How to choose hosting for the Internet - shop

The key to successful and high-quality work of the site is reliable data storage. When launching a new project, not everyone attaches importance to this, but in the future such a service will help owners to secure their business. The term refers to the platform for storing the site. Hosting ensures uninterrupted operation of the resource. Providers offer a variety of file storage options and on different terms. The article contains information that will help you choose a hosting for an online store .

Hosting types

Choosing a hosting provider is difficult enough for novice entrepreneurs. It is necessary to focus on the capabilities of the server, as well as on the features of the project itself. There are the following types of hosting: virtual, virtual dedicated server, cloud. Some companies offer to place the client's equipment in their own data center. Next, we will tell you more about the features of the most relevant options.

Shared hosting

It is the most inexpensive and popular type. The bottom line is that the client files are located on a separate dedicated site. It also contains documentation owned by other users . In this case, the server resource is evenly distributed among all clients. The downside is that there may be some restrictions in the operation of sites associated with a lack of acceptable disk space . However, the main advantage is the low cost (from $ 5 per month), which makes this type of data storage so popular.

For the operation of an online store with a small number of goods and traffic, the possibilities of the virtual version are quite enough. Suitable for resources with traffic of no more than 1-1.5 thousand visitors per day, the number of products of which requires several thousand pages. If the number of visits is growing, then for the normal functioning of the site you need to think about switching to a more powerful server .

Virtual server (VPS / VDS)

The main difference from a conventional virtual server is that there will be fewer users on the site, as well as access to managing software settings. The client has at his disposal higher capabilities of the operating system (RAM, disk quota, etc.). At the same time, resources are limited, but the user can increase the required parameter . The cost of services can vary from $ 20 to $ 50 per month.

Suitable for projects with attendance from 5 to 15 thousand per day. Thanks to the large disk space , the client can manage a catalog with tens of thousands of items.

Physical hosting

It consists in the placement by the client of the site on the server, which is located on a separate technical site of the company. The online store can make the most of the system's capabilities. The nuance is that the staff only monitors the technical state of the server. For management and maintenance, it will be necessary to hire a special employee. In comparison with other types of physical hosting - the most expensive, the cost of rent can reach hundreds of dollars.

Suitable for large projects with traffic of tens of thousands of users, which is constantly growing. Hosting ensures the optimal operation of a large online store, the budget of which includes the salary of the employee who maintains the server.

Free or paid hosting

Companies often offer free services. Before posting data on such sites, it is worth analyzing all the nuances. The user agreement usually indicates a lot of restrictions and obligations of the client. The disadvantages of such proposals include.

1. Poor technical support. As a rule, the hoster's employees cannot always respond quickly and help solve the problem in a quality manner. Even the best CMS for an online store will perform poorly on poor hosting.
2. Limited disk space. Initially set limits may not be inconvenient. However, over time, with an increase in resource traffic, the server will not cope with the load . As a result, for the site to work correctly, it is necessary to increase the disk space for a separate payment.
3. Domain name. Usually, users of free services are located at 3 or more levels, which, first of all, promotes the owner of the server.
4. Advertising. In order to resolve the issue of the cost of free services, the owner can launch an advertisement without the knowledge of the client. Reviews indicate that sites with constant advertising cause a negative attitude from the user.
5. Limiting script support. In this case, the client cannot fully implement his project.
6. Server speed. Most free hosting providers limit traffic to customers. This leads to slow website loading and lower search engine rankings.
7. Removal option. Free hosting administrators can delete a site without giving any reason.

The advantage is, of course, the absence of service fees. The question of which hosting to choose for an online store - paid or free, arises from many entrepreneurs. It is worth remembering that the work and effort spent on the development of the site may not bring the expected result, and especially when there is a risk of its deletion by the administrator. Limited options can affect the profitability of the resource. The free option is more suitable for small sites - business cards with several pages.

What are the criteria for choosing a hosting, what to look for

When deciding on the location for the database, many are looking for a hoster with low rates. However, the success and profitability also depend on the parameters of the server . In order for the hosting to be as efficient as possible, it is worth focusing on several criteria.

