Preview: /hosting-providers/

177 web hosting providers, sorted by the hosting you need

Every major type of web hosting, from shared and WordPress to VPS, cloud, GPU and game servers. The big hosting companies, and the hidden gems most blogs never mention. For every host: who it suits, the catch, how you can try it, and who actually owns the company.

Some links on this page are affiliate links. They never change the order, the picks or what we say about a host. How we earn

177 providers15 hosting types63 hidden gems97 independent companies32 countriesQuick-pick matrixBest for your needsComparative datasheetCertifications

15 types of hosting

Start with what you are hosting. Each type shows the provider we would try first.

The quick-pick matrix

Find your hosting type on the left, then pick the column that matches what matters most. Every name jumps to its full card.

Hosting typeWhat you are hostingStart hereThe easiest first stepBest valueMost for the moneyMost capableBest results, usually pricierFor teamsAgencies, resellers and companies
Websites & WordPress
Shared hostingHostingerMoney-backInterServerMoney-backSiteGroundMoney-back20iMoney-back
Managed WordPressRocket.netMoney-backWPXMoney-backKinstaMoney-backWP EngineMoney-back
Managed cloud & VPSCloudwaysFree trialScala HostingMoney-backLiquid WebMoney-backKnownHostMoney-back
Server control panelsRunCloudFree trialPloiFree trialLaravel ForgeFree trialGridPaneFree trial
Servers & cloud
Cloud VPS for developersDigitalOceanFree trialHetznerPay as you goUpCloudFree trialLinodeFree trial
Budget VPS & annual dealsRackNerdPaidBuyVMPaidHostHatchPaidHostwindsPay as you go
Dedicated & bare metalHivelocityPaidLeasewebPaidphoenixNAPPay as you goLatitude.shPay as you go
Big cloud platformsAWSFree tierOracle CloudFree tierGoogle CloudFree tierMicrosoft AzureFree tier
GPU & AI hostingLambdaPay as you goVast.aiPay as you goCoreWeavePaidRunPodPay as you go
For developers
Static & JamstackCloudflare PagesFree tierGitHub PagesFree tierVercelFree tierNetlifyFree tier
App platformsRenderFree tierRailwayFree trialFly.ioPay as you goHerokuPaid
Pricing models
Free hostingInfinityFreeFree tierAwardSpaceFree tierByetHostFree tierNo clear team pick yet
Specialist hosting
Forex & trading VPSForexVPS.netMoney-backFXVMMoney-backNYCServersMoney-backBeeks Financial CloudPaid
Game server hostingShockbyteMoney-backNitradoPaidApex HostingMoney-backNo clear team pick yet

Best hosting for your needs

The hosting types below say what a product is. This section starts from what you are doing, and picks across every provider, whatever its main type.

Who owns your host?

Hosting brands that share an owner

74 of the 177 providers belong to a larger group or a listed company. Brands under one owner often share support teams, policies and price changes, so it is worth knowing before you buy.

IONOS Group

Public (Frankfurt: IOS)

DigitalOcean

Public (NYSE: DOCN)

GoDaddy

Public (NYSE: GDDY)

Liquid Web

Private

Amazon

Public (NASDAQ: AMZN)

Alphabet

Public (NASDAQ: GOOGL)

Microsoft

Public (NASDAQ: MSFT)

ThinkHuge

Private

WebPros

Private

What the data shows

Six findings from the directory itself. They update automatically as providers are added or change.

54 of 56

shared hosts sell with a money-back guarantee; only 2 offer a free trial. Free trials live in the cloud: 10 of 10 big clouds have a free tier.

42%

of providers (74 of 177) belong to a larger group or a listed company. Newfold Digital alone owns 5 of the brands here.

Same owner

ForexVPS.net and FXVM are both run by ThinkHuge, so using both gives a trader no real backup.

51%

of providers (90) offer more than one type of hosting, which is why every card lists what else it is good for.

83%

of the 63 hidden gems are independent companies. The hosts few blogs mention are mostly owner-run.

32

countries are home to these providers. 46% are based in the United States.

The comparative datasheet

All 177 providers side by side. 55% are independent companies and 19% are public companies or owned by one. Sort any column, then jump to a provider’s full card.

How you can try them

  • Money-back80
  • Free tier31
  • Free trial29
  • Paid19
  • Pay as you go18

Who owns them

  • Independent97
  • Part of a private group40
  • Public company or public parent34
  • Ownership not confirmed6

Where they are based

  • United States82
  • European Union40
  • UK and rest of Europe15
  • Canada3
  • China4
  • Hong Kong2
  • Singapore2
  • Japan3
  • South Korea3
  • India7
  • Australia and New Zealand3
  • Rest of Asia4
  • Middle East1
  • Latin America1
  • Africa4
  • To be confirmed3

Providers offering each type

  • Shared hosting66
  • Managed WordPress58
  • Managed cloud & VPS15
  • Server control panels11
  • Cloud VPS for developers51
  • Budget VPS & annual deals7
  • Dedicated & bare metal42
  • Big cloud platforms11
  • Static & Jamstack5
  • App platforms12
  • GPU & AI hosting28
  • Free hosting12
  • Lifetime hosting1
  • Forex & trading VPS10
  • Game server hosting10
10WebManaged WordPressWordPress onlyFree trialUSAIndependentIndependentPrivate
20iShared hostingManaged WordPressMoney-backUnited KingdomIndependentIndependentPrivateYes
AccuWeb HostingCloud VPS for developersForex & trading VPS, Shared hosting, Dedicated & bare metalMoney-backUSAIndependentIndependentPrivate
AfrihostShared hostingCloud VPS for developers, Dedicated & bare metalMoney-backSouth AfricaOwnership not confirmedNot confirmedPrivate
Alibaba CloudBig cloud platformsFree tierChinaPublic company or public parentAlibaba GroupPublic (NYSE: BABA)
All-Inkl.comShared hostingMoney-backGermanyIndependentIndependentPrivateYes
Apex HostingGame server hostingMoney-backUSAIndependentIndependentPrivate
ArubaShared hostingCloud VPS for developers, Dedicated & bare metalMoney-backItalyIndependentIndependentPrivate
Atlantic.NetManaged cloud & VPSFree trialUSAIndependentIndependentPrivateYes
AwardSpaceFree hostingShared hosting, Cloud VPS for developersFree tierTo be confirmedIndependentIndependentPrivate
AWSBig cloud platformsGPU & AI hosting, Game server hostingFree tierUSAPublic company or public parentAmazonPublic (NASDAQ: AMZN)ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, ISO 9001, SOC 1, SOC 2, PCI DSS, C5, FedRAMP High
AWS LightsailCloud VPS for developersFree trialUSAPublic company or public parentAmazonPublic parent (NASDAQ: AMZN)
Baidu AI CloudBig cloud platformsGPU & AI hostingFree tierChinaPublic company or public parentBaiduPublic (NASDAQ: BIDU)
Beeks Financial CloudForex & trading VPSPaidUnited KingdomPublic company or public parentBeeks GroupPublic (LSE AIM: BKS)
BigRockShared hostingMoney-backIndiaPart of a private groupNewfold DigitalPrivate
BigScootsManaged WordPressWordPress, plus shared, VPS & dedicatedShared hosting, Managed cloud & VPS, Dedicated & bare metalMoney-backUSAIndependentIndependentPrivateYes
BisectHostingGame server hostingMoney-backUSAIndependentIndependentPrivate
BluehostShared hostingManaged WordPress, Cloud VPS for developers, Dedicated & bare metalMoney-backUSAPart of a private groupNewfold DigitalPrivate
BuyVMBudget VPS & annual dealsPaidCanadaPart of a private groupFrantech SolutionsPrivateYes
ByetHostFree hostingFree tierTo be confirmedPart of a private groupiFastNetPrivate
Cafe24Shared hostingMoney-backSouth KoreaPublic company or public parentCafe24Public (KOSDAQ: 042000)
ChemiCloudShared hostingManaged WordPressMoney-backUSAIndependentIndependentPrivateYes
Cherry ServersDedicated & bare metalGPU & AI hosting, Forex & trading VPSPay as you goLithuaniaIndependentIndependentPrivateYes
CivoCloud VPS for developersFree trialUnited KingdomIndependentIndependentPrivateYes
Clever CloudApp platformsFree trialFranceIndependentIndependentPrivateYes

