Statista estimates that as of January 2023, there are more than "5.16 billion internet users worldwide," meaning it's impossible to imagine a world without the internet. To keep your business running, you need to find a way to catch all of these users' attention, creating a website that they want to interact with. That all starts with a web hosting service.
With dozens of providers available, how do you pick one that matches the vision you have for your website? To help answer that question, we scoured the market to find the best hosting offers on the internet today.
Paying close attention to product and pricing options, features you may need, and important pros and cons, we created a guide to help you pick the best web hosting service for your needs.
Because there are several features to consider, such as server space and bandwidth, it can be challenging to make one-to-one comparisons. To compile our list of the best hosting sites, we reviewed all of the features and weighed them against their costs.
For our main comparison chart, we reviewed features provided by each web host at its most affordable tier. However, if you're willing to spend enough money, almost every host will offer whatever you need.
Our methodology is based on these factors:
Bluehost is one of the most popular web hosts to build a WordPress (WP) site, thanks to its one-click installation process, strong CMS (Content Management System) platform, and multiple hosting plans.
While the company offers other services—including shared hosting, dedicated hosting, and VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting—Bluehost's reputation for being straightforward and easy to use may be their biggest benefit. They also deliver expedited setup of WooCommerce, a popular e-commerce plugin that runs on the WP engine. Security features like SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates and daily backups also add to their appeal.
"I love Bluehost as a hosting platform," says web strategist and coach Wes Mcdowell. He also calls Bluehost "super reliable" and adds that "it's a snap to get [your site] up and running" with this service.
Why we chose Bluehost: As one of today's most versatile hosting providers, Bluehost features a beginner-friendly setup process and a range of affordable solutions. These offerings make them a good option for a variety of customers with diverse needs.
Our experience: We like Bluehost's simple site design, navigation, and emphasis on WordPress products. These features gave us enough flexibility to build many different types of websites. The transparent pricing and product info also make it easier to sort through options and identify what's best for you and your budget.
IONOS is ideal for small businesses that need an online presence. At $1/month for the first year on their Business plan, they have one of the most affordable web hosting offers on this list. They give you a lot for that low price: 99.9% uptime, unlimited bandwidth, 50GB of SSD (Solid State Drive) storage, five email addresses, and advanced security features like DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) protection and geo-redundancy.
Web developer and HowExpert writer Liz Kazandzhy says in her book Freelance Web Developer 101, "For the sake of simplicity, I recommend 1&1, now known as IONOS. I've found that [their service] is affordable and fully satisfies my needs."
Like the other web hosts on this list, IONOS has WordPress hosting plans. But they also have options for standard web hosting, Drupal hosting, and even Joomla hosting. Although the Business plan's cost increases to $8/month after the first year, IONOS is still one of the best website hosting platforms on the market, thanks to how much they offer at this low price.
Why we chose IONOS: IONOS has the most affordable pricing options of all the products we reviewed. Plus, their comprehensive catalog of web hosting services makes it easy to include them in our list.
Our experience: We appreciated IONOS's straightforward pricing structure and product selections. We also found the live chat helpful for learning more about the provider's available solutions.
HostGator is a smart choice for larger organizations that need multiple email addresses. This web hosting company includes unlimited email addresses with the plans offered. They also guarantee at least 99% server uptime and unmetered bandwidth.
In his book WordPress in easy steps, Darryl Bartlett, freelance web developer and technical writer, explains that "[to] install WordPress, you are going to need some space online." He adds, "I recommend a company called HostGator. It is very well priced, has a 24-hour support team, and is very simple to set up WordPress on."
The introductory $2.75/month plan requires a commitment of three years, but the price doesn't increase to the usual $7.99/month rate until after the introductory period ends. In addition to standard shared hosting, dedicated hosting, and VPS, HostGator also offers reseller hosting for those who want to provide their own hosting services.
Why we chose HostGator: HostGator has won awards for everything from web hosting to customer service. Its unlimited email addresses, offered even with the most basic plans, impressed us. Organizations with a lot of personnel will particularly appreciate this feature, especially because you can set up your email preferences for optimal performance (e.g., capping at 500/hour to minimize IP blacklisting).
Our experience: We appreciate that HostGator doesn't force you to pay for additional email addresses or use a third-party email provider. Instead, they keep business in-house. We also liked that they deliver some of the fastest and most affordable hosting options on the market.
