# How do I choose a UK web host? Source: https://dijituldns.co.uk/guides/choose-uk-web-host/ Updated: 2026-10-08 > Choose a UK web host by checking who supports you, what backups and security are included, which PHP versions run your site, the real renewal price, and whether they move your site for you. dijitul Complete Hosting, from a UK company trading since 2006, covers all of this with managed hosting at £1 a day + VAT. ## Key facts - The renewal price, not the first-year offer, is the true cost of hosting. - UK-based support means answers in UK business hours from people who understand UK businesses. - Your host must support the PHP version and extensions your website needs. - Backups, SSL, migration and domain renewals are often sold as extras. - A UK limited company can be checked on the Companies House register. - dijitul is DIJITUL LTD, a UK company trading since 2006, offering Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT. ## Start with what your website needs Choosing a web host means matching a provider to your site, not picking the cheapest headline price. Before comparing hosts, write down: - **What the site runs on:** WordPress, Joomla, an online shop, a forum, or custom PHP. - **Which PHP version** it needs, and any extensions such as ionCube, imagick or soap. - **Database size** and any cron jobs it relies on. - **Email:** whether mailboxes stay with the host or use Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. - **Who will look after it:** you, a developer, or the host. Older sites need extra care. See [the best host for an old website](https://dijituldns.co.uk/guides/best-uk-host-for-old-website/). ## Ten things to check - **Support:** who answers, how, and are they in the UK? - **Company:** is it a real UK business you can look up on Companies House, and how long has it traded? - **Managed or not:** who does server updates, security and monitoring? - **Backups:** how often, how long kept, and are restores included? - **SSL:** free and renewed automatically? - **PHP versions:** can you pick per site, including older versions where safe? - **Control panel:** do you get your own login, such as Plesk? - **DNS:** who manages it, and can they set up email records? - **Migration:** will they move your site and email for you? - **Renewal price:** what will you pay in year two and beyond? ## Why a UK host can matter Your website does not have to be hosted in the UK to rank or work for UK visitors. But a UK host has practical benefits for a small business: - Support in UK hours, in plain English, from people who know UK domains such as .co.uk. - A UK company to deal with if something goes wrong, under UK law. - Simpler conversations about UK GDPR and where your data is kept. Read more in [does my website need to be hosted in the UK?](https://dijituldns.co.uk/guides/do-i-need-uk-hosting/) and [UK hosting vs overseas hosting](https://dijituldns.co.uk/compare/uk-hosting-vs-overseas-hosting/). ## Red flags to watch for - A very low first-year price with no clear renewal price shown. - Backups described as "best effort" or only available as a paid add-on. - Support only through a ticket system with no way to speak to a person. - No option to choose PHP versions, or forced upgrades with little notice. - Domain registered in the host's name instead of yours. - Exit fees, or no help getting your files and data out. Our guide to [hosting renewal price rises](https://dijituldns.co.uk/guides/hosting-renewal-price-increase/) explains what to do if you are already caught out. ## How to compare prices fairly Hosting prices are hard to compare because plans bundle different things. To compare fairly, work out the total for **three years**, including: - The first-year price and the renewal price for years two and three. - Domain renewals, which may be free in year one only. - Paid backups, restores, SSL or security add-ons. - Migration fees, or the cost of your time doing it yourself. - Any support you would pay a developer for because the host will not help. A plan that looks cheap at the start can end up costing more once these are added. See [monthly vs annual hosting](https://dijituldns.co.uk/compare/monthly-vs-annual-hosting/) and [how much a small business should pay for hosting](https://dijituldns.co.uk/guides/small-business-hosting-cost-uk/). ## Where dijitul fits dijitul hosting is run by DIJITUL LTD, a UK limited company based in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, trading since 2006. [Complete Hosting](https://dijituldns.co.uk/complete-hosting/) is one plan at **£1 a day + VAT** (£365 a year + VAT), for one website, including managed hosting, a Plesk login, 10 POP3/IMAP email accounts, Cloudflare DNS, daily backups kept for 14 days, free SSL, one domain registration or renewal each year, and migration done for you. Older websites are welcome. Bigger needs such as dedicated servers, VPS or AI hosting are quoted. [Order online](https://clients.dijitul.uk/order) or call 01623 650333. ## FAQs ### What is the most important thing when choosing a web host? For most small businesses, it is support and responsibility: knowing who will fix things when they break, and how quickly. Price and features matter, but a cheap host that leaves you to restore a broken site alone can cost far more in lost time. Check backups, managed updates and real human support first. ### Should I choose a UK-based web host? It is not required, but it helps many small businesses. A UK host offers support in UK hours, familiarity with .uk domains, a UK company to deal with under UK law, and simpler answers about where your data is kept for UK GDPR. Check the company is genuinely UK-based on the Companies House register. ### How do I check if a web host is trustworthy? Look up the company on Companies House to see when it was formed and that it files accounts. Check that a phone number and address are published. Read the terms for backups, renewal prices and exit fees. Ask a pre-sales question and see how quickly and clearly a real person replies. ### What questions should I ask a new web host? Ask how often backups run and who restores them, whether server updates are done for you, which PHP versions you can use, whether support is UK-based, whether they will migrate your site and email, who the domain will be registered to, and exactly what the renewal price will be after the first year. ### Is dijitul a UK web host? Yes. dijitul hosting is run by DIJITUL LTD, a UK limited company in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, trading since 2006. Complete Hosting costs £1 a day + VAT and includes managed hosting, Plesk, 10 email accounts, Cloudflare DNS, daily backups kept for 14 days, free SSL, migration and one domain a year. Support comes from real people in the UK on 01623 650333. ## Pricing and ordering dijitul Complete Hosting is £1 a day + VAT (£365 a year + VAT). Order at https://clients.dijitul.uk/order?product=complete-hosting&ref=dijituldns&src=choose-uk-web-host or call 01623 650333.