Best WordPress Hosting Services of 2023

If you are interested in utilizing WordPress as your web platform and content management system (CMS), you will probably want to find a web host that offers a WordPress-specific hosting plan option that is specifically optimized for WordPress websites. We’ve taken a look at pricing, tools, plans, and features to determine our rating of the Best WordPress Hosting Services of 2023.

Our Best WordPress Hosting Services of 2023 Rating

Monthly Cost*

$14.99/Month and Up

Annual Cost**

$23.88/Year and Up

Managed or Self Managed

Managed

WP Engine Logo

#2 WP Engine

Most WooCommerce Hosting Options

Monthly Cost*

$30.00/Month and Up

Annual Cost**

$360.00/Year and Up

Managed or Self Managed

Managed

Namecheap logo

#3 Namecheap

Best Cloud-Hosted Managed WordPress

Monthly Cost*

$6.88/Month and Up

Annual Cost**

$48.88/Year and Up

Managed or Self Managed

Managed

Ionos Logo

#4 IONOS

Best Value for Small Businesses

Monthly Cost*

$4.00/Month and Up

Annual Cost**

$2.00/Month and Up

Managed or Self Managed

Managed

Nexcess Web hosting Logo

#5 Nexcess

Best Customer Support Options

Monthly Cost*

$19.00/Month and Up

Annual Cost**

$190.00/Year and Up

Managed or Self Managed

Managed

* Monthly Cost reflects the monthly pricing of auto renewal for the WordPress service (excluding promotions)
** Annual Cost reflects the annual pricing of auto renewal for the WordPress service (excluding promotions)

If you’re trying to decide which WordPress hosting service or company is the best fit for your business, you’ll want to explore a number of factors in addition to plan pricing. We’ve dug into the features, tools, and capabilities of all the companies in this rating to help you compare your options. To explore an individual company in-depth, check out its full review for a detailed look at factors ranging from storage to customer support and add-on services.

Monthly Cost*: $14.99/Month and Up
Best WordPress Hosting Service

SiteGround Is Recommended For:

  • Companies wanting unlimited domain email addresses

  • Organizations that need collaborator access for contractors

  • Businesses looking to scale e-commerce offerings on a budget

SiteGround Isn’t Recommended For:

  • Web developers needing multiple staging areas or headless sites

  • Users that want self-managed options or dedicated servers

  • Small teams requiring the least expensive web hosting solution

Annual Cost**:
$23.88/Year and Up

Managed or Self Managed:
Managed

Website Storage :
10 GB

Bandwidth:
Unmetered

Number of Websites:
1

Email Accounts:
Unlimited

Domain Included:

SiteGround – Best WordPress Hosting Service

SiteGround fills the No. 1 position in our ratings of both the Best WordPress Hosting Services of 2023 and the Best Managed WordPress Hosting Services.

Plans: SiteGround’s three managed WordPress hosting plans are StartUp, GrowBig, and GoGeek. Plan pricing is $14.99, $24.99, and $39.99 per month, respectively. There are also three identically priced WooCommerce hosting options. Scalable cloud hosting services start at $100 monthly, and you can customize your cloud by adjusting central processing unit (CPU) size, memory, and solid-state drive (SSD) storage.

Key Features: SiteGround is a WordPress.org-recommended hosting provider. Its shared hosting plans all include unmetered traffic, unlimited email addresses, and between 10 GB and 40 GB of web space. The entry-tier plan, StartUp, allows only one WordPress installation, but higher tiers support unlimited sites. SiteGround’s plans also include the creation of daily website backups and automatic WordPress updates. You can transfer your domain to SiteGround or purchase a new one. With the exception of StartUp, its plans also come with a staging tool, which allows users to test changes before going live with them on their sites.

Other Considerations: SiteGround isn’t the most competitively priced WordPress hosting service in this rating, but its fully managed plans may appeal to those looking for a hands-off approach to their WordPress site management. The WordPress and WooCommerce plans are suitable for businesses that anticipate 10,000 to 400,000 site visits and can easily scale to a cloud hosting plan with added CPU and RAM if they anticipate significant growth or traffic spikes. With its extensive knowledge base of resources and 24/7 support, SiteGround is a solid option.

