TL;DR
Online Store Hosting, or eCommerce Hosting, come in two main flavors: One-stop solutions and those which are self-hosted. One-stop solutions like Shopify are generally more expensive but offer the less technically inclined a smoother path to deployment. Self hosting on providers like Cloudways and ScalaHosting would be better for larger companies, since they can potentially save cost based on volume. In this guide, we will look at some of the best hosting providers for self-hosted eCommerce sites.
Cloudways
Cloudways
Established in 2011 by co-founders Aaqib Gadit, Pere Hospital, and Uzair Gadit, Cloudways is a managed hosting platform that initially focused on leveraging partnerships with AWS, Google Cloud Platform, and Digital Ocean to serve its customers better. The acquisition by DigitalOcean in August 2022 further solidified this partnership, enhancing Cloudways’ ability to provide superior managed hosting solutions.
Cloudways
: What Makes it Right for Your Online Store?
One of the best reasons to opt for Cloudways if you’re running an eCommerce site is the sheet power and reliability of their plans. Everything is also easily manageable and scalable, so you won’t be paying for more than you use.
Regardless of the eCommerce platform you choose, Cloudways can manage it with aplomb. We’ve seen it efficiently work with everything from PrestaShop to Magento. Do not compare what you get here with a run-of-the-mill VPS; it’s much more capable.
Think of Cloudways as the ideal concierge virtual server where all you have to do is focus on handling your eCommerce shop. Their backend practically runs itself. However, fine-tuning options are still available if you need them.
eCommerce Builder Support
Cloudways Pros
- Topnotch server uptime and speed performance
- Good abstration over complex cloud server setups with integrated dashboard
- Outstanding customer support
- High scalability
- Easy server cloning, site staging, and website transfer
- Host unlimited applications in one account
- 25% discount for first two months with coupon “HOSTSCORE”
Cloudways Cons
- Getting expensive – Prices increased steadily for the past few years
- Limited trial period
ScalaHosting
ScalaHosting
Founded in 2007 by Hristo Rusev and Vladislav Georgiev, ScalaHosting has its headquarters in the Dallas, Texas. The company provides various hosting services like shared hosting, VPS hosting, cloud hosting, and email hosting. Renowned for its innovation, ScalaHosting sets itself apart with proprietary creations like sPanel and SShield, both designed in-house, providing users with intuitive server management and enhanced security.
ScalaHosting
: What Makes it Right for Your Online Store?
If we’re being honest, ScalaHosting Managed VPS plans are pretty costly. However, they’re perfect workhorses for any eCommerce platform, whether Magento, PrestaShoop, or otherwise. Even the lowest tier has enough power to fuel the most demanding needs.
Their VPS plans are managed via SPanel, a custom control panel that comes free with the service. That lets you easily handle everything from OS and app deployment to fine-tuning cache handling or other environment parameters.
Aside from performance and stability, ScalaHosting also knows how essential security is for eCommerce sites. That’s why they’ve built a real-time security system to help protect your business. You also get automated backups, brute force protection, and much more!
eCommerce Builder Support
HostScore
ScalaHosting Pros
- Outstanding hosting uptime and speed performance
- Affordable pricing
- Anytime unconditional Money-back Guarantee
- Automated backup with 7 restore points
- Generous offer in server resources – Even the lowest shared plan gets unmetered bandwidth and unlimited emails
- NVMe SSD storage for all shared hosting plans
- Innovative technology – SPanel, SShield, SWordPress
ScalaHosting Cons
- Price increase during the renewal
LiquidWeb
LiquidWeb
Founded in 1997 by Matthew Hill, Liquid Web has carved out a significant presence in the hosting and managed cloud services market. Located in Lansing, Michigan, Liquid Web has been recognized for its high-quality customer service and powerful hosting solutions tailored to businesses and professionals.
LiquidWeb
: What Makes it Right for Your Online Store?
