What is Web Hosting?
Web hosting is a service that is offered by hosting companies that allow businesses, organisations, and individuals to make their websites accessible to the target audience through the World Wide Web. All information about the website is stored in either dedicated or shared servers depending on the package you select.
There are many web hosting companies in Singapore, so choosing the right one can be confusing. Investing in a reliable web hosting service is important if you run a successful website today.
Let’s look at the main features of an efficient web hosting company. The first thing is high speed. The other key indicators are high uptime, good security and most importantly, 24-hour dedicated customer service in case of any technical hitches. Backup services are also important.
The quality of your web hosting firm has a massive impact on the potential success of your business. If we’re talking about website speed, a delay of one second leads to approximate page views decreases by eleven per cent. This means that one out of ten visitors on your website turns away each second your website continues to load. Get a host that offers speeds with high response rates.
An Estimate on Web Hosting Rates in Singapore
Web hosting rates can vary significantly depending on factors such as the hosting provider, the type of hosting (shared, VPS, dedicated, cloud, etc.), storage space, bandwidth, and additional features such as security measures, customer support quality, and uptime guarantees.
Here are estimated rates for some companies in Singapore on web hosting services;
Company | Description | Monthly Rates Starting At; |
Exabytes |
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Vodien |
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SiteGround |
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Hostinger |
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A2 Hosting |
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Remember, these are just estimates, and actual rates can vary depending on the specific features and resources you require. Additionally, keep an eye out for promotions or discounts that these providers may offer from time to time.
Top Web Hosting Companies in Singapore
Singapore takes pride in having top-rated web hosting companies in the world. You can invest thousands of dollars in web design, search engine optimisation and digital marketing but lose clients to competitors due to poor hosting.
Read our latest take on Singapore web hosting reviews including pricing, performance and ratings for Exabyte, Vodien, SiteGround, Hostinger and more.
Here are the top website hosting companies you can count on to catapult your business to the next level of success.
1 |
HOSTINGER |
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Services details | HOSTINGER offers
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Plan and pricing details | Web Hosting
Premium Shared Hosting: $2.15/month ($3.49/mo when you renew)
Single Shared Hosting: $0.80/month ($2.15/mo when you renew)
Business Shared Hosting: $3.45/month ($7.95/mo when you renew)
VPS Hosting VPS Server Plan 2: $8.95/month ($15.76/mo when you renew)
VPS Server Plan 1: $3.95/month ($7.86/mo when you renew)
VPS Server Plan 5: $23.95/month ($47.36/mo when you renew)
Cloud Professional: $14.95/month ($31.80/mo when you renew)
Cloud Startup: $7.45/month ($15.90/mo when you renew)
Cloud Enterprise: $27.45/month ($71.55/mo when you renew)
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Support services | Webchat on a 24/7 basis. The company’s virtual servers are created on a network in the cloud, which means you have maximum availability and always available websites. Staff are incredibly friendly and informative | ||||||||||||||||
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URL | https://www.hostinger.com/ | ||||||||||||||||
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2 |
InMotion |
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Services details | InMotion Hosting offers the user a wide variety of options. They offer the services of
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Plan details and pricing details | WordPress Hosting: Starting from $6.99/month
VPS Hosting: Starting from $21.04/month
Dedicated Servers: Starting from $105.69/month
Website Creator: Starting from $15.00/month
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URL | https://www.inmotionhosting.com/contact | ||||||||||||
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3 |
Bluehost |
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Services details | Bluehost is a known and reliable domain hosting and registration service. Their hosting services are the following:
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Plan details and pricing details | Shared Hosting
Basic: $3.95/month
Plus: $5.95/month
Choice Plus: $5.95/month
VPS Hosting Standard: $19.99/month
Enhanced: $29.99/month
Ultimate: $59.99/month
Dedicated Hosting Standard: $79.99/month
Enhanced: $99.99/month
Premium: $119.99/month
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Features |
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Support services | 24/7 online chat
24/7 telephone calling facilities |
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Specialties | Shared Hosting
VPS Hosting
Dedicated Hosting
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Reliability issues | Dedicated hosting provides improved security and complete customization | ||||||||||||
Telephone | +1 801-765-9400 | ||||||||||||
URL | https://www.bluehost.com/contact | ||||||||||||
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4 |
Exabytes |
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Services details | Web Hosting: Beyond your business/ blog/ website needs
SSD Premium Hosting: For Enterprise/ E-Commerce sites Web Hosting – Windows: Build ASP.NET, MVC, MS-SQL Reseller Hosting: Customized plans for your clients |
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Plan details and pricing details | SSD Managed Web Hosting Plans
EBiz Lite PRO: S$12.99/mo · Host 1 Website · 10GB Disk Space on SSD · Unlimited Monthly Data Transfer · 10 Email Accounts · cPanel Control Panel · FREE SSL (HTTPS) · Malware Detection & Removal · Enterprise Anti-Spam Protection · FREE Daily Backup (30-Day Retention) · Hosted in SG Data Center EBiz Plus PRO: S$17.99/mo · Host 10 Website · 50GB Disk Space on SSD · Unlimited Monthly Data Transfer · Unlimited Email Accounts · *Recommended for 50 users and below · cPanel Control Panel · FREE SSL (HTTPS) · Malware Detection & Removal · Enterprise Anti-Spam Protection · FREE Daily Backup (30-Day Retention) · Hosted in SG Data Center Business Hosting Plans EBiz Lite: S$5.99/mo · 10GB Disk Space · 20GB Monthly Data Transfer · 10 Email Accounts · cPanel Control Panel · FREE SSL (HTTPS) · FREE Daily Backup · (14-Day Retention) · FREE Domain Privacy Protection (Whois Protection) · Host 1 Website · 1GB Memory · Hosted in SG Data Center EBiz Plus: S$7.99/mo · 50GB Disk Space · 100GB Monthly Data Transfer · 50 Email Accounts · cPanel Control Panel · FREE SSL (HTTPS) · FREE Daily Backup · (14-Day Retention) · FREE Domain Privacy Protection (Whois Protection) · Host 10 Websites · 1GB Memory · Hosted in SG Data Center |
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Features |
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Support services | 24/7 customer support
· Phone Support · Live Chat |
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Specialties | · High-speed branded servers
· 1-Click installer · Automatic backup · Free SSL certificate · SFTP/SSH access |
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Reliability and security issues | 100-Day Risk-Free Guaranteed
All data is hosted in Exabytes Tier-3 data center Data centers are certified with world-class facilities Infrastructure for DDoS protection Daily backups, to avoid data loss |
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Telephone | 04-609 7888 | ||||
URL | https://www.exabytes.sg/web-hosting/premium-business-hosting | ||||
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5 |
SiteGround |
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Services details | · Reliable Web Hosting
· Managed WordPress Hosting · High-Performance WooCommerce Hosting · Autoscalable Cloud Hosting |
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Plan details and pricing details | StartUp: $3.95/month
· 1 Website · 10 GB Web Space · 10,000 Visits Monthly GrowBig: $5.95/mo. · Unlimited Websites · 20 GB Web Space · 25,000 Visits Monthly GoGeek: $11.95/mo. · Unlimited Websites · 30 GB Web Space · 100,000 Visits Monthly |
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Features |
SiteGround is known for its exceptional performance and reliability, making this its top feature. Their hosting infrastructure is optimized for speed and uptime, utilizing cutting-edge technologies such as SSD storage, NGINX servers, and custom caching solutions. Additionally, SiteGround employs proactive server monitoring and optimization techniques to ensure that websites hosted with them load quickly and remain accessible around the clock. This commitment to performance excellence makes SiteGround a preferred choice for users seeking fast and reliable web hosting services. |
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Support services | Available 24/7: By phone, chat, ticket
WordPress Expertise: Always eager to help Extremely Fast: Quick pickup & resolution |
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Specialties | · Ultra-fast Sites
· Free SSL Certificates · Daily Backups · Staging Tool · Top-Rated Customer satisfaction |
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Reliability issues | Top-notch Security
WordPress Expertise Always eager to help |
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Telephone | 1.866.605.2484 | ||||||||||||
URL | https://www.siteground.com/index.htm?afcode=5c90c2775c81c0e9972f19848ab9c83f | ||||||||||||
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6 |
A2 Hosting |
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Services details | · Shared hosting
· Reseller hosting · VPS hosting |
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Plan details and pricing details | SHARED HOSTING: STARTING AT $2.94 USD monthly
· WordPress, Drupal & Joomla optimized · Turbo Servers (up to 20X faster) · Easy-to-use · Free & easy site migration
RESELLER HOSTING: STARTING AT $9.80 USD monthly · Easily set up individual hosting accounts · Fully white-labeled · World-class WHM control panel · Free billing system option
VPS HOSTING: STARTING AT USD 5.00 monthly · Speed-enhanced security & developer-friendly · More isolation · Choose your management level · Free migration (w/ Managed VPS) |
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Features |
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Support services | · Top customer satisfaction
· 24/7/365 astounding, expert English-speaking support staff |
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Specialties | · Top-quality developer tools
· High-speed performance · Reliable uptime · Free SSDs included. · Reseller hosting options for hosting new businesses · Unlimited SSD Space & Transfer · Free & Easy Site Migration · Free Automatic Backups |
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Reliability issues | · Anytime Money Back Guarantee
· A2H is 100% carbon neutral · 99.9% Uptime Commitment |
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URL | https://www.a2hosting.com/?aid=MediaNovas | ||||||||||||
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7 |
Vodien |
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Services details | Vodien is one of the best web host firms based in Singapore.