Monthly Cost*: $30.00/Month and Up
Most WooCommerce Hosting Options

WP Engine Is Recommended For:

  • Online retailers looking for WooCommerce solutions

  • Agencies that require advanced design and building tools

  • Businesses with high-traffic volumes

WP Engine Isn’t Recommended For:

  • Companies wanting one provider for domains and web hosting

  • Businesses needing email accounts with hosting plans

  • Organizations on a tight budget

Annual Cost**:
$360.00/Year and Up

Managed or Self Managed:
Managed

Website Storage :
10 GB

Bandwidth:
50 GB

Number of Websites:
1

Email Accounts:
N/A

Domain Included:

WP Engine – Most Options for WooCommerce Hosting

WP Engine is No. 2 in our rating of the Best WordPress Hosting Services of 2023 and the Best Managed WordPress Hosting Services.

Plans: WP Engine offers six options for managed WordPress plans that start at $15 monthly and five WooCommerce subscriptions that begin at $36 monthly. The packages all provide similar features but different numbers of WordPress installations, bandwidth, and local storage depend on what plan tier you choose. The highest-priced tier is highly customizable and includes a technical health assessment and priority support.

Key Features: WP Engine plans include one to 30 WordPress installations, 25,000 to 400,000 site visits, 10 GB to 50 GB of local storage, and 50 GB to 500 GB of bandwidth. Premium tier levels may be customized to greater amounts. In addition, all packages come with daily and on-demand backups, free SSL certificates, and threat detection and blocking.

Other Considerations: For those interested in a WooCommerce plan, WP Engine offers the most diverse plan options of the companies in this rating, and companies of any size will find something to meet their needs. However, WP Engine plans are not the most competitively priced hosting options in this rating, so if budget is your number one concern, you may want to consider exploring another company from this rating.

Monthly Cost*: $6.88/Month and Up
Best Cloud-Hosted Managed WordPress

Namecheap Is Recommended For:

  • Businesses prioritizing affordability in their WordPress hosting plan

  • Those wanting 24/7 support via live chat and ticket

  • Organizations seeking fast and reliable performance, including a 99.9% uptime guarantee

Namecheap Isn’t Recommended For:

  • Those needing more than one website from their hosting plan

  • Businesses that want a free SSL certificate with an entry-level package

  • Organizations that want email accounts and domain registrations included

Annual Cost**:
$48.88/Year and Up

Managed or Self Managed:
Managed

Website Storage :
10 GB

Bandwidth:
N/A

Number of Websites:
1

Email Accounts:
N/A

Domain Included:

Namecheap – Best Cloud-Hosted Managed WordPress

Namecheap sits at the No. 3 position in our rating of the Best WordPress Hosting Services of 2023, and it ties with IONOS for the No. 3 spot in our Best Managed WordPress Hosting Services rating.

Plans: Namecheap offers three managed WordPress plans that are cloud-hosted: EasyWP Starter, EasyWP Turbo, and EasyWP Supersonic. Plan pricing ranges from $6.88 to $19.88 per month. Namecheap also has three VPS hosting plans: Pulsar, Quasar, and Magnetar, which range from $9.88 to $28.88 per month.

Key Features: Namecheap’s WordPress plans are managed and feature 10 GB to 100 GB storage, one website, a CDN, website backup protection, automatic updates, and 24/7 support. EasyWP Turbo and EasyWP Supersonic offer a free SSL certificate with the plan.

Other Considerations: Namecheap is unique among the companies in our rating in that its managed WordPress plans are cloud hosted on Namecheap’s in-house, fully containerized cloud. Other companies in this rating host their WordPress plans on shared servers, unless you are using a VPS plan. If you have a managed plan, this will likely not be an issue. But if you are self-managed, you may have to install WordPress by yourself and manage it independently, whereas with cloud hosting, Namecheap both manages your WordPress hosting for you while also keeping costs lower with cloud hosting. These plans are more limited, however, so if you are a larger business that requires more than one website or a larger amount of storage and bandwidth, you may want to consider another company from this rating.

