Do you want to launch your own website online but are not familiar with managing your own server? No problem! For that, there are web hosting packages! You don't need technical expertise — if you can use a Windows PC or Mac, you'll definitely be able to get your website online with a web hosting package.

And you can find the right web hosting provider here with us:

Our web hosting comparison helps you keep an overview of the ever-growing range of web hosting providers. Because new providers enter the market almost monthly, new tariffs are introduced, or conditions for existing tariffs are changed. Staying on top of it all can be quite a challenge!

With our always up-to-date web hosting provider test, you can easily compare the services and prices of individual web space packages. The comprehensive filter functions enable you to find the best offers according to your personal preferences:

• If you place particular importance on plenty of storage space, then only display offers with more than 100 GB of storage.
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• If you value speed highly, then select only web space packages with SSD drives in the search.
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• If sustainability is important to you, then only consider providers that use green electricity.
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• If cost is your main concern, then set your maximum budget in the search filter.

Using the filter function, you can find the optimal web hosting package for your project in our web hosting comparison!

Web hosting packages serve the purpose of storing data on the web server of an Internet Service Provider, which provides both the necessary hardware resources and network connectivity for a fee. Customers can operate websites using these web space packages and do not need to handle the management and administration of the technical infrastructure themselves, unlike with dedicated servers or VPS hosting. Therefore, these packages are especially suitable for beginners in the web hosting sector, as their use does not require extensive technical expertise.

Thanks to increasingly powerful technology and the steadily growing number of providers, affordable web hosting packages are now available at prices below one euro per month. Modern web hosting tools such as content management systems and administration interfaces make creating and managing your own online content easier than ever before. Some companies even offer integrated website builders, allowing you to easily design and fill your website without programming knowledge using a simple drag & drop principle.

Security is also a major concern among all providers in the test. Web hosting customers can rely on effective virus and spam protection in almost all packages; regular automatic backups are typically performed to safeguard their data.

If you want to inform yourself about the different offers of various web hosting providers in the comparison, don't be put off by the numerous technical terms in the descriptions of services. To help you keep track, we've summarised the most important terms from the web hosting comparison:

The technical foundation of any web hosting is a Server. This is a specialised high-performance computer connected to the internet via the data centre of the web hosting provider. The individual web space packages are set up on this machine and then allocated to different customers. Depending on the technical specifications of the server, in terms of CPU performance, RAM, and disk space, up to 1000 separate web space packages can be hosted on a single machine. Servers are generally available with two different operating systems: the proprietary Microsoft Windows system or the open source software Linux. However, since web hosting customers do not need to manage or maintain the server and operating system themselves, the differences between the two systems are almost indistinguishable to the end user. Customers should simply pay attention to the data provided under 'Server Performance' when choosing a package in the web hosting comparison. This indicates how much performance is available to each web space customer. Those planning larger web projects should also consider opting for higher performance.

The term Domain refers to the address of a website. It consists of several parts and is used for the unique identification of content on the internet. For example, the domain www.hosttest.de can be divided into the top-level domain de, the second-level domain hosttest, and the third-level domain www. The third-level domain indicates the server service, the second-level domain is the individual desired name, and the top-level domain specifies the domain extension. There are generally two types of top-level domains available to customers:

Country-specific TLDs: country-code TLDs (ccTLDs)

These include domain extensions assigned to individual countries.

Examples: .de (Germany), .at (Austria), .ch (Switzerland), etc.

Generic TLDs: gTLDs (generic TLDs)

These include generic domain extensions not associated with any country.

Examples: .com (Commercial), .net (Network), .org (Organisation) etc.

To make your website accessible to visitors on the internet, an individual domain is required. Most packages in the web hosting comparison already include at least one domain, which can be chosen by the customer. Additional domains can be ordered if desired and, depending on the package, can also be acquired from other providers and redirected to your own web hosting package.

