Cheap web hosting can be perfectly good for a small business site, but the headline price rarely tells the full story. The introductory price often rises at renewal, and the features that matter, such as backups, security and support, vary far more than the price does.
Types of hosting
| Type | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Shared hosting | Small brochure sites with modest traffic | Resources are shared with other sites, so performance can vary |
| Managed WordPress hosting | WordPress sites where you want updates and security handled | A higher monthly price |
| VPS or cloud hosting | Growing sites that need more control | Needs technical skill, or a managed option that costs more |
| Website builder with hosting included | Owners who want a simple site without technical work | Less flexibility, and you are tied to the platform |
What to check beyond the price
- The renewal price, not just the introductory offer, and the length of the contract
- Backups. Automatic daily backups, how long they are kept, and whether restoring one is easy
- Security. An SSL certificate included, malware scanning and a firewall
- Uptime. A commitment of around 99.9%, and what the provider does if it fails to deliver
- Performance. Fast storage, caching, and servers located near your visitors
- Data location. A UK or EU data centre makes UK GDPR questions simpler if you collect customer data
- Support. Live chat or phone help during UK business hours
- Email. Often charged separately, so check mailbox costs
- Room to grow, with an upgrade path that doesn't need a painful migration
What a UK business website must include
- Company details. A limited company must show its company name, registered number, registered office address and place of registration on its website
- A privacy notice, explaining what personal data you collect and why, under UK GDPR
- Cookie consent. Non-essential cookies need consent under PECR, so check your site's banner works properly
- Your own domain registration. Register your .co.uk or .uk domain in your own name, even if the host offers to do it, so you can move hosts without losing it
Choosing
- Decide what the site must do now, and what it might need in two years.
- Compare the renewal price of two or three hosts, not the first-year deal.
- Check how backups work and how you would restore one.
- Look at the support options before you need them.
- Avoid long prepaid terms until you have tested the service.
Planning for a move later
Moving host is easier if you plan for it. Keep a full copy of your site and database, note where your domain and DNS are managed, and avoid hosts that make exporting your site difficult. Lower the DNS time-to-live a day or two before a move so the change spreads quickly, test the new site before switching, and keep the old account for a short while afterwards in case something is missing. A host that makes leaving easy is usually one that is confident about keeping you.
Backups matter beyond hosting too, so see our guide to cloud backup software for small business. If you manage the site yourself, our overview of content management systems explains the options, and business security solutions covers the wider security picture.