Three Things to Look For in a PHP Web Host

Virtually all complex web applications today are built with PHP. When searching for a PHP host to support your next site, you can simplify the task ahead of you by organizing your priorities and focusing on the most important features. While virtually every hosting company now offers PHP services, this doesn’t mean that they are all equally suited for PHP applications. The ideal PHP host will offer security, speed and support at a cost-effective price point.

Choosing a PHP Web Host Based on Security

Security is one of the primary things you should look at for any type of host, especially if you will be collecting client information or creating an ecommerce site. A single data breach could cost your company significant amounts of money and permanently damage your reputation. When using PHP, you will be more vulnerable to certain forms of attack. A properly secured PHP host will help protect you against these risks.

Question each Web hosting company about their security measures. A secure web hosting provider should have updated firewalls, antivirus, intrusion detection systems and denial of service protection applications. If a hosting provider cannot offer a detailed explanation about their security measures, it’s likely they aren’t as secure as they could be.

Choosing a PHP Web Host Based on Speed

As a server-side language, PHP can be quite processor intensive. When choosing a host for a PHP website you should find one that can offer you the system resources you need. There are tools that prospective customers can use to test out the speed of individual web hosts or to find out who is hosting specific websites.

You also need to keep your hosting plan in mind. Shared hosting will usually be slower than a virtual private server or dedicated server, and it’s not always possible to predict how fast your website will run on a shared hosting plan because of the shared resources inherent to the system.

Choosing a PHP Web Host Based on Support

Reliable support is incredibly important for those that want to create a PHP site. There may be times when you need to troubleshoot something that has gone wrong, simply need processing, need bandwidth caps removed or need limits increased. The ability to quickly reach customer service may be the difference in your website being down for a few minutes or a few hours.
Test out customer service before your purchase by contacting them and observing their response times. At the same time, note whether they address your questions directly or whether you need to contact them multiple times to get simple answers.
When deciding on your PHP hosting plan, it’s important to remember that cheaper doesn’t always mean better. There are multitudes of cheap PHP hosts available that will ultimately fail to offer your website the services and resources that it requires to function. Choosing a cheap PHP host may seem easy initially, but eventually it will likely hold you and your company back from growth. There are hundreds if not thousands of PHP hosts available, but having clear requirements from the beginning will help you compare each host on its own merits and simplify your decision-making process.