Top Best WordPress Hosting on the Market
The most popular web hosting service among bloggers is undoubtedly WP Engine, owned by the team behind WordPress itself. And, what is most important, their shared hosting plans actually provide excellent value for money. Let’s have a look at their hosting plans, along with a few pros and cons of each one.
Pricing
One of the major perks of WP Engine is that their pricing is very transparent. You will notice that their prices are similar to those of large hosting companies, but, at the same time, you will get the benefit of much lower prices. This is mainly because they use more efficient technologies and servers, which yield savings in both cost and resources. So let’s have a look at what WP Engine has to offer in terms of pricing.
Basic ($2.95/mo)
This is the foundation of their hosting plans. This is what most people will want to start with, as it’s the most basic and affordable plan. What you will get with this plan is a free domain and the ability to install 1 website hosted on 1 CPU core. That’s it. You won’t get access to advanced features like WordPress Multi-site or a free private cloud. That’s what you should look for if you plan to grow your business significantly.
Plus ($5.45/mo)
This plan offers more features than the Basic plan. You will get 2 sites hosted on 1 CPU core and 1 GB of RAM. In addition, you get a free domain and you can install 1 WordPress-based website. You also get free backups, free privacy protection, and free security monitoring. This plan also has a free upgrade for the first year, should you need more storage space or need to add more CPUs.
Choice Plus ($11.95/mo)
This is the middle-range plan from WP Engine. Similar to the Plus plan, this one also offers two sites hosted on 1 CPU core and 1 GB of RAM. In addition to that, you get a free domain, free backups, free privacy protection, and free security monitoring. However, this plan also offers a free backup of your WordPress site, along with free domain privacy, as well as a free security certificate from Comodo.com.
Choice Plus is the preferred plan of most users, as it provides excellent value for money, while still offering all the perks mentioned above.
Features
All the above plans from WP Engine offer similar features. You get 2 free backups per month, as well as free domain privacy and security. What is important to point out is that you get all those features for free. There are no additional fees for those.
One of the things you will like the most about WP Engine is that they provide a lot of value for money. Many hosting providers will try to trick you into paying more for features that you don’t need. However, with WP Engine, all those features are free. Amazing!
Support
WP Engine’s support is very proactive and hands-on. They will be more than happy to help you with any issues you might have. In addition, their knowledge base is very extensive and they have a lot of tutorials and videos to help you get started. So, should you need some help, their support team will be more than happy to assist you. They are available via phone (+1.800.728.8388), email (support@wpengine.com), and live chat (available from 8 am to 6 pm Mountain Time, Monday to Friday).
As for myself, I’ve been using WP Engine for a while now and I can vouch for their quality of service. Because their prices are so good and their features so great, I haven’t looked back since I switched to them.
Repairs
Sometimes, websites won’t load correctly. Or, maybe, they will work perfectly fine but all of a sudden, you will start to notice that some of their features are acting up. In both cases, it’s important to have your web host fix the issue as soon as possible. Otherwise, you will have to find another host to fix the issue for you. Fortunately, WP Engine offers a 1-click repair for common issues like Slow Load Times, Blue Screen of Death, and Error Messages. That’s an amazing feature, especially if you are launching a new website and you don’t have much experience.
Uptime
Another important factor to consider when choosing a web host is their uptime. If your site goes down frequently, then this is something you need to avoid. Most web hosts will claim that their servers are 99.9% up, but, in reality, this is because they only check them once every hour or so. So, if your site goes down a lot, then you will notice that this is not a very reliable host. This is something you need to keep in mind when choosing a web host.
Reliability
Sometimes, we wish that life was as simple as having our blog post published and being able to show our friends that our blog existed. Well, maybe not exactly. The truth is that, while WordPress itself is a very reliable and popular platform, your web host CAN BE IMPORTANT, too. One of the most popular and trusted web hosts is 1&1. While their prices are high – starting at $29.95 per month – at least you know that you can depend on them. In addition to that, let’s not forget about Bluehost. With all the discounts and offers, you will find their prices to be much more affordable. If you are looking for a reliable and affordable web host, then these are the two that you need to look out for.
Additional Considerations
While the above points should help you make the right decision, here are some additional considerations to keep in mind when choosing a web host.
1. Scalability
This is very important, especially if you are looking for a host that can handle significant amounts of traffic. Most hosts will give you a standard warning when it comes to scaling issues. Nevertheless, if you continue to push the limits, then you will most likely face downtime. This is why it’s important to consider your needs and what you are planning to do with your website. If you are looking for some peace and quiet, then you should consider a shared hosting plan from a smaller host. On the other hand, if you are looking for a host that can handle thousands of visitors per day, then you should go with a VPS plan.
2. Security
When it comes to security, you should always look for a host that is certified as secure by the PCI Security Council. As a webmaster, this will help protect you from potential hackers and data thieves. In today’s world, security is a top priority. All online transactions are now conducted through encrypted channels. Credit cards are not stored on the server. Even social media platforms like Twitter protect your personal information with two-step verification.
3. Geolocation
Depending on where you are located, you might want to consider what IP (Internet Protocol) addresses you can use. To use an IP from a different country, you will need to get specific authorization from your ISP (Internet Service Provider). This is a technical process and can be a little complex. Nevertheless, there are ways to get around it, if you know how.
4. Backup
It is essential to have a strong and reliable backup plan in case something happens to your website. While it’s always good to be prepared, backing up your data is more important than ever, because hard drives can fail you at any time. Especially if you are not paying attention to regular backups, then it’s highly likely that you will lose all your data, at once, sometimes.
If you are starting a blog and don’t want to spend a lot of money on a domain name and web hosting services, then you should try 1&1 or Bluehost. The shared hosting plans from those two hosts are very affordable and offer excellent value for money.
At the end of the day, the most important thing to consider when choosing a web host is what is most relevant to YOU. Do you want a simple, vanilla website with no frills? Or, do you want to go the extra mile and want to make your blog stand out? In terms of pricing, you will want to look for a host that offers great value, while still being able to withstand significant traffic. If you are looking for a reliable host that can handle all of your needs, then you should try 1&1 or Bluehost. If you are looking for a simple and affordable solution, then you should try WP Engine. Of course, your needs will directly affect what plan you need, so don’t be afraid to try out a few different hosts to see which one works best for you.