Compare Web Hosting Plans (2025)

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Use the quick navigation above to jump directly to the hosting type that best matches your website or project.

Providers to consider

Shared Hosting Comparisons (2025)

Hostinger

Bluehost

Namecheap

HostGator

Best for: Beginners who want the lowest-cost entry point

Most users move from shared hosting to VPS or cloud hosting once traffic increases, performance becomes more important, or additional control is needed.

Shared hosting exists to make getting online simple, affordable, and low-maintenance for first-time websites and small projects.

It’s designed for sites that don’t need dedicated resources and are happy trading raw performance and flexibility for ease of use and lower cost. Compared to VPS, cloud, and dedicated hosting, shared hosting prioritises simplicity and affordability over performance control and scalability.

Natural upgrade path

Best for

• First websites and new projects

• Blogs, portfolios, and personal sites

• Small businesses with low to moderate traffic

• Users who want minimal setup and management

Avoid shared hosting if

• Your site handles sensitive or regulated data

• You expect sustained traffic spikes

• Page speed directly affects revenue or conversions

• You need custom server configurations

What happens if you choose shared hosting when you shouldn’t

If your site grows faster than expected, shared hosting can become restrictive.
Performance may slow during busy periods, and you’ll likely need to upgrade or migrate sooner than planned.

The main hidden cost of starting on shared hosting isn’t money — it’s time.
Underestimating growth can lead to earlier migrations and extra setup work later.

This doesn’t mean shared hosting is a bad choice — it just means it works best when expectations are realistic.

Best for: New WordPress users who want guided setup and support

Best for: Budget-focused projects and simple websites

Best for: Straightforward starter websites with minimal complexity

Starting on shared hosting is a safe and sensible choice for many projects — as long as you’re clear on when it stops being the right fit.

VPS Hosting Comparisons (2025)

VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting sits between shared hosting and dedicated servers.
It provides dedicated resources within a virtualised environment, giving you more control, better performance consistency, and stronger isolation than shared hosting — without the cost of a full dedicated server.

A2 Hosting

ScalaHosting

DreamHost

IONOS

VPS hosting is designed for growing websites that have outgrown shared hosting but don’t yet require full server ownership. Compared to shared hosting, VPS prioritises performance stability and control over simplicity and cost. Compared to dedicated hosting, it trades maximum power for affordability and flexibility.

Best for

Avoid VPS hosting if

• Growing websites with increasing traffic

• Online stores and revenue-generating sites

• Developers who need more server control

• Businesses that need consistent performance

• Users upgrading from shared hosting

• You want zero technical involvement

• Your site has very low traffic and simple needs

• You’re not ready to manage updates or configurations

• Your project requires full physical server control

• Budget is the primary constraint

What happens if you choose VPS hosting when you shouldn’t

If your site doesn’t actually need VPS-level resources, you may pay more without seeing meaningful benefits.
VPS hosting also introduces additional responsibility — such as server configuration, updates, or optimisation — which can add complexity and time cost if you’re not prepared.

The hidden cost of VPS hosting isn’t money — it’s management effort.
VPS works best when performance needs justify the extra control.

This doesn’t mean VPS hosting is risky — it just means it delivers the most value when your site is ready for it.

Providers to consider

Best for: High-performance VPS needs and speed-focused sites

Best for: Developers and users who want flexible VPS management

Best for: Medium to large sites needing reliable VPS uptime

Best for: Business-grade VPS hosting with scalable infrastructure

All providers listed offer clear upgrade paths if your site grows further or requires more resources.

Natural upgrade path

Most users move from VPS hosting to cloud hosting or dedicated servers once traffic becomes unpredictable, compliance requirements increase, or performance demands exceed virtual limits.

VPS hosting is often the longest-lasting stage for growing websites — offering a strong balance between control, cost, and performance before enterprise-level hosting becomes necessary.

Providers to consider

Dedicated Hosting Comparisons (2025)

Bluehost

IONOS

HostGator

Best for: Large WordPress sites requiring dedicated performance and managed support

Most users move to dedicated hosting after outgrowing VPS or cloud environments, typically when performance stability, compliance requirements, or security constraints exceed virtualised limits.

Dedicated hosting provides exclusive access to an entire physical server, offering maximum performance, control, and security. Unlike shared, VPS, or cloud hosting, all server resources are reserved for a single user.

