Partnering with a competent ecommerce hosting provider has numerous benefits for your business. Your online store will be available whenever your customers want to purchase, you’ll be able to process customer transactions securely, and a good host will help you manage your store with little technical experience.
In our eyes, Bluehost is the best ecommerce hosting provider for most users thanks to the strong mix of ecommerce features included in its affordable plans.
Whether you’re starting an online store from scratch or migrating an existing store, Bluehost has everything you need to succeed. Its WooCommerce hosting plans include store-focused features like free SSL, daily backups, professional email, and WooCommerce tools designed to help you launch and grow faster.
Bluehost also gives you access to a wide range of ecommerce plugins and extensions to expand your store’s capabilities. This host provides the right combination of reliability, ease of use, and customization for all levels of ecommerce experience. Plus, you get all of this at a price point that’s still beginner-friendly.
We think Bluehost ticks the main boxes for most people, but some of the options on our list may work better for your particular needs. Let’s dive into all of our top picks.
The 7 Best Ecommerce Hosting Providers to Consider
- Bluehost – Best ecommerce hosting for most
- Atlantic.Net – Best for PCI-compliant ecommerce hosting
- HostGator – Best budget ecommerce hosting with simple scaling
- Liquid Web – Best for managed WooCommerce hosting
- Hosting.com – Best high-performance ecommerce hosting
- SiteGround – Best for your first ecommerce store
- DreamHost – Best for hosting on a budget
Ecommerce Hosting Provider Reviews
#1 – Bluehost – Best Ecommerce Hosting for Most
Bluehost is one of the most recognizable brands in web hosting, maintaining a strong reputation over nearly three decades. Its WooCommerce hosting is a great fit for most new and existing ecommerce stores, as it’s flexible enough to accommodate everyone from experienced WordPress site creators to users who have never worked on WordPress before.
One-click WordPress setup means building an online store couldn’t be easier even if you’re not familiar with the platform. Beginners also don’t have to worry about navigating an incomprehensible backend.
Bluehost has everything you need to launch your online store already configured. You get WooCommerce auto-setup, store-focused performance tuning, payment support, and a bundle of ecommerce tools built into your WooCommerce hosting plan.
Similarly, expert designers can harness the full power of the robust backend to create a one-of-a-kind online store. From adjusting product image sizes to optimizing page visuals, Bluehost provides the control and customization that expert designers crave. There are also numerous extensions to help optimize your online store.
Bluehost’s reliability is ideal for an online store that needs as close to 100% uptime as possible. In practice, Bluehost consistently delivers around 99.9% uptime, which is good enough for most small and midsize stores.
Bluehost includes a free self-service WordPress migration tool and a free domain for one year with eligible hosting plans. Paid expert migrations are also available. Plus, you can rely on Bluehost’s customer support if any issues come up with your site, as support is available 24/7 by chat and phone.
Bluehost currently offers two main WooCommerce plans. The entry ecommerce plan, eCommerce Essentials, starts at a low promotional rate and comes with everything you need to launch your online store, including WooCommerce setup, free SSL, daily backups, professional email, and ecommerce enhancements.
The higher-tier ecommerce plan, eCommerce Premium, adds more advanced store features for scaling, marketing, and improving the customer experience. It’s a better fit for merchants who want more flexibility as their store grows.
So whether you’re building from scratch or expanding your store, Bluehost is an ideal hosting partner for your online business.
#2 Atlantic.Net — Best for PCI-Compliant Ecommerce Hosting
If you’re running an online store that processes credit cards directly, Atlantic.Net’s PCI-compliant hosting is built to take most of the compliance headaches off your plate. Instead of piecing together firewalls, VPNs, backups, and monitoring from different vendors, you get a single hardened environment designed around PCI requirements.
Atlantic.Net runs its PCI solutions on SOC 2 Type II and SOC 3 Type II-audited infrastructure with more than 30 years in hosting. You can deploy your ecommerce stack on cloud servers, VPS, dedicated servers, or a hybrid setup and still keep everything inside the same audit-ready, fully monitored environment.