LiquidWeb has always been known as a provider of premium hosting services, and that remains true when it comes to eCommerce. Plans capable of hosting these are plentiful, from private VPS servers to managed platform plans and dedicated servers.
One notable divergence, though, is the Magento Cloud offerings sold via its sister brand, Nexcess. These are supremely robust and come with a minimum of 25 PHP Workers. More interestingly, they also come with Elasticsearch.
Most eCommerce plans at LiquidWeb are easily scalable via 1-Click scaling or auto-scaling. The plans are also primarily built on Cloud, which makes them incredibly robust and reliable. However, don’t expect them to come cheap.
eCommerce Builder Support
HostScore
LiquidWeb Pros
- Powerful enterprise hosting solutions with great scalability
- 100% network uptime, backed by detailed Service Level Agreement (SLA)
- Excellent customer support – 59-Second support response guarantee
- Self-operated data centres – Higher degree of security and data integrity compared to providers renting space from third-parties
- PCI-Compliant and HIPAA-Compliant hosting servers available
LiquidWeb Cons
- No standard shared hosting plans
- No Asia-based data center
InMotion Hosting
InMotion Hosting
InMotion Hosting, established in 2001 by Sunil Saxena and Todd Robinson in Los Angeles, California, has grown to become a well-regarded name in the web hosting industry. The company’s foundation by industry veterans is reflective of its deep commitment to offering reliable and user-friendly hosting solutions.
InMotion Hosting
: What Makes it Right for Your Online Store?
Most eCommerce websites need robust and reliable hosting, which typically translates into VPS plans. InMotion Hosting hits a high note here, with VPS plans starting at reasonably low prices. The lowest tier is packed with 4 vCPU and 8GB of RAM for less than $15/mo.
However, the catch is that these plans are relatively barebones. Once you start adding options like a control panel or backup manager, the cost might skyrockets.
But then again, regardless of your preference – Magento, PrestaShop, or anything else, the speed and flexibility that InMotion offers are excellent. You are paying what you get for. If you are making money from your online store, we don’t see the reason why you should sweat on something that directly influences your customer experience at your site.
eCommerce Builder Support
HostScore
InMotion Hosting Pros
- Affordable pricing
- Lowest shared hosting plan supports Python, Node.JS, Ruby and GIT version control
- Choice of data center locations in the United States and Europe
- Free AutoSSL
- Built-in hack, DDoS, and malware protection
- 90-day money back guarantee
- Free website migration services
InMotion Hosting Cons
- Lower shared hosting plans lack speed optimization
- Price increase during the renewal
Verpex
Verpex
Founded in late 2018, Verpex emerges from a seasoned team whose prior ventures were acquired by GoDaddy. This privately funded cPanel-based cloud hosting service prioritizes security and performance. Boasting over 250,000 hosted websites across 181 countries by 2024, Verpex emphasizes swift hosting, expert support, and enduring client partnerships at competitive rates.
Verpex
: What Makes it Right for Your Online Store?
Thanks to its excellent range of advanced hosting plans, Verpex is a strong candidate for eCommerce hosting. Here, you can get everything from managed cloud hosting to VPS running on Linux or Windows.
Although their VPS plans are relatively cheap, they don’t include a control panel unless you pay extra for cPanel, which increases the price. If you do, they’ll also throw in WHM, which makes administering your eCommerce site much easier.
Unlike many competitors, Verpex doesn’t “prettify” its offerings by claiming dedicated platforms for Magento or other apps. Instead, you’re free to install whatever you want on servers customized to your preferences.
eCommerce Builder Support
HostScore
Verpex Pros
- Budget-friendly shared and VPS hosting plans
- 45-day money back guarantee
- Daily backup included in all shared hosting plans
- Unlimited free site migrations
- Choice of 12 distributed data centers across five continents
Verpex Cons
- Price increase during the renewal
Hostgator
Hostgator
In October 2002, Brent Oxley, a Florida Atlantic University student, laid the foundation for HostGator, a formidable web hosting provider. Originating in Boca Raton, Florida, and later relocating to Houston, Texas, in 2006, HostGator swiftly expanded its reach internationally with offices in Canada (2006) and India (2011).
