Several hosting companies, both local and global, offer a wide range of hosting plans, making it challenging to select the most suitable one.
To help you keep your website running efficiently and smoothly, Forbes Advisor India has prepared a comprehensive list of the best website hosting providers. Read on to know what will work for you.
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Featured Partners
1
Bluehost
Price per month
INR 169 onwards
Features
Affordable hosting plan, free domain name, free CDN, free SSL
Storage and bandwidth
Unmetered bandwidth, SSD storage starts at 10GB
On Bluehost’s secure website
2
DreamHost
Starting at
INR 216/month ($2.59)
Extras and Inclusions
Free automated WordPress migrations, free domain and SSL certificate, fast SSD storage
Uptime guarantee
100%
On DreamHost’s secure website
3
IONOS Web Hosting
Price starts from
INR 334 ($4) per month
Storage
25 GB of SSD storage
Extras and inclusions
Free domain, free SSL certificate, daily backups, one email account
On IONOS’s secure website
4
Hostinger
Price
INR 69/month
Features
Unlimited free SSL, free domain and email
Money Back Guarantee
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
On Hostinger India’s secure website
Best Hosting Providers
- Hostinger India: Best Web Hosting Overall
- Bluehost: Best Web Hosting For WordPress
- Turnkey Hosting: Best Web Hosting for Budget-friendly Dedicated Hosting
- HostGator: Best Web Hosting Plans With Added-value
- N6 Cloud: Best Web Hosting for Cloud-based Solutions
- GreenGeeks: Best Eco-friendly Web Hosting
- BigRock: Best Web Hosting With Cheap Plans
- DreamHost: Best Web Hosting With Affordable Plans
- GoDaddy: Best Web Hosting for VPS
- Scala Hosting: Best for Managed VPS Cloud Hosting Solutions
10 Best Web Hosting Services
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
BEST WEB HOSTING OVERALL
Hostinger India
On Hostinger India's secure website
Average Uptime
99.9%
Price starts from
INR 69 p/m (4-year term) (Renews at INR 179 p/m)
Money Back Guarantee
30-day
Why We Picked It
Hostinger is known among users for its friendly interface and advanced custom-built hosting panel, hpanel built by Hostinger’s developers. Apart from its new data center in Mumbai, launched in Jan. 2022, Hostinger owns nine data centers worldwide.
Their servers ensure better reach and connectivity and run on CloudLinux, the most popular hosting operating system. Hostinger offers many features according to customers’ requirements for bandwidth, storage, website builder, email accounts, SSL certificate, and other web hosting features.
Hostinger Pricing
Hostinger offers affordable plans starting from INR 69 per month if bought for a four-year term. Users get all the unlimited features in their business and premium plans.
- Shared Hosting Plans: Starts from INR 69/month (4-year term)
- WordPress Hosting Plans: Starts from INR 69/month (4-year term)
- Cloud Hosting Plans: Starts from INR 699/month (4-year term + 3 month free)
- VPS Hosting Plans: Starts from INR 439/month (month-on-month term)
- Email Hosting Plans: Starts from INR 39/month (4-year term)
- Domain Registration: INR 499 (.com)
Pros & Cons
- Reliable website speed.
- 24/7 live support chat.
- Advanced interface.
- Unlimited website migration.
- Domain names are refundable only if canceled within four days of registration.
- Limited number of affordable plans.
- No presence of cPanel.
Our Expert Take
Hostinger is a tech-driven startup that provides simple web hosting solutions. You can choose from various plans to suit your website hosting requirements. Hostiger’s affordable plans, fast website loading time, and interactive hpanel are impressive.
The web host offers comprehensive plans for WordPress, shared, cloud, VPS, and email hosting solutions. To learn more about the benefits, see our list of Hostinger benefits.
Who Should Use it
Hostinger is best for companies looking for a low-budget shared hosting solution with data centers located in India.
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BEST WEB HOSTING PROVIDER FOR WORDPRESS
Bluehost India
On Bluehost's secure website
Average Uptime
99.9%
Price starts from
INR 169 p/m (3-year plan) (Renews at INR 299 p/m)
Money Back Guarantee
30 day
Why We Picked It
Bluehost is a viable option for website hosting services on a limited budget. The company’s basic plan starts from INR 169 per month for a 3-year plan, with excellent features such as 50GB SSD storage, unmetered bandwidth, more than 100 WordPress themes, and SSL certification, among others. However, the user always has a choice to scale up their website by purchasing add-on features.
Upon buying any plan, the company also offers a free Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate that authenticates that this website belongs to a particular user and provides security to your website. According to the company, it powers more than 20 lakh websites worldwide. Bluehost has its data centers in India and the U.S.
Bluehost Pricing
Bluehost offers a variety of plans. The following is the pricing of the various plans if they take at least three years.
- WordPress Hosting Plans: Starts from INR 169 p/m (3-year term)
- Shared Hosting Plan: Starts from INR 169 p/m (3-year term)
- VPS Hosting Plan: Starts from INR 1,649 p/m (3-year term)
- Dedicated Hosting Plan: Starts from INR 8,499 p/m (3-year term)
- Cloud Hosting: Starts from INR 30,139.77 ($359) p/m (1-year term)
- Domain Registration: INR 909 p/a (.com)
Pros & Cons
- Recommended by WordPress.