Often, a website should offer more functions than simply making images and texts accessible to visitors. To display dynamic content on the internet, the server must support various scripting languages. One of the most well-known scripting languages is PHP, which allows the execution of various commands directly on the server. This enables certain functions, such as a contact form on the website, to be implemented. Most web hosting providers in the comparison therefore offer PHP scripting language support.

If you use a Content Management System (CMS) for your website, you will need a so-called database for operation. This is where all relationships and links between stored data and the user interface are managed. The database system MySQL is one of the most well-known and widely used software solutions in this area. Providers in the web hosting comparison typically offer MySQL databases on most packages. By providing a large number of databases, customers are also enabled to run multiple independent web projects on a single web hosting package.

Anyone operating their own website on a web hosting package has the opportunity to access so-called log files and statistics via the management software. These are event logs that are automatically generated by the web server and record various data such as visitor access and transferred data. With the help of these log files, website owners can track all access to their web presence. They are therefore extremely useful as a source of information for analysing visitors or troubleshooting issues. Good web hosting providers therefore offer their customers as comprehensive and accurate log files as possible, which is also mentioned in the service descriptions.

The term traffic originates from English and refers to the amount of data transfer. When visitors access the website, the data is downloaded from the server to the user's device. Depending on the content of the website and visitor numbers, several gigabytes of traffic can accumulate per month. When selecting a web hosting package, attention should therefore be paid to the so-called inclusive traffic. Ideally, this should be completely unlimited so that no additional costs are incurred afterwards.

An SSL encryption is used to encrypt data transmission between the website visitor's device and the server via the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol. The purpose is to ensure that sensitive data such as passwords, addresses, credit card details, or other personal information cannot be read by unauthorised third parties on the internet. Especially for online shops or other web services where users enter confidential data, SSL encryption should be used. Visitors to the website recognise active encryption by the protocol designation HTTPS in the browser or, depending on the validation mechanism, also by a green-highlighted address bar.

Since the scope of features in individual packages and offers can vary greatly, it is recommended to compare web hosting prices across providers. Starting from a simple and affordable online presence, consisting of just a few HTML pages, through packages supporting scripting languages, e.g. for application hosting with PHP and databases, up to packages that include pre-installed software or other services such as monitoring, data backups, load balancing, MySQL or MSQL databases. In our web hosting provider test, we present all suitable packages for every individual requirement.

The days when a provider solely allocated storage space on their own server to customers when purchasing web hosting are long gone. Due to high market competition and the use of increasingly powerful hardware and software, customers today can access a variety of specialised web hosting tools within a hosting package:

Especially for customers without programming knowledge, a website builder is a great help. Using a simple editor, texts, images, and other elements of the future website can be easily created and arranged via drag & drop. A range of templates, already designed with coordinated colours, fonts, and layouts, can be selected as the design basis. The design can then be customised according to individual preferences. Of course, when using a website builder, there are creative and functional limitations, which is why this method of website creation is less suitable for advanced users and professionals.

For those who find creating a website with a homepage builder too limited in customisation, they can turn to content management systems such as WordPress, Joomla or Typo3. These offer significantly more options to influence the design and functionality of your web presence. Many providers from the web hosting comparison enable simple one-click installation of the most popular systems. This allows the latest version of the desired software to be activated and used directly on your web space package without much effort.

Comprehensive statistics help website operators not only to keep track of activity on their web space but can also serve as a basis for optimising their website. For example, if it becomes apparent that most visitors access the site via mobile devices, content can be specifically optimised for smaller screens to further enhance the user experience. Insights into which individual subpages attract the most visitors or have the longest dwell times can also be utilised when creating future content. Additionally, detailed statistics programmes can help detect potential threats, such as automated bot access, so that appropriate countermeasures can be implemented.

In addition to storage space for website data, an increasing number of providers also offer cloud storage. This is separate storage space, managed independently from the main web space, and can be used for storing data such as documents, photos, music files, or videos. Access is usually possible from various devices, and automatic synchronization ensures that the data is always up-to-date and accessible from anywhere at any time.

