WordPress Hosting: You Might Have 99 Problems, but Finding the Right WordPress Host Shouldn’t Be One of Them.

Best WordPress Hosting Providers

Before you buy WordPress hosting, you need to have a solid understanding of the difference between managed and non-managed plans.  Otherwise, you stand to make the wrong selection at the outset and be stuck with a hosting plan that’s time-consuming to maintain.

We’ve put together a comprehensive breakdown of what WordPress hosting is, who needs it, and what features managed WordPress hosting offers that standard hosts don’t provide.

Company	Main features	Price	Rating	More
Bluehost	Free domain name included SiteLock security & advanced CDN Migrate & manage multiple sites & backups 30-day money back guarantee More features at bluehost.com	From 12.49 /mo	61% score	Visit website Read reviews
Cloudways	Free WordPress site migration VMAN cloud server deployment Click&Go console, 1-click operations Free 30 day trial More features at cloudways.com	From 5.00 /mo	77% score	Visit website Read reviews
Flywheel	Free WordPress site migration Managed WordPress updates & backups Built-in caching & staging sites Free 30 day trial Endorsed by WordPress More features at flywheel.com	From 14.00 /mo	70% score	Visit website Read reviews
InMotion Hosting	WordPress comes pre-installed & ready Free domain name included SSD storage for 20x faster hosting Free 90 day trial More features at inmotionhosting.com	From 4.89 /mo	70% score	Visit website Read reviews
Media Temple	WordPress-certified 24/7 support 30 day file backup & restore Automatic WP core updates 30-day money back guarantee More features at mediatemple.net	From 20.00 /mo	78% score	Visit website Read reviews
Pagely	Free WordPress site migration Fully managed updates & security PressCDN, PressCache, PressDNS & PressArmor Free 30 day trial More features at pagely.com	From 64.00 /mo	50% score	Visit website Read reviews
Pressable	Automatic WordPress updates & backups Automatic nightly backups Premium CDN included Free 15 day trial More features at pressable.com	From 20.83 /mo	57% score	Visit website Read reviews
Pressidium	Full server management & DevOps Managed WordPress auto updates Staging sites & automated backups Free 60 day trial More features at pressidium.com	From 17.90 /mo	71% score	Visit website Read reviews
SiteGround	Free SSD, Free SSL & HTTP/2, Free domain Automatic updates & daily backups SuperCacher caching & CloudFlare Free 30 day trial Endorsed by WordPress More features at siteground.com	From 3.95 /mo	90% score	Visit website Read reviews
Liquid Web	Free "white glove" site migration included Free SSL certificate included On-site "heroic" support team Free 30-day trial & 100% uptime guarantee More features at liquidweb.com	From 89.00 /mo	80% score	Visit website Read reviews
WP Engine	Premium managed WordPress hosting Staging sites & in-house caching technology Free automated site migration Free 60-day trial & SLA credits. More features at wpengine.com	From 35.00 /mo	93% score	Visit website Read reviews

WordPress Hosting Explained

WordPress is the world’s most popular content management system or CMS. It lets anyone create a site from scratch.

You have the option of customizing files and modifying the code, but users without coding experience also have the opportunity to build beautiful websites. We have broken down the steps of

Picking a Template and Getting Started

With a non-managed WordPress hosting plan, you’ll need to install the free software on a hosting account. Then you pick out a WordPress template, which is basically a pre-formed design for making the front end of your site look nice.

A selection of popular free themes from WordPress.org. Screenshot via Digital.com

After that, you can write your content, create blog posts, develop static pages, upload images, and add video or audio. Although it may take a few hours to get accustomed to the interface, WordPress is ideal for newbies.

Managed WordPress hosting includes WordPress management and hosting as a single package. So with this option, you’re passing over all of the responsibilities to the hosting company. It’s a clean process that should include full support. So if you have questions about accessing your website files or notice that your site is running slower than usual, a team of support representatives is a phone call away.

Great Value at a Fractionate Cost

Whichever option you choose, WordPress allows for users of all experience levels to take advantage of a powerful CMS at a low price.

WordPress is open source and free, and there’s an entire community of people online making improvements and giving advice on how to get set up and running. You’ll find blogs, forums, and plugins to make your site the best it can be. In fact, a quick Google search is generally all you need in terms of support.

