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You may be wondering where you can host your website. There are so many hostings solutions available, all with their perks and quirks. You might be wondering which one is the best for you. Let’s examine the various solutions available and the reasons why you should consider each.
1. WordPress
WordPress is the number one hosting solution for bloggers and small businesses. It was originally designed for Myspace, but has since grown in popularity so much that it is now a viable option for larger sites as well. It is incredibly popular because it is free and extremely flexible. Anybody can set up a WordPress website with just a few clicks. You don’t need any design skills to get started. You can easily find and import quality content from any source to populate your site with fresh articles. WordPress also has a large and vibrant community that is always eager to help and support new users.
However, if you decide to go this route, make sure you are aware of the downsides as well. First, the free version only allows you to have up to 2,000 unique visitors per month. After that, you have to pay for a premium plan. If you are looking for a free solution, then WordPress is a no go. You will end up spending a lot of money in the long run if you decide to continue using the platform.
2. Squarespace
Squarespace is one of the biggest names in the hosting space. They offer a free version that allows you to create and launch a website in no time at all. The best part is that you don’t need any experience to get started. They have a simple to follow tutorial that will walk you through the entire process. Once you’ve got your site up and running, you can spend your time focusing on growing your audience rather than worrying about technical stuff.
Squarespace also provides a premium plan called “Pro” which offers additional features and removes some restrictions from the free version. You can read more about the differences between the two plans in their official documentation. If you decide to go this route, make sure you are aware that your free instance will be expired after 30 days. If you want to continue using Squarespace, then you will need to renew your account or pay for an additional year at the end of each month.
3. Wistia
Wistia is yet another hosting platform that makes it easy for anyone to set up and launch a website. They bill themselves as the “YouTube for websites”, which is a pretty accurate description (and a bit of a cheeky play on words). Just like YouTube, you can use Wistia to upload and share videos, though you can also use it to host blog posts or product pages for small businesses.
However, one of the main draws of Wistia is that it is incredibly affordable. You can get a fully featured free plan that will put Blogger and Google Website Builder to shame. The free plan allows you to have up to 2,000 monthly unique visitors and up to 15GB of storage. That’s all you need to get started. If you decide to continue using Wistia, then make sure you are aware that they offer custom plans as well. Just choose the right package for your specific needs and you’ll be good to go.
4. Shopify
Shopify makes it easy for anyone to launch a store or website selling products online. They have several different tiers of services that you can choose from depending on your needs. You can get a free plan that allows you to set up a simple storefront with up to 3,000 products. If you are looking to grow your business, then you can move up to the professional or enterprise level, which includes features such as shipping and tax management. If you decide to go this route, make sure you are aware that Shopify also offers a free backup service that stores all of your site’s information in their servers. So if your site goes down for some reason, you’ll have someone to turn to for help. Otherwise, you’ll need to pay for premium backup services to ensure the same level of reliability as their paid plans.
5. Weebly
Weebly is a free and open source website builder that is a cross between Squarespace and Shopify. You can use it to launch a website for free, though you will need to register an account with them first. After that, you can upload and arrange content just like you would on a Squarespace or Shopify site. You can even integrate your blog with your site’s content to create a single location for all of your important information.
Weebly also offers several different premium plans that offer additional features and take the stress out of running a business. One of the best things about Weebly is that it was specifically designed for beginners. Even if you have zero experience, you can easily find the right plan for your needs and launch a professional website in no time.
6. Weebly Business
If you decide to go the extra mile and pay for a premium plan with Weebly (either the free version or one of their paid plans), then you can take advantage of their exclusive features. They have a business version of Weebly that is entirely designed for companies, bloggers, and other organizations that need to host multiple sites. If you decide to go the extra mile and pay for a premium plan with Weebly, then make sure you are aware that they also offer a free version that is limited to one site.
7. Bluehost
Bluehost is another popular free and open source host that makes it easy for anyone to get started with a website. All you need to do is visit their homepage and click the big blue button to get started with a free domain and hosting. From there, you can install WordPress to launch a site in less than five minutes. You can use their one-click installer to import content from external sources to populate your website with new articles.
Bluehost is incredibly popular because they offer some of the best prices for web hosting. You can get a free domain with your account and you will also have access to their semi-custom plans, which start at $2.95 per month. These plans offer additional features and take the stress out of getting started with a website. If you decide to go the extra mile and pay for a premium plan, then Bluehost is a good choice as well. Their customer support is also phenomenal. You can get help with anything related to setting up a website, using their products, or carrying out general activities via their live chat and ticketing system.
8. Joomla!
Joomla! is a free and open source content management system (CMS) that is considered to be the second coming of WordPress. Just like WordPress, you can use Joomla to build a totally free website without needing any design skills. They also have a huge community that is always available to help and support new users. You can sign up for a free account and start building your website within minutes.
Joomla can then be extended with plugins and additional modules. You can choose from hundreds of free and premium extensions that will help you grow your business. If you are looking for a content management system that can handle all of the heavy lifting for you, then Joomla is a perfect choice. Their support is also top notch, with additional resources available online, including a comprehensive knowledge base.
9. Drupal
Drupal is another great option for anyone looking for a free and easy to use CMS. Its popularity extends across the web, with over 500,000 sites using it. It is, in fact, the fifth most used content management system in the world. Just like with Joomla, you can use Drupal to build a totally free website with no design skills needed. You can also opt to use one of its many free themes to get started. Even if you decide to move up to a premium plan at some point, you will not need to pay for the entire platform. You can opt for an optional paid add-on that will remove the theme’s banner and give you the option to hide it for good. Plus, you can download all of the site’s core files to take them with you wherever you go.
Drupal has a lot of great features that make it extremely user-friendly. For example, the platform allows you to create custom taxonomies and organize your content by these categories. In addition, templates are fully customizable and can be saved for future use. If you are looking to build a serious site with a lot of content, then Drupal is a must-try.