The company has had a couple of successful years of warranty as the best web host for those who want to go local. Some of its best features include weekly automated backups and strong technical support. With this web hosting company, you never have to worry about your site jamming.
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Plan details and pricing details | All the website services are available starting from WordPress hosting management, basic shared hosting, cloud hosting and dedicated servers. Their pricing starts at SGD 20.
Their services start at SDG10/month for the lowest package and SDG90/month for their most expensive package. The premium packages offer more email boxes among other benefits. |
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Support services |
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Specialties |
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URL | www.vodien.com | ||||||||||||||||
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8 |
CLDY |
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Services details | CLDY.com helps businesses and entrepreneurs from all over the world move on to the cloud, with a team of expert hosting engineers ensuring simplicity and transparency for every client.
CLDY offers best-in-class services based on the industry’s finest. The Simplest, the best in Speed, the most Secure, and only the most Stable infrastructure powering the best products in the Web and Cloud Hosting market! |
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Plan details and pricing details |
Check their updated plans here. |
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Features | Web Hosting
Business Web Hosting
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Support services |
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Specialties | Best Singapore Web Hosting with C3.Gen Cloud Tech
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URL | https://www.cldy.com/sg/web-hosting/ | |||
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9 |
Oryon |
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Services details | Oryon provides business website hosting, domain name registrations, security management, managed cloud servers as well as enterprise email hosting with partners like Google and Microsoft. Customer service quality is always the top priority of the company. | ||||||||||||
Plan details and pricing details | BizBasic Singapore Web Hosting $ 168 yearlyBizValue Singapore Web Hosting $ 288 yearlyBizPro Singapore Web Hosting $ 588 yearlyBizMax Singapore Web Hosting $ 1188 yearly |
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Features | With over 25 years of expertise, Oryon stands as the premier selection for web hosting services in Singapore. Trusted by both local and international entities, including governmental bodies and financial institutions, Oryon offers a comprehensive range of features:
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Support services | Oryon offers 24-hour live assistance using WhatsApp, Live Chat and Facebook Messenger. | ||||||||||||
Specialties | The business web hosting which starts from $10 monthly includes a free SSL certificate, 30 daily backup retention and free premium Wordpress Themes/ Plugins. Its in-house security features daily website reputation checks against 60+ security services including Google SB, Yandex SB, McAfee, ESET, and Kaspersky. | ||||||||||||
URL | http://www.oryon.net/ | ||||||||||||
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Cybersite
10 |
Cybersite |
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Services details | Cybersite is a Singapore-based website that offers you increased traffic on your website daily. They keep your business website first in posting the latest content and place you a step ahead of your competitors. Their top services include domain registration, cloud hosting and cloud VPS. you can now save more than S$45.00 by grabbing one of their free domains. | ||||||||||||
Plan details and pricing details | CLOUD STARTER
CLOUD PRO
CLOUD BUSINESS
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Features |
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Support services | 24/7 Support, Reliable and Secure, One-click Install, Daily Backup | ||||||||||||
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URL | https://www.cybersite.com.sg | ||||||||||||
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Newmediaexpress
11 |
Newmedia Express |
Services details | This Singapore web host firm has successfully provided its services since 2003. The company provides services solutions in web hosting, cloud hosting, server colocation, R1Soft back up, dedicated servers and virtual servers. Their internet end-to-end SME specialization enables your business to reach out to new customers and profit from their online presence. Their support team is perfect in providing correct feedbacks to the clients. Their pricing starts at S$ 35. |
Plan details and pricing details | While NewMedia Express previously offered web hosting solutions, its current focus lies in dedicated servers, colocation, network services, and data center solutions. Dedicated server offerings boast the following features:
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URL | https://www.newmediaexpress.com |
12 |
Singhost |
Services details | Singhost is the best web hosting firms in Singapore. The firm uses the best and latest technology to give you reliable and high-performance web hosting.
The company features a user-friendly control panel, 24/7 Singapore support, and one-click install wizard for popular scripts. Some of their customer testimonials indicate their fast bandwidth and good technical support. The cheapest package goes for S$27 per month. |
Plan details and pricing details | Vodien offers a range of website services, including WordPress hosting management, basic shared hosting, cloud hosting, and dedicated servers. Pricing begins at SGD 20.
Their service plans range from SGD 10/month for the entry-level package to SGD 90/month for the highest-tier option. Premium packages provide additional email boxes and other advantages. |
Features |
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Specialties | Singhost is now known as Vodien. |
URL | https://www.singhost.net |
13 |
BlueHost |
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Services details | Bluehost is one of the simple, powerful and surprisingly affordable sites with the best cloud solutions.
Some of its features include 24/7 support with guides and video tutorials, 30-day money back guarantee in case of in satisfaction and inclusion of free SSL certificate. The company pricing starts at S$13.95 per month. |
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Plan details and pricing details | BASIC – When you just need one site.
$2.95/mo*
PLUS – Perfect for multiple sites. $5.45/mo*
CHOICE PLUS – Get additional privacy and security features. $5.45/mo*
PRO – Get more speed and processing power. $13.95/mo* |
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Features |
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Support services | Horrible, unresponsive customer support | ||||||||||||
Specialties |
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URL | www.bluehost.com | ||||||||||||
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GoDaddy
14 |
GoDaddy |
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Services details | GoDaddy is the worlds most famous domain. There are already millions of domains purchased from this firm. They are an award-winning company with 24/7 support for online business. They have more than eighteen million customers and offer big savings.