- One-click installation for apps.
- Beginner-friendly interface.
- Affordable plans.
- Avail free domain for the first year.
- Efficient security features.
- Average call support services
- Charges for site migration
- Cloud hosting plan in expensive
Our Expert Take
Bluehost comes with the complete package of WordPress, shared, cloud, VPS, and dedicated hosting solutions at a more affordable cost than competitors—making this hosting provider a go-to option for users. The hosting provider also lets you hire a professional website developer for your WordPress website if you plan to upgrade your website or for an SEO marketing campaign.
Who should use it
Bluehost’s WordPress hosting is an excellent choice for individuals and small businesses planning to build their websites with WordPress at an affordable price.
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BEST WEB HOSTING FOR BUDGET-FRIENDLY DEDICATED HOSTING
Turnkey Hosting
4.5
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Average Uptime
Price starts from
Around INR 1,258.91 ($15) p/m (1-year term) (Renews at the same price)
Money Back Guarantee
15-day
Average Uptime
99.9%
Price starts from
Around INR 1,258.91 ($15) p/m (1-year term) (Renews at the same price)
Money Back Guarantee
15-day
Why We Picked It
Turnkey offers a versatile list of services and hosting plans backed up with weekly automatic updates. It provides unlimited email accounts and has the best programming and databases.
Turnkey Internet has more jaw-dropping features, such as using the latest technology based on green renewable energy. The power produced on-site is done at their green data centers. They also boast a solid uptime that provides a 100% network guarantee. Moreover, Turnkey offers several options, not limited to Linux; it also supports Windows.
Turnkey Pricing
- Shared Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 1,258.91 ($15) p/m (1-year term)
- Dedicated Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 5,595.45 ($66.67) p/m (1-year term)
- VPS Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 755.59 ($9) p/m (1-year term)
- Domain Registration: Around INR 1,090.57 ($12.99)/year (.com)
Pros & Cons
- Unlimited SSD storage and bandwidth.
- Free unlimited SSLs.
- Supports multiple Windows-based technologies.
- 24/7 customer support over the phone, mail, or live chat.
- Free website migration.
- Dedicated space for newsletters and blogs.
- Live chat feature is unavailable.
- Lack of security-enriched features.
- Less advanced analytics support.
- Comparatively pricier
- No data center in India or Asia.
Our Expert Take
The list of hosting benefits provided by Turnkey is fantastic. Dedicated, shared, VPS, and e-commerce are just a few of Turnkey’s many website hosting benefits. Users also get unlimited SSD storage and bandwidth, support for multiple Windows-based technologies, and free website migration.
Who should use it
Turnkey is an ideal option for website owners who want customized dedicated hosting servers with high security.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best Web Hosting Plans With Added-value
Hostgator
On HostGator's secure website
Average Uptime
99.9%
Price starts from
INR 69 p/m (5-year term) (Renews at INR 199 p/m)
Money Back Guarantee
45 day
Why We Picked It
We selected Hostgator as one of the best web hosting providers because of its speed, reliability, and flexible hosting and domain plans for small and big enterprises and website owners. It runs on premium servers backed by Intel Xeon quad-core processors and hyper-threading infrastructure, which enables reasonable uptime rates.
The higher the uptime rate, the better the indication of the servers’ performance. HostGator guarantees an uptime rate of 99.99%. Its servers are located in India and the U.S. It offers hosting solutions such as web hosting, cloud hosting, WordPress hosting, VPS, dedicated hosting, Windows hosting, and website builders.
Hostgator Pricing
Following is the pricing of the various plans if taken for a minimum of five years.
Shared Hosting Plans: Starts from INR 69 p/m (5-year term)
WordPress Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 377.82 ($4.50) p/m (3-year term)
Dedicated Server Hosting Plans: Starts from INR 9,269 p/m (1-year term)
Cloud Hosting Plans: Starts from INR 539 p/m (3-year term)
VPS Hosting Plans (self-managed): Starts from INR 349 p/m (3-year term)
Reseller Hosting Plans: Starts from INR 1,649 p/m (3-year term)
Pros & Cons
- Affordable shared hosting plan
- Fewer complaints of downtime on websites.
- Proactive customer support.
- One-click WordPress installation.
- Freebies such as website migration, cPanel, and domain name.
- User-friendly interface.
- Private name servers.
- High charges for renewing the plan.
- The starter plan does not offer a free SSL certificate.
- Monthly plans are expensive.
Our Expert Take
HostGator offers users the ability to purchase web hosting plans using a credit card, which comes with a no-cost equated monthly installment (EMI) option. This type of purchase becomes useful for taking the web hosting plan for a longer tenure instead of paying the hosting fee on a monthly basis. The principal EMI amount users pay is calculated based on the tenure they select to clear their credit card dues.
