Best cheap web hosting UK (2024)
Through independent research and testing, our team of experts offers transparent and thorough reviews of web hosting providers. We use the same testing criteria for all providers to offer a fair and unbiased assessment of each hosting service.
Our in-depth articles include feedback about our hands-on hosting experience and other crucial information for potential customers.
Learn moreIn 2024, finding reliable and budget-friendly web hosting services is more crucial than ever for businesses and individuals alike. As websites become essential tools for communication, commerce, and information dissemination, the quest for cost-effective, cheap web hosting UK solutions intensifies.
This article addresses the challenges users face – not all providers offer both affordability and servers in close proximity to the UK. Focused on practicality and performance, our recommendations prioritize reliability, essential features, and scalability.
We have tested 52 hosting providers on the market and handpicked only 6 ones, perfect for the UK. Our research of the best cheap UK web hosting solutions aims to empower users with insights, helping them make informed decisions for a successful online presence.
Top 6 cheap UK web hosting services
- Bluehost – best cheap UK web hosting service overall
- Hostinger – budget-friendly web hosting with UK servers
- DreamHost– affordable UK web hosting for beginners
- SiteGround– reliable web hosting with great customer support
- HostGator – cost-effective hosting solution for UK start-ups
- Liquid Web– cheap web hosting UK with great developer features
Best cheap web hosting in the UK – detailed review
In our detailed review of the best affordable web hosting in the UK, we thoroughly examined 52 providers to bring you comprehensive insights. Considering factors such as pricing, features, and performance, we evaluated various cheap web hosting in the UK to identify the top choices.
Our in-depth analysis covers various aspects to help you decide on your hosting needs. For a broader perspective on the top hosting providers, check out our article on the top 10 hosting providers at Cybernews.
1. Bluehost – best UK hosting option for easy WordPress management from £2.32/month
Top features: | Functional interface, cPanel, WordPress staging |
Free domain registration: | Yes, for one year |
Free email: | Yes, limited to three months |
Best price: | From £2.32/month |
Bluehost is a leading web hosting provider recognized for its reliability and commitment to delivering high-quality services at an affordable price. With strong performance and security, Bluehost caters to a broad spectrum of users, from bloggers to established businesses. It seamlessly integrates user-friendly tools with robust features, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a reliable and scalable web hosting solution.
Pricing. Bluehost offers competitive rates starting from £2.32/month, making it an accessible choice for those mindful of their budgets. Our experience navigating pricing plans revealed a balance between cost and value, catering to both beginners and experienced users. Bluehost also offers a 30-day money-back policy.
Performance. Bluehost doesn’t offer an uptime guarantee, like Hostinger does, for example. However, we tested Bluehost's performance under varying conditions, affirming its consistent reliability. Whether handling user traffic or optimizing for speed, Bluehost was effective in delivering seamless website experiences. It has multiple data centers around the world, including servers in London, UK. We have tested the loading times, and it showed a reasonable 1.8s result – you will barely notice any lags.
Features. Bluehost, one of the best WordPress providers, offers seamless integration and optimized performance. Advanced SiteLock security defends against online threats. One downside is that Bluehost offers a free email only on a 3-month free trial basis. After this, you’ll need to pay for the service. However, Bluehost’s flexible resource scaling ensures optimal performance, and the included CDN enhances website speed globally.
2. Hostinger – affordable UK web hosting service for £2.24/month
Top features: | Free SSL, weekly backups, SSD storage, LiteSpeed web server |
Free domain registration: | Yes |
Free email: | Yes |
Best price: | From £2.24/month |
Hostinger is a budget-friendly hosting provider offering great value. With a reputation for reliability and performance, Hostinger provides a user-friendly platform suitable for various website needs. It doesn’t compromise on essential features while ensuring affordability, making it a great choice for individuals and businesses looking to establish an online presence without spending much.
Pricing. Hostinger's pricing structure, starting from an enticing £2.24/month, positions it as a budget-friendly yet robust hosting solution. We assessed its pricing extensively, compared it with competitors, and found Hostinger to offer exceptional value for its price. To test it risk-free, there’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Performance. We conducted comprehensive stress tests to evaluate Hostinger's performance, scrutinizing its ability to handle varying user traffic. Our findings affirm its reliability, as Hostinger consistently delivers impressive loading speeds and uptime, crucial for a seamless user experience. Hostinger offers a wide variety of server locations, including the UK, and our testing showed the loading time of a fully built site was 0.8s, which is an excellent result. With a commitment to reliability, it assures a 99.9% uptime guarantee, minimizing downtime for users.
Features. Hostinger's optimized servers guarantee fast website loading, optimizing user experience. The user-friendly control panel simplifies website management and configuration, enhancing ease of use. Hosting plans come with a free domain registration and SSL certificate, as well as a free email.
