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The Top Five Dedicated Web Hosting Options of 2023

Inmotion Logo Square

InMotion Hosting

Best dedicated hosting

4.8 4.8 Stars
  • Open-source software and strategies are used for maximum transparency and benefit.
  • Integration with NGINX software for enhanced hosting environments
  • 24/7 live support to help you seamlessly manage your site experience

Summary

  • Starting price
    • $89.99 per month
  • Technical specs
    Dense
  • Available support
    24/7 live support
  • Security features
    Advanced
  • Pay-as-you-need structure
    Available
  • Affordability for quality
    High
InMotion Hosting offers reliable service across both unmanaged and managed servers. You can quickly launch with its suite of service enhancements (such as Launch Assist) and find peace of mind with advanced security and regular backups for your most sensitive data.


InMotion is a widely popular hosting service that provides access to U.S.-based servers. It’s incredibly fast, notably reliable, and offers affordable price packages for a range of budgetary needs.

The service has been around for over 20 years, launching during the “golden age” of internet web hosting. As consumer needs have diversified, the product has expanded, branching into cloud services and website builder tools, as well as hosting support.

Part of what differentiates InMotion, much like Liquid Web, is its commitment to excellent customer service. While its on-premise security options may be less than other competitors, it offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee, made possible by multi-award-winning service team members.

There is also a 90-day money-back guarantee to give you confidence in your investment from the start.

Who is InMotion best for?

Local small businesses and entrepreneurs may gain the most from the affordable plans and simple onboarding processes. InMotion is also a great choice for e-commerce brands, as the platform offers custom WooCommerce hosting packages.

Recent upgrades to InMotion

InMotion undergoes updates at least once or twice yearly. Recently, the hosting service rolled out user experience-related changes, such as a larger search bar and simpler navigation of the knowledge base areas. You can view any and all updates in the What’s New area of the site.

InMotion pricing

While InMotion’s dedicated server pricing is budget-friendly starting at $89.99, the company doesn’t skimp on any of the features you’d look for in a high-quality hosting solution, such as speed, free domains, and 24/7 support.

Pros and cons of InMotion

Pros

  • Custom configurations result in fast-loading sites
  • Version control options available for Python, Ruby, Node.js, and others for ultimate dev support
  • Simple onboarding and navigational process

Cons

  • No automatic backups; requires add-on for functionality
  • No Windows-based hosting

What customers are saying about InMotion

InMotion Hosting’s high-performance hosting, support team, features, and customer service are well-liked. Prices are fair, but can fluctuate.
Hostgator Logo

HostGator

Best support for dedicated web hosting

4.7 4.7 Stars
  • Diverse service offerings to appeal to a range of e-commerce pros and entrepreneurs
  • Simple to scale and build with at any stage of business
  • Recent revamp resulted in higher-quality services

Summary

  • Starting price
    • $89.98 per month
  • Technical specs
    Above average
  • Available support
    24/7 live support
  • Security features
    Rigorous
  • Pay-as-you-need structure
    Available
  • Affordability for quality
    High
HostGator excels in price points and bandwidth, giving your business a simple-to-use and easily scalable solution. Its current span supports over 2 million websites, which allows them to provide top-of-the-line support and uptime you can count on.


I was impressed with HostGator’s comprehensive nature and a done-for-you website builder that can launch your site in minutes. Also, I was excited to see the site offers fantastic bandwidth options, package-friendly add-ons (such as RAM or disk space), and a free site transfer perk that extends through the first 30 days of your time with HostGator.

The company has made leaps and bounds of improvement over its past user experiences, focusing on reliability and ease of use. Now HostGator offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee and unmetered bandwidth and disk space — a rarity for hosting solutions across the board.

Who is HostGator best for?

I would recommend HostGator specifically to businesses on a budget (at any scale), as well as marketers, due to the native SEO support included in every package via the hosting infrastructure itself.

Recent upgrades to HostGator

HostGator doesn’t currently have a publicly published change log. However, we will update this page if one is published in the future. If you have specific questions about incoming updates or changes, contact customer support anytime from your client portal or by calling 866-96G-ATOR.

HostGator pricing

HostGator offers value servers starting at $89.98 per month, up to enterprise servers for $139.99 per month.

