5 Best WordPress Hosting Providers Compared
Domain and hosting are the first two things that pop up whenever you are planning to launch your WordPress website.
WordPress is the most popular content management system in the world. It’s easy to use, has a ton of features, and is relatively inexpensive.
But when it comes to hosting your WordPress site, you have a lot of options. And it can be tough to determine which provider is right for you.
To help you out, we’ve put together a list of the five best WordPress hosting providers. We’ll compare and contrast their features, pricing, uptime, security, cost, customer support, and more, to help you decide which is the best fit for your needs.
Note: This is a dedicated article on WordPress hosting comparison. To learn everything about Hosting, check our previous post on WordPress hosting basics, types, essential features, and a lot more.
A web hosting provider acts as the internal force that empowers your website. So, be aware of choosing a so-so hosting provider for your WordPress website. Here, we’ve listed the top 5 WordPress hosting companies and compared them based on a few important factors.
- Bluehost
- Kinsta
- WPEngine
- Cloudways
- iThemesHosting
Hope this comparison guide will help you make a wise decision.
1- Bluehost
Bluehost is one of the best out there and is officially suggested by WordPress.org. They are a top-rated hosting provider for small businesses. You can choose Bluehost to get the best value for your money.
Let’s find out how it performs based on our parameters.
WordPress Installation
Bluehost comes with the standard functionalities of cPanel. In addition, it offers a one-click WordPress installation process. You can easily install WordPress to your website with this tool.
Performance & Uptime
Bluehost has an average uptime of 99.97%. It takes 1.39 seconds to load a website which is lower than the standard 2 seconds.
Availability Of Site Backups
It comes in four packages. The CHOICE PLUS and PRO plans have an automated backup feature for one year.
SSL Certificate (and security)
All Bluehost packages offer free SSL certificates for its users. Moreover, they also help users change their login credentials securely from WordPress.
Registration And Maintenance Cost
Bluehost has four packages for its WordPress hosting services. The basic package starts at $2.75/month. This is a discounted price. You need to renew the plans at regular prices.
Customer Support
Bluehost offers 24/7 customer support for users. They respond quickly and have a friendly and professional attitude.
Online Reputation/User Feedback
Bluehost has received 4.1 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot and 3.6 out of 5 stars on G2. Most people are happy with their services.
Bluehost Pros & Cons
The pros and cons of Bluehost are as follows.
Pros:
- Free Domain
- Free SSL
- Free CDN
- Great uptime
- Unmetered bandwidth
- Free automated backup (for advanced packages)
- Custom themes
- 24/7 customer support
Cons:
- High renewal costs
- Lack of backup solution in entry-level plans.
Verdict
Overall this is a quality hosting service provider for people who are looking to build a small business that has the potential to attract significant traffic to its website.
Subscribe to
Woo blog
2- Kinsta
Kinsta manages an optimized setup for managed WordPress hosting. It is comparatively pricier. But, the features you’ll get are worth the money. It uses the power of Google Cloud to make its services more accessible and easier to use.
WordPress Installation
Kinsta doesn’t use the conventional cPanel interface, instead, it comes with a custom panel for the users. You can easily install WordPress to your website by ticking the box that allows Kinsta to install WordPress on your behalf.
Performance & Uptime
Kinsta has an average uptime of 99.42%. It loads within 1.07 seconds which is faster than Bluehost.
Availability Of Site Backups
Kinsta offers auto backup for every web hosting plan. It also has extra backup facilities for the users. They need to buy KInsta’s add-ons to avail of these options.
SSL Certificate (and security)
You’ll get free SSL certificates with every package of Kinsta web hosting.
Registration And Maintenance Cost
Kinsta’s basic plan starts at $35/per month. You can renew the registration at the same rate.
Customer Support
Kinsta provides all support and helps the users’ needs. Their WordPress experts are available 24/7 at your disposal.
Online Reputation/User Feedback
Kinsta has got 4.4 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot. It has received 4.7 ratings out of 5 on G2
Kinsta Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Free DDoS protection
- Free CDN
- Free SSL certificates
- Wildcard support
- Built with Google Cloud Platform
- 24/7 support from industry experts
- Free migrations
Cons:
- Dedicated to only one CMS (WordPress)
- A bit pricier
Verdict
Kinsta is suitable for people who want to get optimal performance from their websites and have a good budget for WordPress hosting.
3- WPEngine
WP Engine is one of the most popular WordPress hosting providers. Because it has managed plans dedicated to WordPress. Since they optimize the hosting specifically for the WordPress platform, you have to pay more to get a WP Engine hosting plan.
WordPress Installation
WP Engine has a custom installation process for WordPress. You need to log in to your WP Engine user portal and hit the Installs tab. Then navigate to the Add Install option. It will lead you to further steps of WordPress installation.
Performance & Uptime
It has an impressive uptime of 99.99% with a load time of 1.18 seconds.
Availability Of Site Backups
Each WP Engine plan has a daily and on-demand backup facility to unburden you from unwanted tension.
SSL Certificate (and security)
WP Engine comes with both SSL and SSH certificates. The SSL certificates ensure your website’s security and SSH certificates empower your developers to do more.
