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Updated: Feb 14, 2024, 6:02am
Fact Checked
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When it comes to launching a WordPress website, choosing the right web hosting service is essential but those on a tight budget may find it challenging to find a WordPress hosting service that is both reliable and cheap. The cost may be inexpensive but you’ll also want a hosting service that provides dependable performance and top-notch features. To address this issue, we have assessed and ranked seven cheap WordPress hosting services based on a range of criteria, including pricing, features, ratings and expert score. Our goal at Forbes Advisor Canada is to help users make an informed and confident decision.
Featured Partner Offer
1
Bluehost
On Bluehost.com’s Website
Starting price
$2.95 USD ($4.05 CAD) per month
Storage and bandwidth
Unmetered bandwidth, and SSD storage starts at 10GB
Extras and inclusions
Free domain name and SSL for a year, free CDN
2
Hostgator
On Hostgator’s Website
Starting price
$2.75 USD ($3.68 CAD)per month
Money-Back Guarantee
30 days
Inclusions
Free SSL certificate, free website transfer
3
Namecheap
On Namecheap’s Website
Starting price
$1.58 USD ($2.15 CAD) per month (with 24 months contract)
Money-Back Guarantee
30 days
Inclusions
Free SSL certificate, host three sites, low-cost VPS hosting
4
DreamHost
On DreamHosts’ Website
Starting price
$2.59 USD ($3.47 CAD) per month
Money-Back Guarantee
97 days
Inclusions
Top-rated tech support, free domain name, free SSL certificate
The Forbes Advisor Small Business team is committed to bringing you unbiased rankings and information with full editorial independence. We use product data, strategic methodologies and expert insights to inform all of our content to guide you in making the best decisions for your business journey.
After carefully evaluating a total of 11 WordPress hosting services, we have compiled a list of seven of the top service providers using a comprehensive methodology. Our assessment criteria encompassed elements such as pricing, general features, additional features, ratings and reviews and expert scoring conducted by our editorial staff.
$4.33 CAD per month
(for WordPress hosting specifically, with a three-year billing cycle)
Unlimited SSD storage
Free SSL certificate, 30-day money-back guarantee and one CPU core
$4.33 CAD per month
(for WordPress hosting specifically, with a three-year billing cycle)
Unlimited SSD storage
Free SSL certificate, 30-day money-back guarantee and one CPU core
MochaHost is a leading low-cost web hosting provider that offers a wide range of web hosting services, including shared and WordPress hosting.
MochaHost provides users with a range of features and benefits which include unlimited monthly traffic, unlimited disk space and a free domain name. Its online services include low starting costs, a free web builder and professional design services, affordable SEO and marketing tools, email services and a 30-day guarantee. Customers also receive free SSL certificates for life.
One of MochaHost’s standout features is its “LifeTime Discount Guarantee,” which means that your hosting fees will never increase for the life of your account.
MochaHost has data centres located in the United States and Europe. It offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee and 24/7 technical support, interactive step-by-step tutorials and an extensive knowledge base area where customers can find answers to common questions. Users who experience any issues report that customer service is excellent and any issues were resolved fairly quickly.
Even though MochaHost tries to keep pricing low and uniform, some customers claim to experience payment issues and difficulty cancelling services or stopping automatic charges.
Who should use it:
MochaHost is best for individuals and small to medium-sized businesses who are looking for affordable web hosting services with a variety of options and features
$5.95 USD ($8.18 CAD) per month
(with a three-year billing cycle)
Unlimited and unmetered
Free domain first year, email included, unlimited storage, unmetered bandwidth
$5.95 USD ($8.18 CAD) per month
(with a three-year billing cycle)
Unlimited and unmetered
Free domain first year, email included, unlimited storage, unmetered bandwidth
HostGator is an affordable hosting provider that offers a variety of web hosting services including WordPress hosting.
HostGator offers WordPress hosting plans that are optimized for WordPress websites and blogs. These plans come with preinstalled WordPress, automatic updates, a range of performance and advanced security features and 99.9% uptime to make sure your site stays up.
HostGator’s WordPress hosting plans include a free domain name for the first year, unlimited email accounts and unmetered storage and bandwidth. It also offers an intuitive website builder, free website transfer and 24/7 customer support. HostGator has affordable pricing options regardless of which tier you choose and many essential features for free, including a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Although HostGator offers several free services, it also provides additional add-on services at an extra cost. These expenses can accumulate and should be taken into consideration when assessing the total cost of web hosting with HostGator. For example, advanced security with a Positive SSL certificate by Sectigo is considered an add-on, billed at $3.33 USD ($4.58 CAD) per month or annually at $39.99 USD ($54.96 CAD).
