Web hosting is a service that keeps your website’s files, databases and email on a server that is connected to the internet 24/7. When a visitor opens your site, the pages are sent from that server.
You could run a site on your own computer, but when the computer is switched off, the site goes down too. A hosting company runs the server non-stop in a data centre and takes care of security, backups and hardware.
Hosting vs domain
The two are often confused, but a website needs both:
- Domain name: your site’s address, for example yourcompany.com. Visitors find you through it.
- Hosting: the place where your site’s files live. The domain points to your hosting through its DNS settings.
Put simply, the domain is your street address and the hosting is the house itself. Even if your domain is registered with another company, you can host your site anywhere; you just point the domain’s DNS to your new hosting.
What does a hosting plan include?
- Disk space: where your files, images, databases and email are stored. NVMe SSD storage is much faster than a classic disk.
- CPU and RAM: decide how many visitors your site can serve quickly at the same time.
- Traffic: the amount of data sent to visitors; good plans make it unlimited.
- Email: business addresses such as info@yourcompany.com.
- Databases: MySQL databases for WordPress and online stores.
- Control panel: manage everything through a visual interface with cPanel, DirectAdmin or Plesk.
- SSL certificate: makes your site open over https, with the padlock icon.
- Backups: regular copies so you can roll your site back if something goes wrong.
Types of hosting
| Type | Best for | Starting price |
|---|---|---|
| DirectAdmin hosting | Personal and business sites on a budget | 0.79 $/mo |
| cPanel hosting | Business sites and blogs that prefer the most popular panel | 0.99 $/mo |
| WordPress hosting | WordPress and WooCommerce sites, with caching and staging ready | 1.99 $/mo |
| Business hosting | Online stores, ERP integrations and high-revenue sites | 3.99 $/mo |
| Windows hosting | Projects using ASP.NET, .NET and MSSQL | 0.99 $/mo |
| Reseller hosting | Agencies and resellers selling hosting under their own brand | 2.19 $/mo |
Prices are monthly amounts for Plus Datacenter plans on annual billing. If you cannot decide between Linux and Windows, read Linux vs Windows hosting; for choosing a panel, read What is cPanel?
Hosting is a shared service: you share one server’s resources with other accounts and do not get root access. If you need to install your own software or manage the server entirely yourself, you need a VPS or your own server.
How to choose hosting
- Your site’s technology: choose Linux (cPanel or DirectAdmin) for WordPress and PHP, and Windows hosting for ASP.NET and MSSQL.
- Storage type: ask for NVMe SSD; page and database speed depend directly on it.
- Web server: LiteSpeed with caching noticeably speeds up WordPress sites in particular.
- Backups: ask whether backups are taken daily and how long they are kept.
- Free SSL: an SSL certificate should be included and renew automatically.
- Renewal price: watch out for plans that are cheap in the first year and cost several times more in the second.
- Location: if your visitors are in Türkiye or nearby regions, a server in Istanbul loads faster for them.
- Support and refunds: check how quickly support replies and whether there is a money-back guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a website without hosting?
For a website to be online, its files have to sit on a server that is always on. If you do not have your own server, the way to do that is to buy a hosting service.
Should I use free hosting?
Free hosting usually comes with ads, low resources, no backups and often no way to use your own domain. For a serious site, a plan costing a few dollars a year is far more reliable.
How much does hosting cost?
At Plus Datacenter hosting plans start from 0.79 $/mo on annual billing, and the price stays the same on renewal.
My domain is with another company. Can I still buy hosting?
Yes. Just point your domain’s DNS settings to your new hosting.
Can you move my existing site?
Yes. We move your site, databases and email from another provider for free.
Can I get a refund if I am not happy?
Yes. All our hosting plans come with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Hosting from 0.79 $/mo on annual billing
NVMe SSD, LiteSpeed, free SSL, daily backups and free migration. No price rise on renewal.