What should I look for when comparing web hosting?

The supply of web hosting parties is ever increasing. This does not make it easier for you, the end user, to choose the right web hosting party. But what should you pay attention to when comparing web hosting? In this article, I’ll give you concrete tools you can use in making that choice.

Web hosting comparison

When you go to compare web hosting you will see that there are many specifications that can differ quite a bit from each other. Is price leading or is good service and accessibility also a factor you want to consider?

How accessible is the web hosting party?

One of the most important features of a web hosting party is its accessibility and helpfulness to help you in case of problems. Preferably as user-friendly as possible through a channel you feel comfortable with. Such as chat, email, WhatsApp or by phone. Of course, this should be completely free without having to spend dozens of minutes on hold. For example, at SQR.NL we have the procedure that questions we receive frequently are processed directly in our

support articles

; something that many of our customers really appreciate. So be critical and analyze, when comparing web hosting, how easy the web hosting party is to reach and how comprehensive the support section is. This is going to save you a lot of headaches at a later stage if you need support.

How much disk space do you need?

This depends largely on the purpose of the website. Want a simple blog with only images and text on it? Then you won’t need too much disk space and 100 MB will suffice in many cases. If you plan to use a lot of photo and video material for a portfolio website, for example, disk space does matter. In that case, try to determine in advance how much material is involved (100 MB, 5 GB, etcetera). Just thinking about the question, “How much disk space do I need?” will largely get you started. Your website will always be evolving, so allow for a bit of growth for the future, although of course you can remove data over the years.

How much data traffic can you expect?

Are you familiar with the term “Bandwidth limit exceeded”? This is what visitors to your Web site will see when you have a data traffic limit with your Web hosting party (and pass it). There is, of course, nothing more gnarly than such a report. Indeed; it can detract from the brand or product you are trying to market. We know better than anyone that you don’t want to be saddled with such limits and have therefore chosen to

our web hosting packages

with unlimited data traffic.

Does your web hosting party support your CMS?

A CMS (Content Management System) allows you to maintain your own website (or web shop) relatively easily. We therefore recommend that our customers use such a system (in
this article
you can read more about the various possibilities, so you can make a conscious choice for a CMS). After you have chosen a specific CMS, it is important to find out if your desired web hosting party actually supports the CMS you want to work with. For example, a good and professional CMS can take advantage of the latest techniques (a new feature in PHP just to name a crossroad). In that case, it is important that the web hosting party is also completely technically up-to-date so that the CMS and your website work completely properly.

At SQR.NL, we support a wide range of popular CMSs and also offer the ability to use

WordPress

and

Joomla!

deploy and update automatically, so you as the end user don’t have to worry about that.

Other technical specifications

In addition to the amount of MBs (storage) and whether your chosen CMS (Content Management System) is supported, it is also important to look at the specifications of the servers on which your website will be hosted. Will SSD storage be used? Are backups made? What is the uptime guarantee? And what is the location of the servers for good performance on speed? All good to put side by side when comparing web hosting. After all, if you expect many visitors from the Netherlands, then it is advisable to host in the Netherlands as well. At SQR.NL we chose

Global Switch

and

Equinix AM2

in Amsterdam which are both ISO certified and are subject to Dutch laws and regulations due to their location in Amsterdam. In addition, SQR.NL itself is
ISO 27001 certified
for information security.

Are there any other things I should look out for?

In addition to web hosting, e-mail is also an important aspect. After all, you want to avoid overloading you or your employees with spam. Manually filtering out spam from an email inbox is a very time-consuming task and also risky due to the continuously increasing threats such as phishing and ransomware (and unfortunately, humans are still the weakest link in such attacks). A good

antispam and antivirus service

filters 99% of spam traffic so you can focus on your business.

Another important aspect is encryption (through an

SSL certificate

). An SSL certificate ensures the encryption of an http connection, so that all data exchanged is encrypted. This is especially important in data transfers and transactions. Yet SSL has more or less become the standard on the Web and Google, for example, lets it factor into the positioning of your website (or shop) within the search engine. In other words; a modern website or web shop cannot do without an SSL certificate. Include the cost of an SSL certificate when comparing web hosting.

The last tip I want to give you is to examine the subscription length. For example, are you tied to a web hosting package for a year immediately or can you also purchase the service quarterly (or monthly)?

Moving website?

Maybe you already have a website live somewhere and want to leave because you are not satisfied with the service or the fees charged. Then know that we at

SQR.NL

the

relocation service

where we help you transfer your current website at no cost. We also have an extensive knowledge base where we answer the most common questions. If you can’t find your way there, the SQR.NL service desk can be reached -free of charge- during office hours by

telephone

, chat and email.

Conclusion

When comparing web hosting, in addition to the technical specifications, it is important to consider the service provided and security of your data. When doing so, don’t stare blindly at the price. The cheapest web hosting is certainly not always the best solution.

Are you not satisfied with your current web hosting party or would you like to exchange ideas with one of our specialists for a no-obligation web hosting comparison? If so, please

contact

us, we will be happy to help you. The

reviews

may also help you make a good choice.