Best Web Hosting for Small Businesses

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TL;DR

Small businesses may have lower turnover or volume but their digital presence still represents their brand. Performance helps increase sales while reliability helps bolster image. TMD Hosting and UltaHost are recommended for businesses looking to host a simple info sites; whereas ScalaHosting, Cloudways, and InMotion Hosting are suitable for both simple and complex business sites with high traffic volume.

Cloudways

Cloudways is a systems integrator specializing in deploying solutions across various cloud platforms including Digital Ocean, Amazon AWS, and Google Cloud. Their business model is unique, functioning as a Platform as a Service (PaaS) provider rather than a traditional web server host.

Learn More in Our Review

Key Features for Hosting Resellers

Control Panel:
In-House
/ eCommerce Support:
PrestaShop, Magento, Shopware, OpenCart, and WooCommerce

Customer Support Channels

Live chat and email

Data Center Locations

Canada, USA, Brazil, UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, India, Australia

HostScore

%82.8
Hosting Services
Cloud, and Reseller
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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

InMotion Hosting

Backed by excellent performance and customer support, InMotion is easily one of the top web hosting choices in the market. There are extensive plans available for website to scale up with. And for those with an already existing site, free migration services for easy transfer.

Learn More in Our Review

Key Features for Hosting Resellers

Control Panel:
cPanel
/ eCommerce Support:
PrestaShop, Magento, OpenCart, and WooCommerce

Customer Support Channels

Phone, live chat, and email

Data Center Locations

USA, Netherlands

HostScore

%67.9
Hosting Services
Shared, VPS, Dedicated, Cloud, and Reseller
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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

ScalaHosting

ScalaHosting has a full range of products including VPS hosting with its in-house built control panel, sPanel. The “Anytime Unconditional Money-back Guarantee” offered by the company transforms their offers into an irresistible proposition, particularly for those eager to experiment with their services without any financial risk.

Learn More in Our Review

Key Features for Hosting Resellers

Control Panel:
Custom
/ eCommerce Support:
PrestaShop, Magento (Adobe Commerce), OpenCart, and WooCommerce

Customer Support Channels

Live chat and email

Data Center Locations

USA, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Ireland, Singapore, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia

HostScore

%85.9
Hosting Services
Shared, Cloud, and Reseller
Visit Online

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

TMDHosting

TMDHosting is a full-service host and offer the gamut of hosting types ranging from shared all the way to dedicated servers. Plans are reasonably priced and come with significant value-added features. The company operates from data centers in five continents including South America and Africa, which is not often seen in market.

Learn More in Our Review

Key Features for Hosting Resellers

Control Panel:
cPanel
/ eCommerce Support:
PrestaShop, Magento, Shopware, OpenCart, and WooCommerce

Customer Support Channels

Phone, live chat, and email

Data Center Locations

USA, UK, Netherlands, Australia, Japan, Singapore

HostScore

%77
Hosting Services
Shared, VPS, Dedicated, and Cloud
Visit Online

TMDHosting Pros

  • Affordable pricing
  • Choice of global data centres in six continents
  • Easy-to-use centralized dashboard
  • Free white glove migration
  • Host unlimited websites in Business or Enterprise plans
  • Outstanding customer support
  • Reinforced DDoS protection for all shared hosting accounts

TMDHosting Cons

  • Lowest shared plan does not support automatic backup
  • Free domain has no privacy protection
  • Price increase during the renewal

Ultahost

Being the new kid in town Ultahost hosting offers are tempting. That’s especially true for their cheaper plans like Shared Hosting or WordPress Hosting. The cost is meager, and the company doesn’t overly penalize those that don’t want extended contracts. There’s no harm in taking them for a spin at just $3 per month with 99.99% uptime guarantee and free website migrations.

Learn More in Our Review

Key Features for Hosting Resellers

Control Panel:
cPanel
/ eCommerce Support:
PrestaShop, Magento, and WooCommerce

Customer Support Channels

Phone, live chat, and email

Data Center Locations

USA, UK, Finland, Canada, Germany, India, Singapore, Istanbul, South Korea

HostScore

%79.2
Hosting Services
Shared, VPS, Dedicated, and Reseller
Visit Online

Ultahost Pros

  • Outstanding server uptime and speed performance
  • Highly competitive pricing
  • Easy-to-use user dashboard
  • NVMe SSD storage in all shared hosting plans
  • Free malware scan & web applications firewall (WAF) in all shared hosting plans
  • Choice of 5 server locations in four continents

Ultahost Cons

  • Price increase during the renewal
  • Limited disk space.