Technical support

The continuity of the online store depends on how quickly the company's staff will respond to the appeal. It is important that employees are competent and can quickly fix the problem. You can be convinced of the level of competence by assessing the speed of answers to the questions posed.

Backup

It consists in regularly saving information and settings. In the event of a problem, you can quickly restore data and continue the resource. It is very important that the process takes place automatically. Thanks to this, it will be possible to exclude the human factor and insure against possible risks.

Download speed

It is important that the uptime indicator is at least 99.9%, which corresponds to 1 hour of downtime per month. In addition, you should pay attention to which disks the company offers to place the data. SSDs are fast and capable of handling heavy loads.

Number of databases

The type of this service depends on how many databases of other users will be located at the same time. Since resources are evenly shared between all participants, the more “neighbors” there are, the more restrictions there will be during work.

Disk space

Almost all hosters offer disks, the volume of which can cope with the set requirements. Usually the figure is 1-2 GB. Better, of course, to give preference to the volume above the standard - from 5 GB.

RAM

The indicator depends on how many visitors to the online store can be on the site at the same time. The minimum is 64 MB, but for optimal site performance it is better to focus on values in the range from 128 to 256 MB.

The trial period service is very useful. The client can test the work of the company and see if the hosting meets the desired requirements. Feedback from consumers of this service suggests that it is worth giving preference to a company with an average pricing policy. Before choosing a hosting , it is worth visiting the provider's website to get to know it better. The availability of all the necessary information indicates the serious work of the company.

Recommendations for choosing a hosting for an online store

Many business owners initially study reviews on the Internet, but you should not rely on them alone. There will always be those who are satisfied, and vice versa. More information can be obtained from the ratings. Today there are many articles comparing the services of both domestic and foreign hosting companies.

The choice of hosting for an online store directly depends on its traffic and the number of products sold. If you are creating a test version or a small business card site, then you can use free services to get started, or you can also choose a free platform for the store . For a small audience with a minimum amount of content, virtual or cloud hosting is suitable, in which you have to pay only for the resources used. For large, specific sites, physical hosting is required.

After choosing the type of hosting, you need to calculate the required disk size and other technical characteristics:

• backup;
• trial period;
• at least 5 email accounts;
• checking mail for suspicious messages;
• protection against DDoS attacks;
• the ability to access via FTP;
• round-the-clock monitoring of the server status;
• constant technical support
• convenient control panel;
• unlimited traffic;
• support of required scripts
• support for popular computer programs.

The competence of the employees of the data storage site is of great importance, to whom, one way or another, you will have to turn for help. The value for money is also important compared to other providers.

Signs of a good hoster are.

• Official registration. Successful companies necessarily provide services based on a license. It is desirable to indicate in the public domain the contacts and address of the office.
• Extensive experience in the field. The long term of the provision of services speaks of the reliability of the provider. This information can be found by looking at the year the domain was founded and reading reviews.
• Availability of its own data center or contracts with data centers in other regions.
• 24/7 technical support. Responsible providers provide assistance at any time of the day, which is very important in emergency situations.
• Reliability. Good hosters host servers from their own data centers and use quality equipment. Automatic backups are a sign of reliability.
• Convenience of management. A good company provides FTP management capabilities and supports all popular programs and options.
• Market share of services. Speaks about the success of the provider. The information is posted on special resources.

There are also companies that resell site storage services, called resellers. Technical support from such vendors may be weaker.

Some hosters develop special promotional offers for their clients.

