Best web hosting for small businesses

HostGator is a welcoming web host in many ways. It’s simple to use, and you can register for a single domain, shared hosting, and unlimited bandwidth within seconds. It’s super-cheap too with a free SSL certificate tossed in for added security. It’s the kind of business hosting that should work for the majority of users until they feel the need for dedicated servers or VPS assistance. You can always opt to upgrade to those via HostGator too.
When it comes to customer support, it’s available 24/7 via phone and live chat, so you’re good to go at all times, even if you’re delving into some late-night work. A drag-and-drop site builder as well as one-click WordPress set up means you can get a website launched quickly, although bear in mind that you need to pay for a business plan to gain SEO tools, which can be helpful. Uptime is consistently 99.9% and guaranteed to stay that way, so you won’t have to worry about your site dropping at a pivotal time. 

Bluehost is recommended by WordPress itself when it comes to simplifying WordPress installations, but there’s more to it than that. For a low price, Bluehost offers unmetered bandwidth across all its plans, along with a free SSL certificate. The basic plan only provides 50GB of storage, but it’s SSD based, which means faster speeds for your website and potentially better rankings on search engines. 
One of the best things about Bluehost is that it’s excellent at helping out beginners. After all, you know how to run a business, but you might not be tech-savvy. Bluehost offers guides and one-click solutions, so you’re never intimidated. 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and live chat means you’re only moments away from extra assistance too. Just keep an eye on pricing when setting up. It can get a little expensive when it comes to renewal with the low prices applying to the first year only. 

We’ve focused primarily on shared hosting plans here because small businesses are usually just fine with such plans. If you’re thinking long term, or you know your small business requires a significant online presence, Liquid Web has the best plans here for VPS, Cloud, and Dedicated server options. It’s an advanced solution, so beginners will be intimidated by the need to understand how various features work, and you’ll need a website ready to upload, since it doesn’t have a website builder.
However, it’s great for fast performance, guaranteed 100% uptime, all the security features you could possibly imagine, and more. Its services will protect your website from DDoS attacks, among many other things, and your site will always run speedily. Liquid Web is also able to offer 24/7/365 support via phone, email, or live chat. It won’t be for every business, given the high prices and complex needs, but if you know what you’re doing, this is probably the provider for you.

WPEngine isn’t an all-in-one solution like some web hosting. It lacks the option to add on a domain while you’re purchasing, as well as email accounts. If you know what you’re doing though, it’s a worthwhile cloud-based hosting service. That’s partly thanks to its fantastic speeds and performance, including a content delivery network (CDN), which means faster page loading for you and your customers. It also means the chance for higher search engine rankings.
You do require a bit of prior knowledge though, as WPEngine isn’t as intuitive as its competitors. Still, it’s well optimized for WordPress, which is sure to help many advanced users. It also has fantastic uptime with daily backups, and promises that you’ll never have to worry about potentially losing valuable content. If you know what you’re doing but don’t want the considerable expense of a dedicated solution, WPEngine probably covers all your needs. 

DreamHost is a well-known name in web hosting for a good reason — it’s very reliable. It is so reliable that it promises 100% uptime for shared hosting plans, something that isn’t always easy to find. On the Shared Starter plan, you get that promise, unlimited traffic, bandwidth, and fast SSD-based storage for better performance. Email is an optional extra, so you need to factor that into the cost, but it’s still pretty low.
There’s also extensive WordPress support here with a website builder app built-in and free WordPress migrations too. A free SSL certificate means your business will be secure for all too. Just remember that if you’re a big fan of live chat and don’t like phone support, chat is only available during select hours each day. 

If you simply require an online presence, Hostinger is perfect. Its cheapest plan starts at only $1 per month and gives you enough bandwidth to keep your website ticking along each month, as well as an all-important SSL certificate. Ideally, you’ll want to upgrade to a higher-end package if you’re going to do more with your website, but it’s a great place to start.
Whatever plan you choose, there are one-click install options and an easy website builder so you can build a landing page in hardly any time. 24/7 tech support is a useful bonus too, plus uptime is near-perfect. Prices rise steadily after the first year, and you may need a better plan for things like domain names and speedier performance, but that’s precisely why the basic service works just right for those who need a minimalist website.