By now you probably know that WordPress is the best free blogging / CMS platform in the world, and that any smart marketer will self-host their WordPress blog instead of going with the free WordPress-hosted version. But you may not know the best place to host your WordPress site. We’ve always used Dreamhost and have been pretty happy, but to give you some options we’ve compiled a list of WordPress hosting companies that offer easy 1-click installs below.
WordPress is fairly easy to install on any server that supports PHP 4.3 or higher and MySQL 4.0 or higher. However, having a 1-click interface will make it dead simple. This way just about anyone can be up and running in just a few minutes. Also, since WordPress gets security and feature upgrades on a regular basis, it’s important to have a 1-click upgrade feature as well to save you a lot of time and hassle.
So without further adieu, here are the top WordPress hosts which offer 1 click installation:
# 1. Dreamhost - As a matter of fact this very site is hosted on Dreamhost. We’ve hosted dozens of sites on a single shared Dreamhost account over the last few years and have been very satisfied. The admin interface is easy to use and most importantly – it’s easy to install and update WordPress. Here’s a tip, though: When installing, go with the “Advanced” option so you have the most flexibility in the future. You won’t get 100% uptime (no shared hosting account ever will) but its definitely manageable. Note: Get $20 off if you sign up for a yearly plan right now by clicking this link.
The rest of these I haven’t had personal experience with, but I’m including here because I know they have a pretty good reputation overall (compared to most shared hosting out there).
# 2. Bluehost – Bluehost offers great performance for a shared web host, at prices so low that making a profit is almost a given for any blogger.
# 3. HostGator – HostGator is one of the best hosts around, and has stellar service to boot. It is difficult to go wrong with HostGator.
# 4. AN Host – Bargain prices and great service make AN Host a good choice for first-time bloggers or those who are looking to build their site on a budget.
# 5. Host Monster – Host Monster is another stellar host offering unlimited storage and bandwidth for prices that are almost so low that that are criminal.
We always like hearing feedback from our community. If you have some other hosts that you have had great experience with, please feel free to tell us. If you found these services useful, then let us know!
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Nick Reese is a full time internet marketer living in Austin Texas. When Nick isn't managing web properties he enjoys biking, shooting video, and drinking tea. You should follow Nick on twitter here and check out his side project Becoming Bold.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I used Dreamhost , Low price & Perfect host!
I used Hostmonster for Wordpress hosting. They provide Wordpress friendly servers at a reasonable price and I’ve had prompt, professional response whenever I’ve had a support issue or question.
Unless you want to tread VERY lightly into blogging (ie. writing only 2 or 3 posts per year) we do not suggest Wordpress.com, even for beginners. Going through wordpress.com you don’t truly own your site (WP does). You’ll also be limited in terms of themes and plugins you can use. You’ll be forced to update to the latest version of WP, which isn’t necessarily a good thing if you are accustom to one version and rely on plugins that may not work with a newer version. You can’t choose your own domain name. And it will be time consuming (though certainly not impossible) to move off of wp.com were you to choose to do that later.
Being a developer and hosting for clients has made me pretty particular where I serve my sites from. I tried blue host and some wordpress only hosts, but even those were lacking. I’ll have to try one these listed. Thanks!
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