Cheap hosting vs managed hosting
Compare self-service price with ongoing responsibility.
Read guideManaged website & application hosting
Hosting you don't have to think about.
Probeck looks after the technical side of running your website or app, so you have someone to contact when you need help with hosting, updates, backups, certificates, performance or a technical problem.
The right arrangement depends on the website, application and level of support you need.
More than server space
What managed hosting actually means.
Putting files on a server is only one part of keeping a website available and useful.
Hosting environment
A suitable place for the website or app to run, chosen around its requirements.
SSL certificates
Help with the certificate that protects data sent between visitors and the website.
Backups
A defined approach to copies, retention and restore responsibilities.
Monitoring & performance
Checks and investigation appropriate to the agreed service.
Security & updates
Planned software maintenance and a clear owner for technical action.
Domains & DNS
Assistance with records and configuration where that work is included.
Technical support
A known contact when the website, hosting or configuration needs attention.
Troubleshooting
Practical investigation across the website and its hosting environment.
Exact inclusions, service hours, monitoring and response arrangements need confirming for each hosting option.
An honest comparison
Why not just buy cheap hosting?
Low-cost self-service hosting can be perfectly suitable when you are comfortable managing the technical work yourself.
Self-service hosting
A practical choice when you can manage it.
You choose the service, configure it, maintain the website and deal directly with the hosting provider. That can keep costs down for a straightforward site when you have the time and confidence to take responsibility.
Managed hosting
Useful when you want someone responsible.
Probeck can provide a joined-up service around hosting, backups, maintenance, migration and technical support. The value is the ongoing help and accountability around the website, rather than disk space alone.
Choose around the level of support
Hosting options.
Choose a starting level around the website, maintenance needs and support responsibility.
Backups & recovery
A backup is useful when you know how recovery works.
Having a backup does not automatically mean the right files and data are protected, retained for long enough or ready to restore.
Agree what is copied, how often, where copies are held, how long they remain available and who starts a restore. A practical recovery plan also considers the database, uploaded files, configuration and any connected services.
Restore testing and recovery targets depend on the agreed service. They should be stated clearly rather than assumed.
Performance & security
Good hosting supports the website around it.
Performance starts with the whole system.
Server resources matter, but page speed also depends on the website code, images, database, caching and third-party services. Hosting should be chosen with those requirements in view.
Security needs maintenance and monitoring.
Updates, access controls, certificates, backups and sensible configuration reduce risk. No hosting arrangement can promise absolute security or uninterrupted availability, so responsibilities and escalation routes need to be clear.
Different work needs different infrastructure
Website hosting versus app hosting.
A straightforward business website and a bespoke application can need very different environments.
App hosting may involve databases, APIs, scheduled processes, transactional email, file storage, third-party integrations and changing capacity. Those dependencies affect architecture, monitoring, maintenance and price.
Review the application before choosing the hosting. For the wider build, see App Development.
Moving to Probeck
Plan the move before changing where the site points.
An existing website can potentially be migrated after its platform, access and dependencies have been reviewed.
- 01
Review
Check the current website, hosting, domain, email and connected services.
- 02
Confirm
Agree requirements, responsibilities, access and any migration limits.
- 03
Copy & test
Prepare the new environment and test a copy before the live change.
- 04
Switch
Plan the DNS change and any suitable maintenance window.
- 05
Verify & support
Check the live website and begin the agreed ongoing service.
Migration feasibility, timing, downtime risk, email impact and price require review before any move is promised.
Straightforward pricing
What does managed hosting cost?
From
£25/month
Managed website hosting starts at this monthly price and typically runs on a monthly rolling contract.
The price should reflect both the hosting environment and the ongoing work around it.
What can change the price?
- Website platform, traffic, storage and resource requirements.
- Backup, monitoring, maintenance and support arrangements.
- Migration complexity and the condition of the existing site.
- Databases, scheduled tasks, transactional email and integrations for bespoke apps.
- Third-party licences, services or usage charges.
Compare the full responsibility and support offered, including what happens when work falls outside the monthly service.
Explore Probeck pricingCommon hosting questions
What should you confirm?
Can you host my existing website?
Potentially. Probeck needs to review the platform, current hosting, access, licences and technical condition before confirming that it can be moved and supported.
Do I need to move my domain?
Not necessarily. A domain can often remain with its current registrar while its DNS points to different hosting. Confirm who controls the account and who will manage future changes.
What happens to my email?
Email may be separate from website hosting. It must be identified before changing DNS so existing mail records and services are preserved or a separate email migration is planned.
Are backups included?
Check whether backups are included, their frequency and retention, and what restore help is provided before choosing a hosting option.
What happens if my website goes down?
The agreed support route, monitoring, service hours and response arrangements determine what happens next.
Can you host WordPress?
WordPress hosting can potentially be provided with an agreed approach to updates, plugins, backups and support. The website should be reviewed first.
Can you host bespoke apps?
Potentially. Apps need an infrastructure review covering databases, background processes, storage, email, integrations, security and expected use.
Can you migrate my existing site?
Often, subject to review and access. Probeck would confirm the migration scope, test the site and plan the DNS change before the move.
Do I have to host with Probeck?
No. You are not required to host your website with Probeck. If you choose another hosting provider, Probeck cannot accept responsibility for its availability, backups, security, outages or other infrastructure issues outside Probeck’s control.
Who owns my domain and website?
Typically, you own your domain and the completed website once the project has been paid for in full, as set out in your contract. Third-party software, services and licensed assets remain subject to their own terms.
The Knowledge Centre
Understand hosting before you choose it.
What website backups do you actually need?
Plan copies, retention and restoration.
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