Hosting Platforms for WordPress – Which One is Best?
WordPress is the most popular content management system (CMS) used on websites around the world. Launched in 2004, it now boasts over 270 million active monthly users as of April 2021.
The flexibility and user-friendliness of this content management system make it very easy to use, which is why it continues to grow in popularity year after year.
However, with such great flexibility also comes great responsibility. Meaning, if you aren’t careful, you can very easily end up hosting and installing malware on your website. We’ll discuss some of the security measures you can take to keep your website safe, as well as which hosting platforms are best suited for WordPress.
What Are WordPress Hosting Options?
When it comes to choosing a WordPress hosting plan, you’ll come across a variety of hosting platforms. Each one provides you with varying levels of functionality and convenience. Depending on your needs, you can choose a hosting plan that suits you perfectly.
These WordPress hosting platforms range from shared hosting to VPS hosting and everything in between. So as you can imagine, it can be pretty overwhelming to know where to begin your search for the perfect platform. That’s why we’ve compiled this detailed comparison to help you make the right decision.
Shared Hosting
Shared hosting is exactly what it sounds like: Hosting services provided by a third party and shared between multiple users. This type of hosting is extremely affordable, as you only pay for what you use, but it lacks the flexibility and convenience of a VPS hosting environment. So if you’re looking for a free hosting option that isn’t overprivileged, but also doesn’t have all the perks of a dedicated hosting plan, shared hosting is a perfect choice.
One of the biggest perks of shared hosting is that it’s incredibly affordable. Depending on your traffic and how much you’re willing to spend on storage, you can easily have a quality WordPress website up and running without having to break the bank. The key takeaway from this is that if price is a concern and you need to keep your budget limited, shared hosting is a great option. Just keep in mind that this type of hosting only provides you with limited resources, and it’s always a good idea to look for shared hosting plans with a good support team.
Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated hosting is exactly what it sounds like: Hosting services provided by a third party and dedicated to a single user. This type of hosting is ideal if you’re looking for the maximum possible performance from your website. Whether you’re creating a blog for your own use or you’re building a business website, you can be sure that with dedicated hosting, your site will perform at its best. The drawback to this type of hosting is that it’s far more expensive than shared hosting. However, if you’re looking for a high-performance platform that costs a little more, dedicated hosting is the perfect choice. Just keep in mind that this type of hosting provides you with a single point of contact for all your technical support needs.
Virtual Private Server Hosting
A virtual private server (VPS) is a middle ground between shared hosting and dedicated hosting. As the name suggests, this type of hosting provides you with the benefits of both. Like dedicated hosting, you have a single server, which is owned and controlled by the service provider. However, like shared hosting, you share this server with multiple users. The benefit of this type of hosting is that you have the flexibility to control almost every aspect of your site’s performance, from storage to CPU power. As a result, you have complete control over your website’s speed and performance.
If you’re looking for the best of both worlds (the benefits of both shared and dedicated hosting), virtual private server hosting is a great option. Just keep in mind that this type of hosting has several restrictions: You’re not allowed to install any third-party apps on the server, and you have to purchase additional features in advance. If you don’t want to go down either of these paths, virtual private server hosting isn’t the best fit for you.
Cloud Hosting
Cloud hosting is where it’s at when it comes to hosting platforms for WordPress. Much like virtual private server hosting, cloud hosting provides you with the benefits of both shared and dedicated hosting, as well as the extra security of being on the cloud. Think of the cloud as an extension of your own computer’s hard drive. All your site’s files, including its database, are stored on remote computers in the cloud (typically provided by a web host), so if your computer crashes, you’ll lose everything you’ve stored. However, since your site’s files are stored in a remote location, it’s very accessible, which is why this type of hosting is always a good choice for WordPress users.
The benefit of the cloud is that it’s always available. No matter what device you use—whether it’s a smartphone, tablet or laptop—you’ll always have access to the internet, so you can visit your site whenever you want. Even if you’re not physically at your computer, you’ll be able to log in and view the contents of your website from any device. This is in stark contrast to physically hosting your site, where you might not be able to access it from certain devices or locations (e.g., your cell phone company’s cellular network doesn’t provide data connectivity to the general public, or your local library doesn’t have an internet connection).
The downside to cloud hosting is the need for constant connection to the internet. Since your site’s files are stored in the cloud and you have to have an internet connection to access them, it’s a good idea to have a plan that provides you with some form of data backup. This way, if your internet connection goes down for some reason, you’ll still have access to your site’s content.
Summary
WordPress is a fantastic content management system, and its popularity reveals just how flexible and easy it is to use. This system is ideal for users who want to build a simple website and don’t need the extra features that a more expensive option provides. However, if you’re looking for a more advanced option that provides you with additional functionality, you might want to consider shared hosting, as it’s extremely affordable and offers great value for money. If you find that your needs change and you need the ability to quickly scale your site’s performance, you could also look into virtual private server hosting or cloud hosting.