Web hosting: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What web hosting is

A provider supplies the servers and setup that keep your website online, including connecting your domain name, storage, email options, security and backups. You need it when your site is going live for the first time, when your current host is slow or unreliable, or when you need email on your own domain.

Signs you need it

  • Your site goes offline or loads slowly at busy times
  • Your current host is hard to reach when something goes wrong
  • You want email on your domain and do not have it set up
  • Your site has grown and the plan is running out of storage or speed
  • You are not sure who owns your domain or hosting account

What the pro does

  • Reviews your site's size, traffic and email needs
  • Sets up the hosting account, the storage and the server settings
  • Connects your domain name and sets the records for the site and email
  • Installs the security certificate and the firewall protection the plan includes
  • Sets up backups, tests a restore and hands over the logins

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • The amount of storage and the traffic the site needs
  • Whether the plan is shared, managed or dedicated
  • Whether email hosting is included
  • Whether backups, security and support are part of the plan
  • Whether the domain must be moved to a new registrar
  • Whether a migration from an old host is needed

What a written quote should spell out

  • The storage, traffic and features in the plan
  • The domain and email records set up
  • The backup schedule and how restores are done
  • Security features included and what is extra
  • Support hours and how to reach the provider

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Who owns the hosting account and the domain?
  • How often are backups made, and can I restore them myself?
  • What happens if my site goes down?
  • What are the renewal costs, and when do they start?
  • Is email included, and how many mailboxes does the plan allow?
  • How do you protect the site from attacks?

Red flags

  • Puts the domain or hosting in the provider's name only
  • Will not show what backups are made or how to restore
  • Hides the renewal terms until after you sign
  • Promises that the site will never go down

What you can do yourself

Write down your domain name, the email accounts you need and the storage you expect, and check who the domain is registered to and that you can log in. Keep the renewal dates in a calendar. Hire a provider to connect the domain, the email and the security setup.

Licenses and permits

A license is usually not required for web hosting. Check with your state or local licensing agency about any business registration that applies, and ask the provider how it handles your data and its contract terms.

Web hosting questions

Do I need to change hosts when I change designers?

Not always. A designer can usually work with the host you have, but ask about the features the site needs before you decide.

What is the difference between shared and managed hosting?

Shared hosting shares a server with other sites. Managed hosting adds more care, updates and support, and usually costs more.

Can I move my site later?

Yes, with a migration. Ask the provider how it moves the site and the email, and whether the move has a charge.

Pro reviewers

Pros who offer web hosting remotely can improve this guide, like Wikipedia. We check every edit before it goes live. Every approved edit is credited in the edit history and on the pro's profile.

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