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9 Best WordPress Hosting Services Of 2025

Updated: Jan 15, 2025, 12:34pm
Written By
Lead Editor, Growth Projects
Reviewed
Lead Editor, SMB
& 1 other
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.

Nearly 44% of websites are powered by WordPress, making it the world’s most popular content management system. Reliable hosting is essential for these websites to function and help businesses grow.

We researched the best WordPress hosting services available today and ranked our top picks based on metrics such as pricing, uptime, value and customer service. Based on our calculations, InterServer ranks No. 1 among our top WordPress hosting services, thanks to its robust capabilities, flexible plans, unlimited storage space and data transfer, and 24/7 customer support.

Read more

Compare the Best WordPress Hosting Services of 2025


9 Best WordPress Hosting Services Of 2025


Best for Simplicity

Hostwinds

Hostwinds
4.8
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting Price

$5.24

per month

Money-Back Guarantee

No

Free Domain

Yes

Hostwinds
Learn More Arrow
Read Forbes' Review

$5.24

per month

No

Yes

Expert Take

It can be easy for business owners lacking technical expertise to be intimidated by hosting services. Hostwinds is an easy-to-use solution that also offers reliable performance. All of its shared hosting plans come with unlimited bandwidth and disk space, making it a strong choice for businesses that don’t want to worry about running out of website resources while they expand. Plus, free nightly backups in each plan mean security, and reliability won’t be compromised due to additional costs.

I also appreciate the user-friendly interface, which makes managing the hosting plan easy for web users of all levels, not just tech pros. This, combined with solid customer support, makes Hostwinds a great solution if you want a hassle-free hosting experience while growing your online presence.

Learn more: Read our full Hostwinds review.

Consumer Sentiment Index
4.8
4.8/10Consumer Score
The Consumer Sentiment Index from Forbes Advisor uses a proprietary weighting system designed by our subject matter experts. It evaluates thousands of consumer insights and reviews from leading online forums to determine customer satisfaction at scale.
Consumer Sentiment Index
23,941
How do we calculate

We gather and analyze consumer sentiment from a range of sources to create the Consumer Sentiment Index to determine customer satisfaction levels for each feature outlined below. This data is designed to give you an idea of real consumer experience of the services and product we review. This data is currently separate from our overall rating out of 5

Insights Analyzed
  • #8
    Customer Support and Service
    Ranked 8 out of 9
    For Customer Support and Service
    • 77% of people had positive sentiments
    • 5% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 18% of people had negative sentiments
    77%
    5%
    18%
    Ranked 8 out of 9
    For Customer Support and Service
    • 77% of people had positive sentiments
    • 5% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 18% of people had negative sentiments
  • #4
    Performance and Downtime
    Ranked 4 out of 9
    For Performance and Downtime
    • 61% of people had positive sentiments
    • 8% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 31% of people had negative sentiments
    61%
    8%
    31%
    Ranked 4 out of 9
    For Performance and Downtime
    • 61% of people had positive sentiments
    • 8% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 31% of people had negative sentiments
  • #5
    Price and Cost
    Ranked 5 out of 9
    For Price and Cost
    • 67% of people had positive sentiments
    • 6% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 27% of people had negative sentiments
    67%
    6%
    27%
    Ranked 5 out of 9
    For Price and Cost
    • 67% of people had positive sentiments
    • 6% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 27% of people had negative sentiments

Hostwinds users seem split in experiences. Users either love it or hate it. Users love the pricing, easy setup and reasonable customer support which makes it a good choice on a budget.

However, other users complained of billing problems, lackluster customer support, problems with refunds and odd extra charges. The end result is a thoroughly mixed outlook that feels hit or miss for customer experiences.

Pros & Cons
  • Free nightly backups
  • Automated website monitoring and support
  • Unlimited bandwidth and disk space on all plans
  • Fewer server locations than leading competitors
  • No free domain name with basic plan
  • Limited customization options with Weebly site builder
Specs
Specification Details
Recommended by WordPress.org
No
Included SSL
Yes
Data Center Locations
Seattle, Dallas, Amsterdam
Customer Service Channels
24/7 via phone, live chat or email
Uptime Guarantee
99.9% uptime guarantee
Free Email
Yes, unlimited addresses
Website Builder
Yes

Best for Budget-Friendly Plans

Hostinger

Hostinger
4.7
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting Price

$12.19 ($2.49 for 48-month term)

per month

Money-Back Guarantee

Yes, 30 days

Free Domain

Yes

Hostinger
Learn More Arrow
On Hostinger's Website

$12.19 ($2.49 for 48-month term)

per month

Yes, 30 days

Yes

Expert Take

Overall, Hostinger is a top choice for beginners who want to get their site up quickly without breaking the bank. Its entry-level plans are affordable, and the interface is simple enough for most beginners to navigate easily.

It’s important to note that some common features included by competitors, such as automatic backups, a dedicated IP address and a free domain, are not included in Hostinger’s entry-level plans. While this might not be a dealbreaker, adding on these important features with additional costs could diminish savings compared to more expensive hosting services.

