Best for Those Who Put Emphasis on Security and Uptime
- Cloudflare integration
- Dedicated IP
- Integrated caching
- 100 email accounts on all plans
- You need to sign a multiple-year contract to get a solid cloud hosting price
- Customer reviews complain of their support services
Hostinger is an employee-owned company, initially known as Hosting Media, which used to provide the best free cloud hosting back in 2017. Today, it has a global reach across 178 different countries and is widely popular, with over 29 million users worldwide. What makes Hostinger stand out is the combination of the best features of its VPS Hosting and the Shared Hosting options.
Features
Here’s why Hostinger is the go-to cloud hosting platform for many businesses and developers:
Monthly Data Transfers
All Hostinger’s cloud hosting plans include unlimited bandwidth.
Storage
The basic Startup plan comes with 3GB RAM and 200GB SSD, while the more advanced Professional and Enterprise plans offer 6GB and 12GB RAM and 250GB and 300GB SSD storage respectively.
Email Account Limit
Hostinger users can open up to 100 email accounts on all three plans.
24/7 Customer Service
Hostinger’s support team is available 24/7 via live chat and email. The company has a Knowledge Base and tutorial guides on its website.
Security
This formerly free cloud server offers a Cloudflare integration and a free SSL certificate that are available on all three plans, as well as automated daily data backups to ensure high-level security.
Price
| Plan | Price |
| Startup | $29.00 a month |
| Profesional | $49.99 a month |
| Enterprise | $64.99 a month |
Ease of Use
Instead of the traditional cPanel, Hostinger offers a modern interface with large icons, which make it easy for beginners to find their way around it.
Uptime
Hostinger offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee and promises users 5% of their monthly fee back in case their downtime jumps over that.
Kamatera
Best for App Developers and SaaS Providers
- Scalable cloud servers
- 13 global data centers
- 30-day free trial
- Offers managed hosting
- Not the best fit for beginners
- Renewal price for a managed server is costly
Kamatera is a cloud services platform with 13 global centers and thousands of customers that range from app developers to large enterprises and SaaS providers. With more than two decades of experience, this company offers high performance and flexibility as part of all its cloud services.
Features
Kamatera regularly ends up on top of lists for the best cloud servers. Here’s why:
Monthly Data Transfers
Kamatera has a 5TB data transfer limit.
Storage
Kamatera lets you build your own server to suit your individual needs. Users can choose from 1024MB up to 524288MB RAM. SSD storage starts at 20GB and goes up to 4000GB.
Email Account Limit
Kamatera doesn’t put any limits on the number of email accounts you can open.
24/7 Customer Service
Kamatera’s technical support is available 24/7 via mail and phone, while sales and customer support is available during business hours only.
Security
Kamatera offers Disaster Recovery Management on all their plans, which updates your IP quickly and sets you back on track.
Price
| Service | Price |
| Cloud Server | Starting at $4/month |
| Cloud Block Storage | $0.05/month/GB |
| Private Cloud Network | Free |
| Cloud Load Balancer | Starting at $9/month |
| Cloud Firewall | Starting at $9/month |
| Managed Cloud | $50/month/server |
Ease of Use
As part of their cloud hosting service, Kamatera offers a clean UI, which makes it easy to start up new servers and manage existing ones. However, it’s not the best option for beginners.
Uptime
Kamatera offers a 99.95% uptime guarantee. Users say that the company does a good job at maintaining uptime.
- Unlimited bandwidth
- 100% uptime guarantee
- Inexpensive
- 97-day money-back guarantee
- Call-backs from support teams come with an extra fee
- DreamCompute and DreamObjects are paid for separately
DreamHost is an award-winning WordPress host company that uses open-source technology, hosts over 1.5 million sites, and has over 400,000 members. Its cloud hosting is called DreamCloud; it consists of a public cloud computing service (DreamCompute) and a storage solution (DreamObjects). DreamHost prides itself on being a company that provides the best cloud hosting for WordPress.
Features
Here are the type of features DreamCloud offers its clients:
Monthly Data Transfers
DreamHost offers unlimited bandwidth on all plans.
Storage
DreamHost’s cloud computing services include three different options: a 512 RAM Server, 2GB RAM Server, and 8GB RAM Server and all of them include 80 GB SSD and 100 GB of Block Storage.
Email Account Limit
DreamCloud is one of the best cloud web hosting options that don’t impose a limit on the number of accounts and emails you can send.
24/7 Customer Service
DreamHost offers a variety of forums on their website and they also offer support via Twitter. Their customer support team on Twitter is available on chat 24/7, but only members who subscribe to one of the company’s plans can call its customer support teams.
