore, it's fundamental to pay close attention when choosing the best web hosting services for small businesses. The provider should meet some criteria that guarantee you won't have any problems.

 Security 

Make sure that your website hosting company provides SSL certificates, DDoS and virus protection, firewalls, spam filters, and domain name privacy. Also, check if they provide automated daily backups to prevent data losses. 

PCI Compliance

All businesses that enable transactions via credit card must follow the PCI Data Security Standards to protect customers’ private information. Many web hosting companies already comply with all DSS requirements, so you don't have to worry about that aspect, check if the one you chose follows them.  

Speed

Page load time has a big influence on how a website performs. When deciding which web hosting service for small businesses to use, consider the measures they take to avoid downtime, page errors, and slow-loading pages.  

Uptime

Pay attention if the web hosting provider offers at least a 99,5% uptime guarantee. That's a way to make sure the server will offer support to keep your website running properly.  Mainly, if you grow in traffic, it's necessary to prevent update or downtime issues.

Bandwidth

Each website has a specific bandwidth size need, analyze your necessities to choose a plan that suits them. Don't look only for the lowest price, but pay attention to having all the support that assures your website is going to work properly. 

Scalability

You may not expect high traffic as you launch your website, but, certainly, you plan to grow visibility online. So, your web hosting provider must be prepared to keep your pages running when there are high peaks of traffic. You must be able to amplify your storage and bandwidth size when you desire. 

Software compatibility

If you use 3rd party tools at your ecommerce site, such as WordPress, and WooCommerce, it's important to check if the web hosting server supports them. 

Migration features

Having the option to quickly and easily migrate an existing website saves you considerable time. The best web hosting services for small businesses offer it. You won't need to pass through the process of setting several adjustments again. Some platforms even give the migration option for free. 

Customer support

24/7 customer support is a must when it comes to web hosting providers. You need to count on that in case of an unforeseen problem. But it isn't enough to offer support if they don’t have a fast and effective expert service, and pay attention to their response time, and disposition to help.  

12 Best Web Hosting Services for Small Businesses

1. Bluehost

Bluehost allows you to choose among the type of web hosting that suits your business needs. You can have shared, dedicated, or VPS hosting. In all of them, you are going to have access to an all-in-one and easy-to-use dashboard.

You will be able to provide fast and reliable performance for your website visitors, improving user experience. Besides, Bluehost doesn't offer only web hosting solutions, you can also count on the platform to build your website.

You are going to find multiple options of templates and plugins to boost the design and offer many features. You will also have 24/7 customer support. 

Highlighted features: 

• Different types of web hosting
• All-in-one dashboard
• Fast and reliable website performance
• Best themes and plugins
• WordPress integration
• 24/7 customer support

2. Pressable

If you are looking for a WordPress hosting platform, Pressable offers the solution you need. You will have the security to rely on a hosting service that will take care of your website, assuring it will always be available for your visitors and running smoothly. It offers a 100% uptime guarantee, so you won't have to worry about downtime. 

It has an automatic failover, which means if there is any problem with a server, the system will automatically change to another one. You will count on a global content delivery network (CDN) that helps your website load faster, improving your SEO. Your content will load from the location closest to your audience, enhancing load time, even when there is high traffic.

If you have any doubts, Pressable offers 24/7 online support. Besides, Pressable's team of experts will monitor your website performance, and notify you when they see something that needs improvement. 

Highlighted features:

• 100% uptime guaranteed
• Automatic failover
• Content delivery network
• NVMe Server Infrastructure
• Optimized hosting for WordPress and WooCommerce
• 24/7 online support
• Free manager migration
• Performance monitoring and optimization

3. Hostgator

Many reasons make Hostgator one of the best web hosting services for small businesses, which includes the multiple plan options it offers.  You can choose between Shared Hosting, WordPress Hosting, VPS Hosting, and Dedicated Hosting. 

You can have a free domain, transfer your site if you already have one, and count on a service that can handle a high volume of traffic. 

To ensure your website is always going to be up, Hostgator provides a 99,9% uptime guarantee. Besides, you are going to have a free SSL certificate to show your visitors your website is secure. 

Highlighted features:

• Free domain
• Free site transfers
• Unmetered bandwidth
• 99.9% uptime guarantee
• Free SSL certificate
• 24/7 support

4. GoDaddy

99,9% uptime guarantee, 24/7 customer support, and global data centers are some of the main benefits GoDaddy provides to the companies that use its web hosting services.  Its platform figures among the most used web hosting services in the world.

You will count on more than 150 free apps, enabling you to create CMS sites, forums, and blogs, with no complication. Another advantage is that you can increase your CPU/RAM according to your demand.

You can also opt for having daily automated backups, and rely on award-winning security to prevent any DDoS attack. Enjoy the website builder feature to create your pages with pre-built templates.

Highlighted features:

• 24/7  customer support
• 99.9% uptime guarantee
• Easy-to-use control panel
• 1-click install of over 150 free apps
• Global data centers
• 24/7 network security
• Automate daily backups

5. Wix

Besides being one of the most used website builders in the world, Wix also provides free web hosting. It offers multiple advantages, such as advanced security monitoring that complies with the highest international standards, and no need to install anything. Once you've created your website, Wix will make the hosting adjustments automatically.

The platform uses a global content delivery network (CDN), which means when someone accesses your website they are redirected to the closest server. With that, your pages will load fast from everywhere. And, you can expand the hosting services as your business grows.