In a landmark acquisition in July 2012, HostGator was acquired by Endurance International Group for a staggering $299.8 million, solidifying its status as a heavyweight player in the web hosting arena.
Hostgator
: What Makes it Right for Your Online Store?
Many love HostGator, but some hate it. The main reason is that it’s such a widespread brand that customers are aplenty. Some of its more interesting products lie in the eCommerce website hosting range.
The main reason for this interest is its traditionally low prices coupled with the massive amount of goodies it includes for eCommerce platforms. Many of these goodies mirror Bluehost offers, such as YITH themes and add-ons.
YOu can expect to run most eCommerce platforms smoothly on HostGator, be it Magento, PrestaShop, or anything else in between. However, we are slightly curious about the lack of mention regarding security features.
eCommerce Builder Support
HostScore
Hostgator Pros
- Affordable pricing
- Free domain name with all shaerd hosting plans
- Free $100 Bing and $100 Google ad credits
- 45-day money-back guarantee
Hostgator Cons
- Resources limited by server constraints
- Not much variety in VPS plans
- Only US-based servers
- Price increase during the renewal
SiteGround
SiteGround
Established in 2004 by a group of university friends led by Ivo Tzenov, SiteGround has flourished into a prominent web hosting entity based in Sofia, Bulgaria. Boasting a workforce exceeding 600 employees, SiteGround proudly hosts almost three millions domains worldwide. With a powerful infrastructure spanning 11 data centers across 8 countries, the company offers an array of hosting solutions including shared, cloud, and enterprise hosting, alongside domain registration services.
SiteGround
: What Makes it Right for Your Online Store?
The SiteGround brand is generally associated with excellent performance and world-class customer support—with a corresponding price tag. That makes it debatable whether many would take up its services. However, for eCommerce, SiteGround’s stability and speed give it an edge.
It doesn’t offer dedicated “eCommerce” plans, but you can run any eCommerce platform on Siteground Cloud hosting. These come with incredibly abundant resources, so whatever you choose, be it PrestaShop or an alternative, it will be blazingly fast.
However, prepare to pay as the cheapest Cloud plan at SiteGround starts at a jaw-dropping $100/mo. For that you get 4 CPU cores and 8GB of memory, with a paltry 40GB of SSD storage space tacked on as if an afterthought.
eCommerce Builder Support
HostScore
SiteGround Pros
- Outstanding hosting uptime and speed performance
- Excellent customer support
- Choice of server locations in 11 countries
- Daily backup included in all shared hosting plans
- Specialized WordPress support staff
SiteGround Cons
- Very expensive renewal pricing
- Limited storage in shared hosting plans
- Limited developer options on some plans
- NVMe storage not included
What Makes Good eCommerce Hosting?
The global eCommerce is booming and is expected to grow beyond $6.3 trillion in 2024. Yet even with major players such as Amazon, Asos, Cdiscount, Lazada, Shopee, eBay, and Fruugo dominating the scene, digital technology has advanced to such an extent that even the smallest businesses can extend their reach to cyberspace easily.
However, smaller businesses can’t afford the major resources that big business has. To overcome this, they need to be especially selective in their hosting options.
Key Factors to Consider
Ideally, when choosing a eCommerce hosting, you should focus on:
- Hosting Speed – Consumers today are demanding and will not hesitate to leave an online store that takes too long to load.
- Reliability – Likewise, sites that are frequently unavailable due to whatever reasons tend to get a bad reputation and likely lose potential customers.
- Security – eCommerce often involves personal and financial information processing and customers need to know that their details are safe.
- Auto SSL setup – eCommerce platforms / hosting that auto setup and renew your SSL certificate is preferred.
- Shopping Cart Support – For self-hosted online store, a web host that support your specific shopping cart software (PrestaShop, Magento, WooCommerce etc) is preferred.
