Here’s a simple guide to the best hosting for small businesses. Before the in-depth review, we shortlisted our three favorite hosting providers; the cheapest hosting for small businesses, the hosting company with the best promo prices, and the fastest hosting company.
Our approach: here’s what to expect from this post:
Pros and cons for each company based on user reviews from sites like G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius.
Comparison tables so you can compare pricing packages and hosting features for each company, tailored for small business considerations.
Hosting speed tests, so you can see how the hosting companies compare for speed.
Zoom in: now for our three favorite hosting providers for small businesses.
Best Value Pricing: Dreamhost is one of the cheapest hosting providers for small businesses. Plans start at $2.95/mo for the first year before rising to $6.99/mo.
Best Intro Pricing: Get the best value introduction plans for your business with Siteground. Plans start at just $3.99/mo. The regular price for the cheapest plan is $24.99/mo.
Best For Established Sites: If you’re looking for outstanding customer support and reliable hosting then pick WPX Hosting. They’re one of the best hosting providers.
From $24.99/mo
Zoom out: now let’s individually review the 10 best web hosting companies for small businesses.
1. SiteGround
Siteground offers the best introductory plans for new customers. Plans start at just $3.99 per month. This price is for the cheapest plan, and the regular rate for this plan is $24.99 per month. Siteground is known for its reliable hosting services, providing a range of features including daily backups, free SSL certificates, and 24/7 customer support. These features make it a great option for small businesses.
Dreamhost stands out for its exceptionally affordable hosting costs. Their plans begin at a mere $2.95 per month for the first year, before adjusting to $6.99 per month thereafter. Known for its cost-effectiveness, Dreamhost provides a wide array of features including unlimited traffic, free SSL certificates, and automated daily backups, making it an attractive option for small businesses.
DreamHost Shared Hosting Pricing
Plans
Intro 3 Month Cost
Regular Monthly Cost
First Year Cost
Regular Cost
3 Year Plan
Shared Starter
$4.95/month
$7.99/month
$2.95/month
$6.99/month
$2.95/month
Shared Unlimited
$8.95/month
$13.99/month
$2.95/month
$12.99/month
$3.95/month
DreamHost Features
Feature
Shared Starter ($2.95/mo)
Shared Unlimited ($2.95/mo)
Websites
1 Website
Unlimited Websites
Free Domain Included
Yes
Yes
Traffic
Unlimited
Unlimited
WordPress Installer
Yes
Yes
Automated WordPress Migrations
Free
Free
WP Website Builder
Yes
Yes
Storage
Fast SSD Storage
Fast SSD Storage
SSL Certificate
Free
Free
Email
Add as low as $1.67/mo
Unlimited Email @ Your Domain
DreamHost Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Professional Migration Services: Migrating websites is made easy with professional support, despite minor delays.
Lack of Phone Support: Some users prefer phone communication for quicker resolution.
Responsive Support: The support team responds promptly to inquiries via the chat and ticketing system.
Longer Process Times: Some services, like migration, may take longer than expected.
User-Friendly Web Portal: Easy to navigate and access everything in one place.
Responsive Support: The support chat and ticketing system responds promptly to inquiries.
Hosting for “High Risk” Websites: Allows hosting of websites other providers might not.
Down Time Incidents: Instances of downtime have been reported, affecting business operations.
Superior Customer Service: Noted for outstanding support and responsiveness to customer needs.
US-Focused: Data centers are primarily based in the US making them unsuitable for non-US sites.
Easy Navigation and Integration: The platform is straightforward, enhancing daily business operations.
Security and Stability Concerns: Users have experienced security breaches and stability issues without adequate support.
Fast and Comprehensive Migration: Efficient handling of website transfers and issue resolution.
Unreliable Service Changes: Unannounced changes have led to prolonged site downtime and frustration.
Here’s our shortlist of the best DreamHost alternatives.
WPX has super fast hosting speeds and provides excellent customer service. In our GT Metrix test, the Time to First Byte (TTFB) is as quick as 76 ms, and the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is as fast as 283 ms. For fast hosting speeds, great uptimes, and amazing customer support, WPX can’t be beaten. Check them out for amazing small business hosting.
