Best web hosting services

Web hosting continues to serve as the bedrock of any online presence, whether you are creating your very first website, managing a growing portfolio of projects, or scaling an established business into new markets. Selecting the right hosting provider today goes far beyond simply considering storage space or monthly bandwidth limits. Modern businesses also need to evaluate factors such as performance, website loading speed, built-in security features, regulatory compliance, flexible pricing, finding the best website builder, and the ability to support future growth.

With a crowded marketplace and hosting companies often using complex or unclear pricing structures, it is increasingly important for decision‑makers to understand industry best practices. Priorities should include guaranteed uptime, reliable customer support, transparent renewal terms, strong SSL and backup options, as well as clarity on where and how customer data is stored.

This guide outlines the essential features to prioritize in 2025 and highlights the providers currently setting the industry standard.

Best web hosting services

Web hosting remains the foundation of any digital presence, whether you're launching your first site or scaling an established business. Choosing the right provider is no longer just about storage or bandwidth – it's about performance, security, compliance, and future growth. With a crowded market and often confusing pricing structures, businesses should focus on best practices such as uptime guarantees, built-in security, transparent renewal costs, and where their data is hosted. This guide highlights what to look for and our picks of the providers that set the benchmark in 2025.

Wht to look for in a web hosting service

• When choosing a host, there are several best practices to keep in mind:
• Performance and uptime: A strong SLA for uptime (ideally 99.9% or better) helps ensure your site stays available and responsive.
• Transparent pricing: Watch out for cheap introductory rates that rise steeply after the first term.
• Security as standard: SSL certificates, firewalls, DDoS protection, and regular backups should be included.
• Scalability: Look for providers offering VPS or cloud hosting so you can expand as traffic grows.
• Sustainability: Consider eco-friendly hosting that offsets or reduces energy use.
• Compliance and data residency: If your audience is in the UK or EU, check where your data is hosted to align with GDPR.
• Customer support: 24/7 access to technical help is essential, particularly for business-critical sites.

What are the best web hosting services?

Our top recommended web hosting providers

We’ve focused on a shortlist of providers that represent best practice in today’s market. Each excels in a particular category — whether it’s affordability, flexibility, sustainability, or advanced WordPress capabilities.

Hostinger – best value all-rounder

Hostinger offers excellent value for money without cutting corners. Its hPanel control panel is intuitive, SSL setup is streamlined, and Cloudflare CDN integration is built in. Plans range from shared to VPS and cloud hosting, with Zyro’s website builder bundled in. While renewal prices are higher than the initial offer, overall performance and features keep Hostinger at the top of our list.

UK Intro Pricing: From £1.49/month for the ‘Single’ plan on a 48-month term. Renewal rates are £7.99/month. ‘Premium’ and ‘Business’ UK plans sit at £2.99/month (renew £10.99) and £3.49/month (renew £13.99) respectively.

Features & Usability: Includes free SSL, weekly or daily backups (depending on plan), free domain (sometimes), AI-powered site builder, Smart WordPress auto-updates, CDN, mailbox, and staging tools.

Strengths & Caveats: Outstanding affordability makes it great for long-term budget hosting. Interface is beginner-friendly with strong AI tools, though renewal pricing jumps significantly.

Read our full Hostinger review for more information

WP Engine – best for WordPress users

WP Engine specialises in managed WordPress hosting with tools designed for developers and experienced site owners. Daily backups, development and staging environments, and integrated performance features make it ideal for scalable business or eCommerce sites. It’s not the cheapest option, but the depth of its WordPress expertise is unmatched.

UK Pricing: Startup plans begin at £16/month, with tiered options—Professional £32/month, Growth £60/month, Scale £152/month, and custom Core plans from £312/month.

Features & Support: Fully managed WordPress hosting via Google Cloud with CDN, staging environments, plugin automation, backups, WP-PHP updates, WooCommerce optimisation, development tools, and high-end security.

Strengths & Caveats: Designed for businesses needing reliability and advanced WordPress features. Cost is high, making it less ideal for basic sites.

Read our full WP Engine review for more information.

