Best Web Hosting for the USA – Compare Performance Stats & Choose

1. Hostinger

Website: https://www.hostinger.com/

Price: from $1.39/mo

Hosting Available: Shared, WordPress, VPS, Reseller, Dedicated Servers

Hostinger launched in 2004 and came from Kaunas, Lithuania. Today it has a presence of some form in over 170 locations. Together with subsidiary 000Webhost, the company offers a formidable product range at compelling prices.

Why Choose Hostinger for US Web Hosting

There are many reasons why Hostigner makes it to the top of the best hosting for the US list. It isn’t the fastest hosting service provider in the market, but it is among the best in class, thanks to highly competitive pricing.

This performance, coupled with a substantial spread of strategically located data centers worldwide, makes it hard to resist. Hostinger has the server presence to support your website, whether you’re targeting the domestic or international market.

There is also an abundant breadth of products, covering multiple mainstream and niche needs. For example, they have standard shared hosting and VPS yet also offer Minecraft and CyberPanel VPS hosting.

Read our Hostinger review for more.

Hostinger Data Center Locations

• UK
• US
• Netherlands
• Singapore
• Indonesia
• Lithuania

Pros

• Budget-friendly plans
• Good data center spread
• Niche hosting options are available
• Helpful tutorials and guides
• User-friendly control panel
• Free website migration

Cons

• No easy way to install free SSL
• No free automated backups

2. A2 Hosting

Website: https://www.a2hosting.com/

Price: from $2.99/mo

Hosting Available: Shared, WordPress, Cloud/VPS, Reseller, Dedicated Servers. 

A2 Hosting first emerged in 2001, so they’ve been around for a good two decades now. Over that time, the brand has built a formidable reputation for excellent product quality. Despite some annoyance at proprietary marketing speak, performance here is indeed solid.

Why Choose A2 Hosting for US Web Hosting

A2 Hosting can be a little confusing due to the extreme price points the various plans come in. At the lower end of the spectrum, shared hosting plans or even unmanaged VPS are remarkably affordable.

Yet once you move into services such as Managed VPS, prices go through the roof. Regardless, the speed on their servers is good, and although I dislike their push on “Turbo” plans, they are indeed faster.

While A2 Hosting doesn’t offer the variety of server locations that Hostinger does, it shows its Ann Arbor roots with dual US locations available. One in Michigan and another in Arizona cover the breadth of the continent. For an overseas audience, you can use their servers in the Netherlands or Singapore.

Find out more from our A2 Hosting review.

A2 Hosting Data Center Locations

• Michigan, USA
• Arizona, USA
• Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Singapore

Pros

• Excellent speeds with Turbo servers available
• Good range of web hosting plans
• Professional and reliable customer support
• Cheap unmanaged VPS plans
• Many supporting services are available
• Excellent server coverage for the US

Cons

• Steep Managed VPS prices
• High renewal prices

3. InterServer

Website: https://www.interserver.net/

Price: from $2.50/mo

Hosting Available: Shared, VPS, Storage, Reseller, GPU, Dedicated Servers

InterServer is a US-based web hosting provider founded way back in 1999. That makes it one of the more mature services around. Unlike many competitors, InterServer remains true to its US roots and runs servers exclusively in US data centers.

Why Choose InterServer for US Web Hosting

InterServer is an excellent choice if you’re looking to target a US-specific audience. They’ve gone the extra mile in building domestic strength, owning and operating two data centers; one in their home base of New Jersey and the other across the continent in California.

They also offer an exciting choice of web hosting plans. In addition to the same old shared and VPS plans, InterServer has some unique options. Two examples of this are their GPU and Rapid Deploy Servers.

InterServer isn’t only great for the domestic market but also mission-specific websites. The needs you may have difficulty explaining to other hosts seem to be a natural occurrence for them.

Learn more about InterServer from our review.

InterServer Data Center Locations

• New Jersey, USA
• California, USA

Pros

• Extraordinary options in hosting plans
• Multiple support channels
• Reasonable domain name registration rates
• Servers run at only 50% capacity
• Guaranteed email delivery

Cons

• No overseas data centers
• WordPress-specific plans only on Cloud hosting

4. Bluehost

Website: https://www.bluehost.com/

Price: from $2.95/mo

Hosting Available: Shared, WordPress, eCommerce, Website Builder, VPS, Email, Reseller, Dedicated Servers.

Bluehost is headquartered in Massachusetts, founded in 2003. It’s a full-service web host that did well, which is likely why Endurance International Group (EIG) acquired the company in 2010. While I have little love for EIG, Bluehost seems to have remained relatively strong.

Why Choose Bluehost for US Web Hosting

Since their early days, Bluehost has been one of those brands that simply worked. Their servers are decently reliable, and speed performance will match most expectations. While not in the top tier of performers, Bluehost certainly keeps up with minimum speed requirements.

One relevant factor in their favor is the selection as one of only three official WordPress-recommended hosting providers. They offer standard and Managed WordPress hosting plans that include a free domain name, CDN, SSL, and custom themes in this category.

Another point that sets them apart is that they’ve maintained US-based support rather than outsourcing the lot overseas, as many hosting companies are prone. I guess this will make a significant difference for a domestic audience.

Check out our Bluehost review.

Bluehost Data Center Locations

• Utah, USA (two locations)
• Mumbai, India
• London, UK
• Hong Kong SAR, China
• Shanghai, China

Pros

• Good reliability and speed
• US-based support team
• Managed and Unmanaged WordPress available
• Official WordPress-recommended host
• Proprietary website builder solution

Cons

• Free migration only for WordPress websites
• Expensive migration for other website types

5. GreenGeeks

Website: https://www.greengeeks.com/

Price: from $2.49/mo

Hosting Available: Shared, WordPress, VPS, Reseller, Dedicated Servers

GreenGeeks started 13 years ago with a then pretty unique proposition. It offered green web hosting to do its part in countering global carbon emissions from data centers.  While this type of hosting is increasingly common, the brand is considered one of the pioneers.