- Online Payments Support – Depending on your online store revenue and your geographical location, a good online store hosting should allow you to integrate a merchant account and collect online payment seamlessly.
Why a Good Host is Important to Your Business?
In line with the increased number of online shoppers and increased spend, more businesses are starting to move into the digital arena. This means that competition is just as tough and a good eCommerce host can make a difference for you.
Just as location and size matter to physical stores, online stores have their own unique requirements in hosting. Depending on the needs you have for your store, not all hosting companies would be an idea fit for you.
Slow Hosting Loses Customers
According to Skill.co studies, 47% of customers expect a web page to load in 2 seconds or less. Web pages that load in 2.4 seconds enjoy conversion rate of 1.9%.
Speed is the lifeblood of any online store and studies have shown that website loading speeds affect customer conversions. This means that the slower your site, the more likely it is that you will lose potential customers.
Here at HostScore we constantly test and analyze web host speeds and reliability to help you make better choices. Here’s how HostScore works.
Self-Hosting vs. One-Stop eCommerce Solutions
As mentioned, there are two main ways that you can create and host an online store: Self-hosted and bundle one-stop solution.
1. One-stop eCommerce Solutions
The first is the easiest and involves using a platform designed to help build and deploy online stores. Platforms such as these charge monthly fees and have tools that will enable even the least-tech savvy amongst us a fighting chance of creating a professional online store.
This option is ideal for smaller businesses which have limited resources to sink into a digital transformation. Simply by paying a small fee, you can quickly build and deploy an eCommerce site.
One-stop eCommerce solutions are ideal for:
- Smaller businesses
- Businesses with limited technical capabilities
- Dropshippers
- Those who require reliable reporting tools
Example: Shopify
We cannot NOT talk about Shopify when we discuss eCommerce builder. It is now the biggest website builder that has chosen to focus heavily on the eCommerce scene.
Shopify is ideal for users who have little to no technical knowledge but still wish to deploy an eCommerce site. Everything about it from functionality to the way their plans are designed are for one purpose – to help their customers sell.
Although this limits its target market somewhat it does mean that Shopify is one of the best eCommerce platforms around. Today it hosts over more than 200,000 online stores and offers almost any feature you could want to include in an eCommerce website.
This means not just creating the digital storefront but also ancillary services such as support for worldwide payments processors, marketing tools and even the ability to help you integrate your digital store with a physical one.
Other notable eCommerce features on Shopify include: Fraud analysis with Shopify payments, Unified dashbaord with finance reporting, 24/7 Support via chat, phone, and email, Lite plan allows easy sales on existing websites, Integration with Facebook and Google ads, Retail integration with POS system, Access to discounted shipping rates.
2. Self-hosted Online Stores
For those who have some skills in web development or are able to invest a bit more, self-hosting an eCommerce site could offer greater flexibility and, in the long run, lower your financial commitment.
In self-hosted online stores, you have greater control over your host which means that you can optimize your site to its maximum efficiency. You are also open to a wider range of solutions, both in choice of web application and payments processing.
Self-hosted online stores suit:
- Medium to larger businesses
- Stores with potentially higher volumes of sales
- Those needing specific platforms
- Online shops that require specific payment methods
We have mentioned a number of good options for self-hosted online stores – go check them out at the top in case you need recommendation.
Verdict: Online Stores Are the Way to Go!
As you are probably realizing by now, eCommerce is simply the way of the future. Not only has payments technology caught up to enable eCommerce activities on a broad front but consumer trend is indicating positivity as well.
There are also so many ways you can approach eCommerce that there really isn’t a reason not to do it. You can either choose to move completely online or even maintain a balance of physical and digital while integrating the inventory management for both.
Setting up a store now is probably as simple as it’s ever going to be. There are also the additional benefits that come from the optimizations offered by all the excellent hosts we’ve covered here. You don’t need to be a big business to go digital and doing it doesn’t have to mean massive investment in web development either.
Success still won’t happen overnight, but take heed from the way the world is moving and take the time to get it done now.