Paying month by month for Hostinger is actually more expensive. The most affordable plan prices with Hostinger require a 12- to 48-month term commitment, which brings the pricing way down to $2.49 per month. I find that Hostinger provides great performance and reliability for its price, making it a solid starting point if affordability and ease are your top priorities.

Learn more: Read our full Hostinger review.

Consumer Sentiment Index
7.0
7/10Consumer Score
The Consumer Sentiment Index from Forbes Advisor uses a proprietary weighting system designed by our subject matter experts. It evaluates thousands of consumer insights and reviews from leading online forums to determine customer satisfaction at scale.
Consumer Sentiment Index
23,941
How do we calculate

We gather and analyze consumer sentiment from a range of sources to create the Consumer Sentiment Index to determine customer satisfaction levels for each feature outlined below. This data is designed to give you an idea of real consumer experience of the services and product we review. This data is currently separate from our overall rating out of 5

Insights Analyzed
  • #1
    Customer Support and Service
    Ranked 1 out of 9
    For Customer Support and Service
    • 74% of people had positive sentiments
    • 5% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 21% of people had negative sentiments
    74%
    5%
    21%
    Ranked 1 out of 9
    For Customer Support and Service
    • 74% of people had positive sentiments
    • 5% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 21% of people had negative sentiments
  • #1
    Performance and Downtime
    Ranked 1 out of 9
    For Performance and Downtime
    • 54% of people had positive sentiments
    • 13% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 33% of people had negative sentiments
    54%
    13%
    33%
    Ranked 1 out of 9
    For Performance and Downtime
    • 54% of people had positive sentiments
    • 13% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 33% of people had negative sentiments
  • #1
    Price and Cost
    Ranked 1 out of 9
    For Price and Cost
    • 68% of people had positive sentiments
    • 15% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 17% of people had negative sentiments
    68%
    15%
    17%
    Ranked 1 out of 9
    For Price and Cost
    • 68% of people had positive sentiments
    • 15% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 17% of people had negative sentiments

Hostinger’s low entry prices and beginner-friendly dashboard attract attention. However, others complain about price hikes during renewals and a lack of features in some plans that other hosts include, such as automatic backups and free domain registration for one year.

Overall, many customers feel that the low costs aren’t low enough to justify the lack of features and performance for starter plans and feel that they must upgrade to more costly plans to get reasonable hosting performance.

Pros & Cons
  • Budget-friendly plans with longer-term commitment
  • Optimized servers with fast load times
  • User-friendly interface
  • No free daily backups
  • Limited customer service phone support
  • Resource limits on shared plans
Specs
Specification Details
Recommended by WordPress.org
Yes
Included SSL
Yes
Data Center Locations
Europe, Asia, North America and South America
Customer Service Channels
24/7 live chat
Uptime Guarantee
99.9% uptime guarantee
Free Email
Yes, up to 100 free domain-based email addresses
Website Builder
Pre-built templates

Best for Small Businesses

AccuWebHosting

AccuWebHosting
4.6
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting Price

$2.75

per month

Money-Back Guarantee

30 days

Free Domain

No

AccuWebHosting

$2.75

per month

30 days

No

Expert Take

If you’re in need of a budget-friendly hosting option, then AccuWebHosting may be a good fit. I find this service to be a good starting point for small businesses or personal projects that don’t need advanced features offered by other services.

The free migration service included in all plans also makes this an attractive option for users who already have an established WordPress site but are looking to switch hosting services. With various customer support channels, you’ll be able to reach a representative whenever you need them.

There are drawbacks you should be aware of, including a lack of free domains on lower-tier plans, which are offered by competitors. Additionally, there have been customer concerns about downtime, which could impact your site’s reliability. While AccuWebHosting has its strengths in affordability and customer service, it’s worth considering your specific requirements to see if it aligns with your website’s goals.

Consumer Sentiment Index
6.0
6.0/10Consumer Score
The Consumer Sentiment Index from Forbes Advisor uses a proprietary weighting system designed by our subject matter experts. It evaluates thousands of consumer insights and reviews from leading online forums to determine customer satisfaction at scale.
Consumer Sentiment Index
23,941
How do we calculate

We gather and analyze consumer sentiment from a range of sources to create the Consumer Sentiment Index to determine customer satisfaction levels for each feature outlined below. This data is designed to give you an idea of real consumer experience of the services and product we review. This data is currently separate from our overall rating out of 5

Insights Analyzed
  • #2
    Customer Support and Service
    Ranked 2 out of 9
    For Customer Support and Service
    • 76% of people had positive sentiments
    • 5% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 19% of people had negative sentiments
    76%
    5%
    19%
    Ranked 2 out of 9
    For Customer Support and Service
    • 76% of people had positive sentiments
    • 5% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 19% of people had negative sentiments
  • #2
    Performance and Downtime
    Ranked 2 out of 9
    For Performance and Downtime
    • 59% of people had positive sentiments
    • 5% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 36% of people had negative sentiments
    59%
    5%
    36%
    Ranked 2 out of 9
    For Performance and Downtime
    • 59% of people had positive sentiments
    • 5% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 36% of people had negative sentiments
  • #2
    Price and Cost
    Ranked 2 out of 9
    For Price and Cost
    • 72% of people had positive sentiments
    • 6% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 22% of people had negative sentiments
    72%
    6%
    22%
    Ranked 2 out of 9
    For Price and Cost
    • 72% of people had positive sentiments
    • 6% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 22% of people had negative sentiments

AccuWebHosting is a budget-friendly, entry-level WordPress hosting option. As such, it doesn’t offer many of the extras other hosts offer, like free domain names for a year. Despite that, users report being happy with the features offered for the price and stable performance for the price range.

