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When you think about operating a green business, eco-friendly websites probably aren’t the first thing that comes to mind. You may consider having your office go paperless or implementing a recycling program, even outfitting your space with some plants.

But eco-web hosting is the face of the future — and it’s also a very simple way to reduce your company’s carbon footprint. 

Did you know that the internet uses up to 6% of all electricity worldwide? And that number is only growing as the internet becomes an even larger and more powerful international resource. In fact, according to Green Geeks, “Data Center pollution is expected to grow to 14% of the world’s carbon emissions by 2040.”

But you can do your part to ensure your business, or at least your website is eco-friendly. While there are many ways to make your website more sustainable, one of the easiest (especially if you’re starting from scratch) is to use an eco-friendly web host. Below, I’ll share my top recommendations for my favorite green web hosts.

1. Green Geeks*

Although Green Geeks hails from the USA, this eco web hosting company has data centers in spots outside of the country such as Amsterdam and Toronto. 

Green Greeks* puts back three times the amount of power consumed in the form of renewable energy. With customers from over 150 countries, this global brand of green hosting has top-of-the-line speed technology and advanced security. The company also prides itself on being dependable, featuring 24/7/365 support and a 99.9% uptime guarantee. This is an eco-friendly organization that users can really count on.

The hosting platform works with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation to support renewable energy to combat the carbon footprint of your website. And, the company has been recognized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a Green Power Partner since 2009.

Green Geeks Hosting Costs

Basic WordPress web hosting* starts as low as just $2.49 per month, which includes things like a free SSL certificate, free nightly backup, and free domain name for your first year.

2. Eco Web Hosting

This UK-based green web hosting company plants trees to offset the carbon footprint of your website. Depending on your needs, there are various green hosting packages available. Some, like the basic web hosting plan, plant up to four trees a month, while the managed WordPress option plants up to 10 trees per month.

As of data from January 2021, they’ve planted over 30,000 trees around the world, which is equivalent to nearly 6km squared of sea ice saved, or over 2,400 tonnes of rubbish recycled!

Eco Web Hosting makes it a point to note that sustainable hosting doesn’t mean slow hosting. Using technology such as Enterprise-grade NVMe disks, NGINX Edge caching and a global CDN, Eco Web Hosting’s green hosting offers impressively fast page-loading speeds that beat out much of the competition.

Eco Web Hosting Costs

The most basic plan starts at £3.49 per month, and includes things like 50GB+ of bandwidth and a global CDN. Expect to pay more for premium plans. You can try Eco Web Hosting for 45 days with a full refund if you’re left unsatisfied. 

3. HostPapa 

For those located in countries part of the European Union, HostPapa has locations all over the EU, though the green hosting company got its start in Canada. All of the energy used to power the services, data centers, and offices at HostPapa is 100% green renewable energy.

The website also offers banners users can add to their own websites hosted by HostPapa stating things like, “This website is powered by 100% renewable energy.” After all, why not spread the word that your website was created with sustainability in mind, and help others consider using eco-friendly web hosts for their websites, too!

HostPapa Green Hosting Costs

Basic packages including email and business apps start at €2.95 per month, and you can try their hosting with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

4. Kualo 

For anyone looking for green hosting in the UK, Kualo is an alternative to the aforementioned Eco Web Hosting. Kualo goes as far as to state that the internet is a “menace to the environment” and a “filthy carbon-emitting monster.” But it doesn’t have to be this way, especially if you use Kualo to host your site.

Kualo is a climate-positive business, meaning the company offsets their carbon use by planting trees (over 26,000 to date!). They also plant one tree for every order received, as well as additional trees for their employees each month. Their UK data center uses 100% green sourced power as specified by E.ON and as regulated by Ofgem, and their US facility uses 100% renewable energy, as certified by Green-e.

Kualo offers domain registration, eco-friendly web hosting, website setup, and beyond.

Kualo Green Hosting Costs

The most basic plan starts at £2.99 per month and includes things like 10GB of disk storage and a free domain with an annual plan.

5. Web Neutral Project

For websites based in the states, consider Web Neutral Project. This eco-friendly business states that the internet uses up more power than Russia, and wants to help users reduce their carbon footprints with their eco-friendly hosting options.

Web Neutral Project powers their data centers and servers on 100% solar power. And, you can tout your solar-powered, carbon-neutral website with a badge the company provides to let everyone know your website is truly sustainable.

The organization even offers live streams of their solar panels soaking up that light and energy in case you want to see exactly what’s powering your website. This green host also partners with The Green Web Foundation, a not-for-profit organization with a goal to make 80% of the internet green within the next 5 years.

Web Neutral Project can help you build your new site, or help your existing site eliminate up to 21% of its carbon footprint using green web hosting. 

Web Neutal Green Hosting Costs

WNP is a little more expensive than the other options. The most basic plan starts at $9 per month and includes up to 10GB of disk space and free site migration from another host. Options for premium plans are also available.

Which is the best green web hosting for you?

With so many green hosting companies to choose from, how do you pick the right one for your eco-friendly website? 

The best way to select your green host is to consider the following:

  • Your needs. How much disk space do you need to store all your web pages, images, products? How much website traffic do you expect to receive? Find a plan that works best for you and your business.
  • Your location. It’s often easiest to work with a web host located in your country. For EU or US-based websites I recommend Green Greeks* and for UK-based websites I use Eco Web Hosting. If you don’t see your country listed in any of the options above, you can search for the best eco web hosting in your country here.
  • Your budget. Whether you’re just starting out or have an established business, cost is important. Weigh your needs against what’s offered and pick what fits best pricewise with your budget.

Want to go green but need a little help? 

Get in touch and I’ll be happy to assist you in helping you create a sustainable website, including sourcing you an eco-friendly web host, domain, email account, SSL certificates, and anything else you may need. 

* An affiliate link to a company I personally use and recommend. I’ll receive a small commission if you sign up with them but it won’t effect the price you pay.