Web hosting guide
Web hosting plans: the plan types and what each one includes
Updated on ยท 6 questions answered
A web hosting plan is a package of server space and services, sold for a fixed period. Plans come in five types: web hosting, WordPress hosting, cloud hosting, VPS hosting and agency hosting. The type sets how much power the website gets and how much of the server you manage.
A deal that passed our last check:
-
Hostinger Unlimited
Web hosting
Last tested
Did it work?
83% off Hostinger Unlimited for 48 months
- 48-month plan
- Unlimited websites
- 50 GB NVMe
- Free domain
83% off
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Which types of web hosting plans are there?
There are five common types. Each one fits a different website.
| Plan type | What you get | Fits |
|---|---|---|
| Web hosting | A share of one server, managed by the hosting company | A first website, a blog, a small business site |
| WordPress hosting | Web hosting set up for WordPress, with the software installed | A WordPress site |
| Cloud hosting | Processor and memory reserved for your account | A busy site or an online store |
| VPS hosting | A virtual server that you control | A custom application, a developer project |
| Agency hosting | One account built for many client websites | Freelancers and agencies |
The comparison of shared vs VPS hosting explains the largest step between these types.
What does a web hosting plan include?
A plan includes seven things. The plan details list a limit for each one.
- Websites: how many sites one plan can hold.
- Storage: the space for files, databases and email. See how much storage do I need.
- Bandwidth: the data visitors can load each month. See what is bandwidth.
- An SSL certificate, which puts https in front of the address. See free SSL explained.
- Backups: copies of the site, weekly or daily. See hosting backups.
- Email mailboxes at your own domain.
- A domain name, free for the first year on some plans.
The server software behind every plan does the same job. Mozilla explains it in What is a web server?
How do the plans we tested differ?
The Hostinger plans in our list show these limits on the pricing page:
| Plan | Plan type | Websites | Storage | Backups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hostinger Unlimited | Web hosting | Unlimited websites | 50 GB NVMe | Daily backups |
| Hostinger Cloud Startup | Cloud hosting | Unlimited websites | 100 GB NVMe | Daily and on demand backups |
| Hostinger KVM 1 | VPS hosting | Not listed | 50 GB NVMe | Not listed |
| Hostinger KVM 2 | VPS hosting | Not listed | 100 GB NVMe | Not listed |
| Hostinger KVM 4 | VPS hosting | Not listed | 200 GB NVMe | Not listed |
| Hostinger KVM 8 | VPS hosting | Not listed | 400 GB NVMe | Not listed |
| Hostinger Agency Startup | Agency hosting | 100 websites | 300 GB NVMe | Not listed |
For which periods can I buy a web hosting plan?
Most plans are sold for 1 month, 12 months and one or two longer periods. These are the periods of 12 months or longer that we found at each checkout:
| Company | Plans we tested | Periods of 12 months or longer |
|---|---|---|
| Hostinger | Unlimited, KVM 1, KVM 2, KVM 4, KVM 8, Cloud Startup, Agency Startup | 12, 24, 48 months |
| Bluehost | Starter, Business | 12, 36, 48 months |
| SiteGround | StartUp, GrowBig, GoGeek | 12, 24 months |
| Namecheap | Stellar, Stellar Plus, Stellar Business | 12, 24 months |
Which web hosting plan had the biggest tested discount?
Hostinger Unlimited for 48 months, with 83% off the regular price. The table shows the biggest discount we tested at each company. A discount covers the first period only.
| Company | Plan | Period | Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hostinger | Unlimited | 48 months | 83% off |
| Bluehost | Starter | 12 months | 64% off |
| SiteGround | GrowBig | 12 months | 77% off |
| Namecheap | Stellar Plus | 24 months | 63% off |
The Hostinger web hosting coupon page has the tested discount on each period of its web hosting plans.
Which web hosting plan should a first website start with?
The smallest web hosting plan that covers your number of websites. A new site has few visitors and small files, so it does not need cloud or VPS hosting. Check the websites limit first: a plan for one website cannot hold a second one.
Which other Hostinger deals passed our last check?
These plans passed the same check, each at the period with the biggest discount.
-
Hostinger Cloud Startup
Cloud hosting
Last tested
Did it work?
77% off Hostinger Cloud Startup for 48 months
- 48-month plan
- Unlimited websites
- 100 GB NVMe
- Free domain
77% off
Copy Code -
Hostinger KVM 4
VPS hosting
Last tested
Did it work?
75% off Hostinger KVM 4 for 24 months
- 24-month plan
- 200 GB NVMe
- Free domain
75% off
Copy Code -
Hostinger KVM 1
VPS hosting
Last tested
Did it work?
73% off Hostinger KVM 1 for 24 months
- 24-month plan
- 50 GB NVMe
- Free domain
73% off
Copy Code