As one of the most popular content management systems (CMS), Drupal can help you create a professional website without additional help. However, many site owners fail to understand the importance of hosting and why you need a reliable service provider. That's where we come in. We've compiled a comprehensive guide to review everything you need about Drupal Hosting.
Types of Drupal Hosting Services: Which is the Best For Your Site?
After extensive research, we can safely say that you need to take your web hosting seriously because it will affect the success or failure of your platform. However, you need to note that there are different Drupal hosting services. Learning these differences will affect your choice when building a website.
The types of hosting Drupal services are:
Shared Hosting
Shared hosting is a relatively popular hosting service. This service is renowned for its ease of use and affordability. However, some websites may experience unstable performances. Why? This system hosts multiple platforms on a single server. As a result, physical resources such as memory and bandwidth are shared.
The truth is that certain service providers are unable to allocate resources appropriately when handling several platforms. When purpose-built, shared hosting serves as a launchpad for website developers till they can opt for other alternatives.
VPS Hosting
Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting is a relatively new alternative that involves hosting a website on a partitioned framework. This framework ensures that website owners can work in an exclusive environment. This type of hosting is also designed to hold multiple platforms, but each account has a good level of control over its resources. VPS hosting also requires lesser technical know-how to operate.
If you're interested in a flexible and highly effective Drupal web hosting service, VPS hosting is an exciting alternative. These plans are relatively more robust and scalable.
Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated web hosting services are designed for platforms run as large eCommerce stores. It involves renting an entire server for your website or application. Here, there's no sharing or partitioning. All of the server's resources will be dedicated to your needs. You'll find that their plans are pricey. However, dedicated hosting service providers are powerful enough to handle a large influx of traffic.
Cloud Hosting
This type of web hosting supports websites and applications using cloud resources. A cloud hosting service comprises a network and server system where a physical server is broken into several virtual servers. Cloud hosting is an excellent idea for small businesses because it supports faster growth.
Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Hosting Provider
If you research the best hosting Drupal services, you'll find hundreds of them. However, only a few of them are reliable. You'll need to critically examine different options to know which will suit you best. Here's a list of factors to consider when choosing a hosting provider:
Compatibility
The compatibility of your hosting provider is one of the first factors to consider before making a final choice. Your final choice must support the Drupal CMS. But that's not all. Your hosting provider should also keep an easy installation process.
Pricing
Another vital thing to consider before your final selection is the price of the secure Drupal hosting service. If you're a new brand, you may wish to reduce expenses. However, you must note that you'll need to spend more if you expect better quality.
Security
A good website host will prioritize security. We live in an age of endless cyber threats. So, insecure platforms may be a big problem for website developers and users. The best website hosting services have firewalls, daily backups, SSL certificates, DDoS protection, and other security features.
Server Capabilities and Location
Depending on the size and nature of your website, you may need a server with extra features, such as an automatic backup system, multi-domain management, and CDN. If your current server doesn't have the features necessary to power or scale your platform, you should change it.
Additionally, your hosting server’s location may also affect its ease of use and access. It's a great idea to opt for a server closer to your current location to reduce your load times and allow you to sort accessibility issues quickly.
Speed and Performance
Speed and performance are one of the most crucial factors to consider when choosing a hosting provider. You'll lose users if your website loads slowly. Websites with slow page speed struggle to rank on Search Engine Result Pages. So, it would help if you had a powerful provider to process all your traffic. Your Drupal web hosting provider should also be able to keep the platform running 24/7. Frequent downtimes will hurt your online image.
Scalability
Over time, your website will grow in terms of the number of traffic. When this happens, you must be able to scale to accommodate the extra influx of users. The best providers are scalable and can accommodate growth in online audiences with little or no problems, allowing you to scale your business according to your needs.
Migration Options
It's essential never to forget the importance of site migration. More often than not, you may need to change your domain for several reasons. When this happens, your web hosting provider should support a seamless migration without technical issues and at no extra costs. If you choose a web host without a migration feature, it may cause downtime when the need arises.
Support
The truth is that even the best web hosts have their bad days, and things can go wrong. That's where a responsive and effective support team comes in. Aside from their long list of valuable features, top hosting alternatives must have a top-notch support team. Don't overlook this factor, or you'll have no one to help your business when things go south.
