Best web hosting for student in 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 more-
Miglė Vosyliūtė
Writer
It’s no secret that having an online presence can escalate your career or business. So it’s only natural that students may be looking for the best ways to create a professional image online. And having a website is surely one of them.
Whether you’re looking to build a portfolio, a startup site, or simply try your skills in building a website, web hosting solutions are your best bet. There are many affordable web hosting solutions in the market. Even better, despite their low prices, some of them offer additional student discounts.
Now to help you out with choosing the best web hosting for students, we did some digging and collected a list of providers that offer the best pricing, resources, features, and performance.
So here are our top picks for web hosting for students.
Best web hosting for students: ranked
- Hostinger – cheapest student hosting provider
- InMotion Hosting – best discount for students
- InterServer – best free web hosting for students
- HostGator – beginner-friendly hosting
- DreamHost – WordPress-focused hosting for students
Best website hosting for students - our detailed list:
To help you in selecting the best web hosting solution for students, we tested and compared quality web hosting services. We came up with a top 5 list of web hosting providers for students that excel in terms of affordability, resource availability, feature sets, and performance.
1. Hostinger – cheapest web hosting for students
| Freebies | Free SSL, domain name, automatic backups, email account |
| Uptime | 100% |
| Speed | 511ms |
| Best for | Professional student websites on a budget |
Hostinger’s shared hosting plans start at only $2.54/month – no other student discount is needed for it to be affordable. However, you can get the price down even more by making use of the additional 10% discount for students. Despite the low prices, the provider is easy to use, the performance is reliable, and the 24/7 customer support service is impressive. It's a very professional option to go for.
Among many, here are the key reasons why Hostinger is among top affordable hosting choices:
- Usability – the provider developed its very own control panel, called hPanel. It’s similar to cPanel, if you’re familiar with it, but easier to navigate. Plus, the provider makes sure to constantly update it to make it even more intuitive.
- Features – Hostinger’s all plans are equipped with generous storage, email accounts, SSL certificate, and caching among other things. It’s a very well-rounded service with every essential included.
- Excellent customer support – you can ask for help via a 24/7 live chat or email. There is no phone support, but the knowledge base is extensive. Testing live chat, my questions were answered quickly and agents have done their best.
Overall, Hostinger is an excellent provider of web hosting for students. It’s cheap, easy to use, and help is always on the way.
Pricing
Hostinger offers 2 shared and 1 cloud hosting plan. Premium costs $2.54/month, Business is $3.39/month, while Cloud Startup starts at $6.79/month. These are among the lowest rates in the industry, which is why no other student discounts are necessary.
All 3 of Hostinger’s plans include a free custom domain, SSL certificates, 100 email accounts, and automatic backups. Even so, the freebie is only for one year. As for what each plan includes:
- Premium – connect 100 websites, 100GB SSD storage, 25k monthly visits, and unlimited bandwidth.
- Business – connect 100 websites, 200GB SSD storage, 100k monthly visits, unlimited bandwidth, free CDN, and daily backups.
- Cloud Startup – connect 300 websites, 200GB SSD storage space, 2CPUs cores, 3GB RAM, cache manager, free daily backups, and CDN.
In my opinion, your best choice would be the Premium plan. For just $2.54/mo, you get 100GB storage and 25k monthly visits. Plus, you can create multiple email accounts, and the domain is free for one year.
Performance
Hostinger delivers impressive performance. I conducted the tests over 2 months. With an uptime of 100% and an average response time of 511ms, this provider proved to be among the fastest ones on the market.
Excellent performance results are due to its LiteSpeed Web Servers with a built-in cache engine. Moreover, the provider has servers on 4 continents, and you’re free to choose one closest to your target audience.
Overall, Hostinger performed beautifully over the 2-month testing period. The uptime was flawless with 0 downtime, and the response time was well above the industry standard of 600ms.
The bottom line is that Hostinger is a worthy contender to the title of best web hosting provider for schools and students in general. It has great prices, it’s user-friendly, and customer support is helpful. Most importantly, the performance is fantastic.
2. InMotion Hosting – speed-oriented web hosting for students
| Freebies | Free SSL, domain, email accounts |
| Uptime | 99.98% |
| Speed | 759ms |
| Best for | Discounted student hosting |
InMotion Hosting is an excellent web hosting match for schools since it has a special 50% discount for students and educators. Otherwise, shared hosting prices start at $2.29/month, hosting and web management is easy, and the customer support service is top-notch.