However, some customers report downtime and technical support issues, resulting in a mixed rating overall despite the initial easy setup.

Pros & Cons
  • Free migration service included in all plans
  • Various customer support channels
  • Free SSL in basic plan
  • No free domain on basic and mid-level plans
  • Slow-to-load knowledge base
  • Negative customer reviews on Trustpilot about frequent downtime
Specs
Specification Details
Recommended by WordPress.org
No
Included SSL
Yes
Data Center Locations
North America, Europe, Africa and Asia
Customer Service Channels
Phone, live chat, ticket
Uptime Guarantee
99.9% uptime guarantee
Free Email
Yes, 5 to 1,000 addresses
Website Builder
Yes

Best for Flexibility

InterServer

InterServer
4.3
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting Price

$2.50 for one month, then renews at $7 per month

Money-Back Guarantee

Yes, 30 days

Free Domain

No

InterServer
Learn More Arrow
Read Forbes' Review

$2.50 for one month, then renews at $7 per month

Yes, 30 days

No

Expert Take

I find InterServer to be a solid hosting solution that’s appealing for users who need flexibility without being locked into a long-term commitment. If you’re a business owner who wants to try your hand at creating your own website before making a bigger investment in the technical side, Interserver’s flexible terms and easy interface make it a viable pick.

InterServer checks the boxes on all the characteristics important to me in a WordPress hosting service: good performance, reliability and solid security features. I’m impressed with its inclusion of InterShield, an in-house security solution that includes automatic virus scanning, machine learning firewall, an in-house malware database and the ability to block web attacks.

Overall, InterServer’s affordable prices and easy-to-use interface make it a great option if you’re looking to get started with hosting while maintaining flexibility as your business evolves.

Learn more: Read our full InterServer review.

Consumer Sentiment Index
4.6
4.6/10Consumer Score
The Consumer Sentiment Index from Forbes Advisor uses a proprietary weighting system designed by our subject matter experts. It evaluates thousands of consumer insights and reviews from leading online forums to determine customer satisfaction at scale.
Consumer Sentiment Index
23,941
How do we calculate

We gather and analyze consumer sentiment from a range of sources to create the Consumer Sentiment Index to determine customer satisfaction levels for each feature outlined below. This data is designed to give you an idea of real consumer experience of the services and product we review. This data is currently separate from our overall rating out of 5

Insights Analyzed
  • #7
    Customer Support and Service
    Ranked 7 out of 9
    For Customer Support and Service
    • 74% of people had positive sentiments
    • 3% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 23% of people had negative sentiments
    74%
    3%
    23%
    Ranked 7 out of 9
    For Customer Support and Service
    • 74% of people had positive sentiments
    • 3% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 23% of people had negative sentiments
  • #5
    Performance and Downtime
    Ranked 5 out of 9
    For Performance and Downtime
    • 42% of people had positive sentiments
    • 10% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 48% of people had negative sentiments
    42%
    10%
    48%
    Ranked 5 out of 9
    For Performance and Downtime
    • 42% of people had positive sentiments
    • 10% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 48% of people had negative sentiments
  • #3
    Price and Cost
    Ranked 3 out of 9
    For Price and Cost
    • 72% of people had positive sentiments
    • 6% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 22% of people had negative sentiments
    72%
    6%
    22%
    Ranked 3 out of 9
    For Price and Cost
    • 72% of people had positive sentiments
    • 6% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 22% of people had negative sentiments

InterServer doesn’t offer a dedicated WordPress plan, and as such, a lot of customer feedback refers to other hosting packages. Specifically, InterServer’s VPS service receives complaints about provisioning delays and stability.

Overall, the company as a whole also draws ire for billing issues, although most are happy with the customer service.

Pros & Cons
  • Free InterShield Security
  • Unlimited storage space and data transfer
  • 24/7 customer support
  • Limited data center locations
  • Outdated interface
  • No free domain with hosting plans
Specs
Specification Details
Recommended by WordPress.org
No
Included SSL
Yes
Data Center Locations
New Jersey and California
Customer Service Channels
Available 24/7 by phone, chat, email
Uptime Guarantee
99.9% uptime guarantee
Free Email
Yes, unlimited addresses
Website Builder
Yes

Best for Performance

Mochahost

Mochahost
4.3
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting Price

$8.99

per month

Money-Back Guarantee

Yes, 30 days

Free Domain

No

Mochahost
Learn More Arrow
On Mochahost's Website

$8.99

per month

Yes, 30 days

No

Expert Take

If fast loading speeds are of utmost importance to you, Mochahost could be a good fit for your hosting needs. Its user-friendly platform makes creating and managing your site easy, even if you don’t have technical web experience. I think this is a great option for business owners who want to get their site online quickly without being slowed down by complicated setups.

