Best Hostings
I still remember the first time I wanted to look for a reliable hosting: I saw all those offers from different companies on the internet and I had no idea which one to choose. I spent a lot of time deciding on one, and the truth is that in the end I did not choose very well .
Some concepts, such as databases, bandwidth, inode limit or FTP accounts, I was not at all clear. And I also had no idea how good the different hostings were or which ones were reliable.
Luckily, after making a mistake a couple of times (do me the favor of never hiring a web hosting service with Strato!), I found a couple of hosting companies that I was happy with.
To help you make a better choice than I did, I have compiled everything I have learned in a guide.
To the point, what hosting do I choose?
Note : If you just want to know which web hosting is reliable, I will tell you that you can take a look at SiteGround , Factoría Digital and Webempresa if you have a budget and are looking for high performance. Cheaper options but offering decent results are Hostinet , DreamHost (English only) and Hostalia .
Table of Contents
- What is hosting?
- What can you expect from a good hosting company
- The best hostings in detail
- Things to keep in mind when choosing a hosting
- Common Hosting Issues
- Shared web page hosting, which one is best for you?
What is hosting?
But, first of all, if you are one of those who wonder what hosting is; It is basically the server (computer connected to the internet) where all the information on your website is stored, from where users download it. If you use a website builder (like Wix or Weebly), they put it for you, but if you set up your website with a content manager like WordPress, you will have to find your life (that is, hosting) yourself.
There are four main types :
- shared hosting
- virtual (VPS)
- dedicated
- on the cloud.
The cheapest one, and the one used by most personal projects and small companies, is the shared one (eg this same website), where your website will be hosted on the server with others.
It has the disadvantage that you share the resources of the server, but usually it will be more than enough, and it will be the one that I will focus on. If you want to know better the differences between each type, you can read this other article of ours .
And now, let’s see which are the best hostings for your project. Go for it?
What is the best web hosting in Spanish?
Note : These prices are annual and are applicable from the first renewal. Some companies offer very interesting discounts the first time you contract with them.
What can you expect from a good hosting company
Before going into what each of the web hosting companies offers you and telling you about their advantages and disadvantages, let me explain what hostings normally offer.
There are several types of web hosting (with virtual private VPS servers, with dedicated hosting, etc.), but the cheapest is shared hosting . It is so called because you share a server (and its resources) with other clients (that is, other web pages will be hosted). It is a bit like sharing a flat, you will pay less rent, but you will have to wait longer if you want to take a shower.
Linux and Windows are the two favorite operating systems of the hosting providers. The most used is Linux, and the one you will most likely need (for example, to use PHP and WordPress).
But some companies also offer Windows-based hosting (for example, to use Microsoft’s ASP.net). The default database management system is normally MySQL, although there are other alternatives .
One way or another, your website will need to have a domain assigned. Most hosting providers will offer you a free domain name for the first year (for example, SiteGround or Webempresa ) and will ask you to pay for it from the second. Note that domain- specific registrars are generally cheaper.
All hosting companies have a control panel from where you can manage your settings (for example, to choose the PHP version) and access the hosting features (such as backups). Most of the cheap hosting plans use cPanel as a visual interface to manage your hosting. However, others, like SiteGround, use their own solutions (like the one you can see in the previous image).
All web hosting companies offer you some kind of support . As we will see later, this is a very important factor when deciding on a hosting company, as it can save you time and money.
There are many types of cheap shared hosting, but in general, they will usually cost you between € 5 (US $ 7) and € 30 (US $ 35) per month from the first renewal (the first time you hire the plan, they will usually make you a good discount).
The following are the best hosting companies I have tested for the Spanish market. Let’s see which would be the most suitable for your project.
The best hostings in detail
SiteGround
SiteGround entered the Spanish market in 2016 but since then they have convinced many webmasters to host their website with them. In fact, they host more than 2,000,000 domain names around the world.
