Best Web Hosting Sites
Now you can design, build and organise your website for free, without writing complicated computer code. Even if you don’t know HTML or PHP, getting your website up and running can be simple when you use the right website builder.
But there are so many website builders and hosting plans available these days that it can be hard to know which one to choose. That’s why we’ve ranked the website builders and hosting companies we know best, so that you can make an informed choice that’s right for your website.
What Should You Look For When Considering Site Builder Tools?
There are a number of features to consider when choosing a website builder:
- Does it have an automatic installer, so that you do not have to install the software yourself?
- How many pages are you allowed to make?
- How many templates are included, and what type are they?
- How much disk space and bandwidth does it support? This is very important if the builder is part of a hosting package.
- Can you add special features such as galleries, online payments, a shop, password-protected areas and RSS feeds?
- Does it create a mobile-responsive site?
- How is SEO handled: page titles, descriptions, clean URLs and a sitemap?
Keep these features in mind when you research website builders and the services they provide.
- Drag-and-drop website builder
- Optional done-for-you design service
- Domain, email and marketing add-ons
- Aimed at small businesses
- One simple shared plan
- Beginner-friendly control panel
- Site builder and WordPress installer
- Long-running budget brand
- Straightforward shared plan
- Green-energy commitment
- Site builder for simple sites
- Plain-English help pages
- cPanel-based shared hosting
- One-click app installs
- Email accounts included
- Good for first WordPress sites
- Shared, VPS and dedicated options
- Generous money-back period
- Own US data centres
- Clear upgrade path
- One plan, one price structure
- App installer for common scripts
- Email and databases included
- Suits small personal sites
What Are The Site Builder Options?
There are many types of site builders available, and because there are so many choices you need to find the right one for your particular website. Some hosting packages provide very basic builders that are ideal for a simple, no-fuss site. Other packages offer more complex builders, or a full content management system such as WordPress, for larger websites. It is worth checking what kind of builder your web host offers and whether it matches the requirements of your site. Think about the type of website you want to build, but also be honest about your own level of experience, so that you do not find yourself in over your head.
Online Service And Customer Support
Whatever builder you choose, it is always handy to know that you can reach online or telephone support. Whether you are an internet rookie or consider yourself a website-building expert, everyone runs into glitches from time to time. That is why we recommend a hosting package with reliable customer support: if you hit a problem while building your site, a trained support agent can guide you through it.
How We Choose Our Best Web Hosting
We look at well-known web hosts and website builders and rate their packages on ease of use, features, performance, reliability, customer service and value for money. We set up test sites, read the small print on renewals and cancellations, and update our rankings when a company changes its plans. Introductory prices change often, so we describe what a plan is good for rather than printing a price that may already be out of date. Our FAQ page answers the questions readers ask us most often.
Hosting for Gaming and Betting Projects
A growing share of our readers build sites around casinos, poker and sports betting, from tipster blogs and casino review sites to full real-money platforms. The basics on this page apply to them too, but the stakes are higher: a review site needs fast pages and a host whose terms allow gambling content, while a betting platform needs DDoS protection, steady performance on big match days and servers in a location its licence accepts. Our iGaming Hosting section covers those questions one by one.
Webmaster’s Monthly Choice
Each time we refresh this page we name one host that we think offers the best all-round package for a typical first website, weighing ease of use, reliability, features, performance and customer service. This round our choice is iPage: a long-running budget brand with a simple control panel, a site builder and a one-click WordPress installer, which makes it an easy starting point for individuals and small businesses. Introductory rates on plans like this usually rise at renewal, so compare the renewal price as well as the first-term offer before you commit.