Web hosting is the service of storing a website's files and databases on internet-connected servers and serving them to visitors. Hosting providers sell capacity ranging from a share of a single server (shared hosting) to virtual private servers, dedicated machines and managed cloud platforms, usually bundled with domain registration, email and security services.
This list covers twelve providers that sell general-purpose or WordPress hosting to the public, ordered by the share of all websites each hosts according to W3Techs' web hosting survey of 13 November 2026. For each, it records ownership, plan structure, promotional and renewal prices with currency and term, and documented limitations. Prices change often and many hosts advertise long-term promotional rates; the figures below are those displayed on each provider's own pricing page in November 2026.
Contents
- What is web hosting
- History and market
- Key features to compare
- Pricing models
- How to choose
- Methodology
- The list
- Comparison table
- Alternatives by use case
- Recent developments
- Frequently asked questions
- See also
What is web hosting
A website consists of files (HTML, scripts, images) and usually a database. A host provides the server on which these live, a network connection, and software that answers browser requests. Most consumer and small-business hosting is sold as plans that bundle storage, a number of websites, email mailboxes, a free TLS certificate and a control panel.
The main tiers are shared hosting, in which many accounts share one server's CPU and memory; VPS hosting, in which a server is divided into isolated virtual machines; dedicated hosting, in which a customer rents a whole physical server; and cloud hosting, in which capacity is drawn from a provider's pool and billed by usage. Managed WordPress hosting is a specialised variant in which the host also handles WordPress updates, caching and backups.
Web hosting differs from a website builder, which bundles hosting with a proprietary design tool and usually does not allow custom code, and from a CDN, which caches and delivers content but does not run the origin site. Readers comparing those categories can see the separate lists of best website builder, best managed WordPress hosting, best VPS hosting, best cloud hosting and best domain registrar services.
History and market
Commercial shared hosting emerged in the mid-1990s; DreamHost, for example, traces its origins to 1997 and OVHcloud to 1999. Many of today's largest brands date from the following decade, including Hostinger and SiteGround (both 2004). The 2010s brought managed WordPress specialists such as WP Engine (2010) and Kinsta (2013) as WordPress grew into the dominant content management system. In November 2026 W3Techs reported that WordPress runs 39.2% of all websites and 57.9% of sites whose CMS is known.
The industry has consolidated into a small number of groups. Newfold Digital owns Bluehost, HostGator, Network Solutions, Domain.com and several regional brands. DigitalOcean bought Cloudways for US$350 million in September 2022. WP Engine acquired Flywheel in 2019. World Host Group acquired A2 Hosting and relaunched it as Hosting.com in April 2025.
W3Techs' survey shows how fragmented the market remains: the largest hosting-only provider, Hostinger, hosts 5.2% of websites, and no other general-purpose host exceeds 2.5%. Site-builder platforms (Shopify 5.4%, Wix 4.2%, Squarespace 2.5%) and hyperscale clouds (Amazon 4.5%) are among the largest hosts by this measure. Public revenue figures are available for the listed groups: IONOS Group reported EUR 1,317 million for 2025 and OVHcloud EUR 1,145 million for fiscal 2026.
Key features to compare
Hosting type and isolation
Shared plans are cheapest but share server resources among accounts. Cloudways and Kinsta give each customer isolated resources. Hetzner, OVHcloud, IONOS and Hosting.com offer upgrade paths from shared hosting to VPS and dedicated servers within the same company.
Renewal price, not just the introductory price
Most large hosts quote a discounted monthly price that requires a one- to four-year prepayment and then renews at a higher rate. On the pages reviewed, renewal multiples ranged from none (Hetzner) to about eight times (SiteGround's euro-zone StartUp plan) and fourteen times (IONOS's promotional Plus plan).
Backups
Daily backups are included on the entry plans of SiteGround, Hosting.com and Kinsta and on Hostinger's Unlimited plan; Bluehost and Hostinger Premium include weekly backups. Restore tools and retention periods vary.
Storage and site limits
Entry plans range from one website and 1 GB (OVHcloud Starter) to 25 websites and 25 GB (DreamHost) or 100 GB of storage (IONOS Essential). NVMe drives are now common on mid-market plans.
