Best Hosting for WordPress – Which Is Better?
Looking for the best web host for your WordPress website? You might be overwhelmed by the sheer number of options available. After all, not every host is made equal. Some hosts are simply better than others when it comes to offering a good experience to users and performing well at hosting large websites. To save you the effort and financials that come with trial and error, we’ve researched and compared the most popular web hosts for WordPress and discovered which one is best suited for your specific needs.
Bluehost vs. Hostgator
There’s no denying that Bluehost is one of the biggest names in web hosting, having been around since 2000 and powering numerous blogs and businesses across the globe. With a generous offer of 1 free domain and free setup for the initial year, as well as a generous referral program that offers free sites, shopping carts, and bonus credits, it’s not hard to understand why Bluehost is so popular. Thanks to its easy one-click install and its amazing performance, which puts it on nearly every list of the world’s best web hosts. If you’re looking for a host you can set up in a few minutes and get running, then Bluehost is the perfect choice.
On the other hand, Hostgator is one of the newer entrants into the top web hosting game and, as a result, many might overlook its offerings. That would be a mistake. Hostgator is known for its cheap — albeit high-quality — hosting plans and fast, dedicated IP addresses that make a massive difference when it comes to ensuring your website is available online whenever you need it. Its user-friendly dashboard and fast, round-the-clock tech support make it a no-brainer for anyone seeking a basic web host with great performance.
Other Important Factors To Consider
Despite offering some fantastic value for money, hosting with Bluehost comes with its downsides. For one, the platform is a bit limited when it comes to the languages and frameworks you can use to build with. PHP and WordPress are the only supported languages, while the use of Ruby, Python, or Java is discouraged, if not outright banned. As someone who values freedom of choice when selecting a hosting platform, I find this a dealbreaker for me. With that said, if you’re perfectly happy coding in PHP and don’t want to try anything new, Bluehost is still a great choice. Hostgator, on the other hand, is a bit more open-ended when it comes to the software you can use to build your website.
Another downside to hosting with Bluehost is the restrictions on the amount of bandwidth and storage you get for your money. While the free plan allows for up to 500GB of storage and 50GB of bandwidth, the advanced plan costs a one-time fee of $2.95 per month and offers 100GB of storage and 100GB of bandwidth. Even though this might be enough for most people, those looking for a free host that offers unlimited storage and bandwidth will be disappointed. For a better value, you can check out Hostgator, which offers unlimited storage, bandwidth, and a free domain as part of its annual plans.
What About Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)?
One of the biggest selling points of web hosting with Bluehost is its virtual private network (VPN) offer. While you might assume that using a VPN to access the internet would be enough to secure your data, it’s not quite that simple. A VPN only hides your true IP address and encrypts all of the data that flows through it, it does not guarantee that your data will remain secure once it’s on the other side of the VPN. That’s why you should only use a VPN when you are accessing a public network, like the internet, and not when you are on a private network, like a corporate or educational Wi-Fi. Even then, using a VPN is not a guarantee that your data will remain private.
In fact, many VPNs have an expiration date stamped on them, warning users that the service will cease to exist soon. Therefore, it’s essential that you check the terms of use and user agreement for any VPN you consider using before you commit. Many companies that provide VPNs will also force you to upgrade to a premium plan, with additional fees, if you want to continue using the service after the free trial period ends. So, while a VPN might protect your data while you are online, it isn’t something you should plan on keeping once the trial period ends.
Overall, both Bluehost and Hostgator offer great value for money and allow for basic WordPress installations. Bluehost is the more popular choice among developers, while Hostgator is the clear choice for those seeking a no-frills, bare-bones hosting solution. If you’re seeking a full-blown ecommerce solution or are looking to host a serious website that requires a lot of performance, then Hostgator might be the right choice for you. Finally, if you’re looking for a reliable web host that offers great value and isn’t overly expensive, then Bluehost is still a great option to consider.