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Web hosting companies are so many that there are reportedly over 330,000 web hosting companies worldwide, how do you decide which one to go with? That’s the question I’ll help you answer in this article
I started taking on freelance Gigs to build WordPress websites for clients in 2017, and the biggest challenge my clients and I faced was always the same “THE MOST RELIABLE COMPANY TO HOST OUR SITE?” if you are Nigerian like me, maybe you just want to build your website not working for clients, PRICE might be a huge deciding factor for you as well.
I have used many different web hosting platforms over the years, in this article, we’ll explore what I think is the best platform to host your site to get the best performance possible whilst being relatively affordable.
We’ll discuss:
- My experience with Nigerian hosting solutions, besides the advertised affordability, are they worth it?
- WhoGoHost: Nigeria’s foremost Web Domain and Web Hosting Service Provider
- My thoughts on WhoGoHost and other lesser-known Hosting Companies
- Who Is WhoGoHost for?
- My Recommended Hosting Company
MY EXPERIENCE WITH NIGERIAN WEB HOSTING COMPANIES
Before switching to foreign web hosting companies, I thought it wise to try hosting services based in Nigeria, my reasoning was:
- I would be charged in my local currency which should make it affordable
- Localized customer support that should be easier to access, including phone support as both myself and the company are in the same time zone
- Easy payment, no need to scramble for a dollar card or PayPal account
- Decent enough service going by the logic that these companies may have fewer people to support as they are not as big as their foreign counterparts.
WHOGOHOST:
The company was founded in 2007 and is still going strong today, this was the very first place I paid to host my website on the internet, currently the largest Hosting Service in West Africa. After doing a fair bit of research on the best Nigerian hosting companies, WhoGoHost kept showing up everywhere and I had to give them a try (if popularity is anything to go by).
even though I have long moved my sites and those of my clients off of the platform, I genuinely think it might be the right fit for most people, read on to know why I have this yes/no relationship with WhoGoHost and most other Nigerian or African Web hosting companies.
I am not going to bash the company because my experience wasn’t all that bad, it was let’s say okayish. At first, everything seemed to run smoothly when I started using WhoGoHost, my first website on there was relatively fast and had very few downtimes, but as time went on and I started to get more clients and hosted more sites on the same WordPress Hosting Plan which allows up to 3 websites for the basic plan and 5 websites for higher plans.
I used the WP Standard Plus for a while when I started encountering a bit of lag in service I thought this was probably due to the fact that I was maxing out the capacity of the current plan (even though on my dashboard I had clearly not used up my allocated resources in terms of storage space and bandwidth), I decided to upgrade to the WP professional which was a jump from ₦66,000 ($66) to ₦110,000 ($110) annual fee (Minus individual fees for my various domain names which was about ₦16,000 for the .COM extensions, but there are cheap ones like .NG which costs ₦6,000. Some not-so-popular extensions you can get for as low as ₦500)
Even after the upgrade that I made for the promise of an increase from 2cores to 4cores CPU and a small increase of SSD storage from 50GB to 75GB amongst other small benefits, I still had pretty much the same experience, this was when I started to consider jumping ship to a different platform because to go a tire higher meant I was going to pay ₦220,000 or ₦440,000, and for that amount I can secure tested and trusted hosting and domain services from most of the popular industry-leading hosting providers.
MY THOUGHTS ON WHOGOHOST AND OTHER LESSER-KNOWN HOSTING SERVICES
I honestly do think that WhoGoHost.com is a decent and reliable hosting service for the most part, and I’m not just saying so because I want you to use my affiliate links (which all the links on this article are by the way), I am saying so coz I’ve used it extensively myself. From the first screenshot you can see that is my account (check the name, the top right corner), and I didn’t use their services for a few months, I used it for years, 7 years to be precise, from 2017 to 2023 which is this year, when my last subscription to any one of their services ended, it was not a test, I was using it actively, and if they were that bad, the test won’t last 7years.
