Top Cheap Hosting Providers of 2024
Explore top cheap web hosting providers where you can save money without sacrificing features or performance. Our team signed up for accounts and thoroughly tested the industry’s most affordable hosts to build our rankings. Take a look at our favorite hosting providers when it comes to affordability, computing resources, and customer support.
Hostinger review
561 user reviews
- 30 Days Money Back Guarantee
- Free Daily Backups, Free Website Migration, Free SSL for all websites
- Support available 24/7 via Chat, Knowledge Base & Email
- 100 GB SSD Storage
- Unlimited Bandwidth
- Cloudflare Protected
289 Reviews
- 30 Days Money Back Guarantee
- Free Daily Backups, Free SSL for all websites
- Support available 24/7 via Chat, Email, Phone
- Unlimited SSD Storage
- Unlimited Bandwidth
- Speed Boosting CDN
206 Reviews
- 30 Days Money Back Guarantee
- Free Daily Backups, Free SSL for all websites
- Support available 24/7 via Chat, Knowledge Base & Phone
- 50 GB SSD Storage
- Unlimited Bandwidth
- Speed Boosting CDN
Hostarmada review
108 user reviews
- 45 Days Money Back Guarantee
- Free cPanel Control Panel, Free Daily Backups, Free Web Server Caches, Free Website Migration
- Support available 24/7 via Chat, Phone & Email
- 50 GB SSD Storage
- 2TB Bandwidth
- Enhanced Caching
Scalahosting review
108 user reviews
- Anytime Unconditional Money Back Guarantee
- Free SSL, Daily Backups, Unlimited Emails
- Support available 24/7 via Chat, Phone & Email
- 10 GB NVMe Storage
- Unmetered Bandwidth
- Enhanced Caching
Inmotion Hosting review
198 user reviews
- 90 Days Money Back Guarantee
- Free SSL, Daily Backups, 2x Speed Performance
- Support available 24/7 via Chat, & Email
- 100 GB SSD Storage
- Unlimited Bandwidth
- Server-level caching
$ 2.29 / mo
What is Cheap Hosting?
- A cost-effective web hosting plan serves as an excellent resource for newcomers managing optimized websites created with WordPress or a website builder.
In essence, cheap web hosting refers to budget-friendly shared hosting on Linux or Windows server platforms. The most economical shared hosting plans typically support a single domain and website, while others boast features like unlimited websites, disk space, bandwidth, and email, with prices ranging from approximately $1 to $10.
Shared hosting allows website owners to lease a portion of a server from a hosting provider, which efficiently distributes the server’s computing resources among numerous customers, leading to reduced costs.
The server functions as a repository for each user’s website files, delivering them to visitors’ web browsers upon request, while the hosting provider manages all hardware maintenance and security protocols.
Many shared hosting plans rely on the Linux operating system, available to hosting providers for free. Linux seamlessly integrates with user-friendly programs like cPanel, WordPress, and other complimentary software.
Why Opt for a Cheap Hosting Plan? Why allocate $1,000 when $1 can suffice?
Beyond the price factor, an economical web hosting plan equipped with cPanel and Softaculous empowers developers to effortlessly install over 400 open-source scripts with just one click.
This opens up a plethora of possibilities for website owners, who can leverage thousands of free themes, extensions, and plugins designed for popular content management systems such as WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla.
Cheap web hosting services are ideal for:
- Beginners: The host manages most technical aspects, with additional support provided through an extensive knowledge base and 24/7 support channels.
- WordPress users: Hosting services cater to this popular CMS, offering easy installs, high-performance infrastructure, automatic WordPress updates, and custom plugins for caching and security. A simple WordPress hosting plan can be both affordable and reliable.
- Developers: Experiment with coding, explore new programming languages, or create websites for clients with support for unlimited domains and staging environments. Cheap shared server hosting packages are an excellent starting point for managing shared hosting accounts for clients or personal projects.
- Small businesses: Hosts provide comprehensive tools, from online advertising credits and email accounts to shopping carts and free tools for scheduling appointments.
A low-cost web hosting account allows site owners to swiftly deploy and test website designs. Opt for a budget hosting plan to prototype and launch websites or blogs for clients or eCommerce stores.
Given that most budget web hosting companies now include a free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate for each domain, eCommerce sites can operate securely using various free shopping cart solutions.
Utilize affordable hosting on shared servers to launch new websites, with the flexibility to migrate to more advanced (and costly) virtual private server (VPS) or dedicated server plans as web traffic scales.
What Features Come with an Cheap Web Hosting Service?
Navigating the fine line between a great deal and a potential scam is crucial. Some budget web hosting plans may boast the lowest price in the industry but could lack essential features, leading customers to incur additional expenses on add-on tools and services.
When exploring low-cost hosting plans, anticipate finding:
- Free domain name registration (at least for the initial year)
- Generous or preferably unlimited storage for website files, bandwidth, and email accounts
- One-click installations for popular content management systems like WordPress and online store builders such as Magento
- Complimentary SSL encryption
If a company doesn’t provide at least the features listed above, it’s advisable to continue your search. Presently, the best affordable WordPress hosting packages go beyond the basics, offering advanced features like professional website transfer services, automatic updates for the WordPress Core codebase and plugins, and staging areas.