An extensive and, above all, easy-to-use administration software allows for straightforward management of your own web hosting package. Modern control panels such as cPanel or Plesk are characterised primarily by user-friendly navigation and a clear menu structure. Here, you can manage all domains, assign them to the appropriate directories, create and edit email addresses, manage databases, and configure all relevant settings for the operation of your web hosting.

Most interested parties are concerned with a particular question: What does a website cost? However, a general answer cannot be given, as the costs depend on many different factors. Essentially, one must first distinguish between the costs of the website itself and the costs of web hosting. With a web space package, you generally receive all the necessary tools to make your website accessible on the internet, but the website still needs to be created. You can either use completely free tools such as website builders provided by the provider or utilise content management systems, which can be used with partly paid-for design templates and extensions. Of course, you can also commission a customised website from a web designer, but this will cost significantly more.

The web hosting costs usually depend on the services provided. Those who choose a package from the web hosting comparison should therefore consider their requirements and goals for the future website in advance. Factors such as storage space, server performance, or security and convenience features have a significant impact on the monthly costs of web hosting. If you want to provide data-intensive content like videos or high-resolution images online, you will need as much storage space as possible; if you use a complex database structure, you should prioritise high server performance; and if you offer an online shop, you must pay attention to the best possible security features. Therefore, the focus of each individual web project is on different criteria. Another cost factor is the domain. There are also various criteria here that influence the costs. If you are lucky that the domain with your desired name has not yet been registered by someone else, you can re-order the domain at the standard price. If an existing domain is transferred from another owner, significantly higher costs are usually incurred. The domain extension also plays an important role in the costs. For a .de domain, only a few euros per year are due, whereas for more exotic domain extensions, it is often necessary to pay double- or triple-digit euro amounts.

Detailed information on this can also be found under Web hosting costs.

Prospective customers looking for a web hosting provider should first get an overview of their own individual requirements and then of the offers on the market. After all, you can set a budget and try to find the provider with the best possible performance. When comparing web hosting offers, however, not only the price and technology should be considered. Other criteria also play an important role in choosing the right web hosting provider. These include, above all, general framework conditions such as the included traffic volume, contract durations, or support services. In our web hosting provider comparison, you will find, in addition to detailed package conditions, an overview of references and reviews provided by other customers for a specific provider.

What costs does the web hosting provider incur?

Web hosting providers aim to cover their costs and also generate a profit through the fees they charge. These costs are made up of various components.

• Costs for energy and telecommunications
• Procurement and maintenance of hardware
• Personnel costs
• Building costs for server locations, such as rent, property tax, etc.
• Insurance

Large hosting providers operate numerous data centres with high energy consumption. Therefore, web hosting also involves significant costs.

Nevertheless, many hosting companies are able to offer their customers affordable or even free plans. How is this possible?

How do the costs for customers arise?

To keep the web hosting costs for their customers as low as possible, providers offer various plans. The monthly fees depend on

• The type of package (shared hosting or dedicated server),
• The features of the package (RAM, storage capacity, number of email accounts, cron jobs, etc.), and
• The billing interval.

Customers are left wondering which offer is most suitable for them and how they can keep their web hosting costs as low as possible without compromising quality.

How much should you spend on web hosting?

There is no straightforward answer to how much web hosting should cost. It largely depends on the individual needs of the customer. For a small blog or an online shop that is still in development, a shared hosting plan should be entirely sufficient.

With these packages, the hosting provider supplies the customer with a VPS hosting or cloud server. This runs alongside many other VPS hosting instances on the same hardware. The customer therefore cannot have full control over the entire physical device, but only utilises a portion of the associated resources. This offers the advantage of significantly lower costs. However, it also has disadvantages in terms of security. Additionally, the customisation options with shared hosting are very limited for the customer. The tariffs vary depending on the provider and, in the cheapest cases, amount to only about 5 euros per month per package. Dedicated servers, on the other hand, are considerably more expensive. In return, they offer the customer a high degree of freedom, stability, and security. Furthermore, the performance with this option is significantly better because the server can access the entire hardware resources. The fees for dedicated servers start at around 35 euros per month.