I simply outgrew the platform’s offerings without trying to sound braggadocious, to get more I needed to pay more which defeats my initial arm of cutting costs. This is the same story for all the other Nigerian, African, or lesser-known hosting providers as well some of which I will list below but won’t go into details of their price plans and services as they are not too dissimilar from all I’ve shared with you about Whogohost.
The above listed are all Nigerian-based companies that are top of the list among many, WhoGoHost will be my most recommended of the bunch, but they all offer similar services at similar price points.
Here are the general Pros and cons of Nigerian-based hosting services:
PROS:
- Cost-Effective Solution as you get charged in the Nigerian Naira
- Diverse Hosting Plans
- Responsive Customer Service
- Locally-Optimized Performance with Nigerian-Based Data Centers
- Additional Services Including Domain Registration and Website Security Options
CONS:
- Limited Global Data Center Presence
- Advanced Features Do Not Match Larger Hosting Providers
- Some Customers Prefer Globally Recognized Hosting Providers
- Limited Scalability for High-Traffic Websites
A majority of these lesser-known and Nigerian companies present themselves as hosting companies but in reality, they don’t actually own any servers, they simply resell hosting services from bigger companies, so you might be better off paying a bit more to get your crops directly from the farm.
SO WHO IS WHOGOHOST.COM FOR?
I’ll recommend whogohost and services like it if you just want a static website to show your brand (just for online presence), maybe just getting started as a WordPress Web Design service provider and need a cheap platform, you run a small blog or online store.
But keep in mind that as you grow, you’ll eventually find yourself itching to migrate to somewhere else.
MY MOST RECOMMENDED PLATFORM
Now let’s talk about where I’ve pitched my tent when it comes to domain and hosting services. Again, there are hundreds of thousands of hosting services, and to try them all will be near impossible, so I did a lot of research, also, I manage a lot of client websites hosted across different hosting providers, giving me the chance to experience all of them on some level.
That said, I find HOSTINGER to be the best all-around hosting platform you will not regret using. Hostinger has been making waves in the hosting industry for several years now. Its user-friendly approach, competitive pricing, and commitment to innovation have given it a growing and satisfied customer base. From using Hostinger personally for over 3years now, here are some amazing things I’ve enjoyed:
1. Blazing Fast Loading Speed:
Website loading speed is a critical factor for user experience and SEO. Hostinger understands this and has optimized its infrastructure for speed. Their servers utilize the latest technologies like SSD drives, LiteSpeed web servers, and a worldwide content delivery network (CDN) to ensure that your website loads at lightning speed.
2. Impressive Uptime Reliability:
Downtime can be detrimental to your website’s credibility and performance. Hostinger boasts a 99.9% uptime guarantee, and they back this up with strong server reliability. In our testing, we found that they often surpass this commitment, making Hostinger a reliable choice for your online projects.
3. User-Friendly Control Panel:
This is easily one of the things I love most about using Hostinger, they have their custom-built admin panel which they call “H-PANEL”, and it is nothing like the usual “C-PANEL” that all the other hosting providers use
Navigating hosting features and settings can be daunting, especially for beginners. Hostinger simplifies this with an easy-to-use control panel. Whether you’re managing your website, domains, or databases, the control panel is designed for straightforward and intuitive operation.
4. Global Server Presence:
Hostinger has a vast server network with data centers strategically located worldwide. This means you can choose a server location closest to your target audience, resulting in faster loading times and a better user experience.
5. Comprehensive Security Measures:
Website security is paramount in today’s digital world. Hostinger takes security seriously, offering a range of tools and features to keep your site safe. These include SSL certificates, daily backups, and an integrated firewall.
6. One-Click Installs:
Hostinger simplifies the process of website set-up with one-click installs for popular content management systems (CMS) like WordPress and Joomla. This means you can have your website up and running in minutes.
The Latest HOSTINGER Features and Updates:
Hostinger continues to evolve and introduce new features that cater to the ever-changing needs of website owners. Let’s take a closer look at some of their latest innovations.