Monthly Cost*: $4.00/Month and Up
Best Value for Small Businesses

IONOS Is Recommended For:

  • Organizations in search of low-cost WordPress hosting plans with many useful features

  • Those wanting 24/7 support by telephone and live chat

  • Businesses interested in a free domain with your first year of service

IONOS Isn’t Recommended For:

  • Midsize and large firms that require higher performance and more hosting features

  • Businesses that don’t require many email addresses

  • Those that need support for more than one website in a WordPress hosting plan

Annual Cost**:
$2.00/Month and Up

Managed or Self Managed:
Managed

Website Storage :
25 GB

Bandwidth:
Unlimited

Number of Websites:
1

Email Accounts:
1

Domain Included:

IONOS – Best Value for Small Businesses

IONOS is the No. 4 company in our rating of the Best WordPress Hosting Services of 2023, and it ties with Namecheap for the No. 3 position in our Best Managed WordPress Hosting Services rating.

Plans: IONOS’s three WordPress hosting plans – Start, Grow, and Boost – come in self-managed and managed versions. These plans offer 25 GB to 75 GB SSD storage, 9 GB to 20 GB RAM, unlimited bandwidth, and one to 10 email addresses. IONOS also offers a range of VPS hosting plans and WooCommerce hosting options.

Key Features: All of IONOS’s WordPress hosting plans include automatic updates, daily backups, an SSL certificate, a 30-day money-back guarantee, malware and DDoS protection, spam filters, and SiteAnalytics for monitoring your site’s performance. The company also provides 24/7 chat and phone support.

Other Considerations: IONOS offers the cheapest plan options for WordPress hosting compared to the other companies in this rating, and it offers many tools and features that are on par with competitors. However, it’s crucial to note that these plans offer support for only one website, and even the highest-tier plan is limited to 10 email addresses. This may prove very limited for mid-size or larger businesses. For smaller businesses on a budget, however, IONOS is an excellent option.

Monthly Cost*: $19.00/Month and Up
Best Customer Support Options

Nexcess Is Recommended For:

  • Those seeking many performance-enhancing features in their WordPress hosting services

  • Businesses wanting 24/7 support via toll-free telephone, live chat, and email

  • Small and midsize firms seeking scalability that will support them as they grow

Nexcess Isn’t Recommended For:

  • Small businesses with modest WordPress hosting needs

  • Companies looking for a wide range of internet services from a single vendor

  • Those seeking unlimited bandwidth with their hosting plan

Annual Cost**:
$190.00/Year and Up

Managed or Self Managed:
Managed

Website Storage :
15 GB

Bandwidth:
2 TB

Number of Websites:
1

Email Accounts:
Unlimited

Domain Included:

Nexcess – Best Customer Support Options

Nexcess holds the No. 5 position in our rating of the Best WordPress Hosting Services of 2023, and it ties with InMotion Hosting for the No. 5 spot in our Best Managed WordPress Hosting Service rating.

Plans: Nexcess offers eight levels of managed WordPress hosting plans – three of which are dedicated hosting plans – and three levels of WordPress agency hosting plans. Costs for the shared WordPress hosting plans range from $19 per month to $149 per month. The dedicated hosting plans range from $299 per month to $999 per month.

Key Features: Nexcess’ WordPress hosting plans and WordPress agency hosting packages include 15 to 800 GB SSD, 2 to 10 TB bandwidth, 1 to 250 websites, and unlimited email accounts. All plans and packages also come with daily backups, an SSL certificate, automatic updates, 24/7 support, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Other Considerations: Nexcess is one of the pricier options of the companies in this rating, but it has some worthwhile features to consider, including 24/7 support via multiple channels for all plans. Many companies require an upgrade to a higher tier plan to access full support, but Nexcess does not. An extensive knowledge library is also available with blogs, tutorials, and guides.

