Key takeaways
- Start with your platform: choose hosting built for WordPress, WooCommerce or general websites.
- Storage type (NVMe SSD) and web server (such as LiteSpeed) affect speed more than headline gigabytes.
- Free SSL, malware scanning and a firewall should be included, not sold as extras.
- Compare renewal prices, not just the first-year offer.
- Check the support channels, the uptime SLA and the refund terms in writing.
Knowing how to choose web hosting saves you money and a great deal of frustration. The “best web hosting” is not the plan with the longest feature list or the lowest introductory price. It is the one that keeps your site fast and secure, gives you help when you need it and costs the same next year as it does today.
Use the twelve points below as a checklist when you compare providers. If you are new to the topic, start with what is web hosting? and come back here.
1. Match the hosting to your platform
The first question is not which host, but what kind of hosting. Your website platform decides the configuration you need:
- WordPress site (blog, business site, portfolio): choose WordPress hosting, which comes with WordPress installed and server caching that works with it.
- Online shop on WooCommerce: choose WooCommerce hosting, where caching is set up so product pages are fast while cart and checkout stay dynamic.
- Static site, custom PHP application or another CMS (Content Management System): choose general SSD hosting.
Not sure whether you need a WordPress-specific plan? Our comparison of WordPress hosting vs shared hosting explains the differences.
2. Check the storage type, not just the size
Many plans advertise large amounts of disk space. Most small websites use only a few gigabytes, so the type of storage matters more than the quantity. NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) SSDs connect directly to the server’s PCIe bus and handle many more simultaneous read and write operations than SATA SSDs or traditional hard drives. That translates into faster database queries, which is exactly what WordPress and WooCommerce do on every uncached page.
Read NVMe vs SSD hosting for a deeper comparison.
3. Ask which web server and caching they use
The web server is the software that answers requests from browsers. Common options are Apache, Nginx and LiteSpeed. LiteSpeed is event-driven, supports HTTP/3 and includes server-level page caching that integrates with the free LiteSpeed Cache plugin for WordPress and WooCommerce. A good caching setup means most visitors receive a ready-made page instead of waiting for PHP and the database to build it.
Ask the provider: Which web server do you run, and is server-level caching included at no extra cost?
4. Understand the resource limits
On shared hosting, each account has limits on processing power and the number of simultaneous processes. These limits protect everyone on the server, but if they are too low your site will slow down under load. Look for plans that state their limits clearly (storage, email accounts and fair-use terms) and check what happens when you reach them: is your site throttled, or are you charged automatically?
A clear plan structure, where you can move up to a bigger plan without moving your files when you outgrow it, is a good sign.
5. Make sure security is included
Basic security should be part of every plan, not an upsell. As a minimum, look for:
- A free SSL certificate that renews automatically, so your site always loads over HTTPS.
- A server firewall that filters unwanted traffic before it reaches your site.
- Brute-force protection that automatically blocks repeated failed login attempts.
- Separate accounts, so each customer's files and email are kept apart from everyone else's.
- Current PHP versions. WordPress recommends PHP 8.3 or newer; older versions no longer receive security fixes.
- A clear backup policy. Find out whether backups are included; if they aren't, plan your own routine with our guide on how to back up a WordPress site.
6. Read the uptime SLA, not the slogan
Every host says it is reliable. An SLA (Service Level Agreement) puts that in writing. A 99.9% monthly uptime commitment allows roughly 43 minutes of unplanned downtime in a 30-day month. Check how uptime is measured, what counts as scheduled maintenance and what compensation you receive, usually service credits, if the target is missed.
Be wary of claims such as “100% uptime” with no written terms behind them. No provider can promise that a server will never go down; what matters is the commitment and the compensation.
7. Test the support before you need it
When something breaks, the quality of support matters more than any feature. Check:
- Availability. Is technical support available 24/7, and through which channels: tickets, email, phone, chat?
- Expertise. Are tickets handled by engineers who can investigate server logs, or by agents reading from a script?
- Language and time zone. Support in English during UK and European working hours is important if you are based here.
A simple test: send a pre-sales question and see how quickly and clearly you get an answer.
8. Compare renewal prices and billing terms
This is where “cheap web hosting” often stops being cheap. Many plans advertise a heavily discounted first term and renew at two or three times the price. Before you buy, check:
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| What is the renewal price? | Your second-year bill may be much higher than the advertised price. |
| Is VAT included in the price shown? | Business prices are often shown without VAT; consumers should see the total. |
| Is the monthly price only available on a long contract? | A 36-month commitment ties you in. |
| Are SSL, email or security sold separately? | Add-ons can double the real cost. |
| Is there a money-back guarantee? | It lets you test the service with little risk. |
At Getradi, plans renew at the same price, prices are shown excluding VAT with VAT shown clearly on your order confirmation before you pay, and every plan has a 15-day money-back guarantee.
