The Best Web Hosting in the UK for Under £50 in 2025: Your Step-by-Step Guide
Setting up your first website, launching a passion project, or starting a small business online is an exciting step. But for many, the world of web hosting can seem like a technical and expensive maze. The good news? You don’t need a massive budget to get a professional, reliable, and fast website online.
In this definitive guide for 2025, we’ll cut through the noise and show you the best web hosting options in the UK for under £50 per year. We’ll break down the types of hosting, compare the top providers, and give you a simple step-by-step plan to get your site live.
Understanding Your Web Hosting Options (Under £50)
Before we dive into providers, it’s crucial to understand what kind of hosting you can get within this budget. For under £50 per year, you are firmly in the territory of shared hosting.
- What is Shared Hosting? Imagine an apartment building. Your website gets its own apartment (hosting account) within a large building (the server). You share the building’s core infrastructure (like power and water) with other tenants. This is a cost-effective way to get started, perfect for blogs, small business sites, and portfolios.
- What to Expect: You’ll get everything you need: a domain name (often free for the first year), SSL certificate (for security), email accounts, and a user-friendly control panel (like cPanel).
For this price, you are typically looking at introductory offers for the first term (e.g., 12-36 months). Always check the renewal price, which will be higher, but your initial outlay will be well under £50.
Top 5 Best UK Web Hosting Providers Under £50/Year
After extensive research and testing for 2025, these five providers offer the best combination of price, performance, and features for UK-based websites.
1. ScalaHosting
Best for Performance & Value
A relative newcomer making huge waves, ScalaHosting combines innovative technology with outstanding value. Their data centre in London ensures superb loading speeds for your UK audience.
- Price: From £2.75/mo (on a 36-month plan). That’s just £33 for the first year!
- Key Features:
- Free Domain & SSL Certificate
- Free Website Migration
- Proprietary SPanel (a modern cPanel alternative)
- SShield Security – 24/7 real-time cyber protection
- Unlimited Email Accounts on most plans
- Why Choose Scala? If you want cutting-edge performance, top-tier security, and excellent UK speeds without the “big brand” price tag, Scala is a phenomenal choice.
- Visit ScalaHosting (Affiliate Link)
2. IONOS by 1&1
Best for the Absolute Lowest Price
IONOS is a hosting giant known for its incredibly aggressive introductory pricing. It’s a no-frills, get-started-fast option that is perfect for a single website on a tight budget.
- Price: Often as low as £1.00/mo for the first 6 months, then £6.00/mo. The first year can easily be under £20.
- Key Features:
- Free Domain for the first year
- Free SSL Certificate
- 24/7 Expert Support via phone and chat
- A straightforward and easy-to-use custom control panel
- Why Choose IONOS? Your primary concern is the absolute lowest possible entry cost. Be sure to check the renewal rates after the initial term.
- Visit IONOS (Affiliate Link)
3. Hostinger
Best for User-Friendliness
Hostinger has mastered the art of creating an intuitive and beginner-friendly hosting experience. Their custom hPanel is clean, modern, and easy to navigate, making it ideal for first-time website owners.
- Price: From £1.99/mo (on a 48-month plan). Around £24 for the first year.
- Key Features:
- Free Domain for the first year on annual plans
- Free SSL Certificate
- User-friendly hPanel
- WordPress Optimised (LiteSpeed servers, WP starter kit)
- 99.9% Uptime Guarantee
- Why Choose Hostinger? If you’re a complete beginner and want the smoothest, least technical onboarding process, Hostinger is a top contender.
- Visit Hostinger (Affiliate Link)
4. Namecheap
Best for Transparency & Support
As the name suggests, Namecheap started as a domain registrar and has built a reputation for honest pricing and excellent customer support. Their “EasyWP” WordPress hosting is also a great option.
- Price: From £1.58/mo for the first year (on a 12-month plan), then £3.96/mo. First year: ~£19.
- Key Features:
- Free Domain + Free SSL (for life of the hosting plan!)
- Free Supersonic CDN for faster global speeds
- cPanel included
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Renowned 24/7 live chat support
- Why Choose Namecheap? You value a provider known for transparent pricing and not hiding fees. The free domain and SSL for life is a standout feature.
- Visit Namecheap (Affiliate Link)
5. GoDaddy
Best for Brand Recognition & All-in-One Solutions
GoDaddy is the most well-known name on the list. They are a one-stop shop for domains, hosting, and website builders. Their massive advertising means everyone has heard of them.
- Price: Frequently offers plans for £1.00/mo for the first year. First year: £12.
- Key Features:
- Free Domain with annual plans
- 1-Click WordPress installs
- 24/7 security monitoring and DDoS protection
- Integrated Website Builder (often an upsell)
- Why Choose GoDaddy? You want the comfort of a globally recognised brand. Be aware that their checkout process is filled with upsells, and renewal prices are high.
