If you are looking into getting a website for the first time, you have probably come across the term "web hosting" and thought: what is that and do I have to pay for it? Fair question. Let us clear it up.
Web hosting explained (without the jargon)
A website is made up of files. Text, images, code — all of it lives in a collection of files, just like the documents on your computer. But for other people to see your website, those files need to live on a computer that is permanently connected to the internet and set up to share those files with anyone who asks for them.
That computer is called a server. And web hosting is simply the service of renting space on one of those servers.
Think of it like renting a shop unit. Your website is the stock on the shelves. The hosting is the physical building that holds it all and keeps the doors open 24 hours a day so customers can walk in whenever they want.
Without hosting, your website files would just sit on your laptop. Technically a website, but one that only you can see. Not terribly useful for getting customers.
How it works in practice
Here is what happens when someone visits your website:
- They type your web address (like yourbusiness.co.uk) into their browser or click a link to your site.
- Their browser asks the internet "where are the files for this website?"
- The internet points to the server where your hosting is. Your domain name is what connects your web address to the right server.
- The server sends your website files to the visitor's browser.
- Their browser puts those files together and displays your website on their screen.
All of this happens in a fraction of a second. The visitor never sees or thinks about any of it. They just see your website.
Do you actually need to think about hosting?
That depends on how your website is built.
If you use a website builder (Wix, Squarespace, etc.)
Hosting is included. It is baked into your monthly subscription. You do not need to think about it, choose a provider, or set anything up. The trade off is that you are locked into that platform — your site can only live on their servers, and if you stop paying, it disappears.
If you have a professionally built website
You will usually need hosting, but your web designer will either set it up for you or recommend a provider. Some web designers include hosting in their service. Others hand you the files and let you sort out your own hosting. Either way, it is not complicated.
If you are using WordPress
You need hosting. WordPress is a piece of software that gets installed on a server, and you need to rent that server space from a hosting provider. Your web designer can set this up, or you can do it yourself through providers like SiteGround, Krystal, or 20i.
Types of hosting (and which one you need)
Hosting comes in several varieties. For a small business website, you only need to know about two of them.
Shared hosting
This is the entry level option. Your website shares a server with hundreds of other websites. It is the cheapest type of hosting, typically costing £3 to £10 per month in the UK. For a standard small business website, shared hosting is absolutely fine.
The downside is that you are sharing resources. If another website on the same server suddenly gets a massive spike in traffic, it could temporarily slow your site down. In practice, this rarely affects small business websites because you are not getting millions of visitors.
Managed hosting
This is shared hosting with added support. The hosting company handles updates, security, backups, and performance optimisation for you. It costs a bit more, typically £15 to £40 per month, but it takes the technical management off your plate entirely.
If you are using WordPress and do not want to think about updates and security, managed WordPress hosting is worth considering. Providers like Krystal and 20i offer good managed WordPress hosting in the UK.
Other types you probably do not need
VPS hosting, dedicated servers, and cloud hosting are all options for larger websites with complex needs. If you are a small business with a five page website and a contact form, you do not need any of these. Do not let a hosting company upsell you on something you do not require.
What to look for in a hosting provider
If you do need to choose a hosting provider, here are the things that actually matter:
- Uptime guarantee. This is the percentage of time the server is online and working. Look for 99.9% uptime. Anything less means your site could be down for noticeable periods.
- UK based servers. If your customers are in the UK, your hosting should be in the UK. This means your website loads faster for your visitors and Google recognises it as a UK site.
- SSL certificate included. An SSL certificate makes your site secure (the padlock in the browser bar). Most hosting providers include a free SSL certificate. If they charge extra for it, look elsewhere.
- Daily backups. If something goes wrong with your site, you want to be able to restore it to yesterday's version. Automatic daily backups should be standard.
- Support. When something breaks at 9pm on a Thursday, you want to be able to get help. Check that the provider offers support by phone, email, or live chat and that it is not outsourced to a call centre where nobody understands the problem.