To save costs, most providers offer the option of annual or quarterly billing. Typically, there is a small discount if the fees for several billing months are paid together.

Are web hosting services also available for free?

Since web hosting incurs costs for the provider, offers for 0 euros should be approached with caution. Web hosts that do not charge fees need to fund themselves in other ways. Therefore, free packages are mostly entry-level models that quickly reach their limits and require an upgrade to a paid plan. It is not uncommon for the data centres to be located abroad, which can pose additional risks.

Furthermore, some restrictions should be expected, such as

• the absence of custom domain names,
• poor performance,
• limited functionality, and
• advertisements on the website

to be aware of.

For private individuals, these free offers may be suitable. However, they are not recommended for businesses, which should plan for regular billing of their web hosting costs.

Beginners can quickly become overwhelmed when ordering and setting up their first web hosting. Therefore, we would like to guide you through the most important points in the process with the following step-by-step instructions:

In order for the future website to be uniquely identified and accessible to visitors via the browser, you first need to choose a domain. Using a domain check, you can verify which top-level domains (TLDs) the desired name is available under. For generic terms like holiday, car, or garden, it is now no longer possible to find free domains, and even with combinations like First Name Last Name, most variants are already taken. Here, it is advisable to be a bit more creative when choosing a name if you do not want to purchase an already registered domain from a previous owner. Often, very high prices are demanded for such domains. The trading of good domain names is a huge business on the internet, and on the international market, some domains sell for millions of pounds.

When choosing the appropriate domain name for your web hosting, the domain extension (top-level domain) plays a particularly important role. As a German company or with a target audience in the German market, the DE domain is the first choice. This extension enjoys the greatest trust among visitors here and is also preferred in German Google searches. However, if you plan to offer services aimed at an international market, it is better to opt for a COM domain. With the introduction of new generic domain extensions (nTLDs) in recent years, website owners now have more creative options for their own domain. Localised extensions such as .berlin or .bayern, which are specifically aimed at local offerings, or even generic terms like .versicherung, .bar, or .kaufen, are now available. These extensions are generally more expensive than traditional domains.

Another important criterion when choosing a domain is to observe the legal basics. Especially in Germany, numerous laws and regulations can pose pitfalls for inexperienced webmasters. For example, your domain name must not correspond to or contain the trademark of another company. Extensive research before choosing a domain is therefore essential to avoid trouble later on.

Once you have decided on the appropriate domain, the next step is to select the right web hosting. Since most web hosting providers offer domains and web space together, this step is usually completed in the same process. Of course, domains and web hosting can also be ordered from different providers. The only important thing here is to ensure that adding so-called external domains is possible with the chosen web hosting package.

The individual hosting providers typically offer their customers several different web space packages, which vary in their features. These include technical criteria such as storage space for data, performance and server capacity, number of databases, additional features in security or convenience, as well as contractual details such as support or billing cycles. Prospective customers should carefully review the details of the offers to avoid unpleasant surprises later. To help keep track of the numerous offers from different providers, our web hosting provider comparison tool offers a search function. Here, web space packages can be sorted directly by specific performance criteria, displaying only suitable packages with the desired features.

For small websites and medium-sized web projects, the performance of a basic web space package is usually sufficient. However, for larger projects or when specific requirements from business clients are involved, the decision might instead fall on a Virtual Private Server or a Dedicated Server. Unlike traditional shared hosting, a dedicated server offers the customer greater scope for individualisation and system configuration. However, these advantages come at the cost of increased management effort. The entire administration and maintenance of the server are the responsibility of the customer, who must either manage it themselves or hire a service provider to do so.