SiteGround has offices in Spain (Madrid) and has a full support team to provide customer service in Spanish . It has servers spread all over the world and although they do not have servers in Spain, you can choose between 3 European data centers, and in other parts of the world such as the USA or Asia.
What we like : Well, the customer service is one of the best we’ve tried. In our speed and availability tests , they were one of the best performing hosts. Your system has a cache plugin optimized for the main content managers (eg WordPress or Joomla). Advanced hosting features like sandboxes or Git repositories. Its system is simple to use and you will quickly get used to its backend . Another advantage is that they do not measure the traffic that your website can receive so they do not limit it.
What they should improve : Although their price is adjusted for the quality they offer, this hosting may not be for all budgets. If you decide to buy a monthly plan, you will have to pay an installation fee. Keep in mind that all plans limit the number of sites you can have with them; for example, StartUp allows 1 site, GrowBig allows 2, and GoGeek 5.
Who is SiteGround for?
Suitable for users looking for 24-hour (and efficient) customer service to contact by email, phone and live chat. According to our tests and trials it is the hosting with the best performance that we have tested. It is also suitable if you are looking for advanced features for web development such as test environments.
Try SiteGround 1 month without obligation
( read review )
Digital Factory
When you take a look at the website of Factoría Digital you realize that they are serious, they claim that their hosting is ‘up to 12 times faster’. If you then take a look at their prices (they are not cheap) you will realize that they try to position themselves as leaders in quality .
But it must be said that this Spanish hosting has one of the best speeds that we have tested . Of course, to say that it is 12 times faster is a bit of a stretch.
What we like : Well, I like its performance and speed, as I mentioned they were one of the best I’ve tried. They have support available 24 hours a day and have their servers in Spain. They have their own caching solution (FactoríaSpeed) that combines great with pages created with PrestaShop, WordPress and Magento.
What they should improve : They are not cheap, their plans start at € 5.75 per month if you want support for your CMS. They only have servers in Spain, with other providers you can also choose to have your server in America or Asia. The web space of their plans is somewhat limited.
Who is Factoría Digital for?
Obviously if you do not have a budget it is better to take a look at an alternative, Digital Factory is not cheap. Basically, suitable if you want quality hosting with good support that also has servers in Spain. In addition, it is suitable for those projects that seek good performance.
Test Factoría Digital 1 month without obligation
( read review )
Webempresa
If you have ever looked for hosting in Spanish you will surely have stumbled upon Webempresa . They are one of the classics and are present in the hosting market since 1997 , this has led them to serve about 60,000 clients.
It is another quality hosting that offers remarkable performance and effective 24-hour support. Their most important counterpoint is that they are not very generous with web space, although lately they have come up with plans designed for smaller projects with more space.
What we like : Without a doubt, their seniority is a point, it has led them to polish their product and offer a hosting that works well and is fast. Its technology is optimized for WordPress, PrestaShop and Joomla, which makes these managers work like a charm. Its availability figures are consistent and among the highest in the industry, speed is good too.
What they should improve : Well, if we take into account the space offered, its price is a bit high. They also limit the traffic that your website can receive, although they are generous. They focus on WordPress, Joomla and PrestaShop, installing other content managers (eg Drupal) is possible but a bit of a hassle.
Who is Webempresa for?
Mainly recommended if you are going to use PrestaShop, Joomla or WordPress and you want quality hosting, you don’t need a lot of space and you have some budget for web hosting.
Try Webempresa 1 month without obligation
( read review )
Hostinet
Hostinet is another Spanish hosting company. Although it is relatively small, with approximately 10 employees, it already has 15 years of experience and more than 25,000 clients.
They stand out for having servers with SSD disks at reduced prices, which are also located in Spain.
What we like : Installing WordPress (and other content managers) is very easy and fast. Another good thing is that, in addition to automatically making daily backups, Hostinet will allow you to create backup copies when you need them. You have unlimited email accounts and its speed and availability are not bad at all, especially considering its price.
