Top 5 WordPress Hosting Services: What’s the Best Option for You?

WordPress is the #1 content management system, widely used across the world because of its simplicity and versatility — two factors that make it easy for anyone to get up and running with a website quickly.

The flexibility of the CMS allows developers and designers to build nearly any kind of website they could need, and with the number of options for web hosting available — ranging from shared hosting all the way up to fully managed WordPress hosting — the decision can seem a little daunting. If you’re looking for a simple explanation of the most popular web hosting services, this article will help you decide which is the best option for you.

Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is, quite simply, when multiple websites share the same resources (such as web space, bandwidth, and servers) on a single platform. This type of hosting is the most popular because it’s so easy to set up and costs less than some of the other options.

However, the flip side is that if you’re sharing resources with other websites, your own site’s performance might suffer because there’s more than one site vying for the same bandwidth and resources. For example, when a highly trafficked blog publishes content frequently, the demand for processor cycles and storage space could increase, resulting in slower load times and increased server fees.

VPS Hosting

A virtual private server (VPS) is, in theory, exactly what it sounds like: a private server instance that’s dedicated to you and your website. What makes this option a little different from shared hosting is that instead of sharing your resources with other websites, you have your own dedicated server which allows you to control the performance and load of your site directly.

Because you have your own server, you have the freedom to install any software or database you want and to adjust the hardware at will. This makes VPS hosting much more flexible than shared hosting, and as a result, a bit more expensive. However, it’s ideal for those who want to take full control of the performance of their site.

Dedicated Hosting

Dedicated hosting is, simply put, when you have a single website hosted on the servers of a specific company, rather than sharing resources with other websites on a shared platform. This type of hosting is great for individuals or small businesses who want to take control of the performance of their site directly, without having to worry about the expenses or overhead that come with running a VPS or shared hosting account.

Dedicated hosting is, in theory, the opposite of shared hosting, as it gives you complete control over the performance of your website and lets you avoid any bottlenecks that could occur when multiple sites are hosted on a shared platform. The downside is that it’s more expensive than some of the other options, and it is, in fact, the most expensive one.

Cloud Hosting

Cloud hosting is, in theory, the combination of the other four, as it gives you the flexibility to scale up or down your site’s performance as needed. Much like a traditional dedicated hosting plan, cloud hosting bundles together multiple servers and storage devices, allowing you to host your website on the solid infrastructure of a company like Google or Amazon.

This type of hosting is perfect for bigger websites, those who want to take advantage of the speed and performance that comes with being on the cloud, and those who want to manage the performance of their site directly from within their dashboard. The downside is that it’s a bit more expensive than some of the other options, and it’s a little more complicated to set up.

No matter which type of hosting you decide to go with, keep in mind the basics:

• The more resources (processing power and storage) you want, the more you’re going to have to pay.
• The more you pay, the more you get.
• The more you get, the faster your site will run.
• The faster your site runs, the more popular it will be.
• The more popular your site, the more you’ll make.
• And, finally, the more you make, the more you can afford.

Security Matters

The more security you want, the more you have to pay for. Whether you’re managing the security for a large business or you’re just a hobbyist running a personal blog, the more security you want, the more you have to pay for. However, the flip side is that with more security comes greater flexibility and control.

Because you have complete control over the security of your site directly from your dashboard, you can rest assured that you’re not sharing your resources (and any related expenses) with third parties. The downside to this type of security is that it’s often more expensive, especially as you add on more and more features. For example, if you want to add two-factor authentication or monitor the security of your site 24/7, you’re going to have to pay for additional services directly from your web hosting company.

The bottom line is that no matter which type of web hosting you choose, keep security in mind because if you’re looking for security, you’re likely going to have to pay for it. And, in most cases, the more you pay, the more you get, but the more you get, the more you have to pay.