Hostinger asks for the longest introductory offer commitment on this list, but its prices are very affordable. The first four years of service only cost $1.99/month, after which the price increases to a reasonable $3.99/month. Hostinger's 30-day money-back guarantee and 99.9% guaranteed uptime also ensure peace of mind.
Although this offer doesn't include a free domain name, it does come with a single email address. Plus, users get 50GB of SSD storage and 100GB of bandwidth. Security features include SSL certificates, weekly backups, and DDoS protection.
Why we chose Hostinger: Hostinger's budget-friendly four-year introductory price gives you access to high guaranteed uptime at a very affordable price. The user scores and experiences we reviewed on Trustpilot and Hostinger's homepage confirm that customers find great value in the service they get.
Our experience: The company's customer service is highly responsive—we had our sample question answered within 10 minutes after posting it in Hostinger's live chat. However, we didn't like that Hostinger had a countdown timer on their homepage—it felt a bit like a gimmick.
DreamHost offers an extended 97-day money-back guarantee and 100% guaranteed uptime. This shows how confident they are in their service, which should put even the most risk-averse consumers at ease.
The introductory plan includes a free domain name for one year but doesn't come with any email addresses. Bandwidth is unmetered, and there are no storage limits. There are various WordPress site options, too—from basic hosting to dedicated WordPress hosting and cloud hosting options for those looking to publish web apps.
Why we chose DreamHost: DreamHost promises to deliver 100% uptime and compensate you for any downtime. Plus, with the 97-day money-back guarantee, you have the freedom to test their services and confirm if they can live up to their 100% uptime promise.
Our experience: We liked that we could choose between two unmanaged shared plans, three managed shared plans, four VPS plans, and nine dedicated plans. DreamHost's wide selection of WordPress hosting plans may be confusing to some potential customers or new users, but we liked that they provide enough flexibility to host any type of website.
HostPapa is an exceptional web hosting and design service that brings professional online presence within reach for businesses of all sizes. The intuitive drag-and-drop website builder enables effortless creation of stunning websites in no time. With plans starting at just $3.95 a month, it's an affordable solution for anyone. HostPapa offers various hosting options, including web hosting, WordPress hosting, VPS hosting, reseller hosting, and even specialized Ecommerce hosting. With 400+ business apps, you can enhance your website's functionality. Plus, enjoy free domain registration, ample storage, and unlimited bandwidth with every package. HostPapa empowers businesses to thrive online with its feature-rich and cost-effective hosting services.
Why we chose HostPapa: We selected HostPapa primarily because of its versatile hosting options. With HostPapa, users have a range of choices including web hosting, WordPress hosting, VPS hosting, reseller hosting, and specialized Ecommerce hosting. Whether you're running a personal blog, an online store, or a growing business, HostPapa offers hosting plans tailored to meet your unique demands and ensure a smooth online presence.
Our experience: HostPapa is great when it comes to uptime. They maintain excellent uptime of 99.97 percent, which means their website is hardly ever down. Although it's impossible to have 100 percent uptime due to occasional problems and maintenance, HostPapa's uptime translates to less than three hours of downtime per year. This high level of reliability is perfect whether you're running a blog or an online store because it ensures your website is available to visitors most of the time.
A2 Hosting has a variety of solutions for individuals and enterprise-level users. They offer hosting plans for WordPress (both managed and unmanaged), dedicated emails, WooCommerce, reseller hosting, and even specialized plans for non-profit organizations.
Their basic shared hosting plan, suitable for either WordPress or custom sites, starts at $2.99/month for one year. The plan includes 100GB of SSD storage, unlimited bandwidth, and unlimited email addresses. However, users need to pay for a domain name.
Why we chose A2 Hosting: A2 Hosting has a lot to offer—tons of storage space, as well as all of the emails and bandwidth you could ever need. Their plans include a comprehensive security suite with SSL certificates, backups, malware scanning, DDoS protection, and two-factor authentication (2FA).
Our experience: We appreciate the straightforward reporting A2 Hosting uses to back up its claims with precise data. This provider prominently outlines its methodology online to prove it can deliver lots of storage and reliable bandwidth.
Web.com is a no-frills service provider offering shared hosting for WordPress and custom sites. Although they don't have dedicated hosting, VPS hosting, or reseller hosting plans, they do provide a website builder for anyone not using WordPress.
The basic plan includes a free domain name for the first year and one business email, with additional email addresses at an extra fee. Web.com also claims to have a 99.9% uptime record but doesn't guarantee it. Plans come with unmetered bandwidth and an SSL certificate, malware scanning, and daily backup service for security.
