The short answer
Web hosting is the service that keeps your website online. Your website's files live on a computer called a server, which is connected to the internet all day, every day. When someone types in your web address, the server sends them your website. Without hosting, your website can't be seen by anyone.
What web hosting is
Every website is made up of files, such as its pages, photos and styling. Many websites also have a database that stores things like your homepage, service pages, blog posts and product pages. All of this has to live somewhere that's switched on and connected to the internet around the clock. That's a server, and web hosting is renting space on one.
A simple way to think of it is that your domain name is your address and hosting is the building your website lives in. You need both for people to find you.
How it works
When someone visits your website, a few things happen in a fraction of a second.
- They type your web address, or click a link to it.
- The internet looks up where your website is hosted, a bit like a phone book.
- Their browser asks your hosting server for the page.
- The server sends the page back, and it appears on their screen.
That's why good hosting matters. A slow or unreliable server means a slow or missing website, and visitors rarely wait around.
Types of hosting
There are a few main types. For most small businesses, the choice comes down to how much you want to manage yourself.
| Type | What it means | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Shared hosting | Your website shares a server with many others. Cheap, but a busy neighbour can slow you down. | Very small, simple websites |
| Managed hosting | A provider runs the server and looks after updates, security and backups for you. | Businesses that want it handled |
| VPS hosting | A private slice of a server with its own guaranteed resources, but you or your developer manage it. | Growing websites and online shops |
| Dedicated server | A whole server just for you. Powerful and expensive. | Large, busy websites |
| Website builder hosting | Hosting comes included with the builder, so there's nothing to set up. | Owners who don't want to think about it |
What web hosting costs in the UK
Prices vary widely. As a rough guide, basic shared hosting can cost a few pounds a month, while managed hosting with security, backups and support usually costs more. Cheap hosting often leaves the technical jobs to you, such as updates, security fixes and sorting out problems when something breaks.
With our website builder, UK hosting, security, updates and the padlock are all included in the monthly price, so there's no separate hosting bill.
What to look for in a hosting provider
- UK servers for fast loading for UK visitors.
- An SSL certificate included, so your website shows the padlock. See what an SSL certificate is.
- Security updates kept up to date, to protect against hacking.
- Regular backups, so your website can be restored if something goes wrong.
- Good speed and reliability, because slow websites lose visitors and rank lower on Google.
- Real support from people who'll help when you need it.
What's the difference between hosting and a domain name?
People often mix them up. Your domain name is the address people type in, such as yourbusiness.co.uk. Your hosting is where the website actually lives. You can buy them from the same company or from different ones, and you can move your hosting without changing your domain name. Our domain name guide explains more.
Questions
Does hosting affect SEO?
Yes. Google favours websites that load quickly and stay online, and both depend on your hosting. Slow or unreliable hosting can hold your rankings back. Our SEO and GEO guide explains more.
Can I move my website to a different host?
Usually, yes. Your website's files and database are copied to the new server, then your domain name is pointed at it. It needs care, so nothing goes offline in the move.
Is email included with hosting?
Sometimes. Some hosting packages include business email and some don't, so it's worth checking before you buy.
What happens if I stop paying for hosting?
Your website goes offline. Your domain name is separate, so you keep it as long as it's renewed, and you can host your website somewhere else.