Cloudways – best for flexible cloud hosting

Cloudways provides a pay-as-you-go model across major cloud networks including AWS, Google Cloud, and DigitalOcean. It combines flexibility with performance, offering 24/7 support, SSL certificates, and automatic backups. Businesses that want more control over their hosting environment without being tied to a single provider will find Cloudways a strong choice.

UK Pricing: No explicit UK-specific pricing. Global pay‑as‑you‑go plans begin at $11/month (≈ £8–9) for the ‘Micro’ tier with 2 GB RAM, 1 vCPU, 50 GB storage, 2 TB bandwidth.

Features & Add‑Ons: Managed across major cloud providers (DigitalOcean, AWS, GCP, etc.), with stacks optimized with Nginx, Apache, Redis, etc. Offers autoscaling (Autonomous), SafeUpdates, CDN, firewall, free migration, backups, and performance tools.

Strengths & Caveats: Full control and scalability for advanced users; pricing varies by region and resource needs.

Read our full Cloudways review for more information.

GreenGeeks – best eco-friendly hosting

GreenGeeks positions itself as the world’s leading green hosting platform, offsetting three times the energy it consumes. Beyond its sustainability credentials, it offers solid shared and WordPress hosting with unlimited bandwidth, nightly backups, and Cloudflare CDN integration. It’s particularly attractive for small businesses and site owners keen to reduce their environmental footprint.

UK Pricing: Plans from $2.95–$8.95 USD/mo, which is approximately £2.40–£7.30/month. Renewals go up to $12.95–$29.95 USD (~£10.50–£24). (Specific UK GBP pricing not listed.)

Sustainability & Performance: Offsets 300% of power consumption, recognized as EPA Green Power Partner. Offers LiteSpeed servers, SSDs, nightly backups, CDN, WAF, malware protection, and a WordPress toolkit

Strengths & Caveats: Ideal for eco-conscious users with decent performance and tools. Renewal costs rise steeply.

Read our full GreenGeeks review for more information.

SiteGround – best feature-packed business hosting

SiteGround stands out for its advanced features, from staging environments to powerful caching tools. Its support and security features are excellent, though prices rise significantly after the first year. For businesses willing to invest a little more for reliability and rich functionality, SiteGround is a strong contender.

UK Pricing (12-month prepaid, ex VAT):

StartUp: £1.99/month, renews at £13.99/month

GrowBig: £3.99/month, renews at £23.99/month

GoGeek: £5.99/month, renews at £34.99/month

Features: Offers managed WordPress features including auto‑install, staging, WP‑CLI, free CDN, domain, email, daily backups, advanced caching, WooCommerce, renewable energy matching, and showcase-level performance tools.

Strengths & Caveats: Powerful, business-grade features with top-notch support. Intro pricing is attractive, but renewals are high.

Other providers such as Bluehost, HostGator and DreamHost are widely used, but for this guide we have focused on the hosts that demonstrate best practice in performance, security, and overall value.

Our pick of the best web hosting services, compared

The benefits of choosing the right host

Only with the right host can your site perform at its peak. Fast loading speeds capture visitor attention and boost search rankings. Reliability matters too -- strong uptime commitments mean your site remains accessible and responsive. Security should be included as standard, from SSL certificates to malware protection and automated backups. Finally, responsive customer support ensures that whether you're a novice or experienced developer, help is always on hand.

Web hosting FAQs

What types of hosting are available?

Shared hosting is affordable but limited. VPS hosting offers more resources in a shared environment. Dedicated hosting provides maximum performance at a higher cost. Cloud hosting delivers scalability, while managed WordPress hosting is tailored for WordPress users.

How much does web hosting cost?

Shared hosting can start at just a few pounds a month, while VPS and cloud hosting are moderately priced. Dedicated servers and enterprise-grade plans can exceed £80 per month. Always check renewal rates carefully, as introductory prices often increase significantly.

Is free hosting worth it?

Free hosting can be suitable for hobby sites or testing projects, but businesses should invest in paid services. Paid hosting includes SSL certificates, more bandwidth and storage, and proper support, all of which are vital for credibility and security.

Conclusion

The best web hosting choice depends on your business priorities. Focus on providers that combine reliable performance with transparent pricing and robust security. Our recommended shortlist sets the standard for best practice, giving you confidence that your site will remain fast, secure, and ready to scale.