Natural upgrade path

Best for

• High-traffic websites with predictable or sustained demand

• Mission-critical applications where downtime is unacceptable

• Businesses handling sensitive, regulated, or proprietary data

• Enterprises requiring full hardware-level control

• Teams with in-house technical expertise or managed IT support

Avoid Dedicated hosting if

• Your site has low or moderate traffic

• You want minimal technical involvement

• Your workload benefits from rapid scaling up or down

• Budget efficiency is more important than maximum performance

• You don’t need full control over server hardware

What happens if you choose Dedicated hosting when you shouldn’t

If your site doesn’t genuinely require dedicated resources, you may pay significantly more without seeing real-world benefits.

Dedicated hosting also introduces higher responsibility — including server configuration, maintenance, security hardening, and optimisation. Without the right technical support, this can increase operational complexity and time cost.

The hidden cost of dedicated hosting isn’t just money — it’s overengineering.

Best for: Mission-critical applications needing full server control

Best for: Enterprises and IT teams requiring business-grade infrastructure

Dedicated hosting is often the final long-term stage before custom infrastructure or hybrid enterprise solutions become necessary.

It’s designed for high-traffic, mission-critical websites where performance consistency, compliance, and full server control matter more than cost or ease of use.

Compared to VPS and cloud hosting, dedicated hosting prioritises raw power, isolation, and reliability over flexibility and affordability.

This doesn’t mean dedicated hosting is excessive — it simply delivers the most value when performance, control, or compliance demands justify it.

All providers listed offer enterprise-level hardware, strong uptime guarantees, and upgrade options where applicable.

Starting with dedicated hosting only makes sense when your requirements are already clear — not speculative.

Cloud Hosting Comparisons (2025)

Cloud hosting is designed for websites that need flexibility, scalability, and reliability under changing demand.

Cloudways

SiteGround Cloud

Hostinger Cloud

Instead of relying on a single server, cloud hosting distributes resources across multiple machines, allowing your site to scale automatically as traffic or workload increases.

Best for

Avoid Cloud hosting if

• Growing websites with variable or unpredictable traffic

• Online stores, SaaS platforms, and modern web apps

• Businesses where uptime and performance consistency matter

• Projects expecting rapid growth or seasonal spikes

• Users who want scalability without managing physical servers

• Your site has very low, stable traffic

• You want the cheapest possible hosting

• You require full physical server control

• Your workload benefits more from fixed, predictable resources

• You prefer extremely simple hosting with no scaling considerations

What happens if you choose Cloud hosting when you shouldn’t

If your site doesn’t need cloud-level scalability, you may pay more without gaining meaningful benefits.

Cloud hosting introduces abstraction layers that can feel unnecessary for small or static sites.
Costs may also fluctuate based on usage, which can be inefficient if your traffic is consistently low.

The hidden cost of cloud hosting isn’t complexity — it’s overengineering.

Providers to consider

Best for: Managed cloud hosting with strong performance and flexibility

Best for: Businesses needing premium performance and managed support

Best for: Growing websites wanting affordable cloud performance

All providers listed offer scalable infrastructure, high availability, and clear upgrade paths.

Natural upgrade path

Most users move to cloud hosting after outgrowing VPS or shared hosting, typically when traffic becomes unpredictable or uptime becomes business-critical.

Cloud hosting often represents the longest-term solution for growing sites before custom infrastructure or enterprise platforms become necessary.

Compared to shared and VPS hosting, cloud hosting prioritises elastic performance and uptime resilience.
Compared to dedicated hosting, it trades absolute hardware control for speed of scaling, redundancy, and cost efficiency.

Cloud hosting works best when traffic patterns are unpredictable, growth is expected, or downtime carries real cost.

Cloud hosting delivers the most value when growth, resilience, or uptime truly justify it.

Starting on cloud hosting only makes sense when flexibility and scalability are current needs — not future guesses.

Providers to consider

WordPress Hosting Comparisons (2025)

Kinsta

SiteGround

WP Engine

Best for: High-traffic WordPress sites requiring premium performance and reliability

Most users move from WordPress hosting to VPS or cloud hosting when custom configurations, traffic volatility, or advanced scaling requirements emerge. WordPress hosting often represents the longest and most stable stage for WordPress-focused websites before infrastructure complexity becomes necessary.

WordPress hosting is specifically optimised for WordPress websites, focusing on speed, security, and simplified site management. Unlike shared or generic hosting, WordPress hosting includes platform-level tuning such as caching, security hardening, automatic updates, and WordPress-aware support.

