What is Better: WordPress or Web Hosting?
There is a common misconception that creating a blog or website means you need to sacrifice quality to cut corners and save money. The good news is you can have the best of both worlds with the right hosting plan! We will compare the most common hosting services in terms of features and cost to help you decide which plan is better for your needs.
WordPress Hosting vs. Shared Hosting
WordPress is one of the most popular and powerful content management systems (CMS) available, which means it is a great choice for a blog or website. The good news is you can get started for free with WordPress, plus enjoy all the features for free. To get the best experience from your blog or website, you should go with either a dedicated server or a shared hosting plan. A dedicated server is great for those who are looking to fully host their sites, while a shared hosting plan is the perfect choice if you are looking to launch a blog or website and just want to save money.
Shared Hosting vs. VPS Hosting
A virtual private server (VPS) is similar to a shared hosting plan, but it gives you more control over the configuration and security of your server. A VPS hosting plan can be accessed via an SSH connection or through a cPanel account. This type of hosting plan is particularly great for those who are familiar with installing and managing servers, as there is no server setup process to go through. You simply need to click through a few settings and enjoy the convenience of having a brand new server ready to use whenever you want!
Cloud Hosting vs. Physical Server Hosting
A cloud hosting plan is essentially a shared hosting plan that is hosted in the cloud instead of on physical servers like traditional shared hosting plans. This type of hosting plan offers a lot of features for free, as all you need is a web browser to access your site. You do not need to set up anything other than the domain name and password to get started, as the hosting service handles the rest!
The major downside to cloud hosting is it can be a bit unreliable as you are relying on third-party servers to provide you with data storage and processing power. Although this type of hosting is more common with large companies, it is also available for individuals and small businesses looking for extra peace of mind when operating online.
Choose The Right Location
When choosing a web hosting company, you should opt for a web host that is located in a safe and secure location. This is particularly important if you are opting for paid hosting plans as you do not want your credit card details to be stored on an unsecured server. If you are using a free hosting plan, you do not need to worry about security as much, but you should still ensure the location you have chosen is FDAA-compliant (firewall-friendly and data-accurately secured).
More Than Meets The Eye
There are a number of features you should look for in a web host, beyond just security and reliability. You should look for a host that offers a 24/7/365 live chat support, as this can be a good indicator of how well they are prepared to assist with any issues you might have. A good hosting provider should also have an FAQ page with frequently asked questions, as well as a privacy policy that is readily available for review.
A large number of web hosts offer an email marketing service, which means you can get started quickly and easily by simply inputting the email addresses of those you wish to contact. Most good web hosts will also allow you to create different email addresses for different purposes (i.e., a general email address and a marketing address), which can be a great feature for those who wish to remain anonymous when sending out marketing emails or need a way to send individual emails to specific forums or customers.
A good web host will also offer a money-back guarantee, which means you can try the service out for a month and if you are not satisfied, you can ask for your money back without risk. The last thing you want to do is spend a ton of money on a service that does not live up to your expectations.
Features: What To Look Out For
When comparing web hosting services, you should look for a provider that offers a number of features, including but not limited to the following:
- Security
- Reliability
- Performance
- Support
- Scalability
- Ease of use
The first thing you should do before making any decision is to read reviews of the services you are considering using. This will give you an idea of whether or not the service is worth using and if other customers are having the same experience as you.
Starter Plan
If you are looking for a cheap and easy way to get started, you should look at the starter plan options offered by most web hosts. The starter plan gives you a free domain name and hosting for one year, plus you get to try out their shared hosting plan for free for 30 days (with the option to extend this for an additional 30 days).
The good thing about the starter plan is it does not cost much and it gives you all the basics you need to get started, including a website and blog. If you are just looking to gain some experience or wish to test the service out, this plan is a good choice as you can try it out for free.
Plus Plan
Those who are looking for more storage, bandwidth, and a more stable and profitable site should consider the plus plan. The plus plan gives you two websites with unlimited storage, bandwidth, and a free domain name for one year. You also get to try out their shared hosting plan for free for the first year, then it costs $5 per month with the option to extend this for an additional year. This plan is a good choice for those who are just starting out and wish to make their site profitable as soon as possible by taking advantage of all the features.
The downside to the plus plan is the price. For a large percentage of the websites out there, storage, bandwidth, and a free domain name are all enough to keep them going, without the need to spend additional money on a hosting plan. If you are looking to make a profit from your site, this plan is probably not for you as you can get the basics for free with the starter plan. You may want to consider the doubledeat.com plan, which is essentially the plus plan with two free domains and a free SSL certificate for one year.
Choice Plus Plan
This plan gives you everything you get with the plus plan, but it also gives you the option to purchase a dedicated server at a discounted rate. The dedicated server gives you the benefit of having your own IP address (which is much harder to get on shared hosting), as well as the ability to install apps on your site (i.e., WordPress can be installed on a dedicated server, but not on a shared server).
The downside to the choice plus plan is it is more expensive than the other two shared hosting plans we have discussed thus far. You can get the basics for a free domain and hosting with the plus plan, then it costs $10 per month or $120 per year with the dedicated server option (it is important to note the $10 per month charge is not added to your yearly plan, as this is a discounted rate). If you are looking for a reliable and affordable option that also gives you the flexibility to grow your site as you need, this plan is a good choice. You may want to look into the heroku.com platform, which provides a similar service (dedicated server, free domain, and a free SSL certificate) but is 100% managed by Amazon.
Dedicated Server Hosting
Dedicated server hosting is relatively straightforward as you are paying for the actual hardware yourself, rather than relying on a third party to provide you with storage, bandwidth, and a free domain name. This plan is perfect for those who are looking to launch a website or blog that will require a lot of resources, as you are paying for these all yourself. If you are looking for a proven and reliable hosting service that also offers a lot of storage, bandwidth, and a free domain name, this plan is a good choice.