10 Best SharePoint Hosting Services for Your Team in 2024

There are challenges unique to SharePoint hosting that can make the process even more complicated than regular hosting. For starters, SharePoint requires a Windows Server to run and has specific storage, memory, and bandwidth requirements that may only be available to some Windows VPS hosting services.

Even when you find the right resource requirements, you’ll also have to consider the other factors involved in successful SharePoint hosting: great loading speeds, reliable uptime, and advanced security solutions. Of course, a good host will also provide you with server management and specialized tech support.

I’ve carefully reviewed dozens of SharePoint hosting providers and narrowed the field down to six excellent hosts. I also added four more options that, while not perfect, might just fit the bill if you’re running older SharePoint versions.

My top choice is Kamatera, selected for its flexible pricing and customizable servers. This host provides the high-level infrastructure you need for reliable SharePoint hosting, plus managed server services for a flat monthly fee. Read on to learn more about Kamatera and see my other top recommendations.

What We Look For in the Best SharePoint Hosting Providers

While performance, cost, and security weren’t excluded from my list of must-haves, I also looked for these requirements.

• The right Windows Server versions. Microsoft recommends Windows Server 2022 servers for SharePoint users to get the best experience. It has discontinued some of the features on its previous 2019 and 2016 servers and has improved other features, including caching, server monitoring, and search functionality.
• Flexibility and scalability. Adding resources to your SharePoint account when your team or business grows shouldn’t be difficult, costly, or time-consuming. My top picks give you the flexibility to set up your SharePoint server to best suit your needs.
• Performance and uptime. You want your team to be able to access your SharePoint account quickly and consistently. I looked for providers with uptime guarantees to ensure reliable access and minimize downtimes.
• Server security protocols. Keeping your data safe is crucial. My recommendations have features like encryption and security monitoring to help safeguard your SharePoint platform against threats.
• Support quality. You should be able to get the help you need when you need it. That’s why I’ve only included web hosts with accessible, around-the-clock support.

1. Kamatera: Best for Flexible and Custom SharePoint Hosting1

Typically, hosting companies offer plans with prepackaged servers. You know – Plan A includes X amount of SSD storage, Y amount of RAM, and so on. It’s the hosting world’s standard operating procedure, but Kamatera throws that playbook right into the bin with its customizable cloud-based VPS hosting.

Along with its Simple cloud server packages, Kamatera has a Customized option where you can choose everything from your SSD storage and RAM to your preferred data center, and even whether or not you want your server managed for you. With these options, you can practically build the exact server you need. You can also easily scale your resources up or down from your Kamatera account console.

Each choice affects your total monthly costs, but no other SharePoint hosting provider offers as much flexibility and customization as Kamatera. That’s why, even though it can be considerably more costly than some of the other hosts on our list, Kamatera is my top choice for reliable and flexible SharePoint hosting. After all, you’ll only pay for the exact resources you need for your SharePoint server.

Features

• Windows Server Standard & Datacenter editions. Windows offers two versions of its servers: the Datacenter edition with unlimited virtual machine licenses for larger enterprises and the Standard edition, which offers two virtual machine licenses for SMBs. Kamatera allows you to choose the one that suits your needs, with no change in the cost.
• Daily backups. For a small additional fee, Kamatera will include daily data backups for your SharePoint server.
• Instant deployment. There’s no waiting around while tech support sets up your account and activates your server. As soon as Kamatera accepts your payment, you can deploy your server.
• Monthly or hourly billing option. You only pay for the services you use and there are no lengthy contracts to lock you into multiple years of hosting, either.

Read our expert Kamatera review for more features.

2. IONOS: Best Value for SharePoint Hosting1

While cost wasn’t my top concern when reviewing the best SharePoint hosting providers, it’s something we can’t ignore either. IONOS scores second on my list because while it’s not the cheapest host around, you get the most for your money. While many budget VPS hosting plans skimp on features, the plans at IONOS do not.