What they should improve : They have somewhat limited traffic (and databases), which could force you to hire a higher plan. They also have a limited number of FTP accounts, uncomfortable if more than one person works on the web. Finally, another major problem is that they do not have 24 hour support.
Who is Hostinet for? Hostinet is indicated if you have a small project and you are looking for a professional hosting at a good price and with a good performance.
Try Hostinet 30 days without obligation
( read review )
Raiola Networks
Raiola Networks is a Galician company (from Lugo) that in 2014 decided to offer its web hosting services to the world. Despite being a small and young hosting they have managed to get among the big shots in the sector.
Although its speed is almost comparable to the best hostings (eg SiteGround ), other aspects, despite being remarkable, are not so impressive. Of course, they are a little cheaper and the hosting they offer is serious .
What we like : Server availability is excellent. They are cheaper than hosting from SiteGround and Webempresa. They include the domain name in their annual plans. They will migrate your site to their hosting for free.
What they should improve : Sometimes Raiola Networks support seems to suffer a bit, we have received some complaints from unhappy users. As with Webempresa, your traffic is measured, if you exceed the limit you will have to hire a higher plan. Nor will you be able to create all the email accounts you want, each plan has a limit. They do not have their own cache solution (eg plugin ) like Webempresa, SiteGround or Digital Factory.
Who is Raiola Networks for?
Similar to Webempresa, although from the feedback we receive I would say that their support is not as efficient. Come on, for medium projects that need professional hosting.
Try Raiola Networks 1 month without obligation
( read review )
DreamHost
DreamHost is one of the ‘oldest’ web hosts on the market, they launched in 1996 in Los Angeles. They currently have 1 and a half million customers , it is said soon. In addition, they are one of the hostings recommended by the WordPress community itself.
What we like : It is a very economical service and also offers very good speed and uptime. On the other hand, its interface is easy to follow and has interesting functions such as backup options. Despite being a hosting originating in the United States, it has support in Spanish.
What they should improve : It only has servers in the US so the loading speed may not be ideal if your audience is in Europe. It has 24 hour support by ticket (email), but the chat is not available 24 hours.
Who is DreamHost for?
It is a very cheap shared hosting, but it offers a lot of quality. It is ideal for serious projects on a budget that don’t mind having their website hosted in America.
Try DreamHost 97 days risk free
Hostalia
Hostalia is one of the most popular hosting providers in Spain, its servers host about 100,000 domains belonging to 25,000 users. And it is one of the few hostings that have their servers in Spain.
Despite the fact that they have quite reasonable prices, they give you 24-hour support and are quite generous with the hosting space, the number of email accounts and other options.
What we like: Something that we find very good about Hostalia is that with any of their plans you will have a lot of space to host your website and they do not limit the traffic you can receive either. Plus, all of their plans include at least one free domain name and plenty of email accounts. And the best thing is that, considering the moderate of its prices, its speed and availability are good.
What they should improve: Their control panel is not bad, but it could be a bit more intuitive. Something worse than in other hostings is that it only has 8 applications to self-install, and you will not be able to use a secure FTP either. Also keep in mind that they only keep backups of the last 7 days, something strange, and they will only let you restore one copy per month (at least for free).
Who is Hostalia for? Hostalia is a good option if you are looking for a web hosting with good value for money. Their plans are among the cheapest on the market and you will have a lot of storage space, good speed and availability, as well as adequate support.
Try Hostalia 1 month without obligation
( read review )
Godaddy
GoDaddy plays in another league, it is among the largest hosting and digital services companies on the planet. More than 18 million customers and thousands of workers make up one of the largest online conglomerates in the world.
But of course, this is not a guarantee of anything, and as we will see below, it is not a suitable option for most. They are an expensive service that offers mediocre performance, but let me tell you about it in more detail.
What we like : It’s great that they are so generous with web space, almost all of their plans offer unlimited web hosting. They also do not measure the traffic that your website will be able to receive.
