Before we dive into the list of the top ten eco-responsible web hosts, let’s first discuss what a web host is. A web host is a company that provides space on a server for websites, emails, data storage, and other internet services. But why are we concerned about the environmental impact of web hosting?

Traditional web hosting services consume enormous amounts of electricity, which often results in indirect CO2 emissions. This is a grave concern as today, the internet is one of the biggest consumers of electricity globally, responsible for 10 to 15% of the world’s total electricity consumption. Astonishingly, internet pollution is now 1.5 times higher than that caused by air travel!

With this growing demand for electricity, it becomes crucial for every company to reconsider its web hosting services and shift towards a more eco-friendly approach. This is where eco web hosts come in, providing services using renewable energy sources and adopting environmentally friendly practices.

Why Choose Eco-Friendly Web Hosting?

Eco web hosts are providers that operate in a way that reduces their environmental impact, primarily by utilizing renewable energy sources. The increasing popularity of cloud providers, shared hosting, and eco-friendly dedicated servers reflects a global trend towards sustainable practices. This trend is not only for large companies with stringent corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies, but also for smaller entities, thanks to the ever-increasing affordability of these eco-friendly services.

The Top 10 Eco-Friendly Web Hosts

With so many options available, choosing the right eco-friendly web host can be a daunting task. To help you out, we have compiled a list of the top 10 eco-friendly web hosts currently available, based on their eco-responsibility, quality of service, and affordability.

1. Ex2

Ex2, an eco-responsible web host from Canada, leads our list due to its excellent quality/price ratio. Known for their speedy and reliable service, Ex2 hosts more than 20,000 sites on eco-friendly hosting, powered 100% by renewable energy. With their “Green Hosting” plan, they commit to donating three solar lamps to an African family lacking electricity access via the Solar Aid association.

✅ Pros:

  • Quality service
  • Free SSL certificate
  • 24/7 responsive and professional support
  • 30-day money-back guarantee

❗ Cons:

  • No phone support
  • Too many hosting offers can make it confusing to select the right one

2. Infomaniak

Infomaniak, a Swiss web host, stands out due to its privacy policies and eco-friendly actions. Known for their commitment to the environment, they use 100% renewable energies and provide 200% compensation for their CO2 emissions.

✅ Pros:

  • Responsive and quality customer support
  • Free SSL certificate
  • High performance (fast servers)
  • 30-day money-back guarantee

❗ Cons:

  • No free or offered domain name
  • Better suited to larger companies
  • Absence of email address in the basic offer
  • Not the most attractive prices on the market

3. Planet Hoster

This French and Canadian web host serves more than 60,000 customers and 100,000 websites. PlanetHoster offers various solutions, with a main objective of providing performance, security, and efficient technical support.

✅ Pros:

  • Unlimited web hosting with unlimited disk space
  • 14-day money-back guarantee
  • A free hosting offer for small websites (World Lite)

❗ Cons:

  • Only two plans offered
  • Not the most attractive prices