Top 10 WordPress Hosting Recommendations – What Works, What Doesn’t, and Why
WordPress is the most popular content management system (CMS) in the world, powering hundreds of millions of websites around the globe. Launched in 2004, the free blogging platform allows anyone to publish content online, and has since established itself as the go-to platform for online publications looking to attract a devoted audience.
The popularity of WordPress is indisputable – it’s free, easy to use, and boasts a thriving community of users and developers who are constantly innovating and improving the functionality of the software. This makes keeping up with the latest WordPress hosting methods and best practices essential for any business or blog owner trying to succeed online.
Cloud, dedicated, or shared hosting? Which one is right for you?
Anyone looking to launch a WordPress website will be presented with a confusing array of options when deciding on a web host. There’s the all-inclusive free version of WordPress, which is great for small blogs or personal websites, to expensive shared hosting plans that offer high-performance and security along with the flexibility to scale up as you grow.
Insightful reviews from sites like Wirecutter have helped readers find the best WordPress hosting for their needs, recommending everything from the price and convenience of the service to the functionality of the platform and how easy it is to get up and running with your new site.
Whether you’re creating a personal blog for fun or a business website to represent your company’s values and offerings, you’ll want to pick a web host that’s right for your needs. In this article, we’re going to break down the best options for each type of WordPress hosting to help you easily find the right fit for your needs and budget. We’ll also highlight important considerations before making a decision, along with the most essential features you need to look out for in each type of hosting plan.
Cloud hosting
If you’ve ever used Dropbox, Google Drive, or another cloud storage platform, you’ll be familiar with the concept of cloud hosting. Essentially, this type of hosting allows you to upload and download your files to and from the internet, rather than hosting them on a computer or mobile device that you keep local on your network.
In a nutshell, cloud hosting is great for those who want to avoid technical details and complexity associated with website hosting, as you don’t need to manage your files or server configurations manually. Instead, your provider handles all of that for you, allowing you to focus on what’s important to you – creating and engaging with content.
The convenience of having all your files and resources in the cloud is undeniable – it’s always accessible from anywhere, and with the ever-growing number of SaaS companies offering hosting, it’s never been easier to get up and running with your new site. Plus, with the right plan, you can add features like free domain privacy, free backups, and free domain registration to sweeten the deal.
Dedicated hosting
If you’re looking for the ultimate in performance and reliability when it comes to hosting your WordPress site, dedicated hosting is your best bet. As the name implies, dedicated hosting provides high-performance specifically for your site, rather than the general resources shared with other sites on the host’s server.
The trade-offs of dedicated hosting are obvious – there’s a higher price tag, you need to be sure that sufficient resources are available to handle your needs, and you also lose the flexibility to scale up or down as you grow or shrink. However, if you’re looking for guaranteed performance and reliability when launching your WordPress site, dedicated hosting is what you need – just be sure to make the right choice to avoid disappointment.
Shared hosting
Shared hosting is, in many ways, the middle ground between cloud and dedicated hosting. Instead of purchasing specialized hardware for your site, you get access to shared hosting servers, which provide computing resources that are shared by multiple sites. While this might not seem like a big deal, it can have a significant impact on your overall hosting experience.
Shared hosting is, generally speaking, great for those who are looking to save money while gaining reliable performance when hosting their WordPress site – just be sure to make the right choice to avoid disappointment.
Consider your needs
It’s important to take into consideration the type of content you’ll be posting on your site before making a decision about the best WordPress hosting for you. If you’re primarily a blog author who’s looking for a simple, economical solution to keep up with the monthly blogging obligations, shared hosting from a reputable company might be what you need – just be sure to make the right choice to avoid disappointment.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a stable environment in which to store your website’s data and resources, dedicated hosting is the way to go – just be sure to make the right choice to avoid disappointment.
Functionality
One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a WordPress hosting plan is how well the service functions. This includes everything from the ease of use to the customer support, as well as how closely the service adheres to the WordPress standards.
WordPress provides a huge amount of functionality out of the box, allowing for some basic blogging without the need to hire a developer to build the site from the ground up. If you’re looking for a fully-featured content management system, you might want to consider a dedicated hosting plan, especially if you’re looking to save money. Otherwise, you’ll want to go for cloud hosting, as it provides more flexibility and higher performance for your site.
Features
Another important factor to consider when choosing a WordPress hosting plan is the features available. This includes all the add-ons and perks that the service provides, such as free backups, domain privacy, free backups, etc.
Many web hosts will try to upsell you additional features that are not included in the plan they’ve chosen for you, be it one of their more expensive dedicated hosting plans or their cheaper shared hosting plan. While it’s nice to have these perks, you might want to consider the cost and whether or not the features offered are enough for your needs.
In most cases, you’ll want to pick a dedicated hosting plan, as it provides you with all the features you’ll need and doesn’t charge you extra for them. Just be sure to make the right choice to avoid disappointment.
Security
When it comes to website security, you want to be sure that your data is protected from hackers and cyber-criminals. If you’re looking for an economical solution to protect your content from intrusion, shared hosting is your best bet – just be sure to make the right choice to avoid disappointment.
Many web hosts will try to upsell you features that are meant to protect your data from hackers, such as data encryption and security certificates. While it’s nice to have these features, you might not need them if you’re using a basic shared hosting plan from a reputable company. Just make sure to keep your host’s security certificate updated to ensure your website is still protected from cyber-attacks.
Cost
The cost of hosting your WordPress site is another important factor to consider before making a decision. Not all shared hosting plans are created equal, so it’s essential that you’re aware of the cost of each plan before making a comparison. To give you an idea of how much hosting costs, we’ve compiled a list of the best WordPress hosting prices per month.
Looking for the best value for your money? Check out the following plans from Bluehost – the #1 recommended hosting company by WordPress itself:
- Basic – $2.95/mo
- Pro – $5.45/mo
- Plus – $5.45/mo
- Choice Plus – $5.45/mo
- Business – $13.95/mo
- Choice Plus Business – $13.95/mo
- Pro Business – $16.95/mo
You’ll also want to make sure to compare the cost of each plan’s features, as some hosts will try to upsell you additional features that are not included in the plan you’ve selected. For example, the Plus and Business plans from Bluehost include free backups, while the basic plan does not – so if you want to be sure you’re always backing up your content, you might want to consider an extra plan. Or, if you don’t need extra features, you might want to go for the basic plan.