The 3 Best Cloud Hosting Services

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DreamHost is a solid option for cloud hosting, and is, in fact, the best cloud hosting provider on our list. The content you’re publishing will go live fast, within 30 seconds, and you can use a variety of Linux systems, including MongoDB, Redis, Node.js, Ruby, and Python. You can even use Windows servers, which is unusual among cloud hosting providers. For good reason, DreamHost is one of the most popular tools among developers.

Quick Tip: Why do most cloud servers use or encourage Linux servers over Windows? Linux has more stability, flexibility, and security. Also, open-source software (like Linux) is preferable to proprietary software (like Windows) because it’s easier to use for collaboration thanks to its public availability.

✔️ What We Like

• Lots of security features, including configurable firewalls and data corruption protection
• Unlimited data transfers
• Usage-based billing
• Only pay for the first 600 hours used each month
• Can use Windows servers

❌ What We Don’t Like

• No free telephone support
• No money-back guarantee
• Relatively low storage

Who We Recommend DreamHost For

Plans and Pricing

DreamHost cloud hosting is priced based on usage. Each plan comes with a certain amount of memory, and you’ll pay an hourly price. The maximum number of hours you’ll pay per month is 600; the additional hours over that monthly cap are free.

Each plan comes with 80GB SSD disk storage, free bandwidth, and 100GB block storage. The main difference is the amount of RAM allotted. Below is a chart with all of the plans available, but the most popular pricing is:

• 512MB RAM for a maximum of $4.50/month (recommended for simple static websites)
• 2GB RAM for a maximum of $12/month (recommended for small or medium-sized ecommerce stores or those with richer media content)
• 8GB RAM for a maximum of $48/month (recommended for resource-intensive sites like large ecommerce platforms or video streaming services)

Read our DreamHost Pricing Review for a closer look at how much DreamHost costs.

Infrastructure and Performance

DreamHost offers fast publishing; your pages will be live within 30 seconds. If you have time-sensitive promotional events or you’re providing news in a competitive industry, a delay in going live could be detrimental. It has accelerated networks and next-gen processors to enhance performance.

You’ll also be able to take full control of your server thanks to full root access. This means you’ll be able to configure software, change your system settings, and increase your security to the level you feel most comfortable with. It can also make troubleshooting easier, since you’ll be able to access the system logs and run diagnostic tools. You can use Linux, BSD, or Windows.

If you’re looking to scale, DreamHost will grow with you, even to the point of helping you run your own private cloud, when and if you get to that point. The code is open source, and DreamHost offers help with migration to your private cloud.

As far as negatives go, be aware that DreamHost only has data centers in the USA, which can be difficult for international users. If you cater almost exclusively to those in the USA, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Security

DreamHost uses Ceph, which detects corruption or degradation of your data for durability. You will be responsible for your own backups, however, which does add something else to your plate. The platforms are pre-configured to be secure, but you will also get a configurable firewall so you can tinker with the default settings to reject any traffic you don’t want.

You’ll get free SSL certificates, HTTP/2 support, and malware remover as well.

Support

DreamHost offers 24/7 chat and email support; this is included with hosting. It also offers a callback option, but the price isn’t included with your hosting plan. You can pay for them separately; one callback is $9.95, or you can pay for up to three callbacks each month for $14.95/month. If you anticipate needing a lot of phone support, this could add up quickly and make the plan cost-prohibitive.

DreamHost has an impressive 100% uptime guarantee, and if your site is down, you’ll be compensated one day’s prorated fees for each hour of downtime.

Read our full SiteGround offers a high level of customization, so it’s not necessarily recommended for beginners or those who just want a standard plan. It’s also quite a bit more expensive than other cloud hosting service providers. If you need versatility and adaptability along with good uptime and some free services included, though, you might find it worth the cost.

