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1
InMotionHosting.com

InMotion review

Monthly Starting Price $4.99

  • FREE domain and transfer, with WordPress pre-installed
  • Host unlimited WordPress sites on a single account
  • Unlimited bandwidth, plus FREE data backups and SSL
  • User-friendly, 3-step Wizard for Google apps integration
  • SPAM Safe™ email with IMAP support
  • Get started with InMotion now.

BLOG
RATING

★★★★★
4.9

InMotion: Our Expert's Review

Setup time: 7 minutes
PJ Fancher (HostingAdvice.com): What could be a more perfect fit for blog hosting than a host that offers pre-installed WordPress? InMotion allows users to host unlimited WordPress sites on a single account, along with unlimited storage, transfers, and bandwidth…Go to full review »
Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Blog Hosting Plans
90 days Unlimited FREE (1 year) www.inmotionhosting.com/blog

2
A2Hosting.com

A2 Hosting review

Monthly Starting Price $3.92

  • Easy setup for WordPress, Ghost, and other blog tools
  • Turbo Servers make your blog posts load up to 20x faster
  • A2-optimized WP plugins for performance and security
  • FREE SSL certificates included
  • Expert assistance available 24/7
  • Get started on A2 Hosting now.

BLOG
RATING

4.9
★★★★★

A2 Hosting: Our Expert's Review

Setup time: 4 minutes
Alexandra Leslie (HostingAdvice.com): If shared web hosting is what you need, A2 Hosting is the perfect host to help launch your site with your choice of CMS, including WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, and others. As part of A2's promise to emphasize performance, they've concocted several A2-optimized... Go to full review »
Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Blog Hosting Plans
Anytime Unlimited RAID-10 $14.99 www.a2hosting.com/blog

3
SiteGround.com

SiteGround review

Monthly Starting Price $3.95

  • Quickly set up your blog with 1-click WordPress installs
  • Officially endorsed by WordPress.org as a top host for WP
  • 3 caching levels, SSDs, and FREE CDN for performance
  • FREE WordPress setup wizard and staging area
  • 99.9% uptime, 24/7 support, and custom chat system
  • Get started on SiteGround now.

BLOG
RATING

4.8
★★★★★

SiteGround: Our Expert's Review

Setup time: 6 minutes
Alexandra Leslie (HostingAdvice.com): Since SiteGround is endorsed by WordPres.org, the host is an ideal fit for your blog hosting needs. Their services begin with a simple domain transfer and single-click WordPress installations, and you’re supported by reliable experts every step of the... Go to full review »
Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Blog Hosting Plans
30 days 10 GB - 30 GB New or Transfer www.siteground.com/blog

4
HostPapa.com

HostPapa review

Monthly Starting Price $3.95

  • Blog hosting with WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal
  • Worry-free WordPress site transfer service
  • Host unlimited WordPress sites on a single account
  • Friendly support staff available 24/7
  • 99.9% uptime guarantee for your site or blog
  • Get started on HostPapa now.

BLOG
RATING

4.8
★★★★★

HostPapa: Our Expert's Review

Setup time: 4 minutes
Laura Bernheim (HostingAdvice.com): Nearly all hosts these days include easy installations and support for WordPress, the world's leading content management system. While HostPapa is no different, we discovered their ultra-attentive support team can help new users navigate the sometimes... Go to full review »
Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Blog Hosting Plans
30 days 100 GB - Unlimited FREE for life! www.hostpapa.com/blog

5
iPage.com

iPage review

Monthly Starting Price $3.75

  • FREE domain, plus unlimited storage and email accounts
  • Unlimited domains and MySQL databases
  • FREE WordPress themes and W3 Total Cache
  • $200-worth of complimentary advertising credits
  • Online store, PayPal, and shopping carts available
  • Get started on iPage now.

BLOG
RATING

4.8
★★★★★

iPage: Our Expert's Review

Setup time: 7 minutes
PJ Fancher (HostingAdvice.com): For affordable blog hosting with WordPress in mind, iPage is an excellent host to consider. They offer free themes and plugins for WordPress, including W3 Total Cache plugin pre-installed. Get started with a free domain and $200 in advertising…Go to full review »
Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Blog Hosting Plans
Anytime Unlimited FREE (1 year) www.ipage.com/blog

6
GreenGeeks.com

GreenGeeks review

Monthly Starting Price $3.95

  • WordPress-optimized servers ideal for blogging
  • All-inclusive, ultra-reliable managed WordPress hosting
  • 1-click installation for the popular blogging software
  • FREE SSD storage for exceptional performance
  • 99.9% uptime ensures your blog remains online
  • Get started on GreenGeeks now.