Download the dataset (CSV)

Prices, speed tests and review-platform scores are added to this sheet as each one is verified, with the date checked.

All 177 providers

Showing all 177 providers

Shared hosting

Low-cost hosting for blogs, small business sites and first websites. 56 main providers, plus 10 that also offer it

ChemiCloud

Hidden gem

Money-back

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forSmall sites wanting premium support on a budget

Well-reviewed support, many data centre choices and LiteSpeed servers.

Good to knowA smaller company, so fewer extras than the big brands.

More about ChemiCloud

Also good forManaged WordPress

Visit ChemiCloud (opens in a new tab)

HostArmada

Hidden gem

Money-back

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forCloud-based shared hosting on a budget

Shared plans built on cloud infrastructure with SSD storage and free daily backups.

Good to knowA newer brand; check renewal pricing on the plan you choose.

Visit HostArmada (opens in a new tab)

NameHero

Hidden gem

Money-back

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forSmall businesses that want LiteSpeed speed

Cloud-based shared and reseller hosting with LiteSpeed and strong support.

Good to knowUS and EU data centres only.

Visit NameHero (opens in a new tab)

FastComet

Hidden gem

Money-back

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forSteady pricing without a big renewal shock

Known for keeping renewal pricing close to the starting price.

Good to knowCheck the current price-lock terms before buying.

Visit FastComet (opens in a new tab)

Krystal

Hidden gem

Money-back

United KingdomIndependentPrivate

Best forUK sites that want ethical, green hosting

An independent UK host running on renewable energy, with friendly support.

Good to knowBest for UK and European audiences.

Visit Krystal (opens in a new tab)

20i

Hidden gem

Money-back

United KingdomIndependentPrivate

Best forAgencies and resellers

Unlimited-site reseller hosting with a white-label control panel.

Good to knowBuilt for resellers; a single small site has simpler options.

More about 20i

Also good forManaged WordPress

Visit 20i (opens in a new tab)

IONOS

Certified

Money-back

GermanyOwner: IONOS GroupPublic (Frankfurt: IOS)

Best forEurope-based small businesses

Very low first-year prices backed by a large European hosting group.

Good to knowContracts and cancellation terms need careful reading.

More about IONOS

CertifiedISO 27001BSI IT-GrundschutzBSI C5

C5 covers its cloud Compute Engine, Cloud Cubes and S3 Object Storage, not shared hosting.

Checked October 2026 on its own trust page.

Also good forManaged WordPressCloud VPS for developersDedicated & bare metal

Visit IONOS (opens in a new tab)

BigRock

Money-back

IndiaOwner: Newfold DigitalPrivate

Best forDomains and hosting for Indian customers

Long-running Indian brand with rupee pricing.

Good to knowPart of the same group as Bluehost and HostGator.

Visit BigRock (opens in a new tab)

ResellerClub

Money-back

IndiaOwner: Newfold DigitalPrivate

Best forIndian resellers and web agencies

Reseller hosting and domains with rupee billing.

Good to knowSame group as BigRock.

Visit ResellerClub (opens in a new tab)

Network Solutions

Money-back

USAOwner: Newfold DigitalPrivate

Best forBusinesses wanting domains, hosting and marketing together

One of the oldest domain companies, now part of a large hosting group.

Good to knowSame group as Bluehost; expect upsells and higher renewals.

More about Network Solutions

Also good forManaged WordPress

Visit Network Solutions (opens in a new tab)

Verpex

Hidden gem

Money-back

United KingdomIndependentPrivate

Best forLow-cost hosting with many locations

Budget shared and reseller hosting with a wide choice of data centres.

Good to knowA smaller brand; compare its support hours with the bigger hosts.

More about Verpex

Also good forManaged WordPress

Visit Verpex (opens in a new tab)

one.com

Money-back

DenmarkOwner: group.onePrivate

Best forEuropean beginners wanting an all-in-one package

Domains, email, hosting and a site builder in one simple account.

Good to knowPlans are built for simple sites rather than heavy traffic.

More about one.com

Also good forManaged WordPress

Visit one.com (opens in a new tab)

o2switch

Hidden gem

Money-back

FranceIndependentPrivate

Best forFrench sites wanting one simple plan

A single all-inclusive plan run from its own data centres in France.

Good to knowBest for French-language audiences.

Visit o2switch (opens in a new tab)

Gandi

Money-back

FranceOwner: your.online groupPrivate

Best forDomains and simple hosting from a long-standing registrar

A well-known French registrar with simple hosting alongside domains.

Good to knowIts ownership has changed in recent years; check current terms.

Visit Gandi (opens in a new tab)

Hostpoint

Hidden gem

Money-back

SwitzerlandIndependentPrivate

Best forSwiss businesses wanting local hosting

Switzerland's large homegrown host with Swiss data centres.

Good to knowPriced in Swiss francs.

Visit Hostpoint (opens in a new tab)

HostSG

Hidden gem

Money-back

SingaporeOwner not confirmedPrivate

Best forSingapore businesses wanting a long-established local host

Running since 1997, with shared, cloud and dedicated hosting in Singapore.

Good to knowPricing is in Singapore dollars; check the term before paying.

