Searching for the best web hosting in Sri Lanka? You are in the correct place!
Web hosting services arrive in all sizes and shapes. Dedicated hosting, shared hosting, server cores, managed hosting, VPS, etc. It is endless.
Choosing the ideal web host service feels like a challenging task with many potential options to select from.
Our team sifted through all of the hosting choices and shortlisted them down to you.
In this post, we’ve reviewed the top 10 Sri Lankan web hosting services, then offered some detailed buyer’s guide to guide you to select the perfect web host.
Without further delay, let us get started for web hosting sri lanka!
10 Best Hosting Provider in Sri Lanka
Bluehost
Bluehost is among the best and most popular options for a web host in Sri Lanka. They have been around quite a while, offer excellent hosting at a reasonable cost, and have a reputation for supporting their customers.
They offer a Weebly-based site builder. It’s a simple browser-based tool that lets you build a site of about 6 pages, yet you will find no extras such as site templates supplied.
You get an automatic WordPress setup for the cash, not to forget other popular applications through a Mojo Marketplace-centric system. Also, there is a cPanel-powered area to enable users to fine-tune things.
They also provide fantastic SEO and analytics tools to aid you in optimizing the site’s functionality. Their SEO tool tracks and scores how good your site is ranking to particular keywords.
If you have a problem or get stuck, they got 24/7 support via live chat or phone. They list out their live chat options and support number straight on their website; you could reach it within two clicks.
The verdict is Bluehost covers all the things you could probably require from a web host. That is what makes these the top for novice website creators.
HostGator
HostGator is the next web host that caters to little businesses. In case you do not have lots of special features you want from a hosting company, HostGator is the top choice.
It provides Linux and Windows hosting and a range of choices to upgrade, including VPS hosting, cloud hosting, shared hosting, dedicated server, and a managed WordPress.
They offer a comprehensive how-to guides list for technical assistance. If you do not find the replies you want, you can consider email support, live chat, and phone.
If you are interested in testing HostGator, we suggest taking full benefit of the 45-day cash-back guarantee and trying out their customer support carefully before committing.
If you ought to create a custom site, you may do so using the Gator Site Builder. It is a HostGator’s drag & drop site builder designed to be a simple, eCommerce-friendly website builder for starters.
Furthermore, all their hosting packages include a free SSL certificate, a 99.9% uptime guarantee, a free domain to a year, and easy WordPress installs. It also provides features like unmetered disk space, unmetered bandwidth, unlimited email account, and in-built cache in all plans.
Hostinger
Hostinger might not be as popular as a few of the other hosting services in Sri Lanka. However, if you seek a reputed web hosting provider at the least possible rate, it should be at your top of the list.
The support, site speed, and uptime are all quite good as well. They have got a 99.9% uptime promise together with 24/7 support anytime you require help.
Hostinger is among the most economical web hosts on the market. Even following the promotional prices ends, the prices are still low. The best thing? Hostinger does not feel like a cheap host. From the UI to the marketing, it feels like a premium web host.
Their cheapest package starts from only $0.99/mo (if you go for a 48-month bundle); renewals begin at $2.99/mo. Databases and bandwidth are unlimited except if you pick the Single Web Hosting plan.
Other services offered by Hostinger consist of Email, Cloud, Windows VPS hosting, and WordPress. All plans have a standard 1-month cash-back guarantee.
The company provides a selection of hosting packages with different functions. All packages come with a free SSL certificate, easy website builder, fast load time, and should appeal to most amateur website owners.
InMotion Hosting
InMotion might not look fancy, but it is a stable host. They provide genuinely excellent tech, a wide range of plans, plus a group of long-time consumers.
Their offerings are almost identical and straightforward. As you advance, you will get quicker servers and extra subdomains, websites, and databases. It is a direct way we like, mainly for small websites and businesses that are not overly complex.
InMotion provides each Softaculous and cPanel panels, and one more vital point is some outstanding technical support when you face problems with anything. Also, they provide you with a vast self-help knowledge center.
Do not trust the service? Test for yourself. The 90-day free trial time for the shared host is probably the longest out there and will give you a lot of time for testing InMotion’s support staff.
For those seeking to try on being a host themselves, reseller plans of InMotion include a WHMCS license-free, which enables the billing of clients and automated set up.
All plans contain assisted migration and setup, especially helpful for people coming from different web hosts. You will also not need to bother about the server part as InMotion looks after all that.
DreamHost
Founded in the year 1996, DreamHost is among the oldest hosting services. The business hosts more than 1.5 million blogs, websites, and apps in over 100 countries.