Email
Some hosts include mailboxes (Hetzner, IONOS, OVHcloud, SiteGround); others offer them only for a first year (Hostinger) or as a paid add-on (DreamHost). Managed WordPress and cloud platforms such as WP Engine, Kinsta and Cloudways do not host email.
Data centre location
Server location affects latency and data-protection compliance. Hostinger lists 12 locations, SiteGround 11 data centres, Kinsta 30 and OVHcloud 46, while Hetzner's web hosting runs only in Germany.
Control panel and developer access
Control panels differ between hosts. SSH, Git, staging and Node.js availability usually depend on the plan tier.
Pricing models
Shared hosting is predominantly sold on prepaid terms with an introductory discount. In November 2026, entry prices on the pages reviewed included US$1.99 per month on a 48-month term at Hostinger, US$3.99 on a 36-month term at Bluehost, US$4 on a one-year term at IONOS and US$1.89 on a one-year term at OVHcloud, with renewal prices typically between US$3 and US$16 per month for entry and mid tiers.
Hetzner is the main exception, billing €1.60 to €16.72 per month excluding VAT with no minimum term and no promotional step. Cloud platforms bill by server size and time: Cloudways starts at US$14 per month, charged hourly up to that cap. Managed WordPress hosts charge per site and by traffic: WP Engine from US$35 per month and Kinsta from US$35 per month or US$315 per year.
Money-back guarantees of 30 days are standard among shared hosts (Hostinger, Bluehost, SiteGround, Hosting.com), but usually exclude domain fees. Taxes are often excluded from displayed prices, and prices are frequently shown in the visitor's local currency, which is why some figures in this list are in euros.
How to choose
For a first website or a small business site on a tight budget, Hostinger, Bluehost and IONOS offer low entry prices with domains included, provided the buyer accepts a multi-year prepayment and plans for the renewal rate. Buyers who prefer not to commit should look at Hetzner's monthly plans or at OVHcloud's one-year terms.
Sites that need daily backups, staging and reliable support without managing a server are well served by SiteGround or Hosting.com. Growing sites with traffic spikes should consider an isolated platform such as Cloudways, while businesses that run only WordPress and value specialist support can choose WP Engine or Kinsta.
Region matters: European customers wanting EU data residency can choose Hetzner, OVHcloud or IONOS; global audiences benefit from hosts with many data centres and integrated CDNs, such as Kinsta or SiteGround. In every case, comparing the renewal price, backup frequency and email arrangement gives a better picture of long-term cost than the advertised monthly rate.
Methodology
Providers were included if they sell web hosting (shared, cloud or managed WordPress) directly to the public and publish plan details on their own site. They are ordered by the share of all websites attributed to the provider, or its parent group where W3Techs reports only the group, in W3Techs' web hosting market-share survey dated 13 November 2026. Ties were ordered alphabetically. Site-builder platforms (Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, Webflow), hyperscale clouds (Amazon, Google, Microsoft), developer platforms (Vercel, Netlify) and regional groups that operate mainly under other local brands (team.blue, GMO, Aruba and others) were excluded because they are not general hosting brands sold in English to the public. Where a group owns several hosting brands, the best-known brand is listed and its sister brands are named in the entry.
Prices, plan contents and company figures are taken only from pages opened in November 2026, with currency, term and renewal price as displayed. Some hosts show prices in the visitor's local currency; where only euro prices could be retrieved, they are given in euros and labelled as such. Where a page blocked access or did not display prices, the entry says 'see vendor'. Customer counts are the companies' own claims. No speed tests, uptime monitoring or user ratings were used.
The list
1
H
Lithuanian low-cost host with the largest share of any hosting-only provider
Best for: Low-cost shared hosting for small sites
Hostinger is a web hosting company founded in 2004 in Kaunas, Lithuania, and now headquartered in Vilnius. Its company page reports more than 1,000 staff, customers in over 150 countries, more than 10 million websites created and 5 million+ customers worldwide, although a 2025 timeline entry on the same page gives 4 million clients. W3Techs' November 2026 survey credits Hostinger with 5.2% of all websites, the second-highest share of any provider after Shopify and the highest among companies that sell general-purpose hosting.
