WordPress has undoubtedly become one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) in the world, with more than 455 million websites built on it. WordPress is widely used because it is user-friendly, customizable, and offers various plugins and themes that can be used to enhance its functionality. However, WordPress is not without its challenges, one of which is the selection of the best hosting platform.
To launch a WordPress website, you need reliable hosting that can ensure quick loading times, optimal performance, and 24/7 support. With the vast array of hosting options out there, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one. However, with the growth of cloud hosting, a solution has emerged that offers reliability, scalability, and affordability, making it the ideal solution for hosting your website. This article will delve into the basics of cloud hosting and provide you with the best cloud hosting options for WordPress.
What is Cloud Hosting?
Cloud hosting is a hosting solution that uses multiple servers to balance the load, ensuring high-performance and scalability. In conventional hosting, the website is hosted on one server only, which means that all resources (RAM, CPU, and storage) are limited, and a sudden spike in traffic can cause the website to crash. On the other hand, cloud hosting uses multiple servers, meaning that it can handle a large number of visitors with ease.
Furthermore, cloud hosting can detect any server failure instantly and seamlessly transfer traffic to a functioning server, ensuring the site stays up and running. Cloud hosting, therefore, offers high uptime, faster loading speeds, and the ability to scale your website quickly and efficiently.
Why Choose Cloud Hosting for WordPress?
WordPress websites have a dynamic nature, and businesses need to future-proof their online presence to stay ahead of the competition. Cloud hosting offers various benefits, making it a suitable hosting solution for WordPress websites. These benefits include:
- Scalability: Cloud hosting can scale resources like RAM, CPU, and storage space based on the website’s needs, meaning that it can handle sudden spikes in traffic without the website crashing.
- Reliability: Cloud hosting offers high uptime and excellent redundancy. Any server failure is detected instantly, and automated backups are made, ensuring that your website remains online and data is secure.
- Faster loading speeds: With faster loading speeds, your website can rank higher on search engines, improving your online visibility and attracting more visitors to your site.
- 24/7 Support: Cloud hosting providers offer 24/7 support, ensuring that you have access to assistance whenever you need it.
The Best Cloud Hosting for WordPress
1. SiteGround Cloud Hosting
SiteGround is a reliable and affordable option for cloud hosting for WordPress. It offers various features such as free SSL certificates, daily backups, and staging environments. SiteGround’s servers are optimized for WordPress, and it uses the latest technology such as PHP7, NGINX, and HTTP/2 to ensure fast loading speeds. SiteGround also provides 24/7 support via phone, chat, and email.
SiteGround’s pricing ranges from $80 – $240 per month, depending on the plan you choose. The entry-level plan, named Entry, offers 2 CPU cores, 4GB of memory, and 40GB of storage. On the other hand, the top-tier plan, called Super Power, provides 4 CPU cores, 10GB of memory, and 120GB of storage.
- Pros:
- Offer 24/7 support.
- Caters to WordPress websites.
- Use the latest technology to ensure fast loading speeds.
- Cons:
- The pricing can be high for smaller websites.
- Additional features increase pricing.
2. WP Engine’s Managed Cloud Hosting
WP Engine is a managed cloud hosting provider that specializes in hosting WordPress websites. WP Engine offers various features such as daily backups, free SSL certification, and malware scans. WP Engine’s servers are optimized for WordPress, and it uses technology such as EverCache and CDN to ensure fast loading speeds. If you need assistance, WP Engine offers support 24/7 via phone, chat, and email.
WP Engine’s pricing ranges from $25 – $395 per month, depending on the plan chosen. The entry-level plan, named Startup, offers 1 site, 25,000 visits per month, and 50GB of bandwidth. The top-tier plan, called Premium, offers up to 15 sites, 1 million visits per month, and 400GB of bandwidth.
- Pros:
- Expert support for WordPress.
- Offers various features such as daily backups and malware scans.
- Uses technology such as EverCache and CDN to ensure fast loading speeds.
- Cons:
- The pricing can be expensive.
- Additional fees for traffic overage.
3. DreamHost’s DreamCompute
DreamHost is a reliable cloud hosting provider that offers various features such as unlimited bandwidth, free SSL certificates, and daily backups. DreamHost’s servers are optimized for WordPress, and it uses technology such as SSD drives and Varnish caching to ensure fast loading speeds. DreamHost offers support 24/7 via chat, email, and phone.
DreamHost’s pricing for cloud hosting starts at $4.50 per month, with additional fees for storage and data transfer.
- Pros:
- Offers unlimited bandwidth and free SSL certificates.
- Uses technology such as SSD drives and Varnish caching to ensure fast loading speeds.
- Affordable pricing.
- Cons:
- Only email support for lower-tiered plans.
- Additional fees for storage and data transfer.
4. Google Cloud Platform
Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is a cloud hosting provider that offers various features such as customization, scalability, and reliability. GCP’s servers are optimized for WordPress, and it uses technology such as SSD drives and Google’s global network to ensure fast loading speeds. GCP offers support 24/7 via phone, chat, and email.
GCP’s pricing for cloud hosting varies based on usage, with a free trial available. GCP’s pricing model is unique, with users only paying for the resources used, allowing for scalability and affordability. The pricing is divided into three categories: compute, storage, and network egress.
- Pros:
- Caters to businesses of all sizes.
- Offers customization and scalability.
- Uses technology such as SSD drives and Google’s global network to ensure fast loading speeds.
- Cons:
- Can be complicated for beginners.
- The pricing structure can be difficult to understand for new users.
5. Liquid Web’s Managed Cloud Hosting
Liquid Web is a fully managed cloud hosting provider that offers various features such as free SSL certificates, automatic backups, and malware scans. Liquid Web’s servers are optimized for WordPress, and it uses technology such as PHP7 and OpCache to ensure fast loading speeds. Liquid Web offers support 24/7 via phone, chat, and email.
Liquid Web’s pricing for cloud hosting starts at $15 per month, with additional fees for storage and data transfer.
- Pros:
- Offers various features such as free SSL certificates and automatic backups.
- Uses technology such as PHP7 and OpCache to ensure fast loading speeds.
- Expert 24/7 support via phone, chat, and email.
- Cons:
- The pricing can be expensive for small websites.
- Additional fees for storage and data transfer.
Conclusion
Cloud hosting offers various benefits such as scalability, reliability, faster loading speeds, and 24/7 support, making it the perfect hosting solution for WordPress websites. However, with various cloud hosting providers available, choosing the perfect one can be overwhelming. The five providers listed above are some of the best cloud hosting solutions for WordPress. Depending on your needs, you can choose the most suitable one for you. Remember to first understand your needs, scalability needs, and budget before selecting a hosting provider.