Every website you visit lives somewhere. Before you build your own site, open an online shop or set up email on your company name, it helps to understand where that "somewhere" is. This guide explains what web hosting is, the main types, what to look for in a plan and what you can expect to pay.
Web hosting meaning in one sentence
Web hosting is a service that stores your website's files on a server connected to the internet, so anyone can open your site at any time.
In plain terms: a website is a set of files (pages, images, code) and often a database. Those files have to sit on a computer that is always on, always online and fast enough to answer many visitors at once. That computer is a server, and a hosting company runs it for you in a data center. When someone types your address, their browser asks the server for your files, and the server sends them back. That exchange is what you pay for.
A few web hosting examples: a small business website built with WordPress, an online store, a portfolio, a blog, a booking page for a clinic, or simply email addresses like you@yourcompany.com. All of them need hosting.
Domain vs hosting: what is the difference?
The easiest way to think about it is address vs house.
- The domain (for example, yourbusiness.com) is the address. People type it to find you. You register it with a domain registrar.
- The hosting is the house: the space on a server where your site's files actually live.
You need both, and they are connected through DNS. When you buy hosting, your provider gives you name servers (for example, ns1.provider.com). You set those name servers on your domain, and from then on, anyone who types your domain is sent to the right server. Many people keep the domain and hosting with the same company to manage everything in one place, but they can also be separate.
Types of web hosting
Shared hosting
Many websites share the resources of one server. It is the simplest and most affordable option, and the provider handles all the technical maintenance. It suits personal sites, small business websites, blogs and portfolios. See web hosting packages.
WordPress hosting
Shared or managed hosting tuned for WordPress, often with one-click installation, caching and a web server optimized for WordPress. It suits anyone running a WordPress site who wants good speed without server tuning. At IPHOST, WordPress hosting runs on LiteSpeed.
VPS hosting
A Virtual Private Server gives you a dedicated slice of a physical server, with guaranteed RAM, CPU and full root access. It suits growing sites, online shops, developers and anyone who needs custom software. See Linux VPS hosting.
Dedicated server
A whole physical server for you alone. Maximum performance and control, but higher cost and more responsibility. It suits large sites, heavy applications and businesses with strict requirements.
Cloud hosting
Your site runs across a pool of servers, and resources can scale up or down. It suits projects with traffic that changes a lot, and teams that want flexibility.
Email hosting
A service just for email on your own domain, without a website. It suits businesses that want professional addresses but host their site elsewhere or have no site yet.
Comparison table
| Type | Control | Technical skill needed | Typical cost level | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shared hosting | Low | Very little | Low | Small sites, blogs, first websites |
| WordPress hosting | Low to medium | Little | Low to medium | WordPress sites that need speed |
| VPS | High | Medium | Medium | Growing sites, shops, developers |
| Dedicated server | Full | High | High | Large projects, heavy workloads |
| Cloud hosting | Medium to high | Medium | Varies with usage | Variable traffic, scaling needs |
| Email hosting | n/a | Very little | Low | Business email on your domain |
What a good web hosting plan includes
Whatever provider you choose, check that the plan includes:
- A control panel such as cPanel, so you can manage files, email, databases and domains without the command line.
- Free SSL certificates, so your site loads over HTTPS and browsers do not show "Not secure".
- Email accounts on your domain, so you can use addresses like sales@yourbusiness.com.
- Regular backups, plus an easy way to restore them.
- Current PHP versions you can switch between, since most CMS platforms depend on PHP.
- MySQL/MariaDB databases for WordPress, shops and other apps.
- Responsive support that actually solves problems.
- Website migration help if you are moving from another host.
IPHOST web hosting plans include cPanel, free SSL and unlimited mailboxes, and free website migration is available on yearly plans.
How to choose a web hosting plan
- Number of sites. Some plans allow one website, others several. Count your current and planned projects.
- Storage. A simple site needs little space; shops with many product images and large mailboxes need more. Prefer SSD or NVMe storage.
- Traffic. Estimate monthly visitors. If you expect steady growth, pick a provider that lets you upgrade easily, for example from shared hosting to a VPS.
- Location and speed. The closer the server is to your visitors, the faster your pages load. Choose a data center near your main audience.
- Support language and hours. Check when support is available, through which channels, and in which languages.
- Renewal prices. Many hosts advertise a low first-year price and renew at a much higher rate. Compare the renewal price, not only the promotion.
- Payment methods. Make sure you can pay the way that suits you: card, bank transfer, PayPal, crypto or local options.
How much does web hosting cost?
Prices vary by provider, region and billing period, but typical market ranges look like this:
- Shared hosting: roughly $2 to $15 per month.
- WordPress hosting: roughly $3 to $30 per month, more for fully managed plans.
- VPS: roughly $5 to $100 per month, depending on RAM, CPU and storage.
- Dedicated server: usually from about $70 to several hundred dollars per month.
- Email hosting: often $1 to $6 per mailbox per month when sold separately.
- Domain name: commonly around $10 to $20 per year for a .com; country domains vary.
Longer billing periods usually lower the monthly price. Always read what is included, and check the renewal price before you commit.
Get started with IPHOST
IPHOST runs its own data centers in Chișinău, Moldova and Bucharest, Romania. If you are ready to put your site online, compare our web hosting packages, or register a domain first.