BLOG
RATING

4.8
★★★★★

GreenGeeks: Our Expert's Review

Setup time: 4 minutes
Laura Bernheim (HostingAdvice.com): The GreenGeeks comprehensive suite of added features resonates particularly well with the company's managed WordPress hosting plan. Modeled after the GreenGeeks shared hosting package, the managed WordPress services will resonate with a wide cross section of... Go to full review »
Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Blog Hosting Plans
30 days Unlimited SSD FREE (1 year) www.greengeeks.com/blog

7
WPEngine.com

WP Engine review

Monthly Starting Price $19.33

  • Exclusively WordPress hosting
  • Unlimited data transfer, plus daily backups available
  • Advanced caching and staging features built in
  • Accommodates 25K-5M+ monthly visits
  • 24/7 ticket support
  • Get started on WP Engine now.

BLOG
RATING

4.8
★★★★★

WP Engine: Our Expert's Review

Setup time: 6 minutes
Ryan Frankel (HostingAdvice.com): If a WordPress website is what you want, WP Engine is definitely a host to consider. The company’s WordPress-exclusive plans accommodate every hosting need — from personal blogs to professional, enterprise websites…Go to full review »
Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Blog Hosting Plans
60 days 10 GB - 30 GB New or Transfer www.wpengine.com/blog

8
LiquidWeb.com

Liquid Web review

Monthly Starting Price $34.50

  • Fully managed WordPress hosting
  • Their team handles updates to the core and plugins
  • Choice of cPanel/WHM or Plesk
  • Manage multiple WP sites with a single install
  • 100% uptime means your blog is virtually never offline
  • Get started on Liquid Web now.

BLOG
RATING

4.6
★★★★★

Liquid Web: Our Expert's Review

Setup time: 5 minutes
Alexandra Leslie (HostingAdvice.com): With WordPress powering 26% of websites, Liquid Web has packaged an awesome WordPress solution atop their VPS platform. Bloggers can easily manage all of their WP sites from a single installation, and the Liquid Web team will manage all updates to the WP Core... Go to full review »
Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Blog Hosting Plans
N/A 100 GB - 1.8 TB SSD New or Transfer www.liquidweb.com/blog

Review Breakdown: Blog Hosts

Ready to start blogging? The blog hosting sites we've reviewed have zeroed in on the features that matter to aspiring bloggers: a free domain where readers can find you, unlimited storage for your media and content, and popular blogging software that can be installed with a single mouse click. After all, the best web hosting for blogs lets you focus on your first post. After comparing the best blog hosting sites extensively, we put together the following summary table to help you make a decision. Happy blogging!

Here are the best blog hosting sites of 2018:

Best Web Hosting for Blogs
Rank Web Host Price Domain Expert Rating
1 InMotion $4.99 FREE (1 year) ★★★★★ 4.9
2 A2 Hosting $3.92 $14.99 ★★★★★ 4.9
3 SiteGround $3.95 New or Transfer ★★★★★ 4.8
4 HostPapa $3.95 FREE for life! ★★★★★ 4.8
5 iPage $3.75 FREE (1 year) ★★★★★ 4.8
6 GreenGeeks $3.95 FREE (1 year) ★★★★★ 4.8
7 WP Engine $19.33 New or Transfer ★★★★★ 4.8
8 Liquid Web $34.50 New or Transfer ★★★★★ 4.6

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Choosing the Best Web Hosting For Blogs: The Top Blogging Platforms & Hosts

Laura Bernheim

Before you begin writing, do some reading! Find #protips to choosing the best host for bloggers below.

By: Laura Bernheim, Contributing Tech Editor

People blog for countless reasons. For me, my blogs (I was never terribly good at keeping one going for the long haul) were an outlet to express myself. Writing has always been therapeutic for me, so blogs are an editor-free, no-deadline zone.

While some professionals and businesses blog to share knowledge, gain exposure, and build a network, many hobbyists just want to share their lives online in a format deeper than social media allows.

Because blogging is such an accessible way to get online, you can start a blog with very little tech experience. All you need is a domain, web hosting, and blogging software. Most hosts help you through the setup process, and we’ve collected a list of our favorites for specific services.

Features of the Top Blog Hosting Platforms

With such a massive market for beginner website owners and aspiring bloggers, hosting providers go to amazing lengths to make the path to a new website as foolproof as possible. You’d be hard-pressed to find a host who doesn’t have 1-click installations of the top blogging platforms — in fact, some even come with WordPress pre-installed.

  • 1-click installations for the top blogging software
  • Free domain for your new blog to park at
  • Unlimited storage for your content and media
  • Website builders with customizable site templates
  • Marketing tools to help get your blog noticed

I’ve always gone straight to WordPress for all my blogging needs, but the open-source platform certainly doesn’t have a monopoly on blogs. In addition to commonly included website builders, such as Weebly and Wix, many hosts have invested resources in crafting their own site builders and blogging tools.

Most Popular Blogging Platforms

Let’s be honest — WordPress reigns supreme when it comes to blogging. The highly customizable content management system powers 26% of the web, and 500 new WordPress sites are created each day.