Who should use it
Hostgator is an excellent choice for individuals and small businesses looking for low-cost shared hosting plans with flexible payment options.
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BEST WEB HOSTING FOR CLOUD-BASED SOLUTIONS
N6 Cloud
4.4
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Average Uptime
99.9%
Price starts from
Around INR 188.00 ($2.24) p/m (1-year term) (Renews at the same price)
Money Back Guarantee
30-day
Average Uptime
99.9%
Price starts from
Around INR 188.00 ($2.24) p/m (1-year term) (Renews at the same price)
Money Back Guarantee
30-day
Why We Picked It
N6 Cloud is a Canada-based company that provides a full range of hosting solutions based on updated cloud technologies. The company also offers its clients other services such as shared hosting, WordPress hosting, managed hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated hosting.
N6 Cloud has many solid features, such as a one-click installer, a user-friendly control panel, and a round-the-clock professional support team. It benefits companies that want to cater to the Canadian audience and provide consistent hosting services with brilliant and prompt support.
N6 Cloud Pricing
- Shared Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 188.00 ($2.24) p/m (1-year term)
- WordPress Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 188.00 ($2.24) p/m (1-year term)
- Dedicated Server Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 8749.45 (104.25) p/m (1-year term)
- VPS Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 248.51 ($2.96) p/m (1-year term)
- Cloud Hosting Plans: Starts from $.00053/hour (1 core processor, 1 GB memory, 500GB bandwidth)
Pros & Cons
- Very affordable range.
- Rapid and free website migration.
- Robust security measures.
- One-Click app installation feature.
- 24/7 customer support assistance.
- Live chat feature available.
- No data center in Asia.
- Fewer freebies as compared to other competitors.
- Positive SSL cost extra
Our Expert Take
N6 Cloud is an approachable cloud hosting solution provider with reasonable pricing options. Users can try their fast and robust cloud hosting servers for free to get started.
Who should use it
N6 Cloud is an excellent fit for owners of various websites who want to host on a multi-server cloud hosting setup.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
BEST ECO-FRIENDLY WEB HOSTING
GreenGeeks
On GreenGeeks’ secure website
Average Uptime
99.9%
Price starts from
Around INR 1,003.26 ($11.95) p/m (3-year term) (Renews at the same price)
Money Back Guarantee
30-day
Why We Picked It
Green Geeks is a U.S.-based hosting company with servers in the U.S., Canada, Amsterdam, and Singapore. It is known for providing excellent website speed across the globe with its LiteSpeed servers. Green Geek has the advantage of a global network that offers users an efficient web hosting experience from over 150 countries, including India.
Moreover, the interface is straightforward. You can easily manage all your plans using the “manage” button. The other key features include an energy-efficient platform, SSD storage available on all the plans, and real-time malware scanning, ensuring high security.
Green Geeks offers its users web hosting, WordPress hosting, VPS hosting, and reseller hosting.
GreenGeeks Pricing
The pricing of the various plans is if taken for at least one year.
- Shared Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 1,003.26 ($11.95) p/m (3-year term)
- WordPress Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 1,003.26 ($11.95) p/m (3-year term)
- VPS Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 3,353.99 ($39.95) p/m (1-year term)
- Reseller Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 2934.22 ($34.95) p/m (3-year term)
Pros & Cons
- Free backups.
- Unlimited websites and data transfer.
- Excellent web hosting speed using Litespeed servers.
- No data center in India.
- Domain registration services still need to be launched.
- Customer support could be more responsive.
- Triennial plan not available on VPS hosting.
Our Expert Take
GreenGreeks’ web hosting data centers and servers are powered using renewable energy sources, like wind and solar energy. These emerging eco-friendly technologies reduce the carbon emissions the web host’s servers and data centers produce.
The web host also rewards users during special events, like Black Friday, by offering discounts on hosting deals.
Who should use it
Businesses looking for top-security features and eco-friendly hosting solutions can choose GreenGeeks’ hosting solutions. They are apt for new-age entrepreneurs looking for well-rounded hosting solutions that are super easy, fast, and secure.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
BEST WEB HOSTING WITH CHEAP PLANS
BigRock
4.4
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Average Uptime
99.9%
Price starts from
INR 69 p/m (5-year plan) (Renews at INR 199 p/m)
Money Back Guarantee
30-day
On BigRock's secure website
Average Uptime
99.9%
Price starts from
INR 69 p/m (5-year plan) (Renews at INR 199 p/m)
Money Back Guarantee
30-day
Why We Picked It
India-based Big Rock is popular in the web hosting market for creating scalable solutions backed with strong technical support. It supports more than 60 lakh websites worldwide. Big Rock offers critical hosting services, including web solutions, digital certificates, domain registration, cloud and backup solutions, enterprise email, and domain transfer.
It also supports WordPress and Windows hosting. Big Rock has data centers in India and the U.S. and offers Secure Socket Shell (SSH) access, unlimited domains, and emails with unlimited bandwidth.
BigRock Pricing
Following is the pricing of the various plans if taken for a minimum of five years.