Highlighted features: 

• Advanced security monitoring
• Automatic set up
• 99,9% uptime guarantee
• Global content delivery network
• Scalability
• DDoS protection
• Ecommerce tools

6. SITE123

Site123 provides an efficient website builder and good web hosting service, so you have everything you need to manage your website on just one platform. Through a content distribution network (CDN), they ensure your pages will be functioning properly, and load fast. 

Besides, you can enjoy Site 123 ecommerce and SEO tools, have a mobile-friendly website, and set up a custom domain. If you need any help, they offer  24/7 customer support to solve your doubts 

Highlighted features: 

• Website editor
• Pre-built templates
• Custom domains
• SEO tools
• Mobile friendly
• Free hosting

7. Webnode

Through Webnode, your website is going to be hosted on safe and secure servers, with a system developed to allow your business to escalate. As your traffic grows, you can get higher bandwidth and more content space, to keep your website running fast. 

You can make regular backups to avoid losing valuable data. In case of any problem, it will be possible to restore your website from previous versions. Webnode also provides a user-friendly website builder, where you can select a predesigned template and customize your pages. 

Highlighted features:

• User-friendly website builder
• Predesigned pages
• Reliable hosting
• Fast and smooth loading
• Professional email accounts
• Unlimited number of pages
• SSL enabled

8. Bluehost

Recognized worldwide as one of the best web hosting services for small businesses, Bluehost has different web hosting options. You can choose between Shared, Dedicated, or VPS, and enjoy useful features. 

It allows you to have a fast and secure website to provide the best user experience to your audience.SSL certificate, unmetered bandwidth, Google My Business, and Domain Manager are some of the benefits you can count on. 

Highlighted features:

• Ecommerce plans
• WooCommerce installed
• 24/7 support
• SSL certificate
• Domain manager

9. DreamHost

With DreamHost, you will have a safe and fast website that is always functioning properly, so you won't disappoint your visitors. DreamHost understands that when a website is down it means losing sales, that's why they offer a reliable service with 24/7 expert support. 

You can choose between different hosting options WordPress, VPS, Dedicated, or Cloud, for example. To make your website more secure, the platform includes Multi-Factor Authentication, auto-enabled sFTP,  and Let's Encrypt. You can also enjoy the open-source solutions they offer. 

Highlighted features: 

• Easy-to-use control panel
• 24/7 support
• Multi-Factor Authentication
• 100% uptime guarantee
• Open-source solutions

10. WP Engine

If you are looking for a web hosting service focused on WordPress, WP Engine is exactly that. You can have a 40% improvement in site speed by migrating to this platform, providing a better website for customer experience and SEO optimization. 

The platform will take care of your website maintenance by making automated updates and daily backups. Also, you will have a hosting service that allows you to escalate your business without worrying about traffic problems. 

Highlighted features:

• 40% improvement in site speed
• Automated updates
• Daily backups
• Scalability
• Support from a team of experts

11. Cloudways

Cloudways is a platform focused on offering cloud hosting solutions. It enables you to make your website go live in minutes, manage it efficiently, and easily scale its resources. With 24/7 customer support, you will count on a prepared team to assist you whenever you need it. If you use WordPress and WooCommerce, Cloudways also offers WordPress hosting. 

The cloud hosting provider has a pay-as-you-go policy, which means you will only pay for the resources you consume. All the plans include  Free SSL, CDN add-on, automated backups, free migration, dedicated firewalls, auto-healing servers, 24/7 real-time monitoring, and unlimited application installation. 

Cloudways also enables you to grow your business with more freedom, providing the option to scale as you need. It gives you control over your applications and servers and uses SSD drivers, which are 3x times faster. Besides the servers are HTTP/2 enabled to increase speed even more. 

Highlighted features:

• 5 cloud providers
• Unlimited applications
• Innovative control panel
• 24/7 customer support
• Automated backups
• Auto healing servers
• SSD based-hosting
• Dedicated firewalls

12. SiteGround

With SiteGround cloud hosting solutions, your website is going to have powerful dedicated resources, optimized for speed and efficiency to ensure high performance. You can count on a fully managed service, where SiteGround DevOps will configure and manage your cloud account, so you can focus on other aspects of your business.

Use the auto-scale option to automatically add more resources to your website when there are unexpected traffic peaks, to prevent downtime or traffic loss. If there is any problem with the servers, SiteGround provides 24/7 customer support. It also offers free SSL certificates, free CDN, and collaboration tools. 

Highlighted features: 

• Guaranteed resources
• Fully managed service 
• Easy scaling
• Dedicated IP
• Free CDN
• Free SSL
• Daily backups
• Collaboration tools
• 24/7 customer support

FAQ: Best Web Hosting Services for Small Businesses

Which type of web hosting is best for small businesses?

It depends on what your priorities are regarding web hosting. If you are looking for the cheapest solution, cloud hosting and shared hosting may be the best for you. On the other hand, if you prefer having more space and a server only for your business, dedicated hosting is recommended. 

How much does web hosting for small businesses cost?

The price of web hosting services may vary from free to hundreds of dollars. You will find free web hosting providers, but they have some limitations. The price of paid plans has a wide range because it depends on the features you wish to have and the bandwidth and storage space too.

Can I host my own website?

Yes, however, you will need to have your own server, and software and know how to set up and maintain this whole structure. It will probably cost you more than using another company's service, and it's time-consuming as well. 

Choose the Best Web Hosting Service for Small Businesses

Now that you have seen some of the best web hosting services for small businesses, take your time to analyze each one of them. Make a list of what you need to have in a web host to keep your website running smoothly, and define a budget. 

This will help you to select the best web hosting provider and plan for your company. Enjoy the free trials offered by many of them, and check customer reviews to ensure you are going to hire a reliable service.