Choosing a website hosting company for your eCommerce site is one of the most important decisions you will make when starting up an online business. You need to be sure that your website is being hosted by a reliable provider who offers sufficient bandwidth, storage space, and excellent customer service. In this blog post, we have compiled a list of the best providers in the industry today, regardless of which type of ecommerce website you have!
Best Website Hosting for Ecommerce
1.) WebCitz
WebCitz is among the fastest ecommerce web hosting providers in the industry. To provide its WordPress ecommerce hosting services, they utilize their own fully-managed, dedicated web servers located in Hivelocity’s data centers in Tampa, FL and Dallas, TX.
WebCitz offers two types of ecommerce web hosting – performance web hosting for online stores and turbo charged web hosting for online stores.
Their performance ecommerce hosting runs on dedicated servers with Dual Intel Xeon 5220 CPUs (36 Cores, 72 Threads), 128GB+ ECC Server Memory, and Hardware RAID-10 SSD Storage w/ BBU.
Their turbo charged ecommerce hosting runs on dedicated servers with AMD EPYC 7742 CPUs (64 Cores, 128 Threads), 256GB+ ECC Server Memory, and RAID-10 NVMe Storage.
We recommend ecommerce stores use the turbo charged hosting to ensure page speeds on category and product pages are as fast as possible. You will be happy to learn all of their hosting services include offsite backups, email spam protection and the latest cPanel control panel.
2.) SiteGround
SiteGround is the best provider in terms of customer support, reliability and affordability. They are one of the cheapest providers on our list yet their features are second to none. For starters, they offer daily backups with an easy restore option should anything go wrong at any time!
They also provide unlimited monthly bandwidth, which means your site will never slow down, regardless of how many customers are trying to purchase your products! Your website is hosted by a company based in Europe but they have an extensive network across three continents that guarantee 99.99% uptime.
SiteGround also uses SSDs instead of HDDs for their servers, resulting in much faster load times than traditional web hosts who use HDDs. The GoGeek plan includes free Let’s Encypt certificates through Siteground, as well as daily backups so you can easily restore your site without losing any data or customers!
They also have one of the best customer service teams in the industry, with most support tickets responded to within just a few minutes. This is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly, especially for an eCommerce store that needs to be online at all times!
In fact, it is this customer service that puts Siteground above the competition. This is because reliability and uptime are the most important features of a website host when it comes to eCommerce stores.
SiteGround’s eCommerce plans also include free shopping carts with installation, a free eShop transfer, and an optimized server that is designed for online stores.
SiteGround offers a free migration service, which means there is no need to worry about transferring over all of your existing data and customizations from the old host. This saves time and money for any store owner who has already built up their site with another provider.
I recommend the $9.99 GrowBig Plan, which comes with added features for scalability and performance, like SuperCacher for improved load time.
3.) A2 Hosting
A company with a history of excellence, A Hosting is perfect for both new and experienced eCommerce store owners looking to take their business online! They have a highly secure server infrastructure with around-the-clock monitoring and automatic backups.
With A2 Hosting, you don’t have to worry about your web hosting package being incompatible with eCommerce. You can choose between a shared, VPS, or dedicated plan, and then feel confident that it will be able to support online stores on any of those platforms.
A2’s Guru Crew (aka customer support) is available around the clock, and they offer live chat as well. Additionally, there’s a really useful knowledge base you can access anytime if you need help with anything.
The best plan includes unlimited monthly bandwidth as well as three free Let’s Encrypt certificates, which is great news if you’re looking for SSL encryption on all of your pages!
Alongside this SSL, you get HackScan protection, DDoS protection, and a firewall to make sure unauthorized users don’t get through.
If you are a newcomer to the online world and your store is still small, then we recommend signing up for our Turbo Boost Shared plan (just $9.99 a month). Once your business expands in the future, you can always make use of VPS plans which will offer more resources at an affordable price.
4.) InMotion
InMotion Hosting has been providing hosting solutions since 2001 as well, with servers located in Los Angeles and Virginia.
InMotion Hosting is recognized as one of the best web hosts around due to its 99% uptime guarantee, which ensures that your site stays up even if there are any issues with the server.
Their 24/365 support team is based out of North America to ensure fast response time no matter where you live or what time it is. With an established history, excellent infrastructure, and helpful support staff InMotion hosting may just be the right fit for your eCommerce business.
I recommend the Power Plan at just $7.99 per month, which not only comes with one-click shopping cart installations, but also comes equipped with multiple eCommerce apps to choose from. You can find preinstalled PrestaShop, WooCommerce Magento, and OpenCart on this plan!
Regardless of the plan you chose, you get free SSD (solid-state drives), which are faster and more reliable than traditional hard drives. InMotion also offers free daily backups, which you can access anytime through a simple file manager in cPanel!
InMotion’s security isn’t quite up to snuff compared to their competitor’s options, but you still get, SSL certificate, scheduled automatic backups for secure storage of valuable information, and the standard use of anti-malware software.
