The best WordPress hosting services of 2025: Expert tested

Many websites now use a content management system (CMS) for backend management. You don’t need to know any coding — such as HTML or CSS — to build or operate a website these days. WordPress is one of the most popular options around, according to W3Techs, around 61% of all websites with a known CMS using the service. The CMS is free and popular due to its ease of use, allowing for quick launch without requiring any technical knowledge. 

WordPress is also often offered as a one-click installation by the majority of hosting providers, although this service may be available only on dedicated plans. That said, just because so many hosting providers offer WordPress support doesn’t mean that every service is good value for money, reliable, or trustworthy.

Also: Best free web hosting service 2025

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What is the best WordPress hosting provider right now?

Our pick for the best WordPress hosting service overall is Hostinger. It’s an excellent WordPress website hosting solution that combines affordability, support, and scalability, and is suitable for the majority of use cases. Plans begin at $3 per month. 

ZDNET has extensively tested and reviewed many WordPress hosting providers over the years, often designing our own websites using these services. Read on for the rest of our top picks for the best WordPress hosting providers that provide security, support, and features suitable for various needs and budgets.


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Best WordPress hosting providers of 2025

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Hostinger, one of our top picks for web hosting and email hosting, is also our favorite option for your new WordPress installation.

Why we like it: We consider Hostinger a great all-rounder, as it offers affordable pricing tiers depending on your needs. Whether you want a bare-bones package for one website or need support for hundreds of WordPress installations, this could be your best provider.

Review: Hostinger

Hostinger’s features include e-commerce support, one-click WordPress installation, automatic updates, management tools, a vulnerability scanner, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) protection, and 24/7 support. As a bonus, AI tools and prebuilt website templates are available so you can get online faster. For the majority of customers, this is all you need.

Who it’s for: Anyone who wants quick and easy web hosting that is consistently affordable.

The basic hosting plan will cost you $3 per month, with three months of service thrown in for free. This deal includes a free domain for one year and free website migration.

Customers applaud the customer support team, but some said they would like more flexibility in the services provided.

Who should look elsewhere: Hostinger might not be the right choice for businesses hoping to scale up their online operations quickly. I use this service for a side project myself, and while its perfect for that level, I don’t see it working well for larger business enterprises.

Hostinger features: Multi-tier plans | Support for up to 300 websites | Weekly or daily backups | E-commerce | Free domain and email | AI tools | Website migration | 30-day money-back guarantee | 24/7 support


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WP Engine is key among WordPress hosting providers for small and medium-sized businesses.

Why we like it: WP Engine offers two features that stand out to make it our favorite recommendation for these use cases. The first is scalability. You can start with a relatively inexpensive plan and upgrade. WP Engine will not top out if you need a high-performance enterprise-grade plan after a major growth spurt.

Review: WP Engine

The second feature is what the company calls “transferable installs.” While moving a WordPress installation from one hosting provider to another is possible, it can be a time-consuming process fraught with potential errors. There are  and plugins to make the process more reliable. You can also simply push/pull databases, plugins, and website content. 

The company also recently ISO 27001:2022 certification.

Who it’s for: In addition to these great features for small and large businesses alike, WP Engine is suitable for clients who want to prioritize speed and security. Customers say the live chat support and WordPress assistance are top-notch. Plans begin at $25 per month.

Who should look elsewhere: WP Engine is a top pick for businesses, but this will likely be over what the average webmaster needs. 

WP Engine features: Design and build tools | 1-click staging and migration | Transition plugins | Rollback functions | Strong security and automatic updates | Headless WordPress | 24/7 support


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ScalaHosting is one of our top choices for short-term affordability and generous storage when it comes to WordPress hosting. 

Why we like it: You can spend as little as a few bucks for its entry plan which is currently available for $3 per month. Top-tier subscriptions start around $10 per month.

ScalaHosting also offers shared and dedicated WordPress hosting, unlimited website support, free secure sockets layer (SSL) certificates, daily backups, staging features, anti-malware tools, free migration, and a one-click WordPress installer. 

Storage options are generous, ranging from 10GB to 50GB on standard plans. You can also select your preferred size if you opt for a custom build. A free domain is included in premium plans.

Also: Best VPS hosting service 2025

Who it’s for: Customer feedback indicates that the helpdesk team is professional and dedicated, with excellent customer support and pricing. I’d recommend this service if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option for up to two years or you want to pick your storage size.

Who should look elsewhere: If you need to run more than one WordPress site, you’ll need to sign up for the $6 per month plan, which then jumps to $13 per month after its introductory price ends. There are cheaper options around. 

ScalaHosting features: Multi-tier plans | One-click installation | Staging | Migration tools | Daily backups | One or unlimited websites | Free SSL certificates | 24/7 support | Generous money-back guarantee


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Pagely, a GoDaddy brand, is one of the best WordPress hosting providers for mission-critical websites that require solid uptime. 

Why we like it: While it can be expensive, Pagely provides top-tier hosting and supports blue-chip customers such as Disney, VMware, and Cisco through its flexible tech stack. 