Monthly Cost*: $11.99/Month and Up
Most Plans With Unlimited Features

InMotion Hosting Is Recommended For:

  • Those seeking full-featured WordPress hosting packages at competitive prices

  • Businesses interested in a 90-day money-back guarantee for 6-month plans or longer

  • Those interested in discounts for longer-term plan lengths

InMotion Hosting Isn’t Recommended For:

  • Those seeking WordPress VPS hosting that includes multiple websites and email

  • Those wanting 24/7 customer support with all plans

Annual Cost**:
$11.99/Month and Up

Managed or Self Managed:
Managed

Website Storage :
100 GB

Bandwidth:
Unlimited

Number of Websites:
2

Email Accounts:
10

Domain Included:

InMotion Hosting – Most Plans With Unlimited Features

InMotion Hosting is No. 6 in our rating of the Best WordPress Hosting Services. When it comes to the Best Managed WordPress Hosting Services, it ties with Nexcess for the No. 5 position.

Plans: InMotion offers four tiers of shared WordPress hosting and eight levels of WordPress VPS hosting. Its WordPress hosting plans are all managed and start at $11.99 per month for the WP Core plan, up to $39.99 per month for the WP Pro plan. The WordPress VPS plans range from $5-160 per month.

Key Features: InMotion’s WordPress shared hosting plans include unlimited storage, bandwidth, websites, and email accounts, except for the lowest tier WP Core plan, which offers 100 GB SSD, unmetered bandwidth, two websites, and 10 email accounts. All WordPress shared hosting plan tiers include a free domain name for the first year.

Other Considerations: InMotion’s four options for shared WordPress hosting offer good value and great features. These are managed plans, and even the lowest tier offers a solid package for a small business. If you require more emails or storage, consider upgrading to a higher tier. If phone support is important to you, you will only have access with the WP Power and WP Pro plans.

Monthly Cost*: $7.99/Month and Up
Most VPS WordPress Hosting Options

DreamHost Is Recommended For:

  • Anyone new to WordPress hosting

  • Those who prefer unmetered bandwidth

  • Small to medium businesses with minor to moderate traffic

DreamHost Isn’t Recommended For:

  • Those who want specialized e-commerce plans for online stores

  • Those who prefer to have malware protection included rather than as an add-on

Annual Cost**:
$6.99/Month and Up

Managed or Self Managed:
Self Managed

Website Storage :
50 GB

Bandwidth:
Unmetered

Number of Websites:
1

Email Accounts:
Available at extra cost

Domain Included:

DreamHost – Most VPS WordPress Hosting Options

DreamHost holds the No. 7 position in our ratings of both the Best WordPress Hosting Services of 2023 and the Best Managed WordPress Hosting Services.

Plans: DreamHost offers three hosting types: WordPress basic, DreamPress, and VPS WordPress. WordPress basic self-managed plans come in two tiers, Starter and Unlimited, and cost $7.99 and $13.99 per month, respectively. If you’re looking for a managed plan, there are three DreamPress plans to choose from. These plans range from $23.99 to $89.99 per month. Four VPS plans are also available, ranging from $19.99 to $137.99 per month.

Key Features: For a single website, the WordPress Starter plan and all three DreamPress hosting plans are appropriate. If you wish to have unlimited websites, you will need to upgrade to the WordPress Unlimited plan or one of the VPS WordPress plans. All of DreamHost’s plans offer at least 30 GB of SSD storage, free domain registration for the first year, unmetered bandwidth, SSL certificates, and 24/7 customer support. Additionally, all plans except for the WordPress Basic Starter plan offer unlimited email accounts.

Other Considerations: DreamHost does not offer a specific plan tailored for e-commerce, as some of the other companies in this rating do, so if you are specifically looking for a WooCommerce-optimized option, you may wish to consider an alternative. Otherwise, DreamHost’s plans are priced very competitively. If you are seeking VPS hosting in particular, its plan options are a great value, with unlimited bandwidth, email accounts, websites, free domain name for the first year, and four plan tiers to suit your storage needs while allowing for future scaling if needed.

