When it comes to website hosting in Kenya, there is a lot to be desired.
Most of all, a lot of unanswered questions, and if there are answers, all are scattered throughout the internet.
For this reason, we decided to put together this guide for you to answer all of your questions about hosting a website.
If you don’t find answers to your questions, feel free to leave a comment and we will get back to your ASAP.
With that said, let’s get right to it, shall we?
What is web hosting in Kenya?
This is one of the most common questions we get online; what is web hosting?
Well, when you start a website, you need two things, right? A domain and hosting account.
A domain is what people will use to access your site.
On the other hand, a hosting account is where your site’s files are store. Without this account, you don’t have a website (even if you have a domain).
So, when you buy a hosting package, a hosting provider creates space on a web server for your website.
This is the space you will store files such as images, articles, code, or videos.
Think about it this way;
If the domain is the address to your house, the hosting account is that ‘house.’
Make sense?
With that said, web hosting in Kenya is a service that allows you to put your site online.
How much is web hosting in Kenya?
The cost of web hosting in Kenya ranges from Ksh 1,500 to Ksh 10,00.
However, there are a couple of factors that determine how much you will pay to host a website in Kenya.
First, the choice of hosting provider.
Every company has packaged its hosting services and allocate prices accordingly.
For example;
While the cheapest hosting package on Truehost is going for Ksh 1499, Kenya Web Experts charge Ksh 2100 for their cheapest plan.
The two packages have the same storage space of 30GB each.
Another factor that determines the cost of hosting a website in Kenya is the type of site.
Let me explain;
Not all websites are the same.
Some require a lot of resources to run well, while others require little.
For example;
If you are creating a business website, you will need a lot of resources (better RAM, enough bandwidth, and a lot of storage space).
At the same time, a personal blog only requires fewer resources.
For this reason, hosting a business website in Kenya will cost more than a personal blog.
How much should you pay for web hosting?
Only pay for what you need.
As mentioned, not all websites are the same in terms of the resources they consume.
If you are running an online store, for example, you will need a hosting package with better resources.
Why?
Because your site will be attracting a lot of visitors, you will need adequate bandwidth.
Also, the storage space should be enough to accommodate all of your files (product images, articles, and other media).
With that in mind, your costs can be between Ksh 9499 and Ksh 14,499 per year.
But if you get a VPS hosting plan (highly recommended), expect to pay as low as Ksh 699 per month.
On the flip side, a personal blog doesn’t require that many resources, as such, you can get away with as little as Ksh 1,499 per year.
Which hosting package do you recommend?
To answer this question adequately, here is a breakdown;
Hosting a company/school website
A company website is vital to the online presence of the business.
At the same time, it attracts a lot of visitors who are checking out the company’s products and services.
Additionally, the company is more likely to be having other websites besides the main one.
For this reason, such a site needs a hosting plan that comes with enough resources such as unlimited bandwidth, unlimited storage, supports unlimited addon domains, and unlimited email accounts for every employee.
Based on these requirements, here are three recommendations;
- Get Platnum hosting plan – costs Ksh 9499 per year and comes with 90GB storage, unlimited domains, and emails, but only support up to 200K visitors per month.
- Unlimited hosting – as its name suggests, everything about it is infinite and you only pay Ksh 14,499 per year.
- VPS Hosting – the two previous packages are cloud shared based, but if you need a dedicated hosting account, get a VPS server. Starts from Ksh 699 per month.
Hosting a startup website/marketing/agency website
A startup website is yet to grow, but will.
As such it advisable to start small and upgrade as needed.
- Start using Gold hosting – costs Ksh 3499 per year and comes with 50GB storage and unlimited bandwidth.
- Look at Platnum hosting plan for Ksh 9499 per year. Gives you up to 90 GB of storage, and unlimited everything else.
Hosting a blog
We’ve already covered hosting a blog in Kenya.
You can start with Silver hosting for Ksh 1499 per year.
And as your blog grows, upgrade your plan to access more resources.
What should I consider when choosing a hosting package?
First, consider your pockets. Your budget will determine the hosting package you will get.
Why?
To understand this, let us look at another factor; resources.
You should look at what you need to start and run your website smoothly and get a hosting plan that gives you access to those things.
This is where your budget comes into play.
Ideally, the more resourceful a package is, the more it costs, and vice versa is true.
What are the best hosting sites?
Here is an article we wrote on the best hosting providers in Kenya.
Where can I host a website for free?
Here are two ways to get free website hosting in Kenya;
- Get a Bronze hosting package. It free for the first month, and after that, you can start paying Ksh 399 per year.
- Go to OLITT.com and create a free website. Comes with free hosting, here is a guide.
How can I create a free website in Kenya?
To create a free website in Kenya, go to OLITT.com.
Here is a guide on how to do that.
How do I offer a website hosting service?
To start offering website hosting services in Kenya, you can start your own company.
But there is a problem;
It requires a lot of capital to start and run a company.
Solution?
Get a website reseller package.
Here is a how to do that.
Wrapping up
Again, if your question hasn’t been answered here, leave a comment below.
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