Top 50 Hosting Brands to Know

Peter Devereaux
by Peter Devereaux 24 Feb, 2015
Top 50 Hosting Brands to Know

Every Internet business has one thing in common - they use some form of hosting for their websites, their applications and sometimes even their customers' sensitive data. The hosting industry is huge with revenues exceeding $11 billion in 2014 alone (IBIS, Sept. 2014) and an average annual growth rate of 10.7 percent from 2009 to 2014.

Whether it's in the cloud or on premise, there is no shortage of vendors offering technology, support and services to help customers deploy and maintain a competitive digital presence. Take a moment to look around, however, and it will quickly become apparent that the myriad available choices make determining the best option for the available resources (money), and the required technology, difficult. This month's Website Magazine Top 50 hopes to change that with an overview of many of the leading hosting providers in business today. If you start anywhere in your quest for the optimal hosting provider, let it be here.

What readers may notice right away is that three somewhat non-traditional companies (at least in relation to the pure-play hosting companies most will be familiar with) top the list. Major technology players Google, Amazon and Microsoft secured the first three positions and for good reason - they've embraced the cloud in a big way (and the developer community initiating the demand) and have quickly become the vendors to beat in the hosting game. Google also took another major step recently to secure its lead with the release of Google Domains, which will likely boost the number of small and mid-size brands on its client roster.

Amazon, Azure and the Google Cloud (and other cloud-focused competitors, including #5 Rackspace and #11 SiteGround) may not be a perfect fit for every digital enterprise though. Fortunately, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of hosting companies - offering both shared and dedicated solutions - that are ready to cater the rest of the Web business population. Domain name registrars (like Google), of course, are in a unique position to upsell their hosting services and GoDaddy (#4), NetworkSolutions (#9) and others including Gandi.net (#26) make a strong showing on this month's Top 50. There are also a variety of other hosting vendors that most Website Magazine readers will be familiar with and that have quickly earned a respectable position in the market.

This Top 50 list (seen below) is, of course, a snapshot in time as the hosting industry moves along as fast as the rest of the 'Net. To keep abreast of all the news that matters in this space, be sure to bookmark (and visit often) our Web Hosting channel at

Comparing Hosted Ecommerce Solutions: See which features make one provider a better option than the other at wsm.co/hostecomm
Peter Devereaux
Peter Devereaux
As the Editor-in-Chief of Website Magazine and President of Website Services, Peter has established himself as a prominent figure in the digital marketing industry. With a wealth of experience and knowledge, Peter has been a driving force in shaping the landscape of digital marketing. His leadership in creating innovative and targeted marketing campaigns has helped numerous businesses achieve their revenue growth goals. Under his direction, Website Magazine has become a trusted source of information and insights for digital marketers worldwide. As President of Website Services, Peter oversees a team of talented professionals who specialize in SEO/SEM, email marketing, social media, and digital advertising. Through his hands-on approach, he ensures that his team delivers exceptional results to their clients. With a passion for digital marketing, Peter is committed to staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends and technologies, making him a sought-after thought leader in the field.