At first glance, hosting plans look very similar: a few gigabytes of storage, ‘unlimited’ bandwidth, free SSL, and a single price. The differences lie in the details, and they typically only become apparent when problems arise: when the site slows down during a campaign, when it turns out that backups are only taken weekly, or when the renewal fee in the second year is several times the initial price.

This guide walks you through what to look out for before buying hosting: how to assess your needs, which type of hosting suits your website, which technical specifications really matter, what questions to ask about backups, security and email, and how to interpret the pricing. At the end, you’ll also find a checklist that you can use to compare offers from any provider.

1. Assess what you need the hosting for

Most poor choices stem from people basing their decision on the size of the storage space. An average website rarely runs out of gigabytes; far more often, it hits limits on processor, memory or disk I/O. That is why it is worth answering three questions before making a purchase.

What sort of website will it host? A static, multi-page introductory site places hardly any load on the server, as it simply serves pre-generated files. A WordPress site runs PHP code and queries the database with every visit. An online shop places an even greater load: shopping baskets, stock management, payments and numerous simultaneous database operations.

How much traffic are you expecting? Any decent shared hosting plan can handle a few hundred visitors a day. If you’re planning an advertising campaign, a newsletter campaign or a seasonal peak, you need to check what the hosting plan can handle at any one time, rather than how much monthly traffic it allows.

Do you need email on the same hosting account? Most plans include email accounts, but these share storage with the website, and there may also be limits on sending emails. We’ll discuss this in more detail below.

Website type	Typical requirement	Recommended hosting type
Static website (HTML, Hugo, Jekyll, Astro)	Minimal resources, no PHP or database	Static hosting or small web hosting
Home page, blog using WordPress	512 MB PHP memory, 1–2 databases, daily backups	Web hosting, WordPress hosting or cPanel hosting
Online shop (WooCommerce)	More CPU and RAM, fast database, backups, SSL	A larger cPanel or WordPress hosting plan, followed by a VPS plan
Custom application (Node.js, Python, Docker)	Custom software environment, root access	VPS

2. Choose the right type of hosting

Shared web hosting. Multiple clients’ websites run on a single server, with the provider managing the operating system, the web server, PHP and updates. This is the cheapest and most convenient solution, and is sufficient for most websites. At aWh, this includes KeyHelp-based web hosting and cPanel hosting.

WordPress hosting. Shared hosting optimised for WordPress and including WordPress management tools (for example, aWh’s WordPress hosting comes with WP Toolkit, which allows you to install, update and create a test environment).

Static hosting. For pre-generated HTML, CSS and JavaScript files, without PHP or a database. It’s cheap, fast and offers a minimal attack surface if your website is built using a static site generator. You can upload files to aWh’s static hosting via SFTP.

VPS. Your own virtual server with guaranteed CPU and RAM, and root access. You can install anything on it, but you’re responsible for running it yourself, unless you opt for a managed VPS. It’s worth making the switch if you regularly run into the limits of shared hosting, or if you need software that can’t be run on shared hosting. You can find a detailed comparison of the two solutions in our guide on the differences between VPS and web hosting.

If you’re just starting out and aren’t quite sure what you need, start with shared hosting. With a good provider, you can upgrade to a larger plan or switch to a VPS later on.

3. Technical specifications that really matter

Storage: you need less than you might think

A landing page with WordPress files, a medium-sized database and a few hundred optimised images typically takes up 1–3 GB. A blog or small online shop will manage just fine with 5–10 GB. You’ll need more if you’re storing lots of high-resolution images, videos or downloadable files, if you keep your backups on your hosting account, or if your email accounts are hosted there too, as emails take up a lot of space over time. For guidance on how much hosting and bandwidth a website needs, see our article on estimating hosting and bandwidth requirements.

The type of storage is more important than its size. Traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) are no longer suitable for web hosting. SATA SSDs are also slower than the NVMe SSDs commonly used today, which connect directly to the PCIe bus and perform many more small read and write operations per second. The WordPress site or online shop runs many small database operations every time a page is loaded, so this has a direct impact on response times. All of aWh’s hosting plans run on NVMe SSDs.