The hosting service has flexible resource allocations, which means if your website has a sudden spike in traffic, it’s able to accommodate the surge without your site going offline. Although Mochahost is a top pick for speed, it doesn’t offer the same value as competitors. For example, it doesn’t offer a free domain on basic plans, only offers premium daily backups on the most expensive plan and has high renewal rates.

Overall, Mochahost is a solid choice if you prioritize ease of use and good performance over bundled features.

Learn more: Read our full Mochahost review.

Consumer Sentiment Index
4.8
4.8/10Consumer Score
The Consumer Sentiment Index from Forbes Advisor uses a proprietary weighting system designed by our subject matter experts. It evaluates thousands of consumer insights and reviews from leading online forums to determine customer satisfaction at scale.
Consumer Sentiment Index
23,941
How do we calculate

We gather and analyze consumer sentiment from a range of sources to create the Consumer Sentiment Index to determine customer satisfaction levels for each feature outlined below. This data is designed to give you an idea of real consumer experience of the services and product we review. This data is currently separate from our overall rating out of 5

Insights Analyzed
  • #3
    Customer Support and Service
    Ranked 3 out of 9
    For Customer Support and Service
    • 93% of people had positive sentiments
    • 1% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 6% of people had negative sentiments
    93%
    1%
    6%
    Ranked 3 out of 9
    For Customer Support and Service
    • 93% of people had positive sentiments
    • 1% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 6% of people had negative sentiments
  • #8
    Performance and Downtime
    Ranked 8 out of 9
    For Performance and Downtime
    • 40% of people had positive sentiments
    • 4% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 56% of people had negative sentiments
    40%
    4%
    56%
    Ranked 8 out of 9
    For Performance and Downtime
    • 40% of people had positive sentiments
    • 4% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 56% of people had negative sentiments
  • #7
    Price and Cost
    Ranked 7 out of 9
    For Price and Cost
    • 56% of people had positive sentiments
    • 3% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 41% of people had negative sentiments
    56%
    3%
    41%
    Ranked 7 out of 9
    For Price and Cost
    • 56% of people had positive sentiments
    • 3% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 41% of people had negative sentiments

Mochahost offers WordPress-specific and general hosting with mixed reviews. Many users love the customer service team and their deep knowledge of the products. However, others report customer service issues and poor communication.

Other concerns include pricing, and a few accuse the host of not honoring lifetime discount offers. Migration is another sore point, with users reporting technical troubles following migrations.

Pros & Cons
  • LiteSpeed web server with fast loading speeds
  • 24/7 support
  • Easy-to-use website builder
  • No free domain on basic plan
  • High renewal rates
  • Premium daily backups only available on most expensive plan
Specs
Specification Details
Recommended by WordPress.org
No
Included SSL
Yes
Data Center Locations
Texas and Illinois
Customer Service Channels
Support tickets, live chat, phone
Uptime Guarantee
99.9% uptime guarantee
Free Email
No
Website Builder
Yes

Best for Speed Optimization

InMotion Hosting

InMotion Hosting
4.1
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting Price

$16.49

per month

Money-Back Guarantee

Yes, 90 days

Free Domain

Yes

InMotion Hosting
Learn More Arrow
On InMotion Hosting's Website

$16.49

per month

Yes, 90 days

Yes

Expert Take

I find speed to be one of the most important features of a hosting service—what good is a slow-loading website? Not much. InMotion Hosting includes NVMe SSD storage in most plans, which leads to improved load times and better user engagement. All of its plans include a free domain and SSL, which is where some competitors fall short.

While its most basic plan includes standard features, if you’re looking to choose your data center location or have more advanced features such as a dedicated IP, dedicated opcode cache pool or manage multiple sites, you’ll have to pay more to access these features. Overall, InMotion Hosting is a solid choice if you value performance, but some more specific features may end up costing you more.

Learn more: Read our full InMotion review.