✔️ What We Like

• Automatic and easy scaling
• A wide range of options, fully customizable
• Fully managed
• Easy onboarding
• Daily backups

❌ What We Don’t Like

• No Windows servers
• High price
• Doesn’t include free domain

Who We Recommend SiteGround For

Plans and Pricing

SiteGround has four cloud hosting plans to choose from that come with standard options, and it also gives you the ability to configure your own cloud. Here’s a rundown of the four ready-made plans (note that they all include 5TB data transfer):

Jump Start – recommended for small to medium ecommerce stores or content websites

• $100/month
• 4 CPU cores
• 8GB RAM
• 40GB SSD space

Business – recommended for medium ecommerce sites or sites with scheduling needs

• $200/month
• 8 CPU cores
• 12GB RAM
• 80GB SSD space

Business Plus – best for large ecommerce platforms, educational institutions, or high-traffic news sites

• $300/month
• 12 CPU cores
• 16GB RAM
• 120GB SSD space

Super Power – for large organizations with complex workflows, hospitals, or software developing companies

• $400/month
• 16 CPU cores
• 20GB RAM
• 160GB SSD space

These are the prices for one month. With each of the plans, if you sign up for three months, you’ll save 5%, and if you sign up for six or 12 months, you’ll save 10%.

Here’s a screenshot of the options available when you build your custom cloud. You can move the sliders back and forth to create the cloud hosting plan that works for your specific needs. You can also add more CPU, memory, or storage as needed on the fly for quick scaling. The same deal applies as above: If you sign up for three months, you’ll save 5% and if you sign up for six months or a year, you’ll save 10%.

Here are some additional thoughts on SiteGround pricing.

Infrastructure and Performance

SiteGround uses the Google Cloud, which provides excellent reliability and speed. It uses PHP and MySQL to ensure quick website performance, and its upload speeds are 30% faster than the average. Some of the latest technologies integrated into your access will be Brotli, TLS 1.3, and OCSP Stapling. You get these automatically; you don’t have to wait or pay extra.

SiteGround also uses a system that allows for the caching of dynamic HTML pages. Since the pages are cached and the server doesn’t have to generate pages from scratch with each visit, this also boosts responsiveness.

Keep in mind that SiteGround hosting doesn’t support Windows servers, so this might be a disadvantage for you if you don’t prefer Linux.

Security

SiteGround uses Security Optimizer to provide security. This is an all-in-one WordPress security solution for those using WordPress. SiteGroud has IDS/IPS systems to block bots and attackers, and it has strict privacy policies when it comes to protecting users’ data. These features can be complex if you don’t have technical expertise. Also, they can be resource-intensive, which could impact your site’s performance.

A free SSL certificate is included with each domain on the cloud plan.

It also backs up accounts daily and keeps seven offsite copies; if you use SiteGround, you can also create instant backups as needed.

Support

One place SiteGround shines is with its customer support. The satisfaction rate is close to 100%, and the customer service agents are friendly, helpful, and capable. You’ll have the option of a 24/7 live chat, phone support, and help desk tickets.

In addition, there’s an extensive knowledge base and automated solutions available, so you might not even have to speak or chat with an agent.

The guaranteed uptime is 99.9%, and if your uptime falls below that, you’ll get a free month of hosting.

Read our full Hostinger is a moderately priced cloud hosting provider that has plans available for small businesses, ecommerce sites, and larger sites. It offers robust security features, an easy-to-use website builder, and great managed WordPress tools. Hostinger also offers good support, as long as you don’t mind relying on chat.

✔️ What We Like

• Relatively low cost
• Has an intuitive custom control panel
• Lots of security measures
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• 24/7 customer support
• No-code Hostinger website builder
• Cloud servers around the world

❌ What We Don’t Like

• No phone support
• No Windows servers
• High renewal fees

Who We Recommend Hostinger For

Plans and Pricing

Hostinger offers three cloud hosting plans which operate on a monthly fee schedule. Right now, new users get three months free when they sign up for 48 months. As long as you sign up for at least one year, you’ll get a free domain for the first year.

