TL;DR
The web hosting companies we’ve picked as the ideal choices for UK-based web hosting not only offer good performance but also meet GDPR compliance. Other features and advantages combine to put Cloudways and Hostinger atop our list.
Cloudways
Cloudways Review
Known for its stellar hosting performance and unparalleled customer support, Cloudways stands out in the managed cloud hosting arena. Picture an expert support team that’s always on, ready to serve up solutions on a silver platter, 24/7. With scalability that flexes like a gymnast, in both server power and data transfer, it’s a dream for sites that thrive on agility.
While Cloudways’ price point sits above the bargain bin, the return on investment in terms of site speed, reliability, and the peace of mind that comes with top-tier support and scalability is undeniable. It isn’t just recommended for those who need high-performance hosting; it’s a beacon for anyone looking to elevate their online experience, ensuring that your digital presence is not just noticed, but remembered.
Data Centers Locations
Cheapest Hosting Plans Available
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
Hostinger
Hostinger Review
Hostinger: Our budget shared hosting hero. With its wallet-friendly charm, Hostinger sweeps you off your feet with stellar hosting performance, easy-breezy email setup, and a dashboard so intuitive, even your grandma could navigate it. Imagine globe-trotting server locations and upgrades that grow with you – from newbie to tech guru, they’ve got you covered. And the price? Let’s just say, you won’t have to break your piggy bank.
Perfect for the newbies, the lone wolves of freelancing, and small business hustlers, Hostinger is your golden ticket. Yes, the price hikes post-honeymoon phase might pinch a bit, but the entry deals are sweet enough to let you get started.
Our promo code “HostScore” offers additional 7% discounts – use it in your order page during signup.
Data Centers Locations
Cheapest Hosting Plans Available
Hostinger Pros
- Affordable pricing
- Nine different data centers in four continents
- Good spread of hosting plans
- User-friendly control panel (hPanel)
- Wide range of payment options accepted
- Git environment available on shared hosting
- Additional 7% discount with coupon code “HOSTSCORE”
Hostinger Cons
- Price increase during the renewal
- Does not support Windows hosting
Kinsta
Kinsta Review
At the heart of Kinsta’s reputation is its unmatched managed WordPress hosting, celebrated for both its lightning-fast performance and stellar support. By harnessing the power of the Google Cloud Platform, Kinsta ensures a level of reliability that sets it apart, making it a preferred choice for those prioritizing website speed and uptime above all.
Yet, its premium services come at a premium price, and the absence of email hosting might pause those looking for a more comprehensive or wallet-friendly package. This positions Kinsta as an exquisite choice for professionals and businesses willing to invest in top-tier hosting for their WordPress sites; but may prompt those seeking an all-in-one solution or tighter budget control to explore elsewhere.
Data Centers Locations
Cheapest Hosting Plans Available
Kinsta Pros
- Outstanding server uptime and speed performance
- Choice of 30+ server locations
- Optimized for best WordPress site performance
- Plans auto-scale during visitor spikes
- Specialized WordPress support staff
- Highly developer-friendly
Kinsta Cons
- Expensive
- No email hosting
- No shared hosting
- Does not support cron jobs
- Some WordPress plugins banned
Hostens
Hostens Review
With the cutesy-hamster parked atop their website masthead, ultra cheap shared hosting pricing, and a tagline reading “Even your hamster can have a website now”, Hostens seems to be a perfect choice for the beginners.
The company originates from Lithuania and was founded by true geeks, albeit ones with extensive server administration skills. Hostens offers a complete set of essential features and customer support that responds with the agility of a sprinter. The company may only has a single Lithuania-based data center, but they own and operate the entire thing. This blend crafts a value-packed proposition for beginners or those whose eyes are set on getting the most bang for their buck.
That said, however, be aware of the twist of price adjustments post-renewal and the limited storage in their shared plans.