Security
DreamObjects is powered by the open-source storage software Ceph, which can be used for file-sharing services, to backup WordPress sites, store unstructured data like image and video files, and as storage for backup files.
Price
The price for DreamObjects package is reflected in prepaid plans:
| Storage | Effective Price/GB |
| 40GB | $0.0238/$0.95 a mth |
| 200GB | $0.0225/$4.50 a mth |
| 1024GB | $0.0195/$19.95 a mth |
| 2048GB | $0.0171/$34.95 a mth |
| 20480GB | $0.0146/$299.95 a mth |
The DreamCompute prices are given in the table below:
| Plan | Price |
| 512 RAM Server | $0.0075 an hour/max. $4.50 a month |
| 2GB RAM Server | $0.02 an hour/max. $12 a month |
| 8GB RAM Server | $0.08 an hour/max. $48 a month |
Ease of Use
This cloud hosting provider has a dashboard with a modern, user-friendly design that gives you quick access to all your options.
Uptime
DreamHost is extremely confident in its uptime. They have a 100% uptime guarantee and offer a refund for the amount of time you were unable to use their services.
- Simple setup
- Variety of server options
- Worldwide data centers
- Reasonable prices
- Not beginner-friendly
- Backup costs extra
Launched in 2003, Linode is a privately-owned cloud hosting company that specializes in cloud hosting solutions for developers who know their way around Linux. The company has more than 800,000 customers from around the globe, and boasts a superfast network, and native SSDs.
Features
Linode has a lot of interesting features for software developers:
Monthly Data Transfers
Its monthly data transfer ranges between 4TB and 12TB, depending on the plan you pick.
Storage
One of its best features is the industry-leading native SSD storage on a 40GB/s network. Depending on the plan you choose, you can get anywhere from 80GB to 72000GB.
Email Account Limit
As one of the best cloud hosting providers, Linode doesn’t set a limit for the number of email accounts or emails sent, but it has a strict zero policy for spam. Keep in mind that the system might flag your account if you send too many emails at once.
24/7 Customer Service
You can reach out to Linode’s customer support team via phone, email, IRC chat, ticket, and if you feel nostalgic, fax. Their email and customer support team is available 24/7.
Security
Linode takes part in the HackerOne Bug Bounty program which pays white hat hackers to comb through the system for vulnerabilities. The company conducts constant scans of its networks and supporting systems and performs regular testing. You can even set up two-factor authentication.
Price
All of Linode’s plans include SSD, SSH access, root access, 40GB/s network, and Intel E5 processors.
| Plan | SSD | Price |
| Dedicated CPU Plans | 80GB–7200GB | $30-$3,840 per month |
| Shared CPU Plans | 25GB-3840GB | $5-$960 per month |
| High Memory Plans | 20GB-340GB | $60-$960 per month |
| GPU Plans | 640GB-2650GB | $1,000-$4,000 per month |
Uptime
When it comes to uptime, Linode is one of the best and fastest cloud hosting services, with a 99.99% SLA-backed uptime guarantee. It gives users the right to ask for a pro-rated credit if the downtime exceeds the 0.01% limit.
Buyer’s Guide to Best Cloud Hosting
With so many options available on the market it is very difficult to pick one. So, let’s see what you need to consider when making your final decision.
Types of Cloud Hosting
There are three general models for cloud deployment, all of which share the basic elements, like an operating system, to function. Here’s where they differ:
- Public Cloud Hosting
In public cloud hosting, the cloud hosting service providers make computing resources available to the general public. With this model, enterprises do not have to set up and maintain their own cloud servers in-house. Needless to say, in a public cloud, all fixed resources that the hosting provider offers are available to the general public – you use the same pool of IT infrastructure and are charged on a pay-as-you-go basis.
- Private Cloud Hosting
In private cloud hosting, all resources are available exclusively to one customer. In this model, the customer (usually an organization) uses proprietary architecture, runs cold servers within its own data center, and has direct control of the infrastructure.
- Hybrid Cloud Hosting
Finally, hybrid cloud hosting combines the first two models. It’s a mix of on-premise private cloud and third-party public cloud services. As such, it features the benefits of both private and public hosting.
How to Choose a Cloud Hosting Company
Switching to a cloud-based server is the smart move in most situations. However, given that it requires shifting the entire business to a different structure, it’s best to do solid research first.
- Type of Infrastructure
The first and foremost step is to consider what your business needs. Large corporations do better with private cloud hosting as they have the means to maintain the infrastructure. Smaller businesses would do better to choose public hosting, as it cuts down on the cost significantly. Hybrid cloud hosting is a bit more expensive, but it has the benefits of both private and public cloud hosting.