More about HostSG

Also good forManaged cloud & VPSDedicated & bare metal

Visit HostSG (opens in a new tab)

Vodien

Money-back

SingaporeOwner not confirmedPrivate

Best forSingapore SMEs that need local data residency

Hosting, email and domains on Equinix Singapore data centres, with clear PDPA documentation.

Good to knowData is stored in Singapore and Australia; confirm which for your plan.

Visit Vodien (opens in a new tab)

Xserver

Hidden gem

Free trial

JapanIndependentPrivate

Best forJapanese sites wanting fast shared hosting

One of Japan's best-known shared hosts, with its own data centres.

Good to knowThe service is mainly in Japanese.

Visit Xserver (opens in a new tab)

Cafe24

Money-back

South KoreaOwner: Cafe24Public (KOSDAQ: 042000)

Best forKorean online stores and websites

A major Korean e-commerce and hosting platform.

Good to knowMainly built for the Korean market.

Visit Cafe24 (opens in a new tab)

Gabia

Money-back

South KoreaOwner: GabiaPublic (KOSDAQ: 079940)

Best forKorean domains and hosting

A long-running Korean registrar and hosting company.

Good to knowKorean-language service.

Visit Gabia (opens in a new tab)

Loopia

Money-back

SwedenOwner: team.bluePrivate

Best forSwedish small businesses

A long-standing Swedish provider of domains and hosting.

Good to knowPart of the team.blue group.

More about Loopia

Also good forManaged WordPress

Visit Loopia (opens in a new tab)

All-Inkl.com

Hidden gem

Money-back

GermanyIndependentPrivate

Best forReliable German hosting at fair prices

Well-regarded German shared hosting with German data centres.

Good to knowGerman-language service.

Visit All-Inkl.com (opens in a new tab)

WEDOS

Hidden gem

Money-back

Czech RepublicIndependentPrivate

Best forLow-cost hosting from Central Europe

A large Czech host known for its own energy-efficient data centres.

Good to knowMainly serves Central European markets.

More about WEDOS

Also good forCloud VPS for developers

Visit WEDOS (opens in a new tab)

Managed WordPress

WordPress hosting where speed, updates, backups and security are handled for you. Most of these host WordPress only: each card says what it runs. 22 main providers, plus 36 that also offer it

Start here

Rocket.net

Hidden gem

Money-back

RunsWordPress only

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forWordPress sites that need the fastest global load times

WordPress served from Cloudflare's edge, with firewall and CDN included.

Good to knowVisit-based plans; check the limit against your traffic.

More about Rocket.net

Our guide: Rocket.net vs Cloudways

Visit Rocket.net (opens in a new tab)

WP Engine

Money-back

RunsWordPress & headless WordPress

USAOwner: WP Engine (Silver Lake-backed)Private

Best forAgencies and larger WordPress sites

Mature managed WordPress with staging, developer tools and agency features.

Good to knowPremium pricing and visit-based limits.

Visit WP Engine (opens in a new tab)

Pressable

Money-back

RunsWordPress only

USAOwner: AutomatticPrivate

Best forSites that want WordPress.com infrastructure

Managed hosting on Automattic's WordPress.com platform.

Good to knowFewer server-level controls than developer-focused hosts.

Visit Pressable (opens in a new tab)

Flywheel

Money-back

RunsWordPress only

USAOwner: WP EnginePrivate

Best forDesigners building client WordPress sites

Simple managed WordPress with easy client handover.

Good to knowNow part of WP Engine; check which features have moved across.

Visit Flywheel (opens in a new tab)

WPX

Hidden gem

Money-back

RunsWordPress only

United KingdomIndependentPrivate

Best forWordPress sites wanting fast support at a mid-range price

Very fast support response and its own CDN on every plan.

Good to knowPlans count sites and storage strictly.

Visit WPX (opens in a new tab)

Servebolt

Hidden gem

Money-back

RunsWordPress, Magento & other PHP apps

NorwayIndependentPrivate

Best forHigh-traffic WordPress and WooCommerce

Performance-first managed hosting that also runs Magento, Drupal, Laravel and other PHP apps.

Good to knowPriced for serious sites, not hobby blogs.

Visit Servebolt (opens in a new tab)

Pagely

Paid

RunsWordPress only

USAOwner: GoDaddyPublic parent (NYSE: GDDY)

Best forEnterprise WordPress on AWS

Dedicated, high-availability WordPress for big brands.

Good to knowSales-led with enterprise pricing.

Visit Pagely (opens in a new tab)

Nexcess

Money-back

RunsWordPress, WooCommerce & Magento

USAOwner: Liquid WebPrivate

Best forWooCommerce stores

Managed WordPress and WooCommerce with auto-scaling and performance tools.

Good to knowPart of Liquid Web; plans change often, so check current features.

Visit Nexcess (opens in a new tab)

WordPress VIP

Paid

RunsWordPress only

USAOwner: AutomatticPrivate

Best forEnterprise publishers and global brands

Automattic's enterprise WordPress platform, built for very high traffic and strict security.

Good to knowSales-led with enterprise contracts.

Visit WordPress VIP (opens in a new tab)

Pantheon

Free tier

RunsWordPress & Drupal

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forTeams running WordPress and Drupal with Git workflows

Developer workflows with dev, test and live environments built in.

Good to knowFree sandboxes are for building; live sites need a paid plan.

Visit Pantheon (opens in a new tab)

Convesio

Hidden gem

Money-back

RunsWordPress & WooCommerce only

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forWooCommerce stores that face traffic spikes

Auto-scaling WordPress built on containers.

Good to knowPriced for growing stores, not hobby sites.

Visit Convesio (opens in a new tab)

Elementor Hosting

Money-back

RunsWordPress only (Elementor)

IsraelOwner: ElementorPrivate

Best forElementor users wanting builder and hosting together

Managed WordPress with Elementor Pro included, on Google Cloud.

Good to knowBest if you already build with Elementor.

Visit Elementor Hosting (opens in a new tab)

10Web

Free trial

RunsWordPress only

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forAI-built WordPress sites with hosting

An AI builder that creates WordPress sites and hosts them on Google Cloud.

Good to knowAI-built pages still need editing and checking.

Visit 10Web (opens in a new tab)

Raidboxes

Free trial

RunsWordPress only

GermanyOwner: team.bluePrivate

Best forGDPR-friendly WordPress hosting in Germany

Managed WordPress run from German data centres with a GDPR focus.

Good to knowAimed at German-speaking markets; now part of the team.blue group.

Visit Raidboxes (opens in a new tab)

Seravo

Hidden gem

Money-back

RunsWordPress only

FinlandIndependentPrivate

Best forNordic businesses wanting premium WordPress care

Managed WordPress with updates tested before they go live.

