Web hosting is an important part of any website. It is an essential component to get any site up and running, and the hosting provider that you choose will impact the performance of the entire website. This can include but is not limited to load times, security, and SEO. Since it is so important to make the right choice, we have created a thorough review of some of the top Canadian hosting providers.
GreenGeeks
GreenGeeks, established in 2008, has created a positive reputation for themselves in the web hosting field. They are well-known for being one of the most energy-efficient hosting providers in Canada. GreenGeeks’ power come from 300% renewable energy since they use wind and solar to offset their carbon footprint.
- Plans and Prices
GreenGeeks’ hosting plans include shared, VPS, dedicated, reseller, and WordPress. The plans vary depending on which features you would like to have. Their cheapest plan starts at $2.95USD per month if you sign up for three years in advance. This is their ‘Lite’ option, and it is one of their shared, unmanaged hosting plans.
- Uptime and Speed
GreenGeeks offers its clients an uptime of at least 99.90%. However, when tested by real clients, the result was that their uptime is closer to 99.99%. They also have a good speed, averaging 445ms per loading page.
- Customer Support
A web hosting site like Geengeeks.com considers good customer service to be one of their main priorities. They offer 24/7 support in the form of live chat or over the phone. There is also a FAQ section and knowledge bank on their website where customers can read the solution to any potential problems they are having.
Web Hosting Canada
Web Hosting Canada, or WHC, has been in business since 2003. They are a Canadian-based web hosting provider with servers on both the East and West coasts, resulting in better service for their clients. WHC also offers free trials on their SEO and marketing plan packages.
- Plans and Prices
WHC offers a variety of plans, including shared, WordPress, VPS, dedicated, reseller, and cloud hosting. Their cheapest plan starts at $3.89CAD per month. It is not possible to get a free trial period for the hosting plans.
- Uptime and Speed
WHC guarantees an uptime of 99.90%, meeting the industry standard. The loading speed is around 600ms per page, as tested by users.
- Customer Service
WHC has several options in terms of customer service. They offer 24/7 bilingual support, which comes in the form of email, live chat, or over the phone. The language options include both French and English.
HostPapa
HostPapa, first launched in 2006, has its HQ in Ontario, Canada. The company is one of the first to come out with energy-efficient web hosting. HostPapa integrates with Cloudflare, which means that users all around the world can access your website.
- Prices and Plans
HostPapa offers its clients a choice of shared, WordPress, VPS, or reseller hosting. They do not have a dedicated hosting plan available. The cost of their cheapest, unmanaged plan is $2.95CAD per month.
- Uptime and Speed
HostPapa’s uptime is 99.95%, exceeding the industry average. The company’s average load time is 475ms per page.
- Customer Service
HostPapa has a lot of options when it comes to customer service. They offer 24/7 support through live chat, email, and over the phone. They also provide a knowledge base on their website and provide video tutorials, webinars, and virtual training sessions.
Hostinger
Hostinger is a web hosting provider that launched in 2004. They tend to be cheaper than other providers because their plans do not come with as many features. However, if you are just starting your website, you might only need a simple, basic plan anyway.
- Prices and Plans
Hostinger has a few different hosting plans to choose from. You could select a shared, cloud, WordPress, VPS, or Minecraft hosting plan. Hostinger’s prices will fluctuate throughout the year. The range will be from $0.99 per month to $2.15 per month for their cheapest plan. You can choose to lock down a price so that it will be stable for 48 months.
- Uptime and Speed
Hostinger has an uptime of 99.10%. They have a speedy load time of 389ms per web page.
- Customer Service
Hostinger offers a live chat option for clients, but you must log into your account to access it.
Which Provider Should You Choose?
Overall, the web hosting provider that you choose should meet your exact specifications. As a general overview, GreenGeeks.com provides a wide range of plans and services that could work to meet your needs. They are also one of the top energy-efficient web-hosting providers, which can increase your company’s corporate social responsibility if you use them. Their prices are also low enough that you could choose them without breaking the bank.