5.) Bluehost
Since 1996, Bluehost has been providing hosting services for their users. They are known as the world’s largest shared web host and also offer VPS (virtual private servers) and dedicated servers if you’re looking to scale up your business with additional features.
Their backend user interface is incredibly intuitive to navigate, which makes it easy to set up your eCommerce website with one-click installation of shopping carts like Magento. You can also install WordPress within seconds through their simple file manager interface.
Bluehost offers some of the best support on the web, with live chat available 24/365. You’ll also get access to an extensive knowledge base, which you can reference if you need help setting up your website or shopping cart.
Since Bluehost is one of few hosts that supports PCI compliance for eCommerce websites, it’s a great choice for any business looking to take credit card payments online!
For just $11.99 per month (or $119 annually) this plan comes packed full of features like unlimited bandwidth and disk space so you never have to worry about overages again.
Their security suite includes malware scanning software as well as daily backups in case anything happens to your site unexpectedly – perfect for protecting information, such as customer addresses and credit card numbers.
Bluehost’s Starter WooCommerce plan ($6.95/month) includes a free two-hour setup call with an expert, 100 GB SSD storage, and pre-installed Storefront Theme.
You get complete access to cPanel’s file manager with Bluehost, where you can easily manage files in real-time! You also have full SSH capabilities so you don’t have to worry about being locked out when making changes or updates in the future.
On top of this, there are daily backups available, along with free SSL certificates, spam Assassin protection, Secure Shell access (SSH), and protection from hotlinks.
6.) HostGator
HostGator is a popular and affordable hosting provider that has been in the industry since 2002. HostGator is well-known for its cheap pricing. In fact, it is the first hosting provider I ever used, which cost me just $0.99 for the first month!
They are known for their excellent customer service, affordable prices, and variety of hosting plans to fit any business’ needs. HostGator offers three different types of hosting services – shared, cloud, and dedicated servers.
They have many attractive packages for new customers, such as unlimited bandwidth, email accounts, and a free domain for the first year! Once customers have signed up, they rarely leave due to the impressive 1 hour of downtime per year.
They will host your WordPress blog or eCommerce website with ease, featuring unlimited disk space and bandwidth. Some of their plans also include a free domain name for one year along with cPanel access to make it easier than ever before to manage your site!
They also offer a wide range of security features, including daily backups and malware scanning for your peace of mind. Plus you can access their site using SSH whenever necessary!
For just $2.75/month (current offer) Hostgator’s Hatchling plan comes packed full of features like unlimited disk space and bandwidth so you never have to worry about overages again, as well as 24/365 support from one of the best customer service teams out there.
7.) DreamHost
DreamHost is a hosting provider that has been in the industry for over 12 years, which means they have plenty of experience and resources to satisfy your needs.
DreamHost offers many different plans and packages with plans starting from just a few dollars and going up to $40/month, depending on your exact needs.
One plan that stands out from their list of options is the DreamPress Hosting Plan, which will serve as the perfect home for your WooCommerce website! It’s $16.95 a month and comes with professional staging, on-demand backups, custom caching, and email.
The company’s mission statement claims they are “dedicated to providing the best web experience possible” which means it will be worth giving them serious consideration if this sounds like what your business needs!
The only downside is that their support team can’t be contacted by phone. This isn’t something I was overly concerned with, but I know many people that prefer to speak with people directly.
Hosted Ecommerce Platforms
What if I told you that finding a hosting company isn’t required to set up an eCommerce store? It’s true… there are platforms that are 100% managed so you don’t have to worry about servers, uptime, or any of the other intricacies that are involved with running an eCommerce business.
There are two main considerations when choosing a hosted platform for your store – cost and features! You’ll want to look at all of the different plans offered by each provider in order to find one that is within your budget while still meeting all of your needs.
Some popular platforms include Shopify, Big Commerce, and Wix. These platforms allow anyone looking to take their goods online without breaking budgets or requiring previous technical knowledge.
1.) Shopify
Shopify is one of the best-hosted eCommerce platforms that allow you to build an online store without any coding experience. With complete design customization and free hosting, they make it easy for beginners to get their site up and running fast!
In addition to hosting, Shopify also provides a wide range of add-ons created by their extensive app store that can help you launch your online business in no time!
They have everything from marketing tools and customer support all the way down to inventory management apps – making it one of the most complete eCommerce solutions on the market today.
Shopify Plus is a top-of-the-line enterprise solution for established businesses looking for advanced functionality not available with traditional plans including global multi-storey fulfillment options, as well as white-glove service.
This lets brands scale at warp speed without any worry about downtime or other common headaches many small business owners face when trying to take their company online.
When it comes to Shopify pricing, there are many factors that determine how much you’ll pay. Since they offer monthly and yearly plans with no contract necessary, it gives their users complete flexibility and freedom to choose the best option for their business without any commitment!
