So who wins the battle to become the best WordPress hosting overall?
Okay, I know that everyone’s hosting needs are different, so instead of pointing to one “best” solution, I’ve opted to highlight the top hosts based on what they’re likely best suited for.
Here’s how they stand out according to the research presented about and our long-term methodology toward evaluating hosting:
SiteGround – best overall 🏆
If you’re looking for a well-rounded hosting option that combines strong performance, reliable uptime, excellent customer support, and ease of use, SiteGround is our top recommendation. It’s a great choice for all types of WordPress users, from small personal sites to larger businesses.
Hostinger – best popular host 🔥
Hostinger delivers incredible value with its low pricing and feature-rich plans. It’s highly popular among WordPress users (most popular host in our surveys) thanks to its affordability without sacrificing key features or performance. If you want reliable hosting that’s easy on your budget and trusted by many, Hostinger is an excellent pick.
Bluehost – easiest to use for beginners 🚀
Bluehost is my top choice for beginners who are new to WordPress. Its user-friendly interface, straightforward setup process, and affordable pricing make it ideal if you’re just starting out. Plus, it offers solid performance and support to get your site up and running with minimal hassle.
Rocket – best for power users 💪
For advanced users who need more control and superior performance, Rocket is the way to go. With features like edge content delivery, high traffic capacity, and excellent security, Rocket is perfect for WordPress power users who want a host that can handle more complex setups and larger websites. This is basically all the reasons we chose it to host WPShout.
I’d like to stress that none of the WordPress hosting providers here failed any test. The overall standard was refreshingly high. Furthermore, all providers also offer a full range of more advanced hosting options if you start to outgrow the entry-level packages.
My hope is that the information above will help you do two things: (1) provide a framework to distinguish between high-profile providers, and (2) use their overall offerings as a sensible reference point if you are comparing with other hosting services in the market.
Let’s zoom back out 🔭
Our methodology
Choosing the right hosting provider can be challenging, so we’ve developed a thorough methodology to test and review web hosting companies. Since 2009, we’ve reviewed over 50 providers using a combination of expert analysis, real user feedback, and performance monitoring. Our team of experienced reviewers offers honest opinions, while our annual hosting survey provides additional insights from real users. We continuously update our reviews to ensure they reflect the latest information.
Our review process starts by signing up for hosting plans and setting up test websites with demo data. We then conduct performance tests, measuring load times from various global locations and tracking uptime over time. Each host is rated based on pricing, performance, features, and user reviews. Pricing is carefully reviewed, accounting for hidden fees and discounts, while performance is evaluated based on real-time testing of uptime and load times. We also assess features like storage, bandwidth, and tools available for building or managing websites.
WPShout’s annual WordPress hosting surveys
Our WordPress hosting surveys started as a way to gather real-world feedback from users about their hosting experiences. While many publications review hosting services, we wanted to go beyond our own testing and tap into the collective opinions of our readers. By doing so, we could get a broader perspective on what hosting providers truly perform well in different scenarios.
Initially, our surveys focused on experienced WordPress users, but the sample size was too small to draw solid conclusions. To improve the quality of the data, we now open the surveys to a wider audience, including beginners. These surveys run discreetly as a pop-up on our site, with no active promotion, allowing us to gather honest, unfiltered feedback without spammy interference. We’ve been doing them since 2016.
The surveys ask key questions like which host users rely on, their satisfaction levels, and plans to switch providers. Depending on the responses, users are guided to relevant follow-up questions, helping us get detailed insights into both positive and negative experiences with various WordPress hosts.
👉 To learn more about the surveys, go here.
Month-to-month load time and uptime tracking
We began our hosting performance tests around 2019, initially just comparing Bluehost and SiteGround. Over time, our testing expanded to 16 different hosting accounts, which we maintain solely to measure and compare performance. Each host is independently purchased, and we never inform the companies of our testing. We set up WordPress on all test sites with the same theme, content, and plugins to mimic real-world conditions as much as possible. This helps us evaluate the true performance of each host in a more authentic scenario.
For load time measurements, we focus on the total time it takes for a page to fully load, rather than just initial response times. We use WebPageTest to conduct tests from six global locations and perform multiple runs to average out the results. This method allows us to simulate a real user’s experience across different locations and connection types and handle over 480 monthly tests.
For uptime tracking, we use UptimeRobot, which monitors each site 24/7 and logs any downtime. While uptime isn’t directly related to site speed, it’s another critical factor in a host’s reliability.
👉 To learn more about how we track host performance, read this.
I hope this guide has been helpful and that it’ll assist you in picking a host that matches your needs exactly. I’d love to hear more about your experience in the comments below. Get in touch!