Good to knowPremium pricing for a small market.

Visit Seravo (opens in a new tab)

WPMU DEV Hosting

Free trial

RunsWordPress only

AustraliaOwner: IncsubPrivate

Best forAgencies managing many client WordPress sites

Hosting bundled with plugins and agency client tools.

Good to knowBest value if you use the whole WPMU DEV toolkit.

Visit WPMU DEV Hosting (opens in a new tab)

FlyingHost

Hidden gem

Money-back

RunsWordPress only

IndiaOwner: FlyingPressPrivate

Best forWordPress sites already using FlyingPress

Managed WordPress built by the team behind FlyingPress and FlyingCDN, tuned for speed.

Good to knowNew and still in beta; confirm pricing and terms before moving an important site.

Visit FlyingHost (opens in a new tab)

Templ

Hidden gem

Free trial

RunsWordPress & WooCommerce only

SwedenIndependentPrivate

Best forFast WordPress and WooCommerce on Google Cloud

Managed WordPress from Stockholm with 29 Google Cloud locations, free migrations and hands-on speed tuning.

Good to knowWordPress and WooCommerce only.

More about Templ

Also good forManaged cloud & VPS

Visit Templ (opens in a new tab)

Pressidium

Hidden gem

Free trial

RunsWordPress only

United KingdomIndependentPrivate

Best forHigh-availability WordPress for businesses

Enterprise-style redundant WordPress hosting with a strong security focus.

Good to knowPriced for business sites, not hobby blogs.

Visit Pressidium (opens in a new tab)

Managed cloud & VPS

Your own server resources, with the server management done for you. 8 main providers, plus 7 that also offer it

Atlantic.Net

Hidden gem

Free trial

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forCompliance-heavy hosting such as healthcare

Cloud and managed hosting with HIPAA-ready options.

Good to knowBuilt for business compliance needs.

Visit Atlantic.Net (opens in a new tab)

Hypernode

Free trial

RunsMagento & Shopware only

NetherlandsOwner: team.bluePrivate

Best forMagento and Shopware stores

Managed hosting built specifically for Magento and Shopware e-commerce.

Good to knowNot for WordPress.

Visit Hypernode (opens in a new tab)

Also offering: Managed cloud & VPS

These providers have their main card in another section, but this is a real product line for them too.

Server control panels

Bring your own cloud server and manage WordPress or apps from a simple dashboard. 11 main providers

Start here

RunCloud

Hidden gem

Free trial

RunsPHP apps, incl. WordPress

MalaysiaIndependentPrivate

Best forRunning WordPress on your own cloud server

A clean panel that sets up and secures servers on any cloud.

Good to knowYou pay for the panel and the server separately.

Visit RunCloud (opens in a new tab)

GridPane

Hidden gem

Free trial

RunsWordPress only

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forWordPress agencies managing many sites

Performance-tuned WordPress stacks with agency workflows.

Good to knowMore technical than Cloudways.

Visit GridPane (opens in a new tab)

SpinupWP

Free trial

RunsWordPress only

CanadaOwner: WP EnginePrivate

Best forDevelopers who want WordPress servers set up right

Builds fast, secure WordPress servers on your own cloud account.

Good to knowWordPress only.

Visit SpinupWP (opens in a new tab)

Ploi

Hidden gem

Free trial

NetherlandsIndependentPrivate

Best forLow-cost server management for many apps

Affordable panel for PHP, WordPress and Laravel apps.

Good to knowSmaller company with lighter documentation.

Visit Ploi (opens in a new tab)

Laravel Forge

Free trial

RunsPHP and Laravel apps

USAOwner: LaravelPrivate

Best forLaravel and PHP developers

The official server manager from the Laravel team.

Good to knowBest for developers; not aimed at WordPress beginners.

Visit Laravel Forge (opens in a new tab)

FlyWP

Hidden gem

Free tier

RunsWordPress only

BangladeshOwner: weDevsPrivate

Best forContainer-based WordPress servers on your own cloud

Docker-based WordPress server panel from weDevs, the makers of Dokan, with a free plan for one server and one site.

Good to knowYou still rent the server separately from a cloud provider.

Visit FlyWP (opens in a new tab)

xCloud

Hidden gem

Free tier

RunsWordPress-focused

BangladeshIndependentPrivate

Best forLow-cost WordPress server management

A simple panel to run WordPress on your own servers, with a free tier.

Good to knowFewer integrations than older panels.

Visit xCloud (opens in a new tab)

cPanel

Free trial

USAOwner: WebProsPrivate

Best forThe control panel most shared hosts use

The industry-standard hosting control panel, licensed per server.

Good to knowLicence prices have risen sharply in recent years.

Visit cPanel (opens in a new tab)

Plesk

Free trial

USAOwner: WebProsPrivate

Best forA panel for Linux and Windows servers

A widely used control panel for both Linux and Windows servers.

Good to knowOwned by the same group as cPanel.

Visit Plesk (opens in a new tab)

Coolify

Hidden gem

Free tier

HungaryIndependentPrivate

Best forA free, self-hosted Heroku and Vercel alternative

Open-source platform to deploy apps, databases and sites on your own servers.

Good to knowYou run and update it yourself.

More about Coolify

Also good forApp platforms

Visit Coolify (opens in a new tab)

CloudPanel

Hidden gem

Free tier

GermanyIndependentPrivate

Best forA free control panel for PHP sites

A free, lightweight panel for running PHP and WordPress sites on your server.

Good to knowFewer features than paid panels.

Visit CloudPanel (opens in a new tab)

Cloud VPS for developers

Raw virtual servers billed by the hour or month. You manage the server. 18 main providers, plus 33 that also offer it

Start here

DigitalOcean

Certified

Free trial

USAOwner: DigitalOceanPublic (NYSE: DOCN)

Best forDevelopers, apps and game servers on simple cloud servers

Simple droplets, managed databases, GPU servers and some of the best tutorials online.

Good to knowCredit-based trials need a card, and anything left running is billed.

More about DigitalOcean

CertifiedSOC 2 Type IISOC 3Global CBPREU-US Data Privacy Framework

Data centre partners hold ISO 27001, SOC 1/2 and PCI DSS.

Checked October 2026 on its own trust page.

Also good forGPU & AI hostingGame server hosting

Our guide: VPS free trials: what's actually free

Visit DigitalOcean (opens in a new tab)

Hetzner

Certified

Pay as you go

GermanyIndependentPrivate

Best forThe best price-to-performance in Europe

Very low prices for capable servers in Germany and Finland.

Good to knowNew accounts may be asked for ID or prepayment.

More about Hetzner

CertifiedISO/IEC 27001:2022

Its English and German pages disagree on a BSI C5 attestation, so C5 is not listed until Hetzner confirms it.