DreamHost offers an excellent shared hosting package – with relatively inexpensive month-to-month rates. In fact, their monthly plans begin at $3.95/month. In case you are keen on saving more money, check out their three-year and one-year contracts.
The host launched a free plugin that moves your WordPress website for you in only 5 steps. DreamHost is one of WordPress’s 3 recommended web hosts and comes with some managed WP hosting in their basic shared packages.
Another key function is an intelligent anti-spam filter that ensures the spam messages filtering, but also phishing attacks, malware, and viruses. The filters are adaptive to surfacing threats too.
They do not use the typical cPanel that many hosts use. Instead, DreamHost provides a completely customized control panel to handle your site. Many customers like it since it is intuitive.
The free trial time is the lengthiest in the industry – 97 days. Because DreamHost does not do promo prices, the price will not jump once your initial contract is done. Overall, it’s among the lowest web hosting rates out there.
GreenGeeks
Founded in California in 2008, GreenGeeks boasts of being the earth’s #1 green energy hosting service, not surprising provided that it’s entirely dedicated to green motives.
Apart from being friendly to the globe, their web hosting providers are top-notch. They provide excellent solutions, reliable uptime, and fast speeds. It makes these a perfect option for environmentally mindful e-commerce sites.
It provides 24/7 support by chat, phone, or through their ticket program. They are often very swift to reply and can help with a vast range of problems.
They provide advanced security features and daily backups to help you maintain your data secure. Also, they stay up-to-date with modern technology like CDN, SSD, PHP7, and more.
If you intend to use WordPress, they will turn it simple to set up quickly. They offer an automated 1-Click WP Installer & auto-updates for keeping your WordPress website up-to-date.
We are a big GreenGeeks fan for their excellent dedication and service to helping out the world with its environmentally-friendly hosting plans. In case you are searching for a green hosting business, GreenGeeks is what you want.
WP Engine
WP Engine is among the well-known managed WordPress hosting on the market – and for a good cause. They offer a truly great product.
As a managed WP hosting, WP Engine only offers service to WP users, meaning its complete infrastructure is optimized to WordPress. Your website will be super quick, and there is practically no downtime.
The staging area enables you to work with a duplicate of your website, which is ideal for trying new plugins, themes, or other things, without impacting the production website.
Customer support is also laser-focused, making for remarkably competent, knowledgeable staff available via live chat 24/7 and tracked tickets.
No need to bother about WordPress updates; for example – WP Engine takes care of these for you. The host tests them cautiously first to ensure they do not cause issues.
It does arrive at a cost, though. Even the basic WP Engine package costs $30 monthly ($22.5 initially a month), above 3 times the budget rivals’ price. However, with excellent support and quality tools, it would be an amount worth paying.
If you do not want to spend time handling your site’s hosting part, then WP Engine is the option to consider.
A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting does lots of stuff right; that is why our team considers it among the top web hosting services.
The A2 Hosting is famous for seamlessly working with all main content management programs, including Joomla, WordPress, Magento, OpenCart, and Drupal, making it an excellent match for web developers.
Every hosting plan includes free site migration, as well. If you have set your website up in a bad hosting and ought to migrate, it is a great deal. It will save you dozens of hrs attempting to get your website rebuilt.
It has an effective customer support crew called Guru Crew Support. Clients can link with them 365/24/7 through phone, live chat, tickets, and email. All packages have a 30-day cash-back guarantee.
At each hosting tier (dedicated, VPS, shared), A2 Hosting defeats other hosts’ speed. If you are coming from other shared hosts, you will likely see a noticeable difference in loading time after migrating into A2.
With their Turbo Max and Turbo Boost plans, you will get entry to its Turbo servers. They claim that it is 20x quicker than its other servers and also has a 99.9% uptime commitment in all plans.
SiteGround
SiteGround is a web hosting service founded in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 2004. They are hosting more than 2 million domains plus is among the top web hosting providers in Sri Lanka.
Where they shine is its shared web host. SiteGround’s servers are extra secure and ultra-fast, and they’re continually implementing new updates for keeping them that method.
Their customer care is available across all channels 24/7 – email, chat, and phone – and their knowledge base is well-organized and rich.
Along with Bluehost and DreamHost, SiteGround is WordPress’s one of three suggested web hosts. WP hosting is included in all their shared hosting packages; you will receive streamlined security, automatic updates, and pro technical support.
SiteGround’s infrastructure is optimized fully for WordPress. Customers have access to their host of WordPress functions like its WP Starter plugin, which helps you quickly build a site.