Data Centers Locations
Cheapest Hosting Plans Available
Hostens Pros
- Highly competitive pricing
- Support Ruby and Python in all shared hosting plans
- Daily backup included in all shared hosting plans
- Choice of 10 distributed data centers in seven countries
Hostens Cons
- Price increase during the renewal
- Limited storage in shared hosting plans
- Hosting upgrade to VPS only (lack higher hosting capacity)
AltusHost
AltusHost Review
Specializing in catering to the digital needs of European-centric businesses, AltusHost shines with its impressive hosting speed, reliability, and generous resource allocation. It’s a standout choice for those aiming to captivate European audiences, delivering performance that can significantly boost user experience within the region.
However, its prowess on European soil comes with caveats for a global audience, as its reach and efficiency dwindle outside this core demographic. Additionally, whispers of customer support hiccups suggest room for improvement in delivering a seamless service experience. With an eye on the future, you should also weigh the impact of price increases at renewal time, a common trend in the hosting world that deserves consideration here.
In essence, AltusHost offers a strong suite of features for those focused on European markets but invites a cautious approach for those with a broader or global target audience, and for anyone mindful of long-term budget planning.
Data Centers Locations
Cheapest Hosting Plans Available
HostScore
AltusHost Pros
- Great hosting speed and uptime performance
- Generous resource allocation
- Excellent for Euro-targeted traffic
- Lots of freebies in shared hosting plans
AltusHost Cons
- Limited reach in non-European areas
- Some complaints on customer supports
- Price increase during the renewal
Finding the Best Web Hosts for the UK
The UK is fairly lucky when it comes to web hosting choice. Although most of the top web hosting providers are US-based, a large number do also have a presence somewhere in Europe. Prime locations include the UK itself and the Netherlands.
This consideration plus a few other factors makes it a little easier for those seeking web hosting for the UK. There is a wider range to choose from and many of the top names in the business often emerge among them.
Finding the best web hosting partner for your business can make a big difference. This part of your digital investment can turn into your biggest boost, or a bottomless sink where time, money, and effort disappear.
GDPR Considerations
Thanks to the strong GBP despite a hasty Eurozone exit, those seeking hosting in the UK remain in a rather good purchasing position. Most web hosts are also charging in US dollars, which makes it even more advantageous.
However, given the proximity the UK has to the eurozone, one matter still comes to the forefront despite Brexit – General Data Protection Regulations, or GDPR. For those seeking UK-specific web hosting solutions, you need to take into accounts both GDPR as well as the UK Data Protection Act.
One problem that crops up in this area is that with so many US-based web hosting companies, GDPR isn’t a top priority for them. Some will claim compliance with US-EU Privacy Shield or other regulations, but that may not mean anything for euro traffic. For example, Privacy Shield itself has been ruled as invalid by the EU Court of Justice.
How this Affects Your Choice of Web Hosting?
Even if you’re not seeking to serve only UK-specific web traffic, compliance is something that bears close consideration to. Most websites today will process data in one form and you barring all areas where you don’t comply with regulations is simply a massive headache not worth dealing with.
Aside from the things you need to adjust on your site itself, your web hosting should also be GDPR compliant in order to avoid problems. What we see on the surface of how web hosting works is quite simple – but the way data moves between their servers may not be.
Unless a web host specifically states that it is GDPR compliant, you cannot assume that it is. This alone is sufficient to potentially lead to fines and/or other penalties.
What Else to Look for in a UK Web Hosting Provider
While compliance may get you out of headaches caused by legislation, at the end of the day, where websites are concerned it takes many parts to make up a whole. There are other important criteria to consider when choosing the best hosting partner for your needs.
- Performance and Reliability: The foundation of a good web host is its uptime and loading speed. Services with high uptime guarantees and fast server speeds provide a better user experience.
- Customer Support: Access to knowledgeable and responsive customer support 24/7 is crucial, especially for those who may not have technical expertise.
- Scalability: In addition to performance, choosing a hosting partner with a good range of plans is a better idea. Even if you only need shared hosting at the moment, you will eventually need to grow your site, especially for business. Migrating from one web host to another simply because there is no place left to grow is an unnecessary waste of time and money. Plan ahead and take note if the hosting partner you choose can cope with your growth trajectory.
