Best Web Hosting for Small Business

If you’re an owner of a small business, having a website will drastically improve your chances of success. However, choosing a good hosting for your website isn’t as easy as it sounds. There are at least 50 options on the market, and not all of them are suitable for small businesses.

Some of them are very expensive and you don’t want to overpay something you probably won’t need. On the flip side, you also don’t want a hosting that’s not going to meet your expectations. Choosing the best web hosting for small businesses comes down to a lot of factors.

These include pricing, type of hosting, scalability, and many more. Therefore, we will discuss all of them in the following analysis, as well as give you our list of the best web hosting services for small businesses.

I suggest sticking with me until the end – it’s going to be interesting and insightful!

1. Best Web Hosting for Small Business: Top 10 Choices for 2023

During my in-depth analysis and research, I’ve used dozens of hosting providers. While most of them were satisfactory, I concluded that these 10 are the absolute best for smaller businesses:

1.1 Hostinger

If you’re looking for a budget, yet capable hosting for a small business, you should immediately check Hostinger. I mean, its cheapest price is a measly $1.99 a month, and before you ask – no, it doesn’t skimp on features too much!

Apart from shared hosting, you’ll be able to scale to the cloud, VPS, cPanel, and even Minecraft server hosting, if you’re interested in gaming. Likewise, Hostinger providers decent performance in any scenario, with an approximate uptime of 99.99%.

Its cheapest plan gives you 30 GB of fast SSD storage and you get 100 GB bandwidth. Surprisingly, you get a free SSL certificate, albeit, with no free domain registrations. The good thing, however, is the inclusion of the Premium plan at $2.99 which already looks much better.

In this case, you’ll get unlimited bandwidth, 100 GB of storage space, 100 email accounts, and 24/7 customer support. Even its cloud hosting starts from $9.99, which is cheaper than Cloudways, let’s say. While it’s also less capable, it’s a decent option for less demanding people on a budget.

Hostinger

1.2 BlueHost

If you’ve ever hosted a website, chances are that you at least tried BlueHost. For me, this is among the best options out there, especially considering its price-to-performance ratio. For the start, it offers several types of hosting.

Shared, WordPress, dedicated, and VPS hosting are only some of them. Furthermore, I like its support for WooCommerce, which lets you set up your online store in no time and start selling goods right away. BlueHost even gives you a free domain, although for a one-year plan, and you can activate a free SSL certificate.

What about ease of use? Well, BlueHost is dead-simple to set up, especially since it supports WordPress website hosting. Moreover, its prices start extremely low and at $2.95 a month, you can get its cheapest deal with 50 GB of SSD storage. For a small business, this should be enough.

Scalability is also a thing here. So, if you plan on expanding, you can get its Plus plan, which costs just around $5.5 a month. However, you also get unlimited websites and storage, along with 24/7 support and free CDN.

BlueHost’s most expensive plan will not cost you more than $14 a month. But here, you get even automated backups, unlimited domains, and better performance. So, even if you plan on getting the most out of it, you won’t have to pay a hard-earned fortune.

Bluehost

1.3 HostGator

HostGator is yet another popular choice. The highlight of this service is the variety of hosting. You get cloud, WordPress, dedicated, and VPS hosting, although I only scratched the surface with these offerings. Furthermore, we must mention its ease of use that has to do with its website builder.

This means that you can not only host your website on HostGator but also customize and publish it directly. Besides, HostGator offers intuitive drag-and-drop menus in addition to rock-solid security and unmetered bandwidth.

You can also expect a free domain and SSL certificate even if you purchase the cheapest plan. Speaking of the cheapest plan, even this one gives you unlimited storage space. This is accompanied by one-click WordPress integrations and 24/7 customer support through live chat and phone on all plans.

Should you want to expand your business, HostGator will come to your aid with other plans. For example, you can go for its dedicated hosting, which is one of the best in the business, or perhaps, enjoy VPS hosting for as little as $24 a month and get blazing-fast performance!

HostGator

1.4 Cloudways

Cloudways progressed a lot during the past few years. Thanks to its ease of use, 99.99% uptime, and overall reliability, it took the market by storm and became one of the best options. However, you should know that Cloudways offers cloud hosting.

Cloud hosting is a bit more expensive, but it gives you great performance and security. Nevertheless, it offers several cloud hosting providers, ranging from very cheap ones to very expensive ones. Besides, Cloudways lets you host both WordPress and eCommerce websites.

This increases its versatility and gives you a lot of space for expanding your business. Since we’re talking about cloud hosting, it’s important to address storage and RAM. Obviously, storage won’t be unlimited and depending on the plan, you’ll get anywhere from 25 GB to 256 GB.