SiteGround’s trial time is just a month. There are some other providers on this review that provide a long trial time. It is not a big issue, though. You can easily assess any host inside a month.
If you believe there is a chance you will have to advance to some significant hosting power after you generate plenty of traffic, SiteGround is an excellent choice that will turn upgrades simple later.
Nexcess
Nexcess is a web hosting service by Liquid Web. It is no real surprise that Nexcess made our list of top web hosts. It’s mostly correct when you look at their wider menu of e-commerce managed hosting.
Nexcess managed hosting packages include 1-click auto-scaling for handling traffic spikes, 24/7 alerts and site monitoring, 99.9% uptime, automatic plugin updates, near-instant asset caching, etc.
Furthermore, Nexcess company has 2 decades of experience, currently manages over 500,000+ sites, and keeps 10 data centers worldwide. As such, the visitors receive the best experience possible.
A massive plans suite makes Nexcess ideal for any developing business seeking to scale. Regardless of where you’re with your company, there is likely a package for you with Nexcess.
The Nexcess Cloud Accelerator – a function that includes a layer in the cloud stack that boosts your site’s loading period’s speed. That is a massive benefit since speed is all in business.
Also, they got dedicated customer support available 24/7 to help you solve any technical problems as they happen. Very essential with regards to web hosting.
So, should you want security, advanced speed, automatic updates, and support for the online store, it is well worth the investment.
Sri Lankan Web Hosting Buyer Guide
What is Web Hosting?
Web hosting is a service provided by companies or individuals who make their computer available on the internet so that users can access it via a web browser.
This way, people can view content hosted on these computers without having to download any software onto their own machine.
The websites are stored on the server, which is owned and operated by the company offering the web hosting service.
You can basically use web hosting services to make your website accessible through the internet.
Do I need web hosting?
If you want to have a website, then yes, you will need web hosting.
How does web hosting work?
The basic concept behind web hosting is that it allows users to access websites by connecting their computers to the Internet.
The web host provides the space (or storage) on its server where all these websites are stored.
When someone connects his computer to the Internet, he gets directed to the web server which in turn directs him to the location of his website.
What is the difference between web hosting & domain?
A domain name is an address that identifies your website.
It’s like a street address.
For example: mywebsite.com is a domain name.
Whereas web hosting refers to the actual physical space where the website is stored.
So if you wanted to create a website called ‘mywebsite.com’, you would need web hosting.
Basically web hosting refers to the space on a server where you store files for your website.
A domain name is the address people type into their browser when they want to visit your site.
How can I get free hosting for my website?
There are many ways you can get free hosting for your website.
Free web hosting is usually limited to small personal sites.
Free hosting services are often unreliable, slow, or both.
They may also be subject to frequent downtime, meaning you could lose visitors if your site goes down.
Some free hosts even require users to pay monthly fees to keep their accounts active.
Some free hosts inserts ads, affiliate links, or other forms of advertising into the pages of your website.
Free hosting is not recommended unless you know what you’re doing.
Free hosting is not always bad for website owners.
It depends on what you are doing with your site.
If you’re just starting out and don’t know much about web design or programming, then free hosting may be good for you.
But if you want to build a successful business online, then you need to invest in quality services such as web hosting.
You can find good affordable web hosting from reputable providers such as Bluehost, Siteground, DreamHost etc instead of free web hosting.
How much does web hosting cost?
Web hosting prices vary widely depending on the type of service you select.
Web hosting costs are based on how much bandwidth you need, how many visitors you expect, and what type of server you want.
Some web hosting plans include unlimited disk space, bandwidth, email addresses and more.
Other packages offer fewer options but tend to be cheaper overall.
You should check the terms of each plan carefully before signing up.
Many web hosts charge extra for things that aren’t included in most plans.
These extras include additional domains, SSL certificates, email forwarding, databases, and advanced security tools.
You can choose from shared, cloud, VPS or dedicated servers, depending on your requirements.
The price ranges for different types of web hosting based on their features and limits.
Types of Hosting Services
There are many different kinds of web hosting available today.
In this guide let’s learn about popular types of web hosting.
Shared hosting
This is the cheapest form of web hosting.
With shared hosting, multiple websites share a single server.
Each user gets his own folder on the server which he can use to upload content such as images, videos, documents, and programs.
Shared hosting is suitable for smaller websites that have few page views per day.
However it isn’t ideal for larger websites.
Shared hosting has its limitations.
Because it shares a server, all the websites hosted by one account will compete for the same amount of resources.
As a result, some websites may experience slower loading times than others.
