TL;DR
The best web hosting for bloggers, especially those new to hosting, combines ease of use, reliability, excellent support, and scalability, all at an affordable price. Our top choices Cloudways (best for larger blogs) and Hostinger (best for smaller or new blogs) is selected for their all-round excellence as well as affordable pricing.
Note: While our HostScore ratings provide a general overview of host performance, there are other factors you should consider for your specific needs. Our top hosting picks address this by offering tailored suggestions for different requirements, as demonstrated in this article.
Cloudways
We’ve used Cloudways to run high-traffic volume WordPress sites, multi-sites, and everything else. It may not be the cheapest, but it won’t break the bank. A single CPU and two gigs of RAM will handle most typical WordPress sites.
Thanks to the Cloudways dashboard, managing those sites is also effortless. Everything from site migration to backups and cloning can be done in a few clicks. The convenience is way beyond what we’ve seen at higher price tags.
You’ll need to monitor specific resources, like storage space. You get less than most competitors provide, but that will only matter if you ignore SEO and overload your WordPress site. Not a great idea in any case.
Cheapest Hosting Plans Available
Number of Blogs Allowed in One Account
Cloudways Pros
- Topnotch server uptime and speed performance
- Good abstration over complex cloud server setups with integrated dashboard
- Outstanding customer support
- High scalability
- Easy server cloning, site staging, and website transfer
- Host unlimited applications in one account
- 25% discount for first two months with coupon “HOSTSCORE”
Cloudways Cons
- Getting expensive – Prices increased steadily for the past few years
- Limited trial period
Hostinger
For a host that’s known for its budget-oriented offerings, Hostinger breaks from the norm regarding its WordPress plans. It offers Managed WordPress hosting packages across several platforms, from shared to Cloud servers.
The minimum number of sites you can host on these starts at 100, whereas most competitors will begin at single-site offerings. Additionally, you get all the regular trimmings like free email, unmetered bandwidth, a free domain name, and backup systems.One downside, however, is that the cheapest plan in its WordPress range has severe limitations. For example, you can’t install WooCommerce, create on-demand backups, or use staging sites.Cheapest Hosting Plans Available
Number of Blogs Allowed in One Account
Hostinger Pros
- Affordable pricing
- Nine different data centers in four continents
- Good spread of hosting plans
- User-friendly control panel (hPanel)
- Wide range of payment options accepted
- Git environment available on shared hosting
- Additional 7% discount with coupon code “HOSTSCORE”
Hostinger Cons
- Price increase during the renewal
- Does not support Windows hosting
Fastcomet
Fastcomet claims to offer managed WordPress hosting at rock-bottom prices. This starts at a mere $1.79/mo. However, for that price, we wonder how far their “management” of your WordPress plan will go.
Regardless, the low prices are real, and this is likely the cheapest WordPress hosting you’ll find on this side of the planet. Because of those prices, resource allocations are far from unlimited, and you may struggle to survive on a mere 10GB of space.
Still, they cover the bare essentials if you consider malware scanners redundant. As you move up the price list, more features like better performance, caching, and development tools are unlocked.
Cheapest Hosting Plans Available
Number of Blogs Allowed in One Account
Fastcomet Pros
- High-speed and reliable hosting
- Decent range of hosting plans
- Comprehensive support
- Excellent reputation
Fastcomet Cons
- Limited features on lower-priced plans
Kinsta
Kinsta is practically a legend when it comes to WordPress. It’s one of the few hosts that have built an entire business around this popular platform. However, Kinsta primarily caters to the high-performance market, so don’t expect their plans to come cheap.
That said, performance excellence is almost guaranteed. These guys are WordPress professionals, and their work is always top-of-the-line. Although they are now open to several more apps, they are always controlled and optimized by Kinsta.
Hosting any WordPress site on Kinsta will be rock-solid thanks to their foundational use of Google Cloud. When people say a company is serious about its business, they were probably thinking of Kinsta.
Cheapest Hosting Plans Available
Number of Blogs Allowed in One Account
Kinsta Pros
- Outstanding server uptime and speed performance
- Choice of 30+ server locations
- Optimized for best WordPress site performance
- Plans auto-scale during visitor spikes
- Specialized WordPress support staff
- Highly developer-friendly
Kinsta Cons
- Expensive
- No email hosting
- No shared hosting
- Does not support cron jobs
- Some WordPress plugins banned
WP Engine
For many products and services, there are specialists, and then there are specialists. WP Engine is the latter when it comes to anything WordPress-related. Over the years, they’ve built their entire business around this platform alone.
Unlike most hosting companies, WP Engine only provides WordPress on Cloud-based platforms. It’s a managed solution that lets you focus on your content and business instead of technicalities. However, that also means cheap WordPress hosting is out of the question.
WP Engine also offers solutions for headless WordPress hosting. This allows for the possibility of highly customized front-ends driven by WordPress’s proven powers. This granular control also means the potential for much better performance—if done right.
