Best Hosting Providers
When trying to find the best hosting provider it is very important that you first decide what you need in a web host. The best web hosting provider for one individual/company may not necessarily be the best choice for your specific hosting needs. Let’s take a general overall view of some of the things that you should keep in mind as you try to decide which is the best web host provider for your needs and then you can read more specific information on each of the top hosting providers by visiting their individual hosting review pages on our site.
Web Host Ratings
Yes, it can be very helpful to read through hosting reviews and compare web host ratings. After all, as you can see on the top of the page we have ratings for many different hosts using a 1 star to 5 star scale. These ratings are driven purely by visitors to the site. We do not override the hosting ratings in any way. If you would like to rate web hosts that you have had personal experience with then feel free to do so by giving them a star rating and then also leaving a review on that host’s review page. However, let’s look beyond the ratings for a moment and see what we can find out that will help you find the best hosting provider for your needs.
Web Hosting Features
Lets face it, even some of the most advanced webmasters with hundreds or even thousands of sites may not even use all of the features that their host has to offer. Features are good but you must decide what features are important and which are not. Ok, sounds very common sense but here are a few specific things that you should take the time to understand before you purchase a hosting plan:
1. Method of Support: If your site goes down or you encounter an error with your site that you can’t figure out then you will thank yourself if you choose a host with 24/7 support that is helpful, easy to get a hold of, and of course – actually knows what they are doing. Some hosts offer an online ticketing system, a phone support system, an email ticketing system, online chat support, dedicated security support systems, or other forms of support (Host Gator offers all of the above and has one of the best hosting support systems out there if you absolutely must have excellent support for your business hosting or personal hosting needs).
2. Site Management: Some people prefer Plesk, others prefer Enism, but it seems that the vast majority of webmasters “in the know” prefer to use cPanel as their site management software. Many hosts (Host Monster, Host Gator, etc.) offer cPanel or cPanel/Web Hosting Manager (WHM – the parent software companion of cPanel) on all of their hosting plans pre-installed. From the easy management of FTP accounts, to email accounts, to one click installation of Wordpress and other popular open source software programs cPanel and WHM can save you a lot of time. If you are new to purchasing a hosting plan and have never even heard of cPanel/WHM, Plesk, or Enism then do yourself a favor and choose a host that offers cPanel/WHM.
3. Price/Domain Ratio: Some hosts charge a fee for every domain that you wish to host while others offer hosting of unlimited domains for the same price. Of course, most hosting accounts still have bandwidth and disk space limitations but if you anticipate adding new domains to your hosting plan or if you already have quite a few domains then choose a hosting plan that has a fixed price and will allow you to host unlimited domains (Host Gator, Host Monster, Blue Host, and Host Rocket are just some of the top hosting providers that offer hosting for unlimited domains).
The Best Web Hosting Company
Our #1 pick for the best web hosting company is Host Gator. Host Gator offers excellent support, cPanel/WHM, and allows you to host unlimited domains starting at just $4.95/per month. Whether you are looking for a shared hosting plan, a reseller hosting plan, or a dedicated server – do your homework but take a serious look at Host Gator to see if they may be the best hosting provider for your needs.