Pros and cons of HostGator

Pros

  • Affordable price points
  • Feature-rich product options to maximize your investment
  • 24/7 live support available

Cons

  • Slower customer support due to dense client base
  • Automatic backups recur randomly via a third-party vendor, not native HostGator tools; could leave room for a breach

What customers are saying about HostGator

HostGator is a good fit for beginners seeking a web host with various features. The customer service and prices are favorable but avoid paying for unnecessary extras. Note there are limitations to the SEO capabilities.
Dreamhost Logo

DreamHost

Best storage for dedicated web hosting

4.6 4.6 Stars
  • Comprehensive plan structure connects you with the tools you need to scale and launch at a fraction of the cost
  • One-click installation and onboarding process
  • 24/7 live support from knowledgeable technicians

Summary

  • Starting price
    • $149 per month
  • Technical specs
    Competitive
  • Available support
    24/7 live support
  • Security features
    Advanced
  • Pay-as-you-need structure
    Available
  • Affordability for quality
    High
DreamHost’s dedicated web hosting solution emphasizes security and storage elements — making this platform a great fit for enterprise or rapidly-growing e-commerce brands. It’s reliable and easy to use. As one of the oldest and most comprehensive online options, the company has the benefit of authority in the industry.


DreamHost is a competitive option for cheap dedicated web hosting, connecting e-commerce experts with the tools they need to scale. Alongside the helpful hosting packages, you can easily integrate with native social media marketing, SEO tools, technical management, and site design services.

I was excited to see the depth of the services available, as well as the platform’s commitment to 24/7 customer service availability, affordable pricing, and the seamless one-click onboarding experience.

DreamHost is known for amazing perks compared to other web hosting competitors, including unlimited data storage and bandwidth. The site also offers a 100% uptime guarantee, a fantastic addition to your peace of mind (and your customers’).

Who is DreamHost best for?

This service is best for established small businesses, entrepreneurs, and personal website users. It’s also a great choice for e-commerce business owners, especially with the 100% uptime guarantee.

Recent upgrades to DreamHost

While DreamHost doesn’t appear to have regularly scheduled updates, it does roll out blog posts summarizing changes — most recently in 2021. Improvements centered around email performance, native website navigability and user experience, and advanced tutorials to help you thrive independently or in tandem with a specialist. You can view them on the DreamHost blog.

DreamHost pricing

DreamHost’s dedicated hosting pricing is comparable to competitors. What I appreciated most about the pricing strategy was the ability to adopt a modular pay-as-you-need structure, exploring and testing the library of add-ons and auxiliary services DreamHost offers. These can range from specific hosting types to social media support and SEO services.

Pros and cons of DreamHost

Pros

  • Unlimited bandwidth and storage; ideal for larger sites
  • Included free domain for ease of use and branding
  • Included SSL certificates in all plans

Cons

  • Customers report difficulty navigating the control panel
  • Exclusively U.S.-based servers could limit uptime in international locations

What customers are saying about DreamHost

A reliable and affordable hosting provider, Dreamhost offers great customer service and a variety of plans. It is easy to use, though there are some complaints that the speed and webmail could be improved.
Liquid Web Logo

Liquid Web

Best dedicated hosting for small businesses

4.3 4.3 Stars
  • Offers HIPAA and payment card assurance (PCA) compliant servers with unique privatized infrastructure
  • VMware environments available to your needs
  • Available add-on-based security suite for extra protection and peace of mind

Summary

  • Starting price
    • $199 per month
  • Technical specs
    Competitive
  • Available support
    24/7 live support
  • Security features
    Rigorous
  • Pay-as-you-need structure
    Available
  • Affordability for quality
    High
Liquid Web offers dedicated servers and managed hosting plans for nearly any stage of business, adhering to the pay-as-you-need structure while successfully hosting and managing enterprise-level sites. There’s something for every business owner at Liquid Web.


Liquid Web is my best overall pick for dedicated web hosting. Its extensive security suite, exceptional support, and fractional pricing for maximum affordability all played into my final decision and placement.

I connected with a rep almost instantly and got my questions answered about possible site migration. Also, I was pleased to see the range of services that can suit any business model – from enterprise brands to small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). You can choose from managing hosting or a secured dedicated server, having the flexibility to scale as you like.

Other elements I appreciated seeing were the platform’s commitment to installing solid-state drives (SSDs) on all servers, free site migration support, and the 100% uptime guarantee.

What sets Liquid Web apart is its hygiene and protocols for the data centers and servers, offering ongoing monitoring 24/7/year-round, and requiring level three technicians on-site at the many international Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE-16) compliant data centers.

Liquid Web owns its data centers, with 24/7/year-round security keeping your data as safe as possible and supported by on-site technicians.

Who is Liquid Web best for?

I found Liquid Web can add value to any business at any growth stage, whether you’re representing an SMB or an enterprise business. The customer service and technical density of the servers and infrastructure set a high standard for competitors and alternative options.