All questions about domains are well covered by their support team. It won the award of the world’s largest domain name registrar. Some of its locations include Cambridge, Seattle, Phoenix, Belfast, and Silicon Valley. Domain pricing starts at about $0.99. |
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Plan details and pricing details | Starts at S8.49, $13.99 up to $168.88 annually | ||||||||||||||||
Features |
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Specialties |
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URL | https://sg.godaddy.com | ||||||||||||||||
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15 |
CloudWays |
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Services details | As the name of the company suggests, CloudWays has specialized in cloud hosting taking it to another level. The company has more than twenty-five data centres having one located in Singapore.
They are leaders in the cloud hosting industry possessing epic performance through the servers of Google, KYUP, Amazon, Vultr and DigitalOcean. The cheapest plan is $7 per month. Cloudways is a great web hosting company mainly because they have good speed with 20GB of storage available on purchasing their services. The rates are pretty affordable too with the lowest package going for SDG7/month. |
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Plan details and pricing details | View their updated plans here. | ||||||||||||
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Support services | They have a committed customer care team that is ready to answer all queries and solve problems. | ||||||||||||
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URL | www.cloudways.com | ||||||||||||
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16 |
Amazon Web Services |
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Services details | Amazon web services are one of the popular, secure, compliant, scalable and hybrid company. it provides unending list of software’s that helps to offer solutions.
Some of the solution offered include analytics and data lakes, serverless computing, enterprise application, windows workloads and web hosting. The firm also has a pay as you go pricing that allows the clients to adapt to the world of business changes without over commitment. |
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Plan details and pricing details | You can set your consultation appointments for quotations here. | ||||||||||||
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Specialties |
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URL | https://www.serverless.direct/aws-ecommerce-solutions | ||||||||||||
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17 |
GreenGeeks |
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Services details | They’re able to offer friendly customer support that’s always on 24 hours every day of the week. You can contact them via phone or by live-chatting one of their customer representatives. You’re also allowed to leave behind a live ticket, where they promise to reach back with a response the same day. | ||||||||||||
Plan details and pricing details | Price: SGD 5.38 (USD 3.95)
Disk space: 25 GB Support: live chats, support ticket, phone call |
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Support services | GreekGeek is also one of the few companies that have been enjoying a good review from their clients. It goes without mentioning that they have a 30-day money-back guarantee just in case you’re dissatisfied with their services. They’ll gladly refund all your money and even reach back with an apology. How cool is that! | ||||||||||||
Specialties | GreenGeek is doing what nobody else in this line of business has ever thought of. Imagine providing web hosting services in an eco-friendly way. More important than the services they’re offering is the message they’re trying to convey. While we’re working so hard to improve our online presence, we must also direct the same amount of attention to our immediate environment. They’re able to do this without compromising the quality of their services. | ||||||||||||
URL | https://www.greengeeks.com/ | ||||||||||||
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18 |
DreamHost |
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Services details | DreamHost is an SSD-based hosting provider with a global reach. Their hosting package comes with a free SSL certificate from ‘Let’s Encrypt. DreamHost might not be as popular as BlueHost and Hostgator, but it’s among the few web hosts that leave almost nothing to fault. | ||||||||||||
Plan details and pricing details | The company offers shared hosting (at a starting price of SGD 6.76 per month), WordPress hosting (at a start price of SGD 2.53 per month), as well as VPS, cloud hosting and dedicated hosting (which go at a much higher price compared to shared hosting or WordPress hosting). | ||||||||||||
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Support services | They have great uptime, and you can be sure they’ll be there to offer you support when you need it. Even better, they also offer a 97 days money-back guarantee just in case you’re dissatisfied with the services you receive. | ||||||||||||
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URL | https://www.dreamhost.com/ | ||||||||||||
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19 |
HostGator |
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Services details | Hostgator is among the most popular web hosting companies in the world. One is because they’re one of the most hardworking companies when it comes to marketing their business (their ads are everywhere). And two is because they’ve been in the web hosting industry right from the start. They’re the pioneers in this. | ||||||||||||
Plan details and pricing details | .COM
Starts at $18.99/annually Shared Hosting Starts at $3.99/monthly VPS Hosting Starts at $18.49/monthly Dedicated Servers Starts at $119.49/monthly |
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Features |
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Support services | Hostgator has one of the most reliable customer support. There’s always someone to help you when you reach out to them for help. | ||||||||||||
Specialties | They also have one of the simplest interfaces. That makes them the ideal platform for beginners who are still struggling to get their heads around this whole hosting thing. Users also get to enjoy a wide range of guiding tutorials that walk you through the processes step by step. | ||||||||||||
URL | https://www.hostgator.com/ | ||||||||||||
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20 |
WPEngine |
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Services details | WP Engine is an option you’d want to look into if you’re planning to set up a WordPress site. The company offers managed WordPress hosting, where all its resources and operations have been designed to work perfectly with the WordPress CMS.
It’s an option that you’d also want to look into if you’re more concerned about the security of your website. The company has installed a series of threat detectors in place and can smell out threats in real-time before they get a chance to do your site any harm. Remember, this web host is not only limited to hosting WordPress sites. If anything, it’s just like any other web host on the list, except that they also offer WordPress support to those using the CMS. |
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Plan details and pricing details | Price: SGD 47.68 per month ($35)
Unlimited disk space |
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Features |
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Support services | Their customer support is always on standby, ready to address your issue at any time of the day. Any WordPress issue you encounter while running your site, you can be sure the company will be able to iron it out for you (at no extra cost). | ||||||||||||||||
Specialties | WP Engine specializes in managed WordPress hosting, offering a range of features tailored specifically for WordPress websites. | ||||||||||||||||
URL | www.wpengine.com | ||||||||||||||||
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Our Methodology Of Shortlisting These Top Web Hosting Firms
To compile the list, first, we had to scour the net for reputable web hosts. We then went ahead to review them one by one, digging out for as much info as possible about them from relevant news sources and a series of companies that at one point tried pitching their hosting services to us.
We’d also look at the list of companies we’ve at some point reviewed or happen to have worked with. It’s through this research that we’d come with a trusted list of more than 100 web hosts that we would later on cull out to a shortened list you just read.
Of course, we had to test out the hosting companies first before compiling the list. To do this, we started by posing as Singapore business owners hunting for hosting services in Singapore. We would then rate the underlying companies based on their customer service and the hosting services received.
In addition to these two, here’s a list of the other things we evaluated to come up with the list:
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SSL certificates
Does the hosting company in question offer an SSL certificate as a bonus to their hosting services?
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Backup Services
Does the company offer backup services? If NOT, is the price tag of back up services affordable to an average business owner in Singapore?
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Types of Hosting Plans
How does their price compare? From shared hosting to VPS and dedicated server, can the hosting services be considered affordable? What about the resources offered in tandem?
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Price comparison
Needless to say, a good web hosting company has to offer reasonable pricing. Started by us comparing the different packages then compiling the list based on the best resources offered at the cheapest cost possible.
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- Storage bandwidth
- Cancellation fees
- Money-back guarantees
- Free trials
Singapore Web Hosting Market Share November
Below are the hosting companies with the most clients in Singapore
Hosting Companies |
Percentage of Clients |
GoDaddy | 24.08% |
Amazon Web Services | 11.20% |
Digital Ocean | 10% |
Linode | 4.60% |
Vodien | 4.60% |
Niagahoster | 4.35% |
OVH.com | 2.57% |
Hostinger Brasil | 2.10% |
SoftLayer | 2.05% |
Microsoft Azure | 1.87% |
Singapore Web Hosting Trends for 2022 and Beyond
Companies that offer web hosting in Singapore update hardware, software and protocols frequently to meet the needs of their clients. The new and improved features in web hosting enable websites to provide optimal experiences to use and rank higher in search results.
The following are the trends that will define web hosting in 2022 and beyond.