Monthly Cost*: $14.99/Month and Up

GoDaddy Is Recommended For:

  • Those who want a fully-managed WordPress site

  • Anyone who wants a streamlined WooCommerce store with support for in-person sales

  • Entrepreneurs or small business teams looking to scale

GoDaddy Isn’t Recommended For:

  • Organizations that want unlimited emails at no extra cost

  • Those who prefer self-managed WordPress hosting

Annual Cost**:
$119.88/Year and Up

Managed or Self Managed:
Managed

Website Storage :
20 GB

Bandwidth:
Unmetered

Number of Websites:
1

Email Accounts:
2

Domain Included:

GoDaddy takes the No. 8 spot in our rating of both the Best WordPress Hosting Services of 2023 and the Best Managed WordPress Hosting Services.

Plans: GoDaddy offers three tiers of fully managed WordPress hosting: Basic, Deluxe, and Ultimate. These plans range in monthly pricing from $14.99 to $29.99 and include up to 60 GB RAM, unlimited bandwidth, and 5 email accounts depending on plan tier. A WooCommerce plan is also available starting at $34.99 per month. For designers and developers, there is a range of four Pro plans with added features and additional websites. These plans range from $44.99 to $249.99 per month.

Key Features: The WooCommerce plan features 80 GB RAM and unmetered bandwidth. Because the plans are fully managed, daily backups and automatic updates are included. Ancillary services, like digital marketing and SEO tools, professional emails, and software for professional web designers, are also available for additional fees.

Other Considerations: GoDaddy is among the pricier options in our rating, and while its WordPress hosting services don’t offer many standout features compared to the other competitors on this list, its ability to accommodate unlimited traffic is certainly a benefit for larger organizations with a high volume of website visits. The fully managed plans help you take a more hands-off approach to managing your site. Additionally, designers and developers are likely to appreciate the range of plans that are clearly laid out to meet different needs.

Monthly Cost*: $10.99/Month and Up

Bluehost Is Recommended For:

  • Smaller brands in the process of scaling up

  • Anyone who wants a streamlined plan for their e-commerce business

  • Those who prefer a self-managed WordPress plan

Bluehost Isn’t Recommended For:

  • Very large sites that see a lot of traffic

  • Those who prefer email support to be bundled into their plan

  • Those seeking fully-managed WordPress hosting plans

Annual Cost**:
$10.99/Month and Up

Managed or Self Managed:
Self Managed

Website Storage :
10 GB

Bandwidth:
Unmetered

Number of Websites:
1

Email Accounts:
0

Domain Included:

Bluehost holds the No. 9 position in our rating of the Best WordPress Hosting Services of 2023.

Plans: Bluehost offers four plan tiers of WordPress hosting: Basic, Choice Plus, Online Store, and Pro. These plans range from $10.99 to $28.99 per month. Bluehost also offers plan options for using its website builder, as well as two WooCommerce plans that start at $29.95 and $49.95 per month.

Key Features: Bluehost plans start with 10 GB SSD storage and a free CDN. The highest tier plan, Pro, includes 100 GB SSD and unlimited websites. The Basic tier includes free domain registration for the first year, but you’ll need to upgrade if you wish to host more than one website. All WordPress plans include unmetered bandwidth, and custom WordPress themes are also available.

Other Considerations: For individuals or smaller businesses in search of a straightforward host for a WordPress site, Bluehost may be an option to consider. Much larger businesses that need many email accounts or see a very high volume of visits each month may find that Bluehost’s plans are limited for the price.

Monthly Cost*: $8.99/Month and Up

AccuWeb Hosting Is Recommended For:

  • Entrepreneurs and small businesses

  • Those whose sites average less than 500,000 monthly visitors

  • Anyone who won’t want to pay for more than 150 email accounts

AccuWeb Hosting Isn’t Recommended For:

  • Websites that see very large volumes of monthly traffic

  • Business websites for enterprise-level companies

Annual Cost**:
$89.88/Year and Up

Managed or Self Managed:
Managed

Website Storage :
50 GB

Bandwidth:
1 TB

Number of Websites:
5

Email Accounts:
150

Domain Included:

AccuWeb hosting takes the No. 10 position in our rating of the Best WordPress Hosting Services of 2023 and No. 9 in our rating of the Best Managed WordPress Hosting Services.

