Web hosting is the service that keeps your website files on a computer connected to the internet, so visitors can load your pages at any hour. It is easy to ignore until the site goes down or slows to a crawl. This guide explains the main types of hosting in plain language, what actually matters when you choose, and who should own the account.
What hosting actually does
Your domain name is the address. Hosting is the building that address points to. When someone types your domain into a browser, the request goes to your host's server, which sends back your pages, images and forms. If that server is slow, overloaded or offline, your website is too, no matter how good the design is.
Hosting and your domain are separate products, and they are often bought from different companies. See our domain registration page for the address side.
The main types of hosting
Most business sites land in one of four groups. The right one depends on traffic, how the site is built and how much technical work you want to do.
| Type | How it works | Usually suits |
|---|---|---|
| Shared hosting | Many sites share one server and its resources | Small brochure sites with modest traffic |
| VPS (virtual private server) | A reserved slice of a server with guaranteed resources | Growing sites, custom software, busier stores |
| Managed hosting | The host handles updates, security and tuning for one platform, often WordPress | Owners who want fewer technical chores |
| Dedicated or cloud | A whole server, or flexible resources across many servers | High-traffic or complex applications |
Shared hosting is typically the cheapest, but a busy neighbor on the same server can affect your speed. A VPS costs more and gives you more consistent performance, though you or someone on your team has to configure it. Managed hosting usually sits in between on price and removes much of that work.
What matters when you choose
- Speed and reliability. Slow pages frustrate visitors and can hurt search performance. See our explanation of Core Web Vitals for how speed is measured.
- Backups. Ask how often they run, where they are stored and how quickly you can restore one. A backup on the same server as the site is a weak safety net.
- Security basics. A free HTTPS certificate, malware scanning and a firewall should be standard, not paid extras.
- Support. Check hours, response channels and whether you reach a real person who can look at your account.
- Location. A server physically closer to your main audience can help speed, and many hosts offer a choice of data center regions.
- Room to grow. Find out how hard it is to upgrade when traffic increases.
Watch the renewal priceIntroductory hosting deals are often much cheaper for the first term than at renewal. Read the renewal rate before you buy, and note the date in your calendar.
Who should own the hosting account
You should. The account should be registered in your business name with an email address you control, even if a designer or agency manages it day to day. Owners who let a former freelancer hold the login can end up locked out of their own site.
- Create or confirm the account in your name. Use a business email, not a personal one tied to one employee.
- Add your web partner as a user where the host allows it, instead of sharing your password.
- Turn on two-factor authentication for the hosting login and the domain account.
- Keep your own copy of key details: the host name, plan, renewal date and support contact.
Hosting is not the same as maintenance
A common surprise is learning that hosting does not include looking after the website itself. The host keeps the server running. Updating plugins, checking forms, restoring a broken page or fixing a layout is a separate job. Our post on what website maintenance includes explains who normally handles each task.
If you would rather not manage this yourself, our Website Management service covers updates, backups, security checks and hosting help. It is quoted based on your site, and we can work with the host you already have.
Getting started
Start by finding out what you have today: who the host is, what plan you are on, when it renews and whose name is on the account. If anything is unclear, that is your first fix. Not sure whether your current setup fits your site? Tell us about it and we will reply within one business day.