If you are trying to pick out a web host for your WordPress blog, you are going to find yourself with countless options. The very first thing you will need to figure out is what type of hosting plan you need. Hosting options range from simple and cost-effective with no bells and whistles to complex, expensive, and feature-rich (and expensive). Let’s talk about the most common options you have and which users they are best for.
- Shared hosting. This type of hosting is the cheapest. You may even find options that cost less than $2 a month to start out with (hosting costs always go up after an initial discount period). Just as you would guess, you are sharing server space with other sites. This means that you will usually have bandwidth limitations and may deal with slow speeds and a lack of flexibility. You will save money, though, so this may be the best choice for a hobby blog or for anyone who is on a budget. Just remember that this solution may not be as scalable or flexible as others.
- Virtual Private Server (VPS). This type of hosting operates in a Linux environment, and is highly customizable since it runs through a virtual machine. This is a form of shared hosting, which may be a drawback since other users may be resource hogs. You will however find some very low costs if you are willing to manage your hosting yourself (best for technically savvy users). If you are able to pay more, you can enjoy managed VPS hosting.
- Dedicated server. This is an option for a very serious blogger who has plenty to spend on hosting. Plans usually start out at around $100 a month. You are not sharing your hosting; you are essentially renting the hardware. This may be a smart choice if you are running your blog as a business. Most users do not need dedicating hosting, though.
- Managed WordPress host. This may take the form of a dedicated or shared host. You will obviously be paying a premium for the service no matter what, but some plans are quite affordable (read an InMotion Hosting review to find out about one of the top recommended hosts). Basically, managed hosting is what you want to get if you are uninterested in dealing with all the back-end tasks and hassles associated with running your blog. The host takes care of all of those tasks for you so that you can concentrate on actually blogging. You get to enjoy advanced customization and numerous features to speed up your blog and improve its security.
