Linux is a free open-source operating system (OS) that can ensure robust security and enhanced performance when hosting a website. Linux gives users a greater degree of control over their web hosting settings and has a large variety of distributions that can be customized to suit each user’s specific requirements. Despite Linux not being as user-friendly as Windows, it’s still the most popular OS for web developers due to its efficiency, flexibility, and affordability. As of 2023, Linux powers 38% of websites and nearly half of the top 1,000,000 websites!
Although there are tons of different Linux web hosts to choose from, some have much cheaper hosting packages than others. If you’re looking for the most low-cost web host for Linux, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve researched the top best Linux web hosts that are not only inexpensive, but also offer a wide range of fantastic features, generous resource allocation, and reliable customer support. Keep reading to discover the cheapest Linux hosting providers in 2023.
The cheapest Linux hosting providers quick guide
- Hostgator – Best overall choice
- Siteground – Fantastic uptime & speeds
- Bluehost – Budget-friendly & feature-rich
What is Linux web hosting and why is it so popular?
Simply put, Linux hosting refers to a website that is hosted on servers running Linux. Since Linux is open-source, web hosting providers are not required to pay licensing fees for running this OS on their servers. This means that the providers can offer much lower prices for Linux hosting compared to Windows.
Despite Linux being incredibly low-cost, this is not the only advantage of using this OS to host your website. Due to the open-sourced nature of Linux, its community of developers can constantly review its code and patch any vulnerability issues. Additionally, due to its small market share compared to macOS and Windows OS, Linux is a generally lesser target for hackers and malware. There is also a range of Linux distributions that have been built specifically with security in mind, so overall hosting your website with Linux is the most secure option to prevent DDoS attacks and other threats.
Another advantage of Linux is that it’s highly stable and needs fewer resources (such as disk space) to run compared to other operating systems. This can lead to an even lower overall cost when it comes to hosting your website. Linux also supports virtually all of the major programming languages including C, C++, Java, Python, PHP, NodeJS, and Ruby.
Finally, Linux is especially versatile when it comes to web hosting control panels such as cPanel, and Plesk, so even beginners can swiftly manage and navigate through various settings. Overall, Linux is customizable, secure, efficient, and inexpensive, making it the most popular OS for web hosting.
The cheapest Linux hosting providers in 2023
Although all web hosts offer cheaper plans for Linux hosting compared to Windows hosting, some providers are much better suited for users who are looking for the most cost-effective plan possible. Additionally, not all web hosts are equal, with some providing plans that are more feature-rich plans than others.
We want to ensure that you have the best hosting experience possible so we’ve thoroughly researched and handpicked the cheapest Linux hosting providers that also offer a stable uptime, reliable customer support, and a range of user-friendly features. We have reviewed these web hosts based on their shared Linux hosting plans. So, without further ado, here are the cheapest Linux hosting providers in 2023 –
- Hostgator
HostGator is a popular hosting provider that offers cost-effective Linux hosting plans that are packed with powerful tools and features. Founded almost 20 years ago and hosting over 2 million websites, Hostgator has built a solid reputation for being reliable, scalable, and user-friendly. This web host is ideal for both beginner and expert users who are looking for the absolute best bang for the buck.
There are three shared hosting plans available with Hostgator, all of which can run on Linux. The mid-tier Baby plan, can support an unlimited number of websites and provides users with unmetered bandwidth and disk space, free domain transfer, unlimited subdomains, free SSL, and free one year domain registration. For a small upgrade, users can also benefit from free dedicated IP and a free positive SSL upgrade. All plans come with the latest CPanel support, advanced email tools, and MySQL databases with phpMyAdmin access.
For an easy website building experience, you can make use of Hostgator’s built-in site builder. All of the web host’s plans come equipped with this handy tool which can be used to build a functional and attractive website in just a few minutes. All you need to do is answer a few questions and the AI will craft a unique and industry-specific website on your behalf. From there, you can make any alterations such as changing fonts, images, and colour schemes. You can even use the included logo maker to design a beautiful logo for your business.