Cheapest Hosting Plans Available
Number of Blogs Allowed in One Account
WP Engine Pros
- Outstanding server uptime and speed performance
- Round-the-clock WordPress-specialized support
- Developer-friendly environment
- Genesis framework and StudioPress themes included
- Choice of 20+ server locations in four continents
WP Engine Cons
- Email hosting services not included
- Only WordPress plans available
- Bandwidth and some server resources are highly limited
- No white-glove site migration
Verpex
Verpex offers unmanaged and managed WordPress hosting. The unmanaged plans are based on shared hosting. This is the cheapest WordPress hosting you’ll get here, with prices as low as $2.99/mo.
For that, you get cPanel-based plans with 1-click app installers, unlimited bandwidth, NVMe drives for better performance and daily backups. They’ll even help you migrate your site to their hosting plans for free.
Their managed WordPress hosting plans are the only place where Verpex claims special performance optimizations. However, the prices are notably higher, although they do give you assurance that they will not increase during your contract.
Cheapest Hosting Plans Available
Number of Blogs Allowed in One Account
HostScore
Verpex Pros
- Budget-friendly shared and VPS hosting plans
- 45-day money back guarantee
- Daily backup included in all shared hosting plans
- Unlimited free site migrations
- Choice of 12 distributed data centers across five continents
Verpex Cons
- Price increase during the renewal
Key Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Blog Hosting
Blogs come in many sizes, from the small one-man operation to those run by fortune 500 companies. The main difference between these and ordinary websites is that blogging platforms are designed to handle dynamic content.
| Factors | Why It Matters to Bloggers? |
|---|---|
| Ease of Use | New bloggers need a hosting service that is straightforward to set up and manage. Look for web hosts with user-friendly control panels, which allow easy management of your website, domains, and hosting features. cPanel and hPanel (Hostinger) are two newbies-friendly hosting control panel we recommend. |
| Reliability and Uptime | Your blog needs to be accessible around the clock. Choose a hosting provider that guarantees high uptime (the industry standard is 99.9%). This ensures your blog is always available to your readers. |
| Customer Support | Reliable customer support is vital – especially for beginners who might encounter technical issues or have questions. Opt for hosting services that offer 24/7 support through various channels like live chat, email, and phone. |
| Pricing and Scalability | For new bloggers, finding an affordable hosting plan is important, but it’s also crucial to consider future growth. Look for hosting providers that offer a range of plans (Shared, VPS, Cloud, Dedicated). |
| Security Features | The internet is fraught with security threats. Choose a host that provides robust security features, including SSL certificates, auto malware scanning, and regular backups. |
| Performance (Speed) | our blog speed affects user experience and Google search ranking. Select a host that uses solid-state drives (SSDs), offers content delivery network (CDN) integration, and has data centers close to your target audience for optimal loading times. |
| Content Management System (CMS) Compatibility | Most bloggers use a CMS like WordPress for ease of publishing and managing content. Ensure the hosting service is optimized for your chosen CMS, offering one-click installations and (ideally) certain level of supports on your chosen CMS. |
| Additional Tools & Features | There are features and tools, such as zapier integration, easy SSL installer, email hosting, WordPress staging, built-in cache system, that help you build parts of your blog quickly and reduce the need for technical knowledge. The more tools your blog hosting provide, the less you have to do, leaving you more time to focus on content and monetization. |
How Much Does It Cost to Operate a Self-Hosted Blog?
The minimal annual cost for running a basic self-hosted blog can start from around $100 (for very basic, low-traffic blogs using shared hosting and free themes/plugins) and can go up to several thousand dollars for high-traffic blogs requiring custom design, development, and premium hosting services. It’s important to carefully plan and budget for both initial and ongoing expenses to ensure the sustainability of your blog.
Here’s a breakdown of potential costs associated with a self-hosted blog:
Domain Name
Typically ranges from $10 to $20 per year for standard domain extensions like .com, .net, or .org. Premium domains can cost significantly more.
Web Hosting
- Shared Hosting: $3 to $10 per month for basic shared hosting plans, ideal for new bloggers with a tight budget. It’s affordable but shares resources with other websites on the same server. Recommended shared blog hosting – Hostinger and TMD Hosting.
- Managed WordPress Hosting: $25 to $100+ per month for managed services specifically optimized for WordPress, offering enhanced performance and security. Recommended Managed WP hosting – Kinsta.
- Cloud Hosting: $20 to $100 per month for more power and control, allowing you to adjust resources based on traffic demands. Recommended cloud blog hosting – Cloudways.
Content Management System (CMS)
Popular blog CMS like WordPress.org is free to download and use. However, there may be costs associated with premium themes or plugins.
- Themes: Free to $100+ (one-time fee) for premium themes.
- Plugins: Free to $200+ (annual or one-time fee) for premium plugins that add functionality.
Blogging CMS to Try Out
Although WordPress holds the lion’s share of the blogging market there are many other options available for bloggers. Some blogging software can be setup in just a few clicks using an auto-installer. Some blogging platforms include read-to-use solutions where you can simply sign up for an account and start writing. Top options include;
- Typepad – This subscription-based blogging platform offers bloggers a quick and easy way to get started. Just sign up for an account, customize your site and you’re ready to go.
