Matt Ashby here – Co-founder and Tech Director at Ashby (I handle the nitty-gritty that most people would rather ignore).
The other day, someone asked me:
“Do we really have to pay for hosting?”
A fair question, but it carried a faint whiff of suspicion, as if we’d sneakily slipped it into the proposal, hoping nobody would notice. Like hosting is an optional bolt-on, akin to tinted windows or cupholders.
I’ve been in this game for nearly 30 years, so I launched into the usual explanation… and halfway through realised even some of our own team treat hosting like background noise, which is fine, until someone actually wants to understand it.
So, here it is: hosting, explained properly, in as plain English as I can muster. What it is. Why you need it. And no, we’re not just making it up.
Why hosting matters
Picture this: your site is happily ticking over, and then out of the blue (maybe after the first year) you receive a hosting bill. Maybe it was free before. Maybe it was buried inside another service that’s now been discontinued. Often, nobody explained what you were paying for, or not paying for.
At Ashby, we aim to be crystal clear about what’s included and what it costs. Not every provider is so upfront, so it’s no wonder people ask: “What am I even getting?”
Here’s the blunt truth: yes, you have to pay for hosting. Just like your phone needs a signal, or your car needs fuel. No hosting = no website. It doesn’t just stop being editable; it ceases to exist.
What is hosting, exactly?
Hosting is where your website physically lives. Every image, snippet of text, page and button has to sit on a server somewhere. That server is simply a powerful computer that’s switched on 24/7, connected to the backbone of the internet and built to handle multiple simultaneous visitors.
Think of it like a digital plot of land: hosting is the space you rent to keep your site live and accessible. No space, no site. Without it, anyone trying to visit your address will see a blank page — or nothing at all.
What you’re really paying for
Here’s what proper hosting should include:
• Reliable infrastructure: a server that isn’t overwhelmed every time someone visits.
• Platform updates: regular updates to the software your site runs on.
• Security measures: defences against hackers and malware.
• Daily backups: so your data can be restored if the worst happens.
• Human support: someone to talk to when things break.
If you’re not getting those things, you’re effectively paying for shelf-space, not support.
Hosting often lives under “techy stuff” and is ignored, right up until the moment something crashes, breaks or gets hacked. Then it’s front and centre — critical, non-negotiable.
If you’re unsure what your hosting fee actually covers, ask your provider. Or ask us. We’ll give you a no-waffle, plain-English breakdown of what you should be getting and what you risk if you skimp.
Because a broken site is one thing. A broken business pipeline? That’s something else entirely.
