What is website hosting and do I need it?

How does hosting actually work?

Your website is made up of files — code, images, text. Those files need to live somewhere that's always switched on and always connected to the internet. That somewhere is a server.

When someone types your web address into their browser or taps a Google result, their device connects to the server where your files are stored, downloads them, and displays your website. This happens in less than a second on good hosting. On bad hosting, it can take several seconds — and most people won't wait.

A hosting provider owns and maintains these servers. You pay them a monthly or annual fee to keep your site online.

What types of hosting are there?

There are several types, but for a small business, only three matter:

• Shared hosting. Your site shares a server with hundreds of other websites. It's the cheapest option (£30–£60/year) but also the slowest. If another site on your server gets a traffic spike, your site slows down too. Fine for a personal blog, risky for a business.
• Managed hosting. Your hosting provider handles the technical side — updates, security, backups, speed optimisation. You pay more (£100–£200/year) but you don't have to think about it. This is what most small businesses should use.
• Cloud/CDN hosting. Your site is served from multiple locations around the world. Fast, reliable, and scales with traffic. This is what we use at Alvex Studio. Your site loads quickly whether someone visits from Manchester or Melbourne.

What should good hosting include?

At a minimum, your hosting should include:

• SSL certificate. This is the padlock in the browser bar. It encrypts data between your site and your visitors. Google requires it. Your hosting should include it free.
• Daily backups. If something breaks, you need to be able to restore your site quickly. Without backups, you could lose everything.
• Uptime guarantee. Look for 99.9% uptime. That means your site is online virtually all the time. Cheap hosts often have poor uptime — your site goes down and you don't even know.
• UK or European servers. For a UK business, your server should be in the UK or Europe. It affects page speed and data protection compliance.
• Support. When something goes wrong at 9pm on a Thursday, can you get help? Cheap hosting usually means no support or slow ticket responses.

How much does hosting cost?

Here's what to expect in the UK:

• Budget shared hosting: £30–£60/year. Companies like 123 Reg, GoDaddy, or Ionos. Low price, low performance. Often bundled with aggressive upselling.
• Mid-range managed hosting: £100–£200/year. Better speed, better support, better security. This is the sweet spot for small businesses.
• Premium or cloud hosting: £200–£500/year. Enterprise-level performance. More than most small businesses need unless you're getting serious traffic.

At Alvex Studio, hosting is £120/year. That includes SSL, daily backups, CDN, malware scanning, and managed updates. We handle everything — you don't need to log into a hosting dashboard.

What's the difference between hosting and a domain?

People mix these up all the time. Here's the simple version:

• Domain name = your web address (e.g. yourbusiness.co.uk). You buy it from a registrar and renew it annually.
• Hosting = the server space where your website files live. You pay a hosting provider to keep your site online.

You need both. They can come from the same company or different companies — it doesn't matter as long as they're connected properly. We'd recommend keeping your domain in your name so you always own it, regardless of who hosts your site.

What happens if I use Wix or Squarespace?

If you use a website builder like Wix, Squarespace, or Shopify, hosting is included in your monthly subscription. You don't buy it separately.

The downside is that you're locked in. You can't take your Wix site and move it to another host. If you want to leave, you start again from scratch. With a custom-built site and separate hosting, you own everything and can move whenever you want.

Do I need to understand hosting to have a website?

No. You need to know it exists and roughly what it costs. Beyond that, your web designer should handle the setup and management. If they don't offer hosting or can't explain where your site will be hosted, ask questions before you commit.

The key thing is this: don't let your designer own your hosting account. Make sure you have login details or can access the account if needed. It's your business and your website — you should always be able to access it.