Cheap WordPress Hosting – The Ultimate Guide
If you’re looking for WordPress hosting that’s both reliable and cost-effective, then this comprehensive guide will help you find the perfect solution for your needs. You’ll discover how to choose a reputable host that offers the perfect platform for your content, and you’ll get the absolute cheapest hosting rate available! Let’s get started.
The Reasons For Choosing A WordPress Hosting Plan
If you’re reading this, I assume that you’re either a blogger yourself or someone who works with bloggers and content creators — a marketer, in other words. You’re probably well aware of the power of WordPress and its growing popularity — along with its equally powerful and trendy sibling, Wix, which we’ll discuss later in this guide. If you’re not yet familiar, WordPress is a free and open-source content management system (CMS) that’s frequently used by bloggers to create websites that provide information, news, articles, or any other type of content. It can also be configured to create mobile apps or e-commerce stores.
WordPress was first released in 2005 as a simple blogging platform. Since then, it’s become one of the most popular content management systems around, and the company that owns the WordPress.com domain — which is used to host the WordPress website — now earns its owners over $1 billion a year. According to WordPress, over 325 million people use their platform to create content and grow their businesses online.
Why Choose A VPS Over Traditional Web Hosting?
With a VPS (Virtual Private Server), you get the benefits of a physical server — only in this case, the server is located in the cloud. A VPS is essentially a slice of a physical server that you can rent. The idea is that you can share this server with other customers. Thus, if you serve enough traffic to your site, you can scale up your web host and serve even more users.
The catch is that you have to pay for this scalability. You’ll need to budget extra for this. Also, make sure that the web host you choose offers 24/7 support so that you don’t have to worry about unplanned downtime.
What If I Only Need To Run One Site?
If you’re looking for a simple and cost-effective way to run one site, you may want to consider the shared hosting plans available from many web host providers. These are essentially the opposite of a VPS — instead of renting a server, you get to use shared hosting infrastructure that serves multiple sites. Usually, these are the cheaper option as well, making them even more attractive if you only need a single site.
You’ll need to bear in mind that you’re sharing the server with other customers, so make sure that you select a hosting provider who monitors the server load and provides sufficient resources for your site. Another important factor is that you need to check for malware and malicious codes in the shared hosting environment — as this can seriously damage your site’s performance and even lead to security vulnerabilities.
Which One Should I Choose – Linux Or Windows?
If you’re looking for a cheap and stable web host that’s also easy to set up and allows for both Windows and Linux-based operating systems, you may want to consider the Windows hosting plans from Bluehost or WP Engine.
These are some of the biggest players in the hosting industry, and they both offer solid value for small businesses and bloggers looking to create a quality site.
If you’re using a Linux-based operating system, you can install WordPress easily — even if you’re a complete beginner. Just like that, you’ve got a functioning site hosted on a reliable web host with the simplicity of using a shared hosting plan. If you’re using Windows, you may experience some hiccups during the setup process but will have to dig a little deeper to get them resolved. Still, once you’ve set it up, regular backups and security updates are included in the package so that you don’t have to worry about security or downtime in the future.
The Best Free Blogging Platforms
Although it’s free, WordPress is certainly not suitable for every type of website or blog. If you need a Content Management System (CMS) that’s more sophisticated than what WordPress provides, you may want to consider one of the following free blogging platforms:
Medium
With Medium, you get the best of both worlds — the simplicity of WordPress coupled with the features of a more advanced CMS. The platform natively supports multiple authors, posts, and pages, offers both free and premium plans, and is mobile-friendly. If you decide to go with Medium, make sure to purchase the premium plan to avoid any downtime caused by software updates or security breaches — this is especially important if you’re a business or a blog with a large audience.
HubSpot
If you’re a marketing consultant or a business owner who’s in need of a blogging platform, you may want to consider HubSpot. HubSpot is an all-in-one marketing platform that provides you with everything you need to grow your business — including a blog!
The good thing about HubSpot is that you get to choose either a free or paid plan. However, if you have a small team or just one blog, the free plan is more than sufficient. If you’re looking for an affordable yet stable solution that provides you with everything you need to grow your business, you may want to consider the paid plan to avoid any surprises down the road.
Shopify
If you’re looking for a blogging platform with an e-commerce component, you may want to consider Shopify. With Shopify, you get a completely free 14-day trial, along with free storage, free domain registration, and free shipping — all of which you can upgrade or maintain at no additional cost.
Shopify provides you with everything you need to launch your online shop, including a blog. It’s a perfect solution if you’re looking for a content-driven e-commerce platform that doesn’t require any previous experience or knowledge to use.
Wix
If you’re looking for a blogging platform that provides you with everything you need to launch a fully-fledged website right away, without the need to learn a thing or two, then Wix may be the solution for you. Similar to Shopify, Wix provides you with a free trial and then charges you based on your website traffic and the plans you select after the 14-day trial expires. Wix is also frequently compared to Shopify because of their similar pricing models and ease of use.
What If I Want To Start A Blog, But Don’t Know Where To Begin?
If you’re looking for guidance on how to kick-start a blog and don’t know where to begin, continue through to our next section because we’ve got you covered.
Where Can I Find Help If I’m Still Undecided?
If you’re still deciding which blogging platform is right for you, you’re in the right place. We’re glad you’re here because this is where you get to discover which one is the best for your needs. If you need help choosing a blogging platform, continue reading because we’re here to help you make the right decision.
The Best Free Blogging Platforms For 2019
Now that you have a good idea of the types of platforms available, it’s time to discuss the best free blogging platforms for 2019.
Out of all the blogging platforms we’ve discussed so far, WordPress still reigns supreme and is still considered one of the best free blogging platforms available. It’s also one of the most popular, due mostly to its flexible and easy-to-use platform. WordPress powers over 25% of the web, which makes it the biggest content management system on the internet. As a result, if you don’t own or operate a WordPress blog, you will inevitably want to create one when you find the time.
What Makes A Blogging Platform Good?
When choosing a blogging platform, you’ll need to keep in mind a number of factors, including but not limited to the following:
- Security
- Customer Support
- Ease Of Use
- Features
- Cost
- Reliability
- Performance
- Scalability
We’ll discuss each of these points in more detail below.