Although WordPress is free, you will find that some services, like premium plugins and themes, need to be paid for. You can absolutely find free themes and plugins, but the premium ones are often more powerful.

Features and Benefits of Managed WordPress Hosting

Here’s a breakdown of some of the features that come standard on most managed hosting plans.

• Hosting optimized for WordPress
• Less crowded servers
• Content delivery networks (CDNs)
• Optimized speed
• High security
• Automated updates
• Automated backups
• Customer service and technical support
• How-to resources and community
• Saves you time

Let’s look at these benefits in greater detail.

Hosting Optimized for WordPress

Managed WordPress hosts have calibrated their technology — from operating systems to server technology and more — to provide an optimal environment for WordPress.

Plus you’ll be interacting with specialists who have expertise in WordPress.

Less Crowded Servers

With a managed WordPress account, you are very likely to share your server with fewer hosting customers, compared to a shared hosting account.

Many Hosts Use Virtual Private Servers (VPS)

The VPS provides resources to your website only. Remember, though, that most managed WordPress plans don’t include any root server access to the VPN itself, and you won’t be able to install anything else.

Content Delivery Network (CDN)

Your managed WordPress account will likely come with a CDN (content delivery network). The CDN speeds up the delivery of your WordPress site since it utilizes an entire network of servers located all over the world.

Cloudflare is a trustworthy CDN choice. Screenshot via Digital.com

Since content delivery depends on the proximity of the server to the end user, someone living in India would see your site faster since it would be delivered for a server closest to India, regardless of the location of your host.

Optimized Speed

A fast website is essential in business. The longer a site takes to load, the more people will leave. So a fast website will increase conversions and improve the user experience.

Managed WordPress hosting uses software and hardware optimized to run WordPress as fast as possible.

That said, there are some things that will affect the speed and performance of your website, even if you’re using managed WordPress hosting:

• Third-party advertisement systems
• Too many widgets and plugins
• Multipurpose WordPress themes with too much functionality
• Images that aren’t optimized or are large files
• Not using a CDN to deliver content faster
• Failure to use a caching solution.

Additional Measures for Speed

Just because you have a reliable web host doesn’t mean your site is optimized to run at its fastest. You need to take care to manage the speed and performance of your website on a regular basis to make sure your visitors are getting the best experience possible.

Security, Backups, and Updates

A hack or data breach can lead to business disaster. You could lose data, expose customer details, or accidentally infect others with malware. You’re responsible for keeping your website secure, and if it’s not, you may face penalties or the collapse of your company.

On any hosting platform, WordPress is secure. And with a managed WordPress host, your site is scanned for security holes constantly.

The host will fix any issues before you know it. And if you are compromised, they’ll quickly revert your site back to how it was before the breach.

Automatic Updates

Your host will take care of updating the WordPress core and all of your plug-ins. This saves you time and boosts your security since hackers often gain control of WordPress sites via outdated plugins.

Automated Backups

With managed WordPress hosting, backups are almost always taken care of for you. Check the exact provision with your host, but you can expect daily restore points at a minimum.

Customer Service and Tech Support

Despite all the above-mentioned features you should look for in a hosting provider, there is on a crucial feature that you cannot afford to overlook: customer service and tech support. After all, even if you have an affordable and reliable hosting company, if there is no support team on hand to help you, your website could be in trouble if something breaks or a server crashes.

Running a business website is a lot of work. And the larger your website grows, the potential for problems to occur will grow with it.

Even if you’re tech-savvy, problems related to your website and its hosting services can easily surpass your technical knowledge. And since your revenue relies on your website’s uptime, it’s important you have a capable team on standby at all times to help you in the case something happens.

How-to Resources and Community

WordPress-specific managed hosts often offer a rich selection of good how-tos in the form of text and video tutorials and topic-based forums.

Some hosts, like SiteGround, have community-focused mentors on staff. They are there to help you get the most out of your WordPress experience. They often travel to WordCamps around the world to meet with their customers and share site ideas.

Saves You Time

Tasks like updating your plug-ins are so critical that if not done right can result in your site being hacked and penalized by Google.

If your site is slow this can also get you penalized, given the 2018 Google “Speed Update.”