Green Web Hosting
The hosting industry is one of the biggest environment pollutants. According to research, the internet contributes 2% of global greenhouse emissions, which equals one billion tonnes yearly. The majority of these emissions occur at datacentres where there are many computers, servers and other hosting hardware.
Web hosting companies are now implementing eco-friendly tactics. In green hosting, service providers use energy provided by renewable sources to offset their carbon footprint. This, in turn, conserves the environment.
Cloud Hosting
Many areas in computing have been using the cloud, and it is now gaining popularity in the web hosting industry. Its primary advantage of over physical server is that it has vast data storage space. Also, cloud hosting is affordable and less susceptible to vandalism like physical computers.
Another advantage of cloud-based servers is their 24/7 availability. You also pay as you use, which makes your spending on web hosting in Singapore cost-effective.
The graph below shows the size of the cloud computing and hosting market globally between 2010 and 2020.
Source: Statista
Newer Authentication Protocols
The security of a website depends on the level of protection on the administrator account. In the past, people were confident in single username and password logins, but hackers proved that they can breach these easily. As a result, web hosting companies are now using two-factor authentication to improve the safety of their websites. This form of logging in requires you to provide a one-time password in addition to your regular password every time you access your account.
Another new authentication protocol is CAPTCHA. This requires you to prove that you are human when trying to access an account. It is useful in preventing bots from logging in to your site.
Targeting Specific Markets
Similar to other businesses, companies that do web hosting in Singapore work to get new clients and retain existing ones. That said, it is impossible for a single provider to cover all market segments. This explains why many firms are shifting their focus to specific niches.
Upcoming web hosting companies usually find it hard to compete with established providers. By focusing on niche markets, it becomes easier to get customers due to reduced competition.
Website Security Checkers
With the number of security breaches increasing by the year, web hosting companies are finding ways of improving the protection on websites. One of the tools in use are website checkers. These are useful in ensuring that a site has no vulnerabilities. They also check if a website has SSL encryption and free of SQL injection.
Automated Backups
Although many hosting companies are already offering automated backups, most of these services back up large data sets and complete folders. From 2022 and beyond, expect to see hosts that support CMS-oriented backups that only restore the information lost after an attack. This is a quicker alternative to restoring an entire database,
Since CMS-oriented backups are faster and consumer lesser storage space, they can be conduction more frequently. For example, a weekly backup routine could be shortened to an hourly interval. You could even schedule backups to occur automatically every time you make changes to your website.
SSL Encryption as a Norm
In July 2018, Google’s Chrome web browser started marking websites without SSL encryption as ‘not secure.’ Since HTTPS is a factor that affects search ranking, failing to add an SSL protection on your site means reduced visibility on search engines. As a result, companies that offer web hosting in Singapore now offer SSL as part of their services.
Other benefits of using HTTPS include improved customer trust and protecting sensitive data. According to Google, internet users spend more time on websites with HTTPS encryption.
The table below shows the percentage of encrypted websites on Google between 2014 and January 2020.
Time |
Percentage of Encrypted Websites |
January 2014 | 50% |
January 2015 | 66% |
January 2016 | 79% |
January 2017 | 85% |
January 2018 | 91% |
January 2019 | 93% |
January 2020 | 94% |
Source: Google Transparency Report
Advanced Website Builders
Web hosting providers that offer advanced and easy-to-use site builders will have the upper hand from 2022 and beyond. New technologies such as HTML5 and some JavaScript frameworks are enabling beginners to create functional websites using site-building software.
Different Types of Hosting and Their Meaning
Type of Hosting |
Meaning |
Shared Hosting | Shared Hosting mainly hosts several websites on the same server, so that it is shared the server resources among all the websites hosted on it. In this hosting, as the cost of server is distributed among all the hosting sites that’s why shared hosting is more economical than another hosting. |
Business Hosting | Business hosting is a web hosting service that is shared between other users who bought a business hosting package. Business Hosting is basically provided to ecommerce and online businesses. It provides affordable solutions for companies that have an online presence. |
Dedicated Hosting | The dedicated hosting is the hosting where all the resources are dedicated to a single client. So, in dedicated hosting, anyone has the entire webserver to him/her. This is comparatively faster than other hosting as in this hosting there is no need to share server with other website owners. |
Cloud Hosting | Cloud Hosting almost looks like VPS hosting. In a cloud hosting the servers are virtual; in this way, it is possible to create several types of servers with their separate configurations. |
VPS Hosting | VPS stands for Virtual Private Server. It uses the virtualization technique to differentiate any server into various virtual servers. VPS is considered as well-balanced hosting compared to other types of hosting. Although VPS is still a shared environment its set up is totally different. |
AWS | AWS stands for Amazon Web Services. It is a secure cloud service platform that offers compute power, content delivery, database storage, and some other functionality to grow up the business. |
Type of Hosting is Suitable for an SME
Shared |
Bundle |
Affordable and easy to maintain for SMEs | All-in-one website solution for small companies |
Ideal for small and medium businesses. | Suitable for small businesses, small to medium online store and e-commerce websites. |
Best Web Hosting Providers for Small Business
Provider |
Uptime |
Storage |
Bandwidth |
RAM |
Pricing (monthly) |
Bluehost | 99.98% | 50GB – unlimited | 1TB – 15TB | 2GB – 16GB | $7.99 – 209.99 |
InMotion | 99.97% | unlimited | 4TB – 15TB | 4GB – 64GB | $7.99 – 589.99 |
HostGator | 99.99% | unlimited | 1.5TB – unmetered | 2GB – 30GB | $6.95 – 289 |
1&1 IONOS | 99.98% | 100GB – 1TB | unmetered | 1GB – 64GB | $8 – 140 |
iPage | 99.94% | unlimited | 1TB – 15TB | 1GB 16GB | $7.99 – 239.99 |
A2 Hosting | 99.95% | unlimited | 2TB – 20TB | 4GB – 16GB | $7.99 – 349.99 |
GoDaddy | 99.97% | 100GB – unlimited | unmetered | 2GB – 32GB | $7.99 – 349.99 |
SiteGround | 99.98% | 10GB – 960GB | 10TB | 16GB – 64GB | $11.95 – 729 |
Type of Hosting is Suitable for a Large Enterprise
For the large enterprise, there are mainly three of the hosting options anyone can focus on.
Type of Hosting |
What it Offers |
Dedicated | It is a hosting service where all the resources are dedicated to a single client. Large enterprise means lots of traffic and lots of traffic mean a very high server load. That means, to handle all the traffic, it is needed at least a dedicated server for large enterprises. Dedicated hosting is comparatively faster than other hosting as in this hosting there is no need to share server with other website owners. |
Managed | Managed hosting is perfect for big enterprise. If any big companies do not have that team of techies hired then managed hosting could be the best choice. In the managed hosting, it is possible to receive a great bang for your buck |
Cloud | In the cloud hosting the servers are virtual; so it is possible to create several types of servers with their separate configurations. Cloud hosting is a good way to maintain savings while still offering the best speed and features for big enterprise. |
Hosting Market and Industry Statistics
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Factors for Choosing the Right Web Host in Singapore
There are various factors which you should consider before you outsource a web hosting service. These factors are;
Speed: If your web page cannot load within 5 seconds, then you will have lower levels of traffic. No user can wait for an extra minute for your page to load. An excellent web hosting service has a high speed.
Speed Where Your Target Audience Is: If your target audience is in Singapore, then the best web hosting in Singapore will have a high-speed rate there.
Price: Always choose a web hosting service which is affordable.
Storage and Bandwidth: These two will determine your traffic levels and the amount of content you will put on your website. It is advisable to choose a web hosting service provider that either has a high or an unlimited bandwidth and storage space.
