🏆 Chosen by community votes and reviews
HostingVotes Community Awards 2026
Every year the HostingVotes community picks its favourite web hosts. There is no jury and no entry fee: winners are the providers our members rate and vote for most, across every hosting category we list.
Results update as members vote and review, until the HostingVotes team freezes them. How winners are chosen
Best Overall Hosting 2026
32 eligible providers
How winners are chosen
Winners are chosen from approved providers using only community data: verified reviews and member votes. Each provider gets a community score from 0 to 100 that combines a Bayesian star rating (a short review history is pulled toward the site-wide average) with its net vote score on a log scale. Providers must meet the eligibility thresholds listed below, and Community Favorite only goes to a provider with a positive net vote score.
Sponsorships, advertising and featured placements play no part. The HostingVotes team can correct obvious abuse, such as vote manipulation, by excluding a provider from an award, and may name an editor's pick, which is always labelled on the page.
- Community score (0–100) = 60% rating + 40% votes. The rating is a Bayesian average: each provider's reviews are blended with 10 reviews at the site-wide average of 4.98★, so a handful of 5-star reviews cannot beat a long, strong track record. Votes count on a log scale against the most-voted provider.
- Eligibility: Providers need at least 1 approved review. Community Favorite needs no reviews, but at least 1 vote cast and a positive net vote score.
- Category awards run for every category with at least 3 approved providers and rank providers listed in that category by community score.
- Best Value = 70% community score + 30% price, among providers with a listed starting price. Prices of $2/mo or less score full marks, falling to zero at $200/mo.
- Community Favorite goes to the highest net vote score (upvotes minus downvotes). It is left out until at least one provider qualifies.
- Each award shows the winner and up to 3 runners-up. Ties go to the higher Bayesian rating, then more reviews. An "Editor's pick" label marks any winner chosen by the HostingVotes team instead of the formula.
FAQ
How are the HostingVotes Community Awards 2026 winners chosen?
Winners have the highest community score in each award. The score combines a Bayesian average of verified review ratings with the provider's net community vote score. Read the methodology section above for the exact formula.
Can hosting companies pay to win an award?
No. Sponsorships, ads and featured listings are not part of the score, and there is no entry fee. See how we rank for details.
How can I help my favourite host win?
Vote for it and leave an honest review on its HostingVotes page. Every member gets one vote per provider and can change it at any time.
Why is a provider missing from the awards?
Providers need a minimum number of approved reviews to be eligible, Community Favorite needs a positive net community vote score, and category awards only run for categories with enough approved providers. New listings join the race as soon as they meet the thresholds.