It’s mostly used by people who want to setup web hosting without investing too much money.
VPS hosting
Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting is similar to shared hosting, except that it uses virtual machines rather than physical servers.
VPS hosting offers better performance than shared hosting because there is no competition for resources.
And unlike shared hosting, you can scale up or down at any time, so you can easily increase the number of sites
VPS hosting is great for businesses that need lots of storage space and processing power.
Unlike shared hosting, there is no limit to the number of websites you can run on a VPS.
So you won’t have to worry about resource competition because every website will have its own dedicated server.
It’s suited for website owners who need high-performance hosting with plenty of storage space.
Cloud hosting
Cloud hosting refers to using the internet (Cloud) for storing data instead of on physical servers. It allows you to access your files from anywhere with an internet connection.
A cloud host allows you to create multiple virtual private servers (VPS).
Each VPS runs its own operating system and software applications.
You get access to your own personal server through an internet-facing interface.
Unlike shared hosting where everything is stored on a single physical server, cloud hosting stores data across several servers.
This means that no matter how many sites you run on your account, they won’t affect performance.
Cloud hosting is ideal for large websites because there’s no limit on the number of virtual machines you can create.
Dedicated server hosting
Dedicated server hosting means having your own physical server that’s exclusively yours.
You control what goes on inside.
If you’re looking for maximum performance, then dedicated server hosting is for you.
Your site will be completely isolated from other users’ sites and you’ll have full control over the hardware.
You can also add more RAM and hard disk space if needed.
Dedicated servers are expensive but they offer the highest level of security.
They are perfect for eCommerce companies that require lots of bandwidth and processing power.
WordPress hosting
WordPress is the most popular content management system in the world.
There are millions of WordPress blogs out there.
WP hosting is specialized hosting designed specifically for WordPress.
This is preferred by bloggers and small business owners because it’s easy to use and manage.
cPanel hosting
cPanel is one of the most popular web hosting control panels available today.
It’s widely regarded as being one of the easiest to use and configure.
Many web hosts include cPanel as part of their packages.
cPanel hosting means any hosting service which provides cPanel to manage their hosting account.
Reseller hosting
Reseller hosting is when a company sells hosting space to someone else.
The reseller has complete control over the customer’s account.
But they don’t actually provide the hosting service themselves.
Instead, they sell third party hosting under their name and brand.
Some people refer to this type of hosting as white label hosting.
How to choose right web hosting provider?
Choosing the right web hosting package depends on a variety of factors including budget, needs, and technical expertise.
Now let’s discuss each factor:
Type of website
What kind of website do you want to build? Do you just want to start a blog or a professional online store?
Do you plan to make money off it? If so, you should consider whether you need a reliable web hosting platform.
Because different website consume different amounts of resources which will affect your host choice.
Web hosting support
An excellent web host should offer 24/7 live support.
Support staff is trained to help customers with issues related to their website.
You can contact them via phone, email, or live chat.
Email is usually the quickest way to reach them.
However, you may not always receive a response within minutes.
Live chat allows you to talk directly to a person who can answer all your questions.
Flexible to website growth and traffic volume
A good web hosting provider must be flexible enough to grow with your website.
In fact, a web host should be able to handle an increase in traffic without any downtime.
Also, it must be able to scale up your website capacity according to your needs.
Hosting price
The price of web hosting varies depending on many factors.
For example, you can get lower prices for web hosting plans with less storage space, fewer number of websites, or lower monthly data transfer limit.
On the other hand, you can pay more for a higher amount of disk space, unlimited website hosting, or larger monthly data transfer limits.
Reliability: Infrastructure, Uptime and Money-Back Guarantee
When choosing a web host, you’ll have to decide between reliability, uptime, and money-back guarantee.
If you’re planning to launch a high-traffic site, then you should look for a reliable web hosting provider.
Uptime refers to the time period during which your site is accessible and functional.
Your uptime is important because if your site goes down due to server crash or network outage, visitors won’t come back anymore.
Money-back guarantee is also very important.
Most web hosts offer 30 days money-back guarantee. However, some only give 7 days return policy.
If you buy a hosting plan from a reputable web host, you can return the web hosting at anytime.
So, don’t worry if things go wrong. You’ll still get your money back.
Site load speed
Another thing to consider when choosing a web host is its load speed.
It’s important to know what kind of performance you expect from your hosting service.
Load speed refers to how fast your website loads.
A slow loading website is annoying to users.
They are likely to leave your page before completing the task.
Managed hosting or Unmanaged hosting
Many web hosts provide managed hosting.