Consumer Sentiment Index
4.4
4.4/10Consumer Score
The Consumer Sentiment Index from Forbes Advisor uses a proprietary weighting system designed by our subject matter experts. It evaluates thousands of consumer insights and reviews from leading online forums to determine customer satisfaction at scale.
Consumer Sentiment Index
23,941
How do we calculate

We gather and analyze consumer sentiment from a range of sources to create the Consumer Sentiment Index to determine customer satisfaction levels for each feature outlined below. This data is designed to give you an idea of real consumer experience of the services and product we review. This data is currently separate from our overall rating out of 5

Insights Analyzed
  • #6
    Customer Support and Service
    Ranked 6 out of 9
    For Customer Support and Service
    • 66% of people had positive sentiments
    • 3% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 31% of people had negative sentiments
    66%
    3%
    31%
    Ranked 6 out of 9
    For Customer Support and Service
    • 66% of people had positive sentiments
    • 3% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 31% of people had negative sentiments
  • #7
    Performance and Downtime
    Ranked 7 out of 9
    For Performance and Downtime
    • 29% of people had positive sentiments
    • 5% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 66% of people had negative sentiments
    29%
    5%
    66%
    Ranked 7 out of 9
    For Performance and Downtime
    • 29% of people had positive sentiments
    • 5% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 66% of people had negative sentiments
  • #6
    Price and Cost
    Ranked 6 out of 9
    For Price and Cost
    • 46% of people had positive sentiments
    • 10% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 44% of people had negative sentiments
    46%
    10%
    44%
    Ranked 6 out of 9
    For Price and Cost
    • 46% of people had positive sentiments
    • 10% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 44% of people had negative sentiments

People generally praise InMotion Hosting for reliable performance and a great customer service team. However, some report issues with downtime, slow load times and confusing processes.

Pricing is another sticking point over steep increases at renewal time. Some are also concerned about missing features that they thought were advertised as available. Some note this seems to be part of a general decline in quality over time for the host.

Pros & Cons
  • High-speed performance with SSD storage
  • U.S.-based customer support
  • 90-day money-back guarantee
  • No automatic offsite backups with basic plan
  • Phone support only available on more expensive plans
  • Dedicated IP address only included in highest-tier plan
Specs
Specification Details
Recommended by WordPress.org
No
Included SSL
Yes
Data Center Locations
U.S. and Amsterdam
Customer Service Channels
Phone, chat and ticket
Uptime Guarantee
99.99% uptime guarantee
Free Email
Yes, 10 to unlimited addresses
Website Builder
Yes

Best for AI tools

IONOS

IONOS
4.0
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting Price

$1 per month for the first year

Money-Back Guarantee

Yes, 30 days

Free Domain

Yes

IONOS
Learn More Arrow
On IONOS' Website

$1 per month for the first year

Yes, 30 days

Yes

Expert Take

If you’re looking for an affordable and scalable hosting option, IONOS is a solid choice. It offers a range of plans that can easily accommodate your needs as your business expands. What appeals the most to me about IONOS is this scalability—you can start small and upgrade your traffic capabilities and features as your business grows.

One unique feature I find useful is its AI tools, namely its AI website creation, which helps you create a custom website after answering just a few questions, and its AI chatbot which offers 24/7 assistance. Keep in mind that the interface of IONOS is somewhat advanced, which can make this a difficult tool for newcomers to navigate. If you’re willing to put in the effort to learn the interface, then IONOS’ benefits of scalability, strong performance and competitive pricing can pay off in the long run.

Learn more: Read our full IONOS review.

Consumer Sentiment Index
3.4
3.4/10Consumer Score
The Consumer Sentiment Index from Forbes Advisor uses a proprietary weighting system designed by our subject matter experts. It evaluates thousands of consumer insights and reviews from leading online forums to determine customer satisfaction at scale.
Consumer Sentiment Index
23,941
How do we calculate

We gather and analyze consumer sentiment from a range of sources to create the Consumer Sentiment Index to determine customer satisfaction levels for each feature outlined below. This data is designed to give you an idea of real consumer experience of the services and product we review. This data is currently separate from our overall rating out of 5

Insights Analyzed
  • #9
    Customer Support and Service
    Ranked 9 out of 9
    For Customer Support and Service
    • 63% of people had positive sentiments
    • 3% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 34% of people had negative sentiments
    63%
    3%
    34%
    Ranked 9 out of 9
    For Customer Support and Service
    • 63% of people had positive sentiments
    • 3% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 34% of people had negative sentiments
  • #6
    Performance and Downtime
    Ranked 6 out of 9
    For Performance and Downtime
    • 43% of people had positive sentiments
    • 11% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 46% of people had negative sentiments
    43%
    11%
    46%
    Ranked 6 out of 9
    For Performance and Downtime
    • 43% of people had positive sentiments
    • 11% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 46% of people had negative sentiments
  • #8
    Price and Cost
    Ranked 8 out of 9
    For Price and Cost
    • 32% of people had positive sentiments
    • 11% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 57% of people had negative sentiments
    32%
    11%
    57%
    Ranked 8 out of 9
    For Price and Cost
    • 32% of people had positive sentiments
    • 11% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 57% of people had negative sentiments

IONOS skews toward hosting for larger companies instead of WordPress-only plans. Users tended to talk about VPS hosting specifically and the wide variety of hosting options. Customer service sentiment was mixed, with some praising the support team and others feeling it wasn’t as good as it could have been.

Other concerns included billing practices, renewal pricing and processing and cancellation issues. Overall, most users seem to note that the biggest issues were hard selling and extra fees.