Natural upgrade path

Best for

• WordPress websites of any size

• Blogs, business sites, and content-driven projects

• Users who want strong performance without server management

• Businesses relying on plugins, themes, and WordPress ecosystems

• Site owners who value security, backups, and automatic updates

Avoid WordPress hosting if

• Your site does not use WordPress

• You need full server-level control or custom environments

• You run non-WordPress applications alongside your site

• You prefer managing caching, security, and updates manually

• Cost is the only priority and performance is less important

What happens if you choose WordPress hosting when you shouldn’t

If your site doesn’t fully benefit from WordPress-specific optimisations, you may pay more without seeing meaningful improvements. WordPress hosting also limits flexibility compared to VPS or cloud environments, which can feel restrictive for advanced users.

The hidden cost of WordPress hosting isn’t money — it’s reduced control.
It works best when simplicity, reliability, and WordPress performance are the priority.

This doesn’t mean WordPress hosting is limiting — it simply delivers the most value when your site is built around WordPress.

Best for: Businesses and agencies needing enterprise-grade WordPress tools

Best for: All-round WordPress users wanting speed and managed support

Compared to shared hosting, WordPress hosting prioritises performance and stability over lowest cost.
Compared to VPS or cloud hosting, it trades full server control for convenience, automation, and reduced maintenance.

WordPress hosting works best when your site runs entirely on WordPress and you value speed, security, and ease of management over infrastructure flexibility.

Starting with WordPress hosting only makes sense when WordPress is your platform — not a temporary choice.

Hostinger WordPress

Best for: Beginners and smaller WordPress sites on a budget

All providers listed offer WordPress-specific optimisation, security features, and clear upgrade paths.

Reseller Hosting Comparisons (2025)

Reseller hosting is designed for users who want to sell hosting services under their own brand without managing physical servers or infrastructure. It allows you to purchase hosting resources in bulk and allocate them to individual client accounts, each with separate control panels, billing, and access.

A2 Hosting

HostGator

GreenGeeks

Compared to shared hosting, reseller hosting prioritises account separation and client management over simplicity. Compared to VPS or dedicated hosting, it trades deep server control for ease of resale, automation, and lower operational complexity.

Best for

Avoid Reseller hosting if

• Web designers and developers offering hosting to clients

• Digital agencies managing multiple client websites

• Freelancers bundling hosting with maintenance services

• Entrepreneurs starting a small hosting business

• Users who want branded hosting without managing servers

• You only need hosting for your own website

• You don’t want responsibility for client support

• You require full server-level customisation

• Your project doesn’t involve reselling or client accounts

• You prefer the simplest possible hosting setup

What happens if you choose Reseller hosting when you shouldn’t

If you don’t actually plan to resell hosting, reseller plans often add unnecessary cost and complexity. Managing multiple accounts, branding, billing, and support can become overhead without providing real value.

Reseller hosting also places responsibility on you — even when the provider manages infrastructure, clients will look to you for support. The hidden cost of reseller hosting isn’t money — it’s operational responsibility.

Providers to consider

Best for: Performance-focused reseller hosting with flexible resource allocation

Best for: Beginner-friendly reseller hosting with straightforward management

Best for: Eco-conscious reseller hosting with strong account isolation

Natural upgrade path

All providers listed support account separation, branding tools, and scalable reseller environments.

Most resellers move from reseller hosting to VPS or dedicated hosting as client numbers grow or custom infrastructure becomes necessary. Most resellers move from reseller hosting to VPS or dedicated hosting as client numbers grow or custom infrastructure becomes necessary.

Reseller hosting works best when you want to run a hosting business, agency service, or bundled web service — not when you simply need hosting for your own website.

This doesn’t mean reseller hosting is risky — it simply delivers the most value when resale or client management is the goal.

Starting with reseller hosting only makes sense when selling or managing hosting for others is a current objective — not a future idea.

ScalaHosting

Best for: Resellers wanting modern management tools and scalability

Why Trust OLDG Hosting Comparisons?

Independent Testing
We compare hosting based on performance, uptime, security, and value — never paid rankings.

Honest, Unbiased Reviews
Our recommendations are based on real testing and long-term reliability.

Verified Providers Only
Every hosting company listed has been vetted for quality and trust.

Updated Frequently
We refresh our comparisons regularly to keep results accurate.

Our comparisons are updated regularly to reflect pricing changes, feature updates, and long-term performance trends.

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