Who should use it:
HostGator is best for beginner websites and small to medium-sized businesses that are looking for affordable web hosting services. HostGator is a popular choice for those who are just starting with website creation due to its affordable pricing and easy-to-use tools. However, those who require more advanced hosting solutions or enterprise-level support may need to consider other options.
$2.60 USD ($3.57 CAD) per month
(with a three-year billing cycle)
50 GB to 200 GB
One-click installer, free drag-and-drop site builder, cPanel, WordPress, free website backup, free domain first year, malware scanning
$2.60 USD ($3.57 CAD) per month
(with a three-year billing cycle)
50 GB to 200 GB
One-click installer, free drag-and-drop site builder, cPanel, WordPress, free website backup, free domain first year, malware scanning
MilesWeb is best known for its affordable prices, unmatched speed, high security and 24/7 support. It offers a wide range of hosting options that can accommodate businesses of all sizes, from individuals to small businesses and large enterprises worldwide.
It also provides a great deal of features and tools in the cheapest price plan, including an extremely user-friendly cPanel, free SSL certificates, daily backups, automatic WordPress updates, free one-click WordPress install and much more. MilesWeb is a popular choice for those who want an affordable and comprehensive web hosting solution.
MilesWeb also guarantees 99.95% uptime and 24/7 support via phone, email and live chat. It includes a knowledge base community forum where customers can easily find video tutorials and answers to common questions. MilesWeb is recognized for the best performance, reliability, security and customer service. Its WordPress hosting plans also include fast SSD NVMe storage, WordPress preconfigured, fast provisioning, secure email, data centre choice and WordPress migration.
Even though MilesWeb is considered a pocket-friendly hosting provider, users have reported potential drawbacks to consider. For instance, some customers have reported servers being down for long periods of time, which can be problematic for businesses that rely on their website being available at all times.
Who should use it:
MilesWeb is great for businesses of all sizes including bloggers, start-ups, large multi-sites with many users and agencies.
$2.95 USD ($4.05 CAD) per month
50 GB to unlimited
30-day money-back guarantee, free SSL certificates, free domain name for first year, free backup, offsets carbon emissions
$2.95 USD ($4.05 CAD) per month
50 GB to unlimited
30-day money-back guarantee, free SSL certificates, free domain name for first year, free backup, offsets carbon emissions
GreenGeeks is an affordable web hosting company known for its environmentally friendly approach to web hosting. It uses renewable web sources to power its servers and it offsets its carbon footprint by purchasing wind energy credits. GreenGeeks has been recognized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
GreenGeeks offers a variety of web hosting services and provides domain registration services and website builder tools. All hosting plans include features such as a free domain name for the first year, free backup, free CDN, free WordPress install, free WordPress migration and free email accounts. It also offers free SSL certificates, daily backups and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
GreenGeeks is known for providing excellent 24/7/365 expert support through live chat, phone and email ticket. It also provides a knowledge base and video tutorials to assist customers with any issues. Users claim the information from the live chat is excellent and the cPanel hosting is very user-friendly.
Take note, while GreenGreeks offers affordable introductory rates, some customers have reported that the renewal rates can be higher than expected.
Who should use it:
GreenGeeks is a suitable web hosting provider for several types of customers, including those who are just getting started. It is great for individuals who are looking to create personal websites, those who want to host multiple websites and require faster speeds and online stores and busy websites.
$2.91 USD ($4.00 CAD) per month
(with annual billing cycle)
10 GB to 100 GB SSD, unmetered bandwidth
Free domain name and privacy protection, free website builder, 30-day free trial, free website builder
$2.91 USD ($4.00 CAD) per month
(with annual billing cycle)
10 GB to 100 GB SSD, unmetered bandwidth
Free domain name and privacy protection, free website builder, 30-day free trial, free website builder
Namecheap is an affordable web hosting and domain registration company that offers a variety of services including WordPress hosting. Its cheapest hosting plan comes with features such as unlimited bandwidth, free SSL certificate, website builder tools, domain name and privacy protection, free automatic SSL installation, free Supersonic CDN and free website migration.
Namecheap offers AutoBackup with Premium Shared hosting plans, WordPress and cPanel, and personalized email services. Namecheap’s cloud storage gives you zero downtime with 99.99% uptime, the highest performance, true stability and data protection. Namecheap also has a marketplace that offers over 100 free apps including WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Adobe Commerce (Magento), Zen Cart and more.
Although Namecheap offers a host of features, there are also some limitations such as its 24/7 live support, which is only available via live chat. Only first-time hosting customers are eligible for the 30-day money back guarantee and discount offers also only apply to purchases of annual and biennial plans. Free domain names are also offered for the first year only.