For new brands looking to get started as quickly as possible, the $29/month basic plan is the best choice. It is perfect for new businesses and offers unlimited bandwidth, products, customers & orders. This is a great option if you’re looking to get your brand up and running without any hassle!
For established brands with more complex needs, Shopify Plus will be best suited to meet their demands… but at $2000/month it’s not the most affordable solution on the market today.
Overall I would recommend giving them serious consideration as they are one of the easiest platforms available that doesn’t require extensive knowledge or coding experience! Best of all – their customer support team can be contacted 24 hours a day, which means there is always someone ready to help no matter what time it may be.
2.) Wix
Wix is a free website builder that allows anyone to create a stunning site without any previous design experience.
In fact, Wix offers a variety of apps created by both Wix and developers from all over the world through their “App Market” that can be used within your store in order to expand its capabilities beyond what is available in standard packages! These include Google Apps integration, shipping management tools transfer, SEO tools, marketing plugins, and more!
For new brands without any previous coding or design experience, I would recommend using one of their pre-made templates in order to create a stunning site that will turn heads quickly… even if you have never done something like this before!
When it comes to pricing for Wix, they offer both monthly and yearly plans without any contract necessary – making them very flexible and easy to use! Their basic plan starts at $14/month (USD) which gives you access to 25 products and all of the standard designs or hosting options.
However, this is limited in its functionality when compared with other platforms on the market today… so new businesses might want something more advanced like one of their business plans that start at $47/month (adds unlimited bandwidth, storage, and more).
For established brands looking to expand their online presence further than Wix currently offers, Shopify will be a better choice.
3.) BigCommerce
BigCommerce is another popular platform that has recently made its way into the eCommerce world. They provide free hosting on their basic plans which makes it easy to get your site up and running fast without worrying about additional costs down the road!
While they don’t have as many features as Shopify, Big Commerce offers apps through their app store for things like marketing, SEO optimization, inventory management, customer service tools, shipping carriers & rates calculators, etc.
Their premium plan will give you access to priority support (24/365), unlimited bandwidth & storage space with no transaction fees or limits on traffic so if you’re looking for a hosted platform but aren’t sure of what features are most important this may be just right for you!
Don’t forget to have unforgettable product pages once your nail down your host!
No matter which hosting solution you choose, make sure that you follow these Ecommerce Design Best Practices to make sure that you gain the traffic you need to fully utilize these hosting platforms!
FAQ
Can you use your own hosting provider with Shopify?
No! Unfortunately since Shopify is a hosted platform, you cannot use your own hosting provider. You must stay with them or move to one of the other options mentioned in this blog post.
What is a good starting budget for eCommerce?
It depends on what you’re selling and how quickly you want to grow. If your goal is just to have something up online that allows potential customers to get in touch with you, then basic plans from Shopify or Big Commerce are usually sufficient.
However, if you plan on doing more marketing, working with wholesale partners, etc., it may be helpful to go with the higher-end options although they do cost more money each month!
Can I change my plan later?
Of course! Every plan offered by these platforms allows you to do just that at any time so there’s no need to worry about locking yourself into anything right away. Just make sure you know what your budget and needs are before committing because once you choose it will be impossible to go back if needed.
Does bandwidth matter?
Yes. If you plan on selling more than one product or accepting credit cards, then it’s best to get a hosting platform that offers unlimited bandwidth & storage space (or at the very least an amount large enough for your needs).
What is the best Shopify plan?
It all comes down to how much you think you’ll sell. You see, each plan is designed to accommodate a certain amount of traffic and transactions. So if you think that your store will be selling upwards of $20,000 per month, then the Plus plan is probably best for you!
Do I need SSL?
Yes! It’s good practice to always use an SSL certificate when it comes to eCommerce websites – especially if you want customers to feel safe making purchases through them & store sensitive information like credit card numbers online. Shopify offers this as part of their plans.
Should I pay monthly or yearly?
You will usually save money by paying for one year upfront. However, consider how confident in the service you are. If you are unsure of how well it will work for your business, paying monthly may be a better option.
Does Shopify have an app store?
Yes! Shopify has an app store that gives you access to everything from marketing and SEO tools, payment processing services like PayPal or Square, apps for customer service (help desk), inventory management & shipping carriers.
Is customer service important?
Yes, it is very important to have customer service! If your site goes down or has technical difficulties you will need someone to help you. Imagine your site going offline just when you launch a new product… nightmare!!! This isn’t an issue when you use a premium hosting provider, such as SiteGround.
Are domains included with the plans?
You will usually have to purchase a domain name on your own, but some providers allow you to buy a domain at the same time as hosting. These will be two separate charges so make sure you do your research before signing up with anyone!
Do Wix’s templates support retina graphics & videos?
Yes, their templates are built using HTML/CSS, which means that all content displayed will scale based on your device type giving your customers a seamless shopping experience regardless if they’re looking at it through a computer monitor or their phone during their morning commute!
