You’re here in search of the best WordPress hosting and I don’t blame you.
I’m Jeremy and I’ve worked with a ton of (too many) hosting companies over the years. I also primarily use WordPress for my website projects.
WordPress is the most popular way to start a website online. With an estimate of over 75 million sites using this content management system and 25% of all new websites starting on this platform, it has become a focus of many hosts.
Most hosting companies now cater specifically to WP users with a special set of plans and servers specifically set aside for the CMS.
That doesn’t mean that they’re all the same. You probably chose to put your site on WP because of how versatile it is, and choosing a host is an important part of getting the most out of it.
You should carefully list your needs and put them up against the features and price of any company you consider.
(Note: if your site already gets lots of traffic, you’ll wanna check out our premium VPS or dedicated hosting rankings. If you’re looking to go “bare minimum”, check out the cheapest.)
So without further discussion, here are the top 5 hosting options for WordPress. Enjoy.
#1: Bluehost
Bluehost was an early adopter of the WordPress platform, and due to their specific support they have become the preferred hosting platform of internet marketers and bloggers from around the web.
In fact, they have been endorsed and recommended by WordPress.org since 2005. All of the WP plans from Bluehost are placed on a specially tailored VPS platform which enhances the speed of your new blog.
With the basic “blogger” plan you can have up to five sites, which is a feature not offered by many other WP hosts.
You will also have access to an enhanced cPanel, SiteLock pro and SiteLock CDN which are included with every plan. Knowing your files are secure is a must for any new site.
Another feature that helps Bluehost propel to the top of our list is the bandwidth. Some hosts limited the amount of traffic to unrealistic levels in an effort to get you to a higher payment level, but Bluehost’s blogger plan allows for up to 100 million visits every month.
This is a solid WP option for anyone who wants to use a host that is recommended by WordPress themselves.
Unique features: Automatic data backups, formally endorsed by WordPress, ManageWP pre-installed, and SiteLock Pro.
Pricing: Starting at $2.95.
#2: InMotion
InMotion’s helpful WordPress hosting plan uses top of the line SSD hardware for better speed and reliability, offered at a reasonable monthly cost.
WP comes pre-installed for you by a technical expert, get free updates and backups, and access to the 24/7 support team. Your site will be hosted on SSD hardware to ensure speed.
InMotion has even developed a drag and drop site builder for WordPress that is included with all hosting plans to help you build an attractive site easily.
If you just want a great theme, there are several that come free with your hosting plan. InMotion’s goal is to help you have a site online in under an hour.
This is a great value for bargain hunters or anyone else who wants a fast WordPress site.
Unique features: Free SSL and unlimited bandwidth, free domain and site transfers, free backups, and host unlimited WP sites on one account.
Pricing: Starting at $3.49.
#3: GreenGeeks
GreenGeeks is an environmentally friendly hosting company that can host your WordPress site with incredible speed and security.
The problem with many WP specific plans is that they are on servers that are still shared with other customer’s files. This can, but not always, lead to issues on all other sites on that particular hardware.
While GreenGeeks does still employ shared servers, they employ something called “account isolation” which means that your files (website) is completely separated from the other clients on that server.
The top priority of this host for your WordPress site is security. Your site is updated automatically to keep your site up to date and safe from the hostile internet.
There will also be real time security scanning to pick up malware and proactively block vulnerabilities.
Pair all of this with expert support, daily backups and some excellent hardware and software solutions and you have a solid performing WordPress host for the globally conscious webmaster.
Unique features: Low # of sites per server, 30-day money back guarantee, and top rated security.
Pricing: Starting at $3.95.
#4: HostGator
HostGator is known for it’s great value shared hosting used by blogs all over the internet. That’s why offering WordPress hosting was a natural choice for this provider.
The company also understands that WP is no longer just used for blogs, but entire rich websites and ecommerce platforms can be hosted using this CMS. That’s why they provide suPHP which helps increase security from malicious attempts on your files.
If you’re transferring from another platform, the entire process will be handled by the tech support team for free.
Once your site is off the ground and growing it will be easy to scale your resources. HostGator’s cloud architecture makes it easy to quickly allocate new resources due to spikes in traffic.
This is also one of the most affordable WP specific options online, making it a great choice for avid WordPress users.
Unique features: Unmetered bandwidth, free email marketing tools, 99.9% uptime guarantee, and 45-day money back guarantee.
Pricing: Starting at $3.95.
#5: A Small Orange
A Small Orange is a good choice for WP users, if you are a fan of the Softaculous one-click WP install. After the WP install, it’s easy to use and update with plugins available to do just about anything you want.
Their tiny plan is perfect for just starting out and at under $3/mo it’s a huge bargain.
To keep the good value going you will get a free domain name and 2 months of free hosting when you purchase a year’s worth of service in advance. This makes hosting through this provider an incredible value for your first site.
If you already have a site the transfer is free and with a rolling 7 days worth of daily backups your files will always be protected. A Small Orange is a great beginner’s hosting platform for any WordPress User.
Unique features: 99.9% uptime, US-based support team, and Softaculous one-click WP install.
Pricing: Starting at $2.92.
Recap
It’s kinda funny how people complicate the web hosting process.
When you really compare what all the companies have to offer, the ones that offer real value stand out and make the decision easy.
When it comes to WordPress specific hosting, BlueHost is the overall recommendation. You have great options offered by GreenGeeks and InMotion as well, but you’ll pay a little more.
If you are looking for the overall best WordPress hosting with top tier customer service and fast servers, your choice is easy.