Prepare Now: The Best Free Web Hosting for Nonprofits in 2021
If you are running (or still planning) to run a nonprofit organization or charity, you might be wondering if you can get a free web hosting. True, nonprofits need to have web and mobile presence to help them spread the word, distribute newsletters, and organize fundraisers or special events. Nonetheless, you sure do not want to spend a big chunk of the donated funds to run a website.
So we scrabble around the internet to look for a web hosting for nonprofits that you can get for free. Plus, I will share with you their pros and cons, features, pricing, and personal take on each web hosting.
Related: What Are the Different Types of Web Hosting Packages?
Zero-Cost Web Hosting for Nonprofit
In our previous post, we went through cheap web hosting providers on the internet. We have included popular web hosting companies with insanely cheap WordPress hosting to get your website up and running without hurting the pocket. You might want to consider them, too. Make sure to check out my post!
If you want to spend the collected money to a greater cause instead of managing a website, then we've got you covered. Check out our list of web hosting companies that are unbelievably free!
DreamHost
|
PROS |
CONS |
|---|---|
|
Zero-cost domain name included |
Email accounts cost extra |
|
Unlimited bandwidth |
Limited subdomains |
|
Unlimited traffic |
Limited FTP users |
|
WP Website Builder |
Limited MySQL databases |
|
100% uptime rate |
|
Pricing
DreamHost offers budget-friendly hosting plans. In fact, you can use a WordPress hosting or shared hosting plan for as low as $2.59 per month. A website for charities tends to grow, and if you choose a paid hosting service from DreamHost, it can cost you as much as $71.95 per month, which, if you do the math, the yearly cost could feed several people in need.
The good news is that DreamHost for nonprofits is absolutely free, so long as the nonprofit is a verified 501(c)(3) organization. However, the DreamHost for non-profit offers applies to their shared hosting within one account only.
They offer a huge 35% discount on their DreamPress plans, including managed WordPress hosting. Other plans, such as VPS and Dedicated hostings are not covered under this non-profit offer.
Features
When web hosts offer a product or service at a very low price, you often cannot avoid raising an eyebrow. That's because you know that behind the economical price, they will miss something big and essential--features!
When you get the free shared hosting for nonprofits from DreamHost, you will get one free domain for your website, five subdomains under your single domain name, 50 GB of site storage, and six FTP/SFTP/Shell users and MySQL databases.
You will also get a free SSL certificate, unlimited traffic, zero-cost automated WordPress migrations, and more.
Support
You can always use some help from DreamHost's web geniuses. If you ever find yourself struggling or facing a problem, you can rely on their customer support. You can reach their customer service via email or chat.
InterServer.net
|
PROS |
CONS |
|---|---|
|
99.9% uptime rate |
Domain name is not without charge |
|
24/7 customer service |
Servers are located in the United States only |
|
Unlimited email |
|
|
Intershield Protection |
|
|
Unlimited storage |
|
Pricing
InterServer.net's hosting plans start at $5 for one month (promotional price), which increases to $6 upon renewal. For nonprofits, however, they can establish their online presence without spending a single penny. All verified 501(c)(3) organizations can take advantage of InterServer's free hosting for nonprofits. Hat's off to this excellent web host company!
Features
InterServer.net basically offers a free website for nonprofits. When you choose InterServer.net as your hosting provider, you will get a fully customizable website to spread your message beautifully and effectively. And one more thing, it offers unlimited email accounts, webspace, and bandwidth.
Take note, however, that registering a new domain name is not free of charge.
Support
An excellent hosting company must offer not only outstanding features but also topnotch customer support. Even though you get a zero-cost plan from InterServer.net, that doesn't mean you can't get quality support from their team. Their customer service is available 24/7 to give you a hand
MightWeb
|
PROS |
CONS |
|---|---|
|
SSD storage |
Does not offer domain name without charge |
|
Unlimited bandwidth |
Small storage |
|
Unlimited FTP accounts |
Limited email accounts |
|
Comes with one-click installer |
No live chat customer service |
|
Zero-cost website migration |
|
Pricing
MightWeb is among the best web hosts that offer affordable hosting solutions. Small and large businesses that are looking for cheap hosting can always rely on MightWeb. Their most affordable shared hosting starts at $3.95/mo and goes up to $9.95/mo.
