Web hosting servers allow businesses and individuals to post their websites on the internet.
They are platforms by which people can view a site.
Web hosting servers are responsible for the maintenance of their sites and ensuring that their client’s websites are up and running twenty-four hours a day.
You can use any computer as a server, but the process is complex, and most users prefer to use a web hosting server for the sake of simplicity and worry-free management of their site.
When looking for a good web hosting server, you want to get an affordable package that you can be certain is secure and fast.
People visiting your site want the page to load instantly and to be able to access your website at all times.
If you want to be there to support your customers 24/7 then you need a hosting provider that ensures you have access to customer support on their end continuously.
Consider if you would want to expand abroad, is an Australian or New Zealand-based server your best option, or should you go for a more universal server and use the cloud or another storage option? Hosting New Zealand?
We will answer these questions and more as we look at a detailed comparison of web hosting servers that are prominent or highly utilized in New Zealand in 2021.
Top 7 New Zealand Web Hosting Services
Here are our favorite web host services that are available to businesses and individuals in New Zealand.
We will look at their positives and negatives to give you a clear review of each server.
By the end of this article, you will be able to make a fully informed choice from the top seven New Zealand web hosting services.
A2 Hosting – Best Overall Host
We have chosen A2 Hosting as the best overall web host on the list.
They have tried to be free from limitations and offer as much to their customers as possible.
They offer a multitude of services with their hosting plans and unlimited bandwidth, which is a great bonus.
A2 Hosting is the best overall host for your website in New Zealand for the following reasons:
Pros
- Unlimited SSD space
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Fast servers in top e-Commerce leading countries
- Support for Python, Laravel, Php, and Perl
- 1 click installation for WordPress
- Free automated backup
- Free SSH tool
- Gives an alert in the event of downtime
Cons
- Lots of features require the top tier web hosting plans
Customer Support
- Quality – Excellent
- Channels – Phone, live chat, tickets
- Hours – 24/7
Refund Policy
- Money-back guarantee – anytime
- Number of days – anytime
Speed
- Very fast. They say they are 20X faster than other leading web hosts.
Space
- Unlimited
Uptime
- 99.9% uptime
Pricing Plans
- $2.99 – $12.99 per month
Website
Digital Pacific – Best WordPress Hosting NZ
This is an Australian hosting plan that works well for companies and individuals based in New Zealand.
However, it does have some limitations if you want to grow globally.
If you are a local business with a lot of your site on WordPress and similar applications, Digital Pacific might be the perfect web host for your website.
Pros
- High-Performance
- Upgrade anytime
- Carbon neutral, is great if you run an ethical business
- Extensive privacy and security features
- Excellent WordPress services
Cons
- Lack of overseas servers
- Telephone support is slow
- Ideal for use in AUZ and NZ but not elsewhere
Customer Support
- Quality – Good (Based in Australia)
- Channels – Phone, tickets
- Hours – 24/7
Refund Policy
- Money-Back Guarantee Policy – Yes
- Number of days – within 30 days of purchase
Speed
- Good
Space
- 1 GB
Uptime
- 99.9%
Pricing Plans
- $9 – $50 per month
Website
Panthur – Best Fast Hosting
Panthur is a great fast web host.
They are also great for backups and give you a free domain when you sign up to make the setup easier.
They have a lot of interesting options for new clients which are readily available and offer quite a smooth set-up process.
Again, Panthur is only available in New Zealand and Australia, which can make going global a little tricky.
Pros
- Backups from Click Restore
- Free SSL certificate
- Free Domain
- Email accounts and management
- A long-standing company with over eight years of experience
- The knowledgeable and friendly customer service team
- Free site migration
- Available in NZ and AUZ with specific support numbers
Cons
- Entry-level hosting plans are limited
- Great for NZ and AUZ but not other countries
Customer Support
- Quality – Excellent and knowledgeable
- Channels – Phone, tickets
- Hours – 24/7
Refund Policy
- Money-Back Guarantee Policy – Yes
- Number of Days – 30 days
Speed
- Excellent
Space
- 10 GB disk space
Uptime
- 99.9% guaranteed
Pricing Plans
- $6 – $16 per month
Website
- www.panthur.com.au
Green Geeks – Best ECommerce Hosting
Green Geeks have a varied reputation as web hosts, but it is amazing that they are trying so hard to give back to the planet as eco-friendly web hosts.
Green Geeks have come a long way in a short time, so we should watch this space.
Pros
- SSD Web Space
- Multiple Data Centers
- Unmetered Data
- Free SSL certificate
- Free shopping cart
- Nightly data backup
- Eco-friendly – put 300% of the energy they use back into the grid
- Custom security systems
Cons
- Automatic money transfers – can lead to hidden costs
- WordPress and VPS hosting plans are underpowered
- Customer support can be poor
- No servers near New Zealand – but will be soon
Customer Support
- Quality – Varied reports
- Channels – Phone, live chat, email
- Hours – Not 24/7 (Phone is available between 9 am – 12 am EST)
Refund Policy
- Money-Back Guarantee Policy – Yes
- Number of Days – 30 Days
Speed
- Lower than the global average
Space
- Unlimited
Uptime
- 99.9% guaranteed
Pricing Plans
- $2.49 – $8.95 per month
Website
BlueHost – Best Cloud Hosting
BlueHost offers shared and dedicated cloud hosting, which makes it stand out from the rest of the web hosting providers.