Security: Of course, you would not like your website to be hacked easily. A proper web hosting company must have valid security credentials and an automatic system which can scan malware.
Backup: Your information is valuable, and it can easily get lost. A reliable web hosting service will either have a daily or a weekly backup plan.
Uptime: The best web hosting service will always guarantee you a 99.9% uptime. After all, you do not want your website to be downed all the time.
Customer Care Service: Things can go berserk at any time. An efficient web hosting company should have a quick, professional, and excellent customer care service team on standby always.
Web Hosting Terminologies
Bandwidth |
The amount of data moves to or from the website every second |
Blog | A commonly updated web page or website |
CDN | It means a content delivery network. It is a system of servers that are distributed across several data centres that deliver web content to the end-users. |
Control Panel | It is the place where anyone can able to add new domains, install applications, and manage settings |
CMS | It means a content management system. It allows people to create, and manage websites without having any coding background. |
CPU | CPU means the Central processing unit. It is considered as the brain of the server. |
DNS | It means the Domain Name System. It can translate any domain name to the IP address. |
FTP | It means File Transfer Protocol. It is used to transfer any file between the server and the computer |
HTML | It is a markup language which tells the ways to display a web page |
PHP | It is a scripting language used for web development |
RAM | It is a place where the server stores short-term data |
SSL | Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is an encryption protocol, used for securing connections between the computer systems. |
TLDs | Top-level domains (TLDs) are the suffixes i.e., .org, .website, .org etc |
VPS | It means the virtual private server which is a web hosting server |
Uptime | It is the amount of time the server is uninterrupted and the website is accessible |
Possible Server Errors
Possible server errors |
Error Mitigation |
Slow page load: Slow page load is a big problem. Study shows that if a page on the website takes longer than 3 seconds to load, a user will abandon it | You should test your website speed
You should get a better host for your website |
Viruses and Cyber Hacking: Viruses and Cybersecurity is a major concern for all businesses. | When choosing a host for your web server, ensure they include a closely managed security system in their package! |
Website Traffic Overload: If your website receives an unusually high amount of traffic in a short period, your server may not be able to handle it. It can slow down your website speed and hurt functionality. | Your IT infrastructure needs to be a top priority. |
Failure of Hardware or Software: Many businesses have faced hardware or software failure of some kind, in this instance, resulting in server downtime. | The host server company must offer time-efficient resolution services to get you back in business as soon as possible! |
Server Crash: It is the biggest issue a business could face is a total server crash. | There’s not much you can do in the time of server crash, but adequate monitoring and protection before could mitigate potential disaster! |
Security Features to Look for in Web Hosting Company
The increasing number of security breaches calls for the implementation of more reliable countermeasures. Although you web hosting provider is responsible for providing security, each plans has its unique protection features.
The graph below shows the top reasons why hackers breach computer networks.
Source: Statista
The following are the crucial security features to look out for before engaging company that provides web hosting in Singapore.
Backups and Restore Points
Backups and restore points are integral to the security of a website. A backup server should be located in a secure place away from the primary server.
You should ask your web hosting provider about the frequency of their backups. Also, you should know if they restore corrupt files only or the entire site in case of an attack. Lastly, you should be aware of how back the backup files go.
Network Monitoring
Regular monitoring of computer networks ensures that malware gets detected before it spreads. The company that handles your web hosting in Singapore should tell you how it monitors its servers, and what they look for during the check-ups.
SSL Encryption, DDoS Protection and Firewalls
A denial-of-service attack occurs when hackers overwhelm your web servers by sending too much traffic simultaneously. The provider you pick should offer DDoS protection and firewalls to prevent such problems.
Moreover, the web host should have SSL encryption to ensure that hackers cannot access the data sent by users to your website.
Antivirus and Malware Scanning
Hackers use malware to attack websites. It is crucial to choose a hosting company that scans your sites frequency for viruses and other malicious codes. Besides, it should provide a reliable antivirus software that removes the viruses and generates reports on the protection status of your website.
Access and User Permissions
At the host level, access refers to the ability to use hardware and log into the servers. Physical access should be restricted to technicians with the right security clearance.
Ideally, your website hosting plan should use Secure Socket Shell (SSS) to prevent unauthorised access to the backend of your site. The control panel should allow you to whitelist the IP addresses that can log into the server. You should also disable logins from root since most hackers use this path to breach websites.
Regarding files, ensure that you grant permissions according to the importance of users. For instance, the admin should have higher privileges than a standard contributor.
Passwords and User Access
Depending on the type of website you have, you might need passwords. It is advisable to have a password strength policy for everyone who can access your site’s backend. All administrators and contributors should update their passwords regularly.
The administrator accounts should have stronger passwords since they have higher access privileges than regular users. After every attempt to attack the site, ensure that you update passwords. You should also monitor uploads, especially those containing executable code.
Software Updates
Always update your content management system and other software you use on your website. The latest version of software usually have security patches that reduce the risk of attacks. You should also modify default settings, such as the admin login name, because attackers usually use them to break into websites.
When upgrading your software, confirm the recency of its latest update and the number of downloads. These two metrics show the reliability of the update. If it has not been updated recently and has a few downloads, it shows that it not safe. Also, keep away from unverified third-party software since they often contain malware.
Code Reviews
A code review is detailed evaluation of an app after its development before it gets launched to the market. In hosting, it is essential to review the code running in your server to detect any bugs and loopholes that hackers could exploit.
Make sure that the code you use on your website does not have an SQL injection. This is a method used by attackers to inject executable commands that access, modify and delete data on your website.
As per the graph below SQL injection is the leading method used by hackers to access websites illegally.
Importance of Investing in Good Web Hosting in Singapore
The success of a digital marketing campaign depends on the user experience provided by its website. Having a reliable web host is the first step of ensuring that your site is accessible at all times.
Here are the reasons why you need to invest in web hosting in Singapore.
Faster Loading Speeds
A fast website offers an optimal user experience, meaning that users enjoy browsing it. On the contrary, a slow site disappoints visitors and has high bounce rates.
Another benefit of having a fast website is that it increases conversion rates. Visitors are more likely to stay on a website that is fast and responsive, meaning that they are likely to stay longer and convert into customers.
Increased Uptime
Uptime refers to the time that a website is available on the internet. When you use a poor web host, your website is more likely to be unavailable. Another disadvantage of poor web hosting companies is unreliable security. If your site becomes inaccessible, you lose customers and become less trustworthy to your target audience.
Improved Security
Implementing HTTPS encryption on your website ensures that hackers cannot access the information sent by your traffic. Having a Secure Socket Layer on your site makes users confident of your platform. Moreover, safe sites usually generate more conversions than unsecured ones.
Regular Backups
Professional web hosts protect data because they back it up. Even if you suffer an attack, you can restore your information quickly. The same applies to sites that lose user data due to other circumstances.
Excellent Support
The advantage of investing in proper web hosting in Singapore is that you get excellent support. In case anything goes wrong with your site, the hosting company will fix it instantly. The support covers technical issues, backups and other issues concerning your website.
Better Search Engine Ranking
If your website is usually unavailable at most times, it will have a poor ranking on search results. By investing in a professional web hosting service, you ensure that your site is online. This improves its rank on search engine result pages.
Benefits of a Professional Web Hosting Company in Singapore
The most significant benefit of professional web hosting in Singapore is that it provides the latest updates to your website. Here are other benefits of enlisting such a service for your business.
Reliability
The presence of many web hosting service providers makes it challenging to choose a particular option. However, it also means that companies have to improve the quality of their products to remain competitive.
