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How to choose web hosting: a plain-English guide

By the Hosting & Websites team · Updated October 26, 2026 · 8 min read

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"Web hosting" is simply renting space on a computer that's always online, so people can reach your site. The hard part is that hosts sell many different types of hosting, and the right one depends on what you're building.

In this guide
  1. The five types of hosting
  2. When you might not need paid hosting
  3. Features that matter
  4. The renewal-price trap
  5. A quick decision path

The five types of hosting

1. Shared hosting

Your site shares a server with many others. It's the cheapest way to run WordPress or another dynamic site and is fine for most new blogs and small business sites. The trade-off: resources are shared, so very busy sites eventually outgrow it.

2. Managed WordPress hosting

Shared or cloud hosting tuned specifically for WordPress, usually with automatic updates, caching, staging and WordPress-savvy support. Worth it if WordPress is your platform and you'd rather not be the sysadmin.

3. VPS (virtual private server)

A slice of a server with guaranteed resources and full control. More power and flexibility, but you (or a managed plan) handle setup, security and updates.

4. Cloud hosting

Resources spread across multiple machines so you can scale up as traffic grows. Many "cloud" plans today are managed and beginner-friendly; others are developer platforms.

5. Website builders

Wix, Squarespace and Shopify include hosting in the subscription. You don't manage hosting at all, but you're tied to their platform and editor.

When you might not need paid hosting

If your site is a handful of pages that rarely change, such as a portfolio, a landing page, or a brochure site, a static host like Cloudflare Pages, GitHub Pages or Netlify can serve plain HTML files for free on their entry tiers, with fast global delivery and free SSL. You give up a point-and-click editor, and you can't run WordPress there.

Features that matter for a small site

  • Free SSL certificate (the padlock). Should be automatic.
  • Automatic backups, with one-click restore. Ask how often and how long they're kept.
  • One-click WordPress install and automatic updates if you're using WordPress.
  • Staging: a private copy of your site to test changes. Essential for stores.
  • Email hosting: included mailboxes versus a separate service such as Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.
  • Support: 24/7 chat, plus a searchable help center.
  • Data center location close to your visitors, or a CDN.

The renewal-price trap

Hosting is famous for low introductory prices that apply only when you prepay a long term, then renew at a higher regular rate. That's not necessarily bad, since prepaying can save money, but compare hosts on the total cost over the period you'll actually use them, including renewal. Also note which "free" extras (like a domain) are free for the first year only.

Tip: Keep your domain at your registrar (such as GoDaddy) and point it to your host with DNS. If you ever switch hosts, you change a couple of records instead of transferring the domain.

A quick decision path

  1. A few static pages? Static hosting.
  2. Want drag-and-drop with zero maintenance? Website builder.
  3. Want WordPress's flexibility and plugins? Shared or managed WordPress hosting.
  4. Running a store? Shopify, or WooCommerce on managed WordPress hosting.
  5. Outgrowing shared hosting? Cloud or VPS.

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