Here’s why InMotion Hosting made to the list:
- It was designed with beginners in mind – InMotion Hosting is overall easy to use. The provider uses a combination of cPanel and an in-house management tool called AMP (Account Management Panel). These 2 make everything simple to navigate.
- Fast customer support – the provider offers multiple support channels. They include a 24/7 live chat, email, ticketing system, phone support, and even Skype. When I contacted the provider via live chat, the responses were lightning-fast.
To sum up, InMotion Hosting is a great partner in crime for students. Not only do you get a 50% student discount but also an easy-to-use control panel and swift customer support.
Pricing
InMotion Hosting provides 4 shared hosting plans ranging from $2.29 to $12.99/mo. Meanwhile, students and educators receive a 50% discount on all plans.
All plans include an SSL certificate, email accounts, a security suite, and marketing tools. Apart from the entry-level plan, they also include: free domain, unlimited websites, storage, bandwidth, and email addresses.
Here’s what’s different:
- Core – 2 website limit, 100GB storage, and 10 email addresses
- Launch – unlimited storage and email accounts, as well as UltraStack speed optimizations
- Power – increased UltraStack speed and performance + advanced caching
- Pro – increased UltraStack speed and performance, advanced caching, dedicated IP, and Pro Support
As a student, the best deal is to sign up for the premium Power plan using your .edu email account. With a discount, it costs just $2.49/mo.
Performance
InMotion Hosting is a reliable provider. The uptime score settled at 99.98% over several months of monitoring. Meanwhile, the average response time won’t get an A+.
InMotion Hosting averaged a 759ms response time. It’s a bit above the industry average of 600ms, leaving some room for improvement.
One thing worth mentioning here is InMotion Hosting’s UltraStack technology. This advanced layered caching system is designed to increase speed. Meaning that users can enjoy better-performing websites. The technology, however, doesn’t apply to the entry-level plan.
All in all, InMotion Hosting satisfies the industry-standard uptime, but it could use some improvement in the response time department.
To sum up the whole section, InMotion Hosting is a solid choice for students. It comes with a 50% discount, it’s easy to use, and the customer support is great.
3. InterServer – best free hosting for students provider
| Freebies | SSL, weekly backups, enhanced security and site recovery service |
| Uptime | 99.99% |
| Speed | 662ms |
| Best for | Free student web hosting with cPanel |
InterServer is committed to the education sector, so students get one year of free web hosting. After that year goes by, prices start at $2.50/month. The best part is that InterServer uses standard control panel cPanel making it very easy, and the resources are more than generous.
InterServer made to the list for more than 2 reasons, but I just want to mention this:
- Easy to use – InterServer chose to go with cPanel, which is a complete industry standard. The control panel is both functional and easy to navigate. Plus, if you need to use advanced features, you'll find tons of documentation in the knowledge base.
- Generous shared hosting plan – you won’t see many providers that offer unlimited websites, storage, bandwidth, and unlimited MySQL databases in their entry-level plan. InterServer went all in with this one.
I’d say that InterServer is an excellent option. The provider offers free web hosting for students for a year, the all-in-one shared hosting plan is incredibly generous, and it’s user-friendly.
Pricing
InterServer offers students one year of free web hosting. It has only one plan, and once that year passes, you’ll be charged $2.50/month. It’s not that much considering that you get access to a lot of resources.
InterServer’s all-in-one plan comes with a wide range of features and resources. SSL certificates are included, and so is free website migration. You also get unlimited SSD storage and unlimited email accounts. Don’t take that literally because as soon as your project takes up too many resources, you’ll be invited to upgrade.
You’re also provided with access to:
- 461 one-click installs
- SitePad Website Builder
- Global content caching
- Intershield security
- Interinsurance site recovery
As a student, the best thing you can do is to sign up for InterServer’s shared hosting services using your school email address (.edu) and then contact customer support. You’ll get one year of web hosting free of charge.
Performance
InterServer proved to be a reliable hosting service. It provided me with a 99.99% uptime. 10 outages meant 13 minutes of downtime over a 4-month period. The average response time of 662ms could have been better, though.
The good news is that InterServer takes pride in using servers only at a 50% capacity. Their purpose is to allocate resources in such a way that clients can grow their websites without suffering from a performance point of view. That and the free global content caching ensure reliable performance.