WPX Hosting Pricing
Plans
Regular Monthly Cost
Annual Cost
Basic Plan
$24.99/month
$249.99/year
Professional Plan
$49.99/month
$499/year
Elite Plan
$99/month
$999/year
WPX Hosting Features
Feature
Basic Plan ($24.99/mo)
Professional Plan ($49.99/mo)
Elite Plan ($99/mo)
Number of Websites
Up to 5
Up to 15
Up to 35
Storage
15GB
30GB
60GB
Bandwidth
200GB
400GB
∞ GB
RAM per Site
1GB
1GB
1GB
PHP Workers per Site
3
3
3
CPU Cores
1
2
3
Free Malware Removal
–
Yes
Yes
Priority Support
–
Yes
Yes
Site Speed Optimization
–
Yes
Yes
WPX Hosting Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Professional Migration Services: Migrating websites is made easy with professional support, despite minor delays.
Slow Response Times: Some users experienced delays in support response.
Exceptional Customer Support: Support agents are highly praised for their helpful, patient, and informative assistance.
Website Performance Issues: A few users encountered slow speeds and downtime, impacting their experience.
Seamless Security and Updates: Automated updates and proactive security measures are efficiently managed.
Limited Server Settings Customization: Users noted restrictions, such as the inability to change Max Execution Time PHP Setting.
High Reliability and Speed: The hosting service is widely recognized for its speed and reliability.
Subpar Webmail Client: Some users think the webmail client is bad.
Comprehensive Features: Users appreciated additional features like free domain and SSL for the first year.
Challenging Refund Policy: Issues were mentioned regarding the refund policy, though they were ultimately resolved.
Positive Social Impact: The company’s commitment to charitable activities and social causes is well-regarded.
Unmet Performance Claims: Performance did not always meet the advertised claims, according to some reviews.
Innovative Knowledge Boost: Services provided are noted to enhance the ability and efficiency of work.
eCommerce Solution Limitations: The service might not be optimal for all types of eCommerce solutions, based on user feedback.
WP Engine offers specialized WordPress hosting, focusing on speed, security, and scalability. It provides features like daily backups, threat detection, and free SSL certificates. Plans are designed for all sizes, from small blogs to large businesses. WP Engine supports WordPress users with expert customer service, ensuring websites run smoothly.
WP Engine Pricing
Plans
Monthly Pricing
Introductory Annual Cost
Regular Cost
WordPress Hosting
$30/month
$20/month
$30/month
Ecommerce Hosting
$36/month
$24/month
$36/month
Custom Solutions
$600+/mo
$600+/mo
$600+/mo
WP Engine Features
Feature / Plan
WordPress Hosting ($20/mo)
Ecommerce Hosting ($24/mo)
Custom Solutions ($600/mo)
Sites Supported
1 Site
1 Site
Scalable
Visits/mo
25,000
25,000
–
Storage
10 GB
10 GB
–
Bandwidth/mo
50 GB
50 GB
–
Additional Site Cost
+$17
+$17
–
Performance & SEO
Maximize speed, performance, SEO
Maximize speed, performance, SEO
Scalable for dynamic traffic
Security
Proactive threat blocking & security
Proactive threat blocking & security
Enterprise-grade security
Updates & Backups
Automated WordPress & PHP updates
Automated WordPress & PHP updates
–
Special Features
Customizable themes, 1-click staging
2x faster page speed, Eliminate Cart Fragments
99.99% uptime SLA, Isolated resources
Support
–
–
Priority support
Additional Benefits
–
Stripe Connect integration
White glove migration, Advanced DDoS mitigation
WP Engine Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Phenomenal Support Delights Users: Ex-tech support praises WP Engine’s commitment to quality support.
E-commerce Solutions Fall Short: High prices and slower load times disappoint compared to Shopify.
Support Team Knows Their Stuff: Users managing hundreds of sites commend the knowledgeable and diligent support team.
Phone Support Removal Frustrates Customers: The lack of phone support in some plans causes inconvenience during emergencies.
Evan Provides Outstanding Web Rules Tutorial: Exceptional service includes valuable mini-tutorials on web rules.