Compliance
Furthermore, your web host must comply with regulatory standards for your business. For instance, ecommerce Drupal websites require a PCI-obliging host. If you use a non-compliant provider, your business will be subject to penalties that may affect user experience.
Reviews
The final thing to consider about a fully managed Drupal hosting service is user reviews. You'll learn a lot about the strengths and weaknesses of a provider from reading what previous users say about it. This approach may help you spot unique selling points that address your needs or problems you may never have noticed.
9 Best Drupal Hosting Providers in 2024
Now, let's review the best Drupal hosting services out there. Our experts at OSWorkshop have vast experience working with Drupal web hosts. So, we know how to spot reliable options on the market. We've compiled a Drupal hosting comparison list for you, including:
Acquia
Acquia is a Drupal hosting platform with powerful tools supported by automated workflows and top-notch security. By relying on the application’s features, business owners can design a smooth user experience. While Acquia guarantees a 99.95% uptime and world-class support around the clock, you'll also be able to scale your website seamlessly to create digital experiences for hundreds of users. This application also supports regulatory worldwide compliance, including PCI, HIPAA, FedRAMP, etc.
Pantheon
Pantheon hosting is a service provider compatible with Drupal websites and allows you to modify your platform easily. This application is a cloud-based system and is also free for web developers. Because of Pantheon's architecture, multidev loads quickly without additional support or virtual servers. Furthermore, users can schedule automatic backups on this service provider.
ScalaHosting
ScalaHosting is a hosting provider that's compatible with small and large-scale businesses. This application has shared managed VPS, reseller hosting, dedicated server, and cloud hosting plans. To enhance customer security and protect user data, this provider features an SSL certificate. There's also a two-factor authentication to boost website security.
Hostinger
Hostinger is one of the cheapest Drupal hosting providers on this list, and it's an ideal option for small-scale business owners and high-powered sites. On this app, you'll get access to innovative technology and security features like HTTP/2 plus the latest PHP and MariaDB. There's also a custom control panel that features Git integration. When using Hostinger, you can host unlimited websites, bandwidth, and emails. Additionally, this provider offers free domain registration for the first year alongside regular backups.
SiteGround
SiteGround is a premium Drupal hosting service with a simple installation. This application also supports free site transfer and 1-click installs. Here, you'll find tools to interact with the Drupal CMS directly. Additionally, SiteGround ensures your website with zero downtime and daily backups.
Cloudways by DigitalOcean
Cloudways is designed to help you unleash the performance of your website, whether small or large. Every Cloudways server is run on a fully optimized stack with a built-in powerful cache and CDN. This hosting service provider features top-notch firewalls, SSL certificates, and Cloudflare. If you need extra help handling your website, this application will allow you to collaborate with other experts. You can also transfer servers in a few clicks.
Bluehost
Bluehost is another provider on this list that offers users a free domain in the first year. Bluehost is a one-stop location for everything you need to integrate with Drupal. The first noteworthy feature of this application is that you can install it with a single click. You'll enjoy unlimited storage, email, bandwidth, and 24/7 US customer support. To boost your online image, Bluehost also offers free marketing credits.
A2 Hosting
There are many exciting reasons to choose A2 hosting. To start with, this service is relatively affordable. This host has Drupal pre-installed and is set up for optimal performance with its multiple layers of caching, cloud flare CDN, and all-SSD hardware. A2 hosting is also renowned for its turbo servers that offer 20 times the average page loading time. It's an ideal option for small-scale business owners because it supports free migration and SSD storage. However, this server also boasts the capacity for high-powered websites.
InMotion Hosting
InMotion Hosting is one of the most straightforward Drupal providers to install. With one click, you can initiate the installation process at checkout and add more than 300 apps to your work environment. This platform also offers business owners freedom with its free migration. There's also an SSL encryption to protect you from cyber-attacks. If you're the type of business owner that requires additional help, you can opt for managed Drupal hosting plans.
Need Help Choosing your Drupal Hosting? We Can Assist you With the Configuration and Much More
We've shown you the best alternatives to host your Drupal website and how to choose them. While these apps are effective, it's clear that you’ll need an expert touch to use them optimally. At OSWorkshop, we understand that most business owners don't have the technical know-how to operate these hosting providers. If you belong to this category, contact us today for help with hosting provider configuration.