For ecommerce brands that can’t afford a breach—or the fines and chargebacks that come with one—the big selling point is the managed security layer. Atlantic.Net’s team provides 24/7/365 security, support, and monitoring, so you’re not scrambling to become a security expert just to keep selling online.
Standout PCI features for ecommerce hosting include:
- Managed firewall: A fully managed firewall stack tailored to your store’s traffic, with fine-grained control over inbound and outbound connections.
- Encrypted backups and storage: Fully encrypted backups plus disk encryption by default on cloud hosts and VMs, so sensitive data is protected at rest.
- Encrypted VPN access: User and point-to-point encrypted VPNs for secure admin access to your ecommerce environment—no more logging in over open networks.
- Intrusion detection and edge protection: Managed intrusion detection, plus WAF, CDN, and DDoS protection through Atlantic.Net’s edge protection stack.
- Onsite/offsite backup and replication: Redundant backups and replication options to help keep your store online even if something goes wrong in one environment.
- Audit-ready support: PCI-focused hosting with the controls and guidance you need to move through audits and security reviews faster.
- 100% uptime SLA on critical infrastructure: Atlantic.Net backs critical infrastructure components with a 100% uptime SLA, excluding scheduled maintenance.
This isn’t the cheapest way to host a simple store—but if you’re processing serious transaction volume or working in a regulated industry, Atlantic.Net can be a cost-effective alternative to hiring in-house security staff and managing PCI on your own.
#3 – HostGator – Best Budget Ecommerce Hosting With Simple Scaling
Speed and performance are crucial for any ecommerce website. HostGator used to promote cloud hosting for this, but those cloud plans are no longer sold to new customers. Even so, HostGator’s current shared hosting and ecommerce-friendly options still give small stores a fast, secure, and affordable starting point, with the option to upgrade to VPS or dedicated hosting later.
The best part about using HostGator to host your ecommerce shop is that you’re getting an affordable service that’s easy to launch, with a straightforward path to more powerful hosting as your traffic grows.
For a few dollars per month on promo pricing, you’ll benefit from a plan that’s quick to launch and easy to upgrade when you need more power.
HostGator’s current hosting lineup includes a free domain for the first year on eligible terms, a free SSL certificate, CDN support, and 24/7 customer support.
Other perks include:
- Beginner-friendly dashboard and account management tools
- One-click installs for WordPress and other ecommerce-friendly platforms
- Security tools like SSL and malware protection options
- Easy upgrades to VPS or dedicated hosting to handle growth
- Support for ecommerce hosting through HostGator’s broader hosting lineup
HostGator also delivers a 99.9% uptime guarantee and offers a free domain for your first year when you sign up for an eligible plan.
Here’s a quick overview of what you can expect now:
- Hatchling (shared): an affordable entry-level plan for one website
- Baby: adds support for multiple websites and more flexibility
- Business: adds extras for growing sites and stores
The plans all come with the same core essentials, and you can move up tiers mostly for more resources and a few ecommerce-friendly extras. Sign up now to get started.
#4 – Liquid Web – Best for Managed WooCommerce Hosting
WooCommerce is an exceptional ecommerce platform, but not everyone wants to bother with server administration and other technical aspects of managing an online store. Managed WooCommerce hosting allows you to outsource the technical aspects to a dedicated expert, and Liquid Web is the best provider for those looking for managed WooCommerce hosting.
You don’t have to worry about the limitations of hosting your online store on a shared server. Liquid Web and its Nexcess platform focus on managed environments tuned specifically for WooCommerce. All managed WooCommerce plans include free migrations, autoscaling, plugin updates, daily backups, security monitoring, and WooCommerce-specific performance tuning.
This host provider recognizes that caching for WooCommerce is different from WordPress alone. So your environment comes pre-configured to handle traffic surges and optimize resources and performance for the demands unique to WooCommerce.
Liquid Web also takes care of the backend maintenance so you can focus on driving sales. You get automatic daily backups, performance monitoring, malware monitoring, and a solid lineup of built-in store tools. You also get access to WooCommerce experts if something goes wrong with your store.