Why Choose GreenGeeks for US Web Hosting

GreenGeeks has its roots in Santa Monica, California, and much of its focus is on the American continent. Aside from the US, it also has servers in Canada and the Netherlands. While this coverage isn’t ideal, it is suitable for those targeting US and Euro-centric web traffic.

Since they’ve remained firm in a green approach to web hosting, GreenGeeks is an incredibly compelling choice for US-based businesses. Carbon laws are increasingly stringent, and some companies may require this specific type of hosting as part of compliance measures.

There’s nothing overly fancy about the hosting plans available here. You get the regular hosting types, including shared and VPS – none of the marketing style plans that we see popping up all over the web today.

Read our GreenGeeks review here.

GreenGeeks Data Center Locations

• Chicago, USA
• Montreal, Canada
• Amsterdam, Netherlands

Pros

• Pure Green hosting
• Lots of freebies, including domain name
• Fantastic server speed and reliability
• Good customer support and knowledgebase
• Reasonable prices considering its green hosting

Cons

• Stiff plan renewal pricing

Urgent Need for US Businesses to Digitize

Although the US is technologically advanced, many businesses haven’t embraced the concept of having their website. Less than 64% of small businesses in the US currently have one. That’s a sizeable number who are ignoring an essential new business dimension.

Many smaller companies ignore the multiplying factor that a website can have on business, still thinking that websites are the sole domain of major industry players. As eCommerce marketplaces and stores pop up worldwide, such complacency could be potentially devastating.

Digital is Becoming More Region-specific

As digitization brushes past borders, the need for website localization has become a significant distinguishing factor for many businesses. Doing so helps boost relevancy, especially in a landmass as large as the US.

Companies must consider this aspect from multiple viewpoints; the localization of servers for better performance and content must target a regional market-specific audience for better search rankings.

Taking Advantage of US-based Web Hosting

The US has many excellent web hosting service providers, but this isn’t exclusively their domain. Thanks to the strong purchasing power of the dollar, many formidable web hosts cater to a US audience, providing ample choice for domestic buyers.

Some brands like Bluehost even offer localized support in the form of US-based customer support teams. That’s an excellent factor to consider if you’re hosting local for local. Also, thanks again to the dollar, you won’t have to settle for cheap hosting.

Types of Different Hosting Plans

While web hosting companies tend to market web hosting following customer demand, the reality is that there are only a few key types of hosting. Your choice of web hosting plan affects many things, including performance, customer experience, security, scalability, cost, and more. 

Understanding the differences between various web hosting plans will help you fit them more accurately to business needs.

Shared Hosting

Among web hosting plans, shared hosting is the cheapest and easiest to manage. In shared hosting, hundreds of customers occupy a single server, each “sharing” (hence the name) from a  common resource pool.

This resource sharing means your website may not always get the resources it needs on-demand, causing performance to be affected. Shared hosting is generally only suitable for smaller websites with a limited audience.

VPS / Cloud Hosting

Virtual Private Server (VPS) is a step up from shared hosting. Although multiple customers still occupy the same hardware, they get dedicated resources, assuring availability when needed. VPS and Cloud hosting users can quickly increase resources, making these plans excellent for long-term viability.

Cloud hosting is similar to VPS but extends the resources available across multiple servers.  Business or eCommerce websites, in general, should use VPS hosting to ensure better performance and, most importantly, data security.

Dedicated Hosting

Among web hosting plans, dedicated hosting is often considered the most powerful and secure. You’re essentially getting an entire server for yourself. This solo “ownership” means that dedicated servers offer the best security profile among web hosting plans.

The downside, however, is cost. Regardless of the resources consumed by your website, the server configuration isn’t easily scalable. You’ll need to decide – and pay for – the entire server in advance.

WordPress Hosting

Technically, WordPress hosting isn’t an original category of web hosting. Its emergence stems from the popularity of this Content Management System (CMS) among web hosting customers. Hence, it became a widely marketed term.

WordPress hosting plans are primarily sold based on shared or VPS/Cloud hosting. The difference is that opting for a WordPress hosting plan means the CMS usually comes pre-installed. In some cases, hosting companies also offer WordPress-centric advantages like premium themes of customized plugins.

What to Look for in a Great US Web Host

Server Location

The US is a large area, so sometimes, finding a web host with a single US-based server location isn’t enough. Servers need to be as close to your target audience as possible, so a hosting provider with centralized servers or good East and West coast coverage is recommended.

Pricing

Many buyers consider pricing as a critical element of their choice in a web host. While technically that’s a prudent decision, make sure you’re not sacrificing needed features to enjoy lower hosting prices. The result may affect the usability of your website in the long term.

Security

Although web hosting service providers will take care of server security, some will go the extra mile. These “extras” may come via partnerships with prominent cybersecurity companies or security applications to users.

Extra Features

Some web hosting providers offer features that give them an added advantage over others. ScalaHosting, for example, has SPanel, helping them provide VPS plans at more affordable prices since they avoid the high licensing fees associated with cPanel.

Conclusions 

There’s no shortage of choice when it comes to web hosting in the US. Whether you need to address local needs or wish to expand cross-border, there are many top-notch brands. Some of them are US companies but don’t overlook the capabilities of overseas brands either.

Alternatives: More US-Based Hosting

Sometimes, keeping your data within US borders is an absolute must. Or perhaps you prefer to support local companies. If that’s your preference, there are many US-based hosting companies to choose from;

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