Hostinger's shared plans are priced aggressively on long commitments. In November 2026 the Premium plan was listed at US$1.99 per month on a 48-month term (US$95.52 up front), renewing at US$10.99 per month, and the Unlimited plan at US$2.79 per month (US$133.92), renewing at US$16.99. Premium covers three websites with 20 GB of SSD storage and weekly backups; Unlimited covers unlimited websites with 50 GB of NVMe storage and daily backups. Both include a free domain and mailboxes for the first year, and the company offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Hostinger operates data centres in twelve locations across Europe, North America, Asia and South America. The main drawbacks are the long terms needed to obtain the advertised price and the large step up at renewal, which is roughly five to six times the introductory rate.
Key features
- Free domain and mailboxes for the first year
- Weekly (Premium) or daily (Unlimited) backups
- NVMe storage on Unlimited
- 12 data centre locations on four continents
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Pricing
Premium: US$1.99/mo on a 48-month term (US$95.52), renews at US$10.99/mo; 3 sites, 20 GB SSD. Unlimited: US$2.79/mo on 48 months (US$133.92), renews at US$16.99/mo; unlimited sites, 50 GB NVMe. 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Founded
- 2004 (Kaunas, Lithuania)
- Headquarters
- Vilnius, Lithuania
- Share of all websites (W3Techs, Nov 2026)
- 5.2%
- Customers (company figure)
- 5M+
- Data centre locations
- 12
- Entry price
- US$1.99/mo (48-month term)
Strengths
- Lowest advertised entry price among large hosts
- Broad data centre footprint
- Daily backups on the Unlimited plan
- Free domain for the first year
Limitations
- Advertised price requires a four-year prepayment
- Renewal roughly five to six times the promotional price
- Company's own customer figures are inconsistent
2
Hosting arm of Germany's United Internet group, with large storage allowances
Best for: Small businesses wanting storage and email in one account
IONOS is the hosting and cloud business of the German United Internet group, which W3Techs counts as the hosting parent of 2.5% of all websites, the largest share of any European provider. IONOS Group's investor relations page reports revenue of EUR 1,317 million for 2025 and 6.63 million customers.
IONOS's US web hosting plans are sold on one-year terms with introductory pricing. In November 2026 the page listed Essential at US$4 per month (renewing at US$8), Starter at US$6 (renewing at US$10), Plus at a promotional US$1 per month (renewing at US$14) and Ultimate at US$10 (renewing at US$18). Storage is generous by shared-hosting standards, from 100 GB of NVMe on Essential to 500 GB on Ultimate, and each plan includes a set number of email addresses and a malware scanner; the higher plans add a CDN and, on Ultimate, unlimited wildcard SSL certificates.
IONOS is also a large domain registrar and sells VPS, dedicated servers, a website builder and Microsoft 365 bundles, which makes it a one-stop provider for small businesses in Europe and North America. Its web hosting plans quote server resources as relative multiples ('1x', '3x' access) rather than CPU and memory figures, which makes like-for-like comparisons harder, and promotional prices vary between plans in ways that change frequently.
Key features
- 100–500 GB NVMe storage
- Included email addresses on every plan
- Malware scanner (Pro with repair on Ultimate)
- CDN on Starter and above
- Unlimited wildcard SSL on Ultimate
Pricing
One-year terms (USD): Essential US$4/mo then US$8; Starter US$6/mo then US$10; Plus US$1/mo then US$14; Ultimate US$10/mo then US$18.
- Parent
- United Internet (Germany)
- Share of all websites (W3Techs, Nov 2026)
- 2.5% (United Internet)
- Revenue (2025)
- EUR 1,317m (IONOS Group)
- Customers (2025)
- 6.63 million
- Entry price
- US$4/mo first year (Essential)
Strengths
- Large storage allowances
- Short one-year commitment for promotional prices
- Publicly reported financials
- Broad product range beyond hosting
Limitations
- Server resources described in relative terms
- Promotional prices change frequently
- Renewals up to fourteen times the promotional Plus price
3
Domain-registrar giant with hosting bundled into a small-business suite
Best for: Customers who want hosting and domains together
GoDaddy is a US company best known as a domain registrar; its investor relations site states that it serves more than 20 million entrepreneurs and that customers entrust it with over 80 million domain names. W3Techs counts the GoDaddy Group as the host of 2.4% of all websites in November 2026. The company reported third-quarter 2026 results on 29 October 2026.