Recent upgrades to Liquid Web

Liquid Web did not have an available developer updates page on its site. But it does have news around its most recent acquisitions, focuses, and initiatives (i.e., newly achieving VMware Cloud Verified status in January of 2022), all conveniently housed in the press release archive.

Liquid Web pricing

Comparatively, Liquid Web’s price scheme is notably feature-rich. While it may be slightly more expensive than other options, the value and unparalleled service make it a fantastic option for those who can sustainably spend a little more. Dedicated server hosting begins at $199 per month, with dual-processor dedicated hosting starting at $499 per month.

Pros and cons of Liquid Web

Pros

  • Fantastic support
  • Admirable site security and dedicated data protection
  • Included SSL certificates in all plans

Cons

  • Higher entry-level price
  • More technically demanding than other done-for-you options during setup process

What customers are saying about Liquid Web

Liquid Web is known as one of the best hosting companies that allows you to easily host many websites. The tech support is open every day of the year, but there are some billing and customer service issues.
A2 Hosting Logo

A2 Hosting

Best speed for dedicated hosting

3.8 3.8 Stars
  • Advanced security keeps your data as safe as possible
  • Easily scales to meet the needs of your currently existing web traffic
  • Turbo servers are available, which offer an increase in speed and performance of up to 20 times more than other servers

Summary

  • Starting price
    • $155.99 per month
  • Technical specs
    Dense
  • Available support
    24/7 live support
  • Security features
    Rigorous
  • Pay-as-you-need structure
    Available
  • Affordability for quality
    High
A2 Hosting is a fantastic choice if you’re looking for speed and reliability. Its built-in fail-safes and live support contribute to being one of the top five dedicated web hosting services.


A2 Hosting is by far the most affordable option for new creators and e-commerce business owners, offering unparalleled speed and optional turbo servers for an even better user experience. Additionally, the scalable pricing structures, simple setup process, and variety of hosting solutions caught my attention, offering near-endless opportunities to walk away with a tailored hosting solution.

I was pleased to see the commitment to security, offering several different fail-safes to keep your site functional and reliable. Critical features include 24/7 network monitoring for threats, daily kernel updates, and distributed denial of service (DDoS) protection measures built into the native infrastructure.

New to dedicated web hosting? The team at A2 can simplify your process. If you’re new to A2, you’re eligible for its convenient, guided migration tool and 24/7 technical support, connecting you to the help you need in minutes. A2 also offers a guaranteed 99.9% uptime, giving you peace of mind as you refine and update your site.

Who is A2 Hosting best for?

I believe A2 hosting can benefit many users — especially those with rapidly-scaling startups and SMBs. Bloggers and new e-commerce vendors would also get a significant value, as the price-to-value ratio is higher than that of other vendors.

The A2 SiteBuilder tool is convenient and offers access to an extensive library of templates helping launch your site quickly.

Recent upgrades to A2 Hosting

There is no publicly-viewable area of the site to view changes to A2 web hosting. However, if this changes, this piece will be updated.

A2 Hosting pricing

A2’s managed dedicated hosting starts at $155.99. At that price, you get a WARP 1 server with a free SSL certificate, site migration, and a money-back guarantee.

Pros and cons of A2 Hosting

Pros

  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • 24/7 global support via phone and live chat
  • Easily scalable pricing options for maximum compatibility and support

Cons

  • Users and staff report little to no updates in the recent past
  • Not as user-friendly as other comparable options

What customers are saying about A2 Hosting

A2 is a reliable, affordable hosting company that has fast speeds. The customer service is generally responsive but could use more updated tutorials and documentation.

How I Tested the Best Dedicated Web Hosting Options

I tested each dedicated web hosting solution by evaluating what e-commerce partners and business owners truly need from their hosting solution. After reviewing dedicated web hosting customer reviews and drawing from my experience as an entrepreneur, I assembled our ratings criteria. 

Alongside Digital.com’s team of host experts, I tested every option on our list, narrowing selections down to the top five — all of which were unanimously agreed upon during the selection process. 

I went far beyond the simple use of the dedicated hosting and control panel. Testing the customer service availability, quality, and knowledge, I compared pricing schemes to top competitors and provided a transparent analysis of the total cost-benefit result. 

I know a trustworthy and reliable web hosting solution can bring much value to an e-commerce business — and, conversely, what an ill-suited one can do. 

Every dedicated web hosting option on this list was chosen as a top platform in its own right, specializing in different elements of the hosting experience.

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