Other noteworthy Liquid Web features on managed WooCommerce hosting include:
- Abandoned cart tools
- Image optimization
- Free migration support
- Automatic plugin updates with visual comparison
- Staging and autoscaling
Liquid Web’s Nexcess WooCommerce plans are more streamlined now than they used to be. Entry plans start at a low promotional rate, while standard pricing is higher and scales based on the number of stores, storage, bandwidth, and resources you need. Larger plans are available for brands that need significantly more capacity and higher order volume.
Liquid Web is still pricier than the average shared host, but the extra cost is worth it since you don’t have to worry about store maintenance headaches and you get powerful WooCommerce-specific features right out of the box.
Learn more about how Liquid Web can boost your online store today.
#5 – Hosting.com – Best High-Performance Ecommerce Hosting
If your main focus is a high-performance ecommerce store, you can hardly do better than Hosting.com (the current brand for what used to be A2 Hosting). The provider continues to emphasize speed, performance-focused hosting, and a 99.9% uptime commitment.
Newbies get access to beginner-friendly site-building and WordPress hosting options, while experienced users can choose from shared, VPS, managed VPS, or dedicated solutions. Hosting.com also offers one-click installs for numerous integrations, including WordPress, WooCommerce, Magento, and other popular platforms.
The web host offers free account migration in many cases if you already have a web store up and running. You also get a free SSL certificate with hosting plans and access to 24/7/365 support.
Hosting.com’s ecommerce-friendly lineup spans low-cost shared hosting, faster VPS hosting, managed VPS options, and dedicated servers for stores with heavier workloads. That makes it easy to match your hosting environment to the size and complexity of your online business.
Hosting.com continues to offer high-performing hosting at a solid price. Harness the power of VPS or dedicated hosting for your online store by signing up for Hosting.com.
#6 – SiteGround – Best for Your First Ecommerce Store
Bluehost’s WooCommerce hosting is an approachable package for new and experienced online merchants, but SiteGround is the platform ideally suited for new ecommerce stores or the less tech-savvy. Its platform is beginner-friendly and supported by a responsive, knowledgeable customer support team.
This is the perfect middle ground for getting the benefits of managed WooCommerce hosting in an easy-to-use hosting environment.
SiteGround plans come with everything you need to set up your store quickly. Use SiteGround’s WordPress tools to install WooCommerce, add a theme, and get essential plugins in place, or lean on the support team if you need help getting everything configured.
The cheapest plan is still a solid starting point. You get unmetered traffic, free SSL, daily backups, email hosting, managed WordPress, and support for WooCommerce and other ecommerce-friendly platforms.
You can get started on SiteGround with one of three pricing plans:
- StartUp: Starts at $2.99 per month for one website, 10 GB storage, and around 10,000 monthly visits.
- GrowBig: Starts at $4.99 per month and adds more resources, staging, and on-demand backups.
- GoGeek: Starts at $7.99 per month and adds more server resources, priority support, and advanced developer features.
This is one of the easiest ways to secure solid web hosting and build your online storefront with equal ease. Overall, you can’t go wrong with even the cheapest SiteGround plan.
#7 – DreamHost – Best for Hosting on a Budget
Most web admins wouldn’t consider shared hosting for an ecommerce site. However, small stores can save a ton of money by opting for shared web hosting over a more complicated or powerful ecommerce plan.
DreamHost is the ideal choice here, because you can get affordable hosting with WordPress support built in, getting you most of the way to a working web store if you don’t already have one.
DreamHost’s shared hosting includes unlimited free SSL certificates, daily automated backups, unmetered bandwidth, and WordPress-friendly tools. Free professional migration is included with some higher-tier plans, while migration availability varies by plan.
If you don’t have a working WordPress store already, there’s good news. It just takes a little extra work, but all you have to do is install a WordPress plugin for ecommerce and you can have an online store on DreamHost’s hosting. These plugins can range from powerful platforms like WooCommerce and BigCommerce to more focused solutions like Ecwid or Easy Digital Downloads.
So, with a little bit more elbow grease, you can build a solid WordPress-based store on DreamHost’s hosting and only have to pay for the hosting itself.