1. WordPress Acceleration:
For those who run WordPress websites, Hostinger’s recent enhancements include WordPress Acceleration. This feature significantly boosts WordPress site loading times, offering a superior experience for your visitors.
2. Website Builder: Zyro:
Hostinger’s website builder, Zyro, is another exciting addition. It is designed for users who want a simple and efficient way to create their websites without diving into complex code. Zyro offers a range of templates and customization options, making it accessible for users of all skill levels.
3. Git Integration:
Hostinger understands the importance of version control for developers. Their Git integration simplifies version management and collaboration on web projects.
4. AI-Powered Tools:
Hostinger is exploring artificial intelligence (AI) to improve website building and management. Their AI-based tools help users create websites more efficiently and automate certain tasks.
5. PRO PANEL: With Easy Client Site Management:
They recently introduced a more advanced update to the hPanel known as the Pro Panel, and testing it out this past few months has been so much fun.
One of the features within Pro-Panel that I’m finding really useful is the ease of managing client websites as I have several clients’ sites under our management
Pricing That Fits Your Budget
Affordability is one of Hostinger’s strong suits. They offer various hosting plans to suit different budgets. From shared hosting to cloud hosting and VPS, Hostinger has options for everyone, from personal bloggers to small businesses and more.
All of the plans allow you to host up to 100 websites which makes it Ideal for someone like me who runs a web design business, although you get a fixed amount of resources which if you max out, you may start to experience some drag on your sites.
Here’s a quick overview of what to expect with each of their plans to help you make an informed decision on which one suits your needs
- Shared Hosting:
Hostinger’s shared hosting plans start at an incredibly low price, making it one of the most budget-friendly hosting providers. Even with the most basic plan, you get features like a free domain, a website builder, and a one-click installer.
- Cloud Hosting:
For those looking for more power and scalability, Hostinger’s cloud hosting plans provide dedicated resources and higher performance. The pay-as-you-go model means you only pay for the resources you use.
- VPS Hosting:
Virtual Private Servers (VPS) offer even more control and resources. Hostinger’s VPS hosting plans are competitively priced and give you the flexibility to customize your server environment.
I went with their most popular offering “the Shared Hosting: Business Plan” and I am yet to feel a need for an upgrade.
On this plan, I pay about $120 for hosting and $16 for each domain name under my shared hosting plan annually, which rounds up to $136 for one site (going by the current exchange rate of ₦1,000 to a dollar that is an equivalent of ₦136,000 a year) which is only ₦26,000 higher than the price I last paid on WhoGoHost. The services I get on this Hostinger package I have no doubt will be equivalent if not better than WhoGoHost’s ₦440,000 plan.
If you do the math, it is a no-brainer to go with Hostinger, you will save more and you are guaranteed fast loading sites and next to no downtimes.
CONS OF HOSTINGER
I struggle to find something I don’t like about Hostinger, but then again everything has a shortcoming
- Limited Customer Support Channels:
Hostinger primarily relies on live chat support, and while it’s generally responsive, some users may prefer additional support channels like phone support.
- No Traditional cPanel:
Hostinger uses a custom control panel, which might be unfamiliar to users accustomed to the traditional cPanel interface. This can be a drawback for those who prefer the standard and widely used cPanel, but on the flip side, the hPanel is so easy to use that you’d consider it more of an advantage than a drawback
CONCLUSION
Hostinger’s commitment to innovation and user satisfaction makes it a compelling choice for hosting your websites. With blazing-fast loading times, impressive uptime reliability, and the latest features like hPanel, WordPress Acceleration, Zyro website builder, and more, Hostinger caters to a diverse audience, from beginners to tech-savvy developers.
Whether you’re launching a personal blog, an e-commerce site, managing a small business website, or running a web design agency, Hostinger provides the tools and support you need to succeed. With a variety of hosting plans at affordable prices, Hostinger opens the door to a world of online possibilities.
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