- Security Features: Essential security features include SSL certificates, daily backups, and protection against DDoS attacks and malware.
- User-Friendly Interface: For beginners, a user-friendly control panel for managing web hosting services is a must-have.
- Reasonable Pricing Model: A reasonable pricing model is not just about affordability but also about transparent pricing structures that avoid hidden costs and absurdly high renewal pricing. In many cases, looking for a web host with the lowest signup price isn’t exactly the best way to go about it. That is a big part of the reason why HostScore tracks both signup and renewal pricing for all hosting plans and maintains records of how well certain web hosting providers perform.
Some Key Hosting Players to Consider for Your UK Websites
To recap, here are the top providers we recommend for your UK websites.
Selecting the best web hosting service in the UK requires a balance of performance, support, pricing, scalability, security, and ease of use. The recommended web hosts are distinguished by their commitment to these factors and cater to a broad range of hosting needs.
| Service | Performance | Customer Support | Pricing | Security | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hostinger | 99.9% uptime, SSD storage | 24/7 chat and email | Affordable, transparent pricing | Free SSL, weekly/daily backups | Budget-friendly, great for beginners |
| Hostens | Reliable uptime, global network | 24/7 via various channels | Competitive, straightforward pricing | SSL certificates, regular backups | Ideal for small to medium projects |
| AltusHost | High uptime, fast loading times | 24/7 professional support | Diverse pricing options | Advanced DDoS protection | Strong performance with European data centers |
| Kinsta | Google Cloud Platform, managed WordPress | Expert 24/7 WordPress support | Premium services pricing | Continuous monitoring, advanced firewalls | High-performance WordPress hosting |
| Cloudways | Flexible, multiple cloud providers | 24/7 expert support, managed services | Pay-as-you-go, customizable costs | Regular patches, dedicated firewalls | Flexible cloud hosting with strong security |
Conclusion
Thanks to Europe being such a massive congregation of nations, the ultimate result has become a bit of a nightmare in regulation. With its close proximity, anyone looking for hosting for the UK also needs to be concerned about this.
The web hosting companies we’ve picked as the ideal partners for UK-based web hosting offer good performance at a variety of price points. Some like AltusHost and Hostens even brand themselves aiming for specific markets.
This makes the list we’ve compiled here an especially exciting one to put together. Remember to plan your site needs out well and use it as a guideline towards finding the right solution that fits your needs.
Frequent Asked Questions
How do I know which web hosting service is right for my website?
Consider your website’s specific needs, including the expected traffic, the type of content you’ll host (e.g., videos, large databases), your technical expertise, and your budget. Match these requirements against the features and capabilities of the hosting service. Learn more in our web host choosing guide.
What makes a web hosting service “the best” for UK websites?
The best web hosting service balances high performance (including uptime and speed), exceptional customer support, reasonable pricing, scalability options, robust security features, and user-friendly interfaces.
What security features should I look for in a web hosting service?
Essential security features include SSL certificates, daily or weekly backups, malware protection, and DDoS defense mechanisms to protect your website from cyber threats.
Can I change my web hosting service if I’m not satisfied?
Yes, you can migrate your website to a different hosting provider if your current service doesn’t meet your expectations. Many providers offer migration services to facilitate this process. For those running WordPress sites, we highly recommend our favorite WordPress migration tool Migrate Guru.
What are the main types of web hosting?
The four main types of web hosting include:
Shared Hosting: Your website is stored on the same server as many other websites. It’s the cheapest option, ideal for small websites with low to medium traffic.
VPS (Virtual Private Server) Hosting: Offers a middle ground between shared hosting and dedicated hosting, providing more resources and better performance than shared hosting without the cost of a dedicated server.
Dedicated Hosting: You have an entire server to yourself, offering maximum control, performance, and security. Best for large websites with high traffic.
Cloud Hosting: Your website is hosted across a network of virtual servers in the cloud, offering scalability and reliability. Ideal for websites with fluctuating traffic.
