If you’re hoping to start a business online, you would be considering developing a website. Well, if you have the money you wouldn’t have to worry about it. It’s easier to hire a developer and the rest will be taken care of by him. But this article may not be for you. If you’re a solopreneur trying to figure out how to develop a website for your e-commerce business, you probably would have come across the dilemma of choosing a web hosting provider to host your website.
Choosing a web host is as crucial as an engine to a vehicle. It can make or break your business. You would have done your research on finding the best web hosting for your business, but not sure which might be the best option?
Don’t worry we’ve all been there once. This article will cover all the missing pieces to your puzzle and help you make a better decision when choosing one.
First, What is a Hosting Provider?
A web host, or web hosting service provider, is a business that provides the technologies and services needed for the website or webpage to be viewed on the Internet.
Below are the shortlisted web hosting providers that you can use to host your e-commerce website.
Hostinger is best known for its affordable prices and a wide variety of features, but it does have some drawbacks worth considering. If you’re considering money as your prime factor, I think Hostinger might be a good place to start with.
Why?
Because it’s affordable pricing, WordPress installation and easy to use setup makes the work much easier for beginners. It also provides exceptional support and a free domain for a year which makes it more attractive for small business owners.
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Pros |
Cons |
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Affordable Pricing |
Limited Support |
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Free Domain (1st Year) |
Refund Exemptions |
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WordPress Plans & Support |
Siteground has been in business for almost 17 years now. It is one of the trusted and recommended hosting providers for e-commerce. Siteground’s eCommerce functionalities is what makes it even more special. Its multiple server locations mean the faster-loading speed of a website which is important for e-commerce.
Its a great place to start if you’re trying to build your e-commerce website with WordPress and Woocommerce.
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Pros |
Cons |
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Fast Loading Speed |
Higher Price for Renewals |
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Managed WordPress Host |
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Quick Server Response |
Bluehost has a dedicated Woocommerce hosting plan just like Siteground and it is the #1 hosting recommended by WordPress itself. It lets you start your e-commerce store immediately within minutes.
BlueHost for an e-commerce site can be a smart move if you’re on a tight budget and planning to host your online store on WordPress and Woocommerce. It is hard to beat BlueHost’s Woocommerce powered WordPress site in pricing.
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Advantages |
Disadvantages |
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Cloud Flare Integration |
Costly site migrations |
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Free Domain (1st year) |
No month to month shared hosting |
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Superior Usability and Customer Support |
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Once Hostgator was one of the top-rated web hosts. Its been in business since 2003. However, due to lack of support and poor service it had lost confidence in the many customers. But lately, they seem to be back on track as many happy customers appreciated their service.
Hostgator is ideal for bloggers, entrepreneurs who need an option to go from month to month hosting plan. Also, Hostgator offers 5 different types of hosting: shared, Managed WordPress, Cloud, VPS, Dedicated. It even provides free marketing software provided through (Constant contact) to support businesses to create newsletters and automated email campaigns.
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Advantages |
Disadvantages |
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Free Domain (1st year) |
Restore from backup needs an additional fee |
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45-day money-back guarantee |
Site performance is not always the best |
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Uptime Guarantee |
A2 Hosting is one of the best in terms of performance and reliability compared to others. They also have a managed wordpress package and shared hosting package which is ideal for e-commerce. For entrepreneurs concerned about security and privacy, an SSL certificate is provided with every plan for shoppers to feel safe and secure.
A2 Hosting offers powerful storage options, constant support and has access to fast loading speed up to 20 times than regular servers. The limitation is that it is not ideal for large businesses with a huge amount of traffic.
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Advantages |
Disadvantages |
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Fast Loading Speed |
Concurrent HTTP connections limitation |
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Excellent Uptime |
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Reliable Support |
Conclusion
This article has shortlisted the best hosting providers for e-commerce and listed down the pros and cons you can consider when choosing one. Remember to choose based on some important factors: speed, reliability, customer support and uptime. Yes, price is also a factor but it shouldn’t be your prime. If you want your customers to shop with ease, you must look for a hosting provider which is great in all four. No hosting is great at all four, all have their pros and cons.
Hack: Search engines love websites with a faster loading speed
It all comes down to your business needs as an entrepreneur. Give your store a solid foundation and say hi to speed and soaring sales!
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