Plans allow multiple WordPress websites and come with features like dedicated and custom CPU resources, at least 4GB of RAM, 50GB of storage, and managed DevOps.

ZDNET author and tech expert David Gewirtz has used Pagely for years. Every time he’s had a support issue, the service has jumped in and gone above and beyond. 

“I also like that Pagely hosts on top of the AWS infrastructure, so I never worry about maintenance and server reliability issues,” Gewirtz says. “To be blunt: If I had one hosting provider to recommend, and if you can handle their pricing, I’d unreservedly recommend Pagely. And no, it’s not paying me to say that. I pay them every month.”

Who it’s for: Customers applaud Pagely as a solid platform with great support. Plans begin at $375 per month, so this price point is best suited for enterprise-grade projects.

Who should look elsewhere: Small businesses and individuals who want to launch new, entry projects won’t need this sort of power or infrastructure, but there’s always the option to migrate in the future. 

Pagely features: Enterprise-grade hosting | E-commerce support | Staging | Dedicated or decoupled databases | Flexible configurations | Managed DevOps | High storage levels | 24/7 support 


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Automattic, which operates WordPress.com, also offers a top-tier solution for enterprise customers: WordPress VIP.

Why we like it: WordPress VIP provides infrastructure, operations, and security at scale, freeing content producers to focus on creating content. Think of it as a concierge service with a ton of horsepower. 

WordPress VIP provides hosting services for a swathe of household names and should be considered if you need a streamlined, flexible content management service with support from an expert team. 

Products include content analytics by Parse.ly, API orchestration, developer workflow tools, and enterprise-grade security.

Who it’s for: Businesses or individuals looking for enterprise-grade, managed WordPress hosting. 

Pricing is available upon request, and demos are available.

Who should look elsewhere: As a top-tier, custom service, this hosting provider is best suited for individual, high-profile projects.

Alternatively, you can visit WordPress.com to take advantage of a range of plans suitable for personal use or entry-level businesses. Subscriptions start from $4 per month.

WordPress VIP features: Expert support and management | Scalable | API Mesh | Content and developer tools | Analytics | Security focus | SEO assistance | Professional support


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WordPress hosting service

Starting Price

Multi-domain?

Installation support?

Entry-level plans?

Hostinger

$3 per month

WP Engine

$25 per month

ScalaHosting

$3 per month

Pagely

$375 per month

x

WordPress VIP

On request

x

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To help you make a decision, we’ve highlighted each WordPress hosting provider’s noteworthy features below.

There are many WordPress hosting providers out there, and we’ve done our best to highlight the top picks in the market. The best WordPress hosting providers are listed below, depending on your needs and particular use case.

Choose this WordPress hosting service…

If you want…

Hostinger

An all-rounder, affordable WordPress hosting service. Hostinger provides everything from multi-domain support to AI tools, making it our top choice.

WP Engine

A comprehensive WordPress hosting solution that combines speed, security, and scalability. This is our top pick as a scalable hosting solution for businesses.

ScalaHosting

A solid WordPress hosting provider with flexible storage options. ScalaHosting has consistently earned positive customer reviews and provides a range of advanced features on premium plans. 

Pagely

A WordPress hosting provider for mission-critical websites and services. While expensive, this is the best option for enterprises.

WordPress VIP

A dedicated WordPress hosting service that goes above and beyond. This service is best for ongoing support, content creation, and time-sensitive campaigns.

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If you’re looking at the hosting providers included in this guide, you’ve already made one decision: To pick a provider experienced in hosting WordPress. Next, you should consider the following factors:

  • Size and scalability: Depending on how many sites you want to operate and what kind of traffic you expect to have, consider providers that offer hosting capable of adapting and scaling up to your needs.
  • Budget: You should consider your budget and how much you would be happy to spend on your project or business. Keep in mind that hosting multiple websites beyond introductory periods may result in price increases.
  • Customization: Consider whether you need a “one size fits all” WordPress host or one that allows you to perform deep customization.
  • Media: If you intend to showcase bandwidth-heavy media on your website, including 4K videos, you may need to check how much storage and traffic support is on offer.
  • Support and services: The more complex your site, the more you might want WordPress hosting with stronger support and administrative functions. At the very least, you will want to choose a provider that has a variety of customer support channels in case you need technical support or help with migrating your website.
  • Security: DDoS and similar attacks are no joke. They can hamper access to your website and frustrate visitors. Ensure you pick a hosting provider dedicated to security. 
  • Free trials: If a service offers a free trial period, test out porting your site, getting support, the dashboard interface, and overall performance before agreeing to a long-term contract. 