GoDaddy sells shared web hosting, managed WordPress hosting, VPS and dedicated servers alongside its website builder, Microsoft 365 email, payments and marketing tools. Its strength is the integration of hosting with a domain portfolio and other small-business services in one account; customers who already register domains with GoDaddy often host there for convenience.
GoDaddy's hosting pricing pages blocked automated access during this review, so plan names and prices are not given here. Because its share is concentrated in domain-linked parked and builder sites as well as hosting, the W3Techs figure overstates its position in hosting alone.
Key features
- Shared, WordPress, VPS and dedicated hosting
- Domain registration in the same account
- Website builder and Microsoft 365 email
- Payments and marketing tools
Pricing
Pricing pages could not be accessed during review (see vendor).
- Share of all websites (W3Techs, Nov 2026)
- 2.4% (GoDaddy Group)
- Customers (company figure)
- 20M+
- Domains under management (company figure)
- 80M+
Strengths
- Very large registrar ecosystem
- Single account for domains, hosting and email
- Public company with regular financial reporting
Limitations
- Pricing not retrievable for this review
- Hosting share inflated by domain-linked sites
4
French cloud provider with low-cost web hosting and its own data centres
Best for: Technically confident users and EU-based projects
OVHcloud is a French cloud and hosting provider founded in 1999 by Octave Klaba. Its investor relations page reports revenue of EUR 1,145 million for fiscal 2026, 1.7 million customers and 46 data centres. W3Techs credits OVH with 2.4% of all websites in November 2026.
Besides bare-metal servers, public cloud and VPS, OVHcloud sells shared web hosting in four tiers. On its English-language site in November 2026, prices were shown in US dollars: Starter at US$1.89 per month for the first 12 months (US$22.68), renewing at US$3.09; Personal at US$3.59 (renewing at US$7.09); Pro at a promotional US$2.39 (renewing at US$11.79); and Performance at US$8.29 (renewing at US$23.59). Starter covers one website with 1 GB of storage, Personal 15 sites and 100 GB, Pro 100 sites and 250 GB, and Performance 150 sites and 500 GB, each with a free domain for the first year.
OVHcloud builds and operates its own servers and data centres, which underpins its low prices and its appeal to European customers wanting data held by a European company. Its control panel and support are aimed at technically confident users, and the entry-level Starter plan's 1 GB of storage is too small for most WordPress sites.
Key features
- Four shared tiers from 1 to 150 websites
- Up to 500 GB SSD and 1,000 mailboxes
- Free domain for the first year
- VPS, bare metal and public cloud upgrade paths
- Own data centres
Pricing
12-month promotional prices (USD): Starter US$1.89/mo, renews US$3.09; Personal US$3.59, renews US$7.09; Pro US$2.39, renews US$11.79; Performance US$8.29, renews US$23.59.
- Founded
- 1999
- Share of all websites (W3Techs, Nov 2026)
- 2.4%
- Revenue (FY2026)
- EUR 1,145m
- Customers
- 1.7 million
- Data centres
- 46
Strengths
- Low renewal prices on the smaller plans
- Owns its infrastructure
- European company with EU data centres
- Clear upgrade path to servers and cloud
Limitations
- Starter plan's 1 GB storage is very small
- Interface and support suited to technical users
- Promotional ordering of plans can be confusing
5
Newfold Digital's flagship WordPress-oriented shared host
Best for: WordPress beginners and small-business sites
Bluehost is a US shared and WordPress hosting brand owned by Newfold Digital, which groups it with HostGator, Yoast and YITH in its 'Bluehost Group' and with Network Solutions, Domain.com and others in a separate group. W3Techs counts Newfold Digital Group as the host of 2.3% of all websites in November 2026; that figure covers all of Newfold's brands, not Bluehost alone.
Bluehost's shared plans are sold on 36-month terms. In November 2026 the Starter plan was listed at US$3.99 per month (renewing at US$9.99) for 10 websites and 10 GB of NVMe storage; Business at US$6.99 (renewing at US$13.99) for 50 sites and 50 GB; and eCommerce Essentials at US$14.99 (renewing at US$21.99) for 100 sites and 100 GB. All three include a free domain for the first year, Let's Encrypt SSL, weekly backups and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bluehost's ownership of Yoast, the WordPress SEO plugin, gives it close ties to the WordPress ecosystem, and it publishes its own theme, Bluehost Blueprint, in the WordPress.org directory. HostGator, Newfold's other large host, sells similar plans (Hatchling, Baby, Business and Pro) with 10 to 100 websites; its prices did not render on its page during review. The main limitation is the three-year commitment needed for the advertised price, and backups are weekly rather than daily.
