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Your website is a collection of files. HTML, images, code. Hosting is where those files live so people can access them via the internet. Think of it like renting a shop unit: the files are your stock, hosting is the building. No building, no shop. Here’s everything you need to know without the jargon.
What Hosting Actually Does
A server is a computer that’s always on, always connected to the internet. Your website files sit on that server. When someone types your domain (yoursite.co.uk) into their browser, their computer asks the server “give me those files,” and the server sends them. The visitor’s browser assembles the files into the page they see.
That’s literally it. Hosting = a computer storing your files and serving them to visitors. Everything else is detail.
The quality of that computer (its speed, location, and how many other sites share it) determines how fast your site loads and how reliably it stays online.
Do You Always Need to Buy Hosting Separately?
Not always. It depends on how your site is built:
Hosting is bundled (you’re already paying for it):
- Squarespace (£12-30/month includes hosting)
- Wix (£10-25/month includes hosting)
- Shopify (£25-70/month includes hosting)
Hosting is separate (you need to arrange it):
- WordPress sites (you pick your own host)
- Custom-built sites (developer deploys to a host)
- Sites built by agencies (they may manage it or hand it to you)
If you’re on Squarespace or Wix, you’re already paying for hosting inside your monthly subscription. If someone built you a WordPress site, hosting is a separate bill, and it matters which host you’re on.
Types of Hosting (In Plain English)
Shared Hosting
Your site shares a server with 100-500 other websites. It’s cheap (£3-8/month) because the cost is split. The downside: when another site on the server gets traffic, yours slows down. Like sharing a broadband connection with an entire block of flats.
Good for: Very low-traffic sites, hobby projects, testing. Examples: GoDaddy, 123-reg, Bluehost basic plans.
Managed WordPress Hosting
A server optimised specifically for WordPress, with automatic updates, security, and caching handled for you. Faster than shared, less hassle than doing it yourself.
Good for: WordPress sites with moderate traffic that need reliability. Examples: Kinsta (from £25/month), WP Engine (from £20/month).
Cloud/Edge Hosting
Modern approach. Your files are distributed across a global network of servers. Visitors get served from the closest location. Extremely fast, highly reliable, scales automatically.
Good for: Static sites, modern builds (Astro, Next.js), businesses that want speed without complexity. Examples: Cloudflare Pages, Netlify, Vercel.
What Fernside Uses (And Why)
We host all client sites on Cloudflare Pages. Here’s why:
- Sub-1-second load times globally (files served from 300+ edge locations)
- Free SSL included automatically
- Zero server management: no updates, no patches, no “server is down” calls
- Scales infinitely: whether you get 10 or 10,000 visitors, performance is identical
- Cost: £0-8/month for most SMB sites
We manage hosting for our clients. You never think about servers, certificates, or uptime. It just works.
What Hosting Costs (UK, 2026)
| Type | Monthly Cost | Speed | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared (GoDaddy, 123-reg) | £3-8 | Slow | You handle it |
| Managed WordPress (Kinsta) | £25-50 | Good | They handle WordPress |
| Cloud/Edge (Cloudflare Pages) | £0-15 | Excellent | Minimal/none |
| Squarespace/Wix (bundled) | £12-30 | Okay | Platform handles it |
The real cost isn’t just the monthly bill. Cheap shared hosting costs you in slow page speed (lost visitors), downtime (lost trust), and time spent dealing with issues. A £5/month host that causes two hours of troubleshooting per month costs you far more than a £15/month host that just works.
What’s Included vs What’s Extra
Usually included with hosting:
- Server space (where your files live)
- Bandwidth (data transfer to visitors)
- SSL certificate (on modern hosts)
Usually extra (separate purchases):
- Domain name, yoursite.co.uk (£10-15/year, bought separately)
- Email hosting, hello@yoursite.co.uk (£3-10/month via Google Workspace or similar)
- Backups, some hosts include them, others charge extra
- Support, varies wildly by provider
Hosting vs Domain Name (Not the Same Thing)
This confuses nearly everyone:
- Domain = your address (yoursite.co.uk). It’s what people type to find you.
- Hosting = the building at that address. It’s where your actual website lives.
You buy them separately (usually from different companies). Your domain registrar (like Namecheap or Google Domains) points your address to your hosting provider. Think: the domain is your street address, the hosting is the building sitting at that address.
You can change hosting without changing your domain, and vice versa. They’re independent.
How to Know If Your Hosting Is the Problem
If your site is slow and you’ve already optimised images and removed bloat, hosting might be your bottleneck. Signs:
- Time to First Byte (TTFB) over 800ms: check in PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix
- Frequent downtime: site goes offline randomly
- Slow regardless of content: even a simple text page takes 3+ seconds
- You’re on shared hosting paying under £8/month
If any of these apply, upgrading hosting will give you more speed improvement than any other single change.
With Fernside, hosting is included and managed. You never think about servers, SSL, or uptime. We handle it on Cloudflare Pages. If you’re overpaying for slow hosting or tired of dealing with server issues, get in touch and we’ll sort it.