- Visit GoDaddy (Affiliate Link)
Comparison Table: UK Hosting Under £50/Year (First Term)
| Feature | ScalaHosting | IONOS | Hostinger | Namecheap | GoDaddy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price (mo) | £2.75 | £1.00 | £1.99 | £1.58 | £1.00 |
| First Year Cost | ~£33 | ~£20 | ~£24 | ~£19 | ~£12 |
| Free Domain | Yes | Yes | Yes (on annual+) | Yes (for life) | Yes |
| Free SSL | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (for life) | Yes |
| Control Panel | SPanel | Custom | hPanel | cPanel | cPanel |
| UK Data Centre | Yes (London) | Yes | Yes (London) | No (US & EU) | Yes |
| Email Accounts | Unlimited | 1 on base plan | 1 on base plan | Unlimited | 1 on base plan |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Best For | Performance & Value | Lowest Price | Ease of Use | Transparency | Brand Name |
Your Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Hosted in 2025
Follow these simple steps to choose and set up your hosting.
Step 1: Define Your Needs
Ask yourself: What is my website for? (Blog, business, portfolio). How much traffic do I expect? Do I need email? Answering these will help you pick the right plan.
Step 2: Choose Your Provider
Based on the table and reviews above, select the host that best fits your needs and budget. For the best all-rounder in the UK, we recommend ScalaHosting for its blend of performance, features, and price.
Step 3: Select a Plan and Domain Name
Click on your chosen provider’s link and navigate to their shared hosting plans. Select the entry-level plan. You will then be prompted to register a new domain name (e.g., yourbusiness.co.uk). Choose something memorable and relevant.
Step 4: Create Your Account and Checkout
Fill in your personal and payment details. Pay close attention to the length of the contract. A 12, 24, or 36-month term will lock in the low introductory price. Review your cart to ensure you haven’t added any unnecessary extras, then complete the purchase.
Step 5: Install WordPress (or another platform)
Once your account is set up, log into your hosting control panel (cPanel, hPanel, etc.). Look for the “WordPress” or “Softaculous” installer. Click it, follow the simple on-screen instructions (it takes less than 5 minutes), and your WordPress site will be installed.
Step 6: Build Your Website!
You’re now ready to log into your new WordPress site (yoursite.com/wp-admin), choose a theme, and start adding content. Your hosting provider’s support team and vast online tutorials are there to help you every step of the way.
Final Verdict
Getting quality web hosting in the UK for under £50 per year is not only possible but easy in 2025. While all the providers listed are excellent choices for beginners, our top pick is ScalaHosting for its unbeatable combination of modern technology, robust security features, and a high-performance London data centre, all at a price that is incredibly difficult to beat.
Ready to launch your website? Click here to check out ScalaHosting’s latest deals and get started for under £50!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is web hosting under £50/year actually any good?
Absolutely. For the first term (usually 12-36 months), you can get excellent shared hosting from reputable providers. This tier of hosting is specifically designed for new websites, small businesses, and blogs. It includes all the essential features like a free domain, SSL certificate, and enough resources to handle thousands of visitors a month. The key is to choose a well-reviewed provider (like those in our list) rather than an unknown, ultra-cheap company.
2. What happens after the first year? Will my price go up?
Yes, this is a critical point to understand. The prices advertised under £50 are almost always introductory offers. After your initial term ends, the plan will renew at the standard, regular rate, which is typically 2-3 times higher. For example, a plan costing £2.75/month for the first term might renew at £8.99/month. You should view the low initial cost as a generous discount to get you started. Always check the renewal price on the provider’s website before buying.
3. Why is a UK data centre important for my website?
A UK data centre is important for speed and SEO (Search Engine Optimization). If your target audience is primarily in the UK, hosting your website’s files on a server in London instead of, say, the United States, means the data has a much shorter physical distance to travel. This results in faster loading times for your visitors. Google also uses site speed as a ranking factor, and a faster site can lead to better search engine rankings for UK-based searches.
4. The plans say “unlimited” bandwidth and storage. Is it really unlimited?
In practice, “unlimited” is a marketing term, but it’s generally safe for the vast majority of users. Hosting providers have Fair Usage Policies, meaning the resources are unlimited as long as you are using them for standard website operations and not abusing the server (e.g., hosting a massive video library or running a file-sharing site). For a typical website with blogs, images, and product pages, you will never come close to hitting a limit. It effectively means you don’t have to worry about traffic spikes.
5. I’m a complete beginner. Which provider is the easiest to set up?
For absolute beginners, Hostinger is often the easiest due to its incredibly user-friendly custom control panel (hPanel). The interface is clean, modern, and designed to be intuitive, making tasks like installing WordPress or setting up email very straightforward. GoDaddy also prioritises a simple user experience, though its interface can feel cluttered with upsells. All providers on our list offer one-click WordPress installs, which automates the most technically complex part of the setup.