Some Solutions Feel Incomplete: Initial sales aggressiveness and unsatisfactory technical solutions lead to frustration.
Joshua Offers Precise and Effective Solutions: Appreciation for Joshua’s direct and helpful support in resolving issues.
E-commerce Support Response Lags: Slow site load times and unhelpful support tarnish the e-commerce plan’s appeal.
Support Clarifies Issues for Future Prevention: WP Engine explains problems clearly to prevent future issues.
Support Quality Varies: The quality of support can fluctuate, with some users missing the more accessible, highly knowledgeable developers.
Non-Devs Praise 5-Star Web Design Support: Support is especially helpful for beginners starting e-commerce stores.
Advanced Network Migration Complicates Process: Multiple DNS changes for migrating to the advanced network can be cumbersome.
Capable Support Agents Always Ready to Help: High support agent availability and capability ensure user satisfaction.
Tracking Site Visits Becomes Challenging: WP Engine’s handling of UTM or gclid may not suit those needing detailed tracking.
A2 Hosting is known for fast web hosting. They offer many types of hosting like shared, VPS, and dedicated. Their Turbo Servers make websites load very fast, up to 20 times faster. They also have good uptime, which means websites are almost always online. You can get help anytime with their 24/7 customer support. Their plans are flexible, so you can pick what works best for you.
A2 Hosting Pricing
Plans
Introductory Annual Cost
Regular Cost
Startup Plan
$2.99/month
$12.99/month
Drive Plan
$5.99/month
$15.99/month
Turbo Boost Plan
$6.99/month
$24.99/month
Turbo Max Plan
$14.99/month
$29.99/month
A2 Hosting Features
Feature
Startup ($2.99/mo)
Drive ($5.99/mo)
Turbo Boost ($6.99/mo)
Turbo Max ($14.99/mo)
Websites
1
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
SSD Storage
100 GB
Unlimited
Unlimited NVMe
Unlimited NVMe
Site Migration
Free & Easy
Free & Easy
Free & Easy
Free & Easy
Automatic Backups
–
Free
Free
Free
Performance
Standard
2X Resources
Turbo (Up To 20X Faster)
Turbo (Up To 20X Faster) + 5X More Resources
Special Features
–
Growth Features
Growth Features, Turbo Features
Growth Features, Turbo Features
A2 Hosting Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Agents Offer Great Support: Great customer support agents are there to help.
Support Times Can Be Long: Addressing urgent “website down” reports takes time.
Support and Service Are Top-Notch: A2Hosting ensures uptime, speed, and quick support response.
Prices Increase After Initial Term: Renewal rates are much higher, affecting long-term affordability.
Customer Service Is Quick and Helpful: Service is fast and genuinely assists customers.
Resource Limit Alerts Cause Stress: Frequent notifications about reaching limits.
Hosting Is Reliable and Fast: Especially for WordPress/WooCommerce stores, performance is strong.
Live Chat Responses Are Slow: Customers experience delays in getting responses on live chat.
Support Team Is Knowledgeable: Quick solutions to issues are provided efficiently.
Security Concerns and Upselling Issues: Suggestions to pay for malware cleanup through affiliates raise concerns.
Service Quality Improves Continuously: Service has improved over the years, thanks to the support team.
Support Sometimes Fails to Resolve Issues: Some issues remain unresolved despite multiple interactions.
Customer Experience Is Excellent: A2Hosting is praised as a top hosting provider.
Communication and Resolution Can Be Problematic: Major problems with communication and issue resolution have been reported.
Hostinger delivers affordable, fast, and user-friendly hosting services, perfect for small businesses. It offers low starting prices, 24/7 support, and a simple control panel. With a variety of hosting options including shared, cloud, and VPS hosting, Hostinger ensures reliable uptime and global server coverage. Ideal for budget-conscious users seeking quality hosting.
