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The best WordPress hosting services: Expert tested
If you're using a content management system (CMS) to manage your website, there's a very good chance you're using WordPress. According to W3Techs, around 63% of all websites using content management use WordPress, and 43% of all websites on the planet run WordPress.
Nearly every web hosting provider offers WordPress as an option. All it takes is a relatively modern tech stack and a quick install, so there's a low barrier of entry for a hosting provider to offer WordPress support. But just because so many hosting providers offer WordPress support doesn't mean they're all created equal.
What is the best WordPress hosting provider right now?
I and other ZDNET staffers have extensively tested and reviewed many WordPress hosting providers over the years, often designing our own websites using these services. Based on our testing, our pick for the best WordPress hosting service overall is Hostinger. It's one of the best options out there as an all-around WordPress website hosting solution, combining affordability, support, and scalability.
Read on for the rest of our top picks for the best WordPress hosting providers on the market that provide security, support, and features suitable for a range of needs and budgets.
Best WordPress hosting providers of 2024
- Affordable
- AI tools
- WordPress acceleration
- No e-commerce support on the basic plan
Hostinger, which is also one of our top picks for web hosting and email hosting, is our favorite option for your new WordPress installation.
We consider Hostinger a great all-rounder, as it offers affordable pricing and tiers depending on your needs. Whether you want a barebones package for one website or need support for hundreds of WordPress installations, this could be your best provider.
Review: Hostinger review: Good support, killer entry-level price web hosting
Hostinger's features include e-commerce support, one-click WordPress installation, automatic updates, AI tools, a vulnerability scanner, DDoS protection, and 24/7 support. For the majority of customers, this is all you need.
Currently, promotional plans mean that you might only pay $2.99/month, with three months of service thrown in for free. Customers applaud the customer support team, although some reports note they would like more flexibility in the services provided.
Hostinger features: Multi-tier plans | Support for up to 300 websites | Weekly or daily backups | E-commerce | Free domain & email | 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee | 24/7 support
- Scalable
- Migration tools
- Excellent support feedback
- Not very suitable for individual projects
Key among WordPress hosting providers for managed hosting providers for small and medium-sized businesses is WP Engine.
WP Engine offers two features that stand out to make it our favorite recommendation. The first is scalability. You can start with a relatively inexpensive plan and upgrade. WP Engine will not top out if you need a high-performance enterprise-grade plan after a major growth spurt.
Review: WP Engine review: A solid managed-hosting provider for WordPress
Second is what the company calls "transferable installs." While it is possible to move a WordPress installation from almost any hosting provider to almost any other hosting provider, it can be a time-consuming pain fraught with the potential of error. There are migration tools and plugins to make the process more reliable.
In addition to these great features for small businesses, WP Engine is suitable for other use cases that require speed and security. Customers say the live chat support and WordPress assistance are top-notch. Plans begin at $20/month.
WP Engine features: Design and build tools | 1-click staging | Transition plugins | Rollback functions | Strong security, automatic updates | 24/7 support
- Unlimited websites
- Free SSL certificates
- Strong customer support
- Malware protection limited to premium plans
ScalaHosting is one of our top choices for long-term affordability when it comes to WordPress hosting. Depending on whether you grab a promotional deal, you can spend as little as a few bucks for its entry plan (currently available for $2.51/month) and around $25/month for top-tier subscriptions.
It's not just the price point, though, as ScalaHosting offers shared and dedicated WordPress hosting, unlimited website support, free SSL certificates, daily backups, staging features, malware protection, free migration, a one-click WordPress installer, and more.
Customer feedback indicates that the helpdesk team is professional and dedicated, with excellent customer support and pricing.
ScalaHosting features: Multi-tier plans | One-click installation | Staging | Daily backups | One or unlimited websites | Free SSL certificates
- 99.9+% uptime
- Enterprise-grade security
- DevOps
- Expensive
Pagely is one of the best WordPress hosting providers for mission-critical websites that must provide the utmost in uptime.
While it can be expensive, Pagely provides top-tier hosting, supporting blue-chip customers including Disney, VMware, and Cisco.
ZDNET author and tech expert David Gewirtz has used Pagely for years every time he's had a support issue, Pagely has jumped in and gone above and beyond.
"I also like that Pagely hosts on top of the AWS infrastructure, so I never worry about maintenance and server reliability issues," Gewirtz says. "To be blunt: If I had one hosting provider to recommend and you can handle their pricing, I'd unreservedly recommend Pagely. And no, it's not paying me to say that. I pay them every month."
Customers applaud Pagely as a solid platform with great support, although the pricing won't suit everyone. Plans begin at $375 per month.
Pagely features: Enterprise-grade hosting | E-commerce support | Dedicated or decoupled databases | Flexible configurations | 24/7 support | Managed DevOps
- Dedicated management
- Robust security
- No transparency on pricing
The folks at Automattic, the company that operates WordPress.com, have a top-tier solution aimed at enterprise customers. WordPress VIP is that service.
WordPress VIP provides infrastructure, operations, and security at scale, freeing content producers up to produce content. Think of it as concierge service with a ton of horsepower. WordPress VIP provides hosting services for a swathe of household names and should be considered if you need a streamlined, flexible content management service with support from an expert team.