Cloud Startup – recommended for small- to medium-sized sites and small ecommerce stores

• $8.99/month when you sign up for 48 months+3 months free (renews at $19.99/month)
• $24.99/month when you sign up for just one month
• 3GB RAM
• 2 CPU cores
• 200GB NVMe storage

Cloud Professional – recommended for medium-sized sites and ecommerce stores or for web design agencies who host client websites

• $14.99/month when you sign up for 48 months+3 months free (renews at $32.99/month)
• $39.99/month when you sign up for just one month
• 6GB RAM
• 4 CPU cores
• 250GB NVMe storage

Cloud Enterprise – recommended for large-scale websites, enterprise-level applications, and e-learning platforms

• $29.99/month when you sign up for 48 months+3 months free (renews at $54.99/month)
• $64.99/month when you sign up for just one month
• 12GB RAM
• 6 CPU cores
• 300GB NVMe storage

Read our Hostinger Pricing Review for more help choosing the best plan for your needs.

Infrastructure and Performance

Hostinger has cloud servers all over the world, so if you have a global market, your users will have access. The data centers are in the USA, the UK, France, India, Singapore, Brazil, Lithuania, and the Netherlands. It uses the most updated cloud computing technology, including CloudLinux with LVE containers. This ensures the best performance at all times.

Each plan includes a free CDN that will cache content near the end users to reduce costs and improve load times.

Keep in mind that Hostinger doesn’t support Windows servers, which is a disadvantage if that’s your preference.

Security

Each plan comes with robust security measures, including enhanced DDoS protection, firewalls, Cloudflare-protected nameservers, malware scanners, and secure access managers. You’ll also get free WHOIS privacy protection for your domain. Hostinger employs 24/7 server monitoring and firewall protection, as well. Daily backups are automatic.

One potential issue to keep in mind is that when security measures are reliant on third-party services, such as many of these are, performance could be affected if those third-party platforms experience any issues or downtime.

Support

Hostinger offers free 24/7 customer support, but only via chat. There’s no phone support available, which can be an inconvenience if you would prefer to speak to a person or if you need to be walked through something step-by-step.

The uptime guarantee is 99.9%, and if Hostinger fails to maintain the uptime in any given month, you’d need to contact them to request a credit of 5% off of your monthly hosting fee.

Read our full Hostinger review.

If you’re looking for the best cloud hosting provider, it’s important to know exactly which features are most important to you. Your decision will depend on the size and scalability of your business, your budget, and where your users are located.

Here are some factors to consider:

• Scalability: If you’re planning on having your business grow, you’ll want to find a cloud hosting provider that can support you. Does the one you’re considering offer the storage you will need? What about the memory?
• Term policies: Most cloud hosting providers rely on terms spanning a year or longer. If you want to pay month-to-month, look at what those costs are; you may find that they’re quite a bit higher than it would be to sign up for a full year.
• Usage costs: Are you billed a set fee per month, or does it depend on the number of hours or days your site is live? This might make a difference to you.
• Geographical reach: Where are your customers? Are there data centers near them? This will improve performance and minimize lagging and other issues.
• Customer support: Do you prefer to communicate with support via chat or phone? Is your preferred method of communication available? During which hours is support available, and does this line up with when you tend to work?
• Security: You will want a secure site, and cloud hosting services will provide it. In some cases, you may need to pay extra. Find out how robust their security is and whether there’s an extra cost.

Website Builder Expert knows that you’re relying on us to give you the best information out there when it comes to choosing the best cloud hosting provider. We’ve put in almost 2,000 hours of research and analysis to help you narrow down your options and choose the right one for you.

Our process includes market analysis, creating a methodology, investigating and collecting data, testing site speeds, and comparing products. Then we use our internal scoring algorithm to determine final scores before passing on that information to you.

If it sounds like an involved process, that’s because it is! Read more about our hosting research process.

We’ve gone over three of the best cloud hosting providers, and our top recommendation is DreamHost. It has low prices, pay-for-what-you-use pricing models, and the ability to scale as your business grows. Any of the three we’ve described for you would be good options, however!

If you’re not sure whether you need cloud hosting at this time, you might also want to look into our reviews of shared web hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated hosting providers.