In general, InterServer is a well-performing hosting provider. The uptime was better than guaranteed. While the response time was a bit over the industry standard, it wasn’t anything critical.
Overall, InterServer qualifies as a good provider of web hosting for students, mainly because it offers a special discount for this category of users. With generally low prices, reliable performance, and enough resources, I’m sure that you’ll find it suitable for whatever project you want to work on.
4. HostGator – beginner-friendly web hosting for students
| Freebies | Domain, SSL, email accounts, cPanel |
| Uptime | 99.9% |
| Speed | 525ms |
| Best for | Affordable and easy to use student hosting |
HostGator is probably one of the first providers most people tend to use – due to its popularity, ease of use, and affordable prices. While no discount for students is available, the $3.75/month price includes all essentials – domain, SSL, and even email accounts. Other than that, support is very helpful and fast with many self-help resources available.
HostGator’s strengths are:
- Straightforward hosting management panel – you’ll find shortcuts to the most commonly used cPanel modules right there and then. Talking of cPanel, it’s fully functional and available in a click from the main dashboard.
- Fast customer support – you can contact support via 24/7 live chat and phone. Plus, the knowledge base is extensive. My personal favorite is live chat, and after testing it, it took about 9 minutes to fix an issue. Meanwhile, there's even a YouTube channel with tutorials for beginners.
Overall, HostGator really is an excellent provider of web hosting for students. It’s affordable, easy to use, and customer support will give you the help you need in a jiffy.
Pricing
HostGator has 3 well-rounded shared hosting plans. Hatchling is $3.75/month, Baby is $4.50/month, and Business is only $6.25/month. While student discount is not there, the prices are already affordable.
HostGator’s plans offer quite a package: free SSL certificate, domain for a year, website builder, unlimited storage and bandwidth, and email accounts.
The plans do differ, though:
- Hatchling – you can host 1 website
- Baby – you can connect unlimited websites
- Business – apart from hosting unlimited websites, it comes with a free dedicated IP, SEO tools, and a free upgrade to Positive SSL
The best choice for a student is the Baby plan. It’s only 75 cents more than Hatchling, but you can host unlimited websites. I think that’s a great deal. However, if you only need one website, Hatchling is irreplaceable with all the essentials in one cheap package.
Performance
With an uptime of 99.99% and an average response time of 525ms, HostGator is one of the industry’s most affordable, yet excellent-performing hosting providers. You didn’t see that coming judging by the prices, right?
HostGator has an uptime guarantee of 99.9%, but it exceeded it. The website experienced only 5 minutes of downtime in two and a half months. Plus, the response time was constant for the most part. Still, anything under 600ms is excellent, so no comments here.
The main takeaway here is that while HostGator charges little money for its services, it delivers excellent performance.
HostGator offers attractive prices for students. Plus, all essentials are included, it’s easy to use, customer support is the finest, and the performance is better than those of more expensive providers.
5. DreamHost – affordable WordPress-oriented hosting for students
| Freebies | SSL, domain, domain privacy, automatic backups |
| Uptime | 99.99% |
| Speed | 231ms |
| Best for | WordPress-focused web hosting |
DreamHost is WordPress-focused hosting for students that is easy to use, and the performance is one of the best I’ve ever seen. Even though you won’t get any special treatment as a student, the prices are already affordable. The entry-level plan is just $2.59/month, with flexible billing terms.
DreamHost has many qualities, but here are 3 key strengths:
- Strong focus on WordPress – for one thing, a WordPress copy is already installed when you set up your domain. Secondly, suppose you already have a WP website. In that case, you can migrate it to DreamHost for free using the automated migration plugin. Lastly, a premium WP website builder is included.
- Low monthly rates – usually, monthly rates are the most expensive. Even Hostinger’s cheapest plan is almost $10 if you pay on a month-to-month basis. Yet, DreamHost’s entry plan monthly price is only $4.95.
- 97-day money-back guarantee – the industry standard is 30 days, but DreamHost took things a whole lot further.
DreamHost can make for an excellent web hosting provider for students. It gives you access to useful WordPress tools, it’s easy to use, and billing is very flexible.
Pricing
DreamHost is affordable for everyone. So, not getting a special student discount won’t hurt your wallet. You can choose between 2 shared hosting plans: Starter costs $2.59/month, while Unlimited is $3.95/month.
