Shared hosting vs website builders: what a beginner actually needs
Two ways to get your pages on the internet, explained in plain language — plus a decision checklist.
Read the guide →Launch a website from an iPad. No computer needed.
Plain-language guides for beginners: pick a name, choose hosting, publish your pages, and run the whole thing from a tablet and a phone.
Start here
Five guides that take you from zero to a live site.
How to pick a domain name (and what not to overpay for)
Naming rules, the renewal-price trap, privacy protection, and what to do if your first choice is taken.
Read the guide →Netlify vs traditional hosting: a static site that costs $0 a month to run
When static hosting wins, when it does not, and what to check on the free tier.
Read the guide →Build and run a website from an iPad only: the full workflow
Domain, files, publish, phone check — the whole process with no computer at any step.
Read the guide →Your first website checklist: domain, hosting, SSL, analytics, backup
Launch day and the week after, in the order that causes the fewest surprises.
Read the guide →What this site is
HostPad is a small guide site for people launching their first website. The angle is practical: this site itself is built and run from an iPad Pro, with an iPhone for mobile checks, and no home computer anywhere in the process. Every guide explains what to do, what it costs to keep, and what to check before you pay. Prices change, so where a price would normally appear, the guides tell you to check the current price on the provider's site.
Some links on this site will be partner links once programs approve them. The Affiliate Disclosure page explains what that means and will name the partners when any link goes live.