- Linux Shared Hosting Plans: Starts from INR 69 p/m (5-year plan)
- Windows Shared Hosting Plans: Starts from INR 149 p/m (10-year plan)
- WordPress Hosting Plans: Starts from INR 199 p/m (3-year plan)
- Cloud Hosting Plans: Starts from INR 539 p/m (3-year plan)
- Domain Registration Plans: INR 909 (.com) for one year
Pros & Cons
- Strong security measures such as SSH Access, SiteLock, and CodeGuard.
- Automated back-ups.
- Unmetered SSD disk space.
- Affordable plans.
- 24*7 technical support.
- Prolonged customer support.
- Several issues have been reported for the refund policy.
Our Expert Take
BigRock offers shared and reseller programs to host various websites, from blogs to e-commerce, that run on Linux servers based in India and the U.S. BigRock, a Mumbai-headquartered web host, offers a complete package for beginners or experienced admins to build a website from scratch, including domain name registration, website design, and hosting.
Admins looking to become hosting resellers can also use their platform. Lately, however, compared to other web hosts, BigRock has attracted bad reviews from users complaining about their bad experiences with its customer support.
Who should use it
Anyone looking for a homegrown web hosting company can opt for BigRock, which offers incredibly cheap and low-cost plans.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
BEST WEB HOSTING WITH AFFORDABLE PLANS
DreamHost
On DreamHost's secure website
Average Uptime
100%
Price starts from
Around INR 217.44 ($2.59) p/m (3-year term) (Renews at the same price)
Money Back Guarantee
97-day
Why We Picked It
DreamHost offers fast and reliable web hosting services, from shared to cloud hosting, and has extensive experience handling WordPress hosting. Hosting your website with DreamHost is affordable, quick, and feature-packed.
Apart from WordPress and website hosting, the company offers its users VPS, dedicated, and cloud hosting. Email hosting is free with all hosting plans except their “Starter Shared Hosting” plan.
You can also buy a domain name with DreamHost through a much more straightforward process. After purchasing a domain name, you will receive auto-renewals, unlimited subdomains, and domain setting controls at your fingertips, such as MX records CNAME.
DreamHost Pricing
The pricing of the various plans is if taken for at least one year.
- Shared Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 217.44 ($2.59) p/m (3-year term)
- WordPress Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 217.44 ($2.59) p/m (3-year term)
- VPS Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 839.55 ($15) p/m (3-year term)
- Dedicated Server Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 13,852.54 ($165) p/m (1-year term)
- Cloud Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 377.80 ($4.50) p/m (month-on-month)
- Domain Registration: Starts from around INR 754.75 ($8.99) p/a
Pros & Cons
- Extreme security measures.
- Efficient domain management tools.
- 24/7 in-house customer support.
- Free WordPress migrations.
- Hot flash sales help in finding affordable deals.
- 97-day money-back guarantee.
- Unlimited data storage with unlimited bandwidth.
- Limited live chat hours.
- No telephone support.
- No email with lower priced plan.
- Only offers Linux-based servers.
Our Expert Take
DreamHost offers above-average website hosting for shared plans, WordPress, cloud, and VPS solutions with affordable pricing options. They also let you hire a professional to design your website or manage your marketing and management requirements.
Who should use it
DreamHost is ideal for new businesses or individuals who wish to set up hosting solutions for their business at quite an affordable price. It is an excellent choice for budding entrepreneurs seeking unlimited bandwidth and budget-friendly hosting solutions.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
BEST FOR VPS HOSTING
GoDaddy
On GoDaddy's secure website
Average Uptime
99.9%
Price starts from
INR 79 p/m (3-year term) (Renews at INR 219 p/m)
Money Back Guarantee
30 day
Why We Picked It
GoDaddy is quite a popular name in the web hosting market. Its hosting services include website hosting, WordPress hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated servers. Presently, the company has more than two crore customers worldwide. Its data centers are on three continents: Europe, the U.S., and India. GoDaddy’s hosting hub has a responsive and approachable support team that can serve its customers in multiple languages. It runs on a web hosting control panel, cPanel.
GoDaddy Pricing
The pricing of the various plans, if taken for at least three years, follows.
- Web Hosting Plans: Starts from INR 79 p/m (3-year term)
- WordPress Hosting Plan: Starts from INR 179 p/m (3-year term)
- VPS Hosting Plans: Starts from INR 649 p/m (3-year term)
- Email Hosting Plans: Starts from INR 23 per user p/m (3-year term)
- Domain Registration: INR 1 for the first year, then INR 1,299 (3-year commitment)
Pros & Cons
- Freebies include free domain name, webmail, Office 365 mail, and SSH access.
- Multilingual customer support team.
- Better reach and connectivity with fast speed.
- User-friendly interface.
- Renewal plans are expensive.
- There is no option to upgrade the software speed.
Our Expert Take
GoDaddy is a popular hosting player in the market, and its list of services seems never-ending. The web host offers comprehensive plans for WordPress, shared, and dedicated servers, and virtual private servers (VPS) for experienced admins and developers.