Best hosting for online stores

Analyzing the market, we can single out some hosting companies leading the rating in terms of the ratio of tariffs and quality of services provided:

Company	Price range	Services	Benefits
	$ 2.10-20	Virtual hosting, virtual dedicated server, test period. Support: Joomla, WordPress, Drupal, MODx, Typo 3, UMI.CMS, Bitrix	The Hosting Ukraine company is always a high-quality, reliable, professional paid hosting. We improve the functionality and stability of our services every day, aiming to be the best in Ukraine.
	$ 1.50 - 8.15	Shared hosting, CMS hosting, VPS / VDS, dedicated servers. Support: 1C-Bitrix, Joomla, WordPress and other CMS.	Makhost - rent a hosting for a website with unlimited free traffic. Technical support is provided around the clock through the ticket system. SSD drives only. PHP version selection in the control panel. Automatic filtering of spam and viruses.
	$ 2.87 - $ 9.66	Shared hosting, dedicated server. Support: Joomla, WordPress, Drupal, MODx, Typo 3, UMI.CMS, vBulletin, Bitrix	On the market since 2007. The sites are protected from DDoS attacks. You can use the test period. The support service works around the clock. Own control panel.
	$ 1.82 - $ 7.15	Cloud hosting, dedicated server, WAP hosting, VPS / VDS Support: Drupal, MODx, Typo 3, UMI.CMS, vBulletin, Bitrix	More than 13 years of experience in the field. Test period. Professional website and a wide range of tariff plans. There is protection against DDoS - attacks, viruses, malicious software. Any operating system can be installed on a dedicated server. There are promotional offers. 24/7 technical support. Low cost of services.
	$ 2.04 - 5.08	Shared hosting, VPS / VDS, CDN. Supports: Joomla, WordPress, Drupal, MODx, Typo 3, UMI.CMS, vBulletin.	Has been working since 2012. The test period is 7 days. There is a choice of panels with advanced functionality. Virus and malware scanner. There are additional protection methods (paid). Refers to cheap hosters. Quick response from technical support.
	2.7 - 8.47%	Shared hosting, dedicated server, VPS / VDS. Supports Joomla, Bitrix, WordpPress, Drupal, MODx, Typo 3, UMI.CMS, vBulletin.	Has been working since 2006. The test period is 10 days. Relatively low cost. It has its own user-friendly panel, as well as free and paid options. Provides the ability to create users with access to the server. Two-factor authentication, DDoS protection, virus monitoring. A quick response from technical support, which is available in almost all social networks. networks. There are promotional offers.
	$ 1.47-11	WAP hosting, VPS / VDS, shared hosting, dedicated server, server hosting. Supports Joomla, Bitrix, WordPress, Drupal, MODx, Typo 3, UMI.CMS, vBulletin.	Has been working since 2005. Test period for 10 days. There is its own control panel, as well as a paid one with additional functionality. There is spam monitoring. Automatic backups for shared hosting packages every day. 24/7 technical support. Can be installed on a server of any operating system.
	$ 2.74 - 25.84	Hosting for a site - business card, portal, forum, blog, Internet store, corporate site. Supports Joomla , WordPress	On the market since 2010. 30 days trial period for all tariff plans. Own control panel. Shared hosting backup every 2 days. DDoS protection - attacks. 24/7 technical support. There are special offers.
	$ 2.04-14.26	Shared hosting, dedicated server, VPS / VDS. Supports Joomla, Bitrix, WordPress, Drupal, MODx , Typo 3 , UMI.CMS , vBulletin .	Has been working since 2008. Convenient site. There is a test period for 30 days. Convenient own panel. There is protection against DDoS attacks. You need to install other protection methods yourself. Every day, an employee makes backups for free. Technical support works around the clock.
	$ 0.54 - 4.92	WAP hosting, shared hosting, dedicated server. Supports Joomla, Bitrix, Worldpress, Drupal, MODx, UMI.CMS.	Has been working since 2003. 10 days trial period with some restrictions. Fast registration. Own control panel. There is two-factor authentication and access recovery procedure. Low rates.
	$ 1.31-7.13	Cloud, shared hosting, dedicated server. Supports Joomla, Bitrix, Worldpress, Drupal, MODx, UMI.CMS.	On the market since 2008. The test period is 30 days. Low cost of services. There is protection against DDoS attacks.

The professional OkayCMS team will help you choose a hosting provider based on your individual needs.