Registration And Maintenance Cost
The Startup package for managed WordPress is available at $23/month. You need to renew the package at $300/year after the first year.
Customer Support
WP Engine provides 24/7 chat and phone support for all packages except for the Startup plan. You’ll get only chat support for the Startup plan.
Online Reputation/User Feedback
It has an overall rating of 3.2 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot and an impressive rating of 4.5 out of 5 on G2.
WPEngine Pros & Cons
The pros and cons of WP Engine are as follows.
Pros:
- Managed WordPress web hosting
- Free data backup
- SEO optimized
- Free SSL certificates
- Free CDN
Cons:
- No domain services
- No cPanel
Verdict
WP Engine is a great choice if you’re looking for the best at managed hosting.
4- Cloudways
Cloudways is a bit unique. It allows users to choose from five different data centers. The data centers are Digital Ocean, Vultr, Linode, Amazon Web Services, and Google Cloud. The prices vary depending on the data center you choose. You can pick a specific center and pay for that only.
WordPress Installation
Cloudways has its own platform for WordPress installations. Log in to your Cloudways Platform and navigate to the Servers menu. Then choose your preferred server and click on the Add App button. Select the WordPress Multisite option to install it.
Performance & Uptime
Since Cloudways offers five data center platforms, its performance also varies to some extent. The average speed is 1.47 seconds. It also provides an excellent 99.99% uptime.
Availability Of Site Backups
Cloudways supports automated backups for each plan.
SSL Certificate (and security)
You’ll get free SSL and SSH certificates for your web hosting plan.
Registration And Maintenance Cost
The lowest Cloudways package comes at $10/month for DigitalOcean data centers. You can renew the plan at the same rate.
Customer Support
Cloudways offers 24/7 real-time monitoring and support for users.
Online Reputation/User Feedback
It is extremely popular across review platforms like Trustpilot and G2. Cloudways has achieved an overall score of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot and 4.8 out of 5 stars on G2.
Cloudways Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Automated site backup
- Dedicated firewalls
- Free SSL certificates
- Free site migration
- 24/7/365 customer support
- Maximum uptime
- Free trial
- Pay-as-you-go pricing
Cons:
- No cPanel or Plesk
- No modifications allowed for servers
Verdict
Cloudways offers great features at an affordable price. One of the best things about it is that it lets you choose from a variety of server plans. It also has a pay-as-you-go option which means you should pay only for what you use.
5- iThemes Hosting
iThemes Hosting is an affordable managed WordPress hosting provider from Liquid Web. It is special because it offers other iTheme plugins namely iThemes Security Pro, BackupBuddy, and Sync Tools. These tools keep your website secure, take regular backups, and optimize your site.
WordPress Installation
iThemes Sync comes with a single dashboard that allows you to manage all your WordPress-related tasks from a single place. You will get freedom from cPanel if you combine iThemes Hosting and Sync. This synchronization will also let you update plugins, create backups, and install plugins on your WordPress website.
Performance & Uptime
iThemes Hosting has a good uptime and standard load speed. It uses the same robust technology as its parent company Liquid Web. So, you need not worry about its overall performance.
Availability Of Site Backups
It comes with the BackupBuddy plugin that can create scheduled and automatic backups. You can also store a WordPress backup off-site and restore the website when required.
SSL Certificate (and security)
iThemes hosting provides free SSL certificates for WordPress websites.
Registration And Maintenance Cost
The regular cost of iThemes hosting is $15/month. But currently, it’s unavailable for purchase. You can contact them to keep you on the waitlist.
Customer Support
iThemes hosting doesn’t have a dedicated support team for the hosting users. You can inform your queries via its helpdesk and wait for the support team to respond.
iThemes Hosting Pros & Cons
The pros and cons of iThemes hosting are as follows.
Pros:
- Remote WordPress backups
- Advanced control with iThemes Sync Dashboard
- Uptime monitoring
- WordPress backup with BackupBuddy
- Free SSL certificates
Cons:
- Poor support
Verdict
You can choose iThemes hosting to get the services of the advanced plugins it offers.
5 Best WordPress Hosting Providers in 2022: A Short Comparison
Let’s sum up the whole discussion on WordPress hosting providers comparison in a bite-sized table to help you make the right decision.
| Criteria | Uptime | Storage | 24/7 Support | Price starts at | Bandwidth | Free domains | Speed | Number of sites |
| Bluehost | 99.97% | 10 GB – 100Gb | Yes | $2.75/month | Unmetered | Yes | 1.39s | Unlimited |
| Kinsta | 99.42% | 10 GB – 250 GB | Yes | $35/month | Limited based on plans | No | 1.07s | 150 |
| WP Engine | 99.99% | 10 GB – 50+ GB | Yes | $23/month | 50 GB – %00+ GB | No | 1.18s | 30+ |
| Cloudways | 99.99% | 25 GB – 160 GB | Yes | $10/month | 1 TB – 5 TB | No | 1.47s | Undefined |
| iThemes Hosting | 99.99% | 20 GB – 750 GB | Yes | $15/month | 1 TB – 5 TB | No | 1.30s | 100 |
Bonus Part 1: How Does WordPress Hosting Work?