Hostinger Pricing
Plans
Monthly Pricing
Introductory Annual Cost
Regular Cost
Introductory 2-Year Plan
Regular Cost
Premium Plan
$11.99/month
$3.19/month
$9.99/month
$3.09/month
$8.99/month
Business Plan
$13.99/month
$4.99/month
$12.99/month
$4.49/month
$12.99/month
Cloud Startup Plan
$24.99/month
$9.99/month
$23.99/month
$9.99/month
$22.99/month
Hostinger Features
Features / Plan
Premium ($3.19/mo)
Business ($4.99/mo)
Cloud Startup ($9.99/mo)
Performance
Standard
Increased (Up to 5x)
Maximum (Up to 10x)
Websites
100
100
300
Storage
100 GB SSD
200 GB NVMe
200 GB NVMe
Backups
Weekly
Daily
Daily
Free SSL
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
Bandwidth
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
Free Domain
Yes
Yes
Yes
CDN
Free
Free
Free
Dedicated IP Address
Yes
Yes
Yes
eCommerce Features
0% Transaction Fees
0% Transaction Fees
0% Transaction Fees
Security
Standard DDoS, WAF
Enhanced DDoS, WAF
Enhanced DDoS, WAF
Support
24/7, Priority Support
24/7, Priority Support
24/7, Priority Support
Hostinger Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Highly Professional Team: Resolves issues effectively.
Website Down & No Proper Support Response: Downtime affects business.
Value for Money: Secure investments and easy interfaces.
HostGator offers diverse hosting options like shared, VPS, and dedicated services, appealing to both novices and experts. It features competitive prices, easy one-click installs, and 24/7 support. Additional benefits include free website transfers, SSL certificates, and a 45-day guarantee. With reliable uptime and an easy-to-use control panel, HostGator ensures a hassle-free hosting solution.
Hostgator Pricing
Plans
Monthly Pricing
Introductory Annual Cost
Regular Cost
Introductory 3-Year Plan
Regular Cost
Hatchling Plan
$15.99
$4.95/month
$11.99/month
$3.75/month
$9.99/month
Baby Plan
$21.99
$6/month
$16.99/month
$4.50/month
$14.99/month
Business Plan
$27.99
$8.25/month
$21.99/month
$6.25/month
$19.99/month
Hostgator Features
Feature
Hatchling Plan ($4.95/mo)
Baby Plan
Business Plan
Websites
1
2
3
SSD Storage
10GB
20GB
40GB
Support
Chat support
Phone & Chat support
Phone & Chat support
Bandwidth
Unmetered
Unmetered
Unmetered
Email
Basic email included
Basic email included
Basic email included
Free Domain 1st Year
Yes
Yes
Yes
Free SSL 1st Year
Yes
Yes
Yes
WordPress Pre-installed
Yes
Yes
Yes
Malware Scanning
Yes
Yes
Yes
Cloudflare CDN
–
Yes
Yes
Increased Performance
–
2 vCPU’s
3 vCPU’s
Additional Benefits
–
–
Daily Website Backup (Free 1st Year)
Hostgator Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
File Manager and Email Portal are User-Friendly: Easily add new files and manage emails.
More Tooltips Needed for New Users: Additional guidance could help users utilize the platform more effectively.
Reliable Hosting with Good Browser Compatibility: Hosting works well with Safari and Chrome, ensuring accessibility.
Manual Website Migration is Challenging: The process can be time-consuming and may require support assistance.
Accessible and Helpful Customer Support: Real people are available to assist with issues, providing quality service.
Unclear Information on Costs and Invoices: This can complicate financial management for users.
Ample Bandwidth and Flexibility for Tech-Savvy Users: Affordable pricing with great customer service for those willing to learn.
Outdated Support Articles Can Lead to Confusion: Troubleshooting can become difficult without up-to-date information.
24/7 Customer Support for Technical Issues: Advanced help through tickets is available for complex problems.
Support Not Comprehensive for Each Domain: Users must contact support separately for global issues affecting multiple domains.
Great Service and Knowledgeable Operators: Customer support is well-regarded for its effectiveness.
New “My Account” Experience Can Be Confusing: Finding specific features or navigating the account can be challenging.
Excellent Service from Customer Support: Issues are resolved effectively, highlighting the quality of support.
Difficulties with Website Live Status and Domain Name Changes: Alerts about critical domain changes can be confusing and hard to resolve.
Comprehensive guide covering the best Hostgator alternatives.