Once the domain and web hosting package have been selected, the order only needs to be completed and payment made. In an automatically generated overview, similar to what is seen in online shops, potential customers can review all items of the order before payment is made and the contract becomes valid. Depending on the hosting provider, various payment options are offered. Common methods include payment by credit card or PayPal, as well as direct debit or bank transfer. In exceptional cases, purchase on account is also possible.

A confirmation email informs the customer about the successful completion of the order. The provider then initiates all necessary steps to fulfil the order. The desired domain is registered through the relevant registry, and the appropriate web hosting package is activated on the provider’s server for the customer. Depending on the provider, this process can take up to two working days, but typically all steps are completed within a few hours. The customer then receives the login details and can start using the domain and web hosting immediately.

Once you have received the login details for the web hosting, you can set up your website. The login details usually consist of two parts: a username and password for the hosting provider’s management interface, and a username and password for access to the web space via FTP. The management interface allows you to configure all settings related to web hosting, such as assigning domains, creating email addresses, or managing additional features like spam filters or SSL certificates. The FTP access enables you to upload files directly to your web space.

Depending on technical knowledge, setting up the website can be done in various ways. Either you upload the relevant HTML files via FTP to the web space, install a content management system through the administrative software, or use a website builder provided by the provider, if available, to set up the website. Each of these options has its own advantages and disadvantages. Using a website builder is particularly simple but offers limited scope for individualising the web presence. The use of content management systems, on the other hand, requires more expertise but allows for a high degree of customisation through free or paid extensions, without sacrificing a user-friendly interface. Complete creation via HTML files is only recommended for absolute professionals with extensive programming skills.

Once the basic structure of the website is in place, attention must be turned to creating content. Which content is suitable for the website depends on the planned strategy. A business website should present the company attractively, an online shop should market the available products, and an online magazine should provide useful or entertaining content. Here, we list some examples of website content:

Texts are the foundation of any website. They provide detailed information for website visitors and can also be analysed and understood by search engines like Google. This way, the website can be associated with a specific topic and appear in search results as a relevant outcome. This is the best way to attract many new visitors without investing in paid advertising. Texts can either be written by the website owner themselves or outsourced to a service provider. Large online portals often employ a team of salaried or freelance writers who regularly produce new content for the online presence.

Besides texts, images are among the most popular content on the internet. It is no coincidence that it is said a picture is worth a thousand words. Your online content can be enlivened with images. These do not always have to be photographs; infographics that present complex information in an easy and understandable way are also well received. Additionally, image galleries allow entire series of images to be published.

Moving images are becoming increasingly popular on the internet. While videos used to have poor quality due to low data transfer rates and limited bandwidth, today’s moving image content can be streamed and played in top HD quality on any device. Videos are excellent for telling an emotional story and engaging visitors on your website.

A good alternative to traditional formats such as texts, images, and videos is so-called interactive content. These are materials with which website visitors can interact. This can include small games, surveys, or an interactive graphic where various factors can be influenced by the user for display purposes.

Here you will find answers to common questions about web hosting:

The term web hosting refers to the hosting of online content (websites) on the server of an Internet Service Provider. This makes the content of a web presence available on the internet, so it can be accessed from anywhere in the world at any time. All web content requires web hosting, whether it is a private blog, a professional company homepage, or a commercial online shop. Unlike dedicated servers and VPS hosting, customers with traditional web hosting packages do not need to manage the technical administration of the servers behind the scenes.

Web hosting packages are offered in a variety of options. Customers can choose from small web space packages for a few pounds per month up to professional hosting packages that require a higher monthly budget. The prices of individual web hosting plans depend on the included features. For hosting larger websites, for example, more storage space and certain additional functions are needed, which are not necessary for operating a small blog of this size. Therefore, the suitable web hosting package should be tailored individually to your own web content.

There is a wide range of web hosting providers on the market offering web space packages with various conditions. These differ not only in terms of features and pricing but also in other important factors such as server location or the customer support offered. To find the right web hosting provider for your own web project, it is worthwhile to carry out a detailed comparison of the different offers.

In the comparison above, you can compare all web hosting providers with each other.