Data Management
Another benefit of hiring a web hosting company is getting control over content management. You can post as many articles as you want and choose how they appear. Also, you can post as many ads as you want.
Domain-associated Email Address
It is vital to have a branded email address if you want to look professional. For instance, if your domain is website.com, your email address should be info@website.com.
When you invest I a quality web hosting company, you can create a domain-specific email address depending on your plan, you can create one or many email addresses.
Improved Website Security
Website security is an important aspect that many people tend to overlook. Although it is impossible to have an entirely secure site, it is advisable to implement preventive measures.
A quality website host has several levels of security to ensure that your files stay protected at all times. First, the physical datacentre will have security guards. Also, most servers require you to enter password before logging in to prevent unauthorised access.
High Reliability and Uptime
One of the factors to consider when choosing a website host is uptime. It is a term used to refer to how often a website is available online. Most service providers promise a 99.9% uptime. The small duration that your site s offline is when tasks such as repairs, upgrades and maintenance are performed.
Website Hosting Best Practices for Your Singapore Business
Choosing the right website hosting company is the most critical aspect of your website marketing strategy. You hosting choice is the foundation of a successful marketing campaign.
As the number of hacking incidences continues to increase, marketers are now focusing on finding hosts that guarantee security. If you are looking for a company that provides web hosting in Singapore, here are the best practices you need to follow.
Read the Terms of Use in Full
Most people do not like reading terms and conditions. It is essential to know what you are signing up for. Ensure that you read the legalese in full and understand it.
Although the terms are usually long and boring, reading them saves you when you encounter a problem with the service. Remember that the web hosting company wrote the terms of use as a means of risk management. Knowing conditions also ensures that you make the most of your hosting plan and the relationship with your web host.
Understand ‘Unlimited’ Element of Hosting Packages
Companies that provide web hosting in Singapore like using the word ‘unlimited’ to make their plans more attractive to clients. For example, you might see a package offering unlimited email accounts, unlimited bandwidth, and so forth.
After extended use, you might discover that the ‘unlimited’ features are limited. For instance, an unlimited number of email accounts might be capped at 10,000. Make sure that you understand what your service provider means by ‘unlimited’ before subscribing to a plan.
Stay Informed
It is vital to stay informed of the latest developments in the web hosting industry. Most service providers are evolving, particularly in their uptime guarantee. The host you pick should understand your preferences and offer suitable hosting packages. Also, ensure that you stay prepared for the inevitable changes.
Pay for What You Need
When you subscribe to web hosting in Singapore, ensure that you pay for services that are useful to your business. There is no need for paying for a redundant product.
Most providers like upselling these extra features on their checkout page. Some of the common options include SEO, web design and development, SSL encryption, and so forth. While some are beneficial, it is advisable to reconfirm before completing the purchase. If your service provider does not you give the power to choose the features you want, leave them for a better option.
Capitalise on Free Offers
A smart way of saving money is by choosing a web host that offers free domain registration in their hosting package. The money that you would have otherwise spent on getting a domain name could prove useful in other areas of your website marketing campaign.
Avoid Using Blacklisted Web Hosting Providers
If you opt for a shared hosting plan, confirm that the IP address is not blacklisted. The problem with such shared packages is that one user can tarnish the reputation of the entire network.
When an IP address gets blacklisted, it prevents all transmissions over the internet. For instance, all your outgoing emails cannot reach the intended recipient since other servers will block them. Fortunately, the internet have several useful resources for checking if a particular web host has a blacklisted IP address.
Frequently Asked Questions About Web Hosting in Singapore
The following are the common questions about web hosting in Singapore that we get from our audience.
What is Web Hosting and How Does it Work?
Web hosting is an internet service that makes a website accessible to other people on the internet. After subscribing to a plan, you will get a domain name that allows people to view your website.
What is the Best Web Hosting Service for My Website?
The type of hosting you need depends on the type of website you have. If you are unsure of the plan to suit your needs, consult a professional for further advice.
What is the Difference between Business Hosting and E-commerce Hosting?
E-commerce hosting aim to develop sites that provide a streamlined experience for online shoppers. On the other hand, business hosting focuses on standard websites, intending to offer a smooth browsing experience.
Is it Possible to Host Multiple Domain Names under a Single Account?
Most agencies allow clients to host multiple websites under a single account. The advantage of this feature is cost-effectiveness since you save the money that you would have otherwise spent to run multiple accounts.
Can I Transfer an Existing Website to a New Wen Host?
It is possible to transfer your current site to another host. All you need is to have a copy of your website, which you can get from your website host. Once you have all the necessary files, you can upload them to the new host using an FTP client.
Do I Need Cloud Hosting?
This depends on your business objectives. If you are creating a small website, you do not need cloud hosting. Instead, it would be best if you purchased a shared hosting plan.
However, if you anticipate a high number of visitors, you should invest in cloud hosting. This is because it offers unparalleled scalability.
What is a Virtual Server?
A virtual server is a software emulation of a physical computer.
What is Managed Hosting?
Managed hosting is a type of web hosting service that combine virtual private servers and shared hosting with an advanced customisation and management. It comes in different forms but includes typical hosting features such as security monitoring, automatic backups, software updates, and so forth.
Is my Website Secure?
You should always assume that your website is not secure. To improve security, ensure that you use strong passwords, SSL encryption, and two-factor authentication. You should also verify all uploaded files to avoid malware.
What is a Security Certificate?
A security certificate is an indicator that your website has SSL encryption. Its function is to protect hackers from accessing the data sent between a user and your website.
Which is the Best Operating System for Hosting?
The best operating system for web hosting is Linux. This is because it is easier to configure than Windows and has several variants for different applications.
How Often Should I Backup My Website?
The frequency of backups depends on the state of your website. You should back up your site every time you add new content. Ideally, you should back up weekly, especially if you have an interactive website.
Choosing the right web hosting company in Singapore can be a challenge. More so, you must choose a company that will offer you a package that is right for your business. Your site’s performance, security, and reliability depend on the type of web hosting plan you choose. This is why you need to consider this list of the essential features of great web hosting.
Other than the basic package, you also need a company that offers you additional perks such as sufficient disk space for storage, managed services, email accounts, subdomains, and more. If you choose blindly, particularly based on price, you will be in for a rough ride.
The Essential Features of Great Web Hosting in Singapore
In this article, we have compiled a list of the 15 features that you should consider when choosing a web hosting company. Read on to the end and find out what you should expect from a reputable web hosting company in Singapore.
Guaranteed Uptime and Availability
A website that regularly goes offline gives a bad impression to your site visitors. More so, it will also affect your conversions and search engine rankings. This typically happens to websites on a shared server where the server is affected by other users. It might happen if the servers are old and lack maintenance.
As a new business with limited resources, it is always advisable to go for a shared server hosting, but ensure that the web host can guarantee you at least 99.95% uptime and website availability.
However, an established business that requires slightly more complex websites and systems, needs dedicated server hosting or cloud hosting. These hosting options should guarantee you better availability.
The web host should give a guarantee that your website will remain online 99.995 of the time. If you opt for enterprise cloud hosting, then you could get 100% uptime and availability.
Back-Up Services
While the modern business landscape is centred on the internet, hackers pose a very huge threat. They will send malware to your website and systems, with some having the ability to lock you out of your site. One of the features a web host should offer you is a backup service.
Think about what would happen if you lost all your data including customer data, emails, inventory records, web content, financial details, and more. The worst thing that could happen is that you will lose your customers’ trust.
If you are in the e-commerce business, you need a web host that provides continuous backups to avoid losing any recent sales. With that said, you must ensure that the web host is backing up their servers as well.