Key features
- 10 to 100 websites per plan
- NVMe storage
- Free domain for the first year
- Let's Encrypt SSL
- Weekly backups
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Pricing
36-month terms (USD): Starter US$3.99/mo, renews US$9.99; Business US$6.99, renews US$13.99; eCommerce Essentials US$14.99, renews US$21.99.
- Owner
- Newfold Digital
- Share of all websites (W3Techs, Nov 2026)
- 2.3% (Newfold group)
- Sister brands
- HostGator, Yoast, YITH, Network Solutions
- Entry price
- US$3.99/mo (36-month term)
Strengths
- Generous site counts per plan
- Moderate renewal mark-up compared with peers
- Strong WordPress ecosystem ties through Yoast
Limitations
- Three-year commitment needed for advertised price
- Backups weekly on shared plans
- Group share figure covers many brands
6
German infrastructure provider with low-cost, no-contract web hosting
Best for: Price-sensitive European sites wanting no contract
Hetzner is a German hosting company best known for inexpensive dedicated and cloud servers. W3Techs credits it with 2.1% of all websites in November 2026. Its web hosting runs in Hetzner's own data centre park in Nuremberg, and the company describes the service as GDPR-compliant and powered by renewable energy.
Hetzner's shared web hosting is priced in euros and billed monthly with no minimum contract: Webhosting S costs €1.60 per month, M €4.12, L €8.32 and XL €16.72, excluding VAT. Plans scale from 10 GB of storage and one database to 300 GB and 50 databases, with all tiers including unlimited mailboxes and Varnish caching, and L and XL adding Redis, SSH and Node.js. Domains are not included and cost from €4.90 per year.
Hetzner's pricing is unusual in the industry because there is no introductory discount followed by a higher renewal rate: the listed monthly price is the ongoing price. The trade-offs are a smaller set of convenience features (no bundled website builder or free domain), English-language support aimed at technically capable users, and hosting located only in Germany, which may not suit sites whose audience is mainly outside Europe.
Key features
- Monthly billing with no minimum contract
- Unlimited mailboxes on every plan
- Varnish caching; Redis and SSH on L and XL
- Own data centres in Germany
- Renewable-energy powered
Pricing
Monthly, excl. VAT, no minimum term: S €1.60, M €4.12, L €8.32, XL €16.72. Domains extra from €4.90/year. A one-off setup fee is shown alongside a €0.00 fee (check at order).
- Share of all websites (W3Techs, Nov 2026)
- 2.1%
- Data centre (web hosting)
- Nuremberg, Germany
- Entry price
- €1.60/mo excl. VAT, no minimum term
Strengths
- No promotional-to-renewal price jump
- No long-term commitment
- Low prices for storage
- EU data residency
Limitations
- No free domain
- Hosting only in Germany
- Few beginner conveniences
7
Independently owned host with daily backups on every plan
Best for: Small businesses wanting daily backups and staging
SiteGround was founded in 2004 and describes itself as independently owned. Its company page lists more than 3 million domains powered, over 500 experts, and 11 data centres in 8 countries across 4 continents with 170 CDN points of presence. W3Techs credits SiteGround with 2.0% of all websites in November 2026.
Pricing is shown in the visitor's regional currency. On its euro-zone site in November 2026, during an early Black Friday offer, StartUp was listed at €1.99 per month for the first 12 months (renewing at €15.99), GrowBig at €3.99 (renewing at €27.99) and GoGeek at €5.99 (renewing at €39.99), excluding VAT. StartUp covers one website with 10 GB; GrowBig and GoGeek allow unlimited websites with 50 GB and 100 GB. All plans include a free CDN, email, SSL and daily backups; GrowBig adds on-demand backups and staging, and GoGeek adds Git-based staging, white-label client access and priority support.
SiteGround's main drawback is renewal pricing: the regular rates on the euro-zone page are the highest among the shared plans reviewed for this list, at roughly seven to eight times the promotional price on the euro-zone page.