CPU, RAM and disk operation limits

With shared hosting, the provider limits the amount of resources each customer can use; otherwise, an overloaded site would slow down everyone else’s experience. Many providers do not specify these limits, even though they determine how many concurrent visitors the site can handle. It’s worth asking about this:

• CPU: how much processing power you can use (on cPanel hosting plans, this is often given as a percentage: 100% = one core).
• RAM: how much memory your processes can use at any one time.
• IO and IOPS: how fast your account can operate and how many disk operations it can perform per second.
• Concurrent processes (entry processes): the number of requests that can run in parallel; if this limit is reached, visitors will receive a 508 error.
• Inode: the maximum number of files and folders; with lots of small files (such as cache files), this can be used up sooner than the storage.

On aWh’s cPanel hosting plans, CloudLinux isolates accounts from one another, and we publish the limits for each plan. If you regularly reach a limit, the site will slow down or display an error; in this case, it is worth upgrading to a larger plan or a VPS.

The PHP memory limit deserves special attention: a WordPress site packed with plugins or an online shop requires 256–512 MB; with 128 MB, many plugins will already start causing errors.

PHP versions

Only choose a hosting provider where you can use a supported version of PHP. In autumn 2026, these will be PHP 8.2 (security patches only, until the end of 2026), 8.3, 8.4 and 8.5, which was released in November 2025. PHP 8.1 and earlier versions will no longer receive security updates. Newer versions are not only more secure but also faster, so if your website and plugins support them, it is worth using 8.4 or 8.5.

At the same time, it’s useful to have the option of temporarily selecting an older version for an older application. PHP 8.3, 8.4 and 8.5 are available on aWh’s web hosting, whilst on cPanel hosting, the CloudLinux PHP Selector allows you to choose any version from PHP 5.1 to 8.5, even with different versions per directory.

‘Unlimited’ offers

‘Unlimited hosting’ or ‘unlimited website’ almost always refers to restrictions hidden in the terms and conditions, or CPU and RAM limits that mean the ‘unlimited’ resources cannot be utilised in practice. Unlimited traffic, on the other hand, can be genuine and useful: you don’t have to worry that your site will go down at the end of the month because of a popular article. The key is that the offer should specify concrete figures for CPU, RAM and storage.

4. Security

SSL certificate

HTTPS is now a basic requirement: browsers display a ‘not secure’ warning on unencrypted pages, and search engines also favour HTTPS. Every reputable hosting provider offers a free, automatically renewing Let’s Encrypt certificate; if they charge extra for this, it’s a red flag. A paid certificate is required if you want your company’s details verified (OV/EV) or if you need a wildcard certificate. Since 15 March 2026, paid certificates have been valid for a maximum of 200 days, and according to the regulations, this validity period will be further reduced from 2027 onwards; it is therefore increasingly important that certificate renewal is automated or that someone is in charge of monitoring it. The details are set out in our article on the reduction in the validity period of SSL certificates.

Server security

Ask them what measures the provider takes to defend against attacks:

• DDoS filtering to protect against network overload attacks.
• Malware scanning: hacked websites are most often infected via an out-of-date plugin, and regular virus and malware scans provide timely alerts. ImunifyAV+ runs on aWh’s cPanel servers.
• Account isolation: on shared hosting, it is important to ensure that a compromised neighbouring account cannot access your files (in cPanel, CloudLinux CageFS serves this purpose).
• Two-factor authentication (2FA) for the control panel and customer account, so that a leaked password alone is not enough to gain access.

Regardless of this, you are still responsible for the security of your own website: keep WordPress and your plugins up to date, use strong, unique passwords, and delete any plugins you no longer use.

Data location

If you process personal data (and a contact form or an online shop already constitutes this), it is simpler from a GDPR perspective if the server is located in the European Union. Check where the provider’s data centres are located and whether they offer a data processing agreement. We’ve covered this topic in detail in our guide on data protection and hosting.