While it is not a common thing, servers sometimes go down, or they develop a problem. A web host that offers backup services ensures that your website does not suffer long periods of downtime.
Round the Clock Customer Support
The beauty of the online business sphere is that customers can reach you 24/7, and this calls for you to have your website and other critical apps running continuously. This means that you need a web host that will offer technical support no matter the time of day.
Speaking of technical support, we do not mean a customer care representative whose job is to talk you down. We mean an expert who will provide the necessary solutions to your problem on the spot.
Every second that you are offline is a customer and revenue lost. Customer support will become essential as you scale your business. Businesses that run complex systems will require technical support 24/7.
Capacity for Long Term Growth
When done right, your business is bound to grow and your web host ought to have the necessary tools to help you build your brand on the internet. You may have a small website on a shared server hosting platform, but a few years down the line you will need a hybrid solution involving a dedicated server as well as private and public cloud hosting.
Your preferred web hosting company ought to have a wide variety of hosting plans that will be suitable at every stage of your business. Not only should they have a wide array of services, but you also need a company that will make it easy to upgrade.
Robust Security Features
Cybercrime has evolved so much, and hackers now are using sophisticated hacking software to infiltrate the existing security systems. These systems allow hackers to scan millions of websites looking for vulnerabilities. This makes robust security protocol one of the greatest features of great web hosting.
According to a Forbes post by James Lyne, there are at least 30,000 websites hacked every day. While it is your responsibility to ensure the security of your site, a web host ought to add to your security protocols.
These include things such as intrusion prevention, strong firewalls, spam removal, email scanning, SSL encryption and so much more. No matter the content on your site, if a hacker finds vulnerabilities, be assured that they will exploit it.
In a worst-case scenario, your site could be used to spread viruses and other malware. There are stiff penalties and fines associated with such acts, so you should ensure that you get robust security features from your web hosting company.
Multiple Add-On Domains
Domains in Singapore are affordable, and many businesses are taking on more than one. However, to accommodate the extra domains, you will need additional disk space, and this is why you need a web host that allows for multiple add-on domains.
Some website hosting companies will allow you up to 50 website subdomains, but it will be a bit expensive. The most cost-friendly web hosting companies in Singapore allow for at least 25 add-on domains for one account.
The trick is to ensure that the web host will allow you to have the extra domains under one account. Before you sign the contract, ensure that you discuss it with the company’s representative,
Free Trial Period and Refund Policy
There are some basic questions that you need to get answers for from the web host company. They include
- Are there any cancellation charges or extra fees other than the signup and renewal fees?
- What is the web host’s refund policy after the expiry of the free trial period?
- If you were to cancel your hosting package, would you get a full refund?
You must get all the information on how the company y handles refunds to avoid losing out should there be anything amiss with the hosting plan. Be warned that some companies charge excessively high cancellation fees, especially during the trial period.
On the other hand, some companies offer a full money-back guarantee should anything go wrong. With such companies, you can always ask for a pro-rated refund when the trial period is over.
Managed Services
Running a business in the modern digital is already stressful enough to take on the tasks of managing the server where your website is hoisted. However, some web hosting companies will take care of server management.
By managing the server, they will ensure that the server’s OS is up to date. They will also be responsible for making updates and patching. Given the kind of service you require, it is possible to get bespoke managed services.
This service will be outlined in the terms and conditions, so you need to read and understand it before you sign the contract.
One-Click Installer
There are various one-click installers, and they make your work easier. Examples of one-click installers include Simple Script and Softalucous among others. In other words, they are installation wizards and help in the installation of things such as Joomla, WordPress, Drupal, and other web-based applications.
The only thing that you have to do is to specify a directory, fill in a few names, and you are all set. Instead of going to look for them yourself; the web hosting company ought to provide them as part of the hosting package.
Scalability
While a web hosting company could have allowed for room for growth, there are times when your website will receive a spike in traffic. This will require that you can get short-term resources on demand from your web host.
Without additional resources on demand, your website could go offline. The thing about scalable resources is that you pay for them as you go. This makes them affordable, and you do not have to upgrade to a premium package to handle the growth.
If you are in the e-commerce business, then you could require your web host to make available scalable resources during the holiday season. A case in point is Cambridge University; their system went offline when they released the Stephen Hawking Ph. D for the first time on their website.
SSL Certificates
These are a must for e-commerce websites since they are responsible for securing your customer’s transactions and personal data. The SSL certificate will encrypt the data and the web host ought to provide you with at least one.
Websites that lack the SSL certificate are marked as ‘not secure’ by Google and other search engines, and payment gateways may restrict you from using their systems to sell on your website. In such a case, you will have to direct your customers to the site with an SSL certificate to make the payment which is too big of a hassle.
More so, antivirus companies are advising their users to use sites with SSL certificates which are denoted by an “https” prefix. This is due to the flaw found in Wi-Fi known as KRACK. This makes it vital that you get a web host that will provide you with SSL certificates.
Easy Control Panels
Many webmasters find it a challenge to administer the back end of their server or website mainly because they do not have a user-friendly interface. There are different operating systems for servers, and they will determine the type of control panel that you will get.
If you have a Linux-based server, then you should use the cPanel. For Windows-based servers, then you need to use the Plesk control panel. Both of these control panes have an easy-to-use dashboard interface, and this makes navigation easy.
Besides this, they have well-organised features that make it easy to manage updates, change settings, and install software in a few slices.
Migration Services
Most websites would rather stick with their original web hosting company, but due to unavoidable circumstances, they are forced to migrate. Most reputable web hosting companies offer free migration services, and they will ensure that everything is working as expected.
If you have a web host that does not offer the migration service, then the chances are that they do not have the expertise or the human resources to take on the job. This could cause huge problems in the future.
Good Email Accounts
Many web hosts will provide email accounts in all their packages, but you need more than the ability to send and receive emails. A great web host will ensure to provide email scanning while searching for malware and spam emails. They ought to also check that your email server is not blacklisted.
The web hosting company ought to provide integration services, adequate storage, web and mobile mail access, file sharing and more. The emails should also have features that are essential to the modern business environment such as tasks, and calendars.
Support for WordPress
WordPress is the most popular content management system in the world today, and it powers over 25% of the top 10 million websites. Despite being so popular, not all hosts offer the in-house technical experience to support their unique requirements.
If you are using WordPress, then you should ensure that your website host provides technical support for WordPress. However, it would be better if they offered dedicated WordPress hosting.
Most business people in Singapore understand the need to have a website, and this has led to an increase in web design and development agencies. However, a majority of these businesses often downplay the process of choosing the right web-hosting company in Singapore. Whether you want a website for your business or a personal website, you need to take the time and do your due diligence to ensure that your website remains accessible 24/7.
Choosing a web hosting company based on price alone or uptime can produce disastrous results. The last thing you want is to have long periods of website downtime. It will not only affect your revenue, but it will also affect your search engine ranking. In this article, we bring you the top 16 tips for choosing the right web hosting company in Singapore.
Read on to the end for actionable tips that will prove to be useful in Singapore. The last thing you want is to make mistakes that will set you up for bigger problems in the future.
Know the Kind of Web Hosting You Need
Having a clear understanding of your business needs can guide you in choosing the right web hosting company in Singapore. A website that offers 24/7 streaming services will require a different web hosting plan compared to a simple e-commerce website.
There are different types of web hosting offered by Singapore web hosting companies. Understanding your business will help you get the best type of hosting that will not be perfect for your business and the amount of traffic.
Get the Right Amount of Bandwidth
Many new businesses do not need a website with a lot of bandwidth since they have not yet attracted huge traffic. However, you must leave room for growth and choose a web host plan that has the right amount of bandwidth.