GreenGeeks offers eco-friendly hosting services, utilizing renewable energy for shared, VPS, and WordPress hosting. Features include unlimited web space, free domain for the first year, SSL certificates, nightly backups, and 24/7 support. With a focus on speed and security, GreenGeeks provides a fast, secure hosting environment, making it ideal for environmentally conscious users seeking reliable hosting solutions.
GreenGeeks Shared Hosting Pricing
Plans
First Year Promo
Regular Annual Cost
Ecosite Lite Plan
$2.95/month
$11.95/month
Ecosite Pro Plan
$4.95/month
$16.95/month
Ecosite Premium Plan
$8.95/month
$26.95/month
GreenGeeks Features
Features
Ecosite Lite ($2.95/mo)
Ecosite Pro ($4.95/mo)
Ecosite Premium ($8.95/mo)
Disk Space
50 GB
Unlimited
Unlimited
Bandwidth
Unmetered
Unmetered
Unmetered
E-mail Accounts
50
Unlimited
Unlimited
Domain(s) Hosted
1
Unlimited
Unlimited
Domain Included (first year only)
1
1
1
Free SSL (Let’s Encrypt)
Included
Included
Included
Premium SSL
Addon
Addon
Included
MySQL Databases
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
CloudFlare CDN
Yes
Yes
Yes
CPU Cores
2
3
4
Physical Memory
1.0 GB
2.0 GB
3.0 GB
Disk I/O
10 MB/sec
15 MB/sec
20 MB/sec
Inodes
200,000
400,000
600,000
GreenGeeks Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Immaculate Customer Service: Quick and knowledgeable support for any issue.
Trash Customer Service: Some users report poor support experiences and unresponsiveness.
Ease of Use: Simple website management and migration process.
Hidden Fees: Unexpected charges and hidden setup fees reported by some users.
Reliable Uptime: Excellent uptime ensuring websites are always accessible.
Price Hikes: Significant price increases after initial terms without clear communication.
Great Support for WordPress: Easy for beginners to manage their own websites.
Communication Issues: Difficulty with customer service understanding or addressing issues.
Outstanding Tech Support: Responsive and effective technical assistance for moving sites.
Refund Challenges: Users have reported difficulties obtaining refunds they are eligible for.
Green Energy Hosting: Eco-friendly hosting solutions with green energy.
Transparency Issues: Lack of transparency in terms and fees, leading to customer dissatisfaction.
Comprehensive Software Updates: Frequent updates to ensure software is current.
Service Quality Decline: Some long-term users notice a decline in service quality over time.
Explore these GreenGeeks alternatives for your hosting requirements.
Namecheap specializes in affordable domain registration and hosting services, appealing to individuals and small businesses. It offers a variety of hosting options, including shared, WordPress, VPS, and dedicated servers, alongside user-friendly tools for website management. They’re an affordable and reliable hosting platform for small businesses.
Namecheap Shared Hosting Pricing
Plans
First Year Promo
Regular Annual Cost
Stellar Plan
$1.98/month
$4.48/month
Stellar Plus Plan
$2.98/month
$6.48/month
Stellar Business Plan
$4.98/month
$9.48/month
Namecheap Features
Feature
Stellar ($1.98/mo)
Stellar Plus ($2.98/mo)
Stellar Business ($4.98/mo)
Disk Space
20 GB SSD
Unmetered SSD
50 GB SSD
File (Inode) Limit
300,000
300,000
600,000
Bandwidth
Unmetered
Unmetered
Unmetered
Uptime
100%
100%
100%
Hosted Domains
3
Unlimited
Unlimited
Parked Domains
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
Subdomains
30
Unlimited
Unlimited
Backups
Twice a Week
Twice a Week + Auto backup
Twice a Week + Auto backup
Cloud Storage
Included with EU datacenter
Included with EU data center
Included with EU and US data center
Eco-friendly
Available with EU Data center
Available with EU Data center
Available with EU Data center
cPanel (Control Panel)
Yes
Yes
Yes
cPanel 2FA
Yes
Yes
Yes
FTP Users
50
Unlimited
Unlimited
Personal Nameservers
–
–
Yes
Namecheap Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Exceptional Customer Support: Goes above and beyond to assist with installations and issues.