5. Backup: ask for the details

It’s not enough just to know that a backup ‘exists’. Ask these questions:

• How often should backups be taken? For a regularly updated website or online shop, weekly backups aren’t enough – daily backups are required.
• How long are they kept? If an infection or error only comes to light days later, you’ll need an older backup.
• Where are they stored? Backups are only useful if they are not stored on the same server as the live site. aWh stores its backups in a geographically separate location.
• Can you restore things yourself? If you have to open a ticket for every restore, you could be waiting for hours after a botched update. With aWh’s cPanel hosting, you can restore a file, a database or your entire account yourself from the daily JetBackup.
• Is it included in the price? Free plans often do not include backups (nor does aWh’s free ‘Web Free’ plan), whilst with paid plans it is worth checking whether there is a separate charge for this.

As well as relying on the provider’s backups, you should also keep your own backups of your most important data, such as a full monthly backup stored on your own computer or in cloud storage.

6. Availability and SLA

Uptime indicates the percentage of time the service is available. 99.9% allows for a maximum of roughly 8 hours and 45 minutes of downtime per year, or approximately 43 minutes per month; 99% allows for more than 87 hours per year. It is important that this figure is a value committed to in an SLA (Service Level Agreement), not just marketing copy, and that it is made clear what happens if the provider fails to meet it. aWh guarantees 99.9% uptime for web hosting, cPanel hosting, static hosting and email hosting. Our article explaining availability and the SLA discusses the significance of these figures.

7. Email on the hosting service

Most hosting plans also include email accounts with your own domain (e.g. info@cegnev.hu). Before you buy, check:

• How many accounts and how much mailbox space you get, and whether emails are stored in the same storage space as your website.
• How many emails can you send per hour? To prevent spam, shared hosting plans limit the number of outgoing emails (100–300 emails per hour for aWh’s cPanel plans). This is more than enough for everyday email, but not for sending newsletters: for that, you should use a dedicated newsletter service.
• Can SPF, DKIM and DMARC be configured? Without these, emails are increasingly ending up in the spam folder, as major email providers now require them.
• Does it offer spam filtering, webmail and IMAP so you can access your emails on both your phone and your computer?

If your email is business-critical, or if you need a large number of mailboxes, it’s worth hosting your email separately from your website. That way, any errors or migrations affecting the website won’t impact your emails.

8. Control Panel

You’ll use the control panel to create email accounts, manage databases, enable SSL and restore backups, so it’s important that it’s user-friendly. cPanel is the most widely used hosting control panel: there are plenty of guides available for it, and the migration between cPanel hosting providers is straightforward, as a full account backup can be transferred in a single step. There are other, simpler interfaces too, such as KeyHelp, which we use on aWh’s web hosting service. A proprietary interface developed in-house and available only from a single provider is not a problem in itself, but it can be harder to find guides for it, and it may also make migration more difficult.

9. Support team

A technical problem is at its most frustrating when you can’t explain it or don’t understand the answer. Check what language they use, which channels they respond through (ticket, email, telephone) and how quickly they reply, as well as whether there is a useful knowledge base. A good test is to ask a specific technical question before you buy: the speed and quality of the response will tell you a lot. At aWh, experts respond to your questions, and our knowledge base contains hundreds of articles to help with common set-up issues.

10. Prices: check the renewal fees too

When comparing prices, don’t just look at the first year:

• Discounted first year. Many providers offer a large discount for the first year, whilst the renewal fee is several times higher. Always check the renewal price.
• VAT. Some prices are gross, others are net; to compare them, they must be put on the same basis.
• Billing cycle. The annual fee is often cheaper than paying for twelve months; monthly payments, however, offer greater flexibility.
• What’s included in the price? Backups, SSL, email, migration and malware scanning: some providers include these as standard, whilst others charge extra for them.
• Domain. The domain is a separate service, subject to a separate fee; some providers offer it free of charge for the first year, but renewal is still subject to a fee.
• Money-back guarantee. If you’re not satisfied, can you get a refund? aWh offers a 14-day money-back guarantee on its hosting plans.

