Best Web Hosting with WebSocket Support
WebSocket support lets you build real-time apps — live chat, notifications, dashboards. These providers support persistent WebSocket connections on shared and managed hosting.
WebSocket is a protocol that keeps a persistent connection open between the browser and the server — unlike HTTP which opens and closes a connection per request. This enables real-time features: live chat, push notifications, collaborative tools, and live dashboards. Most shared hosts using Apache block WebSocket connections. Hosts running Nginx or LiteSpeed (or managed cloud platforms) can proxy WebSocket connections properly.
Kinsta
Kinsta is a premium managed WordPress host built exclusively on Google Cloud Platform's C2 compute-optimised machines. Every site runs in an isolated container with guaranteed resources, PHP 8.x, Nginx, MariaDB, and Redis. The Kinsta CDN (powered by Fastly) serves 260+ PoPs globally. Built-in staging, daily backups with 14-day retention, and expert 24/7 support make Kinsta the benchmark for managed WordPress performance — reflected in consistently top benchmark scores. Starting at $35/month.
Cloudways
Cloudways is a managed cloud hosting platform that lets you deploy on DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud, Vultr, or Linode infrastructure through a single, simplified dashboard. You get root SSH access, staging environments, Redis/Varnish caching, automated backups, and a team-focused workflow — with the cloud provider's reliability and Cloudways' management layer on top. Ideal for Laravel, WooCommerce, and Drupal deployments where developers want managed convenience without the lock-in of traditional managed hosts. Starts at $11/month.
Contabo
Contabo offers the highest raw specs-per-dollar in the VPS market. Their Cloud VPS 10 at ~$5/month (€4.50) includes 4 vCPU cores, 8GB RAM, and 75GB NVMe storage — specs that cost $18–$24 at DigitalOcean or Vultr. The trade-off: Contabo runs a high-density operation and performance can be inconsistent under load. Support is slower than premium providers. Best for non-critical workloads, development environments, and budget-conscious developers who need raw specs over guaranteed consistent performance.
Nexcess
Nexcess (now part of Liquid Web) is a managed hosting specialist for WordPress, WooCommerce, and Magento. Their platform includes Visual Regression Testing (so updates don't break your store's layout), Plugin Performance Monitor, auto-scaling, a built-in CDN, and iThemes Security Pro on every plan. Every plan also includes instant automated backups and unlimited email. Pricing starts around $19/month for the Spark plan after the introductory period — positioned above budget hosts but well below Kinsta.
Hetzner
Hetzner Cloud offers the most competitive price-to-performance ratio in the European VPS market. Their CX22 plan (€3.79/mo, ~$4.15) gives you 2 vCPU, 4GB RAM, 40GB SSD, and 20TB of included traffic — specs that cost 3–4× more at US cloud providers. Locations in Germany, Finland, Singapore, and the USA. Hetzner is the #1 choice for cost-conscious developers and Laravel/Node.js deployments in Europe. Note: prices increased ~30% in April 2026 but remain the best value in the market.
OVHcloud
OVHcloud is a major European cloud provider operating 34 data centers across 4 continents. Their VPS 2026 line starts at $6.46/month with 4 vCores, 8GB RAM, and 75GB SSD — excellent specs at the price point. All plans include unlimited traffic, a daily snapshot backup, and anti-DDoS protection. Good choice for European audience targeting with data residency in France, Germany, or the UK.
DigitalOcean
DigitalOcean is the developer's choice for cloud infrastructure. Their Droplet VPS plans are known for simplicity, predictable hourly billing, and excellent documentation — making them the most popular starting point for deploying Laravel, Node.js, Docker, and any custom stack. The $6/month Basic Droplet includes 1GB RAM, 1 vCPU, 25GB SSD, and 1TB transfer. No contracts, no minimums. 70,000+ developers actively use DigitalOcean, supported by extensive tutorials and a thriving community.
Vultr
Vultr offers cloud compute VPS in 32 global locations with hourly billing and straightforward pricing. Their Regular Performance plans start at $5/month (1GB RAM, 25GB SSD), while the High Frequency line uses NVMe SSDs for 3× faster I/O — ideal for database-heavy applications like Laravel. Vultr is popular with developers for its clean API, Kubernetes support, and competitive bandwidth pricing. No hidden fees, no contracts.
Linode (Akamai)
Linode — now part of Akamai Cloud — has offered reliable VPS hosting since 2003. Nanode plans start at just $5/month (1 vCPU, 1GB RAM, 25GB SSD) with 1TB transfer included. All plans benefit from Akamai's DDoS infrastructure, 9 US data center locations, and 24/7 phone support — unusual at this price point. Known for stability and straightforward pricing with no hidden costs. Pricing has been stable with no increases in 2026.
Liquid Web
Liquid Web is the premium choice for dedicated servers, managed VPS, and high-performance managed WordPress. Their "Most Loved" brand reputation is built on proactive server monitoring (they fix issues before you notice them), a 100% uptime SLA on hardware and network, and support from actual Linux engineers — not tier-1 ticket handlers. Dedicated servers start at ~$205/month. Not for small budgets, but for businesses that cannot afford downtime.
| Provider | Score | Price/mo | Storage | Free SSL | Free Domain | Daily Backup | Money Back | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
#1
K
Kinsta
|
8.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | $30.00 /mo | 10 GB SSD | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | 30d | Visit site → |
|
C
Cloudways
|
9.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ½ | $11.00 /mo | 50 GB SSD | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | 3d | Visit site → |
|
C
Contabo
|
9.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ½ | $4.95 /mo | 75 GB NVMe | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | 14d | Visit site → |
|
N
Nexcess
|
9.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ½ | $13.30 /mo | 40 GB SSD | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | 30d | Visit site → |
|
H
Hetzner
|
9.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ½ | $4.15 /mo | 40 GB SSD | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | — | Visit site → |
|
O
OVHcloud
|
9.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ½ | $6.46 /mo | 75 GB SSD | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | — | Visit site → |
|
D
DigitalOcean
|
8.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | $6.00 /mo | 25 GB SSD | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | — | Visit site → |
|
V
Vultr
|
8.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | $5.00 /mo | 25 GB SSD | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | — | Visit site → |
|
L
Linode (Akamai)
|
8.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | $5.00 /mo | 25 GB SSD | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | — | Visit site → |
|
L
Liquid Web
|
8.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | $100.00 /mo | 60 GB SSD | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | 30d | Visit site → |
* Prices shown are promotional rates. Terms apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Apache (the traditional shared hosting server) does not natively proxy WebSocket connections without extra modules. Hosts using Nginx or LiteSpeed handle WebSocket upgrades natively. This is why Nginx-based providers like Kinsta, Cloudways, and SiteGround support WebSockets while most Apache-based shared hosts do not.
No. WebSocket is a protocol — your backend can be PHP (Ratchet library), Python (Django Channels), Node.js (Socket.io), or any other language. What you need is a server that allows persistent connections and doesn't terminate them on timeout.
Yes, on the hosts listed here. The PHP Ratchet library implements a WebSocket server in PHP. For anything beyond ~1,000 concurrent users, you will want a VPS or managed platform where you control process limits.
Long polling simulates real-time by repeatedly sending HTTP requests. WebSocket opens one persistent connection and pushes data bidirectionally — far more efficient. At scale, long polling can overwhelm a server with HTTP overhead that WebSocket eliminates.