Both plans come with a free domain and its privacy, SSL certificate, unmetered bandwidth, and daily backups. As for what differs:
- Starter – you can host only one website on generous 50GB SSD storage. Email accounts start at $1.67/month.
- Unlimited – you can connect unlimited websites, the SSD storage is unlimited, and email is included.
To get the lowest monthly price, you have to go for the longest billing period. Nonetheless, DreamHost allows you to choose between monthly, annual, and 3-year subscriptions that are all pretty affordable.
The best possible deal is the Unlimited plan. It’s slightly more expensive than the Starter plan. Still, the unlimited websites and free email make it worth the extra dollar or 2 depending on the billing term you choose.
Performance
DreamHost delivered one of the best performance results I have ever had the chance to get. With an uptime of 99.99% and an average response time of 231ms, your website will always be up and lightning-fast.
Apart from being fast and stable, DreamHost was consistent too. The results I got showed me no significant ups or downs, meaning that the response time was always in the same range (181ms – 277ms). For 2.5 months – that’s an amazing result.
All in all, DreamHost performed incredibly well. The uptime was close to perfection, the response time was fast, and I admire the consistency.
What’s important to remember is that DreamHost is an affordable WordPress hosting provider. It comes with a crazy long money-back guarantee, and the performance results are outstanding.
How to pick the best student web hosting provider?
While there are plenty of great web hosting choices available, you, as a student or educator might need to evaluate not just the quality of the service but its price among many other factors. Here are a couple of things to consider when choosing a provider for your needs:
- Special discounts for web hosting for schools and students are sometimes available. Usually, you'll need to prove your educational status. Currently, you can find a special student discount at InMotion Hosting (50% off) and InterServer (one year of free hosting).
- Ease of use – whether you're completely new to web development as a student or you're teaching a course – sticking to standard and convenient tools is the way to go. cPanel control panel or anything that is inspired by it is easy to use and functional. Some providers designed their own control panels, and as long as the user interface is straightforward, you’re all good. At this point, I would choose Hostinger or HostGator.
- Performance – the 2 factors above are practically irrelevant if you choose a hosting provider that keeps your website down for too long. The same rule applies if it takes forever for your site to load. What you need to look for is a provider that offers an uptime guarantee of at least 99.9%. The response time should be no higher than 600ms, but it’s acceptable for it to go a little bit over. Just don’t choose a provider that gives you 1 second or more. Regarding this requirement, Hostinger and DreamHost show the best results.
- Customer support – questions and minor errors are just bound to arise. Getting quality help quickly is essential. So look for a provider that will give you multiple 24/7 options to get in contact with them – live chat, email, or phone are preferred options. The best support is offered by Hostinger and HostGator.
Best student web hosting: final recommendations
Picking the right web hosting for students is important for creating a professional online presence, which is crucial for your education and future career. When looking at web hosting options, it's important to think about how much it costs, what features it offers, and how well it performs.
After testing different providers, I've found that the best web host for students is Hostinger. It starts at just $2.54/month, making it affordable for students. Hostinger also comes with lots of useful features, an easy-to-use control panel, and it works really well, which is great for students on a budget.
Another good choice is InMotion Hosting which hosting plans start at $2.29/month. They offer a 50% discount for students and provide user-friendly hosting, fast customer support, and plans designed to meet the needs of students.
So, when you're deciding, think about what you need and how much you can spend to make sure you have a strong online presence as a student.
Best web hosting for students FAQs
Can I get web hosting with a student discount?
Yes, you can get web hosting with a student discount. InterServer offers one year of free hosting, while InMotion Hosting has a 50% off deal in place for students and educators.
How to make a WordPress website with web hosting for students?
To make a WordPress website with web hosting for students, proceed with a provider of your choice and use the offered one-click installer. Some providers, like DreamHost, are WordPress-focused and come with WordPress pre-installed.
Is Bluehost student discount available?
Bluehost student discount is not available at the moment. They did have a 75% off at some point, but not at the moment. We’ll keep you updated in case they decide to renew this promotion.
How do students host their website for free?
Students that wish to host their website for free can either opt for a free blogging platform, like WordPress.com, or look for a trustworthy web hosting provider.
Is WordPress free for students?
Whether WordPress is free for students depends on the WordPress version. WordPress.com is an entirely free blogging platform for everyone, while WordPress.org requires hosting, which is usually paid for.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are markedmarked