What they should improve : Well, the speed and availability in our tests was not as good as we expected. It is quite expensive, other providers offer similar products at a better price. Yes, the web space is generous (unlimited in some plans) but each plan comes with a limit in the databases that you can create and that also limits the number of websites that you can have.
Who is GoDaddy for?
It is ideal for someone on a budget, looking for hosting with a lot of space and does not mind having a slightly slow website, or if you are looking for Windows based hosting. SiteGround and Webempresa are better alternatives.
Try GoDaddy 1 month without obligation
( read review )
Things to keep in mind when choosing a hosting
It is common for hosting companies to give you great offers for the first period of hiring. For example, the first time you contract with them, SiteGround offers you a discount of more than 50%. Although there is nothing wrong, before deciding you should look at the price of the renovations . In addition, most of the time, the prices are without VAT, so, if you are not a company, when you add it, it will be more expensive.
SiteGround pricing after first renewal
For many people, storage space is an important criterion when choosing a web hosting company and they panic if they don’t have unlimited storage. But unless you plan to create a huge web page with hundreds of images and videos, you won’t need a lot of space. For example, the web you are on right now has dozens of pages and files and needs less than 1 GB. And, as we will see later, unlimited storage space is not always that much.
Most hosting companies have 24 hour chat, email, or even phone support. In my opinion, support is very important and it is something that not all hosts do well. For example, I have had bad experiences with Bluehost and GoDaddy and, instead, I am happy with the support of Webempresa and SiteGround .
How to contact Webempresa support
If your project grows, will your hosting be able to also increase its benefits ? You should check well what other types of web hosting it can offer you: VPS, dedicated servers, cloud hosting, CDN, etc.
GoDaddy Advanced Hosting Solutions
Many of the hosting companies call some of their plans “Unlimited”. But, to be totally honest, practically everyone has some kind of limitation . Let me explain which are the most common:
- Storage space : Your hosting account could limit the hosting space of your web pages. Typically 10GB or 20GB will suffice for most Shared Hosting users.
- Bandwidth : Some hosting companies (Webempresa or Raiola Networks) will limit the amount of traffic your website can receive. If you pass it, they will ask you to pay an additional amount or to upgrade to a more expensive plan.
- Domains and number of web pages : It is quite common that the cheapest plan of a hosting service only allows you to host 1 or 2 web pages. This means that, if you are thinking of hosting more projects, you will have to hire a higher plan.
- Databases : Limiting the number of databases that you can create is an indirect way of restricting the number of web pages that you can host. This is because for each website made with WordPress, for example, you will need at least 1 database. Or they could also limit the size of the databases (for example, with Bluehost they have to be less than 3GB).
- Email accounts : Some hostings limit the email accounts that you can create, as well as the maximum size of each one. Typically, the most expensive plans give you unlimited email accounts.
- Inodes : You can think of inodes as the total number of files you have on your hosting account. For example, although Bluehost says that they give you unlimited hosting space, this is not entirely true, since you will not be able to exceed 200,000 files and directories. It’s a “cheat” way of offering unlimited plans (which are actually generous but limited).
- Performance : Some things, like RAM, CPU, or concurrent processes, are throttled to prevent (shared) hosting accounts from consuming too many server resources and negatively impacting other websites.
- Lack of features : A slightly more murky way to limit plans is to not offer some basic features. For example, some companies, like Bluehost, offer few backup options, while coincidentally they have a plug-in for the same for sale. Another twisted way of limiting plans is not to offer free SSL certificates so users are forced to buy one from the hosting provider.
Common Hosting Issues
In my experience, there are 4 things that differentiate good hosting companies from the rest.
Performance
The trend that bothers me the most about some low-cost hosting providers is that they give you low load speeds or (dangerously) lower availability .