Checked October 2026 on its own trust page.

Also good forDedicated & bare metalGPU & AI hostingShared hosting

Our guide: Hetzner alternatives

Visit Hetzner (opens in a new tab)

Linode

Free trial

USAOwner: AkamaiPublic parent (NASDAQ: AKAM)

Best forReliable VPS backed by a major network

Akamai's cloud computing with predictable pricing.

Good to knowThe brand is moving under Akamai Cloud; docs mix both names.

More about Linode

Also good forGPU & AI hosting

Visit Linode (opens in a new tab)

OVHcloud

Certified

Pay as you go

FranceOwner: OVHcloudPublic (Euronext Paris: OVH)

Best forCheap VPS and dedicated servers in Europe

One of Europe's largest providers, with unmetered traffic on many plans.

Good to knowSupport quality varies by plan.

More about OVHcloud

CertifiedISO/IEC 27001:2022ISO/IEC 27017ISO/IEC 27018ISO/IEC 27701SecNumCloud

SecNumCloud covers specific data centres and services, not every product.

Checked October 2026 on its own trust page.

Also good forDedicated & bare metalGame server hostingGPU & AI hostingShared hosting

Our guide: Scaleway vs OVHcloud

Visit OVHcloud (opens in a new tab)

AWS Lightsail

Free trial

USAOwner: AmazonPublic parent (NASDAQ: AMZN)

Best forAn easy start on Amazon's cloud

Fixed monthly bundles, simpler than full AWS.

Good to knowData transfer beyond the bundle is billed.

Visit AWS Lightsail (opens in a new tab)

E2E Networks

Hidden gem

Pay as you go

IndiaOwner: E2E NetworksPublic (NSE: E2E)

Best forIndian cloud servers and GPUs

Listed Indian cloud provider with data centres in India.

Good to knowBuilt for technical users.

More about E2E Networks

Also good forGPU & AI hosting

Visit E2E Networks (opens in a new tab)

Exoscale

Hidden gem

Pay as you go

SwitzerlandOwner: A1 DigitalPrivate

Best forSwiss and European sovereign cloud

European cloud with Swiss, German and Austrian regions.

Good to knowFewer services than the big clouds.

Visit Exoscale (opens in a new tab)

Civo

Hidden gem

Free trial

United KingdomIndependentPrivate

Best forFast, low-cost Kubernetes

Kubernetes clusters ready in minutes with simple pricing.

Good to knowBest for container workloads.

Visit Civo (opens in a new tab)

Cloudzy

Pay as you go

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forVPS in many locations with flexible payment

Hourly VPS in many cities, including payment methods others skip.

Good to knowA smaller provider; check support hours.

More about Cloudzy

Also good forForex & trading VPS

Visit Cloudzy (opens in a new tab)

ConoHa

Pay as you go

JapanOwner: GMO Internet GroupPublic parent (TSE: 9449)

Best forHourly VPS in Japan

Easy hourly VPS and game servers from Japan's GMO Internet Group.

Good to knowBest for Japanese-speaking users.

More about ConoHa

Also good forGame server hosting

Visit ConoHa (opens in a new tab)

Budget VPS & annual deals

Very low-cost VPS, often on yearly plans. Great value, fewer guarantees. 6 main providers, plus 1 that also offer it

Time4VPS

Hidden gem

Paid

LithuaniaIndependentPrivate

Best forCheap European VPS

Low-cost VPS from Lithuania with yearly discounts.

Good to knowOne data centre region.

Visit Time4VPS (opens in a new tab)

RamNode

Hidden gem

Pay as you go

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forLong-running budget VPS

Affordable VPS with hourly billing, popular with developers for years.

Good to knowFewer locations than larger clouds.

More about RamNode

Also good forCloud VPS for developers

Visit RamNode (opens in a new tab)

Also offering: Budget VPS & annual deals

These providers have their main card in another section, but this is a real product line for them too.

Dedicated & bare metal

A whole physical server for heavy, steady workloads. 9 main providers, plus 33 that also offer it

Start here

Hivelocity

Paid

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forDedicated servers in many US cities

Instant bare-metal servers across many locations.

Good to knowNo free trial; contracts vary by server.

Visit Hivelocity (opens in a new tab)

phoenixNAP

Pay as you go

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forBare metal on demand by the hour

API-driven bare metal billed hourly.

Good to knowBuilt for technical teams.

Visit phoenixNAP (opens in a new tab)

Leaseweb

Paid

NetherlandsIndependentPrivate

Best forDedicated servers with big bandwidth

Large global network with high bandwidth allowances.

Good to knowBusiness-focused ordering process.

Visit Leaseweb (opens in a new tab)

Latitude.sh

Hidden gem

Pay as you go

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forDevelopers deploying bare metal by API

Bare metal servers deployed in minutes, including GPUs.

Good to knowA younger provider; fewer regions than the giants.

More about Latitude.sh

Also good forGPU & AI hosting

Visit Latitude.sh (opens in a new tab)

Yotta

Hidden gem

Paid

IndiaOwner: Hiranandani GroupPrivate

Best forEnterprise cloud and data centres in India

Large Indian data centre and cloud operator.

Good to knowSales-led and aimed at companies.

More about Yotta

Also good forGPU & AI hosting

Visit Yotta (opens in a new tab)

ReliableSite

Hidden gem

Paid

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forDedicated servers with strong DDoS protection

US dedicated servers with built-in DDoS protection.

Good to knowFewer locations than larger providers.

Visit ReliableSite (opens in a new tab)

Servers.com

Paid

CyprusIndependentPrivate

Best forGlobal dedicated servers with cloud extras

Dedicated servers plus cloud services in several regions.

Good to knowBusiness-focused ordering.

Visit Servers.com (opens in a new tab)

HOSTKEY

Hidden gem

Paid

NetherlandsIndependentPrivate

Best forDedicated and GPU servers at low cost

Affordable dedicated and GPU servers in Europe and the US.

Good to knowCheck data centre location before buying.

More about HOSTKEY

Also good forGPU & AI hosting

Visit HOSTKEY (opens in a new tab)

Big cloud platforms

The giant clouds: every service, global reach, complex billing. 10 main providers, plus 1 that also offer it

Start here

AWS

Certified

Free tier

USAOwner: AmazonPublic (NASDAQ: AMZN)

Best forAnything at any scale

The broadest cloud, with a free tier for new accounts.

Good to knowBilling is complex; set budget alerts on day one.

More about AWS

CertifiedISO 27001ISO 27017ISO 27018ISO 9001SOC 1SOC 2PCI DSSC5FedRAMP High

Scope differs by service; check AWS Services in Scope for the services you use.

Checked October 2026 on its own trust page.

