Free and easy to use, WordPress is the world’s most popular tool for creating websites. Of all of the 2 billion websites in existence, 35% use WordPress.
Many different hosting options depend on you and the type of site you want. This article will help you determine how to choose the best web hosting for WordPress.
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How to Identify Which WordPress Host is Best for You
WordPress can handle many websites and it’s essential to know what hosting company works best for your company. Consider the following criteria when determining the best hosting for WordPress.
How Are You Using WordPress?
You can use WordPress in various ways, including building an e-commerce site, driving awareness around a social cause, promoting your business, delivering news, hosting videos and creating forums.
Since so many websites are built using WordPress, you want to identify which host is best for you. To do this, think about how you will use WordPress in both the short and long term.
Pricing
Hosting can cost as little as $2 per month or as pricey as $20,000 per month. You can find a quality hosting plan for most WordPress sites in the $10 to $20 per month range. Again, all of this depends on what type of website you run, the anticipated traffic to that website and if you will need extra services such as automated backups or an email account.
For example, the hosting service costs less for a basic WordPress blog. If the blog becomes popular, it will require a more robust type of hosting. Website blogs that require higher bandwidth and greater storage will cost more.
Technical Abilities
When working with web products, you should be aware of your technical abilities and limitations. If you don’t know much about web hosting, you would want to consider using an all-in-one solution or a managed hosting plan.
These plans are responsible for server management, backup services, software maintenance, security, technical support and more.
Customer Support
Customer support is critical when choosing the best web hosting for WordPress.
Look for hosting services that provide fast, polite and thorough customer support. A top website hosting company offers 24/7 phone and chat support with short wait times, a ticket system for complex issues handled by higher-tier technical specialists, help with WordPress issues and a system in place to leave feedback.
Security
New WordPress website owners often overlook security. Some hosts have dedicated security components built directly into their hosting plans, while others will leave it up to you.
If you don’t plan to manage security on your own, make certain hosting companies offer protections such as network monitoring, SSL and firewall, malware detection and removal, backups and passwords. With proper web hosting security, you protect yourself, your clients and your website visitors.
The Best Web Hosts for WordPress
Now that you know what to look for, let’s explore our top picks for the best web hosting services for WordPress websites.
Best Overall: Bluehost
Bluehost offers the best web hosting for WordPress. It’s ideal for those looking for a cost-effective and trusted WordPress hosting service.
Bluehost is our top pick because it offers 1-click installations for WordPress sites in all of its plans. Bluehost is an official hosting service for WordPress websites and offers incredible tools, bonuses and resources to customers.
A basic Bluehost plan only costs $2.95 per month for 12 months. The Pro plan offers unlimited websites and unmetered space and bandwidth but does cost $23.99 per month. Customers will also have to pay for a domain name, which starts at $4.99 per month.
All plans include automatic plugin updates and regular backups. Bluehost lets customers build and test their WordPress website before publishing it. Since Bluehost plays a very active part in the WordPress community, it has a staff of developers who can troubleshoot highly complex problems unique to WordPress.
What we love about Bluehost is its Blue Flash Launch Support. Blue Flash Launch Support, you receive a live phone call to tour the Bluehost dashboard. Here, you will learn about the features and options you can use and have a chance to ask questions.
Blue Flash Launch Support is a major timesaver and helps many new website owners feel confident in an often daunting process. Bluehost offers a friendly 24/7 service and a money-back guarantee.
Best for Boutique WP Hosting Services: Kinsta
Kinsta is our choice for those seeking a boutique WordPress hosting service. Kinsta also promises the best website performance on the market.
Kinsta combines the fastest network and platform globally and pairs it with the best engineering team and the most experienced WordPress developers in the industry. It’s one of our top picks because it offers the highest quality WordPress hosting on the market.
Kinsta isn’t cheap. Plans start at $30 per month to host your WordPress site.
However, you get managed WordPress hosting. This means Kinsta manages and hosts your site in an environment optimized for WordPress. It secures, caches and backs up your WordPress website, reducing the risk of something going wrong if you’re not a WordPress Pro.
Kinsta hires proactive WordPress experts who personally reach out when you need help.