Who should use it
E-commerce website owners can consider GoDaddy for fast and reliable hosting solutions with well-integrated features. GoDaddy is an excellent fit for content-heavy and feature-rich websites with exceptional uptime.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
BEST FOR MANAGED CLOUD VPS HOSTING SOLUTION
Scala Hosting
4.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Average Uptime
99.9%
Price starts from
Around INR 247.67 ($2.95) p/m (3-year term) (Renews at the same price)
Money Back Guarantee
30-day
Average Uptime
99.9%
Price starts from
Around INR 247.67 ($2.95) p/m (3-year term) (Renews at the same price)
Money Back Guarantee
30-day
Why We Picked It
Scala Hosting, for every good reason, deserves to be on the list of our best web hosting providers in India because of its speed, reliability, and affordable price range, which can appease users. Its interface is ultra-friendly and has an excellent uptime of 100%. Scala Hosting also offers 24/7 support via support tickets or live chat.
The company offers features such as one free domain, free SSL certificates, and a one-click password with all the hosting packages.
Scala Hosting offers several hosting plans at each level so users can choose according to their needs and requirements. The prices quoted are introductory and increase upon renewal. However, the introductory prices are valid for up to three years.
Scala Hosting Pricing
- Shared Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 247.67 ($2.95) p/m (3-year term)
- WordPress Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 247.67 ($2.95) p/m (3-year term)
- Web Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 247.67 ($2.95) p/m (3-year term)
- Cloud VPS Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 2,514.45 ($29.95) p/m (3-year term)
- Email Hosting Plans: Starts from around INR 246.15 ($4.95) p/m (3-year term)
Pros & Cons
- All the hosting plans have SSDs.
- Award-winning 24/7 customer support system.
- Daily automatic back-ups.
- There are no such great tools for website building.
- There are no hosting solutions for dedicated hosting.
- Fewer security features for entry-level plans.
- No data center in India.
Our Expert Take
Scala Hosting offers a complete package of WordPress, shared, cloud, VPS, and dedicated hosting solutions at affordable prices. The hosting provider also lets you hire a professional developer to upgrade your WordPress websites or for an SEO marketing campaign.
Who should use it
Scala Hosting is ideal for businesses looking for low-cost shared hosting and cloud-based VPS hosting plans with flexible pricing options.
Comparison of Best Hosting Providers
Company | Company – Logo | Forbes Advisor Rating | Forbes Advisor Rating | Average Uptime | Price starts from | Money Back Guarantee | Learn More CTA text | Learn more CTA below text | LEARN MORE |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hostinger India | 4.5 | 99.90% | INR 69 p/m (4-year term) | 30 day | Buy Now | On Hostinger India’s secure website | |||
Bluehost | 4.5 | 99.90% | INR 169 p/m (3-year plan) | 30 day | Buy Now | On Bluehost’s secure website | |||
Turnkey Hosting | 4.5 | 99.90% | Around INR 1,258.91 ($15) p/m (1-year term) | 15 day | View More | ||||
Hostgator | 4.4 | 99.90% | INR 69 p/m (5-year term) | 45-day | Buy Now | On HostGator’s secure website | |||
N6 Cloud | 4.4 | 99.90% | Around INR 188.00 ($2.24) p/m (1-year term) | 30 day | View More | ||||
Green Geeks | 4.4 | 99.90% | Around INR 1,003.26 ($11.95) p/m (3-year term) | 30-day | Buy Now | On GreenGeeks’ secure website | |||
BigRock | 4.4 | 99.90% | INR 69 p/m (5-year plan) (Renews at INR 199 p/m) | 30 day | Buy Now | On BigRock’s secure website | |||
DreamHost | 4.0 | 100% | Around INR 217.44 ($2.59) p/m (3-year term) | 97 day | Buy Now | On DreamHost’s secure website | |||
GoDaddy | 4.0 | 99.90% | INR 79 p/m (3-year term) | 30 day | Buy Now | On GoDaddy’s secure website | |||
Scala Hosting | 4.0 | 99.9% | Around INR 247.67 ($2.95) p/m (3-year term) | 30-day | View More |
Last Updated as of Sept. 6, 2024
Best Website Hosting Service Runner-Ups
- SiteGround: Though it is widely revered as one of the best web hosting providers for performance, rivaling InMotion, its renewal price is nearly double.
- A2 Hosting: While A2 is widely recognized as a reliable hosting provider with competitive pricing, it lost marks due to its poor customer support.
- MilesWeb: Touted for its affordability and scalability, MilesWeb is worth considering as a web host. However, it lost marks due to delayed customer support responses.
What Is Web Hosting?
Web hosting is a service that essentially allows anyone to rent space on the internet, and websites must have web hosting to be accessible online. Some content management systems (CMS), such as Squarespace and Wix, include web hosting as a monthly fee. In contrast, if you’re building a site on WordPress, you’ll need to purchase web hosting from a web hosting provider, such as MochaHost or IONOS.
How Does Web Hosting Work?
Think of web hosting as the process of finding your website a home. Your website’s contents—the domain name, HTML code, images, text, and so on—all need a place to live. Web hosting provides a place for this content to live on a server.