This means that they take care of everything related to your website including installing software, setting up database, etc.
While this might save you time and hassle, it comes at a cost.
Unmanaged hosting is cheaper but you have to install and maintain everything yourself.
Website migration support
Website migration means moving your existing website to another web host.
Some web hosts allow you to do this automatically while others require you to do it manually.
Automatic migration saves you time and effort.
But if you want to move your website to a new web host, you need to ask the web host whether it offers automatic migration.
Payment methods
Choose a host which supports your desired payment method.
You can use credit cards, PayPal, Google Checkout, Amazon Payments, etc.
Data security
Web hosts are required by law to protect your personal information.
Therefore, make sure your web host has strong security measures.
Make sure that all private data is encrypted and not stored unencrypted.
Security measures include SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificates, firewall, IDS/IPS, DDoS protection, backup system, etc.
SSL certificates
An SSL certificate is used to secure your transaction on the Internet.
It encrypts your personal details so that no one else can view them.
In web hosting terms, an SSL certificate is needed to create a secure connection between your browser and the web host.
Some web hosting offer free SSL certificates.
However, most web hosts charge extra fees for using these certificates.
Terms and conditions
Before signing up with any web host, read their Terms & Conditions carefully.
These documents explain what you can and cannot do with your account.
Also, check out the Privacy Policy.
The privacy policy explains how the web host collects, uses and protects your personal information.
Server location
When selecting a web host, look into where it is located.
Is it in America? Europe? Asia?
For example, if you’re planning to sell products to American visitors, then you should select a web host based in America.
Because it will make your site load faster.
Guide and knowledgebase
Look whether your hosting has knowledge base or WIKI.
Such sections contain answers to common questions regarding your web host.
Bundle and free offers
Most web hosts offer discounts when you purchase multiple items.
Some web hosts offer freebies and bonuses.
These could be anything like free domain name registration, free website builder, etc.
Be careful though! Some web hosts may try to trick you into buying more than you actually need.
Control panel / user interface
A control panel or user interface is a graphical tool that allows you to manage your website easily.
Many users prefer to use a control panel because it’s easier to navigate.
If you don’t have much technical knowledge, it’s better to stick to a control panel.
Server technology
To ensure maximum performance, always choose a server that’s compatible with your web pages.
This includes PHP version, MySQL version, Apache version, OS type, etc.
Choosing a web host that doesn’t support your desired server technology can cause problems.
Server hardware
Another important factor is the quality of the server hardware.
Always choose a web host that has powerful servers.
Check whether they provide SSD drives, RAID systems, etc.
Web hosting frequently asked questions
Here are some frequently asked questions:
What is the best web hosting service?
There isn’t one single best web hosting service.
Every web host offers different features, prices and services.
So, it depends on what you want from a web host.
What is the cheapest web hosting service?
Cheap web hosting services usually come with limited features.
You’ll get less storage space, bandwidth and email accounts.
Some good examples include Bluehost, Siteground, DreamHost, InMotion Hosting, etc.
Should I use free web hosting?
Free web hosting comes with many limitations.
For example, you won’t be able to install plugins, themes, add-ons, etc.
Also, there’s no guarantee that your website will remain online 24/7.
How much does it cost to host a website?
It’s an important question for any business owner or freelancer who wants to build their own online presence.
The answer is simple: It depends on the kind of site you want, and how many visitors you expect to attract.
But keep in mind that not all web hosts charge the same amount.
Does web hosting affect SEO?
Yes, it does. Website loading speed affects SEO.
If your page loads slowly, this might lead you to lose traffic and ranking.
Does web hosting include email?
No, it doesn’t. Most web hosts do not include email accounts.
This means you’ll have to pay extra for them separately.
Does web hosting include a domain name?
No, it does not. Domain names are separate purchases but there are some web hosts that offer them at discounted rates or free domain for longer contracts.
Can I change web hosting providers?
Yes, you can. Many web hosts allow you to move your website to another provider without losing your data.
However, if you’re moving to a new web host, make sure you back up your files first.
Do I need web hosting for my website?
You definitely need web hosting if you want to create a website.
Without a place to store your content, your website will look like a blank canvas.
What’s the difference between a web host and a website builder?
A web host is a company that provides you with space on its servers so you can upload your website files.
On the other hand, a website builder allows you to design your website using drag-and-drop tools.
Conclusion
In summary, choosing a web hosting in Sri Lanka is a crucial step when starting a website.
It’s also a decision that should be made carefully because it could determine the success of your project.
I hope this guide helps you find the right web host for your needs.
Feel free to ask me any additional questions!