Regrettably, customer support is often the first resource sacrificed in pursuit of rock-bottom pricing. It’s not uncommon to encounter support limited to email or a 48-hour response time. However, it’s highly recommended to favor hosts that include a live chat feature for their budget hosting plan customers – a valuable inclusion at a reasonable price!
How Can I Select the Cheap Hosting Provider?
By keeping an eye out for special promotions, seeking discount coupons, and committing to long-term web hosting plans, you can secure the most favorable rates from leading industry brands.
However, determining if the best is truly the best requires a straightforward assessment, facilitated by the following questions:
- Storage: Which host provides the most storage, and is the disk space based on SSDs for enhanced performance?
- Domains: How many domains or websites are allowed, and does the host offer free registration for them?
- Design Tools: Does the service provider include desired design tools like WordPress or a website builder? What about software for an online store?
- Uptime Guarantee: What is the host’s uptime guarantee, and it’s advisable to avoid commitments below 99%?
- Customer Support: How easily can you reach customer support, and are they capable of promptly addressing your inquiries?
When selecting a hosting company, delve into the hardware used on the platform and compare benchmark tests for performance, even though technical specifications may not always be transparent at this price point.
For optimal value, ensure that the budget hosting plan incorporates cPanel or Plesk administration, domain and email tools, and SSD storage.
As standards may evolve over time, periodically compare options to ensure you’ve made a lasting choice that adapts to and incorporates modern technologies.
Furthermore, assess the prices and features of the host’s VPS plans or dedicated servers to gauge the full capacity and affordability of the infrastructure as your site expands. This proactive approach ensures scalability and sustained efficiency for your growing online presence.
How Can I Secure a Complimentary Domain?
While free domain name registration is a common feature in budget hosting plans, it’s not universally standard. Consider this perk as a distinguishing factor when selecting an affordable web hosting provider.
Typically, a top-level domain registration (covering extensions like .COM, .NET, and .ORG) can cost approximately $10 to $15 per year.
Important note: A free domain registered with a new account often covers only the initial year of hosting. Ensure you check the domain renewal rates to avoid surprises later on.
For independent projects on a tight budget, a complimentary domain is a valuable bonus when enrolling in a new hosting plan.
Many business leaders appreciate the convenience of managing multiple domains and hosting services from a single, user-friendly dashboard. However, some prefer overseeing their domain names independently through a separate registrar to avoid vendor lock-in and the need to transfer ownership when switching accounts.
Regardless of your chosen approach, verify the renewal prices for domain names to prevent unexpected charges.
Make sure to seek unlimited traffic for accounts with a free domain and hosting for the best value. Some providers even offer support for unlimited domains, encompassing add-on and parked domain names.
Which Hosting Providers Offer Free SSL Certificates?
Even though SSL certificates have been available since the mid-1990s, widespread adoption and usage only gained momentum around 2014. SSL certificates authenticate a website’s identity and encrypt all communication between the server and visitors’ computers, safeguarding sensitive data from potential attackers.
Fortunately, due to collaborations among influential web companies, SSL certificates are now freely accessible and often automated. Look for the most economical plan with unlimited traffic and disk space, and SSL protection should be included.
The majority of hosts provide free SSL certificates using services like Let’s Encrypt or AutoSSL, which verify domain ownership. Avoid hosting plans that do not offer free SSL support for all domains.
Some hosts providing free SSL protection include:
- Hostinger
- Bigrock
- Bluehost
- InMotion Hosting
However, certain website owners may prefer SSL/TLS certificates with higher levels of security and identity verification for their businesses.
Godaddy, Hostinger, and HostGator offer premium SSL certificates, while others like InMotion Hosting and Bluehost direct customers to third-party vendors for enhanced protection.
While encryption levels and user security remain consistent across certificate types, the verification and vetting process are more rigorous for higher-level certificates.
Looking for Something Beyond Cheap Hosting?
Dedicated Hosting
Seeking a dedicated server for hosting your website? The right choice of host can significantly impact your online presence. Dive into our comprehensive reviews comparing various dedicated hosting options.
Cloud Hosting
Experience the power of scalable and reliable cloud hosting with our reviews highlighting top-notch providers. Uncover solutions that harness the flexibility and performance of cloud infrastructure for your website or application.
VPS Hosting
While not beginner-friendly, virtual private servers provide optimal computing resources and scalability for those comfortable with advanced settings. Explore our reviews highlighting the top VPS options in the market.
WordPress Hosting
For those specifically seeking WordPress hosting solutions, our reviews showcase providers that cater to the unique needs of WordPress users. Find the perfect balance between performance and cost-effectiveness
Reseller Hosting
If you're looking to start your own hosting business or manage multiple websites, our reviews of reseller hosting options can guide you. Uncover the best platforms offering scalability and robust features for reselling hosting services.
