Hosting is the computer that stores your website and shows it to visitors. In New Zealand, hosting for a small business website usually costs NZ$150 to NZ$600 a year, plus about NZ$35 to NZ$60 for your .co.nz domain.
What hosting is
Your website is a set of files and a database. Hosting is where they live, on a server that’s connected to the internet all day, every day. When someone types your address, the server sends them your website.
Hosting, domain and maintenance are different things
| What it is | Typical NZ cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Domain | Your address, like yourbusiness.co.nz | NZ$35–60 a year |
| Hosting | Where your website lives | NZ$150–600 a year |
| Maintenance | Updates, backups and small changes | NZ$40–150 a month |
Source: Impact Websites.
Some providers bundle all three into one plan. That’s convenient, as long as you know what you’re paying in total each year.
What good hosting includes
- A free SSL certificate (the padlock in the browser).
- Daily or at least regular backups.
- Enough speed for your website to load in a couple of seconds.
- Support you can actually reach.
- Email for your domain, or a clear answer on where your email lives.
How to avoid your website going offline
- Know who your hosting and domain are with, and when they renew.
- Keep your billing details up to date: expired cards are the most common reason websites disappear.
- Make sure renewal reminders go to an email address you read.
- Keep a copy of your website, or make sure your provider keeps backups.
Is updating WordPress really necessary?
Yes. WordPress, your theme and your plugins release updates for security and compatibility. A website that isn’t updated for a year or two is much more likely to break or be hacked.
At Upfront Sites, hosting and your domain are included for the first year. From year two, our care plan covers hosting, your .nz domain, monthly updates, a monthly backup and small changes in one yearly payment. It’s optional: if you’d rather host your website elsewhere, we hand it over.
Hosting, domain, updates and backups in one yearly payment.
Frequently asked questions
Is New Zealand hosting better than overseas hosting?
Servers closer to your visitors can be a little faster, but a good provider with a content delivery network (CDN) makes your website fast anywhere.
Can I move my website to another host?
Yes, if it’s built on a standard platform like WordPress and you have access to it. Ask before you sign up.
What happens if I stop paying for hosting?
Your website goes offline. Your domain may also lapse if it was renewed with the hosting, and someone else could register it.
