When you're comparing hosting options, it can be hard to know what actually matters. Here's a clear checklist of what a small business website hosting package should include — and what should raise a flag.
SSL certificate — essential
Every hosting plan should include an SSL certificate as standard. This is what gives your site the https:// prefix and the padlock in the browser bar. Without it, browsers will display a "Not Secure" warning to visitors, and your rankings on Google will suffer.
Some cheaper hosts charge extra for SSL. That's a red flag — SSL is a basic requirement, not an add-on.
Read more: What is an SSL certificate and does your website need one?
Daily backups — essential
Things go wrong — hacking attempts, failed updates, accidental deletions. Daily automatic backups mean that if anything happens to your website, it can be restored to a recent working version. Without backups, a problem can mean losing significant amounts of work or even the entire site.
Check that backups are actually stored separately from the main server. A backup on the same machine that fails provides no protection.
CDN (Content Delivery Network) — strongly recommended
A CDN significantly improves page loading speed by serving your website from servers geographically close to each visitor. For a UK business with UK visitors, a good CDN makes a noticeable difference.
Speed affects both user experience and Google rankings. Hosting without a CDN is a compromise you don't need to make.
Read more: What is a CDN and why does it make your website faster?
Uptime guarantee — look for 99.9% or above
Uptime is the percentage of time your website is online and accessible. A 99.9% uptime guarantee allows for approximately 8 hours of downtime per year. Anything lower than this isn't acceptable for a business website.
Technical support
When something goes wrong, you need to be able to reach someone who can fix it. Check what support is available and how quickly issues are typically resolved.
What to watch out for
- Introductory pricing that jumps sharply on renewal — common with budget hosts
- SSL, backups, or CDN charged as extras — these should be included
- No uptime guarantee stated — a sign that reliability isn't a priority
What NC Digital hosting includes
Our website hosting and security service includes all of the above as standard: SSL, Cloudflare CDN, daily backups, 99.9% uptime, and managed security. It's £20/month or £220/year for custom and WordPress sites, with no hidden extras.
Get in touch to discuss your hosting requirements.