Pros & Cons
  • Affordable pricing
  • Strong security features such as DDoS protection
  • Scalable solutions for growing businesses
  • Complex user interface
  • No free site migration
  • Mixed customer support reviews on Trustpilot
Specs
Specification Details
Recommended by WordPress.org
No
Included SSL
Yes
Data Center Locations
U.S. and Europe
Customer Service Channels
24/7 via phone and online support
Uptime Guarantee
99.98% uptime guarantee
Free Email
Yes, 1 to 10 addresses
Website Builder
Yes

Best for Database Management

GoDaddy

GoDaddy
3.8
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting Price

$17.99

per month

Money-Back Guarantee

Yes, 48 hours to 30 days, depending on the plan

Free Domain

Yes

GoDaddy
Learn More Arrow
On GoDaddy's Website

$17.99

per month

Yes, 48 hours to 30 days, depending on the plan

Yes

Expert Take

GoDaddy is one of the most well-known hosting services, but it’s the most expensive provider on our list. Site migration, for example, will run you an additional $200 per site on top of any plan fees you may pay—something cheaper competitors offer at no extra cost.

Some interesting features GoDaddy offers include SEO AI tools that will help increase your site’s visibility, plugin managers and web application firewalls. These features can help improve your site’s traffic and functionality with minimal effort. GoDaddy also excels in database management, offering tools that are easy to use and reliable. With integrated cPanel access, managing databases is simple, even for those who are not highly technical.

Be sure to consider whether or not you’ll use all of GoDaddy’s bells and whistles before signing up to determine if it’ll be worth the cost for your business.

Learn more: Read our full GoDaddy review.

Consumer Sentiment Index
4.8
4.8/10Consumer Score
The Consumer Sentiment Index from Forbes Advisor uses a proprietary weighting system designed by our subject matter experts. It evaluates thousands of consumer insights and reviews from leading online forums to determine customer satisfaction at scale.
Consumer Sentiment Index
23,941
How do we calculate

We gather and analyze consumer sentiment from a range of sources to create the Consumer Sentiment Index to determine customer satisfaction levels for each feature outlined below. This data is designed to give you an idea of real consumer experience of the services and product we review. This data is currently separate from our overall rating out of 5

Insights Analyzed
  • #4
    Customer Support and Service
    Ranked 4 out of 9
    For Customer Support and Service
    • 47% of people had positive sentiments
    • 0% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 53% of people had negative sentiments
    47%
    53%
    Ranked 4 out of 9
    For Customer Support and Service
    • 47% of people had positive sentiments
    • 0% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 53% of people had negative sentiments
  • #3
    Performance and Downtime
    Ranked 3 out of 9
    For Performance and Downtime
    • 43% of people had positive sentiments
    • 14% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 43% of people had negative sentiments
    43%
    14%
    43%
    Ranked 3 out of 9
    For Performance and Downtime
    • 43% of people had positive sentiments
    • 14% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 43% of people had negative sentiments
  • #4
    Price and Cost
    Ranked 4 out of 9
    For Price and Cost
    • 33% of people had positive sentiments
    • 0% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 67% of people had negative sentiments
    33%
    67%
    Ranked 4 out of 9
    For Price and Cost
    • 33% of people had positive sentiments
    • 0% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 67% of people had negative sentiments

Over the years, GoDaddy has collected more than its share of unflattering nicknames. Overall, it has mixed reviews, with users who love it or absolutely despise it. Mixed results span all areas of the service, from customer service to billing.

Common complaints include poor server performance, frequent upselling and dismissive customer support personnel. Some users also report problems with possible blocking of auto migration tools when trying to leave the host.

Pros & Cons
  • Free SSL certificate for all plans
  • Free AI creation tools for all plans
  • Global data centers
  • High monthly cost and renewal rates
  • No free website migration
  • Mixed reviews on Trustpilot about customer support
Specs
Specification Details
Recommended by WordPress.org
No
Included SSL
Yes
Data Center Locations
U.S, Europe and some AWS use
Customer Service Channels
24/7 phone, text, live chat
Uptime Guarantee
99.9% uptime guarantee
Free Email
Yes, five trial addresses
Website Builder
Yes

Hosting Best for Beginners

Web.com

Web.com
3.8
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting Price

$5.95

per month

Money-Back Guarantee

No

Free Domain

Yes

Web.com
Learn More Arrow
On Web.com's Website

$5.95

per month

No

Yes

Expert Take

If you’re just starting out, Web.com can provide great value for your hosting needs. It’s an affordable and straightforward hosting solution with user-friendly tools that can empower those without technical backgrounds to create a functional website. All of its plans include unmetered bandwidth, which means you won’t incur extra charges as your business grows.

I find one downside of Web.com to be its renewal rates; annual plan costs more than double upon renewal. It’s also important to note that there is no money-back guarantee with Web.com, which makes trying it a riskier investment than other services on our list. Overall, Web.com is a solid choice if you want a drag-and-drop website builder and know you will have a smaller website.

Learn more: Read our full Web.com review.