Plans: AccuWeb’s WordPress Hosting options have plan tiers: Startup, Professional, and Advanced. The Startup plan renews at a rate of $8.99 per month, Professional renews at $14.99 per month, and the Advanced plan renews at $18.99 per month. AccuWeb’s three WooCommerce tiers are Essential, Professional, and Ultimate, which range from $9.99 to $19.99 per month.

Key Features: All of AccuWeb’s WordPress and WooCommerce plans are fully managed. Across all plan tiers, SSD ranges from 50 GB to 100 GB and bandwidth ranges from 1 TB to 3 TB. The lowest plan tiers limit websites to five, while other tiers are unlimited. Plans include 150-1,000 email accounts depending on tier level.

Other Considerations: For small or medium-sized businesses, AccuWeb offers competitive pricing and features, but for very large companies that anticipate more than 500,000 monthly visits or that would prefer unlimited storage space or unlimited email accounts, even the highest-tier plan may be limiting.

WordPress hosting is a type of web hosting service that has been optimized for websites built using WordPress software. WordPress is a free, open source software available to anyone. WordPress itself explains that “democratizing publishing and the freedoms that come with open source” are its primary goals in offering the platform for free and allowing its community members to collaborate and contribute to the project.

While you don’t have to be a coder or developer to learn WordPress, it can still be helpful to have some extra support from your web host when it comes to setting up your space on the web for a WordPress site. Hosts that offer WordPress-specific plans not only come optimized for building with WordPress but also tend to include things you won’t want to think about, like automatic updates, staging environments, and specific server resources. If you are certain that you want to leverage WordPress for your business’ website, WordPress hosting is the hosting type you should focus on during your search.

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* Monthly Cost reflects the monthly pricing of auto renewal for the WordPress service (excluding promotions)

Managed WordPress hosting tends to be different from self-managed WordPress hosting in two ways:

  1. Provides a more hands-off approach to maintaining your website: Providers take charge of the technical aspects of your site so that you don’t have to worry about things like manual updates, security scans, or routine website maintenance.
  2. May include additional services and features: Managed plans often include advanced security measures, like regularly scanning your site for malware or update issues. Site backups may be more frequent. Other plans may offer tools such as staging environments for testing site changes, free site migration, and priority support. 

Fully managed plans generally come with a higher price tag, but the tradeoff may be worth it if regularly checking in on the more technical aspects of your site isn’t something you want to do or you don’t feel comfortable with the technology. But it’s also a smart option if you feel very comfortable and really want to dig into some of the extra tools and features that may be available.

WordPress hosting is a little different from general web hosting in that the host’s servers and resources are optimized for WordPress sites specifically. You don’t need a WordPress-specific plan to run a WordPress site – you can do this on any type of hosting plan from shared to VPS.

However, having a hosting plan specific to the WordPress software can potentially provide a smoother technical experience as you set up and maintain your site. For example, a WordPress plan may come with pre-loaded WordPress themes and plug-ins that a regular shared hosting plan does not.

If you’re looking into WordPress hosting specifically, these are the types of hosting you’ll want to be familiar with:

  • Self-Managed WordPress Hosting: WordPress hosting plans and solutions provide server configurations and infrastructure with the goal of ensuring optimal WordPress website performance. These plans can be very affordable, and despite their name, they often require minimal maintenance, even at the self-managed level. 
  • Managed WordPress Hosting: As explained above, managed WordPress hosting plans take a fuller approach to your site, providing greater technical assistance and more in-depth tools and features to help you maintain your website.
  • VPS Hosting: For users seeking higher security and more control over the servers that house their sites, virtual private server (VPS) hosting can help provide this at a lower cost than dedicated servers. These plans will still tend to be significantly more expensive than shared hosting plans, but they can provide more resources and reliability. Some hosts, like InMotion Hosting, offer specific VPS WordPress hosting plans that configure your private servers for WordPress specifically. 
  • WooCommerce Hosting: WooCommerce is an open-source plugin built specifically for WordPress. If you want your WordPress site to have e-commerce functionality, it may be worth a plan specifically tailored to optimize WooCommerce. InMotion Hosting and SiteGround are two examples of companies that offer specialized WordPress plans optimized for use with WooCommerce. These plans tend to be pricier than standard WordPress hosting plans, but they come with added tools and functionality for online shops that could add up should you try to add them on to a regular shared hosting plan.