Also, Cloudways gives you from 1 GB to 2 GB of RAM, as well as up to 20 TB bandwidth, based on the subscription plan. Still, I think this is a great web hosting for small businesses, especially since it starts from around $12 a month, yet you still get a lot for the money.

For better features, you sure have to pay more. However, Cloudways will pay you back with fast performance, 24/7 support, free migrations, and so much more!

Cloudways

1.5 Dreamhost

When I looked for web hosting for my website a few years back, I actually chose Dreamhost. Why? Well, because of its affordable price that starts at about $1.99 a month where you get one website, unlimited traffic, and unmetered bandwidth.

Furthermore, Dreamhost is great at hosting WordPress websites. Not only that, but you have different types of hosting, like VPS, cloud, and dedicated hosting, should you want to expand your business in the future. Is it easy to use, though?

Sure! WordPress is installed in one click and there are free (automated) migrations. Now, in terms of storage space, you’ll get 50 GB for the cheapest plan, and if you pay a bit more, unlimited storage will greet you with arms wide open.

In my tests, its uptime was 99.95%, which isn’t the best in the business. However, I had no issues using it, and rarely, if ever, my website had any issues. Finally, I’ll mention Dreamhost’s automated daily backups and a free SSL certificate that crowns this affordable hosting provider proudly.

Dreamhost

1.6 SiteGround

SiteGround is often compared to Cloudways, and in a way, it’s similar. While both of them offer cloud hosting, SiteGround comes with reliable WordPress, shared, and reseller hosting. Being among the best web hosting providers for small businesses, SiteGround has a lot to give you.

One of its highlights is reliability. With an uptime of 99.98%, you’ll rarely experience website-related issues. SiteGround’s forte is eCommerce businesses, so if you’re planning on selling digital/physical goods, you’ll find common ground at the first glance.

Granted, SiteGround isn’t the cheapest option on the list, although it’s really cheap, at $3.99/mo. In its cheapest plan, you get 10 GB of storage, unmetered traffic, and free SSL and CDN. However, should you upgrade to the most expensive one, SiteGround throws everything it has at you.

Not only do you get unlimited websites but also 40 GB of space, unlimited databases, and priority support. Granted, SiteGround also has cloud hosting, where you can get up to 160 GB of storage and 5TB data transfer, granting blazing-fast speeds.

SiteGround

1.7 InMotion

Wanna set your website in motion? Well, here’s InMotion. InMotion is an excellent solution for shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting that comes with a plethora of features and functionalities. Its cheapest deal starts at $2.99 a month and here, you’ll get everything you need for a small business.

For the start, InMotion gives you a free SSL certificate and 2 websites. Moreover, I like its support for WooCommerce and Magento, making it great for online stores and eCommerce companies in general. The cheapest plan even includes marketing tools and unlimited bandwidth, which is super useful.

Speaking of which, the performance is stellar and InMotion sticks closely to its 99.99% uptime. This is also backed up by fast SSD storage, where you get 100 GB in the cheapest plan. But, if you pay a bit more, InMotion will host your website on NVMe SSD storage with unlimited space.

So, overall, this is a great choice if you’re looking for a cheap, yet versatile web hosting solution. While I don’t like that it doesn’t include CDN, I appreciate its around-the-clock 24/7 support and a free domain that comes as standard.

InMotion

1.8 GreenGeeks

GreenGeeks is perhaps the most unique provider on the list. Namely, it claims to be eco-friendly by using wind power to power its servers, which is pretty damn cool! And, opposed to many people’s opinions, this doesn’t have any interference with performance and uptime.

Indeed, GreenGeeks maintains its 99.9% uptime steadily, displaying its generosity through reasonably-priced plans. For instance, its starting plan costs $2.95 a month, yet, gives you unmetered transfer, free CDN, and 50 GB of storage space – so far, so good!

When it comes to the types of hosting, GreenGeeks, once again, shines. Apart from web hosting, you can also enjoy WordPress, reseller, and VPS hosting for added scalability. Surprisingly, the best deal on its VPS hosting is going to cost you around $60 a month, which isn’t all that much.

GreenGeeks does the best job in web hosting, though. Its Pro plan is perhaps the best deal, and at just $5.95 a month, you’ll get unlimited websites, space, databases, and transfer, all while you enjoy multi-user access and you plant one tree.

Seriously. With each subscription plan, you actually help GreenGeeks plant one tree. So, if you want more oxygen, and you use a Linux-based OS, you know what to do – get GreenGeeks!