You don’t need to have studied engineering to realize that a slow server will slow down your website. And having a slower website greatly affects the metrics associated with how customers interact with your website (such as conversions or bounce rates) and worsens search engine rankings. In general, experts recommend that websites load in less than 3 seconds.
SiteGround speed measured with GT Metrix
Another common problem is web hosting interruptions. Some unprofessional hosting companies experience constant outages (for maintenance, for example), which can be a very serious problem.
For example, let’s imagine that you have an online store and that your server goes down for 1 or 2 hours during the Black Friday sales, surely you will not be very happy. Businesses that depend on their internet traffic should try to achieve availabilities of at least 99.95%; in other words, you should have less than 4 hours of outages per year.
In my experience, there are 2 main reasons that some cheap hosting companies perform poorly:
- To reduce costs they use old components (for example, servers).
- They overload their servers with too many clients.
If you are looking for a web hosting service with excellent performance, I advise you to take a look at SiteGround , Factoría Digital , Webempresa and DreamHost . And if you want to study our latest performance tests, read this article .
Medium
For me, before I even consider using a certain hosting service, it is essential to ensure that it has fast and reliable support . Most of the time, you will not need to contact any support person, but when you do (and you will) it will usually be because you have a big problem with your website (for example, that it does not load), so have a good Support team can save you a lot of headaches and a lot of money.
The downside is that most cheap web hosting companies don’t exactly stand out for their support. In my experience, these are the problems that you usually encounter:
- It takes an eternity from when you request help until you are treated.
- They are unable to solve your problem. Or, even worse, trying to solve it creates new problems.
From my experience with the support teams, I would tell you that Webempresa and SiteGround are more reliable than average.
Hidden costs and additional services
Some cheap hosting companies initially offer you a very low price to encourage you and decide for them; I believe that some do not even earn anything with your first payment. But their ultimate goal is to convince you to buy some of their expensive extras (for example, security add-ons) or to charge you for things you didn’t expect (like making backups).
Another dubious ethics tactic is to always offer very long contracts (eg 36 months) by default when ordering. Or it could also happen that during the payment process they add unnecessary accessories (such as domain privacy).
Missing functionalities
It is not uncommon to find some hosting companies that do not offer some basic functionality. For example, some companies like Bluehost don’t give you any (free) system to store backups. Therefore, when evaluating these providers, be sure to take these extra prices into account.
SiteGround’s on-demand backup system is unique among cheap hostings
Large web page owners will need to have advanced functionality such as integrated cache management solutions, sandboxes, or pre-installed Git repositories. Keep in mind that not all hosting companies offer this type of functionality, so make sure you know the functionality you will need before deciding.
Shared web page hosting, which one is best for you?
I’ve covered a lot of topics in this guide, and I hope you now have a better idea of which cheap web host to go for. However, let me stress a few things.
As we have seen, some hosting services offer you very low prices the first time you hire them, but they could triple when you renew . Certain companies offer some basic functionalities, such as SSL certificates, only as paid add-ons . Finally, beware of hidden costs (such as fees for restoring backups).
But price shouldn’t be the only factor you take into account when choosing a hosting service. I personally pay close attention to its performance (availability and speed), the quality of its support and the functionalities available ( for example, if you have integrated cache management solutions, test environments or reliable backups).
And now let me tell you which hosting provider I would use in different situations:
- In general, the best hosting is SiteGround , for its excellent performance and support, as well as for its useful functionalities (such as sandboxes ), but it is not the cheapest. Digital Factory is a good alternative with some less function.
- DreamHost is an excellent hosting service at a good price, it offers the best value for money. But you will have to defend yourself with English, and it has no servers in Europe. Other alternatives could be Hostinet or Webempresa .
- SiteGround , Factoría Digital and Webempresa have servers optimized for WordPress and practical functionalities for website owners and WordPress programmers.
- If you are looking for a server that uses Windows, check out GoDaddy or Hostinet .
- You will find the best support with Webempresa , Factoría Digital and SiteGround .