3. DreamHost – best cheap UK web hosting for beginners from $2.59/month
Top features: | Custom control panel, WordPress website builder, automated migration |
Free domain registration: | Yes |
Free email: | No |
Best price: | From $2.59/month |
DreamHost is a well-established web hosting provider recognized for its dedication to open-source technology and a robust focus on privacy and security. It stands out as a reliable and cost-effective UK web hosting provider, emphasizing open-source technology. Its attributes include unlimited traffic and bandwidth and a 100% uptime guarantee, making it an attractive choice for individuals and businesses seeking a dependable hosting solution.
Pricing. DreamHost's pricing, starting at $2.59/month (they do not provide prices in pounds, but it comes at around £2.04/month), positions it competitively in the market. Besides, it also offers a whopping 97-day money-back guarantee on shared hosting services and a 30-day money-back guarantee on all DreamPress hosting plans.
Performance. After testing DreamHost's performance, its ability to handle user traffic proved commendable. The hosting demonstrates stability, ensuring optimal website speed and responsiveness. Although it only has data centers in the US, we checked whether DreamHost delivers reliable performance, and it equaled an impressive 100% uptime rate and a decent loading time of 1.6s.
Features. DreamHost provides robust support for open-source platforms, especially WordPress users, with unlimited traffic and unmetered bandwidth. The service accommodates various programming languages and offers SSH access for developers. It also includes free SSL/TLS certificates for enhanced website security and increased visitor trust.
4. SiteGround – reliable and cheap web hosting provider for the UK at £2.99/month
Top features: | Caching, staging, multi-user tools, white-label hosting |
Free domain registration: | Yes, first year |
Free email: | Yes |
Best price: | From £2.99/month |
SiteGround is a versatile yet affordable web hosting provider, presenting various hosting solutions such as shared, cloud, and dedicated hosting. The allure lies in their prompt and reliable hosting services and advanced security features, making them an great choice for those searching for a trustworthy hosting solution in the UK.
Pricing. SiteGround's shared hosting plans commence at £2.99/month, offering an affordable option for those seeking reliability in their hosting solution. Additionally, they provide a 30-day money refund guarantee.
Performance. In our evaluation, we combined user reviews with our in-house testing experience to ascertain outstanding SiteGround's performance. The platform excelled in handling website traffic, as stress tests showcased its ability to maintain optimal speed and responsiveness even during peak loads. It has multiple servers in Europe, including the UK. Our testing showed a good website loading time of 1.8s, the same as Bluehost showed. SiteGround guarantees uptime to 99.9%. Besides, the utilization of SuperCacher technology significantly boosted website speed.
Features. SiteGround streamlines the transition from another hosting provider with free website migration. The hosting service provides free SSL certificates to enhance website security and visitor trust. Users benefit from round-the-clock support via phone, email, and live chat, ensuring assistance whenever needed. SiteGround also employs anti-hack systems and proactive server monitoring to maintain a secure hosting environment.
4. HostGator – best cost-effective hosting for startups from $3.75/month
Top features: | cPanel hosting, free website builder |
Free domain registration: | Yes, one year |
Free email: | Yes |
Best price: | $3.75/month |
HostGator, a veteran in the hosting industry, is reliable and versatile. It offers various hosting solutions and caters to diverse user needs, from beginners to experienced developers. With a user-friendly interface and a reputation for stellar customer support, HostGator is a go-to choice for those seeking budget-friendly hosting in the UK without compromising on features.
Pricing. HostGator positions itself as a budget-friendly option, offering monthly plans starting from $3.75/month, which comes at around £2.96/month for UK users. However, it's essential to note that renewal prices will increase, a common industry practice. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Performance. Unfortunately, this provider only has data centers in the US. However, HostGator's capabilities under various conditions, including stress tests, showed its robust infrastructure, ensuring consistent website performance even during traffic spikes. Our testing revealed an impressive site loading time of 1.2s. Besides, it guarantees the uptime to 99.9%. Our experience highlighted its commitment to reliable hosting, a crucial factor for websites with dynamic user engagement.
Features. HostGator simplifies website migration with a complimentary migration service for users. Users can create professional-looking websites effortlessly using the drag-and-drop website builder, eliminating the need for coding expertise. With all shared hosting plans, you get unmetered bandwidth and a malware-scanning feature.
6. Liquid Web – great UK hosting for developers and agencies, starting at $5.00/month
Top features: | 10 TB of bandwidth, DDoS protection, monitoring, a firewall |
Free domain registration: | No |
Free email: | No |
Best price: | From $5.00/month |
Liquid Web is a premium hosting provider specializing in high-performance solutions for businesses with demanding online needs. With CloudFlare CDN integration, Liquid Web accelerates website speed and global accessibility, further enhancing the user experience. The InterWorx control panel simplifies server and website management, making it an ideal choice for businesses demanding advanced capabilities.
Pricing. Liquid Web provides shared hosting plans beginning at $5.00/month, which comes at around £11.83/month, positioning itself as a premium choice for individuals seeking a dependable hosting solution. Even though this is not the cheapest option, we still wanted to include it in our list due to its impressive features and performance. As for a service aimed at large companies, the prices are decent.
