Whether you need WordPress hosting for your personal website or business site, the best providers offer fast load times, free SSL certificates and other security features. You should also look for a provider that offers month-to-month plans instead of long-term contracts.
Managed hosts like Kinsta are experts at WordPress and will know your site and plugins better than a general host. They also tend to offer more specialized support.
1. Speed
A fast-loading website is essential to user experience and search engine optimization. The hosting provider you choose can have a significant impact on your website’s speed. Choosing the right plan for your site size and traffic needs is important, as well.
Fortunately, there are plenty of providers that offer specialized WordPress hosting. These providers typically focus on delivering high performance and a great user experience.
Bluehost is one such provider, and they host two million websites. Their WordPress hosting comes with a number of features, including free SSL, a CDN, and unlimited storage and bandwidth. They also offer a money-back guarantee and free migration tools.
2. Reliability
While any web host can technically host WordPress websites, a provider that has a specific focus on WordPress offers the best performance and reliability for these types of sites. Look for plans that include free site migration, SSL certification (encrypts data to keep sensitive information secure), and a CDN. You also want to be able to choose a server location near your audience to help speed up website delivery.
For those looking for a more hands-off experience, consider getting a managed WordPress hosting service from a large web host like 1&1 IONOS or WPX. These providers usually have a dedicated team to monitor and help manage your WordPress site. Their support teams are available 24/7. Plus, they typically offer more security measures than shared hosting, such as malware protection and firewalls.
3. Security
Whether you’re using WordPress for a blog or an E-commerce site, it’s important to have top-notch security. It’s best to get a managed hosting solution that will take care of all the technical details for you. This way, you can focus on running your business.
Look for a host that offers HTTPS (which protects your data from hackers) and other features that help keep your site secure. These include a firewall, malware scanning, and spam protection.
Some hosts also offer free site migrations, which make switching providers easier. This feature is especially helpful if you’re moving to a new domain or switching hosts completely. Some of the best WordPress hosting companies include this feature with their plans. Others offer it separately for an extra fee.
4. Support
A good hosting provider will offer a range of support options. This may include a ticketing system, live chat, and email. They should also provide a knowledge base. Some hosts offer specialized WordPress support, which can help you with issues specific to the CMS.
A few hosting providers are officially recommended by WordPress. This is because they have dedicated teams of experts who understand the CMS. They can also help you with plugins and themes.
Among these, Hostinger is one of the best WordPress hosting companies. They have a great mix of features, including unlimited websites, NVMe storage, and automatic backups. They also have a wide variety of security tools, such as a WAF and malware scanner. They are also relatively inexpensive. They also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.
5. Pricing
While it’s true you can use any web host for WordPress, a WordPress-specific hosting provider offers better service and performance. Many hosts, such as Cloudways (which is recommended by WordPress) offer caching tools to boost site speed and top-grade security features like Cloudflare enterprise, two-factor authentication, and dedicated firewalls.
WP Engine is on the more expensive side, but it offers blazing speed and incredible uptime as well as best-in-class security. It also optimizes its IT environment for WordPress and keeps the PHP stack up to date, which makes it a great option for e-commerce sites or high-traffic blogs. It also offers excellent customer support via helpdesk, chat, and phone. It’s worth checking out their plans for more details.