How Much Does Web Hosting Really Cost?

how much does web hosting really cost

Now when you finally have decided to buy web hosting, you must be wondering how much does web hosting really cost?

There are several types of web hosting, and every web hosting has a different rate. There are a few other factors that affect hosting costs:

  • The web hosting site
  • Web hosting plan (like standard or premium)
  • Period of hosting plan (e.g., monthly plan costs more than yearly one)
  • Extra features and add-ons

Today, we will be discussing the cost of buying web hosting while keeping all these factors in mind:

5 Types of Web Hosting and Their Costs

There are five different types of web hosting which we’ll discuss today. So, let’s dig into the topic and compare the types of web hosting and their costs:

  • Note: Every type of web hosting is used for a different purpose. So, you can’t just use a different type only because that’s cheap. Made sense?

1.   Shared Web Hosting

When you buy shared web hosting, everything is fine, but you have to compromise on the server as it will be shared among many different users.

You can even get shared web hosting services for just $1, but if you really want to avail of services, you might have to pay up to $25 per month.

Pros:

  • It’s best for those beginners who don’t need many technicalities.
  • It’s the cheapest type of web hosting.

Cons:

  • As the server is used by many different users at the same time, security and performance issues can get worse.
  • It has limited resources, which makes it suitable only for small or personal blogs and portfolio websites.

2.   Cloud Web Hosting

With cloud web hosting, a bunch of servers will be used to hold just one website. But it will cost you from $5 to $240 per month.

Pros:

  • If one server isn’t working, you can go for the other one.
  • Perfect for big businesses.

Cons:

  • Quite high average cost.
  • You still will not have complete control.

3.   VPS Web Hosting

Virtual Private Server (VPS) web hosting allows you to get you to have your own server, and it costs around $2 to $100 per month.

Pros:

  • You will have full control.
  • It’s super secure.

Cons:

  • Its cheapest plan is quite useless.
  • Expensive for small businesses.

4.   WordPress Web Hosting

As evident from the name, it’s all about the content management server (CMS) of WordPress. It costs around $3 to $17 per month.

Pros:

  • You will get to use WordPress-specific features.
  • A dedicated support team will always be there for you.

Cons:

  • It’s only for WordPress users.
  • Most plans will include a shared server.

5.   Dedicated Web Hosting

The most expensive web hosting is here that offers you complete control and much more. But it costs around $50 to $550 per month.

Pros:

  • It’s for those who ask for complete control.
  • Its flexibility is second to none.
  • It can also endure high traffic.

Cons:

  • Prices touch the sky.
  • Only for those who have a wide knowledge of technicalities in this niche.

Note: If you don’t know which web host will be perfect for you, read our guide (add a hyperlink to article 22) on this topic.

Additional Costs You Must Know Before Starting

So, these were just the basic costs of buying web hosting. There are many other costs that will disturb you in the future if you don’t pay attention to them now. So, here they are:

1.   SSL Certificate

With a website, you will always need this certificate, no matter whether you run a blog or a business, to increase trust and reliability.

A few web hosts offer SSL (Secure Socket Layer) Certificates for free (for a few months0, but most of the time, you’ll have to pay approximately $7 to $860 per year.

2.   Domain Registration

Just like web hosting, a domain is also a must to start a website. There are a few people who will offer you free domain registration if you buy their desired web hosting plan. Otherwise, it costs from $1 to even millions of dollars. Here is our guide on how much domain registration cots

3.   Office 365 or G Suite

Not every website owner needs them, but most of them do, and if you need them, you’ll have to buy a subscription to Office 365 and G Suite.

4.   Automatic Restoration Service

Want to create an automated backup or restoration service for your personal and professional information? You need some extra bucks (maybe $2) to ask your web host to provide you with it.

5.   Site Lock

To lock your site, you’ll have to pay more or less $25 to your web host. This is an extra security element that gives you features like:

  • Daily scans for malware
  • Firewall for web applications

Conclusion

In this article, we didn’t just discuss the overview of web hosting cost, but we dug quite deeper and discussed each type of web hosting, as every type has a different cost.

Moreover, we also examined additional costs that will disturb you in the future and are not included in web hosting plans.

Please consider the factors such as website traffic, storage space, and security when choosing a web hosting plan.

Also you can choose to pay by monthly or yearly basis for your webhosting plan.

Can You Change Your Domain Name?

Are there any free web hosting sites?

Yes!
There are quite a few web hosts that’ll offer you free web hosting. Most of them are just scammers, but a few are legit web hosts that work with ICANN. These legit free web hosting sites often provide free web hosting for a certain period of time (maybe six months).

Should I opt for free web hosting sites?

No!
Although you can do it, and there is no harm in doing it unless the service provider is legit, we still won’t recommend you do it. For a blog or portfolio website, you should give it a go, but for an eCommerce site, free web hosting is not for you.

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