Choosing managed hosting can save you countless hours of teaching yourself what you need to know to secure your WP site and get it served at an optimal speed.

What to Look for in WordPress Hosting Customer Support

Here’s what to look for when it comes to your web host’s customer service and support:

• Response Time
• Contact Methods
• Availability
• Expertise

Response Time

Make sure the support team can answer your questions quickly and efficiently, especially if they say they are available 24/7/365.

Contact Methods

Email, a ticket system, live chat, and phone access are all important ways to contact your support team. You need to know your hosting provider has a method you’re comfortable with. Also, make sure the host has support available in your language.

Availability

Your site’s problems won’t take the weekend or holidays off so look for a support team that won’t either.

Expertise

Understanding your CMS is a must. That’s why using managed WordPress hosting is a good idea. Hosting companies that offer managed WordPress hosting will have the knowledge to help you with your website’s issues and have the right solutions to fix them.

Do I Need Premium Support?

Some web hosts offer tiered support services. Whether you pay more for web hosting support will largely depend on your individual needs.

For example, if you are running a large, highly-trafficked site, a more expensive plan might be worth considering.

After all, some of the services provided in higher support tiers will prioritize your issues over other, smaller issues. This can make a huge difference in how much revenue your business loses should your site crash and customers not be able to access it.

However, for most websites, the amount of customer service and tech support that comes with the hosting plan you choose is usually enough, so long as the features you require are included.

WordPress.org vs WordPress.com

When it comes to using the WordPress CMS, you have two choices.

You can use WordPress.org or WordPress.com.

Unfortunately, many beginner business owners get the two platforms confused. And, while neither is a bad choice, the one you choose to use to build your business website will have an effect on your company’s success.

WordPress.org

WordPress.org is an open source platform that is 100% free to use. All you need is a web host to host your site’s data, and a domain name, which you can sometimes get through your web hosting provider.

Because you need the services of a hosting company, this platform is considered self-hosted.

What are the Benefits of Using WordPress.org?

Here are some of the main benefits of using the self-hosted WordPress.org platform:

• It’s free and simple to use
• You own your website and data
• You can extend its design and functionality
• You can run a business and start a blog on the same platform
• You can monetize your website using your own ads and collect 100% of the revenue
• You can tap use metric tools like Google Analytics
• There are “loads” of third-party integrations and plug-ins to boost your online conversions.
• It’s supported by a large community, so is continuing to be developed and improved
• There are a large number of forums where you can get your questions answered easily

In addition, using the WordPress.org platform gives you the freedom to brand your company as you want, provides many opportunities for SEO optimization so your site gets found in search results, and comes with full theme support, meaning you can customize your free and premium themes in any way you want.

Are There Any Downsides to Using WordPress.org

That said, there are a few downsides to using WordPress.org:

• You’ll need to pay for web hosting and a domain name
• You’ll be responsible for all updates unless you use managed WordPress hosting
• Backups of your site’s data will be your responsibility
• Investing in premium themes and plugins can become costly.

What About WordPress.com?

WordPress.com is a hosted solution created by the co-founder of WordPress itself, Matt Mullenweg.

Its most basic plan is free to use, you don’t need a web host, because this platform hosts your site’s data for you, and you don’t need a domain name either.

Lastly, there is no need to perform updates or backups because WordPress handles this for you

Are There Downsides to Using WordPress.com?

Though WordPress.com is free to use, there are several downsides to consider before signing up to use it:

• Ads – They place ads on all websites that you don’t make money from and can make you appear less than professional.
• Monetization – You are not allowed to monetize your website with your own ads, though you can use their specific advertising program WordAds and share revenue with them.
• Plugins – You cannot add plugins or themes to your site and are limited to the customization options built into the platform.
• Analytics – You can only use their built-in analytics, meaning you cannot access Google Analytics.
• Impermanence – Your site can be deleted at any time.
• Watermark – Your site will display a “Powered by WordPress.com” link.
• E-commerce – There are no e-commerce features available.

As you can see, though WordPress.com is free to use and doesn’t require a premium domain name or web hosting services, there are many disadvantages that can hinder the success of your business website.

