Hosted Solution, Self-Hosted website, and the Best Option

There are two standard ways you can create, manage, and host your website online.

1) Hosted Solution

This means that you are using an online service to both design/create your website, and host it online.  It is an all-in-one deal with a website builder and web hosting.  You can’t have one without the other.

Examples for simple website builders include Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, GoDaddy, for e-commerce website builders, Volusion, BigCommerce, Shopify, and for social networking website builders, Wild Apricot, Ning, and SocialGo.  

Off the bat you might feel like there is too much commitment required here, with little wiggle room or flexibility.  There is real-world experience and plenty of discussion around the limitations of hosted platforms:

• Webflow Outages Again? What Reddit Reveals About the Real Risk of Hosted Platforms 
• The Hidden Risk of SaaS Website Builders: Lessons from the Recent Wix Outage
• “Just Run a Proxy”: The Hidden Cost of Hosted Website Builders (Webflow, Wix, and More)
• Wix’s Price Hike: Is it Time to Consider a Downloadable Solution?

For a broader look at the differences between hosted platforms and self-hosted solutions, read:

• Why So Many Businesses Are Switching from Hosted Platforms to Self-Hosted Builders
• What is the difference between hosted website builders and website builder software?

To summarize, you stop paying your web hosting and you lose your website and have to start from scratch all over.  You are stuck with their web hosting plans and prices, which may be changed as they wish. Webflow offers a slight exception to this, and lets you export your static website parts – i.e. no contact form, or other dynamic features.

2) Self-Hosted Website 

You purchase the website builder (or scripts) and the web hosting separately, and install/run your website files on your server.  You can switch web hosting companies when you want, but you have to take care of any software/script installs, upgrading, etc.  Not so bad considering you are not stuck with one web hosting company and have the option of switching, and can keep your website files.

…And now,

3) The BEST Option…includes the advantages of the hosted solution and self-hosted website.

Wouldn’t it be great to have the kind of full service you get with the hosted web solutions, coupled with the flexibility of a self-hosted website and the ability to download and keep your website software and files?  

You can have that with UltimateWB, with the optional web hosting packages. If you host with UltimateWB, we take care of the software installation and provide free upgrading services. But you are not locked into our hosting – you can move your website to another server or hosting company whenever you want. You can also start out hosting on your own server from the beginning, install the software yourself, or purchase installation and upgrading services.

Ready to design & build your own website? Learn more about UltimateWB! We also offer web design packages if you would like your website designed and built for you.

Got a techy/website question? Whether it’s about UltimateWB or another website builder, web hosting, or other aspects of websites, just send in your question in the “Ask David!” form. We will email you when the answer is posted on the UltimateWB “Ask David!” section.