Are you looking for the best WordPress hosting company to power your website?
Look no further, because in this review we cover just that!
We look to compare the best WordPress hosting companies on the market
Find out everything related to their packages, condensed at the end of each section by a table which shows you the features, what we like and dislike as well as our final key takeaway.
If this is not enough to make your final decision, see our buyers guide at the end to help cement your decision.
Finding the WordPress host that is the best for your website is no easy task and we hope this article aids you in this process.
If you have already narrowed down your selection, then make use of our quick navigation so that you can get your site up and running as quick as possible.
Let’s get to it.
Special Offer
Get 30-day FREE Trial and 70% OFF on GreenGeeks (was $9.95, now $3.95)
(Our #1 Choice for Eco-Friendly WordPress Hosting)
Top 5 Best WordPress Hosts
Take a look at the table which shows some quick facts about the 5 best WordPress hosts and their features.
Rank | 24 Hour Support | Site Migration | Storage | Pricing |
---|---|---|---|---|
Yes | Free | 10GB | Free trial. From $2.95 per month | |
#2 | Yes | Paid | 50GB | Free trial. From $2.95 per month |
Yes | Free | 10GB | Free trial. From $3.95 per month | |
Yes | Free | 10GB | Free trial. From $2.59 per month | |
Yes | Free | 10GB | Free trial. From $20.83 per month |
Best Overall WordPress Host
SiteGround
4.5/5 Overall Rating
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SiteGround offers three hosting packages specifically for WordPress users. These packages are priced between $3.95 and $11.95. The main differences relate to web space and the amount of traffic that a website is expecting.
SiteGround is also one of only three officially recommended hosts by WordPress and this reiterates the level of service and performance that you will receive, when subscribing to one of their packages. You can expect speed, great features and integrations, solid customer support and transparency when dealing with SiteGround.
SiteGround truly has a global focus, being from Bulgaria which is not known as a tech hub, they have managed to be at the forefront of the hosting world. They service multiple languages, accept several different currencies and even have a dedicated Spanish site. This is a big advantage if you’re looking to build an international audience.
A disadvantage for us is the limited disk space on SiteGround shared plans. Limited disk space means that the amount of content on your site can have is limited. This is completely fine if you’re operating under the normal 2GB on a WordPress site, but if you have a content rich site doing let’s say Vlogs or something similar then this plan just won’t work for you.
Most hosts insert limitations when it comes to limiting traffic however SiteGround is different in this way. It’s probably a good thing to keep in mind that “Unlimited” services are really at the end of their days, the new popular term is “unmetered”.
Main Features
What we like
What we dislike
Key Takeaway
SiteGround will make your money go further by providing the most value in each of their WordPress hosting packages.
#2 Choice for WordPress Hosting
Bluehost
4/5 Overall Rating
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Bluehost has three packages on offer namely: Basic, Plus and Choice Plus. These three packages range in price from $2.95 to $5.95 per month.
The basic package caters to those who are looking to host a single website. Limits do exist and relate to the amount of email accounts, email storage, parked domains and sub domains one can have.
The Choice and Choice Plus packages offer unlimited email accounts, storage, parked domains and sub domains and the differences between these two are the domain privacy and file backups for the website.
Bluehost is one of only three officially recommended hosting sites by WordPress. Bluehost has several different WordPress hosting options, depending on your performance needs. Options on offer include Shared, VPS, Cloud and dedicated hosting plans. These plans serve to provide cost effective ways for everyone to enjoy great hosting options, from the standard blogger to online eCommerce stores to large business websites with high volumes of traffic.
A major drawback for us relates to site migration cost. If you would like to move hosts from your current host to Bluehost then this migration comes at a high cost, $149.99 to be exact. Although we can assure you that it would be well worth it.
Bluehost provides excellently priced packages, great customer support and their recently upgraded services mean that their uptime is as close to 100% as you will receive anywhere else on the market.
Main Features
What we like
What we dislike
Key Takeaway
Bluehost is one of the cheapest ways to start a website whilst maintaining performance and reliability. If you are looking for a solid WordPress host then you can't go wrong with Bluehost.
Most Eco-Friendly WordPress Host
GreenGeeks
4/5 Overall Rating
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GreenGeeks provide WordPress hosting at $9.95 per month, however, at Sustainable Business Toolkit we have secured a special offer sign up for only $3.95 per month.
Among the features included in their monthly cost is one click WordPress installation, automatic updates and 24/7 expert support which means that you can enjoy great service no matter which time zone favours your business hours.
GreenGeeks boast about top-tier performance which ensures that your WordPress hosting will be lightning fast. They offer a 30 day free trial in which you can put this performance to the test. Testing the speed, reliability and functionality of their service is a great positive before committing to one of their hosting packages.
GreenGeeks also guarantee 99.9% uptime on your site which means that your website will hardly be down over your contract lifespan.
GreenGeeks is a recognized EPA green power partner. What this means is that they purchase wind energy credits. The thinking behind wind energy credits is that a certain amount of wind energy has a particular monetary value, if you purchase the same amount of power generated by these turbines as your company uses to operate, then your company is essentially carbon neutral. GreenGeeks hold that they purchase 3x the amount of power that they use from the grid and therefore are the most eco-friendly hosting company on the market.
When it comes to red flags we only identified one issue which relates to commitment. In order to enjoy the price listed on the GreenGeeks website, you will be required to commit to a 3 year plan. This is an obvious drawback especially if you are starting a website and have no idea how long you want to run it for.
Main Features
What we like
What we dislike
Key Takeaway
GreenGeeks is an eco-friendly company which services your hosting needs whilst remaining environmentally friendly. If you looking for a secure and fast host that is also eco-friendly, then GreenGeeks is a great choice.