Key features
- Daily backups on every plan
- Free CDN and email
- Staging on GrowBig and GoGeek
- Node.js apps on higher tiers
- White-label access on GoGeek
Pricing
Euro-zone site, prepaid 12 months, excl. VAT: StartUp €1.99/mo then €15.99; GrowBig €3.99 then €27.99; GoGeek €5.99 then €39.99. 30-day money-back guarantee. USD prices: see vendor.
- Founded
- 2004
- Ownership
- Independently owned
- Share of all websites (W3Techs, Nov 2026)
- 2.0%
- Domains powered (company figure)
- 3M+
- Data centres
- 11 in 8 countries
- Entry price
- €1.99/mo first year (EU site, excl. VAT)
Strengths
- Daily backups included on the entry plan
- Staging and Git on higher tiers
- Independent ownership
- Broad data centre spread
Limitations
- Very high renewal prices
- Entry plan limited to one website
- USD pricing not captured in this review
8
Managed layer on top of DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud and others
Best for: Growing sites that have outgrown shared hosting
Cloudways is a managed cloud hosting platform owned by DigitalOcean, which completed its US$350 million acquisition of the company on 8 September 2022. W3Techs credits DigitalOcean Group with 1.4% of all websites in November 2026. Rather than shared hosting, Cloudways provisions a dedicated virtual server for the customer on one of several clouds (DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS or Google Cloud) and manages the software stack, backups and security on top.
Pricing is pay-as-you-go. The smallest Flexible server, Micro, costs US$14 per month with 1 GB RAM, one vCPU and 25 GB NVMe storage, and is billed hourly with monthly caps; Small costs US$28 and Medium US$54. An autoscaling product, Autonomous, starts at US$99 per month. Flexible plans come with a five-day free trial with no credit card required, excluding AWS and Google Cloud.
Because each customer gets an isolated server, performance does not depend on neighbouring accounts as it can on shared hosting, and the platform supports unlimited applications per server. The trade-offs are the absence of email hosting and domain registration in the core product, the need to understand server sizing, and higher entry prices than shared hosting.
Key features
- Choice of DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS or Google Cloud
- Hourly billing with monthly cap
- Staging on every plan
- Breeze cache plugin for WordPress
- Autoscaling Autonomous tier
Pricing
Flexible (USD/month): Micro $14, Small $28, Medium $54, Small+ $37; billed hourly up to the monthly price. Autonomous from $99/month. Five-day free trial on Flexible.
- Owner
- DigitalOcean (acquired Sept 2022, US$350m)
- Share of all websites (W3Techs, Nov 2026)
- 1.4% (DigitalOcean Group)
- Entry price
- US$14/mo (Micro)
- Free trial
- 5 days, no card (Flexible)
Strengths
- Isolated server resources
- No long-term contract
- Choice of underlying cloud
- Backed by a listed cloud provider
Limitations
- No built-in email hosting
- Server sizing knowledge helpful
- Higher entry price than shared hosting
9
Austin-based managed WordPress specialist and owner of Flywheel
Best for: Businesses running WordPress only
WP Engine was founded in 2010 in Austin, Texas, by Jason Cohen, and reports more than 1,000 staff and customers in over 150 countries; its about page cites more than 1.5 million users and customers. It acquired the designer-focused host Flywheel in 2019. W3Techs credits WP Engine Group with 1.3% of all websites in November 2026, the largest share of any WordPress-only host.
WP Engine sells only managed WordPress (and WooCommerce) hosting, priced well above shared hosting. Its plans page in November 2026 showed capacity tiers of US$35 per month for one site, US$65 for up to three, US$130 for up to ten and US$330 for up to thirty, with annual prices of US$336, US$624, US$1,248 and US$3,168 described as including a promotional discount. Plans include daily automated backups, free SSL and SSH, and managed WordPress and PHP updates; higher tiers add isolated resources and an uptime SLA.
WP Engine is included here for completeness of the market picture; it is covered in more depth in the list of best managed WordPress hosting. It cannot host non-WordPress applications or email, and visits above plan limits are charged as overages.
Key features
- Managed WordPress and WooCommerce only
- Daily automated backups
- Free SSL and SSH
- Managed WordPress, PHP and MySQL updates
- Isolated resources on Business tier
Pricing
Capacity tiers (USD): 1 site $35/mo ($336/yr), 3 sites $65/mo ($624/yr), 10 sites $130/mo ($1,248/yr), 30 sites $330/mo ($3,168/yr). No refund policy stated on the plans page.