- Backup Speed
A cloud backup service is the safest way to ensure that you can protect your data from loss, theft, and even accidental deletion. Most businesses need to back up their data regularly, which is why it’s important to pick a hosting provider that has a quick backup service.
- Safety and Security
Security is possibly the most important factor to take into consideration when selecting a cloud hosting provider. Encryption, which DreamOcean offers, is a huge benefit, as well as perks like regular checkups and scans.
- Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery
Your provider must be able to revive their cloud services after a disruption, which can be caused by many things, including a natural disaster. That’s why it’s preferable when they use multiple redundant infrastructures so they can replicate data at any point.
- Uptime and Downtime
In short, uptime guarantees that your hosting provider will deliver. For example, an uptime of 99.99% means that the downtime (often a short-term disruption) is about 6 minutes in a year. Linode and Hostinger offer 99.99% uptime, while Kamatera guarantees 99.95% of uptime annually. There’s also DreamHost that promises 100% uptime.
- Client Support
When it comes to customer support, not all cloud service providers are the same. Most offer 24/7 customer support, though, some use a ticketing system and email, while others opt for live chat and call support. It is crucial that you can reach out to a customer support representative and solve the issue as fast as possible.
- Price
When it comes to cloud hosting companies for businesses, the cost can be the deal-breaker. Luckily, when it comes to cloud hosting providers, they all have plenty of pricing plans and even pay-as-you-go options to suit every business’s needs and budgets.
- Private Server
The best thing about a private server is that you don’t share the resources with anyone and have control over the infrastructure. Though this is a great option for large businesses, smaller businesses may want to opt for public servers, which don’t require as much maintenance on your side.
Advantages of Using Cloud Hosting
There are many advantages to cloud hosting, but here are the main ones:
- Scalability
Cloud hosting offers a range of different packages, from public cloud computing to custom cloud solutions that can be scaled to meet the changing priorities of a business and help its growth. This means that, as the business grows, users can scale their service plans to include more applications, storage, and other functions.
- Performance (Higher Uptime)
Cloud hosting service solutions are popular due to the unlimited resources they provide. Cloud hosting can offer higher availability and better performance than traditional hosting.
- Levels of Security
Storing data in a cloud can protect it from malicious attacks and accidental loss. Additionally, cloud hosting providers have plenty of systems in place to protect your data from cybercrime and other security threats.
Who Can Use Cloud Hosting Solutions?
Cloud hosting is a great choice for any business, whether it’s a small startup or a large corporation. Small businesses can benefit from cloud hosting because they can rely on the pay-as-you-go method and choose a plan that fits their budget. It’s also good for larger businesses because they can get private hosting that will give them exclusive access to resources, without having to worry about security.
So, where do you draw the line with business cloud hosting?
It comes down to your future plans. If you plan to keep your business small, then you might benefit more from shared hosting, which is much cheaper.
Cloud Hosting vs Web Hosting
Web hosting is a general term to describe where and how you host the files for your website. With standard web hosting, your data and files are stored on a single physical server. With cloud hosting, on the other hand, your server hardware is virtual.
Cloud hosting is scalable, has excellent uptime, and the price is flexible as you pay for what you use only. However, web hosting gives you access to your data that doesn’t necessarily depend on your internet connection.
Best Cloud Hosting Providers at a Glance
| Cloud hosting providers | Monthly data transfer | Storage | Uptime | Best for |
| HostGator | Unlimited | Unlimited | 99% | Small to medium businesses |
| SiteGround | 5TB | 8GB-160GB SSD | 99.99% | Businesses that plan to grow |
| DigitalOcean | 1TB-5TB | 26GB-100GB | 99.99% | Both software developers and businesses |
| Cloudways | 1TB-5TB | 20GB-160GB SSD | 99.99% | Beginners |
| Hostinger | Unlimited | 200GB-300GB SSD | 99.9% | Those who put emphasis on security and uptime |
| Kamatera | 5TB | 20GB-4000GB | 99.95% | App developers and SaaS providers |
| DreamHost | Unlimited | 2GB-80GB SSD | 100% uptime guarantee | Beginner software developers |
| Linode | 4TB-12TB | 80GB- 72000GB | 99.99% SLA-backed uptime guarantee | Linux-savvy developers |
Wrap Up
Moving to a cloud hosting solution has plenty of benefits. There are different types of models to suit every business need, and it’s cost-effective and secure. What’s more, cloud hosting is extremely flexible when it comes to pricing, which is especially useful for startups who want to enter the industry, without having to worry about the technical aspect and the cost related to maintaining hosting.