Consumer Sentiment Index
3.6
3.6/10Consumer Score
The Consumer Sentiment Index from Forbes Advisor uses a proprietary weighting system designed by our subject matter experts. It evaluates thousands of consumer insights and reviews from leading online forums to determine customer satisfaction at scale.
Consumer Sentiment Index
23,941
How do we calculate

We gather and analyze consumer sentiment from a range of sources to create the Consumer Sentiment Index to determine customer satisfaction levels for each feature outlined below. This data is designed to give you an idea of real consumer experience of the services and product we review. This data is currently separate from our overall rating out of 5

Insights Analyzed
  • #5
    Customer Support and Service
    Ranked 5 out of 9
    For Customer Support and Service
    • 68% of people had positive sentiments
    • 2% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 30% of people had negative sentiments
    68%
    2%
    30%
    Ranked 5 out of 9
    For Customer Support and Service
    • 68% of people had positive sentiments
    • 2% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 30% of people had negative sentiments
  • #9
    Performance and Downtime
    Ranked 9 out of 9
    For Performance and Downtime
    • 12% of people had positive sentiments
    • 6% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 82% of people had negative sentiments
    12%
    6%
    82%
    Ranked 9 out of 9
    For Performance and Downtime
    • 12% of people had positive sentiments
    • 6% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 82% of people had negative sentiments
  • #9
    Price and Cost
    Ranked 9 out of 9
    For Price and Cost
    • 8% of people had positive sentiments
    • 3% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 89% of people had negative sentiments
    8%
    3%
    89%
    Ranked 9 out of 9
    For Price and Cost
    • 8% of people had positive sentiments
    • 3% of people had neutral sentiments
    • 89% of people had negative sentiments

While Web.com’s hosting has plenty of features, customers take a rather pessimistic view of the service overall. Customer support is a particular sticking point, with people noting long wait times and poor outcomes.

Other concerns raised include accusations of unethical practices, unexpected charges and domain cancellations. However, customers are mostly satisfied with the website builder tool.

Pros & Cons
  • Affordable annual pricing
  • All plans include free domain
  • All plans include unmetered bandwidth
  • No SSL certificate included in basic plan
  • High renewal rates
  • Long-term commitments for the most affordable prices (3 years)
Specs
Specification Details
Recommended by WordPress.org
No
Included SSL
No
Data Center Locations
U.S.
Customer Service Channels
Email, live chat, phone
Uptime Guarantee
99.9% uptime guarantee
Free Email
Yes
Website Builder
Yes

Methodology

Our methodology consists of scoring categories we determined to be the most important to business owners looking for hosting services, ranging from value to performance. We tested and rated more than 19 providers to determine which ones rank highest on our criteria. The rubric considers four main areas of information when scoring the data, looking at 32 key data points.

Decision Factor Scoring Weight Description
Value
26%
Evaluated based on pricing availability, trial periods, subscription costs and price increases after introductory periods. The cheaper the price, the better the score.
Service and Support
8%
Evaluated based on the availability of live chat, phone support, email support and self-help knowledge bases. Live chat and phone support available 24/7 received the highest scores.
Consumer Sentiment
40%
Trustpilot ratings of 3.5 or higher were taken into account, with a simple yes/no scoring method.
General Features
26%
We considered features such as unlimited storage, bandwidth, one-click WordPress installation, cPanel availability, free domain name, free SSL certificates and uptime guarantees.

Why You Can Trust Forbes Advisor Small Business

The Forbes Advisor Small Business team is committed to providing unbiased rankings and information with full editorial independence. We use product data, strategic methodologies and expert insights to inform all of our content to guide you in making the best decisions for your business journey.

Learn More: How We Evaluate Web Hosting Services

  • 19 Companies Evaluated
  • 32 Decision Factors Considered
  • Four Levels of Fact-Checking
  • Hands-On Testing

How To Choose the Best WordPress Hosting Service

When considering a WordPress hosting service, there are multiple factors to ensure your website is functional, reliable and can grow with your business. Here are the most important features to evaluate before selecting a provider to host your WordPress website.

Essential WordPress Hosting Features

A functional, secure website is essential to serving your customers and growing your business. The following features should be considered closely when choosing a WordPress hosting service:

  • Speed: A slow website can lead to higher bounce rates, which can have a plethora of consequences, including customer dissatisfaction and low SEO rankings. Look for hosting services with fast speed times, preferably under 200ms, to keep Google and customers happy.
  • Uptime and reliability: You’ll want to choose a hosting service that offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee to ensure your site will always be online and accessible to customers.
  • Security: Built-in security can help keep your website and customer information secure.
  • Scalability: Look for a service provider that offers flexible options to increase storage as your business and traffic expands.
  • Customer support: Be sure to check forums and verified business review websites, such as Trustpilot, to understand the quality of a service’s customer-support capabilities.

InterServer checks the box on all of these essential features. Where it really shines, however, is with security. InterShield Security is included with all of its plans and prevents attacks with an automatic virus scanner, machine learning firewall and an in-house malware database.

Value

When considering a WordPress hosting service, it’s important to consider more than just its price to determine the value it may bring to your business. A cheaper price may not always be the best deal if basic features are required as add-ons; conversely, a more expensive product doesn’t always mean you’re getting the best service in terms of speed and security.