DreamHost’s entry-level hosting starts at a low promotional price, with higher tiers adding more websites, storage, traffic capacity, and bundled extras. It’s an appealing setup for budget-conscious sellers who still want room to grow.
DreamHost is also known for its uptime guarantee and offers support through live chat and other online channels if you need help with your website.
Get started affordably with DreamHost today.
Methodology for Choosing the Best Ecommerce Hosting Providers
There are specific criteria you can use to separate the merely good ecommerce hosting providers from the best ones. Here’s what we looked at when compiling our list of the top choices.
Performance
Most people prioritize performance when comparing ecommerce hosting providers. It’s a reasonable demand. You want a web host to keep up with your site infrastructure, traffic, and orders. You also want a scalable service that grows with your online store.
Site loading speed is a critical metric of your host’s performance. You’ll start losing customers if your pages take too long to load. Many web hosts offer add-ons to improve page loading speeds, but you still want a host that prioritizes strong performance right off the bat.
It can be tough to know how CPU processing power and memory on a server equates to load times for your site. If you have web hosting now, or had it in the past, that isn’t cutting it, compare those resources to the packages you’re considering. Make sure you’re getting enough of an upgrade for the price.
If you don’t want to leave performance issues to chance, try going straight for a cloud, VPS, or dedicated option. However, shared hosting is an affordable entry point for individuals and startups, and some providers like DreamHost offer solid shared hosting packages that can keep up with the demands of smaller ecommerce stores.
Bandwidth and File Storage
Many new online vendors are surprised to receive hefty overage fees. This is because ecommerce websites use up a lot of bandwidth and file storage, which can mean you may exceed monthly limits depending on your provider. Some providers put a limit on the number of monthly visits instead of your overall allotted bandwidth.
Therefore, check that your potential ecommerce host of choice offers enough bandwidth and file storage for your web store’s media, customer base, and popularity. Some providers offer unmetered bandwidth, which can be an excellent option for scaling your business with fewer limitations.
Must-Have Ecommerce Features
There are basic ecommerce features you shouldn’t overlook when shopping for hosting. At the very least, your hosting provider should offer:
- SSL encryption
- Free custom domain or easy domain management
- Payment gateway support
- Shopping cart compatibility
Many good hosting providers also offer professional setup and migration services, as well as a free year of a custom domain on eligible plans. Still, be careful to read the fine print. For example, not every provider includes the same freebies across every plan, and promotional pricing often changes.
Security features also fall under this umbrella. SSL encryption is just one component of the strong security you need for an online store.
Online stores are prime and lucrative targets for hackers. So, ensure that your hosting provider offers top-notch security. Beyond SSL, look for these features from a potential web host:
- Firewalls
- DDoS protection
- Malware scanning or antivirus tools
- Spam protection
- Daily backups
Also, look for a web host that meets your compliance requirements. For example, choose a host that supports PCI-ready environments if your business processes credit card payments directly.
Responsive Customer Support
Despite what your web host promises, problems will occasionally come up. Furthermore, every second of downtime may mean lost revenue. If this is frequent, you can also expect to lose some degree of your SEO rankings and reputation.
You need an ecommerce hosting provider who can be relied on in times of crisis. So, a responsive and available customer support team is a critical consideration. This factor is especially important for managed hosting. Ideally, your web host should provide 24/7 customer service. However, the team should also be reachable through convenient support channels like live chat, phone, or ticketing.
The Top Best Ecommerce Hosting Providers in Summary
There are many terrific ecommerce hosting providers capable of satisfying your needs and budget. Partnering with a good web host will help support strong site performance, secure transactions, and smoother day-to-day store management. We think Bluehost ticks the main boxes for most people, but some of the options on our list may work better for your particular needs.
- Bluehost – Best ecommerce hosting for most
- Atlantic.Net – Best for PCI-compliant ecommerce hosting
- HostGator – Best budget ecommerce hosting with simple scaling
- Liquid Web – Best for managed WooCommerce hosting
- Hosting.com – Best high-performance ecommerce hosting
- SiteGround – Best for your first ecommerce store
- DreamHost – Best for hosting on a budget