9. Consider server location and data protection
The physical location of the server affects two things. First, latency: the closer the server is to your visitors, the faster the first byte arrives. Second, data protection: if you collect personal data (contact forms, customer accounts, orders), hosting in the UK or EU keeps that data within a jurisdiction covered by UK GDPR or EU GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). Ask the provider where your data is stored and whether they offer a DPA (Data Processing Agreement).
Getradi hosts customer sites in a data centre in London and publishes its Data Processing Agreement.
10. Check what is included for email
Most businesses want email on their own domain. Check how many mailboxes are included and whether webmail, spam filtering and IMAP access are part of the plan. Our guide to creating a professional email address explains what to look for and how to set it up on your devices. If you send newsletters, use a dedicated email marketing service rather than your hosting mailbox.
11. Find out what the host does for you
If you don't want to spend your evenings configuring servers, the most useful question is simple: what will the host set up for you? A good basic hosting service should handle the technical parts so you can focus on your website:
- Account setup: your hosting is created for you, with the access details sent by email.
- Software ready to use: WordPress (and WooCommerce for shops) installed when your account is handed over.
- SSL issued for you: HTTPS active on your domain without you having to request or renew certificates.
- Email set up: mailboxes on your own domain, with clear settings for your phone and computer.
- DNS guidance: the exact records to add at your registrar. Our guide on pointing your domain to your hosting shows how.
- Help by email: a support team you can ask in plain language, at any hour.
Hosts aimed at developers often focus on command-line tools instead. If you don't need them, a service that does the setup for you is usually the better value.
12. Plan how you will move in (and out)
If you already have a website, ask whether the provider will migrate it for you and whether that is free. Equally, make sure you can leave easily: you should be able to download your files and databases at any time, with no exit fees. Our step-by-step guide to migrating a WordPress site covers the process if you prefer to do it yourself.
Your printable hosting checklist
Copy this list and tick off each point as you compare providers:
- Hosting type matches my platform (general, WordPress or WooCommerce).
- NVMe SSD storage with enough space for a year of growth.
- Modern web server with free server-level caching.
- Clear plan limits and fair-use terms, with simple upgrades.
- Free auto-renewing SSL, a server firewall and brute-force protection.
- Written uptime SLA with compensation.
- 24/7 technical support from engineers.
- Renewal price stated clearly, VAT shown transparently and a money-back guarantee.
- Servers in the UK or EU and a published DPA.
- Enough email accounts on my own domain for my business.
- Account, software, SSL and email set up for me, with help by email.
- Free migration in, and easy export out.
How Getradi plans measure up
We designed our plans around this checklist. Every Getradi plan includes NVMe SSD storage, the OpenLiteSpeed web server with HTTP/3, a free SSL certificate, a server firewall and brute-force login protection, 24/7 ticket support and a 99.9% uptime SLA backed by service credits. WordPress and WooCommerce plans come with LiteSpeed Cache ready to use. Every plan also includes free migration of your existing site by our team.
| Plan level | NVMe SSD | Email accounts | Price (billed yearly) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | 5 GB | 2 | €15.90/month + VAT |
| Plus | 10 GB | 5 | €19.90/month + VAT |
| Pro | 15 GB | 10 | €39.90/month + VAT |
The same three levels are available as SSD hosting, WordPress hosting and WooCommerce hosting.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best web hosting for a small business?
For most small businesses, good shared hosting on NVMe SSD storage with a fast web server, free SSL, a server firewall and responsive support is the best balance of cost and performance. Choose WordPress or WooCommerce hosting if your site runs on those platforms.
Is cheap web hosting worth it?
Low prices are fine if the essentials are included and the renewal price is the same as the introductory one. Watch for plans that double at renewal, charge extra for SSL, or limit resources so tightly that your site slows down as it grows.
Does the location of my hosting server matter?
Yes. A server close to your audience reduces latency. It also affects data protection: hosting in the UK or EU keeps personal data within a jurisdiction covered by UK GDPR or EU GDPR.
How much storage does a website need?
Most small business websites need only a few gigabytes. Add your current site size, a year of growth and your email usage, then leave headroom. Image optimisation keeps storage use low.
Can I switch hosting providers later?
Yes. Your domain stays the same and you move the files and database to the new host, then update DNS. Many providers, including Getradi on every plan, migrate the site for you free of charge.