Also good forGPU & AI hostingGame server hosting

Our guide: EU cloud alternatives to AWS, Azure and GCP

Visit AWS (opens in a new tab)

Google Cloud

Certified

Free tier

USAOwner: AlphabetPublic (NASDAQ: GOOGL)

Best forData, AI and Kubernetes workloads

Strong data and AI services with a free tier and trial credit.

Good to knowCredits expire; idle resources still bill.

More about Google Cloud

CertifiedISO 27001ISO 27017ISO 27018SOC 1SOC 2SOC 3PCI DSSC5FedRAMP High

FedRAMP High needs Assured Workloads.

Checked October 2026 on its own trust page.

Also good forGPU & AI hosting

Our guide: EU cloud alternatives to AWS, Azure and GCP

Visit Google Cloud (opens in a new tab)

Microsoft Azure

Certified

Free tier

USAOwner: MicrosoftPublic (NASDAQ: MSFT)

Best forCompanies on Microsoft 365 and Windows

Deep integration with Microsoft tools and enterprise identity.

Good to knowComplex pricing; use the calculator first.

More about Microsoft Azure

CertifiedISO 27001ISO 27018SOC 1SOC 2SOC 3FedRAMPHITRUSTENS

Azure lists more than 100 compliance offerings in total.

Checked October 2026 on its own trust page.

Also good forGPU & AI hosting

Our guide: EU cloud alternatives to AWS, Azure and GCP

Visit Microsoft Azure (opens in a new tab)

Alibaba Cloud

Free tier

ChinaOwner: Alibaba GroupPublic (NYSE: BABA)

Best forReaching users in China and Asia

Asia's largest cloud with mainland China regions.

Good to knowServing China needs an ICP licence.

Visit Alibaba Cloud (opens in a new tab)

IBM Cloud

Free tier

USAOwner: IBMPublic (NYSE: IBM)

Best forRegulated industries and hybrid cloud

Enterprise cloud with strong security and compliance options.

Good to knowComplex for small projects.

More about IBM Cloud

Also good forGPU & AI hosting

Visit IBM Cloud (opens in a new tab)

Tencent Cloud

Free tier

ChinaOwner: TencentPublic (HKEX: 0700)

Best forReaching users across Asia

A major Asian cloud with a free trial and many regions.

Good to knowServing mainland China needs an ICP licence.

More about Tencent Cloud

Also good forGPU & AI hosting

Visit Tencent Cloud (opens in a new tab)

Huawei Cloud

Free tier

ChinaOwner: HuaweiPrivate

Best forAsia, Middle East and Latin America regions

A large global cloud with strong regional coverage.

Good to knowCheck data and compliance rules for your country.

More about Huawei Cloud

Also good forGPU & AI hosting

Visit Huawei Cloud (opens in a new tab)

Baidu AI Cloud

Free tier

ChinaOwner: BaiduPublic (NASDAQ: BIDU)

Best forAI services and cloud in mainland China

Baidu's cloud, strong in AI services for the Chinese market.

Good to knowServing mainland China needs an ICP licence.

More about Baidu AI Cloud

Also good forGPU & AI hosting

Visit Baidu AI Cloud (opens in a new tab)

Naver Cloud

Free tier

South KoreaOwner: NaverPublic parent (KRX: 035420)

Best forServing users in South Korea

A major Korean cloud from the Naver internet group.

Good to knowMostly Korean-language service.

More about Naver Cloud

Also good forGPU & AI hosting

Visit Naver Cloud (opens in a new tab)

Also offering: Big cloud platforms

These providers have their main card in another section, but this is a real product line for them too.

GPU & AI hosting

Rent GPUs by the hour to train, fine-tune or run AI models. 6 main providers, plus 22 that also offer it

Start here

Lambda

Pay as you go

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forOn-demand GPUs for AI teams

GPU cloud instances and clusters designed for machine learning.

Good to knowPopular GPUs can sell out at busy times.

Visit Lambda (opens in a new tab)

CoreWeave

Paid

USAOwner: CoreWeavePublic (NASDAQ: CRWV)

Best forLarge AI training and inference

A specialist AI cloud built around the latest NVIDIA GPUs.

Good to knowBuilt for companies; capacity is sold by contract.

Visit CoreWeave (opens in a new tab)

RunPod

Hidden gem

Pay as you go

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forCheap GPUs for developers and hobbyists

GPU pods and serverless endpoints billed by the second.

Good to knowCommunity-cloud GPUs run on third-party hardware; use secure cloud for sensitive data.

Visit RunPod (opens in a new tab)

Vast.ai

Hidden gem

Pay as you go

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forThe lowest GPU prices from a marketplace

A marketplace that rents spare GPUs from many hosts.

Good to knowQuality and reliability vary by host; check ratings before renting.

Visit Vast.ai (opens in a new tab)

Nebius

Pay as you go

NetherlandsOwner: Nebius GroupPublic (NASDAQ: NBIS)

Best forLarge GPU clusters for AI

A listed AI cloud offering on-demand and reserved GPU capacity.

Good to knowBuilt for AI teams rather than websites.

Visit Nebius (opens in a new tab)

Crusoe

Pay as you go

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forAI compute powered by cleaner energy

An AI cloud that builds data centres around low-carbon power.

Good to knowCapacity is aimed at AI companies.

Visit Crusoe (opens in a new tab)

Static & Jamstack

Free or cheap hosting for static sites and front ends, served from a global CDN. 5 main providers

Start here

Cloudflare Pages

Certified

Free tier

USAOwner: CloudflarePublic (NYSE: NET)

Best forFree, fast static sites

Free hosting on Cloudflare's global network with unlimited bandwidth on static assets.

Good to knowServer-side code runs through Workers, with its own limits.

More about Cloudflare Pages

CertifiedISO 27001ISO 27701SOC 2 Type IISOC 3PCI DSS Level 1

Company-wide Cloudflare certifications.

Checked October 2026 on its own trust page.

Also good forFree hosting

Visit Cloudflare Pages (opens in a new tab)

Netlify

Free tier

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forFront-end teams with forms and previews

Deploy previews, forms and functions with a free starter plan.

Good to knowBandwidth beyond the free plan is billed.

More about Netlify

Also good forFree hosting

Visit Netlify (opens in a new tab)

GitHub Pages

Free tier

USAOwner: MicrosoftPublic parent (NASDAQ: MSFT)

Best forDocs and personal sites straight from GitHub

Free static hosting from any GitHub repository.

Good to knowNo server-side code; meant for non-commercial sites.

More about GitHub Pages

Also good forFree hosting

Visit GitHub Pages (opens in a new tab)

Firebase Hosting

Free tier

USAOwner: AlphabetPublic parent (NASDAQ: GOOGL)

Best forApps already using Firebase

Fast static hosting with Google's CDN and easy rollbacks.