Pricing upon request.
WordPress VIP features: Expert support and management | Scalable | Content tools | Analytics | Security focus
What is the best WordPress hosting service?
To help you make your decision, we've highlighted each WordPress hosting provider's noteworthy features below.
WordPress hosting service | Starting Price | Multi-domain? | Installation support? |
Hostinger | $2.99/month | ✓ | ✓ |
WP Engine | $20/month | ✓ | ✓ |
ScalaHosting | $2.51/month | ✓ | ✓ |
Pagely | $375/month | ✓ | ✓ |
WordPress VIP | $On request | ✓ | ✓ |
What is the best WordPress hosting service for you?
There are many WordPress hosting providers out there and we've done our best to highlight the top picks in the market. The best WordPress hosting providers are listed below, depending on your need and particular use case.
Choose this WordPress hosting service… | If you want… |
Hostinger | An all-rounder, affordable WordPress hosting service. Hostinger provides everything from multi-domain support to AI tools, making it our top choice. |
WP Engine | A comprehensive WordPress hosting solution that combines speed, security, and scalability. This is our top pick as a scalable hosting solution. |
ScalaHosting | An affordable, solid WordPress hosting provider. ScalaHosting has earned consistently positive customer reviews and provides a range of advanced features on premium plans. |
Pagely | A WordPress hosting provider for mission-critical websites and services. While expensive, this is the best option for enterprises. |
WordPress VIP | A dedicated WordPress hosting service that goes beyond regarding support, content creation, and time-sensitive campaigns. |
Factors to consider when choosing a WordPress hosting provider:
If you're looking at the WordPress hosting providers included in this guide, you've already made one decision: To go with providers experienced in hosting WordPress. But, next, you should consider the following factors:
- Size and scalability: Depending on how many sites you want to operate and what kind of traffic you're going to have, you will want to consider providers that offer hosting capable of adapting and scaling up to your needs.
- Budget: You should consider your budget and how much you would be happy to spend on your project or business. Keep in mind that hosting multiple websites beyond introductory periods may result in price increases.
- Customization: You need to consider whether you need a 'one size fits all' WordPress host or one that allows you to perform deep customization.
- Support and services: The more complex your site, the more you might want hosting with stronger support and administrative functions.
- Free trials: If a service offers a free trial period, use that to test out porting your site, getting support, the dashboard interface, and overall performance.
How we chose the best WordPress hosting providers
When ZDNET considered the best WordPress hosting providers of 2024, we took into account a number of factors:
- Experience: Many ZDNET authors have personal, long-term experience with the vendors on this list. We have also consulted with experts for their recommendations.
- Customer reviews: We have taken into account customer feedback and reviews and have shied away from vendors with a poor record.
- Use cases: ZDNET has included a range of WordPress hosts suitable for different users and purposes, including vendors offering scalable solutions, products suitable for small businesses and projects, and enterprise-ready options.
- Advanced features: We wanted to see optional advanced features for customers who need more than standard hosting. These include AI-based technologies, e-commerce, security functions, and tailored support.
- Pricing: The prices set by WordPress hosting providers vary widely but we have endeavored to include a range of options suitable for most budgets.
Is WordPress just a CMS?
There's WordPress... and then there's WordPress. Here's a quick breakdown:
- WordPress (software): This is an open-source content management system written mainly in PHP. You can install WordPress on your own server, or contract with a hosting provider to run it for you.
- WordPress Foundation: This is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that protects the GPL licensing of WordPress, the WordPress trademark, and provides educational resources for the WordPress open source community.
- WordPress.org: This is the central repository of WordPress information, the location where you can download the WordPress open source software, and an online distribution source for the thousands of themes and plugins that work with WordPress.
- Automattic: This is the commercial company founded by one of WordPress' original developers, Matt Mullenweg. Automattic also owns the popular blogging platform Tumblr.
- WordPress.com: Owned by Automattic, this is one of the largest hosting providers for WordPress websites. It offers free, somewhat limited WordPress hosting as well as more advanced plans.
- WordPress VIP: This is the top-tier enterprise-level hosting service provided by Automattic for large organizations.
When talking about WordPress, it's generally possible to infer which one by the context of the conversation. But if in doubt, ask the vendor.
Can I use my own hosting with WordPress?
Absolutely. You download the WordPress package and you will need to install it yourself, but this isn't a particularly difficult or long process. Some web hosts will also give you one-click WordPress installation options.
Is WordPress easy to learn?
One of WordPress' key strengths as a backend content management system is its ease of use. Indeed, so many website owners opt for WordPress as there is a thriving community of developers that provide templates, add-ons, e-commerce suites, and functions that can be quickly integrated with little technical knowledge.
What is the difference between web and WordPress hosting?
Web hosting is required to display a website and store content. WordPress hosting can be considered a subclass of web hosting that is specifically designed to handle WordPress installations, and may also be optimized for improved CMS performance.
Alternative WordPress hosting options to consider
If the WordPress options above don't quite suit you or you want to go in a different direction, below, you will find other worthy solutions that you may prefer. Some have an eco-friendly approach, others are suitable for enterprise clients, and others are best for customers who need a small, basic solution that just works.