- Medium – More than your average blogging platform, Medium is an entire ecosystem where subscribers not only share content but also help drive readership to one another.
- Blogger.com – Having been around for 20 years now, Blogger.com is one of the oldest ready-to-run blog platforms around. Basic accounts here are free.
- Ghost – Whether you want to use a ready-made blog platform or install one on your own blog host, Ghost can do either. It’s open source but isn’t exactly the cheapest option around.
- Serendipity – Serendipity is a PHP-powered weblog engine which gives the user an easy way to create and maintain a blog.
Design and Development
Cost for blog design and development varies widely. DIY using themes and plugins can be low cost or even free, but custom design and development can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.
Security and Utilities
- SSL Certificate: Free with Let’s Encrypt or up to $200+ per year for premium certificates.
- Backups: Free to $100 per year for premium backup solutions.
- Security Plugins: Free to $200+ per year for advanced features.
- Email Hosting: Free to $6 per month per user for professional email addresses that match your domain name (email@yourblogname.com), depending on the hosting provider. Commonly, a simple email hosting is included in shared hosting plan.
Marketing and SEO Tools
Costs vary based on the tools for SEO, social media management, email marketing, etc. It can be totally free, and monthly subscription fees can go up to $100/mo easily.
Content Creation
Blog content creation costs vary significantly based on whether you opt for DIY methods or professional outsourcing. For bloggers who choose to create content themselves, expenses are relatively low, primarily involving time and potentially modest costs for tools like grammar checkers, graphic design software, and video editing programs. These tools range from free to subscription-based services, allowing for a broad spectrum of quality and complexity in content production.
On the other hand, hiring professionals for writing, graphic design, or video production can elevate content quality but also significantly increases costs. Freelance rates vary widely, from cents per word for writing to hundreds or even thousands of dollars for custom graphic design and video production projects.
Furthermore, the use of stock photos and videos can serve as a middle ground, offering cost-effective yet quality content options, with prices fluctuating based on licensing and subscription models.
This balance between cost and content quality is crucial; initially, a blog may thrive on DIY content creation supplemented by strategic investments in tools or services. However, as it grows, allocating budget towards professional content creation and SEO optimization can significantly impact the blog’s success, enhancing both its appeal and its position in search engine rankings.
Free Blogging Tools We Recommend
- Grammarly: A writing assistant that helps you correct grammar errors and improve your writing style.
- Canva: An intuitive graphic design tool with templates for creating blog graphics, social media posts, and more.
- Hemingway Editor: Helps simplify and strengthen your writing by highlighting complex sentences and suggesting improvements.
- ChatGPT: A powerful AI-driven tool that can assist in generating article ideas, drafting content, and providing suggestions for improving readability and engagement.
- Ubersuggest: Offers keyword suggestions, SEO insights, and content ideas to help you plan your blogging strategy.
- Google Search Console: Helps monitor your site’s presence in Google search results and identifies issues affecting your visibility.
- Buffer: Allows you to schedule posts, analyze performance, and manage all your social media accounts from one dashboard.
- Hootsuite: Another powerful tool for scheduling social media posts across different platforms, tracking mentions, and engaging with your audience.
- Unsplash: Offers high-quality, royalty-free images that you can use on your blog and social media.
- Trello: A versatile project management tool that helps you organize your blogging tasks, editorial calendar, and collaborations.
- Google Docs: A cloud-based document editor that allows for real-time collaboration and easy sharing of drafts and final posts.
Frequent Asked Questions
What blogging platform should I use?
Your choice of blogging platform should be based on ease of use, customization needs, and budget. WordPress is highly popular due to its flexibility and extensive plugin ecosystem. Other platforms like Blogger or Squarespace also offer user-friendly interfaces for beginners.
Is there free web hosting suitable for bloggers?
Yes, there are free web hosting services suitable for new bloggers, such as WordPress.com, which offers a free basic hosting plan, and Blogger by Google, providing a straightforward platform for blogging with Google’s reliable hosting. However, free hosting typically comes with limitations on customization, domain name, and bandwidth, which might affect the scalability and professionalism of your blog.
How do I choose the right hosting service for my blog?
Choosing the right hosting service involves considering factors such as reliability (look for 99.9% uptime), scalability (options to upgrade as your blog grows), customer support (24/7 access via multiple channels), and ease of use (user-friendly control panels). Additionally, consider whether the hosting service is optimized for your chosen content management system, like WordPress, and check for any additional features such as SSL certificates, backups, and security measures that are included in the plan.
How often should I post new content on my blog?
The frequency of posting depends on your capacity to produce quality content and your audience’s expectations. Consistency is key. Whether it’s once a week or twice a month, a regular schedule helps build audience anticipation and improves SEO.
How can I drive traffic to my blog?
Drive traffic by optimizing your content for search engines (SEO), sharing posts on social media, engaging with your community through comments and forums, and guest posting on other blogs. Utilizing email marketing to notify subscribers about new posts can also increase traffic.
How do I make money from my blog?
Monetize your blog through various channels such as affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, selling digital products or services, and display advertising. Diversifying your income streams can help increase your earnings potential.