- Founded
- 2010
- Headquarters
- Austin, Texas, US
- Share of all websites (W3Techs, Nov 2026)
- 1.3% (WP Engine Group)
- Entry price
- US$35/mo (1 site)
Strengths
- WordPress-specific tooling and support
- Largest WordPress-only host by W3Techs share
- Daily backups
Limitations
- WordPress only; no email hosting
- Much higher prices than shared hosting
- Overage charges above visit limits
10
World Host Group's global brand, formerly A2 Hosting
Best for: Developers wanting shared hosting with API access
Hosting.com is the brand under which World Host Group combined its businesses with A2 Hosting, which it had acquired. A May 2025 post on the company's blog quotes its COO describing 'A2 Hosting now part of World Host Group and rebranded as hosting.com', with the new brand launched in late April 2025. The company's homepage states that it has hosted more than 3 million websites and serves over 700,000 customers. W3Techs counts Hosting.com Group at 0.6% of all websites in November 2026.
Hosting.com sells shared hosting in three tiers. Starter covers 5 websites with 15 GB of NVMe storage, a free domain registration, daily backups, malware detection and removal, free managed migration and an AI website builder for WordPress; Pro covers 10 sites with 50 GB, staging and Node.js; Max covers 50 sites with 100 GB, 40 mailboxes, an SLA and priority support. The plans also list an OpenAPI and MCP server for programmatic and AI-agent management. A 30-day money-back guarantee applies.
The homepage advertised web hosting from US$1.49 per month during a Black Friday promotion, but individual plan prices were not displayed on the plans page during review.{R(22)} The rebrand means older reviews and documentation still refer to A2 Hosting, and the company's VPS and dedicated ranges remain an important part of its offer.
Key features
- Daily backups on every shared plan
- Free managed migration
- Staging and Node.js on Pro
- OpenAPI and MCP server
- Malware detection and removal
Pricing
Shared plans Starter, Pro and Max; advertised 'from US$1.49/mo' during a promotion, individual prices not shown (see vendor). 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Owner
- World Host Group
- Former name
- A2 Hosting (rebranded April 2025)
- Share of all websites (W3Techs, Nov 2026)
- 0.6% (Hosting.com Group)
- Customers (company figure)
- 700,000+
- Advertised entry price
- From US$1.49/mo (promotion)
Strengths
- Daily backups and malware removal on the entry plan
- Programmatic management via API and MCP
- Wide range from shared to dedicated
Limitations
- Plan prices not displayed during review
- Rebrand leaves documentation split across two names
- Smaller share than the leading hosts
11
D
Long-established independent US host with month-to-month options
Best for: Independent sites wanting simple shared hosting
DreamHost dates from 1997, when it began in a dorm room, and reports more than 400,000 customers in over 100 countries and more than 1.5 million websites, WordPress blogs and applications hosted, including over 750,000 WordPress installations. Its company page lists a mailing address in Brea, California, and names Michael Rodriguez as CEO. W3Techs credits DreamHost with 0.3% of all websites in November 2026.
DreamHost's shared hosting page showed prices in euros when accessed for this review: Web Hosting Launch at €2.89 per month for the first year, renewing at €10.99, covering 25 websites, 25 GB of NVMe storage, roughly 40,000 monthly visits, unmetered bandwidth and a free one-year domain registration with privacy protection on annual plans. Its managed WordPress product, DreamPress, was listed at €14.99 per month for the first year, renewing at €19.99, for one site with 15 GB of storage.
DreamHost offers an AI website builder called Liftoff alongside its hosting.{R(25)} Email on the entry plan is offered as a three-month trial of a paid add-on rather than included permanently, which raises the effective cost for small businesses that need mailboxes.
Key features
- 25 websites on the entry plan
- NVMe storage
- Free domain with privacy (annual plans)
- Liftoff website builder
- DreamPress managed WordPress option
Pricing
Prices displayed in EUR during review: Web Hosting Launch €2.89/mo first year, renews €10.99/mo; DreamPress 1 €14.99/mo first year, renews €19.99/mo. USD prices: see vendor.