UK hosting providers worth considering
If you need to choose your own hosting, here are some UK based providers with good reputations for small business hosting:
- Krystal — UK based, powered by renewable energy, good support. Shared hosting starts from about £5 per month.
- 20i — UK company, generous resource allowances, free SSL. Plans from around £5 per month.
- SiteGround — Not UK based but has UK servers. Excellent support and performance. Around £3 to £12 per month.
- Stablepoint — UK based, fast servers, good for WordPress. Plans from about £4 per month.
Avoid the temptation to go with the absolute cheapest option. The difference between £3 and £7 per month is negligible when you consider that slow loading times or frequent downtime could be costing you customers.
The free hosting trap
Some providers offer free hosting. This sounds appealing but usually comes with significant strings attached. Free hosting typically means your site is very slow, you get adverts placed on your pages that you have no control over, there is limited or no support when something goes wrong, and the provider can shut down or change their terms at any time.
For a personal hobby site, free hosting might be fine. For a business that depends on making a good first impression, it is not worth the risk. Spending £5 a month on proper hosting is one of the cheapest and most important investments your business can make online.
Hosting and site speed
Your hosting directly affects how fast your website loads. And site speed matters more than most people realise. Google uses page speed as a ranking factor — slower sites rank lower. And according to Google's own research, 53% of mobile visitors leave a site that takes more than three seconds to load.
Good hosting gives your site a fast starting point. Poor hosting means your site is fighting an uphill battle before a single visitor even arrives.
That said, hosting is only one factor in site speed. How your website is built matters too. A well coded, lightweight site on basic hosting will load faster than a bloated, image heavy site on premium hosting. If you are interested in understanding more about what makes a good website, have a look at our guide on what should be on your business website.
What about email hosting?
Some hosting providers include business email addresses as part of the package. This means you can have an email like info@yourbusiness.co.uk instead of yourbusiness@gmail.com. A professional email address makes your business look more established and trustworthy.
If email hosting is not included with your web hosting, you can set it up separately through Google Workspace (from about £5 per user per month) or Microsoft 365 (similar pricing). Both work well for small businesses.
The bottom line
Web hosting sounds technical but it is actually one of the simpler aspects of getting a website. You need it, it does not cost much, and once it is set up, you rarely need to think about it again.
If you are getting a website built professionally, ask the designer whether hosting is included or whether you need to arrange it separately. If you are going the DIY route with Wix or Squarespace, hosting is built in. Either way, it is not something to lose sleep over.
Pair this knowledge with an understanding of domain names and you have got the two technical foundations of a website covered. Everything else is about the content and design, which is the part that actually matters to your customers.
Frequently asked questions
What is web hosting in simple terms?
Web hosting is renting space on a computer (called a server) that is permanently connected to the internet. Your website files live on that server, and when someone types your web address into their browser, the server sends those files to their screen. Without hosting, your website files would just sit on your computer with no way for anyone else to see them.
How much does web hosting cost for a small business?
Basic shared hosting in the UK costs between £3 and £10 per month. More premium options with better performance run from £15 to £50 per month. For a standard small business website without an online shop, the cheapest tier is usually perfectly adequate. Some website providers include hosting in the price of the build so there are no ongoing costs.
Is hosting the same as a domain name?
No. They are two different things that work together. Your domain name is your web address (like yourbusiness.co.uk) and your hosting is where your website files are stored. Think of the domain as your street address and the hosting as the building itself. You need both for a working website, but they are often purchased from different providers.
What happens if my hosting provider goes down?
If your hosting provider has an outage, your website will be temporarily unavailable. Reputable hosting providers guarantee 99.9% uptime, which means your site might be down for a few minutes per year at most. If you are concerned about reliability, choose an established provider with a strong track record. The very cheap hosting providers tend to have more downtime issues.
Do I need hosting if I use Wix or Squarespace?
No. Wix, Squarespace, and similar website builders include hosting as part of their monthly subscription. This is convenient but means you cannot move your site to a different host if you want to. With a traditionally built website, you choose your own hosting provider and have the freedom to switch if you find a better deal or better performance elsewhere.