In fact, you can get a feature-filled VPS plan from IONOS at almost the same price as a shared hosting plan. These features include unlimited traffic and 80 to 640 GB of NVMe storage. Add features like an easy-to-use account dashboard and a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you’re beginning to see why I say IONOS is the best value for your money.

One word of caution, though: IONOS servers are unmanaged. This means you’ll have to take on maintaining your SharePoint server yourself. It’s not an impossible task but not something a beginner would want to tackle. IONOS does offer 24/7 support, but server management is not for the technologically inexperienced individual.

Features

• Free Plesk control panel. IONOS provides a Plesk license key so you can install this powerful control panel on your VPS for free. You can use Plesk to manage your Windows VPS hosting configurations.
• Personal support consultant. Despite offering unmanaged servers, IONOS assigns you a customer support consultant to provide you with personalized, individual assistance.
• Optional cloud data backup. You can schedule backups on your own preferred intervals, restore your website with just one click, and use AI-based cyber protection while only paying for what you need.
• Multiple data centers. Choose the data center location that best serves your team: US, Germany, UK, or Spain

For more details, check out our comprehensive IONOS review.

3. InterServer: Best Unmanaged Windows VPS Hosting for SharePoint1

If you’re a small company that needs a small Windows VPS to match your small budget, InterServer may be the host for you. InterServer sells its unmanaged VPS hosting services in “slices.” Each slice consists of 1 vCPU, 1024 MB of memory, 15 GB of SSD storage, and 1 TB of bandwidth. You buy as many slices as you need. The cost also simply multiplies – the cost of five slices, for example, is 5 times the cost of a single slice.

InterServer only has data centers in the US, which is limiting if you have an international team. Windows virtual servers are only currently available in both Los Angeles and New Jersey data centers.

Anyone with any experience in the hosting industry knows the pain of high renewal fees. You cruise along for a year or three at the discounted introductory rate, and then BAM! You’re left with the choice of renewing at exorbitant prices or finding a new, more reasonably priced host (plus the added headache of transferring your SharePoint assets). InterServer offers a price-lock guarantee: what you pay now is what you’ll pay for your lifetime.

Features

• 24/7 remote desktop access. Allow your team to access important files or software from anywhere. You can also run software in the background without interruption, even after you end your session.
• Microsoft Hyper-V platform. InterServer uses Microsoft’s own native virtualization product to host your Windows VPS, boosting the speed and security of your SharePoint server.
• Plesk control panel available. Gain even more control over your Windows VPS with InterServer’s paid Plesk add-on service.
• 24/7 support. You can contact InterServer’s responsive in-house team at any time via phone, live chat, and ticket system.

Read our expert InterServer review to see our performance tests.

4. Liquid Web: Best Managed Windows VPS Hosting for SharePoint1

Now that we’ve discussed the best unmanaged VPS option for your SharePoint hosting, let’s take a look at the top recommendation for a managed Windows VPS host. While Liquid Web isn’t easy on the wallet, its managed servers and Windows-certified support team can make working with your Windows VPS easy for you.

Liquid Web offers three levels of VPS management: fully managed, core managed, and self-managed. With its core managed service, you’ll get server monitoring, software installations, security updates, Windows OS and MSSQL updates and patches, and support for network and hardware issues. Fully managed VPS hosting covers the hardware, network, full server stack, and control panel. Windows-certified technicians back both levels of service.

Managed Windows VPS plans add Plesk Obsidian as your web hosting control panel, along with complete support for Plesk. Or you can opt for core managed or self-managed services and install your own control panel or pay an additional monthly fee for Plesk. Liquid Web is rather flexible with many options, depending on how much server management you want to take on yourself.

Features

• Free ESET file security. This includes malware scanning, phishing protection, antivirus, and ransomware protection, along with data encryption and threat detection to stop attacks before they start. Your SharePoint server will be as secure as possible.
• Flexible payment plans. While Liquid Web can get pricey, it also offers monthly payment plans for SharePoint hosting, as well as discounts for longer-term contracts, up to two years.
• Acronis backups. Your Windows VPS will include free backups of up to 50 GB. You can choose to store your backups on Liquid Web’s home cloud or transfer them off-site to the Acronis cloud.
• Server migration services. Liquid Web’s migration specialists will work with your team to migrate an existing Windows server to its cloud. Managed hosting includes this service for free, while the other two levels of hosting will require an additional fee.