WordPress.com Downsides Explained

After all, business owners want to be able to create online stores or membership sites, monetize their blog using adverts they can collect revenue on, and don’t want to be at the mercy of Terms of Service, worrying that their entire business can be shut down at any moment.

Using WordPress.com offers business owners very little room to grow and succeed. And while there are some initial costs associated with using the self-hosted WordPress.org platform, you have room to make enough money to more than cover those costs.

Personal Hosting vs. Business Hosting

Running a personal website is a lot different than running a business site. After all, personal sites are great for starting a blog and fulfilling a hobby. They don’t typically attract a lot of visitors or offer products or services.

Because of this, using a hosted platform such as WordPress.com, Blogger, Contentful, or Tumblr may be just what you need in terms of design and functionality.

E-Commerce Websites

However, if you are looking to start a business site, you’ll need to invest some money into a self-hosted platform such as WordPress.org to maximize your site’s potential in terms of design and functionality.

If you don’t want to use WordPress.org, there are other options, known as website builders, that can help you create a business website from the ground up.

They offer easy to use drag-and-drop technology, pre-designed templates to choose from, advertising options, e-commerce capability, social sharing capability, and SEO optimization.

E-Commerce Builders for Small Business Sites

Here are some of the best website builders on the market today. Keep in mind, some website builders come with hosting plans, and others are standalone solutions that can be added to WordPress or work on their own.

• Wix
• BoldGrid
• Shopify
• Weebly
• Squarespace

Wix

Wix is a cloud-based website builder that’s fully hosted comes with hundreds of templates, an SSL certificate, and lots of apps to extend the functionality. It does not come with a domain name and has limited bandwidth and storage.

BoldGrid

BoldGrid was built on top of WordPress, you can choose from themes to create your site on, using their staging environment, and create a WooCommerce shop.

Shopify

Shopify has been designed specifically for e-commerce websites, Shopify is fully hosted, managed, and feature-rich so running your business is easy.

Weebly

Fully hosted, Weebly is with built-in contact forms, photo galleries, sliders, and more, this website builder also supports e-commerce stores.

Squarespace

Squarespace not only does this hosted platform have a website builder for creating an e-commerce site, it makes adding blog content easy using the drag-and-drop system.

How to Install WordPress: Step-by-Step

Whether you decide to use a non-managed or managed WordPress hosting provider, installing WordPress after getting a web host is easy to do.

One-Click Installs

In fact, most hosting companies provide one-click WordPress installs from their cPanel, which is the section in your user account that lets you manage all things related to your website and hosting services.

You do this using any number of apps, such as QuickInstall or Softaculous, depending on what your hosting company uses.

Web Hosts Will Also Have You Covered

Adding to that, some of the very best hosting providers on the market have easy to follow setup wizards so you know your WordPress install is done correctly.

Since every web host has their own steps for installing WordPress onto your website, you’ll need to consult with your specific hosting provider for exact steps.

However, in an effort to give you an idea how easy it is, we’ll show you how to install WordPress onto your site using QuickInstall.

Step 1: Find the QuickInstall Icon on cPanel

First you’ll need to log into your hosting account and navigate to the cPanel dashboard. Next, scroll down to the Software and Services section and click on the QuickInstall icon.

Note that this process will be slightly different if your host uses Softaculous or another installer instead of QuickInstall. However, the basic concepts and steps still apply.

Step 2: Find the WordPress Installer

You’ll then be taken to the one-click installers page on QuickInstall. Click on the WordPress link to launch the WordPress Installer.

Step 3: Install WordPress

Now you’ll be taken to the WordPress Installer where you’ll see an overview of the WordPress software. Simply click on the ‘Install WordPress’ button to continue.

Step 4: Configure WordPress

From there, you’ll need to configure the WordPress Install settings.

• First, enter your site’s domain name.
• Then, add an admin email where information regarding your website will be sent.
• Next, give your site a title, which you can easily change later.
• Lastly, fill in a username, first, and last name.

WordPress Themes

When you use the self-hosted WordPress.org platform for your business site, you have thousands of free and premium themes to choose from.

The WordPress theme is what gives your site its front-end styling design. In other words, the theme is what people visiting your website see.

Front-End Styling WordPress Themes

Most WordPress themes provide the following front-end styling elements:

• Overall style
• Different homepage style options
• Font styles
• Color options
• Widget sections
• Page layouts
• Styles for blogs and blog archives
• Social media sharing buttons
• Several options for navigation styles
• Any other style details.

