The best cloud hosting provider for you is the one that meets your unique business requirements thoroughly. You must evaluate cloud hosting services based both on your current needs and your goals for the future.
Some cloud hosting features, such as free migration and domains, are nice-to-have bonuses, but aren’t always necessary. Other features, such as security and reliable uptime, are nonnegotiable when it comes to choosing a provider.
We suggest you take a close look at data storage, speed and performance, security, pricing and customer support when choosing a cloud hosting service.
Data Storage
Before committing to a hosting contract, users need to know how much storage is available and how easy or difficult it is to scale up or down as needed. These terms should be clearly outlined on the provider’s website and available to anyone vetting its services.
Some hosting providers, such as Hostwinds, offer unlimited storage, even for a low-tier plan. Other hosting services provide 1GB to 100GB of storage on starter plans but offer expanded capacity in the range of 100GB to 16TB on top-tier plans.
If you suspect you might require storage capacity beyond what a provider has outlined in its standard plans, you can reach out directly to ask what it would cost to acquire more storage. Most companies offer additional storage for an add-on fee.
Speed and Performance
Several factors impact a site’s speed and overall performance. Poor website design is the main culprit that slows down sites, but other factors, such as inadequate CPU capacity, can negatively impact your website’s user experience.
The availability of CPU cores varies between providers and according to plans. For example, the lowest-cost IONOS plan has one vCPU, while the most expensive plan can have up to 16. Meanwhile, a top-tier Mochahost plan maxes out at three vCPU cores. Sometimes a provider will ramp up CPU access, as SiteGround has done in the past, adding one CPU core and 2GB RAM to each plan at no cost.
RAM capacity can also have a big impact on site speed and performance. Generally speaking, more memory makes for a faster site. This is particularly important for sites that contain large files.
IONOS is a terrific example of a cloud hosting service that lets you scale memory according to your needs. The Cubes XS plan has 1GB RAM and 30GB storage, for instance, while the Cubes 4XL plan has 64GB RAM and 1280GB storage.
Security
Whether your website is for casual blogging or big business plans, hosting security needs to be top-notch. To start, you’ll need an SSL certificate, but you also need to assess the hosting vendors’ reputation for compliance and cloud security features.
Specifically, look for how data is protected in transit and at rest, how user identity is authenticated, data encryption standards and cloud server firewalls. Select a provider that offers built-in tools and solid processes for combating phishing, viruses, spyware, worms, DDoS attacks and other security threats to your website.
Pricing Plans
Cloud hosting pricing should always be transparent and straightforward, with plans easily available for browsing and comparison. Users must decide which features they need, how much scalability they want and what type of contract will work best for them.
Customer Support
Every hosting provider will brag about its excellent customer support, but users must dig deeper during the research phase. If 24/7 service is advertised, does that mean live support? Chat? Video? Phone? The types being offered might make all the difference.
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