HostGator has an impressive average uptime of 99.95%, meaning that you’re likely to experience less than 4 hours of downtime per year. This web host also provides a generous uptime guarantee which promises that if your website’s uptime drops below 99.90% then you’re entitled to a month’s worth of credit. Additionally, Hostgator is renowned for having a quick server response time and super-fast page loading speeds, with their shared hosting plans being almost as fast as their cloud hosting. These competitive speeds are what distinguish Hostgator the most from other low-cost hosting providers.
All Hostgator customers will receive automatic courtesy website backups and 24/7 server monitoring in addition to having access to the web host’s 24/7 customer support which is available through phone calls and live chat. Hostgator also has a massive knowledge base that’s crammed with helpful resources such as FAQs, guides, and video tutorials.
Try out one of Hostgator’s shared Linux hosting plans now for free for 45 days with their money-back guarantee!
- Siteground
Siteground is a high-quality hosting provider that offers a selection of hosting plans at competitive prices, making it another great choice for users who are looking for an affordable Linux web hosting solution. To date, Siteground has hosted over 2 million domains. From personal blogs to huge eCommerce businesses, this web host provides full-featured hosting plans that can suit any sized website at a low cost.
SiteGround runs Linux CentOS on their shared servers and has three available plans. The standard GrowBig plan can support an unlimited number of websites and offers 20 GB of storage space, completely unmetered traffic, and approximately 100, monthly visits. Users receive free SSL, daily backups, unlimited databases, unlimited email accounts, and access to the Weebly site builder. There is also a variety of performance boosters included in all shared hosting plans such as Sitegrounds in-house caching service, SuperCacher, free CDN, HTTP/2 enabled servers, and customised server setup. Additionally, all files and databases are stored on resilient SSD drives to ensure even faster speeds.
Siteground’s incredible average 99.99% uptime places them as one of the best performing web hosts in the market. This equals less than one hour of downtime every single year, meaning that you’ll never lose out on visitors or sales due to your website being offline. Siteground showcases their confidence in their server’s performance by offering a 99.9% monthly uptime guarantee. If the web host’s service drops below this target percentage, then users can benefit from a free month’s subscription. Siteground’s page loading speeds are just as impressive and the web host has proven to deliver rapid server response times from all over the world.
Siteground puts great emphasis on assisting customers and has an expert support team with 24/7 availability, so you can ensure that any issues are resolved promptly. Furthermore, this web host has an extensive knowledge base that’s full of detailed tutorials, FAQs, and informative podcasts.
Try out one of Siteground’s shared Linux hosting plans now for free for 30 days with their money-back guarantee!
- Bluehost
Founded all the way back in 1996, Bluehost is one of the oldest and most well-known web hosts in the market. Bluehost is one of the few providers that have been officially recommended by WordPress, and for good reason. This web host is easy-to-use, reliable, and most importantly, incredibly inexpensive, making it a fine choice for Linux shared hosting.
Bluehost has four shared hosting plans available for both 12 and 36 month contracts. The recommended Choice Plus plan provides users with unmetered SSD storage, unmetered bandwidth, unlimited MySQL databases, one year free domain name registration, and unlimited parked/sub domains. For a small upgrade to the Pro plan, you can also get premium SSL, automated backups, and optimised CPU performance.
All plans are equipped with Bluehost’s drag and drop website builder at no extra cost. This tool allows users to craft an eye-catching website with just a few clicks. Bluehost has hundreds of quick-start templates to choose from that can then be altered with specialised fonts and colour schemes. There’s also a stock image library containing hundreds of free-to-use photos that can help make your website look professional and distinctive.
Bluehost has consistently fast server response speeds worldwide in addition to a competitive average uptime of 99.98%. Unfortunately, this web host currently does not have an uptime guarantee, however, this stable uptime ensures that a guarantee is not necessarily needed for Bluehost users.
Bluehost has an all-in-one dashboard that makes it easy to navigate between settings and tools when setting up and managing your website. As with the other hosting providers, Bluehost has a highly knowledgeable support team available 24/7 via phone or live chat. Alternatively, you can check out the vast support center for how-tos, instructions, guides, and FAQs.
Try out one of Bluehost’s shared Linux hosting plans now for free for 30 days with their money-back guarantee!
A final note
If you’re not sure how to get started when it comes to web hosting, then check out answers to common web hosting questions!