After it was one of the top web hosts in the world, it was sold to a different company and has faced its fair share of challenges.
BlueHost is trying to make a comeback so we will wait and see what happens.
BlueHost is useful as they are advertised, as a cloud host, so you know what to expect from them.
They can be a great option for companies that are small but looking to expand in the future, or for big businesses.
Pros
- Offer shared, cloud, WP, VPS, and dedicated hosting
- High disk space
Cons
- Since being sold, quality has gone downhill
- No servers near NZ yet, so customers need to use Cloud Share to improve the speed
Customer Support
- Quality – Good
- Channels – Phone, live chat, tickets
- Hours – 24/7
Refund Policy
- Money-Back Guarantee Policy – Yes
- Number of Days – 30 days
Speed
- OK
Space
- 50 GB
Uptime
- 99.98%
Pricing Plans
- $3.60 starting price
Website
SiteGround – Best Cheap Hosting
SiteGround is a leading web hosting company with over 600 employees, servicing more than 2,800,000 domains worldwide. SiteGround offers premium hosting services at an affordable price and is internationally recognized for its unique approach to hosting. They offer services most hosting companies wouldn’t even consider possible.
With a focus on performance, security, and unmatched customer service, SiteGround’s in-house solutions protect you from hacks and can make your website run over 100x faster. They have fast, experienced, and super-friendly support staff available 24/7.
You will love the top speeds and extra features like free SSL, CDN, backups and restore, automatic software updates, built-in caching, staging tools, collaboration tools, GIT integration, data centers on 4 continents, and more.
We highly recommend SiteGround for its quality hosting service packed with features and special tools.
Pros
- A good number of hosting types
- Offers many performance-enhancing tools
- Lets customers choose their server locations (great for privacy laws)
- Free backup every day
- Collaboration tools
Cons
- Not offered in New Zealand so have to use Cloud Share
- No VPS, dedicated, or Windows servers.
- Low storage
Customer Support
- Quality – Excellent quality customer support
- Channels – Phone, live chat, tickets
- Hours – 24/7
Refund Policy
- Money-Back Guarantee Policy – Yes
- Number of Days – 30 days
Speed
- Great speed in testing (651 ms)
Space
- Low storage space
Uptime
- Good uptime in testing (99.9%)
Pricing Plans
- $6.99 – $14.99 per month
Website
Cloudways – Best Dedicated Hosting
Cloudways can be an expensive web hosting provider.
However, it is a dedicated server that contains a variety of hosting options to suit any company or individual.
They have a lot of great options to choose from.
If you want a tailored web hosting service and you are not worried about price then Cloudways might be the one for you.
Pros
- Easily scalable
- High-performance hosting service
- Free SSL and migration
- Team management
- Real-time Monitoring
- Automated Backups
- Great hosting packages that go up to a high standard
Cons
- Not for beginners
- Complicated to set up
- Can get very expensive
Customer Support
- Quality – Excellent
- Channels – Phone, live chat, tickets
- Hours – 24/7
Refund Policy
- Money-Back Guarantee Policy – No. They offer a free three-day trial
- Number of Days – Zero
Speed
- Excellent
Space
- Varied
Uptime
- 99.9%
Pricing Plans
- Free trial
- $12 – $96 per month
Website
You might be interested to check those related posts as well:
- 16 Best WordPress Web Hosting Providers [2023]
- 12 Best Web Hosting Providers in Norway in 2024 [Hosting Norway]
- 10 Best Web Hosting Providers in South Africa in 2024
FAQ
Is SiteGround available in NZ?
No, SiteGround recently stopped offering its services in New Zealand.
However, you can use Cloud Share to improve speed.
As it gives more space for the attributes that really matter.
Which web hosting is best for beginners in 2022?
Bluehost makes a great option for beginners in 2022.
They offer a structured onboarding process and plenty of FAQs.
They have a helpful team to help you to learn the ropes of web hosting.
What is the most reliable web hosting in NZ?
A2 Hosting is the most reliable web hosting in New Zealand.
They are affordable and have great support.
They also send notifications in the event of downtime and say that they are twenty percent faster than other hosts.
What is the best web hosting for small businesses in NZ?
This is probably going to be Green Geeks.
They have a slightly infamous reputation but it is great that you can advertise that the website for your small business is hosted by an eco-friendly web host.
Do you need a host with data centers in New Zealand?
No, you don’t, you can use a tool such as Cloud Share to amp up your speed.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the web hosting market in New Zealand is difficult.
Most of the good hosts do not have servers in New Zealand or Australia.
The ones that do are often less trusted hosting sites.
However, there are some out there that are valued for money, and do the job that you need from them at a high standard.
Just watch out for hidden fees and utilize help teams.
