Hosting plans look alike on the surface and differ in the details. This guide explains the common types and the terms you will see, so you can match a plan to your website and not pay for more than you need.
What web hosting is
Web hosting is the service that stores your website's files and serves them to visitors when they type your address. Your domain name is the address. Hosting is the building it points to. Most business sites also use hosting for email and for the databases that power things like WordPress.
What each type of hosting suits
- Shared hosting. Many sites share one server. It is the usual starting point for brochure sites, small online shops and blogs, and it needs little technical work.
- WordPress hosting. Set up with WordPress in mind. It suits anyone running a WordPress site who wants a simpler install and update routine.
- VPS hosting. A virtual private server gives you a dedicated share of a server's resources and more control. It suits busier sites and custom software, and it asks more of whoever manages it.
- Reseller hosting. Space you divide among several accounts. It suits agencies and web designers who host sites for their own clients.
What the plan features mean
- Storage
- The disk space for your site's files, images, databases and, often, email. Photos and video use the most.
- Websites
- How many separate sites, each with its own domain, the plan allows on one account.
- Email accounts
- How many mailboxes you can create on your own domain, such as you@yourbusiness.com.au.
- Databases
- Sites such as WordPress store pages, settings and orders in a database. Each such site normally needs at least one.
- SSL
- A certificate that encrypts traffic between visitors and your site, shown as https and a padlock. Browsers warn visitors away from sites without one.
- Backups
- Saved copies of your site you can restore after a mistake, a hack or a failed update. Ask how often they run, how long they are kept and who can restore them.
How to estimate what you need
- Count your websites, including any you plan to add in the next year.
- Check how much space your current site uses, and add your mailboxes, which grow over time.
- Count the email accounts your team needs.
- Note whether your site runs WordPress or other software that needs a database.
- Allow room to grow. Plans can usually be upgraded, so you do not need to buy for a site you do not have yet.
If your site will take online payments, hold customer accounts or see sudden bursts of traffic, plan for more headroom and ask about backups and security before you commit.
When to talk to us
If you are unsure which type suits you, are moving a site that must not go offline, or want someone else to handle the setup, contact us and we will talk it through. You may also want to read how moving your website works.
Ready to compare? See the hosting plans.