Why we chose Web.com: This web hosting solution is a stable, well-rounded option with unmetered hosting. They give users free access to a drag-and-drop website builder and promise load speeds up to 70% faster than their competitors.
Our experience: We like Web.com's website builder and design options, which come with one hour of free web design support and predesigned building blocks. We were a little frustrated by the lack of technical details available about their plans.
Network Solutions is powered by Web.com and delivers similar services. However, they provide the additional benefits of quick, responsive, and helpful customer service.
When it's time to renew, Network Solutions doesn't increase the monthly rates on its Starter plan—an excellent incentive for potential customers. The plan includes 15GB of storage and five email addresses. Plus, Network Solutions guarantees 99.9% uptime but doesn't provide much information about bandwidth. Also, while WordPress plans cost more, they include extra storage, email addresses, and a free domain name.
Why we chose Network Solutions: Network Solutions is a solid option that doesn't increase fees after renewal. This provider also boasts outstanding customer service and includes five free emails in its most basic plan.
Our experience: When we reached out to Network Solutions' customer service team, we were immediately connected with a representative. The site offers a mix of live and chatbot text support. Their 99.9% uptime guarantee also gave us confidence that our site would consistently be available to visitors.
Rocket.net is the most expensive web host on this list, but that's because they prioritize server performance without charging additional fees. They also promote themselves as the fastest WordPress hosting provider on the market. Even the most basic Starter plan is managed and includes the Cloudflare Enterprise CDN (Content Deliver Network) service to provide optimal visitor experience. Rocket.net's free website migration options and guaranteed 99.99% uptime are just a part of its offering. There are plans available for both enterprise and reseller hosting.
The Starter plan from Rocket.net includes 10GB of storage and 50GB of bandwidth. It comes with an SSL certificate, malware protection, and automated daily backups. The $25/month annual pricing doesn't increase after renewal, and Rocket.net promises that there are no hidden upsells or surprise costs.
Why we chose Rocket.net: Rocket.net dedicates itself to delivering high server performance. It's a premium option with managed hosting and free migration included in all of its plans.
Our experience: We found Rocket.net's upfront, transparent approach to pricing and attention to technical details refreshing. Their transparency built a lot of goodwill and made us feel confident in their product and support services.
To help you better understand the features of the best web hosts, we captured a few key details to consider in the comparison chart below.
While evaluating each host provider's details, keep in mind that direct comparisons aren't always possible. The features listed here apply to the lowest-cost plan from each hosting service, but higher-tier plans may include better features. For example, some hosts may provide a free domain name with higher-cost plans but not with the basic plans listed in the chart. Be sure to visit each web hosting service's website for specific details on their other offers.
| Compare the Best Hosting Services | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 170 reviews | 103 reviews | 108 reviews | 77 reviews | 61 reviews | 70 reviews | 55 reviews | 70 reviews | 84 reviews | 18 reviews |
Price per month | Starting at $2.95/month for 1 year | Starting at $1/month for 1 year | Starting at $2.75/month for 3 years | Starting at $1.99/month for 4 years | Starting at $2.59/month for 3 years | Starting at $3.95 per month | Starting at $2.99/month for 1 year | Starting at $2.75/month for 3 years | Starting at $5.69/month for 1 year | Starting at $25/month for 1 year |
Bandwidth | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unmetered | 100GB | Unmetered | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unmetered | n/a | 50GB |
Special offer | Free domain for 1st year, SSL certificate, CDN | Free domain for 1st year, SSL certificate, professional email | Free domain for 1st year, SSL certificate, unlimited emails, one-click WordPress installer | Free SSL certificate, email, website builder | Free domain, SSL certificate, WordPress migration | Free domain registration, 51% savings | Free SSL certificate, CDN, unlimited emails, website builder | Free domain | Five free emails | Free SSL certificate, website migration |
Uptime | 99.99% | 99.9% | 99% | 99.9% | 100% | 99.9% | 99.9% | 99.9% | 99.9% | 99.99% |
Website builder | Yes, in house and Drupal, Joomla compatible | Zyro in-house builder | Built-in | |||||||
Money-back guarantee | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 97 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
Yes, some web hosting services do include a website builder, but not all of them. The hosts listed in this review, however, have WordPress hosting plans. WordPress is a CMS (an application used to create, edit and publish websites) with hundreds of free templates available so that anyone can easily build their own site.