Namecheap is known to have a user-friendly interface and straightforward dashboard, allowing customers to easily manage their domains, hosting and other services.
Learn more: Read our full Namecheap review.
Who should use it:
Namecheap is best for online beginners and small businesses looking for a budget-friendly and user-friendly web hosting service. Namecheap is also great for websites that demand the highest performance.
$2.59 USD ($3.56 CAD) per month
(with a three-year billing cycle)
50 GB to Unlimited
Unlimited traffic, free migrations, free SSL certificate, free domain, free email
$2.59 USD ($3.56 CAD) per month
(with a three-year billing cycle)
50 GB to Unlimited
Unlimited traffic, free migrations, free SSL certificate, free domain, free email
DreamHost offers a specialized WordPress hosting service that is designed to optimize the performance and security of WordPress websites. Its WordPress hosting plans are affordable and come with features such as automatic WordPress updates, one-click staging, free SSL certificates and a custom-built control panel that is specifically designed for managing WordPress websites.
DreamHost WordPress hosting plans are also optimized for speed and performance with features such as SSD storage, caching and a content delivery network (CDN) that helps improve website loading times.
DreamHost provides malware scanning and automatic daily backups. It also offers a free SSL certificate, which helps to ensure that websites are secure and encrypted. WordPress hosting plans also come with access to a variety of themes and plug-ins. It also offers 24/7 customer support through chat widget, email and phone call-backs.
Although DreamHost offers several ways to help keep your website safe, it’s important to note that this anti-malware protection is an additional cost of $3 USD ($4.12 CAD) per month which may accumulate over time.
Even with the least expensive plan, users report excellent feedback, stating DreamHost is quick to respond, provides accurate guidance and detailed follow-ups. Customers who use DreamHost are very loyal to its services.
Who should use it:
DreamHost caters to individuals and all sizes of businesses looking for an affordable and reliable hosting provider. It is great for customers who require a high level of performance, customization options and excellent customer support.
$4.95 USD ($6.81 CAD) per month
(with three-year plan)
10 GB to 100 GB SSD storage, unmetered bandwidth
Free domain, free SSL certificate, free CDN, 30-day money-back guarantee
$4.95 USD ($6.81 CAD) per month
(with three-year plan)
10 GB to 100 GB SSD storage, unmetered bandwidth
Free domain, free SSL certificate, free CDN, 30-day money-back guarantee
Bluehost is a web hosting company that offers a variety of hosting plans including WordPress hosting. They are optimized for WordPress, making it easy for users to set up and manage their WordPress websites.
Bluehost’s WordPress plans come with a pre-installed WordPress platform, automatic updates and enhanced security features to help protect your website. They also offer a range of features such as unlimited bandwidth, malware scanning, business email, Google Maps verification, free domain, free SSL certificate and more.
Bluehost also offers a user-friendly dashboard that allows users to manage their website, install plug-ins and customize their site’s appearance with custom WordPress themes. Additionally, it provides 24/7 WordPress hosting customer support through the phone, chat and email.
Although Bluehost is considered a high-quality web hosting provider, it does have limits to storage capacity on all of its plans. Special offers are also at a discount rate during the initial term and are only available to new customers. Plans will automatically renew after the initial billing cycle at an increased rate.
Learn more: Read our full Bluehost review.
Who should use it:
Bluehost’s WordPress hosting is a great option for those who want to create a reliable, secure and affordable hosting solution for their WordPress website. It is a powerful platform for e-commerce stores, small business owners, bloggers and developers.
WordPress hosting is a type of web hosting service that is optimized for hosting WordPress websites. WordPress is considered the world’s most popular website builder and is an open-source software that anyone can use to create blogs, websites and stores. WordPress hosting is designed to provide users with a hosting environment that is specifically tailored to the needs of WordPress, including easy installation, automatic updates, enhanced security and specialized support.
There are several benefits of using WordPress hosting, making it a great choice for anyone who wants a convenient, user-friendly and optimized hosting environment for their WordPress website. These benefits include:
When choosing the best and cheapest WordPress hosting plan, you’ll want to consider some important factors when making your decision. The hosting provider should offer a balance of affordability, performance, features, customer support, user-friendliness and reputation. Let’s take a look at some key essential features to assist you in making the best decision.
The cost of WordPress hosting varies depending on the hosting provider and the specific hosting plan. Typically, pricing plans are structured based on the amount of resources allocated to the website—for example, the amount of storage space needed, bandwidth and processing power. Some of the most basic plans at the lowest cost will host only one website with limited storage.
