Your hosting provider determines the speed, security and availability of your website. The quality of providers varies greatly – a good WordPress hosting provider will save you a lot of time and money when it comes to setting up and maintaining your site.
I will discuss all technical queries regarding hosting with you. As part of the website development process, I will also take care of the set-up. To help you understand the decisions involved, I will explain here what the different components of hosting are and what is important about each one.
Three components: domain, email and web space
Hosting consists of three components, which are often sold as part of the same package but operate independently of one another. If you understand the differences, you can use the best provider for each component.
1. Domain hosting – your address on the internet
The domain (e.g. example.de) is the address where people can find you. It is registered with a registrar, which also manages it. At the heart of it all is DNS management: this is where it is determined where requests to your domain are directed – the website to one server, emails to another. The annual costs are reasonable and depend on the domain extension (.de, .com, .bayern, etc.).
2. Email hosting – your email accounts
Email hosting provides your mailboxes (e.g. ) is set up. It is often hosted by the same provider as the domain, but may also be hosted by a specialist service. The MX records in the domain’s DNS determine which mail server is responsible.
3. Webspace hosting – your website’s home
Webspace is the server on which your WordPress website’s files and database are stored. This is what determines loading times, stability and security.
With traditional shared hosting, many websites share a server and, in most cases, a shared IP address. If a neighbouring site is running at full capacity, your website’s performance will be affected. If another site on the server is blacklisted due to spam or malware, the shared IP address could also have a negative impact on your website.
Specialised WordPress hosting providers take a different approach. At Raidboxes, every website runs on its own virtual server (vServer) with its own IP address for your domain. CPU power and RAM are permanently allocated to your website, and it is technically separated from other clients’ projects. The result: consistently fast loading times, greater security and a clean, unique address on the web.
This is how we handle web management: your domain and email, web space with Raidboxes
With netzwerk.design Web Management, your domain and email accounts generally remain with your current provider and remain your property. Only the website itself is moved to a specialised WordPress server hosted by Raidboxes. The connection is established via two entries in your domain’s DNS: the A and AAAA records point to the web server, whilst the MX records remain unchanged with your email provider.
This separation offers you tangible benefits:
- Your domain remains your property. It is registered in your name and is held in your customer account – independently of netzwerk.design or any hosting provider.
- No need to move your emails. Your inboxes, addresses and settings on your devices will remain as they are. There will be no disruption to your email service when the website goes live.
- Lower risk. If there’s a problem with the web server, your emails won’t be affected – and vice versa.
- Flexibility. You can change your web hosting package at a later date without affecting your domain or email accounts.
- Each component from a specialist provider. A WordPress hosting provider is optimised for websites, whilst a good email provider ensures deliverability and spam protection.
To carry out the changeover, I simply need access to your domain’s DNS settings – or you can enter the values yourself following my instructions.
What to look for in WordPress web hosting
A good WordPress hosting provider meets the following criteria even in its standard package. Cheap deals are usually out of the question – expert support and reliable servers are important and come at a price.
| Criterion | Here’s what you should look out for |
|---|---|
| Support | Qualified, friendly, available every day via live chat or telephone – with no long waiting times and no replies from bots alone |
| PHP version | PHP 8.3 or later, selectable via the customer backend. WordPress currently recommends 8.3+ |
| Database | MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.6 or later |
| Resources | Guaranteed CPU cores and RAM per website, rather than „unlimited“ promises. Storage entirely on SSD/NVMe |
| SSL/HTTPS | Free certificate (e.g. Let’s Encrypt), automatic setup and renewal |
| Backups | Server-side, daily, automated, can also be triggered manually and restored with a single click – with a retention period of at least 7 days |
| Staging | A test version of the website, so you can test updates safely |
| Security | Firewall (WAF), DDoS protection, malware scans |
| Caching | Server-side caching for fast loading times and good Core Web Vitals |
| Server location | Germany or at least the EU, Data Processing Agreement (DPA) under the GDPR |
| Costs | For a professional business website, you should expect to pay around €20 to €35 a month for web hosting; for WooCommerce shops, the cost will be higher. |
What matters when it comes to domain and email hosting
Different criteria apply to domains and email than to web space. Here, the focus is less on computing power and more on control, reliability and deliverability.
| Criterion | Here’s what you should look out for |
|---|---|
| Ownership | The domain is registered in your name or in the name of your company – not in the name of an agency or a service provider |
| DNS management | All records (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT) can be edited directly in the customer backend |
| Post boxes | Ample storage per mailbox, IMAP access on all devices, webmail |
| Deliverability | Support for SPF, DKIM and DMARC – to ensure your emails don’t end up in the spam folder |
| Spam and virus protection | A server-side filter that takes the work off your hands |
| Data protection | Data centre in Germany or the EU, data processing agreement under the GDPR |
A good domain and email package is available from around €5 to €10 a month. If you’re already with a reputable provider, there’s usually no reason to switch.
Recommendation for web hosting: Raidboxes, Münster
For WordPress websites and web management, I have been relying on Raidboxes for years – a managed hosting provider that specialises exclusively in WordPress. The servers are located in Germany, and the service complies with the GDPR.
- Support: WordPress experts available via live chat, daily from 8 am to 10 pm, including at weekends – replies usually within 10 minutes
- Performance: Guaranteed CPU cores and RAM per website, SSD storage, server-side caching
- Security: Web application firewall, DDoS protection and malware scans included
- Convenience: Automatic backups, staging environment, free SSL certificate, PHP version selectable at the click of a button
- Migration: Free migration of an existing website with no downtime
Conclusion
Make a clear distinction between your address, PO box and website: you retain control of your domain and email, whilst the website is managed by the WordPress specialist. This allows you to benefit from top performance without having to change your communication processes – and you remain independent in every aspect.
I’d be happy to advise you on any queries you may have regarding domains, email and the hosting of your WordPress website. Your point of contact is Claus Pescha.
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