Choosing hosting
Is managed web hosting worth the extra cost?
Key takeaway
Managed hosting is worth considering when you want clear responsibility and less website administration. Thunder is NZ$55 + GST per website a month for the hosting foundation. Lightning is NZ$99 + GST with everyday Arc updates. Compare the included work and the time it could save you, rather than the server space alone.
In this guide
Give the website a practical job
Your website should help a customer understand your business and take the next step. That might be a call, an enquiry or finding the right service. Keeping it available, clear and current supports that job.
Think about what happens between launches. Opening hours change. A team member leaves. You get a better project photo. A new service needs explaining. The value of a hosting arrangement includes how easily you can keep those details useful.
Know who is looking after the foundation
A cloud provider supplies infrastructure, while the people operating the website still have responsibilities for its configuration and software. AWS describes that division in its shared responsibility model. The provider name alone cannot tell you who handles a particular problem.
With Lightning Web Hosting, we assess the website and agree the setup. Both plans include AWS hosting, CloudFront CDN, SSL, platform security, free domain registration and DNS, and daily AWS backups of website files and published content. You do not need to run an AWS account yourself.
Our AWS hosting foundation explainedUnderstand website backups and monitoring
Sources: AWS: how cloud responsibilities are shared (opens in a new tab)
Choose how you want to make changes
Thunder provides the hosting foundation at NZ$55 + GST per website a month. Choose Lightning at NZ$99 + GST if you want to send everyday changes through Arc. The monthly difference is NZ$44 + GST.
On Lightning, select the website and page, then type or speak your request. You can add a picture or screenshot. Check the private proof and approve the version you want. Publication starts immediately after approval, keeping you in control of the result.
Consider whether the difference earns its place
If you value an hour of your administration time at NZ$60, 44 minutes has a value of NZ$44. That is an illustrative way to consider the monthly difference between the plans. It is not a promise that Arc will save that amount of time.
The more useful question is whether you will use the service. If you regularly put off small changes or spend time arranging them, an easier update process may be valuable. If your site rarely changes and you have an established editing arrangement, Thunder may be enough.
Keep the scope clear
Lightning includes everyday text changes, your uploaded image changes and simple layout moves, subject to fair use. We review usage around 300 confirmed changes a month through a conversation. Draft revisions stay within the same request.
New features, substantial redesigns and complex manual work need an agreed scope. Complex manual work is NZ$120 + GST an hour, quoted before it starts. Our team helping with an already included change does not turn that change into a separate hourly charge.
Know what hosting support includesWebsite and app projects at Lightning Developments
Invest at the level your business needs
Annual prepay is NZ$550 + GST for Thunder or NZ$990 + GST for Lightning, per website for twelve months. That is the price of ten monthly payments. The same service inclusions apply to the chosen plan.
Your website and supplied content stay yours. We agree any transfer or human-overseen modernisation before starting, and hosting billing begins at go-live. Start with a free account and your website address so we can help you choose a suitable route.