- Founded
- 1997
- Mailing address
- Brea, California, US
- Share of all websites (W3Techs, Nov 2026)
- 0.3%
- Customers (company figure)
- 400,000+
- Entry price
- €2.89/mo first year (as displayed)
Strengths
- Long operating history
- Free domain privacy
- Generous site allowance on entry plan
Limitations
- Email is a paid add-on after a trial
- Smaller share than larger rivals
- USD prices not captured during review
12
Premium managed host for WordPress, applications and databases
Best for: Performance-sensitive WordPress sites
Kinsta was founded in 2013; its founder and chairman is Mark Gavalda. The company is fully distributed and reports more than 230,000 customers across 128 countries, 30 data centres and 300 CDN locations. W3Techs credits Kinsta with 0.3% of all websites in November 2026.
Kinsta's managed WordPress plans are priced per site and by either bandwidth or visits. In November 2026, single-site plans started at US$35 per month or US$315 billed annually, with new customers offered a discounted first three months; multi-site plans ran from WP 2 to WP 40, and Agency plans were listed from US$255 per month after an introductory period, with Enterprise from US$500. All plans include automatic daily backups with 14-day retention, unlimited free migrations and a CDN allowance.
In addition to WordPress, Kinsta offers application and database hosting, so a team can host a WordPress site, a Node.js front end and a database in the same account. Its entry price is high relative to shared hosting and per-site billing makes it expensive for agencies with many small sites; it does not include email hosting.
Key features
- Daily backups with 14-day retention
- Unlimited free migrations
- 300-location CDN
- Staging environments
- Application and database hosting
Pricing
Single-site plans from US$35/mo or US$315/yr; multi-site WP 2 to WP 40; Agency from US$255/mo; Enterprise from US$500/mo. Prices exclude tax.
- Founded
- 2013
- Share of all websites (W3Techs, Nov 2026)
- 0.3%
- Customers (company figure)
- 230,000+
- Data centres
- 30
- Entry price
- US$35/mo or US$315/yr (single site)
Strengths
- Large data centre and CDN footprint
- Hosts apps and databases as well as WordPress
- Free unlimited migrations
Limitations
- Costly per site compared with shared hosting
- No email hosting
- Bandwidth- or visit-capped plans
Frequently asked questions
Which web hosting company is the largest?
By share of all websites in W3Techs' November 2026 survey, the largest general-purpose host is Hostinger at 5.2%. Shopify (5.4%) is larger but is an ecommerce platform rather than a hosting company. Among groups, United Internet (IONOS) holds 2.5%, and GoDaddy and OVH 2.4% each.
What is the cheapest reliable web hosting?
Advertised entry prices start around US$1.89 to US$1.99 per month (OVHcloud, Hostinger), but these require prepaid terms and renew at higher rates. Hetzner charges €1.60 per month excluding VAT with no contract and no renewal increase. The cheapest option over three or four years depends on the renewal price, not the introductory one.
What is the difference between shared and managed WordPress hosting?
Shared hosting gives an account space on a server it shares with other customers and leaves software maintenance mostly to the site owner. Managed WordPress hosting is tuned for WordPress only; the host handles core updates, caching, backups and security, and usually provides staging. It costs more, from about US$35 per month at WP Engine or Kinsta.
Why does the renewal price differ from the advertised price?
Most large hosts discount the first term to win customers and charge a higher list price thereafter. On the pages reviewed, Hostinger's Premium plan renews at US$10.99 against a US$1.99 promotional price, and SiteGround's StartUp at €15.99 against €1.99. Hetzner and Cloudways do not use introductory discounts.
Do web hosts include email?
Many shared hosts include mailboxes: Hetzner and SiteGround include email, IONOS and OVHcloud include a fixed number of addresses, and Hostinger includes them free for the first year. Managed WordPress and cloud platforms such as WP Engine, Kinsta and Cloudways do not, so email must be bought separately.
Does data centre location matter?
Yes, for both speed and compliance. Servers close to the audience reduce latency, and a CDN can help further. Organisations subject to European data-protection rules may prefer hosts with EU data centres, such as Hetzner (Germany), OVHcloud (France and elsewhere) or IONOS.
Can a website be moved to another host later?
Yes. Most hosts offer migration tools or free migrations, including Kinsta (unlimited free migrations) and Hosting.com (free managed migration). Moving involves copying files and databases, updating DNS records and, if needed, transferring the domain. Prepaid hosting terms are not always refundable after the guarantee period.
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