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WordPress, the wildly popular open-source software, now supports more than 74 million websites, and the most reputable hosting providers are answering the demand with plans tailored to its use. For some hosting shoppers, the abundance of plans is daunting, and the information is often clouded with marketing jargon. While many experts, including yours truly, have set out to review and rank the best WordPress hosting plans, it’s always wise to go straight to the source.
Who better to recommend a host for WordPress usage than the developers of the software itself? Several requirements and recommendations for hosting the software are posted on the official website — but only a select few companies have been deemed WordPress-approved. Here, we discuss the three web hosts that have been given the WordPress.org seal of approval and why.
1. Bluehost
Bluehost frequently tops the charts when it comes to WordPress-friendly hosting. The team prides itself on its WordPress services, and the company is widely known in the shared hosting space. Every account features one-click installations for the WordPress software, and the Bluehost team is made up of WordPress veterans who are ready, willing, and able to assist you every step of the way. Enjoy a complimentary domain name registration for the first year of service, and sign up with the confidence of an anytime money-back guarantee.
We frequently recommend Bluehost to first-time site owners, and you can check out our expert review below to determine whether this is the best WordPress host for you:
Bluehost.com
- Formally endorsed by WordPress
- VPS technology and included CDN
- ManageWP pre-installed
- Automated data backups
- 63% discount exclusively for HostingAdvice shoppers
- Get started on Bluehost now.
Bluehost: Our Expert's Review
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | WordPress Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | Unlimited | FREE (1 year) | www.bluehost.com/wordpress |
More on WordPress hosting from Bluehost »
2. SiteGround
Getting into the more geek-tastic features for WordPress, SiteGround has its bases covered. All plans include single-click installations, automatic updates to the WordPress Core, and command line management (WP-CLI), and the deal only gets sweeter. Enjoy three layers of caching for performance (SuperCacher), a website staging area, and preinstalled Git with premium plans.
Should you run into any trouble, I can personally vouch for the custom ticketing system and chat software. A fleet of WordPress gurus is on call at all times, ready to give you the tools to troubleshoot yourself or handle any issues for you. For more on this, I invite you to check out our comprehensive SiteGround review below:
SiteGround.com
- Officially endorsed by WordPress.org as a top host for WP
- FREE WordPress transfer or site setup with 1-click install
- Pre-installed Git, 3 caching levels, and FREE CDN
- FREE WordPress setup wizard, staging, and auto-updates
- 99.9% uptime, 24/7 support, and custom chat system
- Get started on SiteGround now.
SiteGround: Our Expert's Review
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | WordPress Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 10 GB - 30 GB | New or Transfer | www.siteground.com/wordpress |
More on WordPress hosting from SiteGround »
3. DreamHost
Last, but certainly not least, DreamHost boasts “supercharged” managed and unmanaged server plans for WordPress users. Standard WordPress shared hosting customers benefit from one-click software installations and automatic updates, and your domain is free for your first year with DreamHost. Many members of the DreamHost team have been actively contributing to the WordPress Core for 10-plus years. The company knows the platform inside and out, and the expertise shows up in the in-house solutions DreamHost continues to roll out to better serve the WordPress community.
For those looking for a little more oomph, we recommend looking into DreamPress: the fully managed, preconfigured, VPS-powered solution for WordPress. For a complete rundown of DreamHost services, check out our full review below:
DreamHost.com
- Preconfigured and fully managed option available with DreamPress
- Multiple caching layers with Varnish, Memcached, and OPcache
- 1-click install and automatic updates
- WP-specific firewall for security
- Pre-installed SSL/TLS certificate
- Get started on DreamHost now.
DreamHost: Our Expert's Review
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | WordPress Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 97 days | Unlimited | FREE (1 year) | www.dreamhost.com/wordpress |
More on WordPress hosting from DreamHost »
Seal Your Website’s Fate With a Host Bearing Our Seal of Approval
As WordPress continues to dominate the online world, we’ll continue to identify and discuss the tools and services that will help users like you succeed. As noted on the official WordPress site, the ideal WP hosting provider will support:
- PHP version 7.2 or later
- MySQL version 5.6 or later OR MariaDB version 10.0 or later
- HTTPS support
- NGINX or Apache webserver with mod_rewrite module
We recommend finding a host that anticipates your every need — from initial domain setup to performance optimization and marketing tools. The hosts that climb to the top of our recommendation list feature seamless WordPress setup, advanced caching features, SSDs and application-specific speed boosts, staging areas, and expert assistance with plugin maintenance and WordPress version updates. We have many favorites, but our experts’ top three choices for WordPress hosting are revealed below. Drumroll, please…
InMotionHosting.com
- WordPress pre-installed with NGINX server caching
- FREE SSL certificate and unlimited bandwidth
- Optional automatic plugin, theme, and core updates
- Host unlimited WordPress sites on one account
- Premium themes and plugin subscriptions
- Get started on InMotion now.
InMotion: Our Expert's Review
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | WordPress Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90 days | Unlimited | FREE (1 year) | www.inmotionhosting.com/wordpress |
Bluehost.com
- Formally endorsed by WordPress
- VPS technology and included CDN
- ManageWP pre-installed
- Automated data backups
- 63% discount exclusively for HostingAdvice shoppers
- Get started on Bluehost now.
Bluehost: Our Expert's Review
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | WordPress Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | Unlimited | FREE (1 year) | www.bluehost.com/wordpress |
A2Hosting.com
- FREE Cloudflare CDN and 1-click installs for WordPress
- Turbo Server, SSD speed boost, and A2-optimized caching
- A2-optimized WP plugins for performance and security
- SSL certificates, PayPal integration, and 24/7 support
- FREE HackScan and KernelCare
- Get started on A2 Hosting now.
A2 Hosting: Our Expert's Review
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | WordPress Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anytime | Unlimited RAID-10 | $14.99 | www.a2hosting.com/wordpress |
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