What is a Business Web Hosting?

Business Web Hosting is a specialized web hosting service designed to meet the needs of businesses online. It goes beyond basic hosting by offering scalable solutions that support the demanding requirements of business websites, such as higher traffic volumes, security measures, e-commerce functionalities, and the need for uptime reliability.

This type of hosting typically includes enhanced security protocols to protect sensitive data, dedicated customer support to address issues promptly, and scalability options to accommodate growth. Advanced features might also include Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant servers, dedicated IP addresses, business email accounts, and add-on services for search engine optimization (SEO) and social media marketing.

Why A Good Hosting Matters to Your Business Website?

For businesses, the website serves as a digital storefront. Business websites often tend to have slightly different requirements when it comes to web hosting. Although inexperienced business owners may view web hosting to be similar, the very nature of businesses increase requirements for hosting.

This is true even when it comes to running very simple, static websites. As a business your brand and reputation are on the line. Your choice of web host can affect the reliability of the site, which is essentially your digital presence.

From another aspect, the performance of your web host can also affect your website performance, brand and even more importantly, your potential to convert web traffic into paying customers. Slow websites have been shown to lower customer conversion and affect sales.

Loadtime vs conversion rate
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%

There are other factors at play as well but the general rule here is that web hosting for business need to be of a higher caliber. This doesn’t always mean paying a premium though as there are often good fits depending on your exact requirements.

What Makes A Good Business Web Hosting? Key Features to Look for

When we talk about business web hosting in this article there is an emphasis or corporate style websites rather than for retail businesses. Most larger businesses will have their own technical support teams to manage websites and hosting for them, so this guide will focus on the small to medium segment.

Features to look for in a business hosting include:

1. Range of Hosting Types – From Shared to Dedicated Servers

There is often a greater onus on businesses to maintain the reliability of their websites even if it doesn’t support a mission critical function. For businesses, websites represent their digital brand and the performance and stability of the website reflects upon them. 

For this reason, some businesses may opt for more expensive but better-quality plans such a Cloud/VPS hosting or even perhaps their own dedicated server. Ideally, look for a web host that can offer a broad range of option for you to choose from.

2. E-Mail Hosting

Communications are one of the core aspects of a business having an online presence and email is an absolute necessity.

It allows easy communications with customers and even internally. Ideally, find a web host that includes email services with your hosting or at the very least can handle email hosting

3. Easy DIY Web Buidling Tool

For businesses which may be looking to restrict investment in their web presence, finding a web host which comes with rapid web design features can be invaluable. Some may include basic website building tools, but others offer access to top-notch website builders such as Weebly.

Another option would be to go for a host that is built around a dedicated website building tool such as Shopify and Wix. These offer businesses the capability to quickly build and launch fantastic looking sites.

4. Server Location

Even though the Internet is essentially border-less, some businesses may still need to target local customers. For example, if you were a locksmith serving only a specific geographic area due to travel constraints, you might opt for a business web host with a data center relatively near your area. 

Businesses who are looking to target international traffic would be better off looking for a host that has a data center in a more centralized geographic area.

5. Reputation of the Web Host

Although not technically a feature, business will want to host their site with a reputable service provider. Remember that you are relying on your host to keep your website and customer information safe. Opt for a host that’s been in the business for some time and has a well-known reputation. 

This will save you from potential issues which might crop up with fly-by-night companies. If your host disappears or goes out of business, all you files are likely to go with them as well!

Wide Range of Options for Business Hosting

The business web hosting landscape is a highly competitive playing field which means only good things for customers. Web hosts who are in this market must be at the top of their game in order to catch any part of the market share.

For customers this means that no matter your needs, it is very likely that you will find a business web hosting provider that fits your exact needs, be it extreme performance, high scalability, or even help you target a very specific market location.

The seven hosts on this list are the cream of the crop and can handle almost anything you need. All you have to do is fit your needs with what they have and you can jump on board fairly quickly.

Article by Jerry Low

Jerry Low has immersed himself in web technologies for over a decade and has built many successful sites from scratch. He is a self-professed geek who has made it his life’s ambition to keep the web hosting industry honest. For latest personal updates and news, follow Jerry on Facebook and Twitter.
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