GreenGeeks

1.9 A2 Hosting

A2 Hosting specializes in small businesses and helping them improve. As such, it offers several types of hosting options, including but not limited to VPS, WordPress, dedicated, reseller, eCommerce, and blog hosting.

Sure, it supports one-click WordPress installation, and if you decide to make an eCommerce site, third-party integrations with Magento and PrestaShop are possible. Its cheapest web hosting plan starts at $2.99 and with it, you can host one website on a 100 GB SSD storage space.

Surprisingly, A2 Hosting offers free website migrations even in this plan! While its 99.9% uptime is upheld loosely, I like its easy-to-use cPanel and unlimited transfer. To save you a bit of money, A2 Hosting offers a free SSL certificate and there’s an awesome website builder.

Of course, more expensive plans will include automatic backups, unlimited NVMe storage, and 20 times faster speeds. However, they’re not very expensive and will cost you up to $13 a month. I especially value its VPS hosting which costs as little as $39.99 and comes with 150 GB of storage space.

All of this makes A2 Hosting worth considering as the best web hosting for small business websites.

A2 Hosting

1.10 Kinsta

Let’s finally talk about Kinsta. It’s not the most resounding name on the list, but it comes with a lot of subscription plans and focuses on managed WordPress hosting. Sadly, you won’t find VPS or cloud hosting here, so its scalability isn’t the greatest.

However, if you have a small business, you can enjoy its easy-to-use interface and plans that start from $30 a month. Sounds a bit expensive, and that’s why it’s on the last spot. But, its cheapest plan gives you 10 GB of storage space, free CDN, and one free migration.

Its performance isn’t going to blow you away and you can expect an uptime of around 99.89% – give or take. On the flip side, installing WordPress is a piece of cake and you get 24/7 customer support in all plans. The downside is, as I said, its expensive pricing but also limits in every plan.

So, there’s no option to get unlimited bandwidth or storage, even if you go for its Enterprise plans. Speaking of them, I don’t suggest going this route, as the cheapest enterprise plan will cost you $600 a month. After all, Kinsta is best when it serves small businesses, hence its place on the list.

Kinsta

2. What to Look for in the Best Web Hosting for Small Business Websites?

While testing all of the services, I made sure to take into account some of the most important factors that you should look for. Therefore, let’s talk more about them, as they’ll surely help you pick the right one for your needs.

2.1 Hosting Solution

Obviously, before deciding to get a subscription, you must determine which type of hosting you want. Usually, we’re talking about shared or web hosting that yields the cheapest prices and is, in most cases, going to be your choice.

However, scalability is a big thing for some people. In that case, shared hosting might not cut it, so you’ll need to either go for dedicated or cloud hosting. While shared hosting is offered by pretty much any provider, quality cloud hosting isn’t as common.

So, for example, if cloud hosting is your thing, you can go for Cloudways, and if you want shared hosting, BlueHost is a great solution. Now, you might be a total newbie and you don’t know what these hosting solutions are.

Don’t worry – if you scroll down to the FAQ section, you’ll find explanations for all of them!

2.2 Uptime & Performance

Uptime is extremely important in the best hosting for small businesses. Let’s assume that this business is all you do for a living. Now, just imagine your website being down for 5, 10, or 20 minutes each day or a week.

If that happens way too often, you lose potential and existing customers, which reduces your total earnings. For that reason, it’s extremely important to have a reliable hosting solution with an uptime of more than 99.9%.

I found BlueHost to be extremely reliable, but HostGator does a great job as well. Choosing any of them will guarantee that your website will almost always be functional and usable, which improves your business’ image.

Not to mention performance that’s also vital. Loading times are very important and you want your website to perform smoothly for an enjoyable browsing experience. I made sure that none of the choices I gave you disappointed in this department.

While some are slower than others, I recommend going for subscription plans that offer better performance. In most cases, the best performance will be on the cloud and dedicated hosting subscription plans, but this is the best-case scenario and isn’t necessary for everyone.

2.3 Storage & Bandwidth

To be able to host a website, hosting providers need storage. Not every storage is fast and spacious – bear that in mind. Usually, we’re talking about storage space of 10-50 GB for the starter plans, which is small, albeit enough for some users.

More expensive plans will give you more storage space, even going up to unlimited, with NVMe SSD solutions that promise blazing-fast speeds. Now, think about this – are you going to upload a lot of images and storage-hungry files?

If you’re selling digital goods online, for example, that’s probably going to be the case. Or perhaps, if you have a blog and you don’t plan on occupying your storage that much, you probably won’t need to go for the most expensive solutions.

The same applies to bandwidth. If your pages aren’t too large and you don’t get many visitors simultaneously, you don’t need to always pay more for unlimited bandwidth.