In short, a server is a computer that connects users to your website. In other words, the server is like a large condo building or office building, and web hosting is renting office space or buying a condo.
Web Hosting vs. Domain Hosting
You need a domain name before finding a home for your website via web hosting. While related, web hosting and domain hosting are very different services. Web hosting connects your website to a server, whereas domain hosting secures a domain name or web address for your website.
Following our earlier analogy, if web hosting is akin to renting space in a building, then domain hosting is like putting a nameplate outside your door with your name and address. The domain is what people use to navigate to your address on the Internet.
Many service providers provide domain and web hosting, which can give one-stop-shop convenience, but depending on your needs, consider separating the services. Regardless, you need a domain name via a domain registrar before considering web hosting.
Pro Tip
Remember the importance of website vulnerability scanners, especially when your website is hosted on a shared environment and collects data on users’ personal, business, or financial information. Cyber threats are evolving, and though web hosts offer various security features, more is needed. Hackers may try every method to search for and exploit existing security loopholes, causing havoc in your online business reputation and being very stressful for business owners. That is why checking with web hosts to see if they support third-party web vulnerability scanners is crucial.
How To Choose the Best Web Hosting Service for You
When choosing the best web hosting service, consider factors such as pricing, storage space and bandwidth limits, customer service, server location options, security features, and whether it has automatic backups. Another thing you need to consider is its scalability. Even when a web hosting service does it for you, migrating a website isn’t easy. Does the host offer many options that will scale with your site? Additionally, how easy is your web host to use?
Essential Web Hosting Features
We recommend that you look for a web hosting provider with the following key features, regardless of your specific website needs:
- Reliability and performance: Look for a hosting provider with good uptime, preferably 99.9% or higher, so your site won’t experience outages. Most hosts provide a contractual guarantee that they’ll reimburse you part of your premium for outages.
- Security: Ensure your web host has DDoS protection, SSL certificates, and other security features to protect your site from malicious attacks.
- Customer service: Look for a host with 24/7 customer support so you can quickly get help if something goes wrong. What support options are available? Chat, phone, ticket, and email support are typical for web hosts.
- Storage and bandwidth: Storage and unmetered bandwidth are two of the most important factors to consider when choosing a web host. The more storage you have, the more content you can store, such as videos and images. Bandwidth affects how quickly your website loads and how much data is transferred when visitors view your site. Look for a host that provides unlimited storage and bandwidth.
- Backups: Regular website backups are essential, so ensure the web host offers automatic backups. If a hosting provider doesn’t automatically back up your website, consider investing in a third-party backup service.
Ease of Use
Look for a web hosting provider with an intuitive user interface and control panel. This will save you time in the long run if you need to make changes or updates to your website. A good web host should offer one-click installations for popular content management systems (CMS), such as WordPress or Drupal, and a drag-and-drop website builder if you’re uncomfortable with coding.
Scalability
Finally, it’s important to consider scalability when choosing a web hosting service. How will you grow your website in the future? Will your host’s services be able to keep up with your growth? Does the host offer an easy way to scale up, such as offering VPS and dedicated hosting options? A good web host should be able to handle the growth of your website. Similarly, if you take a break, can you drop to a lower-tiered plan?
Featured Partners
1
Bluehost
Price per month
INR 169 onwards
Features
Affordable hosting plan, free domain name, free CDN, free SSL
Storage and bandwidth
Unmetered bandwidth, SSD storage starts at 10GB
On Bluehost’s secure website
2
DreamHost
Starting at
INR 216/month ($2.59)
Extras and Inclusions
Free automated WordPress migrations, free domain and SSL certificate, fast SSD storage
Uptime guarantee
100%
On DreamHost’s secure website
3
IONOS Web Hosting
Price starts from
INR 334 ($4) per month
Storage
25 GB of SSD storage
Extras and inclusions
Free domain, free SSL certificate, daily backups, one email account
On IONOS’s secure website
4
Hostinger
Price
INR 69/month
Features
Unlimited free SSL, free domain and email
Money Back Guarantee
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
On Hostinger India’s secure website
Types of Web Hosting
There are several different types of web hosting available. While there may be a tendency to favor the cheapest option, depending on your needs, this can lead to problems. For this reason, it’s essential to look not just at cost but also at customer service, security, speed, and customization options.
Shared Hosting
Shared hosting is most popular with small businesses and websites that don’t need much customization or expect a lot of traffic. It provides space for several websites—dozens, hundreds, or thousands—on one server.
Because the costs are relatively low, it is an economical option. Still, service disruptions or slower connection speeds could occur because several clients/websites are all accessing the same server’s resources, including disk space, RAM, and central processing unit (CPU) power.
Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting
A step up from shared hosting is VPS hosting. Like shared hosting, various websites are all housed on the same server, but each website’s files and content are housed in its own dedicated space. You will pay a little more than with shared hosting, but you also have your section of the server isolated from other clients on the server. For this reason, VPS hosting is more secure. Additionally, VPS hosting is scalable to your needs, and you can modify the server and install any software you need.