Best for Small Businesses: WPEngine
WPEngine is very popular for small businesses, creative agencies and enterprise brands. It offers a full spectrum of digital experiences on WordPress.
WP Engine, a high-quality host, promises excellent uptime, security, regular backups, cloud platform flexibility and other high-end features.
WPEngine, a premium hosting service, ranges from $35 to $290. Your website will be running in no time, but you need to purchase domain names and email accounts elsewhere.
WPEngine includes exceptional features such as a content delivery network (CDN) for faster page load times, staging environments so you can test site changes in a non-public environment and proprietary LargeFS software for transferring and storing large amounts of data.
WPEngine employs an award-winning team of experts available 24/7. Customers report excellent, results-oriented and quick phone support.
Best Customer Service: SiteGround
SiteGround, known for excellent customer service, offers the highest-rated service in the industry. If you know you will need a lot of hand-holding, SiteGround offers one of the best domain registrars for WordPress.
SiteGround, a reputable WordPress hosting service recommended by the WordPress.org community, has operated since 2004 and now has over 800,000 domain names around the world.
SiteGround’s introductory plans start at $6.99 per month and end at $14.99 per month. It charges $15.95 per year for a domain name and prices increase after the first year.
SiteGround recently implemented a new client area and site tools. You can add collaborators to your website and give them access to your site tools.
SiteGround’s customer support ranks at the top due to its efficient, knowledgeable and friendly team. It has a 24/7 help center that offers quick and suitable resolutions.
Cheapest: HostGator
HostGator, one of our top-picked companies that provides web hosting for WordPress sites, offers unbeatable uptimes, customer support and top-of-the-line plan features.
Customers love HostGator almost as much as Bluehost, and that says a lot.
HostGator offers the cheapest monthly starting fee at only $2.75 per month for the first year and $6.95 after renewal, which appeals to customers on a very tight budget.
HostGator offers more features on its shared plans than other hosting providers. HostGator provides a free domain name for the first year and includes free email marketing software in every plan.
HostGator offers 24/7 support via live chat, telephone or fax. Its Knowledge Base database puts you a few clicks away from all the information you need. It’s a virtual treasure trove, often eliminating the need to call customer service.
Most Popular: GoDaddy
GoDaddy stands out for those who want the best web hosting for WordPress eCommerce and best content management systems.
We picked GoDaddy because it remains a leader in web hosting, domain registration and online marketing. GoDaddy offers a wide range of services and aims to be a one-stop shop for all of your internet needs.
GoDaddy offers budget-conscious WordPress hosting, with its most expensive plan coming in at just $15.99 per month. Its unbeatable introductory pricing influenced us to pick GoDaddy as one of the best web hosting services for WordPress. GoDaddy charges only $2.99 per month when you sign up for 3 years.
GoDaddy’s features remain similar to other companies that host your WordPress site. It offers a free domain name for the first year and an e-commerce plan with free access to WooCommerce features and extensions. The premium extensions can save you a lot of money.
GoDaddy offers the same customer support features as our other picks but focuses more on the knowledge center. The center helps you drill down until you find an article specific to your issue. A customer forum also helps customers interact with each other through posts and discussions.
Best for for Specific Plans: Hostwinds
Hostwinds is a highly regarded WordPress hosting service best for business owners. It serves as one of the best hosts for WordPress sites because it offers specific plans for your business.
Hostwinds guarantees a high level of excellence and outstanding customer service. When we visited its website, a customer service chatbot named Adam greeted us immediately. This stood out from the other web hosting sites.
Hostwinds starts at $5.64 per month. However, it includes 1 domain name and a 60-day money-back guarantee. Its refund policy is far more generous than other web hosting sites.
Hostwinds has many of the same features as our other picks, but its Softaculous Instant installer makes WordPress installation easy for business owners. With just a click of a mouse, you install your WordPress site and get it ready to use.
Hostwinds has excellent customer support and offers experts available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have.
How to Get Started with WordPress Hosting
Whether you’re a first-time user or a big business, you can tap into a hosting option. Prices vary from very low to extremely high and you need to consider lots of details.
First, determine your budget and how much customer service you will need. From there, you can drill down into other factors such as speed, bandwidth and security.
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