2.4 Free Domain & SSL

Getting a free domain and SSL certificate is what I like to call ’mandatory bonuses’. Pretty much every pick on the list will give you a free domain of some sort, be it .com, .net, or any other. However, some providers won’t give you this commodity in their cheapest plans.

Let’s take Hostinger as an example. Its best deal will cost you $2.99 a month, but its starting price is $1.99 a month. In this plan, you need to pay an additional $11.95 for SSL and you don’t get a free domain.

Given that the domain will cost you $10 on average, you’re looking at a starting price of over $22, which is non-sensical. So, before you purchase a plan, make sure it provides you with both free SSL and domain.

In this case, you’ll not only save more money but you’ll also make the whole website-creation process a lot simpler and quicker.

2.5 Overall Price

This one’s pretty simple. If you don’t need an expensive solution, don’t buy it. I’m not a huge fan of overpaying stuff you don’t need and I use the same philosophy here. When looking for the best hosting for a small business, in reality, you don’t need to spend a fortune.

However, you also don’t want to aim for the cheapest solution at all costs. In fact, some providers (not those on the list) will not charge you that much, but they’ll give you unsatisfactory uptime and performance.

Luckily, pretty much all solutions from the list above are pretty affordable. For as low as $2.9 a month, you can get a decent hosting solution that will give you lots of storage, fast speeds, and in some cases, unlimited bandwidth.

2.6 Customer Support

Finally, let’s quickly talk about customer support. Should you decide on any of the hosting providers from the list, chances are that you won’t experience any issues. But, nothing is perfect and that can be said about BlueHost, SiteGround, or any other pick from the list.

Thus, I made sure that all of them offer at least decent customer support. You’ll get a 24/7 live chat feature on all of them, and with phone and email support, fixing potential issues will be a piece of cake.

3. Web Hosting for Small Business FAQ

3.1 What are the differences between shared, cloud, VPS, and dedicated hosting solutions?

Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is when a couple of websites share the same server. As such, this is the cheapest solution for hosting the website, as the provider doesn’t have to provide separate servers for each website.

The result is a bit slower performance and longer loading times. However, you’ll have to pay way merely a few dollars a month and you don’t need any technical knowledge to maintain the server.

Instead, this is all done by your hosting provider, and maintenance costs are included in the subscription plan.

Dedicated Hosting

Dedicated hosting, on the other hand, is the opposite of shared hosting. Instead of sharing the server with other websites, you get your own server, with dedicated storage, RAM, and CPU that you can choose according to your needs.

Flexibility is much better here, as you can fully customize your operating system, which results in better performance and loading times. Needless to say, this solution is more expensive as well and you are the one who manages the server.

Unless you go for managed dedicated hosting, which is noticeably more expensive.

Cloud Hosting

What about cloud hosting? Well, it’s similar to dedicated hosting in a way that you get a dedicated server, but this time, it’s a virtual server. You also get to customize resources, which makes it great for websites that require plenty of processing power.

As a result, it’s also more expensive, but also easier to maintain, as the virtual server provider will do all the maintenance for you. Hence, the name managed cloud hosting is often used in this case.

VPS Hosting

VPS stands for Virtual Private Server. It’s great for websites with a medium traffic count and if you don’t want to pay for the full power of a dedicated server. Simply put, it’s a middle-ground between shared and dedicated hosting.

This virtual server has its own OS and resources that you can utilize when hosting your website. Even better, it’s cheaper than dedicated hosting, yet, offers better reliability and performance than a shared hosting solution.

VPS hosting definitely isn’t for large businesses and those who don’t have some technical knowledge. Luckily, you can get managed VPS hosting that will make maintenance much easier.

3.2 How much will the best small business web hosting cost me?

Not much if you go for shared hosting. Usually, we’re talking about starting prices of around $1.99 a month and they can go to $17 a month – sometimes less, sometimes more. For me, shared hosting is more than enough for small businesses.

However, if we’re talking about scaling your business, you might need to go for a cloud, VPS, or dedicated hosting solution. In that case, your monthly expenses will be anywhere from $20 to $400 per month.

3.3 What is an SSL certificate? Do I really need one?

Yeah, you indeed need one. SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer and it encrypts the connection between the web browser and your website. Simply put, having it means that people can visit your websites safely and securely, which is crucial in today’s day and age.

If you see a locked padlock next to the link of the website in your web browser, it means that the website has an SSL certificate. Therefore, if you take a closer look, you’ll see that 99.9% of websites online have it, and luckily, you can get it for free from any of the providers I presented.

Learn how to stay safe online in this free 34-page eBook.

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