VPS hosting can be managed or unmanaged. If you choose managed VPS hosting, the host will provide all maintenance and services necessary to keep the website and server running. You’ll pay a little more for managed VPS hosting but won’t be responsible for maintenance.
Conversely, using unmanaged VPS hosting means you are responsible for configuring and maintaining the server, monitoring security threats, installing software upgrades, and backing up your data. Unmanaged VPS hosting is a good option for website developers, businesses with a dedicated IT department, and individuals with a technology background.
WordPress Managed Hosting
Many web hosting providers offer WordPress-specific hosting because WordPress is such a popular content management system. In addition to web hosting, they provide technical support and software updates specific to WordPress. This type of hosting offers advantages like scalability, speed, and security, but it costs about INR 166.63 ($2) to INR 2,499.50 ($30) per month. Additionally, there are fewer customization options since it is limited to WordPress features.
Cloud Hosting
Cloud hosting houses your website on multiple servers for maximum performance and connection speeds. It is more expensive than shared hosting but will minimize connection or speed issues because it can easily handle traffic surges. Cloud hosting also offers scalability, backups, and disaster recovery. However, these additional services come with a price, and the pricing models of cloud hosting providers can be confusing, depending on the plan’s customization.
Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated web hosting is when a website solely uses the entire server. Because you have your dedicated server, you minimize security and connection issues. But it comes at a price.
However, the costs may be justified in a few situations. For instance, if you expect your website traffic to increase significantly, service disruptions and slow connection speeds could harm your business. In this case, the cost of a dedicated server would be worth it because it will provide uninterrupted service and quick connection speeds. A dedicated server will also provide additional security, which will be helpful if you deal with personal information like credit card information.
Type Of Web Hosting | Pros | Cons | Appropriate For |
---|---|---|---|
Shared Hosting | Economical | Increased potential for service disruption and slower connection speeds | Small websites Personal blogs Startup websites |
VPS Hosting | Additional security and customization, while still being relatively economical | It is more expensive than shared hosting | Medium-sized businesses Professional blogs |
WordPress Managed Hosting | Security and speed Ease of use | More expensive than shared hosting. Lack of customization | Medium-sized businesses Professional blogs |
Cloud Hosting | Minimizes service disruptions and maintains quick connection speeds | It can be confusing to set up | High-traffic websites |
Dedicated Hosting | Minimizes service disruptions Maintain quick connection speeds Offers additional security | Most expensive | Websites that maintain personally identifiable information |
Web Hosting Cost
Web hosting can range from a few dollars to hundreds a month, so finding a plan that fits your budget is essential. Consider the renewal cost of the hosting plan as well since some providers offer a lower rate for the first term and then significantly increase the price when it’s time to renew. Additionally, remember that there may be some hosting features you don’t need or can live without, so look for a plan that offers the best value.
For example, a cheaper plan usually doesn’t include a domain name and often includes just one website. A more expensive plan may include multiple domains, more storage and bandwidth, and other features.
Average Cost By Hosting Type
Pricing varies significantly between various types of web hosting services. Even within each type, there can be price differences between service providers depending on the level of customer service and the length of service plan chosen. In general, prices range as follows:
- Shared web hosting: Up to INR 69 p/m (4-year term) per month.
- VPS web hosting: Around INR 1,499.70 ($18) to INR 7,081.92 ($85) per month.
- WordPress managed hosting: Around INR 166.63 ($2) to INR 2,499.50 ($30) monthly.
- Cloud hosting: Around INR 416.58 ($5) to INR 4,165.83 ($50) per month.
- Dedicated server hosting: Around INR 6,665.33 ($80) to several hundred dollars per month.
Website Hosting Cost Factors
Several factors go into the cost of website hosting. These include:
- Storage: The amount of data storage your hosting plan allows.
- Bandwidth: How much traffic you can have on your website without interruption or slow speeds.
- Number of websites: Depending on the plan, you can host multiple websites with one account.
- IP addresses: If you need a static IP address with your hosting plan, you may have to pay an additional cost.
- SSL certificate: An SSL certificate keeps your website secure and safe from hackers. Some hosting plans offer a free SSL certificate, but others may require you to purchase one in addition to the hosting plan.
- Customer service: Some hosting companies offer 24/7 customer service, while others may only provide limited support. Others will charge a premium but will walk you through fixing things that break on your site.
- Customization options: Hosting plans that allow customization and add-ons, such as databases or web servers, usually cost more.
Fees & Add-Ons
Your web hosting provider may also charge additional fees, such as setup fees (often waived when signing a contract and paying up-front), domain registration fees, or monthly support fees. Additionally, there may be add-on services you can purchase to enhance your website, such as SEO optimization or extra security features. Before signing up, read the fine print of your contract and thoroughly understand what is included in your hosting plan.
Detailed Article: Website Hosting Cost Guide 2024
Do I Need A Web Host?
A website for your business or personal use is essential in today’s digital world. You can build and host your site or opt for an all-in-one website builder that includes hosting. However, a separate web hosting service might be better if you want more control over your site and access to additional features.