For your information, aWh’s web hosting plans – apart from the free Web Free plan – start from €6.53 (Web Starter, 5 GB), whilst cPanel hosting plans start from €19.58 per year, excluding VAT. We have provided more detailed information on web hosting prices in our article on web hosting prices.

11. Migration and expansion

If you already have a website, ask whether your provider can help with the migration and how much it will cost. Migrating from one cPanel hosting account to another can be almost entirely automated; between other systems, however, you’ll need to transfer the files, database and emails separately. All aWh hosting plans include a free migration service: simply provide the login details for your old hosting account in a support ticket. Our knowledge base article on hosting migration explains the steps involved.

Think about future growth too: can you upgrade to a larger plan without having to migrate your website, and is there scope to move up (to a larger plan or VPS plan) if your project outgrows shared hosting?

Checklist before making a purchase

• I know what sort of website will be hosted on the hosting service, and I have a rough idea of the level of traffic I can expect.
• The hosting runs on an NVMe SSD, and the hosting plan specifies the exact CPU, RAM and storage capacity.
• The supported PHP version required for my website (8.3 or later) is available, with a sufficiently large PHP memory limit.
• It comes with a free, automatically renewing SSL certificate.
• Daily backups are taken and stored separately, and I can carry out the restoration myself.
• The provider guarantees availability in its SLA.
• It features DDoS filtering, malware scanning and two-factor authentication.
• I know how many email accounts are included, how many emails I can send, and that SPF, DKIM and DMARC can be configured.
• I am aware of the renewal price and know whether the price is gross or net.
• They offer a money-back guarantee and help with the migration process.
• I get help from experts if I get stuck.

If you’ve received reassuring answers to all these points, there’s a good chance you’ve chosen a hosting provider that will serve your website without any problems for years to come.

Check out aWh’s hosting plans

Frequently Asked Questions

How much hosting does an average website need?

For a personal website or blog, 2–5 GB is usually sufficient; this can accommodate WordPress, the database and several hundred optimised images. For an online shop where you need to store lots of product photos, it’s worth starting with 10–20 GB of storage. If your email accounts are also hosted on the same server, you’ll need to factor in the space required for your emails as well.

What is the difference between shared hosting and a VPS?

With shared hosting, several customers share the resources of a single server, and the provider manages the system. With a VPS, you get your own dedicated, guaranteed CPU and RAM, along with root access, but you’re also responsible for managing the server yourself. Shared hosting is sufficient for most websites; you’ll need a VPS if you regularly reach your limits or require a custom software environment.

Can I upgrade to a larger plan later?

Yes, you can upgrade to a larger plan within the same hosting type. If you outgrow your shared hosting, you can move to a VPS – we’ll help you with that too.

Is the domain included in the hosting price?

No, the domain is a separate service that requires annual renewal. Registering a .hu domain with aWh costs €5.44 + VAT per year. The domain and hosting can be with two different providers, but it is easier to manage them in one place.

Does hosting speed matter for Google rankings?

Yes. Google measures user experience using the Core Web Vitals metrics, and these – particularly Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) and Time to First Byte (TTFB) – are directly affected by server response times. Even the best-optimised page will remain slow on a slow hosting service, whilst fast hosting alone cannot compensate for the lack of image optimisation and caching.

Is the SSL certificate free?

All aWh hosting plans come with a free Let’s Encrypt certificate, which is renewed automatically. You only need a paid certificate if you wish to have your company’s details verified, or if you require a specialised certificate.

Can you help with the migration?

Yes, every hosting plan comes with a free migration service. Order your new hosting plan, open a ticket with your old hosting login details, and we’ll migrate your website, database and emails with minimal downtime.

What happens if I’m not satisfied?

aWh’s hosting plans come with a 14-day money-back guarantee, so you can try out the service risk-free. If you’d like to try it out for free first, the free Web Free plan is also available.

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