Most Reliable WordPress Hosting
DreamHost
4/5 Overall Rating
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DreamHost is our #1 pick as the most reliable WordPress host. Their shared hosting product is specifically built for WordPress sites, and is fast, secure and scalable.
When it comes to money back offers, DreamHost offers the longest money back guarantee: 97 days.
We like this as you will be able to test their services for three months before deciding whether they are the host for you. Moreover, this guarantee says that they are so confident that their services are solid, that they are willing to basically give it to you for free for three months.
Another big positive is DreamHosts’ commitment to the planet. DreamHost have several initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint and have been carbon neutral for the last 10 years.
One other gripe is the setup process. New accounts need to go through a verification process. This process essentially extends the setup period although the registration is instant. Be sure to factor in an extra couple of hours for this.
Main Features
What we like
What we dislike
Key Takeaway
Dreamhost is a great option for a WordPress site that is already getting decent traffic and needs scalability features to deal with traffic spikes.
Fastest Speed WordPress Hosting
WPX Hosting
4/5 Overall Rating
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WPX hosting entered the market to service two things, speed and security and in our opinion, they have done just that.
WPX hosting can increase your page loading time by up to 40% compared to its competitors. When it comes to security, every package is armed with Dos & DDoS protection so you can rest assured that your site is as secure as possible.
WPX hosting comes in at our mot expensive option. Pricing starts from $20.83 per month for their business package and goes all the way to $83.25 per month for their elite package. This is almost 10 times more expensive than its hosting competitors, this may be because there is no option to host only one website, but their starting package begins at 5 sites.
WPX hosting also offer free SSL certificates with all WordPress site installs, this is a great feature and a big money saver.
One of the other major benefits of hosting with WPX is there incredible customer service. Their team are all technical geniuses and are generally able to help with any query quickly and effectively.
Main Features
What we like
What we dislike
Key Takeaway
If speed, great performance and reliability is what you’re after, then WPX is the host for you.
WordPress Hosting Buyers Guide
WordPress is one of the most commonly used website creation tools. Beginners and well established website owners make use of WordPress because of its ease of use, functionality and cost saving offerings. It is no wonder that hosting companies have released hosting options specifically designed to power WordPress websites and provide solutions for WordPress users.
With so many hosting companies jockeying for your business, it may be a tough decision between hosting companies let alone their packages. Our suggestion is always to begin with defining what your website needs are and then beginning your search for the most cost effective package that will service these needs.
Keeping this in mind, here are some helpful considerations which may factor in.
WordPress Hosting Pricing
Pricing is usually a factor when starting something new and with WordPress hosting it is no different. However we feel that the highest price does not relay the best service and the lowest price does not mean the worst either. As we discussed earlier, it is about finding the best price that services your websites specific needs.
One thing most hosting sites offer are free trials or money-back guarantees. Even though the package says it will service your website as you need it to, this may not always be the case so we suggest try out a couple of different options. WordPress hosting sites all boast about ease of use, so chopping and changing shouldn’t be a steep learning curve at all; but what it will do, is answer questions that you may have about functionality, speed and technical support.
Important WordPress Hosting Features
Different websites require different features, so it is important to understand what is on offer when you sign up. The standard features on offer are unlimited bandwidth, some sort of a free trial or money back guarantees and 24/7 customer support amongst others.
The features that should influence you in our opinion are those relating to traffic, loading speeds, limited upsells and security and here’s why.
If your website gains traction and traffic begins to flow in, you would like to enjoy this increase as long as possible without having to upgrade your package, so be sure to find out how much traffic your possible package can handle before you would need to upgrade.
The next feature of importance is loading speeds. As you probably know, loading speeds are included in the ranking algorithm on Google and thus it should be of importance, never mind the fact that not many people are going to be patient if loading times are slow.
We’ve included limited upsells and this is because the less extras you need to pay for, the more complete the package, and lastly security.
The security features are fundamental especially if you’re going to start an online store or make use of many eCommerce functions.
Technical Hosting Support
A good technical support team is crucial in a host. If your site crashes or you need to make quick changes, this team is your first level of enquiry.
If you are reliant on your website as a business, then this support function is of importance because if your website is offline, your business is offline.
Most Hosting companies offer 24/7 technical support; they’re all very quick, but not all are technically sound. If you are a beginner, you may want to stick with those companies that have a very capable support team as this will aid you as you begin your online journey.
WordPress Security
A secure website is necessary not only for those that are running online stores, but also for those sites that capture their customer information. Good security is important when it comes to limiting point of attacks and thus safeguarding your information, the information of your website users and any transaction information which happens on your website.
Many hosting companies provide mid-level security features depending on the package that you subscribe to, but it is important to understand how secure you need your website, depending on what type of functionality you will have on offer. The basic packages typically offer the least security and the most advanced packages offering the most.
WordPress Hosting Performance
The performance of a websites speaks to how fast it loads pages and apps.
A fast website ranks higher in searches and overall is better and more user-friendly. Understanding what type of user will be on your site and what level of performance they expect could be an influencing factor in the choice of performance.
Some users are easily distracted and may leave your website if load times are too slow, whilst other users are patient and willing to wait for the website to load as they are most engaged in the content of this website.
Hosts provide different performance options per package, the performance of the different hosts also vary, so be sure to check what the performance track record of your potential host as well as the proposed performance related to your package.
Hosting Reliability
If you have ever experienced your website crashing, you will understand why we have set aside a section to talk about reliability.
Many shared split resources between many users and therefore most times, one website may affect another. This shared resource model may lead to less reliability and therefore it is important to use a hosting company that does not oversell their server space. packages