Good to knowPairs best with other Firebase services.

Visit Firebase Hosting (opens in a new tab)

App platforms

Push your code and the platform runs it. No server to manage. 10 main providers, plus 2 that also offer it

Start here

Render

Free tier

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forA Heroku-style platform with modern pricing

Web services, databases and cron jobs from your Git repo.

Good to knowFree services sleep when idle.

More about Render

Also good forFree hosting

Visit Render (opens in a new tab)

Railway

Free trial

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forDeploying apps and databases in minutes

Usage-based platform with a polished dashboard.

Good to knowUsage billing can surprise you without limits set.

Visit Railway (opens in a new tab)

Fly.io

Pay as you go

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forRunning apps close to users worldwide

Runs containers in many regions near your users.

Good to knowMore hands-on than Render or Railway.

Visit Fly.io (opens in a new tab)

Heroku

Paid

USAOwner: SalesforcePublic parent (NYSE: CRM)

Best forTeams that want the original, stable PaaS

Mature platform with a huge add-on marketplace.

Good to knowNo free tier any more.

Visit Heroku (opens in a new tab)

Northflank

Hidden gem

Free tier

United KingdomIndependentPrivate

Best forTeams wanting PaaS on their own cloud

Deploy to Northflank's cloud or your own AWS, GCP or Azure.

Good to knowSmaller community than the big names.

Visit Northflank (opens in a new tab)

DigitalOcean App Platform

Free tier

USAOwner: DigitalOceanPublic parent (NYSE: DOCN)

Best forSimple app hosting from DigitalOcean

Deploy apps and static sites straight from Git.

Good to knowFree tier covers static sites only.

Visit DigitalOcean App Platform (opens in a new tab)

Koyeb

Hidden gem

Free tier

FranceIndependentPrivate

Best forServerless apps and AI inference worldwide

Runs apps and GPUs close to users with a free starter tier.

Good to knowA younger platform; check region coverage.

More about Koyeb

Also good forGPU & AI hosting

Visit Koyeb (opens in a new tab)

Clever Cloud

Hidden gem

Free trial

FranceIndependentPrivate

Best forEuropean PaaS with automatic scaling

French platform-as-a-service with automatic scaling.

Good to knowFewer regions outside Europe.

Visit Clever Cloud (opens in a new tab)

Upsun

Free trial

FranceIndependentPrivate

Best forTeams wanting Git-driven environments

The platform formerly known as Platform.sh, with a preview environment for every branch.

Good to knowPricing is usage-based; set limits.

Visit Upsun (opens in a new tab)

Deno Deploy

Free tier

USAOwner: DenoPrivate

Best forServerless JavaScript at the edge

Deploys JavaScript and TypeScript apps globally in seconds.

Good to knowBuilt for the Deno runtime.

Visit Deno Deploy (opens in a new tab)

Also offering: App platforms

These providers have their main card in another section, but this is a real product line for them too.

Free hosting

Genuinely free plans with no forced ads. Good for learning and tests, not for business sites. 5 main providers, plus 7 that also offer it

Start here

InfinityFree

Free tier

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forLearning PHP and testing WordPress at no cost

Free hosting with no forced ads and no expiry date, backed by iFastNet.

Good to knowStrict resource limits and no email; not suitable for a business site.

Visit InfinityFree (opens in a new tab)

ByetHost

Free tier

Owner: iFastNetPrivate

Best forFree hosting with one-click installs

Free hosting from the iFastNet group with an installer for popular apps.

Good to knowSmall upload limits and shared resources.

Visit ByetHost (opens in a new tab)

FreeHosting.com

Free tier

IndependentPrivate

Best forA free plan on your own domain

A free hosting plan that works with your own domain name.

Good to knowFree plan resources are tight; upgrades are pushed often.

More about FreeHosting.com

Also good forShared hosting

Visit FreeHosting.com (opens in a new tab)

GoogieHost

Free tier

IndiaIndependentPrivate

Best forFree hosting and subdomains from India

Free hosting with a free subdomain and SSL.

Good to knowFree accounts get limited support.

Visit GoogieHost (opens in a new tab)

Also offering: Free hosting

These providers have their main card in another section, but this is a real product line for them too.

Lifetime hosting

Pay once, host forever, in theory. Read the risks before buying. 1 main provider

Before you buy lifetime hosting

  • “Lifetime” usually means the company’s lifetime, or the product’s, not your website’s.
  • Judge it as a one-year cost. If the price is fair for one year, anything after that is a bonus.
  • Keep your own backups somewhere else, and keep your domain at a separate registrar.
  • Never use it for a business or client site that would hurt if it vanished overnight.

Want a price that does not jump? Look at providers with a written price lock, such as InterServer, on long prepaid terms.

Forex & trading VPS

Low-latency servers near broker data centres for trading platforms. 5 main providers, plus 5 that also offer it

Start here

ForexVPS.net

Money-back

Hong KongOwner: ThinkHugePrivate

Best forRunning MetaTrader around the clock

VPS servers placed close to major broker data centres.

Good to knowSame company as FXVM, so using both gives no backup if one fails.

Visit ForexVPS.net (opens in a new tab)

FXVM

Money-back

Hong KongOwner: ThinkHugePrivate

Best forLow-cost trading VPS

Trading VPS with low latency to popular brokers.

Good to knowSame company as ForexVPS.net, so it is not a true backup for it.

Visit FXVM (opens in a new tab)

NYCServers

Money-back

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forTraders using New York brokers

Servers in New York for very low latency to US brokers.

Good to knowFewer locations outside the US.

Visit NYCServers (opens in a new tab)

Beeks Financial Cloud

Paid

United KingdomOwner: Beeks GroupPublic (LSE AIM: BKS)

Best forProfessional and institutional trading

Financial-grade infrastructure inside exchange data centres.

Good to knowBuilt for professional firms.

Visit Beeks Financial Cloud (opens in a new tab)

QuantVPS

Paid

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forFutures traders who need servers near CME

High-resource trading VPS aimed at futures and algorithmic trading.

Good to knowBuilt mainly for CME futures, and its refund terms are strict; read them first.

Visit QuantVPS (opens in a new tab)

Also offering: Forex & trading VPS

These providers have their main card in another section, but this is a real product line for them too.

Game server hosting

One-click servers for Minecraft and other multiplayer games. 5 main providers, plus 5 that also offer it

Start here

Shockbyte

Money-back

AustraliaIndependentPrivate

Best forCheap Minecraft servers

Low-cost game servers for 60+ games, running since 2013.

Good to knowThe money-back window is only 24 hours, and lower plans struggle with heavy mod packs.

Visit Shockbyte (opens in a new tab)

Apex Hosting

Money-back

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forModded Minecraft servers

One-click mod packs and strong support.