If you are certain you want to use WordPress for your site, then a WordPress-specific hosting plan is highly recommended. If you are still on the fence about exactly how you want to build and maintain your site, or are exploring other CMS options, another type of general hosting may be the better option. To learn more about our top rated web hosts in general, check out our ratings of the Best Web Hosting Services.

WordPress hosting plans can run anywhere from $4 per month to hundreds. Most of the mid-tier general WordPress hosting plans from the companies in our rating fall in the range of $10-$25 per month. However, this price can vary radically depending on a number of factors, including promotional rates, long-term discounts, and your selected features or services.

Monthly Fees vs. Annual Fees for WordPress Hosting Services

It’s very common for web hosts to offer steep promotional discounts and significant savings for longer contract terms. It’s common to see 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year terms, and you will almost certainly save money for that duration if you are willing to commit. However, it’s crucial to always look at the renewal pricing. This is the rate that your pricing will renew at after the duration of your initial promotional pricing has lapsed, and it can often be a bit of a shock if you aren’t anticipating it.

For example, if you sign up for a plan that only costs $1 per month for the first year, it can feel amazing, but if that plan renews at $29.99 per month thereafter, you need to weigh that pricing against a plan that is $8.99 per month from the start.

With the exception of Bluehost and InMotion Hosting, every company in our rating allows customers to sign up for monthly hosting, so if you just aren’t sure, it can be a good way to go. You’ll likely pay more, but you’ll have the flexibility to make changes quickly without being locked in for a long period of time. If, however, you feel confident in the company and plan you have selected, signing up for a longer-term plan will be a better option, provided you have factored in the renewal rates.

Do I Need a Contract for WordPress Hosting?

You will need to sign up for hosting on a monthly, annual, or multi-year basis depending on the terms of your contract. Bluehost and InMotion Hosting are the only companies in this rating that do not offer a monthly contract option, though they do offer annual and multi-year options.

When you are looking for a WordPress host, ask yourself the following questions to help determine what level of plan you might need:

  • How much storage space do I need?
  • How many websites and email accounts do I want?
  • How many visitors will my site have, and how much bandwidth will I need to accommodate that?
  • Do I want a self-managed plan or a fully managed one?
  • Do I want WooCommerce capabilities?
  • Do I want to combine my domain registration with my web hosting?
  • How long am I willing to commit to this web host?
  • Am I interested in the company’s ancillary services, like marketing or design?

Once you can narrow down these factors, you can more accurately target what level of plan will be the best fit for your budget and needs.

Yes and no. You can download the self-hosted version of WordPress directly from WordPress.org, but you will need a way to host your site, unless you have your own server. You can certainly use, play, and build with the software’s capabilities as much as you desire, but if you want your site up and running on the web and available to visitors, you will need hosting.

Yes. If you have your own server, you can install WordPress and host it yourself. However, most people don’t have their own servers and will require web hosting services from an outside provider, like those in this rating.

Yes, though this will depend on the limitations of your WordPress hosting plan. There are a number of plan options that only allow for one site. If you are interested in hosting multiple sites, make sure that the hosting company you’re interested in and the plan tier you are looking at can accommodate the number of sites you want hosted.

Some companies, like SiteGround, InMotion Hosting, Bluehost, and AccuWeb Hosting, will host unlimited sites with all plan tiers, but their entry-level plan limits the number of sites. Other companies, like Namecheap, IONOS, and GoDaddy, will only host one site across all of their WordPress hosting options, so be sure to do your due diligence when picking a plan if hosting more than one site is something you require.

There are many levels of security involved with keeping WordPress sites safe. One major standard to be on the lookout for is Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), which is an encryption protocol that helps ensure a safe link between a web server and web browser. Many of the companies in this rating include SSL certificates with different plan options, but it may incur an additional fee.

