Cloud web hosting offers the resource flexibility and power that you won’t find with standard, single-server hosting. Here’s everything you need to know to pick the right cloud server for your website, along with our top picks.
There are many traditional web hosting types for building your website, including shared, dedicated, WordPress, and virtual private servers (VPS). However, there’s another hosting option that distributes your site across multiple servers and provides a flexible way to power your website: cloud hosting.
If you want to leverage cloud hosting as your site’s foundation, we’ve gathered everything you need to know to get the job done. Read on for the best cloud web hosting services we’ve tested, followed by what to consider when choosing the right service for your needs.Why We Picked It
HostGator is an outstanding web host that offers feature-rich plans for a wide variety of website needs, including cloud-based hosting services. HostGator lacks Windows-based cloud server options, but its Linux-platform services are attractive and well worth considering. These cloud plans start at $12.95 per month, but scale to enterprise-tier levels that include SEO tools, a dedicated IP address, and plenty of RAM.Who It’s For
Linux is the near-universal operating system in regards to web hosting platforms. This makes HostGator’s Linux-based cloud hosting plans an ideal starting point for everyone, be they bloggers or small business owners. The company offers wallet-friendly plans, too, which are perfect for startups.Why We Picked It
DreamHost’s cloud server options are inexpensive and flexible, and you can customize them for use on either the BSD, Linux, or Windows OS platforms. This gives DreamHost a unique advantage over many other web hosting competitors, which generally focus on Linux. Likewise, these plans scale depending on your needs, making DreamHost an excellent hosting option.Who It’s For
DreamHost should be your first stop if you’re running a small to medium-sized business venture in need of BSD or Windows server architecture. The host’s robust server options and powerful, scalable specs make it a top pick.Why We Picked It
You get robust package options with Hostwinds. The company offers 10 cloud server packages, which range from a relatively light 1-CPU server with 30GB of storage and 1TB of monthly data transfers to a 16-CPU powerhouse with 96GB of RAM and 9TB of monthly data transfers. Hostwinds also lets you outfit your server with either the Linux or Windows OS.Who It’s For
If you plan to build an ecommerce-focused, content-heavy, or user-driven website, you want dynamic pages and RAM totals that can handle the load. High RAM totals let your servers run large processes, or a significant number of processes at once. Hostwind’s server packages climb to an incredible 96GB of RAM with its core packages.Liquid Web HostingWhy We Picked It
Liquid Web’s cloud hosting plans come in multiple, managed tiers, with Linux or Windows OS options. The plans are on the pricier side of the hosting spectrum, as the servers combine the power and resources of dedicated servers with the immediate flexibility and provisioning of the cloud platform. As a result, plans start at $149 per month (for 15GB of RAM, 452GB of storage, and 5TB of monthly data) and scale to more than $1,100 per month, depending on your configuration of choice.Who It’s For
Large businesses with a dedicated IT staff may not need managed servers, but small ones may find the option incredibly convenient. With Liquid Web, your managed servers receive the white-glove treatment to keep your website running smoothly.Why We Picked It
A2’s cloud server plans come in six managed and unmanaged tiers, with each increasing in scale and power. These plans are all limited to Linux operating systems, however. On the upside, A2 offers speedy SSD server storage, which lets websites load faster and more efficiently. Who It’s For
A2 is a good choice if you have moderate hosting needs but prioritize snappy site performance. The SSD storage space doesn’t match the size of a traditional, HDD-based server, but small businesses will appreciate the fast website loading times.