Performance. Even though Liquid Web doesn't offer data centers in the UK, there are nearby servers in Europe (Netherlands). In our rigorous LiquidWeb testing, its dedicated servers demonstrated unparalleled performance under heavy loads, showcasing their capacity to handle resource-intensive applications seamlessly. The website loading time was 1.2s – an excellent result. This aligns with our experience, affirming Liquid Web's position as a go-to choice for businesses seeking high-performance hosting solutions. It also guarantees a 100% uptime backed by SLA.
Features. Liquid Web provides dedicated servers, guaranteeing exclusive resources for optimal website functionality. Backed by the 24/7 support team, Liquid Web ensures reliable assistance. It allows customers to focus on their businesses while leaving the technical aspects to the provider.
Compare cheap UK website hosting
Bluehost | Hostinger | DreamHost | SiteGround | HostGator | Liquid Web | |
Brand | ||||||
Rating | ||||||
Servers in the UK | ✅Yes | ✅Yes | ❌No | ✅Yes | ❌No | ❌No |
Cheapest price in GBP | £2.32/month | £2.24/month | £2.04/month | £2.99/month | £2.96/month | £11.83/month |
One-click WordPress installation | ✅Yes | ✅Yes | ✅Yes | ✅Yes | ✅Yes | ✅Yes |
WordPress migration | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
Website builder included | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Free domain registration | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Free professional email | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
SSD | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
Bandwidth | Unmetered | Unlimited | Unmetered | Unlimited | Unmetered | 500GB |
How did we rank cheap UK web hosting?
Here’s how we tested the cheap web hosting UK solutions and compiled the list of top 6 cheap website hostings:
- Website creation for UK audience. Our process began by creating a website tailored to the UK audience. This site served as the testing ground for the hosting providers, allowing us to assess their performance in a UK-centric context.
- Provider selection and testing. We identified and tested 52 hosting providers looking for affordable pricing that corresponds with services offered. This comprehensive selection process ensured we evaluated a diverse range of options available on the market.
- Performance evaluation. We examined the hosting providers' servers in the UK to gauge performance. Utilizing tools designed for UK location testing, we measured factors like website loading times and responsiveness, as well as uptime.
- Security feature review. We explored each provider's security features, assessing the measures in place to safeguard websites against potential threats and ensure data and user information protection.
- Technical feature analysis. We also tested the technical features offered by each provider. This included an in-depth assessment of server specifications, storage options, and any unique technical capabilities that set them apart.
- Exploration of additional features. We explored each provider's offerings beyond the essentials. This involved examining additional tools, resources, and benefits contributing to an enhanced hosting experience.
- Point summary for ranking. Assigning points for each category, we meticulously assessed the low price and quality of services each hosting provider offers. The cumulative points determined their ranking, allowing us to present a comprehensive and objective assessment of the cheap web hosting UK options.
Why would you choose cheap UK hosting?
Selecting cheap hosting in the UK is essential when your primary website audience hails from the same region. Hosting servers located close to your target audience ensures faster loading times and a more responsive website experience.
This proximity minimizes latency, contributing to improved website performance and user satisfaction. However, not all providers on our list have data centers in the UK, but they can still keep up and deliver excellent performance from further away. Opting for cheap web hosting UK aligns with cost-effectiveness and enhances search engine rankings.
Choosing affordable UK hosting is a strategic decision that saves costs and prioritizes optimal performance and user experience.
Wrapping up
Selecting cheap web hosting in the UK demands a balance between affordability and quality. Our comprehensive assessment, combining user reviews with in-house testing, unveils the top contenders. Whether prioritizing price, performance, support, or tailored features, our ranking empowers users to make informed decisions, ensuring a cost-effective and reliable online presence.
After reviewing top web hosting providers in the UK, we recommend Bluehost as the best cheap hosting in the UK service. Its affordable pricing, performance, support, and tailored features consistently rank high, making site management simple and affordable.
Have you experimented with any other web hosting service? Feel free to share your insights and experience with us in the comments section below.
FAQ
How much does web hosting cost in the UK?
Web hosting prices in the UK can start as low as £2/month, depending on the provider and plan. Consider factors like features, performance, and support to find the best balance for your budget.
Can I get free web hosting with a domain?
Yes, but quality may suffer as some providers offer free plans with very limited features, suitable for personal projects. Consider budget-friendly paid options, like Bluehost, for better performance and support for a professional website.
How can I host a website for free in the UK?
Various platforms offer free hosting but keep in mind potential limitations. Platforms like WordPress and Wix provide free plans, yet upgrading to a paid plan often unlocks more features and removes branding. It’s better to go for a paid yet budget-friendly alternative like Bluehost.
Is GoDaddy hosting expensive?
Yes, GoDaddy's hosting can be pricier compared to some alternatives. While they offer a range of plans, consider exploring other providers for potentially better value, features, and customer satisfaction. We strongly recommend Bluehost.
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