Get all the details on Liquid Web’s VPS hosting in our expert review.

5. Vultr: SharePoint Cloud Hosting With Plenty of Server Setup Options1

Working with Vultr reminds me of working with Kamatera. You have lots of choices to customize your cloud SharePoint VPS. Where Vultr differs is when it comes to its wide range of prepackaged plans.

For example, there are two Windows Server options: the Server core (no user interface) and the Server with desktop experience. You can also decide between general-purpose servers that offer a balance of CPU, NVMe SSD, and RAM resources or setups designed to offer more CPUs, more RAM, or more NVMe storage, depending on your needs.

However, you’ll have to pay extra for add-ons. Backups aren’t free, DDoS protection isn’t free, and even your Windows OS installation carries a monthly fee. Vultr isn’t exactly a budget-friendly host so if you’re on a budget or have a small team, IONOS and InterServer may be easier on your wallet.

Features

• Large range of resources. Vultr makes it easy to scale up when you need more resources. General purpose VMs range from 1 to 32 vCPUs and offer 2 to 64 TB of RAM and 4 to 12 TB of bandwidth monthly.
• Bare metal servers. If you prefer to run your SharePoint installation on a single tenant setup, Vultr’s bare metal servers provide powerful infrastructure on a 10 or 25 Gbps network.
• 3 Windows editions. Set up your SharePoint server with either Windows 2022, 2019, or 2016 for older installations.
• Multiple data center locations. Vultr has 32 data centers for you to choose from, covering most of the globe from Chile to Israel and New York to Tokyo.

To learn more about performance, see our Vultr expert review.

6. Microsoft Azure: Flexible Pricing for SharePoint Hosting1

SharePoint hosting becomes budget-friendly when you choose Microsoft Azure’s pay-as-you-go (PAYG) option for its Virtual Machines. This allows you to only pay for what you use without any upfront costs. You can choose between hourly or monthly billing, with hourly charges calculated to the second. You can also try SharePoint Virtual Machines for a year with a limited free account.

While Azure can be a decent choice for SharePoint hosting, there are several circumstances that can also render it a poor choice. PAYG can get expensive. For example, if you forget to shut down your VM, you’ll incur a charge for running your server even when idle. Storage is also billed separately.

And then there’s a growth issue. After all, the more SharePoint files you create and use, the more you’ll pay. Even medium-sized SharePoint collections can cost more to host than Azure Files, Microsoft’s cloud-based file storage solution. You may also need to purchase a new license for your SharePoint software, as not all licenses have mobility.

Features

• Microsoft ecosystem. You can easily integrate SharePoint with Word, Excel, and other Office 365 platforms. You’ll have Windows and Microsoft experts managing your server and giving you support. You’ll also receive free monthly updates with patches, fixes, and improvements.
• Scalability. You don’t need to upgrade to a new setup for more resources. PAYG allows you to scale up or down as needed on the same virtual machine.
• Microsoft global network. Take advantage of Azure’s 300+ data centers scattered across the globe.
• Renewable energy source. Microsoft uses a combination of wind turbines, solar farms, and hydro dams to power its data centers, adding a green element to your SharePoint hosting.

For more details, read our full Microsoft Azure review.

Other Notable SharePoint Hosting Services

7. Amazon Web Services (AWS)1

AWS’ Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) hosting offers a user-friendly platform to manage your SharePoint infrastructure. Whereas smaller businesses are the focus of some of our other featured SharePoint hosting providers, AWS can easily serve much larger, demanding accounts. You’ll also benefit from AWS’ managed services, allowing your IT department to focus on other tasks.