Best Antivirus Software for Android Methodology |
---|
Ease of use |
39% |
Expert score |
15% |
Pricing and value |
8% |
Service and support |
8% |
General features |
23% |
Additional features |
9% |
Platforms |
1% |
Source: Forbes Advisor |
Beyond Hosting: Other Website Setup Considerations
Consider a few other items besides hosting when setting up your website. These include website builders, domain registration, email hosting, and e-commerce functionality.
Website Builder
Website builders are tools or programs that allow you to create a website without coding. They provide a variety of drag-and-drop templates and often include hosting, so you don’t need to purchase a separate plan.
Domain Registration
Your domain name is the URL or web address users type to access your website. You can purchase and register a domain name when signing up for hosting, though many web hosting companies have an additional fee for domain registration. A domain name is essential for businesses as it helps to create a professional online presence.
Email Hosting
Having a dedicated email address is essential if you want to build customer trust. You can purchase email hosting from your web host or use a separate service such as Google Workspace (formerly G Suite). Other web hosts include free email hosting in their hosting plans.
Ecommerce Functionality
You must look for a hosting plan offering e-commerce functionality to sell products or services online. Hosts usually provide ecommerce hosting tools such as payment gateways, shopping carts, and secure checkout pages to help you get started.
Methodology: How We Evaluate Best Web Hosting In India
Forbes Advisor researched the industry and analyzed dozens of web hosting providers and plans. We then scored each of these providers across five categories of features, looking at 23 different metrics that were weighted to favor features that small business owners find valuable in a web host.
Pricing
We did a deep dive into each provider’s pricing options. Focusing on shared hosting, we looked at the starting price of each one’s lowest-priced plan to see what it cost per month, how long of a contract (if any) was required, and what features come with that plan. Then, we looked at each provider’s high-tiered plans with the same scrutiny, as well as how much the price increased for each plan upon renewal. We also looked at how many sites each provider covered for hosting under each plan and its money-back guarantee. Pricing accounted for 10% of our weighted scoring.
Features
We had high expectations for features offered by web hosts―not only essential features that we thought each platform should offer but additional features that helped a provider stand out from the rest of the pack. We graded many of these features on whether they came as part of the original plan or were available as a paid add-on. Some essential features we looked for included unlimited storage and bandwidth, a free SSL certificate and domain name, one-click WordPress installation, an uptime guarantee, and 24/7 support in some formats.
Some unique features we weighed included offering a CDN, a free business email address, a website builder, automatic backups, and free domain name privacy protection. Combined, these features accounted for 50% of our total score.
Third-party reviews
Many real users of these web hosting platforms posted reviews on Trustpilot, so we reviewed that site to gauge what these users thought of each one. We first looked at the number of reviews left for each provider, giving a higher rating to those that received positive reviews of 3.5 or higher of at least 300 or more. These accounted for 10% of the total score.
Expert analysis
Turning to customer reviews again, our panel of experts looked at specific criteria necessary for web hosting platform users. These categories included ease of use, value for the money, stand-out features, and popularity. Our experts’ analysis accounted for 30% of the total score.
Featured Partners
1
Bluehost
Price per month
INR 169 onwards
Features
Affordable hosting plan, free domain name, free CDN, free SSL
Storage and bandwidth
Unmetered bandwidth, SSD storage starts at 10GB
On Bluehost’s secure website
2
DreamHost
Starting at
INR 216/month ($2.59)
Extras and Inclusions
Free automated WordPress migrations, free domain and SSL certificate, fast SSD storage
Uptime guarantee
100%
On DreamHost’s secure website
3
IONOS Web Hosting
Price starts from
INR 334 ($4) per month
Storage
25 GB of SSD storage
Extras and inclusions
Free domain, free SSL certificate, daily backups, one email account
On IONOS’s secure website
4
Hostinger
Price
INR 69/month
Features
Unlimited free SSL, free domain and email
Money Back Guarantee
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
On Hostinger India’s secure website
2024 Web Hosting Trends
The web hosting industry has adapted to increased demands and greater expectations as the internet continues to grow and develop astoundingly. These adaptations are apparent in the 2024 web hosting trends we see as we move into the new year.
Fewer On-site Data Centers
Like everywhere else, the cloud is becoming the number one choice for consumers in the web hosting industry. Companies are moving away from dedicated on-site servers and instead base operations on third-party, cloud-hosted servers.
Servers operating in the cloud provide tremendous benefits, including increased scaling potential, flexibility, lower costs, the ability to create backups, improved security, regular maintenance, and better software capability. Cloud computing is here to stay, and we expect more entities to move operations onto the cloud in 2024.
Multi-cloud Hosting
Multicloud hosting refers to delegating a site’s computing tasks to two or more different cloud computing platforms. Essentially, one vendor performs some site functions and another another.
Multicloud hosting has become increasingly popular in recent years. This model allows a company to be independent of a single vendor for all its needs and take advantage of each host’s unique benefits and strengths. We expect multi-cloud hosting to become even more popular in 2024 as companies try to stay competitive in the virtual world.
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Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.
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