The Best Managed WordPress Hosting in 2021

You have a solid idea of what type of blog you want to start. You’ve picked a topic you’re passionately interested in, and you’re confident enough in your writing skills to share your thoughts and opinions with the world.

You have a few options when it comes to starting a blog. You can go with a free blogging platform, such as WordPress.com, or use a managed WordPress hosting service to get started.

While both have their perks, if you want to grow your blog successfully, it’s important to go with the right choice. The most suitable platform can be frustrating to learn if you don’t have the time to devote to understanding it, while a managed WordPress hosting service can seem over-complicated unless you’re already familiar with the concept.

Let’s have a quick look at each option and what makes them special.

Free Blogging Platforms

WordPress is undoubtedly the most popular blogging platform around. It’s free and open-source, which means anyone can edit its code to create something new or fix existing features to provide a better user experience. The platform is constantly updated to meet the demands of modern bloggers and online journalists. It’s flexible enough to accommodate all sorts of writing styles and genres, and it provides a wealth of tools and plug-ins to make content creation easier.

You’ll find a wide array of free blogging platforms. For example, you can start a blog with WordPress.com, which is owned by WordPress themselves. You don’t need to register an account to use the platform, as it’s very similar to what you’d get with a traditional blog. However, if you choose to register an account with WordPress.com, you can take advantage of some of the features no longer available to the general public. These include:

• Premium Support: Enjoy premium support 24/7 via chat or phone.
• Free Mobile Apps: Access all your blog’s content on the go with the free WordPress Mobile apps.
• Trusted SSL Certificates: Use a trusted SSL certificate to secure your blog with the most up-to-date security available.
• Fully Managed: Enjoy total control over the appearance and functionality of your blog. No need to worry about hosting or any technicality impeding your growth.

There’s also Blogger.com, which is a popular choice among bloggers and journalists. It was founded in 2006 and was bought by Google in 2015 for a whopping $12.5 billion. When signing up with Blogger, you get a free blog with a custom domain and you can use all the platform’s features, including free mobile apps. You’ll just need to pay for a featured thumbnail and a custom header for your blog.

Managed WordPress Hosting

If you’re looking to take the hassle out of maintaining a blog and want to have total control over the appearance and functionality of your site, you could try managed WordPress hosting.

This type of hosting allows you to install and set up your blog in a few minutes. All the technicalities, such as installing WordPress, choosing a theme, and configuring it for SEO, are taken care of by the hosting service. This gives you the freedom to focus on growing your blog, rather than worrying about hosting issues. You can choose from a wide range of plans, depending on the features you need. Some of the most popular managed WordPress hosting services are:

• WP Engine (formerly MaxCDN): One of the most popular managed WordPress hosts, with over 1 million downloads. A reliable solution for bloggers who need to focus on growing their blogs.
• A2 Hosting (formerly Hepsia): A popular choice with bloggers seeking for a simple and reliable hosting solution.
• Innovyz (formerly Wild Web Hosting): A cost-effective, reliable solution that provides a lot of value for money.
• Bluehost (formerly Host Gator): The #1 host for WordPress, with over 2.8 million installations. The perfect choice if you’re looking for a free solution or for a modestly priced managed WordPress hosting plan.

You can read our in-depth review of Bluehost here. We think it’s the best value for money when comparing it to the rest of the competitors in its class.

Considerations

We’d like to point out a few things you need to keep in mind before signing up with any of the blogging platforms or managed WordPress hosting services mentioned above.

Firstly, make sure you have a good understanding of SEO. If you’re looking for a solution that provides total control over the appearance and functionality of your blog, you might want to consider an SEO-friendly free blogging platform, like Squarespace. This way, you can ensure your content reaches the right audience.

Also, make sure to look into whether or not the solution you’re considering offers mobile apps. If you have a mobile phone, you’ll definitely want to get the apps. Otherwise, you can access all your blog’s content using only the web browser.

Summary

Blogging is one of the most popular ways to interact with readers and establish yourself as an expert in your chosen field. Whether you’re an accomplished journalist or you’re simply venturing into the world of online publishing, you can start a blog today and begin sharing your thoughts with the world. With so much competition in every field, the ability to stand out among the millions of blogs is extremely difficult. However, you can take advantage of the tools at your disposal to gain a steady stream of traffic to your site. WordPress is undoubtedly the most suitable platform for new and experienced writers alike.