Like any web hosting, WordPress hosting refers to the place where you can house your website and store all your content.
WordPress hosting is different in terms of the additional features it adds to optimize your website and make it more secure and faster.
With a WordPress hosting plan, you will get many efficient tools and services. WordPress hosting services are designed for a specific niche. They are compatible with the WordPress ecosystem and enhance the website’s performance on a large scale.
Here is a list of WordPress hosting benefits you should have a look at-
- Improved security
- Easy installation and maintenance
- A faster website with better performance
- Enhanced plugin functionality
- Easy-to-add security certificates (SSL)
- Automated updates
- Dedicated support
Let’s now have a look at the major types of WordPress hosting.
Bonus Part 2: Major Types of WordPress Hosting Explained
You need to decide on which type of WordPress hosting you’re going to select before you choose your hosting provider. There are 5 main types of WordPress hosting.
- Shared Hosting
- Managed WordPress Hosting
- Cloud Hosting
- VPS Hosting
- Dedicated Server Hosting
Let’s know what each of these types means and how you can choose the suitable one for your website.
Shared Hosting
Shared hosting means you’ll be sharing a single server with other WordPress websites. This is a great option for beginners who are looking for affordable solutions. Shared hosting has a few drawbacks as well. Since multiple users have access to the same server it sometimes slows down the server by occupying more space. And, there’s a possibility of a security breach as well.
Managed WordPress Hosting
This type of hosting is specifically designed for WordPress websites. You will get additional features like website backups, auto-updates, enhanced security, and support from WordPress experts. Since managed WordPress hosting deals with only one CMS (WordPress), it can provide top-notch services. But, this type of WordPress hosting is pricier compared to other services.
Cloud Hosting
This type of hosting falls somewhere between VPS and dedicated hosting. Cloud hosting services are easily scalable whenever you need them. All your data will be hosted on cloud infrastructure in place of a physical server. And you will get a virtual unit of the server along with other users. However, you must have some technical expertise to manage a website on cloud hosting.
Dedicated Server Hosting
This type of hosting is suitable for advanced users who run high-traffic WordPress websites. You can use all the resources of a dedicated server without having to share them with other users. Dedicated server hosting is a bit expensive but it offers more freedom for the users. You can choose this type of hosting if you run a large website and have the technical expertise to manage a server on your own.
VPS Hosting
VPS also known as Virtual Private Server is the combination of shared and dedicated web hosting. You will share the server with multiple users but the space will be allocated more efficiently in VPS. Each user will be able to use only the dedicated storage for him. The usage of other users won’t hamper your website’s performance. This hosting is for people who want a dedicated server at an affordable price.
What to Look For When Buying WordPress Hosting
We hope now you understand how one type of web hosting differs from the other. You need to determine what web hosting type will best suit your business and then choose the right one. Here is a list of the best tips for choosing a web hosting plan for your WordPress website.
- Look for optimal security
- Make sure the web hosting offers almost 100% uptime
- Focus on the storage and bandwidth required for your website
- Choose a fast hosting provider
- Buy hosting from a reputed company that offers 24/7 customer support
- Ensure your website hosting provider has an auto-backup feature
- Choose a scalable hosting provider
FAQs on Top WordPress Hosting Comparison
What is WordPress-managed hosting?
Managed WordPress hosting refers to a special kind of web hosting service that features robust technology and optimal environments to help you build a fast, secure, and functional website. It also takes care of hosting-related factors like WordPress installation, updates, security checks, backups, and more.
What are the benefits of managed WordPress hosting?
-Seamless support from WordPress experts
-Faster websites and enhanced performance
-Easy-to-add SSL certificates
-Easy access to site development tools
-Additional security tailored for WordPress
-Availability of staging environments
-Straightforward server management
Which WordPress hosting is cheaper?
Price points shouldn’t be the only consideration when you choose a hosting provider. Make sure you choose quality and reliable web hosting for your website. Bluehost is a great option if you’re looking for an affordable WordPress hosting plan.
Which hosting is best for an eCommerce website?
An eCommerce website consists of numerous web pages and handles heavy traffic regularly. That’s why you need to buy a premium hosting plan that is easily scalable with the growth of traffic and storage. You also need optimal security, backup, and load speed. We recommend Kinsta and WP Engine in this regard.
Subscribe to
Woo blog
Choose The Best WordPress Hosting Plan Based on Your Needs
As a beginner, it’s natural to get overwhelmed by the number of hosting companies available in the market. But, you can’t afford to make mistakes when choosing a hosting service provider for your website. Because the quality of hosting determines how your site will perform in the long run.
We’ve handpicked the best options on this list. You can choose the best hosting plan as per your needs from the list.
Bluehost and Cloudways are affordable solutions with amazing additional features. Kinsta and WPEngine have robust technologies to host eCommerce websites. And, iThemes is a great option if you want to get the services of its associated plugins.
The choice is ultimately yours! We hope you’ll choose wisely after analyzing the points we made throughout this blog.
