Hosting a website can be expensive, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be. If you’re interested in setting up a simple website for your small business, then you can do so without breaking the bank. On the other hand, if you want to host a complex website with lots of advanced features and add-ons, then you can expect a significant amount of additional expenses.
The amount of money it costs to host a website depends on a range of factors including the type of hosting plan you want, your chosen hosting provider, the length of your plan, and which features you want included in the plan. In this article, we’ll break down the various factors that influence the overall cost of hosting a website so you have a better idea of what to expect when setting up a site yourself. Keep reading to learn how much it costs to host a website in 2023!
Factors that influence the cost of hosting a website
When it comes to web hosting, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Different users and businesses all have different needs and priorities for their websites which can drastically influence how much they will have to spend. Here are a few factors that influence the cost of hosting a website in 2023 –
Type of hosting solution
There is a range of different hosting solutions to choose from with each having their own advantages, disadvantages, and price ranges. Here is a quick rundown of the most popular web hosting solutions and how much they typically cost –
Shared hosting – This web hosting solution is highly affordable and best suited to new users who are interested in hosting a smaller-sized website. Shared hosting is generally very easy to set up but does offer much less flexibility for users compared to other hosting solutions. If you are on a tight budget or you have minimal technical knowledge when it comes to website hosting, then shared hosting is likely your best option. Shared hosting typically costs between 2.99€ and 13.99€ per month.
Dedicated hosting – With dedicated hosting, an entire physical server is dedicated to your website, allowing for much more flexibility and much better performance compared to shared hosting. Dedicated hosting is best suited for mid-large-sized businesses who intend to host high-traffic websites that expect a considerable amount of growth overtime. However, this additional security, flexibility, and performance does lead to a much higher monthly cost. Dedicated hosting typically costs between 79.99€ and 134,99€ per month.
VPS hosting – Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting is where your website runs on dedicated resources under a virtual server. As with dedicated hosting, running your website with VPS hosting means you do not have to share your resources with other websites. Additionally, with VPS hosting you can easily acquire on-demand resources and swiftly scale your website if needed. VPS hosting is mid-tier when it comes to affordability, as it is not as inexpensive as shared hosting but also not as expensive as dedicated hosting. VPS hosting typically costs between 25.99€ and 63.99€ per month.
If you want to find out more about these and other popular hosting solutions, then check out this detailed article!
Hosting provider
There are currently over 330,000 web hosting providers worldwide, giving users an absurd amount of choice when it comes to hosting a website. Of course, not all these providers will be suited to your needs, preferences, and budget. However, it can still be incredibly difficult to find a hosting provider that’s best for your website. If you really can’t decide, then check out this selection of our top recommended hosting providers and the prices they offer for each hosting solution –
Shared hosting – 2€ – 5€
Dedicated hosting – 86€ – 134€
VPS hosting – 22€ – 57€
Shared hosting – 2€ – 13€
Dedicated hosting – 76€ – 115€
VPS hosting – 18€ – 57€
Shared hosting – 2€ – 12€
Dedicated hosting – 101€ – 130€
VPS hosting – 42€ – 63€
Important note –
We understand that price isn’t everything and other factors such as a web host’s performance, reliability, security, support, and selection features also matter. If you’re still struggling to decide on a suitable web hosting provider, then feel free to have a read of any of the following articles –
Best web hosts for Windows users
Best web hosts for hosting multiple websites
Best web hosts for non-profit websites
Included features
There are tons of features and addons that you can make use of when hosting a website, with some being optional whilst others are completely necessary. Purchasing various features can quickly increase the overall cost of hosting your website, so it’s a good idea to consider what your website truly needs. Here are a few additional features that can be purchased alongside a web hosting plan –
SSL Certificate – A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate is a must-have feature for most websites, especially those with an eCommerce presence. SSL is a security protocol that helps to keep sensitive customer information private and secure by establishing an encrypted link between devices. If you want to protect your customers from threats such as identity theft and credit card fraud, then you need to have an SSL certificate. SSL certificates are sometimes included as a free add-on in web hosting plans but can also be purchased separately for approximately 50€ per year.
Domain name – A domain name refers to the test that you type into your browser to reach a specific website (such as Google.,com). Domain names make it easier to locate and visit websites online, as otherwise users would have to enter an IP address to find a specific site. Again, some web hosting providers include a one-year domain name registration in their hosting plans, but this is not always the case. Domain names can drastically vary in price but generally cost users between 10€ – 20€ per year. You can also use a domain checker to search for available domains and their prices.
Marketing tools – Marketing tools, although not necessary, can be incredibly useful in growing your website and expanding your audience reach. If you intend to advertise your business through search engine results, social media, and email marketing, then there are certain tools available to help you out. For example, you can use SEO (search engine optimization) tools to help create keywords, manage backlinks, and improve your overall ranking on search engines. SEO tools prices can vary but can typically cost you between 50€ – 150€ per month.
Customization – If you want to easily customise your website to make it appealing and engaging, then you can purchase certain tools to help. For instance, you can head to popular template marketplaces such as TemplateMonster and ThemeForest to purchase themes at a one-time cost of between 20€ and 200€. With these templates, along with other customization tools, you can change all elements on your website including fonts, colour schemes, photos, backgrounds, and borders.