Cloud Hosting for Businesses in Austin through Bluehost and iPage.

If you happen to be a small business owner in the Austin, Texas area, then looking for the right hosting platform to take your business online is easy. There are two, distinct options to pick from that fit the needs of any small business owner in Austin. First, there is Bluehost, which include cloud storage as part of their plans. Another worthy option is iPage, which includes search engine optimization (SEO) options built right into their affordable service. These two hosting services are similar in some ways, but their differences are what make them stand out from the crowd of hosting services as a whole. Here is a closer look at both Bluehost and iPage in detail.

Bluehost

Bluehost provides a cloud storage solution and web hosting at a fraction of the cost from other platforms. One of the greatest benefits to working with Bluehost is they work in connection with websites built using WordPress. For small businesses, WordPress allows a lot of branding options that might not be available on other web-based service and product sales. It relies on templates and plug-ins that business owners can use without having to hire someone else to perform IT and web design tasks.

Bluehost also works with WordPress’s online sales component, WooCommerce. This option is available only on WordPress sites, and it allows businesses to process orders and to take credit card or debit card payments online. You might be surprised to find out that WooCommerce is simple to install and set up. It can be up and running on a WordPress website hosted by Bluehost in a matter of minutes. Payments are taken on a secure, SSL server that operates under a dedicated IP address. This arrangement is already setup through Bluehost’s services.

There are some minor differences between each of the plans, but there are a few differences other than cost. The Starter Plan costs $6.95 per month, and it has 100 GB of website space. The bandwidth is unmetered, and it can handle up to five subdomains and one main domain option. There is also 100 MB of storage for each of the five included email accounts.

The Plus Plan costs $8.95 per month, and it has an unlimited number of subdomains, unmetered website space, and an unlimited number of email accounts that also have unlimited storage. It also comes with some marketing offers, and it has connections to a spam expert. The Pro Plan, on the other hand, costs $12.95 a month. It includes all of the same things as the Plus Plan, but it comes with two spam experts and a site backup tool.

iPage

The other reliable option for small businesses in the Austin, Texas area happens to be iPage. It also works with WordPress, but it does not include all of the perks with WooCommerce that Bluehost provides. It does come with free SEO tools and marketing credits. At the same time, the WordPress option provides access to thousands of pre-made themes that can be accessed and changed as needed. More plug-ins like WooCommerce is available, but iPage does not provide the kind of support for it as Bluehost does.

There are two plans to pick from when using a WordPress website through iPage. The WP Starter package costs $3.75 each month, and it literally can help you start out online with your business. It provides a core hosting plan, which offers a complete set of features that are designed to help your website grow. The control panel that comes with this plan can be easily customized into what your needs desire. It does not include any expert support or enhanced security features, though. Therefore, if you need such support and security, you should consider going with the WP Essential package.

The WP Essential package costs $6.95 each month, and it includes all of the basics that come with the WP Starter package. In addition, it also includes support from a WordPress expert. Access to this kind of knowledge can be crucial if you do not have much knowledge about running an online presence for your business. To be specific, iPage teamed up with SiteLock to deliver the security options through this plan. Such features will protect the website with a firewall and prevent spam from making itself known.

Austin Area Web Design Businesses that Use These Hosts

There are a few businesses in the Austin, Texas area that will program a website by hand for you. At the same time, they will also work with you to operate a website through Bluehost or iPage. One of these businesses includes Austin Code Monkey. They focus on SEO and branding as part of their operations, so they will be able to build a website for you that are unlike any other.

Black Label Servers is another company worth considering around the Austin area. They function only by high performance means. Most of their backup techniques rely on solid state drives, which are a strong means of both backing up and protecting data.

Cold Shower Design provides all types of web development. They have been in operation since 2006, and some of their clients include Texas Highways, The Salt Lick BBQ, and the U.S. Air Force. They are a power to be reckoned with in their field, and they have the powerful tools and know-how to make your business’s website stand out. Not only are they web designers and developers, they also offer functions as business consultants, too.

Conclusion

If you run a business in Austin, Texas, then you certainly want to consider either BlueHost or iPage as your hosting service online. They both work with WordPress and WooCommerce, though Bluehost integrates the two a little bit more seamlessly into their plans. If you are looking for a bargain price and have some know-how about creating websites with WordPress, then iPage might be the better option for your business. If this situation is not the case, then perhaps Bluehost will provide greater insight into your situation. Both hosting services are viable options, and they certainly stand out among the competition.