The best WordPress hosting
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WordPress runs on almost any host, so "WordPress hosting" is mostly about how much of the work the host does for you. Cheap shared plans give you a one-click install and a control panel; managed WordPress hosts handle caching, updates, staging, backups and security, and charge accordingly.
This ranking mixes both, ordered by our overall rating, with the real 3-year cost on every card. For a new blog, a shared plan from Hostinger, Bluehost or DreamHost is plenty. For a business site that makes money, managed hosting from Kinsta or Rocket.net pays for itself in speed and saved time.
At a glance
| # | Host & plan | Intro | Renews | 3-yr cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rocket.net Starter | $25 | $25 | $900 |
| 2 | Kinsta Single 35k | $29.17 | $29.17 | $1,050 |
| 3 | Hostinger Premium | $2.99 | $10.99 | $108 |
| 4 | ChemiCloud Starter | $1.95 | $11.95 | $70 |
| 5 | SiteGround StartUp | $2.99 | $17.99 | $468 |
| 6 | WP Engine Essential | $28 | n/a | - |
| 7 | InMotion Hosting Launch | $4.99 | $13.99 | $180 |
| 8 | WordPress.com Personal | $2.75 | n/a | $99 |
Our picks
Starter plan
WordPress sites that want fast global delivery with flat pricing.
- 30-day money-back
- Backups: Daily
Single 35k plan
Business WordPress sites where speed and support justify the price.
- 30-day money-back
- Backups: Daily, 14-30 days retention
Premium plan
Beginners and small sites that want the lowest upfront cost and an easy panel.
- 30-day money-back
- Free domain
- Backups: Weekly on Premium; daily on Busin…
Starter plan
Small sites outside the US that want a nearby data center.
- 45-day money-back
- Free domain
- Backups: Daily (10-30 days retention)
StartUp plan
WordPress sites that value support, speed tools and daily backups, and can live with high renewals.
- 30-day money-back
- Free domain
- Backups: Daily, 30 days of history
Essential plan
Agencies and businesses that want an established managed WordPress platform.
- Backups: Daily
Launch plan
Small businesses that want room to grow and a long trial window.
- 90-day money-back
- Free domain
- Backups: Backup Manager add-on (automated …
Personal plan
Bloggers and small businesses who never want to touch a server.
- "No-questions-asked" refund policy (days not st…
- Free domain
- Backups: Real-time on Business and up
What makes a host good for WordPress?
- Caching built in. Server-level caching (LiteSpeed, Nginx or a CDN) makes far more difference than any plugin.
- Staging. A copy of your site to test updates before they go live. SiteGround's GrowBig and every managed host include it.
- Daily backups you can restore yourself. Several cheap plans only back up weekly.
- PHP versions and memory. Modern PHP and enough memory for WooCommerce if you'll sell.
- Free migration. Moving an existing WordPress site should be free; most hosts here offer it.
Shared or managed?
If your site gets fewer than about 25,000 visits a month and doesn't sell anything, shared WordPress hosting is the sensible choice. Once it's a business asset (an online store, a lead-generation site, a membership) managed WordPress is worth the jump in price. Our guide to shared vs VPS vs managed WordPress goes deeper.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need special WordPress hosting?
No: any host that supports PHP and MySQL runs WordPress. "WordPress hosting" plans add conveniences such as one-click installs, automatic updates and caching tuned for WordPress.
What's the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress hosting?
WordPress.com is a hosted service run by Automattic: no server to manage, but fewer controls on lower plans. Self-hosted WordPress (WordPress.org software on a host like SiteGround) gives you full control.
Which WordPress host is fastest?
Managed hosts built on cloud infrastructure with a CDN: Kinsta and Rocket.net, are generally the fastest, according to independent benchmarks and expert reviews. Among shared hosts, SiteGround is consistently well rated.