Good to knowPriced above the budget options.

Visit Apex Hosting (opens in a new tab)

Nitrado

Paid

GermanyIndependentPrivate

Best forConsole and many different games

Rents servers for a wide range of PC and console games.

Good to knowPricing varies a lot by game.

Visit Nitrado (opens in a new tab)

BisectHosting

Money-back

USAIndependentPrivate

Best forGame servers with plenty of locations

Game servers from around 20 locations, run by its co-founders since 2011.

Good to knowBudget plans have lower resources.

Visit BisectHosting (opens in a new tab)

PebbleHost

Money-back

United KingdomIndependentPrivate

Best forCheap Minecraft and bot hosting

Low-cost game and Discord bot hosting.

Good to knowBudget plans share resources heavily.

Visit PebbleHost (opens in a new tab)

Also offering: Game server hosting

These providers have their main card in another section, but this is a real product line for them too.

Hosts by headquarters

Where each company is based: the United States and Europe first, then country by country across Asia and beyond. A host’s headquarters is not always where your server sits, so check data centre locations on each provider’s site.

Canada

3 providers

Hong Kong

2 providers

Singapore

2 providers

South Korea

3 providers

Australia and New Zealand

3 providers

Rest of Asia

4 providers

Middle East

1 provider

Latin America

1 provider

To be confirmed

3 providers

Who we left out, and why

There are thousands of hosting companies. A provider is listed when it runs its own service, publishes its plans and terms, and can be reached. These are the groups we leave out on purpose:

  • Website buildersWix, Squarespace, Shopify and Webflow include hosting, but you buy a builder, not hosting. They are compared on our website builder pages instead.
  • Retired, merged and renamed brandsHosts that have shut down or folded into another brand, such as Media Temple (now GoDaddy) and 000webhost (closed). Renamed hosts appear under their current name, so A2 Hosting is listed as Hosting.com.
  • White-label resellersSmall hosts that resell another company's servers under their own name. We list the company that actually runs the servers.
  • Free hosts that inject adsFree plans that put ads on your site. We list free hosts only when they keep your pages ad-free.
  • Launch-marketplace lifetime deals“Pay once” hosting sold mainly through software-launch marketplaces, with no established company behind it.
  • Companies we could not verifyNo registered company name, no business address, no published terms, or no way to reach support. We add them once those exist.
  • Enterprise-only private cloudsProviders that only sell through custom contracts, with no public plans or pricing to compare.

Run a hosting company that fits but is missing? Tell us about it, and we will review it for the next update.

Certifications explained

Certificates prove that an outside auditor checked something. The trick is knowing what was checked: the building, the company, or one country’s rules.

LayerWhat it provesMain standards
The buildingPower, cooling and redundancy of the physical data centreUptime Institute Tier III and IV, TIA-942, EN 50600
Security and operationsThe company runs its systems securely, checked by an outside auditorISO 27001, SOC 1, SOC 2, SOC 3, ISO 9001
Cloud, privacy and industryCloud-specific controls, personal data, card payments, health dataISO 27017, 27018, 27701, PCI DSS, HIPAA
Country rulesApproval by a national authorityC5 (Germany), SecNumCloud and HDS (France), ENS (Spain), FedRAMP (US)

How we list them

  • Only from the provider’s own trust page, with the date we checked it.
  • The company and the building are kept apart. Many hosts rent space in certified data centres; that is not the same as being certified themselves.
  • Conflicts are flagged, not resolved by guessing.
  • More certificates are not better for everyone. They matter most for business, health and payment data, much less for a personal blog.

Checked so far (11)

  • AWSISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, ISO 9001, SOC 1, SOC 2, PCI DSS, C5, FedRAMP High
  • Cloudflare PagesISO 27001, ISO 27701, SOC 2 Type II, SOC 3, PCI DSS Level 1
  • DigitalOceanSOC 2 Type II, SOC 3, Global CBPR, EU-US Data Privacy Framework
  • Google CloudISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, SOC 1, SOC 2, SOC 3, PCI DSS, C5, FedRAMP High
  • HetznerISO/IEC 27001:2022
  • IONOSISO 27001, BSI IT-Grundschutz, BSI C5
  • KinstaSOC 2, ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018
  • Microsoft AzureISO 27001, ISO 27018, SOC 1, SOC 2, SOC 3, FedRAMP, HITRUST, ENS
  • OVHcloudISO/IEC 27001:2022, ISO/IEC 27017, ISO/IEC 27018, ISO/IEC 27701, SecNumCloud
  • ScalewayISO/IEC 27001:2022, HDS
  • VercelSOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001:2022, PCI DSS (AOC)

We are working through the providers that publish trust pages. Each one gains its badges as it is checked.

How the DiscoverVibe Hosting Score works

A host gets a score only after we have tested it ourselves. Until then its card shows the facts and the catch, with no number. Review-platform ratings are always shown separately, platform by platform, and never blended into a single star rating.

  • 25%Speed & uptimeMeasured on our own test sites: time to first byte from several regions, and monitored uptime.
  • 20%True 3-year costFirst term plus renewals, add-ons and fees, not the headline teaser price.
  • 15%SupportResponse time and quality on real tickets and chats we open.
  • 15%Features & technologyServer stack, storage, backups, staging, CDN, security and limits.
  • 10%Company stabilityOwnership, years in business, public filings where available, and transparency.
  • 15%Customer sentimentTrustpilot, G2, Capterra and Reddit, each read separately, recent reviews weighted higher.

The 32 things we track for every host

Cost

  • Intro price and term length
  • Renewal price and multiple
  • Setup and migration fees
  • Domain, email and SSL costs
  • Money-back terms and exclusions
  • Currencies and GST invoices

Performance

  • TTFB from US, EU and India
  • Uptime over 90 days
  • Load test results
  • CDN and edge caching
  • Data centre locations

Technology

  • Web server and PHP versions
  • CPU, RAM and NVMe storage
  • PHP workers and process limits
  • Backups and restore
  • Staging, SSH, Git and WP-CLI
  • Control panel

Support & policy

  • Channels and hours
  • Average first response
  • Migration help
  • Account verification rules
  • Terms on resource abuse

Company

  • Headquarters and founding year
  • Owner and parent group
  • Public listing and filings
  • Acquisitions and rebrands
  • Data protection and compliance

Sentiment

  • Trustpilot score, count and date
  • G2 and Capterra scores, separately
  • Reddit and forum sentiment
  • Trend over the last 6 months
  • Known incidents and outages

Prices and plans change often. Check the provider’s own pricing page before you pay, and read our affiliate disclaimer.

Hosting prices change. We tell you when.

The Desk Note covers renewal hikes, new hidden gems and hosting deals worth knowing about. Every Thursday.