With that said, there are dubious web hosting companies that will lock you in a bandwidth level, and then charge you additional fees when you need to review your web hosting plan. You can use this formula to calculate the amount of bandwidth your site needs.
Do Not Get Hung Up on Price
Most businesses, despite knowing the importance of a website, will cut corners and try to get their website at the lowest price possible. However, remember, “You get what you pay for” and this might result in a slow website with long periods of downtime.
Web hosting companies with unbelievably low prices are synonymous with poor customer service, and slow servers, among other bad elements associated with unprofessional websites. You must compare the rates between different providers.
With that said, the most expensive option is not always the best option if you are not getting the features that you need. When choosing the right web hosting company in Singapore, you need to go with a company that offers you fast and reliable hosting plans at an affordable price.
Speed and Reliability
Grading a web hosting company solely on their server uptime is not enough. You need to consider the speed and reliability of the company. This is because customers are not only looking to find your website up and running, but they also want to use a fast website.
A website with fast loading times will improve customer confidence in your brand. Moreover, you need to settle for a company in Singapore that backs up your data daily. This is necessary to protect your data and that of your customers.
Know the Amount of Disk Space You Want
The only way of knowing how much disk space you need is by evaluating the kind of content you will be uploading. For example, if most of the content on your website is in text form, then you only need a maximum of 1 GB of storage on the web host’s server.
However, you will find a lot of web hosting companies offering unlimited disk space. This is usually a ploy to get people who do not know how much storage they need. With that said, you need to leave room for growth when purchasing disk space. The reason is that if you exceed the hosting package’s disk space, you will not be able to add more content to your website.
The only options you will have are to buy more disk space or delete some of the existing content. For this reason, you need to look for hosting plans with scaling disk space. To be safe, you also need to choose a web hosting company that makes it easy to upgrade from your current web hosting plan to another.
Accessibility
When choosing the right web hosting company in Singapore, you need to consider whether the company offers you full functionality and control of the website. During the search process, give precedence to those companies that provide you with a web control panel.
This allows you to manage and make the necessary changes to your website and domains without having to call the web host. This includes changes such as email address management, and changing website passwords, among others.
Without the control panel, it will affect your user experience, and you will have to contact the web hosting company for simple tasks. Full control means that you will be able to fine-tune your website with an increase in traffic.
Email Accounts
You should choose a web hosting company that provides you with an email facility as part of the hosting package. Having an email that matches your web address (domain) adds to the professionalism of your brand. You will find web hosting companies offering unlimited email accounts with each hosting plan.
However, unlimited email accounts are only suitable for companies with a large workforce spread out over multiple departments. But it is worth noting that you could reach the sending and receiving limits if you have small disk space.
Understanding the email features will be crucial in helping you make the decision when choosing the right web hosting company in Singapore. You should understand the email-sending and receiving capabilities of each hosting plan before you sign the contract.
Security
In a post in Forbes by James Lyne, there are over 30,000 websites hacked every day. The right web host ought to have effective anti-virus and anti-spam protection to reduce the chances of security breaches. More so, the servers need to be physically secure since your web data is stored on the servers.
While physically securing the servers will improve the security of your website, some dangers come in the form of natural disasters, or worse, a physical breach in the data centre. It is therefore imperative that you get a web hosting company that has 24/7 security and contingency plans.
If you require your site visitors to open an account on your site, then you need to choose a web host that offers SSL certificates. They will provide an added layer of security for your client’s information, and you will also appear more trustworthy.
Customer Support
Webmasters need 24/7 customer support since technical difficulties can happen at any time. This is why you must get a company that offers customer support around the clock. Most web hosting companies promise this kind of support, but you must consider the different types of support available for each hosting plan.
The best type of customer support is via live chat on their website, or via telephone. However, you will find web hosting companies that offer customer support via remote desktop. They will solve your problem while educating you at the same time.
On the other hand, time is of the essence, and you must choose a company that promises to find a solution to your problem in a defined timeframe. However, some web hosts offer different types of support for different plans.
This makes it necessary for you to choose a company that offers unconditional support. Lastly, you need to know where the support team is based; this will help you plan for any language barriers and the time difference.
Multiple Domains and Subdomains
A domain is your website’s address, and .com is the most popular top-level domain (TLD). Other TLDs include .sg, .com.sg, .org, .or, just to name a few. Some companies offer more TLDs than others. However, the most important aspect to note is that you should go for TLDs that are approved by ICANN.
If you have plans to scale your websites shortly, you need a hosting plan that gives you the option of having multiple domains and subdomains that are managed by a single account. This comes especially handy when you have various business websites.
Website Data Backups
A reputable and reliable web hosting company will back up your web data regularly in a remote and secure server; this will safeguard the data just in case your website is hacked. In the case of a security breach or a misfortune where you cannot access your data, such a company will provide you with the necessary backups to keep running your website.
Always ask about the backup plan when you are choosing the right web hosting company in Singapore, if you are not satisfied with the answer, move on to the next company and consult the web developer during the selection process.
Read Customer Reviews
The trouble with web hosting company reviews is that they can be skewed and biased. However, you cannot go wrong with customer reviews. They will help you in choosing an established web host company that offers quality services.
You can get customer reviews and testimonials on social media, as well as on consumer websites, and forum discussions, among other places. You will find the true experiences of actual users.
However, some companies pay for reviews, which include both positive and negative ones. You should also pay attention to how the company responds to the complaints, and it will give you an idea of how they deal with unhappy customers.
Read the Terms and Conditions of Services
Remember that the devil is in the details and the trouble with most people is that they do not take the time to read and understand the terms and conditions. They will accept the terms after skimming through them, and it comes back to haunt them.
You might blindly agree to a less-than-acceptable refund policy, customer support, and accessibility to the website among other critical terms of the web hosting plan. Before you sign on the dotted line, be sure to read through them.
Avoid the Cheap New Company
Over the years, there has been a trend where new web hosting companies offer very low hosting rates and hope that they can make their margins by attracting a higher number of clients. However, these new web host companies cannot manage to handle a large number of clients at a go.
The solution is to stick with an established company or a reasonably priced web host plan from a new player. They will be able to handle your growth and that of other clients without experiencing any glitches in their hosting servers.
The reason behind this is that when a web host company expands too fast, and they do not have the resources, it will ultimately fail. Websites from such companies are slow, experience frequent downtime, lower search engine rankings, and lost revenue.
Scalability
There is always room for growth in business, and you need to work with a web host that allows for the scalability of your website. You are best placed to choose a web host that allows for the seamless upgrade of your host plan whenever you need more resources such as bandwidth, disk space, email accounts, and more.
This makes it crucial that you consider the ease of upgrading or scaling to ensure that you keep your website running at optimal speeds.
Conclusion
The web hosts brands listed above are excellent firms with perfect features and numbers back up. To consult for your business. The list is also influenced by the preferences of Singaporeans. Some of them prefer international brands while some prefer local web host companies.
One of the main factors you may want to consider when choosing a web host is the pricing. International web hosts such as A2 Hosting and SiteGround have cheap entry costs that go for about SGD10 per month.
Local brands are a bit more expensive with their premium packages going for roughly SGD50 per month. However, all of these web host firms are perfect options for performing better than Google’s recommended speed of 200ms. Act and visit one of the firms today for the betterment of your digital business.
There are many other web hosting companies in Singapore, the above-mentioned are only a few of them. It is important to note that going with the cheapest hosting company will not always guarantee you a high-quality service. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for.
Web hosting is not an umbrella standard service that is delivered at the same quality everywhere; therefore, you need to get a reliable web hosting service that will not have you going back and forth when you design and develop your new website.