You already have HTML files on your computer. Hosting them online means putting those files on a service that answers when someone types a link. The path is short: zip the files, upload, open the HTTPS preview, and only then connect a domain. This is a numbered walkthrough of that path — what to skip, and what “done” actually looks like.

Gather the files before you touch hosting

Open the folder your designer or you finished. You should see something like index.html, a CSS file or folder, maybe JavaScript, and images. Double-click index.html in a browser on your own machine. If the page looks broken locally, hosting will not magically repair it.

Skip anything that is not part of the public site: design drafts, huge original photos, and folders of notes. Keep a clean copy of only what visitors need.

Zip so the homepage sits at the top

  1. Put index.html at the top level of what you are about to compress — not buried two folders deep.
  2. On Mac or Windows, select that folder’s contents (or the folder that *directly* holds index.html) and create a .zip.
  3. Extract the zip somewhere temporary and confirm you still see index.html immediately.

If you compress the wrong parent folder, the host publishes an empty-looking root and you get a confusing “not found” on the preview. Fix the zip; do not blame the host yet.

Create the site and upload once

  1. Sign up at SiteHost and start a website.
  2. Upload the zip (or connect GitHub if your files already live in a repo that is ready to publish).
  3. Wait for the publish to finish.
  4. Open the HTTPS preview link on your phone and on a laptop.

That preview is a real public URL with a lock icon. You do not need a custom domain to show someone the page. Trial time is short — roughly a day — then you pick a paid plan. Starter is $9 per month for one site and 2 GB. Most campaign pages fit there. Pro is $30 for three sites, 10 GB, and staging. Scale is $65 when you need more room. Business is $130 when a team shares the account.

SiteHost is not a website builder and not cPanel. There is no forever-free tier, no bundled email hosting, and no built-in CDN. Optional Cloudflare can come later if someone you trust suggests it.

What you can skip on day one

  • Buying a domain before the preview looks right
  • Changing nameservers “just in case”
  • Installing WordPress for a page that is already HTML
  • Renting a VPS and learning Linux
  • Setting up company email inside the web host

Email is a separate product. Keep mail where it already works. Point the website when the design is approved.

Connect the domain only after the preview is approved

  1. Add your domain in SiteHost so you can see the DNS values to create.
  2. At the place you bought the domain, create those A or CNAME records exactly.
  3. Leave MX records alone if mail already works elsewhere.
  4. Wait for verification; then the certificate for your own name appears.

DNS last keeps the public name from showing a half-finished sale page.

Worked example: weekend sale landing page

Lina runs a small shop. Her friend exports a one-page sale site: hero image, three product photos, a countdown line in JavaScript, and a button that opens a Google Form. Thursday night she zips the folder correctly, uploads on Starter during the trial, and texts the HTTPS preview to her partner. Friday morning they fix a typo in the headline, she uploads a new zip, and they roll back once when the wrong photo goes live — then publish the fixed set. Saturday they point sale.herbrand.example only after the preview matches the flyer. Customers see the padlock on the custom name. She never opened a server panel. Related paths: where can I host my HTML website, how to host a front-end website, and how to host static website files.

The failure that looks like a hosting bug (but is not)

People often expect web hosting to include email mailboxes — info@yourdomain sitting next to the website like a hotel desk. SiteHost does not include email hosting. If you create website DNS and accidentally overwrite MX records, mail breaks while the site looks fine. Treat mail as a different subscription. When you point the domain for the website, copy only the records SiteHost shows for the site, and leave existing mail records untouched unless you are deliberately moving mail too.

What “done” looks like

  • Local extract shows a working index.html
  • HTTPS preview matches that local look
  • Forms or “Buy” buttons hit the third-party tools you chose
  • Custom domain (optional) shows the same site with a certificate
  • You know which zip version is live and how to upload the next one

A short checklist before you call it finished

  • [ ] Preview checked on cellular data, not only office Wi‑Fi
  • [ ] Images are web-sized, not camera originals
  • [ ] You did not “fix” email DNS while pointing the site
  • [ ] A dated copy of the good zip sits on your drive

Hosting HTML files online is packaging and order of operations. Zip carefully, preview early, domain last.

Questions people actually ask

Do I need to know how to code to host HTML files?

No. You need a finished folder of files and the patience to zip it correctly. Someone else can build the HTML. Your job is upload, preview, and later DNS copy-paste.

Is the HTTPS preview enough for sharing with clients?

Yes for review. Many people ship campaigns on the preview first. Attach your own domain when branding matters and the page is approved.

What plan should a single sale page use?

Usually Starter at $9 for one site and 2 GB. Move to Pro if you keep multiple seasonal pages as separate sites or want staging.

Can I get mailboxes with this hosting?

No. SiteHost does not include email hosting. Keep Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or your registrar’s mail product separate so website DNS changes do not surprise your inbox.