Does hosting proximity really matter?
December 19, 2025 | Jordi Genescà Prat
Hosting
For years, it has been repeated almost as an unquestionable truth that, for a website to be fast, the server must be as close as possible to users. It is a logical and intuitive idea, and for a long time it was completely correct.
Today, however, the internet has evolved. Global CDNs, distributed architectures, advanced caching and new protocols have changed part of the rules of the game.
This does not mean that hosting location no longer matters. What has changed is the reason why it matters.
It is no longer just about raw speed, but about reliability, consistency, control and service quality.
Where the idea that proximity is everything comes from
For many years, the internet was a much simpler environment. Websites were hosted on a single physical server, without content delivery networks or advanced optimisation layers.
In that context, physical distance had a direct and visible impact on loading times. A website hosted in the United States loaded noticeably slower in Europe than one hosted in the user’s own country.
There were few ways to compensate for this, which is why hosting close to users was the right recommendation.
Today technology reduces this impact, but it does not invalidate the original principle: less distance still means less friction.
What latency really is (and what it is not)
Latency is the time it takes for a data packet to travel from the user’s browser to the server and back. It is measured in milliseconds and inevitably increases with physical distance.
However, latency is not the same as download speed, nor is it the only factor that determines page load time.
A page can have low latency and still be slow if the server is overloaded, the code is poorly optimised or caching is not properly implemented.
What really matters is that latency is cumulative. Every request adds up.
When hosting location still really matters
There are scenarios where physical proximity makes a clear difference:
- Projects with a mainly local or regional audience.
- Applications requiring frequent and stable responses.
- Internal company systems, intranets or remote work environments.
- APIs or services with a high volume of non-cacheable requests.
- Websites where the backend plays a significant role.
In these cases, hosting closer to users reduces unnecessary latency and improves reliability.
CDNs and distributed infrastructure: a complement, not a replacement
CDNs have radically changed how web content is delivered.
However, the backend, databases and dynamic processes still depend on the main server.
An optimal setup combines nearby hosting with a well-configured CDN.
Real performance: beyond the server’s country
Hardware quality, architecture, caching and optimisation have more impact than geography alone.
Even so, a well-managed local hosting environment usually provides greater control and consistency.
Hosting, location and SEO: what Google really values
Google does not use server location as a direct ranking factor.
What it values is real user experience: stability, response times and consistent performance.
Local hosting also means local support
A nearby provider understands the market, the language and the client’s context.
In many projects, the real issue is not speed, but how problems are handled when something fails.
Conclusion: proximity is no longer just speed, it is trust
Hosting close to users still brings clear advantages: lower accumulated latency, greater stability, better control and more human support.
The real question is no longer whether it can work from far away, but what provides greater peace of mind and long-term quality.
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