Have you been looking at WordPress plans and can’t decide which one to go with?
There are so many companies offering various WordPress plans that selecting the best one for your website can be difficult.
We’ll show you how to decide which WordPress plan to use and how to compare different plans for your specific needs in this guide.
The Most Common WordPress Plan Types
WordPress is the most widely used website creation platform on the planet. WordPress hosting plans are available from a variety of companies, each with its own set of services and features.
When we say WordPress, we’re referring to the open-source WordPress.org platform, not WordPress.com, which is one of the more expensive blog hosting options.
Please see our comparison of a self-hosted WordPress.org blog vs. a free WordPress.com blog.
To make it easier to understand all of the different types of WordPress hosting solutions, we’ve divided them into the most popular WordPress plans:
- Shared self-hosted WordPress plans – Small websites and blogs benefit.
- WordPress Managed Hosting Plans – Ideal for bigger sites.
- Fully Hosted WordPress Plans – Expensive and unrecommendable.
Each of these WordPress themes can now be classified further.
Because each WordPress hosting company tries to come up with its own set of features and levels of service, this is the case. We will go over those options later in this article.
Let us look at some of the most popular WordPress plans as well as the kinds of websites you could also create with them (at the lowest costs).
Shared self-hosted WordPress plans
For beginners, shared self-hosted WordPress plans are the most popular hosting option. They’re also known as WordPress starter plans because they’re inexpensive, flexible, and simple to manage.
Their low prices are due to a simple reason. These plans give you the option of sharing hosting resources with other small businesses or individuals.
Most websites do not require more expensive WordPress plans when they first launch. If you’re just getting started with a blog or a small business website, shared hosting plans are a good place to start.
These plans can even be used to start an online store.
Cons of a Self-Hosted WordPress Shared Plan
Using a shared self-hosted WordPress plan has two major drawbacks.
Because these plans are designed for start-up websites, you have limited server resources. These plans keep the cost of creating a website low, allowing you to put that money towards expanding your business.
You can easily upgrade to a more powerful WordPress plan once you start making money online.
Most shared hosting companies offer multiple levels of resource upgrades, allowing you to upgrade to their VPS hosting plans if necessary. Alternatively, you can opt for a managed WordPress plan, which we’ll go over in a minute.
Which WordPress Shared Plan is Best for Me?
There are hundreds of companies that offer WordPress shared hosting plans. Because of the fierce competition in this industry, the available options can easily overwhelm a novice user.
That is why we conducted the research on your behalf.
We signed up for all of the best WordPress hosting companies and put their service and performance to the test.
For a complete breakdown, see our comprehensive guide to selecting the best WordPress hosting plan for your website.
If you’re just getting started, Bluehost is a good choice. They are one of the largest hosting companies in the world and a WordPress hosting provider that is officially recommended.
Yourblogmaster users will also receive a substantial discount on hosting, as well as a free domain name and SSL certificate. In essence, you can get started for as little as $2.75 per month.
HostGator and SiteGround are the other top contenders in this category.
If you’re on a tight budget, HostGator is the way to go. SiteGround is a little more expensive, but it provides excellent value for money, with world-class support and cutting-edge technology.
Start with their cheapest plans to get most of the powerful WordPress characteristics without the massive fees of the fully-hosted WordPress plan.
This is a fantastic deal that many newcomers are unaware of until they’ve overpaid for the more expensive plans.
Bonus: Do you need assistance setting up a blog? Our professional team can assist you in setting up your blog for free. See our free WordPress blog setup service for more information.
What happens when your company grows and your website receives a large amount of traffic, such as 100,000 visitors per month?
Then the following WordPress plans are best suited to meet those needs.
WordPress Plans that are Managed
Managed WordPress plans are similar to a concierge service in that the host handles all technical aspects of running WordPress.
They are in charge of WordPress security, website speed, updating, backups, and scalability.