Nonprofits that are 501(c)(3) verified can take advantage of their sponsorship program. The program aims to help eligible nonprofits by providing them the Starter Web plan for free. To use this offer, simply send them a ticket with the subject line: "Non-Profit Sponsorship" and detail your needs and how their hosting can help your organization. They will also require an official United States IRS letter indicating that your organization is tax-exempt.
Features
First off, I want to emphasize that this web host, MightWeb, uses pure SSD storage, which, if you didn't know, is faster and more reliable than traditional hard disk drives (HDD). Most companies use only HDD storage, so I personally admire MightWeb hosting for offering us something more advanced.
When you use MightWeb for your nonprofit website, you will get all the features from the Web Starter plan:
- 5 GB Pure SSD Storage
- 1 Addon/Parked Domain
- 10 Subdomains
- 5 SQL Databases
- Unlimited Premium Bandwidth
- Unlimited FTP Accounts
- 10 email accounts
Support
When it comes to customer support, MightWeb might be a little bit of a letdown. You can only contact them by filling out a contact form or creating a ticket, which is a bummer, especially since most hosting companies offer 24/7 live chat support. You may also refer to their Knowledgebase page to look for solutions for problems that have been solved by other users.
Kualo
|
PROS |
CONS |
|---|---|
|
99.99% Uptime rate |
Server location is only in the United States and London |
|
Real-time status check available |
Limited email accounts |
|
24/7 phone and chat customer service |
|
|
Zero-cost website builder |
|
|
cPanel compatible |
|
|
Uses 100% renewable energy |
|
|
Robust hosting security |
|
|
No lock-in. |
|
Pricing
Nonprofits who are looking for a free and reliable hosting company should consider Kualo. It offers its Solo package for free for eligible nonprofit organizations, which usually costs $11.49/mo.
Features
This hosting company does not fall short when it comes to features. The Solo package, which they offer to nonprofits with zero-cost, is jampacked with amazing incentives, including:
- 10GB SSD Disk Storage
- 10 email Accounts
- LiteSpeed Cache
- App Installer
- SSL Certificates
- Site Builder
Support
Should you need help regarding some technical issues you don't seem to fix on your own, you can reach them out through live chat or phone call.
A Small Orange
|
PROS |
CONS |
|---|---|
|
99.99% Uptime rate |
Small storage space |
|
Uses SSD storage |
Limited bandwidth |
|
Unlimited email accounts and mailing lists |
|
|
Live chat and phone call available to reach customer service |
|
|
cPanel included |
|
|
WordPress optimized |
|
Pricing
The Tiny Shared and Small Shared packages typically cost $6.51 and $8.80/mo, respectively, but verified organizations can get them without charge. However, both of these hosting plans have limited features (more of this in a bit). If you think your website needs faster performance to handle massive traffic, you might want to consider upgrading to Medium or Large Shared packages (you can get them $5 less than their original price!).
Features
Check out what the Tiny Shared package has in store for you:
- 500 MB of Storage
- 5 GB of Bandwidth
- 1 Website
- 24/7 email + Live Chat
If you only handle a small and simple website, then the Tiny package should be enough. Or, you may opt for the Small package, which offers the following:
- 5 GB of Storage
- 50 GB of Bandwidth
- Zero-cost .com Domain Included
- Unlimited Websites
- 24/7 email + Live Chat
Support
Both hosting packages guarantee reliable and dedicated email and live chat customer assistance, which means you can always reach out to them if you need some help.
Is Free Hosting Safe?
Yes, free hosting is absolutely safe, so long as it offers robust security features. Check the security features of a hosting company before using their services. Look for honest reviews from real users and hosting experts.
Also check out our Web Hosting Cost: Staying within your Budget
Final Takeaway
Having a website can help a nonprofit on multiple levels. When you have a website, you can spread the word globally, resulting in more people responding and giving help. Thanks to amazing web host companies that provide zero-cost hosting, more and more nonprofits can expand their cause and help people in need and improve our environment at an enormous scale.
Do you know any more web hosts that propose hosting without charge? Let us know in the comments below!
