Skip to main content

Website Hosting Options

Explore options for where to build and maintain your website, and what University IT recommends for different website needs

Help Me Choose

Features Google Sites Stanford Domains Stanford Sites Drupal Hosting on Acquia web.stanford.edu (AFS-based websites)
Recommended Uses Small, simple personal websites, project team sites, or portfolio or event websites that are short term. No Stanford branding provided; can be managed with little to no technical skill. Small, low-traffic personal websites, portfolios, wikis, or prototypes for learning new applications as a student. Scalable, centrally-managed Stanford-branded website for your group, department or unit websites on Drupal with deep support. For complex department, unit or school websites using custom Drupal modules and themes. Also good for decoupled applications and/or complex websites with high traffic or storage requirements. General, flexible hosting supporting static HTML, CGI-bin capabilities to run dynamic content and web apps. Service is deprecated so should be used only if your web hosting needs cannot be met through other service offerings mentioned on this page.
Authentication (SSO) & Authorization: Stanford User Supported Limited Support
Capabilities differ by app		 Supported Supported Limited Support
Uses a deprecated version of SSO
Authentication (SSO) & Authorization: Workgroup Supported
Must be mapped to Google Groups		 Not Supported Supported Supported Limited Support
Uses a deprecated version of SSO
Authentication (SSO) & Authorization: Privgroup (e.g., staff, faculty) Not Supported Limited Support
Capabilities differ (e.g. Drupal - authentication / authorization, WordPress - authentication only)
Not supported in other websites, including HTML sites		 Supported Supported Limited Support
Uses a deprecated version of SSO
Maintenance: Upgrades/Security Managed by Google Vendor-managed security updates for provided applications; self-managed plugin updates Managed by Stanford Web Services Self-managed; Stanford Web Services can manage for fee Service updates managed by UIT;  self-managed hosted applications or content
Website Size Small Small to medium Small to large Large Small to medium
Cost Free Free Free Varies by requirements. See rates section on service page. Free
Default URL sites.google.com/stanford.edu/[mysite] [mysite].su.domain
  • [mysite].sites.stanford.edu (for dept and groups)
  • [SUNetID].people.stanford.edu (for people)
 [mysite].stanford.edu
  • web.stanford.edu/dept/[dept name]/[mysite]
  • web.stanford.edu/group/[group name]/[mysite]
  • web.stanford.edu/~sunetid/
Custom URL Supported Supported Supported Supported Supported
Stanford Theming Available Limited Support
No official Stanford theme for Google Sites is available. Refer to identity.stanford.edu to get the Stanford signature images and color palette.		 Supported Supported Supported Supported
Drupal/WordPress Modules & Plugins N/A Installed and maintained by site owner Pre-selected and maintained by SWS Installed and maintained by site owner Installed and maintained by site owner; Deprecated
Disk Space Based on Google Drive quota 1 GB (increase upon request); encouraged to use different service for hosting large files No hard limit but encouraged to use different service for hosting large files Custom 5 GB (increase upon request)
Uptime/Availability High High*
*non-redundant infrastructure		 Highest Highest Medium
Available Apps Integration with Google Drive and all Google apps WordPress, MediaWiki, Drupal, Omeka, CGI, static HTML, and more Drupal only Drupal; Node.js WordPress installer (limited to older version), any application that can run CGI-bin, static HTML
Available Self-Service Application Support
  • Vendor documentation
  • LinkedIn Learning
  • Vendor documentation
  • LinkedIn Learning
  • UIT support documentation
  • Vendor documentation
  • LinkedIn Learning
  • UIT support documentation
  • Vendor documentation
  • LinkedIn Learning
  • Vendor documentation
  • UIT support documentation
Available UIT Service Support
(UIT-supported service infrastructure and configuration)		 Supported Supported Supported Supported Supported
Fee-based UIT Service Support
(Consulting & website building )		 Limited Support
Consulting services only		 Supported Supported Supported Not Supported
Learn more Google Sites Stanford Domains Stanford Sites Drupal Hosting on Acquia AFS-based Websites