Hosting for Scammers: Criticism for hosting scam and malware-infected websites.
Reliable Uptime and Performance: Ensures websites are accessible with minimal downtime.
Blackmail and Theft Accusations: Some users report unethical practices like account suspension and domain theft.
Outstanding 24/7 Support: Fixes issues promptly, even if caused by the customer.
Service Quality: Complaints about the slowest service and hidden fees.
Comprehensive Support: Solves problems in real-time with quick ticket resolutions.
Resource Abuse Claims: Users report account suspension under the guise of “resource abuse.”
Patient and Helpful Assistance: Guides users through complex processes step by step.
Privacy and Security Concerns: Allegations of selling personal information and dealing with scammers.
User-Friendly Interface: Streamlines website management with an intuitive control panel.
Customer Service Variability: Mixed experiences with support quality and response times.
Efficient Domain Transfer Support: Assists seamlessly with domain transfers.
Inadequate Verification Processes: Complaints about lack of domain buyer verification and anonymous payments.
Explore these Namecheap alternatives for your hosting needs.
GoDaddy provides domain registration and web hosting services. It caters to businesses of all sizes. GoDaddy offers shared, WordPress, VPS, and dedicated hosting options. Users get access to website-building tools, SSL certificates, and 24/7 support. It emphasizes easy-to-use services and affordability. GoDaddy helps users create and manage their online presence effectively.
GoDaddy Pricing
Plans
Monthly Pricing
Introductory Annual Cost
Regular Cost
Introductory 2-Year Plan
Regular Cost
Economy Plan
$11.99/month
$6.99/month
$9.99/month
$6.99/month
$8.99/month
Deluxe Plan
$15.99/month
$9.99/month
$13.99/month
$8.99/month
$13.99/month
Ultimate Plan
$21.99/month
$14.99/month
$17.99/month
$13.99/month
$17.99/month
Maximum Plan
$29.99/month
$21.99/month
$24.99/month
$19.99/month
$24.99/month
GoDaddy Features
Feature
Economy ($6.99/mo)
Deluxe ($9.99/mo)
Ultimate ($14.99/mo)
Maximum ($21.99/mo)
Websites
1
10
25
50
Databases
10
25
50
100
NVMe Storage
25 GB
50 GB
75 GB
100 GB
Resources
Shared RAM and vCPU
Shared RAM and vCPU
Shared RAM and vCPU
Shared RAM and vCPU
Free Domain
Yes ($11.99/yr value)
Yes ($11.99/yr value)
Yes ($11.99/yr value)
Yes ($11.99/yr value)
Microsoft 365 Mailboxes
2 Free trial
3 Free trial
5 Free trial
5 Free trial
SSL Certificate
Free for 1 year ($99.99/yr value)
Free, unlimited for all websites
Free, unlimited for all websites
Free, unlimited for all websites
GoDaddy Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Customers praise GoDaddy’s support team. They find the team helpful, knowledgeable, and accessible.
Hidden costs can surprise users. Essential features often come with additional charges.
GoDaddy’s platform is easy to use. Beginners easily manage their hosting and websites.
Interface can confuse users. Some find GoDaddy’s backend and interface unintuitive.
GoDaddy hosting is reliable. Users report good uptime and performance for their websites.
Migration issues can be frustrating. Users sometimes face challenges migrating sites to GoDaddy.
Specialists are accessible. GoDaddy provides expert help for specific hosting issues.
Domain transfers can be complex. Moving domains to or from GoDaddy sometimes poses challenges.
GoDaddy offers comprehensive solutions. They cater to a range of hosting needs from basic to advanced.
Technical limitations may hinder users. Some find GoDaddy’s hosting limits their website’s potential.
Domain management is integrated. Setup and management of domains and hosting in one place is convenient.
Email setup can be tricky. Setting up or managing email accounts sometimes requires extra support.
Many educational resources are available. GoDaddy helps users understand and use their hosting services better.
Website performance can vary. Some experience slow loading times and inconsistent performance.
Our shortlist of the best alternatives to GoDaddy.
I'm the founder of Launch Space. We work with global companies helping them scale lead generation through SEO and content marketing. Head over to the homepage to find out more.