Hostinger, for example, is a budget-friendly service option that provides excellent value with its wide range of included services in lower-tier plans, including unlimited bandwidth, SSD storage and strong uptime guarantees. It also includes free SSL certificates and 24/7 customer support, which some competitors lack.

Check out our guide on website hosting costs to learn more.

Bandwidth

Bandwidth refers to the rate at which data is transferred between a website and a visitor over a given time period, usually per second. A WordPress hosting service with high bandwidth is essential for a functioning website with a good user experience. Insufficient bandwidth can lead to slow load times, crashes during traffic spikes and overall poor user experience.

Not only do you want a sufficient amount of bandwidth for your site, but you want to choose a hosting service that allows you to scale your bandwidth as you grow. For example, IONOS offers performance-level upgrades for as little as $2 per month, and this can be downscaled if needed. Web.com offers unmetered bandwidth, which means there isn’t a hard cap on bandwidth usage.

Storage Limits

Inadequate storage for your website can put you at a disadvantage. Storage refers to how much space on the hosting service’s server is allocated for your website’s data; that includes text files, images, videos, plugins and proprietary databases. If you don’t have enough storage, your site’s functionality will suffer.

AccuWebHosting, for example, offers different storage limits based on its plans, ranging from 1 to 4GB RAM. If you have high-resolution photos, video content and additional pages on your website, you’ll likely need more than 1GB. If you’re not sure how much storage space you need, consider a WordPress hosting service with unlimited storage, such as Hostinger.

Traffic Limits

Traffic refers to the amount of visitors to your website during a given timeframe. Some WordPress services incorporate traffic limits in their plans; Hostinger, for example, supports about 25,000 monthly visits on its most basic WordPress hosting service plan. If your site exceeds any monthly traffic limits, your load times may slow down, the site may become unresponsive or it may go down temporarily, which means visitors won’t be able to access your content—and you could lose out on sales. If you plan on doing promotions and having high-traffic days, consider a plan with high-traffic capabilities.

Managed or Unmanaged Hosting

If you’re opting to use WordPress to create a website, you likely don’t have the technical skills to develop your website from scratch. That means you also likely don’t have the technical skills required to manage and maintain your server and infrastructure on your own.

Managed hosting refers to a hosting provider taking care of server maintenance and management for you such as security, backups, software updates and technical support. Unmanaged hosting requires you to take care of these tasks on your own. Most WordPress users should look for a managed hosting service to ensure their site is properly taken care of to avoid downtime and security breaches or troubleshoot problems. Nearly all of the services on our list are managed hosting services.


Which WordPress Hosting Service Is Best for Your Business?

Picking a suitable hosting service for your WordPress site depends on a variety of factors, including the type of site you manage, how much traffic you expect to see each month, your technical level and budget, to name just a few factors.

A few examples of services best suited for certain business owners include:

If your business has 10 or fewer people and you are looking for cheap software without bells and whistles, choose InterServer or Hostinger. Both services have affordable prices with straightforward features that are easy to use. InterServer offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, which gives you a no-risk initial investment.

If you’re technical-savvy, choose IONOS. This service is known for its advanced interface, which gives skilled users more capabilities for customization and development. Another advantage of IONOS is its ability to scale as your business grows.

If you plan on running promotions and seeing increased traffic days, choose Hostwinds. This service comes with unlimited storage space, so you won’t incur extra costs on high-traffic days.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is a WordPress hosting service?

A WordPress hosting service is a website hosting service specifically for websites built with WordPress. These services provide technical support, security and performance capabilities for WordPress websites.

Can I build a WordPress site without hosting?

Yes, there are ways you can build a WordPress site without hosting, but it won’t be visible on the internet. A web hosting package works with domain pointing to make your website viewable, plus provides security measures and makes it fully functional. WordPress offers a free hosting service, but it comes with limitations such as giving your website URL a subdomain, the inability to place ads on your site and blocking custom plugins and themes.

How do I transfer my WordPress site to a new host?

Transferring your WordPress site to a new host requires undergoing a site migration process. Many WordPress hosting services offer this in their plans as a free or add-on service.


Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

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The Forbes Advisor editorial team is independent and objective. To help support our reporting work, and to continue our ability to provide this content for free to our readers, we receive compensation from the companies that advertise on the Forbes Advisor site. This compensation comes from two main sources. First, we provide paid placements to advertisers to present their offers. The compensation we receive for those placements affects how and where advertisers’ offers appear on the site. This site does not include all companies or products available within the market. Second, we also include links to advertisers’ offers in some of our articles; these “affiliate links” may generate income for our site when you click on them. The compensation we receive from advertisers does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides in our articles or otherwise impact any of the editorial content on Forbes Advisor. While we work hard to provide accurate and up to date information that we think you will find relevant, Forbes Advisor does not and cannot guarantee that any information provided is complete and makes no representations or warranties in connection thereto, nor to the accuracy or applicability thereof. Here is a list of our partners who offer products that we have affiliate links for.
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