How Do I Get a WordPress Theme?

You can get your WordPress themes from a variety of sources. For example, sometimes your hosting provider will set you up with their exclusive theme to get you started. Other times they have a whole host of themes to choose from based on the kind of website you’re creating.

This makes setting up WordPress even easier because as you sign up for hosting services, choose your domain name, and install WordPress, you can usually select a theme and have it automatically installed and activated on your site.

Where to Get WordPress Themes

However, there are also other places you can get themes, whether you want to pay for them or not:

• WordPress Theme Directory – This is one of the best places to get free WordPress themes. The themes are versatile so any kind of website you are building is covered. In addition, themes go through a strict inspection to make sure there is no bad code in them.
• Marketplaces – There are large marketplaces that sell thousands of WordPress themes. Some of the most popular themes on the market are found in these marketplaces. You can get detailed descriptions of the theme’s features, find out about theme support, and even read reviews so you can see what other people think about the theme you’re interested in.
• Theme Companies – There are also smaller companies in the WordPress community that dedicate themselves to building both free and premium themes, such as Envato or Themify.

Free vs Premium Themes

You might be wondering whether it’s better to use a free or premium theme on your website.

Let’s take a look at each so you can make a better decision when it comes to choosing the right theme for your website.

Free WordPress Themes

The biggest benefit of using a free WordPress theme is that it’s free. And, when you are just starting out with your business website, it can be easy to decide to use a free theme over a paid one.

However, if you get your theme from the official WordPress Theme Directory, you’ll be happy to know that it has undergone a thorough review, meaning it has standard, compliant code, fully supports WordPress features and plugins, has quality HTML and CSS, and is as secure as it can be.

Downsides of Using Free Themes

The downsides to using a free theme include:

• Limited support options
• Limited features and functionality
• A lack of uniqueness for making your business stand out
• No warranties or guarantees, which is no good if it breaks your site completely,

Premium Themes

On the other hand, paid themes do come at a cost, though the benefits often outweigh the costs. For example, premium themes come with plenty of features and customizations for creating a standout website.

This is especially helpful for those running business sites that need features such as drag-and-drop page building, multiple layout options, color schemes for proper branding, and e-commerce support.

Support and WordPress Updates

In addition, paid themes to come with support and regular updates. This is great for any time you run into any problems using your theme. It also ensures your theme is always up to date and working with the most recent version of WordPress.

Downsides to Premium Themes

The downsides to using a premium theme include:

• Less than stellar code since anyone can create and sell a premium theme
• Too many features dragging down your site’s speed and performance
• A higher learning curve because of the number of features
• Features that mimic plugins are included, which disappear if you change the theme and change your entire website.

To install and activate a theme on your WordPress website, all you need to do is navigate to Appearance > Themes in your WordPress dashboard.

Then, select the theme you want to activate on your website and click ‘Activate’. You’ll then be able to customize your theme as you see fit.

WordPress Hosting Alternatives

If you enjoy using WordPress, but managed hosting isn’t right for you, there are other options:

• Shared Hosting
• VPS
• Cloud
• Dedicated

Shared Hosting

This is great for low traffic websites, those on a budget, and those who don’t want a lot of control. You share a part of the host’s server with other website owners and draw your resources from the same place.

Virtual Private Server (VPS)

Using a VPS plan, you get your own portion of the server to draw resources from so no other sites can affect them. It’s easy to scale and you have more control over your part of the server since you don’t share it.

Cloud Hosting

Cloud hosting uses multiple servers that all act as one. There is no sharing of resources, and if one server goes down, another one steps in and takes over. It’s super easy to scale because there are unlimited resources available.

Dedicated Server

For those who want more control and an entire server to themselves, this option is perfect. It’s good for very large, highly-trafficked websites.

In the end, managed hosting is ideal for many businesses, but an expensive waste for others.

If you’re a busy entrepreneur, and you’re not interested in getting technical, it’s likely the perfect choice for your website.

Next Steps

Now that you know the details about WordPress hosting, check out our hosting reviews, the skinny on website builders, or a deep dive into e-commerce platforms.