For most Australian small businesses, the answer is shared WordPress hosting with Australian servers, costing $10–$25 per month. But your situation might be different. Walk through these five questions to find out exactly what you need — and what you can skip.
Question 1: Do You Have a Website Yet?
If no: you need two things — a domain name (your address, like yourbusiness.com.au) and hosting (the space where your website lives). Many providers sell both together, which is convenient but not required. You can buy your domain from one company and host with another.
For a brand new site, start with a simple shared hosting plan. You can always upgrade later. Don’t let anyone sell you a VPS or dedicated server before you’ve even built your first page.
If yes: you already have hosting somewhere, even if you don’t know who it is. Your website builder (Squarespace, Wix) includes hosting in the subscription. If someone built your site on WordPress, they set up hosting with a provider. Check your bank statements or email for a recurring hosting charge — that’s your current host.
If you’re here because you’re unhappy with your current hosting, check our guide on red flags that your host is ripping you off before you switch.
Question 2: What Platform Does Your Site Use (or Will Use)?
WordPress — the most common choice, powering 43% of Australian websites. You want hosting that’s optimised for WordPress, with one-click installation, automatic updates, and good PHP performance. Most shared hosting plans support WordPress well.
WooCommerce (WordPress + online store) — you need more resources than a basic site. A standard shared plan might work when you’re starting, but once you’re processing regular orders, you’ll want managed WordPress hosting or at least a higher-tier shared plan with more CPU and memory.
Squarespace, Wix, or Shopify — these platforms include hosting in their subscription. You don’t need separate hosting. If you’re on one of these, the only reason to think about hosting is if you’re planning to move to WordPress.
Custom-built site — if a developer built your site using a framework, they’ll know what hosting you need. This guide is aimed at non-technical business owners, so if that’s you, talk to your developer.
Question 3: Do You Sell Products Online?
If no: a basic shared hosting plan is fine for a brochure site (the kind that shows your services, location, and contact details). This is what most tradies, cafes, accountants, and service businesses need. As of April 2026, expect to pay $8–$15 per month for a decent shared plan with Australian servers.
If yes: your hosting needs to be faster and more reliable, because every second of load time costs you sales. You also need:
- SSL certificate (the padlock in the browser) — this should be free with any reputable host
- Daily backups — non-negotiable for a site that processes orders
- Enough storage and bandwidth — a basic plan might limit you to 10 GB of storage, which fills fast with product images
For an online store, budget $15–$35 per month for hosting that won’t let you down during a busy period. See our real cost breakdown for what these plans actually cost after the intro pricing expires.
Question 4: How Much Traffic Do You Get?
Under 10,000 visitors per month — shared hosting is fine. This covers the vast majority of Australian small business websites. A local plumber, a suburban physio practice, a boutique retailer — shared hosting handles this comfortably.
10,000–50,000 visitors per month — you’re outgrowing shared hosting. At this level, your site might slow down because you’re sharing server resources with hundreds of other websites. Consider a VPS (Virtual Private Server) or managed WordPress hosting, which gives you dedicated resources. Expect $30–$80 per month.
Over 50,000 visitors per month — you need a VPS, cloud hosting, or a dedicated server. At this traffic level, you should probably have a developer or sysadmin involved in the decision. This isn’t a typical small business scenario.
Don’t know your traffic? If you haven’t set up analytics yet, you’re almost certainly under 10,000. Start with shared hosting.
Question 5: Do You Need Australian Servers?
For most Australian businesses, yes. A server in Sydney or Melbourne delivers your pages to Australian visitors in under 50 milliseconds. A server in the US takes 200–300 milliseconds. That difference adds up — it affects your Google ranking, your page load time, and your customers’ experience.
Australian servers also matter for data sovereignty. If you collect customer data (contact forms, orders, email addresses), storing it on Australian soil means it’s protected by the Australian Privacy Act. Data stored on US servers may be subject to the US CLOUD Act, which allows US law enforcement to access it regardless of where the customer is located.
The exception: if your audience is global (not primarily Australian), you might prefer a host with servers in multiple regions, or use a CDN (Content Delivery Network) to serve your site from the nearest location to each visitor.
Your Recommendation Summary
| Your situation | What you need | Budget (monthly) |
|---|---|---|
| Simple business site, no online sales | Shared hosting, Australian servers | $8–$15 |
| WordPress site with moderate content | Shared or managed WordPress hosting | $10–$20 |
| Online store (WooCommerce) | Managed WordPress or high-tier shared | $15–$35 |
| Growing site, 10k+ visitors | VPS or managed hosting | $30–$80 |
| Squarespace / Wix / Shopify | Already included — no separate hosting needed | $0 extra |
All prices are in AUD as of April 2026. These are what you should expect to pay on an ongoing basis — not the intro price that doubles after year one. For the full picture on what hosting really costs, read our cost breakdown.
What to Do Next
- Figure out which category you’re in from the table above
- Read our hosting explained guide if any of the terms above were unfamiliar
- Check our provider directory for independent reviews of Australian hosts
- Check whether your current host is actually Australian-owned — many aren’t, and it matters. Our ownership guide maps who owns who in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I start cheap and upgrade later?
Yes, and you should. Start with shared hosting. If your site outgrows it, most providers make it straightforward to upgrade to a VPS or managed plan. Upgrading is much easier than migrating to a different provider entirely, so pick a host that offers a range of plans from the start.
Do I need a dedicated server?
Almost certainly not. Dedicated servers cost $150–$500+ per month and are designed for high-traffic sites, complex applications, or businesses with strict compliance requirements. If you’re a small business reading this guide, shared or managed hosting is the right starting point.
Is free hosting worth it?
No, not for a business. Free hosting typically means ads on your site, no custom domain, limited storage, no support, and no guarantee of uptime. Your website represents your business — it’s worth spending $10–$15 per month to have it hosted properly.
Should I use the same company for my domain and hosting?
It’s convenient but not necessary. Keeping them separate gives you more flexibility — if you want to switch hosts, you don’t have to worry about your domain being tied to your hosting account. If you do bundle them, make sure you can transfer your domain out if you ever need to.
What’s the difference between hosting and a website builder?
A website builder (like Squarespace or Wix) includes both the tool to build your site and the hosting to run it — it’s an all-in-one package. With separate hosting (like a WordPress host), you get the server space but you build the site yourself or hire someone. Separate hosting gives you more control and flexibility, but a website builder is simpler if you want to do everything yourself.