Other security measures to look at when considering a WordPress host are whether or not malware scans are conducted and how frequently, what firewalls are employed, if there is DDoS protection, if secure file transfer protocols are in place, and if backups are automated.

Potentially, but be very wary. Generally, “free” hosting services are actually just subdomains of a larger site. For example, WordPress.com offers a small selection of free themes and plugins to choose from to build a site, but your domain name is a part of theirs – e.g. “yourwebsitename.wordpress.com” – it is not your own independent domain. Other offerings of free hosting are likely to be seriously limited in terms of capabilities and security. These options may be useful if you’re looking to hone some basic web skills, but you should not place your business at risk.

There are, however, some very affordable ways to get a site up and running. IONOS, for example, has WordPress hosting plans that start as low as $4 per month and even include a free domain name for the first year.

No. You can certainly utilize separate domain registrars and web hosts if you prefer, and this may be necessary if your web host does not offer domain registration. However, for sheer ease of use, it can be very helpful to combine these services if your company offers both, and it can often be a more economical option as well. If you have your eye on a WordPress host that does not offer options for domain registration, take a look at our ratings of the Best Domain Registrars and the Cheapest Domain Registrars.

WordPress Hosting Services

Other Ratings from 360 Reviews

Why You Can Trust Us: 18 WordPress Hosting Services Researched

The following describes our 360 approach to researching and analyzing WordPress Hosting Services to guide prospective consumers.

1. We researched the companies and products people care most about.

U.S. News analyzed and compared a variety of publicly available data, including internet search data, to determine which WordPress Hosting Services Americans are most interested in. We found 18 companies that stand out in terms of volume of searches and research among consumers, as well as across the different rating sources.

We then compared the available WordPress Hosting Services across several criteria, including cost, website storage (SSD), bandwidth, email accounts supported, domain registration included, and type of hosting. Research shows that these are the most important criteria for people selecting a WordPress Service.

2. We created objective 360 Overall Ratings based on an analysis of third-party reviews.

U.S. News’ 360 Reviews team applied an unbiased methodology that includes opinions from professional reviews as well as consumer reviews.

Our scoring methodology is based on a composite analysis of the ratings and reviews published by credible third-party professional and consumer review sources. The ratings are not based on personal opinions or experiences of U.S. News. To calculate the ratings:

(a) We compiled two types of third-party ratings and reviews:

  • Professional Ratings and Reviews. Many independent WordPress Hosting services evaluating sources have published their assessments of WordPress Hosting services and their products online. We consider several of these third-party reviews to be reputable and well-researched. However, professional reviewers often make recommendations that contradict one another. Rather than relying on a single source, U.S. News believes consumers benefit most when these opinions and recommendations are considered and analyzed collectively with an objective, consensus-based methodology.
  • Consumer Ratings and Reviews. U.S. News also reviewed published consumer ratings and reviews of WordPress Hosting providers. Sources with a sufficient number of quality consumer ratings and reviews were included in our scoring model.

We combined our research with a survey of 2,142 consumers who actively use WordPress Hosting services, asking questions about their WordPress Hosting service. These questions covered satisfaction with their service, pricing, customer service, website storage, and bandwidth. We also asked if they’d recommend the company and if they would use the same service to host another site. We combined the survey responses with professional and other consumer ratings and reviews to build both our Best WordPress Hosting Services rating and our Best Managed WordPress Hosting Services subrating.

Please note that not all professional and consumer rating sources met our criteria for objectivity. Therefore, some sources were excluded from our model.

(b) We standardized the inputs to create a common scale.

The third-party review source data were collected in a variety of forms, including ratings, recommendations, and accolades. Before including each third-party data point into our scoring equation, we had to standardize it so that it could be compared accurately with data points from other review sources. We used the scoring methodology described below to convert these systems to a comparable scale.

U.S. News 360 Reviews takes an unbiased approach to our recommendations. When you use our links to buy products, we may earn a commission but that in no way affects our editorial independence.

https://www.usnews.com/360-reviews/business/wordpress-hosting

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