Premium support from more knowledgeable WordPress engineers is included in these plans. It’s as if you had your own small team of developers to look after your website’s upkeep.
When and who would benefit from a Managed WordPress Plan?
The majority of new websites and businesses do not make any money at first. They may have a harder time justifying the cost of managed WordPress plans.
However, if you started with a shared plan and your website has grown to the point where it generates enough revenue and traffic, upgrading to a managed WordPress plan may be a good idea.
The Drawbacks of Using a Managed WordPress Plan
One obvious disadvantage is the cost. The cost of managed WordPress plans is high.
The most basic plan costs around $29 per month. However, when compared to hiring a full-time developer or website administrator, it is still less expensive.
The other disadvantage is the lack of control and limits. To ensure the platform’s stability, managed WordPress hosting providers need more control over what you can install.
This means you can only use WordPress on your site, which isn’t a problem for most people who use WordPress to build their sites.
They may also prohibit the use of certain WordPress plugins that are known to cause website slowdowns.
What Managed WordPress Plan Should I Choose?
In the last few years, the managed WordPress industry has exploded. Many businesses provide managed WordPress plans with similar features.
We decided to put them to the test and signed up with some of the most well-known managed WordPress services.
For a side-by-side comparison, read about it in our guide to choosing the best managed WordPress hosting plan.
WP Engine is the best-managed WordPress hosting provider, according to us. They are a pioneer in the managed WordPress hosting space, providing a stable platform with excellent support
Alternatives: SiteGround and Liquid Web both provide excellent WordPress-managed hosting plans.
WordPress Plans that are Fully Hosted
These hosting plans give you access to a slightly modified version of the WordPress platform, allowing you to build specific types of websites.
You can’t use WordPress in the same way that you can on a self-hosted platform. You are limited to the platform’s features, which vary depending on the plan you select.
Who Would Benefit from a Fully Hosted WordPress Plan?
If you need a website quickly and aren’t concerned about making money with it, a fully hosted WordPress plan might be a good choice for you.
You can also get started without purchasing a domain name for free. This is an excellent choice for personal journals, family websites, travel photos, and other similar projects.
Disadvantages of a WordPress Fully Hosted Plan
Your website is under your control only to a certain extent. You can only use the features that come with your plan; you can’t add on your own.
You have fewer options for monetizing your content as well. Even if you pay for a business account, your options for expanding your company will be limited compared to a self-hosted WordPress plan.
Which WordPress Fully Hosted Plan Is Best for Me?
WordPress.com is the largest of these businesses. They have a free WordPress plan that allows you to use the wordpress.com subdomain to create a website.
Paid plans start at $4 per month with an annual billing cycle. Their business plan costs $25 per month, while their eCommerce plan costs $45 per month, both of which are billed annually.
Until you pay for the business plan ($25 per month), you won’t be able to install WordPress plugins.
You won’t be able to start selling online until you pay the $45 monthly eCommerce plan.
You can do both of these things on the $2.75 per month shared WordPress hosting plans we mentioned earlier, while still having full control over your website.
What Should I Look for When Choosing a WordPress Plan for My Website?
The best WordPress plan for your website is determined by your business objectives and budget.
If you’re just getting started, Bluehost is the way to go. For only $2.75 per month, their self-hosted WordPress plan includes powerful WordPress hosting features as well as a free domain.
It can be used to create a blog, an online store, a small business website, and much more.
You can upgrade to a managed WordPress hosting account with WP Engine or SiteGround as your website grows. This allows you to concentrate on growing your business while still being able to scale to meet your needs.
For the best experience, skip the starter step and go straight to managed WordPress hosting plans if you already have a large website or a well-established business.
We hope this article was helpful in determining which WordPress plan to use. You might also be interested in our guide on the best email marketing services for increasing website traffic.
Bonus: Do you need assistance setting up a blog? With any of the shared hosting services, you can use our free blog setup service.
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