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At ZDNET, when we considered the best WordPress hosting providers of 2024, we took into account a number of factors:

  • Experience: Many ZDNET authors have personal, long-term experience with the vendors on this list, with everything from budget-conscious WordPress hosting services to enterprise-level support. We also consulted with experts for their recommendations.
  • Customer reviews: We took customer feedback and reviews into account and shied away from vendors with poor track records. We keep an eye on customer reports to monitor for any drastic changes in service. 
  • Use cases: We included a range of WordPress hosts suitable for different users and purposes, including vendors offering scalable solutions, products suitable for small businesses and projects, and enterprise-ready WordPress hosting options.
  • Migration, one-click installs: These are two features we like WordPress hosting providers to offer. Setting up a new WordPress backend or moving a website can be time-consuming, and so we appreciate it when vendors provide a way for customers to quickly manage these tasks. 
  • Advanced features: We wanted to see optional advanced features for customers who need more than standard hosting. These include SEO assistance, AI-based technologies, e-commerce, security functions, and tailored support.
  • Pricing: The prices set by WordPress hosting providers vary widely, so we have endeavored to include a range of options suitable for most budgets.

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Latest news

  • A WordFence advisory concerning older versions of the Ocean Extra plugin reveals that it could expose websites to cross-site scripting attacks. 
  • WPEngine, a company that builds tools for WordPress-based websites, achieved a partial win against a motion to dismiss its complaint in a licensing and trademark dispute. 
  • GoDaddy partnered with Norton to offer small businesses cybersecurity solutions through its web hosting platform.

There’s WordPress, and then there’s WordPress. Here’s a quick breakdown:

  • WordPress (software) is an open-source content management system written mainly in PHP. You can install WordPress on your own server or contract with a hosting provider to run it for you.
  • WordPress Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that protects the GPL licensing of WordPress, the WordPress trademark, and provides educational resources for the WordPress open-source community.
  • WordPress.org is the central repository of WordPress information, where you can download the WordPress open-source software, and an online distribution source for the thousands of themes and plugins that work with WordPress.
  • AutomatticThis is the commercial company founded by one of WordPress’ original developers, Matt Mullenweg. Automattic also owns the popular blogging platform Tumblr.
  • WordPress.com is owned by Automattic and is one of the largest hosting providers for WordPress websites. It offers free, somewhat limited WordPress hosting as well as more advanced plans.
  • WordPress VIP is the top-tier enterprise-level hosting service provided by Automattic for large organizations.

When discussing WordPress, it’s generally possible to infer which one by the context of the conversation. If you’re unsure, however, ask the vendor.

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Absolutely. Download the WordPress package and install it yourself. This isn’t a particularly difficult or long process. Some web hosts will also give you one-click WordPress installation options.

Also: Best website builders of 2025

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One of WordPress’ key strengths as a content management system is its ease of use. Indeed, so many website owners opt for WordPress in part because of the thriving community of developers that provides templates, add-ons, e-commerce suites, and functions that can be quickly integrated with little technical knowledge.

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Web hosting is required to display a website and store content. WordPress hosting can be considered a subclass of web hosting that is specifically designed to handle WordPress installations, and may also be optimized for improved CMS performance.

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Yes. WordPress works with a slew of hosting services, and GoDaddy even offers one-click installation to automatically set up the WordPress CMS for you.

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The answer to this question depends on your needs and budget. Go for Wix if you need a simple website and want to try your hand at designing it yourself through the Wix designer platform. If you want to develop a website with additional functionality and explore plugins, WordPress is your best bet.

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If you want to host a website on the WordPress domain, you must consider the cost of hosting and a domain name. You may also want to buy premium plugins to improve the functionality of your website or service, or invest in a paid website template.

Shared hosting will be your most economical option. On WordPress, hosting starts at $4 per month.

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Latest updates

  • September 2025: In ZDNET’s September update, we performed substantial editorial and layout changes.

Alternative WordPress hosting options to consider

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GoDaddy’s substantial investment in high-quality WordPress properties enables customers to utilize various WordPress-based services. 

The company has also recently released Airo, an AI-backed website builder. Plans start from $7 per month. 


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Ionos is an excellent alternative for those seeking affordable, e-commerce-friendly WordPress hosting. 

AI tools are available, and there are daily security scans to alert you to any issues, as well as strong uptime. Plans start at $1 per month.


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Cloudways by Digital Ocean is an excellent alternative if you want flexibility with your plans and the option to scale up as your business grows. 

You can also pick between flexible and autonomous hosting. A three-day trial is available. 


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cloudways

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Digital Ocean is best described as Amazon Web Services (AWS) for the rest of us. 

Digital Ocean is an infrastructure-as-a-service provider that allows you to spin up virtual machines in the cloud, and WordPress installations are certainly no problem.


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Liquid Web provides managed hosting, whether you’re running WordPress or not. 

That said, it does have deep expertise in WordPress, and you can also take advantage of a dedicated Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), making this a great alternative for mid-level managed WordPress hosting. Prices start at only $3.50 per month.


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Liquid Web review | Best web hosting service

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We hope you have found our guide on the best WordPress hosting services of 2025 useful. If you would like to explore more of our web host recommendations, check out our top picks for the best web hosting services overall, the best web hosts for small businesses, and the top free web hosts.

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