However, that’s not to say that other options aren’t worth exploring. If you want to take the path less traveled, check out b2evolution or the blogging tools of site builders.

WordPress Blog Hosting

You can take two different routes to hosting WordPress. Signing up through WordPress.com will give you a free account and a very basic blog hosted at YourName.WordPress.com.

For those looking for more features or more ownership over their site and brand, you should go through WordPress.org — the open-source software requires a web hosting plan but unlocks a seemingly unlimited supply of themes, plugins, and website functionality.

You can install WordPress on literally any hosting plan. Some providers, however, do an exceptional job at optimizing their infrastructure and support specifically for WordPress. InMotion and WPEngine are well-known for their WordPress offerings. InMotion powers their infrastructure with ultra-fast SSDs, while WPEngine’s legendary software layer serves up caching, security monitoring, and a staging area.

b2evolution Blog Hosting

Developed from the same original project as WordPress, b2evolution is a comprehensive tool that includes features, such as anti-spam, analytics, digital marketing, and SEO tools, in the core code — no need to rely on third-party plugins or updates as you do with WordPress.

SiteGround optimizes blog hosting by offering a free domain name, transfer, email, and simple b2evolution installations through Softaculous. SSD storage and a free CDN, along with SiteGround’s customized server setup, mean you won’t leave someone on the edge of their seat with lagging page loads. The b2evolution platform is second only to WordPress in terms of the blogging software SiteGround runs most frequently.

Free Blog Hosting Sites

We get it — why pay for something when you can find it for free? Yes, free web hosting sites exist. No, you don’t want to use them. For a minimal investment, you can have a faster, more reliable website from a reputable host whose team will be quick to answer your phone call or chat 24/7.

If you want to take web hosting and blogging tools for a spin before you spend any money, give Wix a try. The popular drag-and-drop site builder platform will give you a free Wix domain and 500MB of storage to get started, but it’s a pretty bare-bones environment. If you upgrade to a paid account, which range from $5 to $25 each month, you can use your own domain and receive more storage and unlimited bandwidth.

Best Blog Hosting Reviews Overall

The nuts and bolts behind most shared hosting plans are usually pretty similar: 1-click installations, advertising credits, and 24/7 support. Hosting providers can distinguish themselves based on ease-of-use, price, and marketing tools.

Easiest Blog Hosting: Wix

Always one of our top recommendations for first-time site owners, Wix offers low-barrier entry to blogging for a price that’s hard to beat. The website editor is easy to navigate, providing easy access to blogging tools and other apps you might want to integrate into your site.

Cheapest Blog Hosting: iPage

Sister companies with Bluehost and HostGator, iPage is another high-value provider with a surprising number of features for an eye-popping price. For less than $2 per month, iPage gives you three site builders and dozens of automatic installations. If you choose WordPress for your blog, the hosting provider will also give you several curated themes, as well as pre-installed caching and social media plugins.

Best Blog Platform for SEO: WPEngine

We adore WPEngine, but as you might notice from their name, you can only run WordPress. Specializing in one blogging platform, however, means few know how to optimize infrastructure and management tools better than WPEngine. Techy stuff aside, articles in their support center will help you drive traffic with SEO tips and above all, blazing fast speed.

Best Blogging Platforms For Professionals or Hobbyists

The beauty behind such an accessible format to share text, images, and videos is that blogging is effective for so many types of users. Businesses and professionals can grow their audience and authority on a given topic, while casual enthusiasts can share their passions and advocate for a particular topic — or just write about themselves.

For Writers: InMotion

Whether you’re a professional writer or harbor secret dreams of penning the next Great American Novel, you’ll want a steady platform that lets you get to work. InMotion is among our favorite WordPress hosts, and happens to be where I currently host my personal websites. You’ll pay a bit of a premium compared to other shared hosting plans, but you are rewarded with great support, powerful hardware, and ultimate reliability.

For Travelers: Wix

Known for their website builder, Wix is a popular service for sharing your adventures, and they boast more than 90 million users and around 45,000 new signups each day. Their blogging platform resonates with travelers thanks to hundreds of modern, impressive templates specifically geared to traveling and photography. A robust mobile app lets you manage your blog on the go from your phone or tablet — instantly upload photos and edit posts while on location.

For Entrepreneurs: SiteGround

A luxury host, SiteGround developers have crafted top-tier software solutions to optimize all levels of hosting packages. Their managed WordPress offering is engineered for speed, built for security, and molded to WordPress. Those trying to start a business or profit from blogging will appreciate that the GoGeek plan from SiteGround includes free PCI compliance and premium SSL certificates.

Found Your Blog Host? Create and Share Your First Post!

My casual blogging experiences let me share my life with friends and family who lived several states away, while the professional writer and designer in me was able to showcase my work and tap into new professional networks. No matter your goals or inspirations for blogging, I hope these hosting suggestions help you find the perfect solution.

Laura Bernheim