1. Define the website workload
List site type, expected traffic, storage, dynamic functions, locations and integrations. A brochure site and a revenue-critical WordPress store should not be evaluated against the same risk tolerance.
- Content or transaction workload
- Traffic and regional audience
- Forms, database and integrations
- Recovery-time requirement
2. Assign operating responsibility
Name who handles updates, certificates, malware, backups, restores, DNS and incidents. Managed hosting can reduce work, but never eliminates ownership of the business outcome.
3. Separate first-term price from renewal
Record the amount charged today, term length, ongoing renewal, domain renewal, mailbox renewal and paid add-ons. Compare a 24- or 36-month cost rather than the promotional monthly equivalent.
4. Test recovery and portability
Create a backup, restore it to a safe location and document how the domain, DNS zone, site files, database and mailboxes can be exported. A backup is not proven until a restore works.
5. Run one representative workflow
Publish a real page, connect a form, create an email account, change a DNS record and ask support one technical question. Record elapsed time and where specialist help was required.