Web hosting: price, what to check, and whether you need it
Web hosting is the space on a server where your website lives, and together with a domain it usually costs DKK 1,000–6,000 a year excluding VAT. You need it if your website is built in WordPress or another system you install yourself. If you use a website builder, hosting is in the subscription.
What is web hosting?
Web hosting is rented space on a server that is on day and night, so your website can be shown whenever someone visits it. The provider looks after the server and the power, while you install and maintain the system the website runs on, such as WordPress.
A hosting plan usually also includes a database, email accounts on your domain and a control panel. In Danish it’s called a “webhotel”.
Do you need web hosting?
It depends on how the website is made. In short: WordPress yes, website builder no.
| The website is made in | Need hosting? | What you look after |
|---|---|---|
| WordPress or another system you install | Yes | Updates to the system, theme and plugins, backups and security, or a service agreement that does it |
| A website builder, such as Wix, Squarespace, one.com’s builder or Striive | No, hosting is included | Content and design. The provider runs the rest |
| An agency with a service agreement | Usually part of the agreement | Check that hosting is in the agreement, and who owns the account |
What does web hosting cost a year?
Hosting and a domain cost DKK 1,000–6,000 a year excluding VAT, depending on how much space, speed and support you choose. But that’s only part of the price of a WordPress site: paid plugins carry yearly licences, and most people have a freelancer or an agency keep the site updated. Then running it costs DKK 4,500–15,500 a year in total with a freelancer and DKK 9,000–34,000 with an agency.
| Freelancer | Web agency | Striive (you build it) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build | DKK 12,000–30,000 | DKK 35,000–90,000 | No build fee |
| Running per year, from year 2 | DKK 4,500–15,500 | DKK 9,000–34,000 | DKK 2,000–3,000 |
| First year in total | DKK 16,000–46,000 | DKK 44,000–124,000 | DKK 1,500–2,500 |
| Three years in total | DKK 26,000–77,000 | DKK 62,000–192,000 | DKK 5,500–7,500 |
All amounts exclude VAT and come from our website cost calculator, built on Danish hourly rates: about DKK 500–900 an hour for freelancers and DKK 900–1,400 for agencies. Running costs are hosting, a domain, licences and a service agreement. Striive is DKK 99 a month incl. VAT for the first 4 months, then DKK 249 a month incl. VAT, plus your domain.
Work out your own website in the website cost calculator.
What should you check before you choose web hosting?
The price on the front page is rarely what matters most. Go through these points:
- The renewal price: the intro price often only lasts the first year. See what it costs afterwards, and whether you’re tied in for several years.
- Backups: how often are they taken, how long are they kept, and can you restore one yourself?
- SSL: is an SSL certificate for HTTPS included and renewed automatically? Without it, the browser shows “Not secure”.
- Support: can you get help in Danish, and when do they answer?
- Location: are the servers in the EU? It makes GDPR simpler.
- Email: how many mailboxes are included, and how much space do they have?
Why does it matter where the website is hosted?
Because your website handles personal data, for example when a customer writes to you through the contact form. If the servers are in the EU, you don’t have to deal with transfers of personal data to countries outside the EU. Speed matters a little too: a server close to your visitors answers faster.
Striive hosts every website in the EU, in Stockholm. The rules for business websites are under website requirements.
What do you do about email without web hosting?
You keep it where it is, or move it to an email service. Many people get email on their domain through their hosting, but website builders don’t always offer email. Striive has no email, so your mailbox needs to live somewhere else.
When you connect your domain to Striive, you use a TXT record and an A record. You don’t touch the records that run your email. So don’t cancel the old hosting until you know where your email will live.
Frequently asked questions
The domain is the address, such as yourbusiness.dk, and costs DKK 110–260 a year for a .dk domain. The hosting is the space where the website lives. You can buy them from two different providers.
With most providers today, but check that the certificate renews automatically. On Striive, HTTPS is always included and sorts itself out. More under secure website.
Yes. Striive can build a new website from your current address with site import. Text, images and contact details come across, but not blog posts, a web shop or logins. See also WordPress alternative.
The hosting alone can be cheapest, but with licences, updates and your time WordPress often costs more. Over three years a small website costs DKK 5,500–7,500 on Striive against DKK 26,000–77,000 with a freelancer and WordPress, excluding VAT.
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