So you have your content ready, perhaps already purchased your domain name and you are ready to let the world see the beauty of your creation. Next step: Web hosting! Huh! What’s that? Building and sharing the content on your website comes with many moving parts and one fundamental part is webhosting. The dot com phenomenon has equally played its part in allowing persons to share personal content or commercial content for businesses. Whichever is your pick, webhosting and choosing the best webhosting service is just another decision you will have to make. Fortunately for you, in this article you not only find out how much website hosting costs but you will get a greater understanding of different types of webhosting, to help you choose the one that is best for you.
So how much does website hosting really cost? - types of hosting
Before you can answer this question you should first know that it is not that clear-cut. It is not like asking which flavour ice-cream you love the most. I like Cookies and Cream by the way. Occasionally on Sundays. Ok. Let’s refocus. Shared hosting (the cheapest kind) can cost between €2.00 - €15/month. On the other hand, Dedicated hosting (the most expensive kind) can cost between €80 - €730/month. With that said, selecting the right type of hosting that fits you will determine how much you spend. Full knowledge of the kind of website you run or want to run is vitally important. Knowing this makes it easier to select which hosting fits your needs. For instance, if you have a simple Word Press blog, you may want to consider a low-cost shared hosting service. When your blog gains more traction however, it will eventually need a stronger type of hosting that is equipped with unlimited bandwidth limits or storage.
1. Shared hosting
Shared hosting is the starter or beginner level of web hosting. This type of web hosting is usually geared at websites with very low traffic with a static page for instance a Word Press Blog. Shared hosting is often the least expensive type of web hosting and also the least robust. With Shared hosting, your website is often one of a number of websites sharing a single server.
2. Virtual private server hosting
VPS hosting or Virtual Private Server hosting is the step up from shared hosting. What’s the difference? Well the main difference is that with VPS hosting it’s like you are operating your own server. Your website is still among a number of websites sharing one server however, fewer sites are sharing resources. This simply means that your website’s performance should be better.
3. Dedicated hosting
Dedicated hosting involves a level-based service based on the power of your server as well as your web host that will maintain the service. With Dedicated hosting it is like you are paying for your own server. Not all Dedicated hosting providers offer managed services.
4. Cloud hosting
At some point, it is possible that you would have heard about “the cloud”. The cloud is simply an online service like OneDrive, a web server storage location online besides your local system. The principle surrounds a cluster of servers that work together so that a web service never fails. Hence, Cloud hosting surrounds a group of servers that work together to ensure that your website stays up and running. If one server happens to go down, another will take over. With that said, by the description only you may deduce that this service may be pricey and it is. If your website cannot afford any downtime and your pockets are long enough, then go for it!
5. WordPress hosting
WordPress websites can be run on any hosting service however, a Managed WP hosting service is not necessarily about running a WordPress site. It more has to do with utilizing a service that is tuned to meet certain needs of WordPress sites. This would include features such as 24/7 support and automated backups along with other features you do not get with a typical shared hosting service.
Which hosting service is best for you?
At this point, it is possible that you would have seen a type of hosting service that may fit your website. However, let us outline the basics of each. Your choice may be driven by cost therefore in that case, for the least costing service you may consider a shared hosting service. You should also consider this type of hosting if your website is a beginner website. VPS, Dedicated and Cloud hosting are for more active websites that often times more than not cannot afford any downtime. With WordPress hosting, the selection is based on choosing a managed service that supports features of a WordPress site. The most important thing to note is that with web hosting, the type of website you run will determine the type of hosting you select. Surely there are many pricing options but now you should have an idea in which direction you should go.
So How Much Does Website Hosting Really Cost? – Final Thoughts
When selecting a hosting package, you may also consider the storage space that it provides. For basic websites that would require a shared web hosting service, 500 MB of storage space with 10 GB of bandwidth should work well. If you select a package that provides 1000 MB with 25 GB of bandwidth, that should be enough to run a basic website plus one which generates a generous amount of traffic. So now that you know what is your favourite flavour of ice-cream, wait, sorry, how much does website hosting cost, happy hosting.
