Choosing the right hosting provider is crucial if you're starting a website. With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to make a decision. This article explores the most important factors when selecting a hosting provider or plan.
These factors include features, performance, domains, technique, support, and price/contract. By understanding these key aspects, you can make an informed choice that aligns with your website's needs and goals.
Whether you're looking for specific features, reliable performance, a seamless domain experience, technical compatibility, excellent customer support, or budget-friendly options, this guide will provide valuable insights to help you make the best decision.
Join us as we delve into the factors that will shape your hosting provider's choice and set your website up for success. Let's get started!
Before I come to the factors yet another hint, generalization is also problematic with the hosting plan because different website projects have different requirements.
Therefore, you should first of all deal with the requirements (now and in the future) of your website. It includes the planned CMS, the expected number of visitors, special functions, and more.
Then you can make the right decision.
Below, I introduce six areas in which the hosting rates of a provider and, of course, different providers differ.
Among the features are the very important things without which your website would not run. So, the scripting language PHP and at least one MySQL database should be present in the most recent versions. If you want to create several small websites, then, of course, you should make sure that multiple databases are possible.
The features also include traffic restrictions, if any, and disk space. At least a few gigabytes should be.
Memory is also very important, which should not fall below certain sizes depending on the CMS (in WordPress, for example, I recommend 128 MB).
For newcomers, also interesting is the ability to install a common content management system and other software with one click. Many hosting providers now offer this.
Performance is also important, as the site is meant to load quickly, and when there are more visitors, it should not collapse immediately.
Very important here is, for example, the server location. It should be in the US, so the data does not have to be sent halfway around the world.
The already mentioned memory also plays a role, especially if you have more visitors than usual. You should research and use a test account to better understand the performance.
I always book the domains with the hosting provider. Some providers do not register the domain in the customer's name but in the host's. Then you have bad cards if you want to change to another hosting provider.
In addition, the web hosting rates offer various inclusive domains if you need more domains beyond that, more or less high costs.
It isn't easy to judge the technology of a hosting provider, but you should simply compare different possible plans.
So many hosting providers give technical details about the server and, most importantly, how many other customers you share a server with. The lesser, the better.
Failures should not occur, but a high availability should be guaranteed.
Technical services such as regular backups or low-cost SSL encryption are also important selection factors.
For beginners, the support is very important. Quick one has problems and needs help. The support must react quickly and competently. Look at the "opening hours" of the support and sometimes perform a test call with a question.
Support is also important when moving to a different rate later, which is usually necessary when visitor numbers increase significantly. Here, good hosting providers offer the complete move to a higher plan without additional costs.
The topic of money also plays a role but should not be the only main criterion. Quality also costs something, although hosting has become very cheap in the US.
You should check the price/performance ratio and the terms and conditions. How long are you bound to the hosting provider, and what additional costs may be incurred?
Some hosting providers also have quite high setup fees, which are incurred once.
If you compare different offers concerning the factors that are important to you, you can make an informed decision and lay a good foundation for the success of your website.