EC2 has four payment models, including per-second and per-hour billing, so you only pay for the compute time you use. You can also try it free for the first year, with a limit of 750 hours per month. Like Azure, AWS can get expensive. You’ll have to have all your own licenses from Microsoft for starters. Additionally, Amazon EC2 can end up costing you up to five times more than other hosting providers.

8. Google Cloud Platform (GCP)1

One large benefit of using GCP for your SharePoint hosting is that you’ll automatically get Google’s powerful AI-driven security. This includes multi-layered firewalls, data encryption, malware prevention, server monitoring, access management controls, and regular security updates. You’ll also have Google’s cybersecurity industry experts providing you with the latest security tools straight from the dev labs.

However, many of GCP’s more advanced features and optimization tools cater to its Linux-based servers and are unavailable for Windows users. Moreover, hosting SharePoint requires an additional payment for Windows Server images, which are premium resources.

9. AccuWeb Hosting1

AccuWeb offers competitive Windows VPS plans that could serve SMBs on a strict monthly budget. Its plans include daily backups (for a fee) and free weekly backups. You’ll also find RAID 6 and RAID 10 storage options for better data availability.

AccuWeb is a good choice for an older SharePoint version that needs a new home. Microsoft warns you may experience performance and access issues with an older SharePoint application running on Windows 2022 servers. AccuWeb is one of the few hosts on my list that offers Windows 2016 servers. One thing to note: Unlike Kamatera, you can’t downgrade your Windows VPS, limiting your ability to scale.

10. Hostwinds1

Hostwinds offers Windows 2019, 2016, and 2012 servers, making it another good choice if you want to migrate an older SharePoint farm to a new hosting provider. You also have your choice of managed or unmanaged servers.

Your VPS will receive nightly backups in addition to real-time server monitoring if you choose a managed hosting plan. And while I can’t highly recommend Hostwinds if you’re planning to use the latest SharePoint edition, it has reasonable pricing and its support team is professional and helpful.

Choose the Best SharePoint Hosting Option for Your Needs

My list gives you a choice of every type of SharePoint hosting you might need – from cost-effective unmanaged VPS to older Windows Server versions ideal for a legacy SharePoint collection.

If you want to build a Windows server to suit your exact needs, Kamatera is the SharePoint hosting provider for you1. Your ability to choose from a myriad of server resources during setup is exactly what you’re looking for.

On the other hand, if getting the most for your money is top of your list, look no further than IONOS1. Its value-packed preconfigured VPS plans with NVMe SSD storage and discounted Acronis offsite backups make it worth every cent.

InterServer’s Windows VPS hosting plans1 make it an ideal choice if your small business needs a home for its SharePoint collection. You’ll find the pricing fair and its performance highly reliable.

FAQ

What security measures should I look for in a SharePoint hosting provider?

Generally, you want a robust security package that includes firewalls, anti-virus, daily backups, DDoS protection, and ISO-certified data centers. IONOS offers all that for free. However, if you need HIPAA-compliant security measures, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform provide the level of security required.

Which SharePoint hosting provider offers the best support?

Hands down, Liquid Web’s support team is the one to choose if you’re new to off-site SharePoint hosting. Liquid Web’s team is Windows-certified and ready to assist 24/7 whenever you need help. 

Can SharePoint hosting scale as my document collection grows?

Yes. Most hosts can easily scale up or down as your SharePoint needs fluctuate. Kamatera allows you to adjust resources like RAM, vCPUs, and storage on demand, with no drop in performance or delay in setup.

Can I use a shared hosting plan for SharePoint?

No, shared hosting isn’t recommended for SharePoint due to its high resource needs, including a 64-bit processor with at least 4 cores for the Subscription Edition. With a shared server, you’ll have to compete for CPU and other resources, which can affect performance. It’s better to choose hosting services with dedicated resources, such as InterServer’s managed Windows VPS.

What if none of these SharePoint hosting providers is right for me?

You can explore the other hosting providers listed in our review of the best Windows VPS hosts in 2024. When looking for the right SharePoint host, consider factors like resources allocation that match SharePoint’s processor, RAM, storage, bandwidth, and MSSQL Server requirements.