The cost of WordPress hosting can vary from below a dollar per month for a basic shared hosting plan to well over $20 USD ($27.50 CAD) or more per month for a managed WordPress hosting plan with premium features. There are many factors that influence the cost of WordPress hosting, including the hosting provider’s reputation, the level of expert support, security measures offered, the number of websites hosted and the level of resources made available to the website.
One way for users to reduce the cost of WordPress hosting is to opt for a shared hosting plan, which is the most affordable option. However, even though shared hosting plans are cost-effective for the most basic websites, they may come with limitations on resources that may not be suitable for high-traffic websites.
Free WordPress hosting options such as Wix are available, but they typically come with some drawbacks, such as limited storage and limited bandwidth. Additionally, free hosting providers may display advertisements on your website, which can be unappealing for visitors and negatively affect their experience.
Premium WordPress hosting plans typically come with advanced features such as automatic website backup, staging sites and 24-hour malware scans and removal. These plans can cost upwards of $20 USD ($27.50 CAD) or more per month but may be worth the investment for websites that require high levels of performance, security and support.
In summary, the cost of WordPress hosting services is influenced by various factors, and it is essential to choose a reputable hosting provider that not only offers affordable pricing but appropriate features. While shared hosting plans can greatly help reduce costs, users should be aware that extremely cheap or free options do have limitations. If you have a website that requires advanced features and support, it is good to consider the pro or premium hosting plans.
Getting started with WordPress web hosting may sound a bit overwhelming, but with the right guidance and a little patience, it can be easily set up by anyone. Here are the general steps to getting started with WordPress web hosting:
With the additional help of a hosting support team and online documentation, setting up WordPress web hosting can be a straightforward process. Make sure to utilize the help that is provided to you by your web hosting provider.
Forbes Advisor Canada has developed a rubric to assess and score each company on the list. We evaluated a total of 11 WordPress hosting services to objectively determine our top seven cheap WordPress hosting services. The rubric assesses five main areas of criteria that were scored and weighted. Each area contributed a specific percentage towards the final score of 100%. By dividing the score into categories, we aim to provide a comprehensive evaluation taking into consideration various factors that are important to users when choosing the best provider.
In our evaluation to determine cheap WordPress hosting services, we assessed whether each provider offered a free plan or free trial. We also rated each hosting service according to its lowest-priced tier plan. Plans that had an introductory price of less than $3 USD ($4.12 CAD) per month received a greater score. This factor contributed to 15% of the overall score.
We determined scoring to general features by evaluating which provider offered a custom domain name, unlimited storage and unlimited bandwidth. These general features are essential for a website to function properly as they directly impact the functionality of the website. Providers that offered these features received the highest score. This factor contributed to 25% of the overall weighted score.
Hosting services that included additional features such as business email and an easy installation process were assigned higher scores in our evaluation. Easy setup allows users to quickly and easily install and set up a WordPress website without much technical knowledge or experience. This feature is partially helpful for beginners. Email accounts and business emails included in the plans are also a perk, as they use the website’s domain name, giving the website a professional image. This factor contributed to 15% of the overall weighted score.
High ratings and reviews indicate satisfied customers and they provide valuable insights into the quality and reliability of the service they provide. Customers who have used the service can share their opinions and experience. In our evaluation, ratings and reviews were determined based on information provided by Trustpilot. Hosting services that received a rating of 3.5 or higher were given a higher score. The amount of reviews received was also taken into account. This factor contributed to 20% of the overall weighted score.
During our evaluation, we determined our expert score by analyzing any standout features of the service provider, the popularity of the hosting service and its ease of use. Rating was determined by dividing the web hosting services into three categories: excellent, good and fair. This factor contributed to 25% of the overall score.
Canadian specific editing and research (including pricing) conducted by Anna Rey.
Featured Partner Offer
1
Bluehost
On Bluehost.com’s Website
Starting price
$2.95 USD ($4.05 CAD) per month
Storage and bandwidth
Unmetered bandwidth, and SSD storage starts at 10GB
Extras and inclusions
Free domain name and SSL for a year, free CDN
2
Hostgator
On Hostgator’s Website
Starting price
$2.75 USD ($3.68 CAD)per month
Money-Back Guarantee
30 days
Inclusions
Free SSL certificate, free website transfer
3
Namecheap
On Namecheap’s Website
Starting price
$1.58 USD ($2.15 CAD) per month (with 24 months contract)
Money-Back Guarantee
30 days
Inclusions
Free SSL certificate, host three sites, low-cost VPS hosting
4
DreamHost
On DreamHosts’ Website
Starting price
$2.59 USD ($3.47 CAD) per month
Money-Back Guarantee
97 days
Inclusions
Top-rated tech support, free domain name, free SSL certificate
Simply put, WordPress is a widely used content management system (CMS) that allows users to create and manage websites. WordPress hosting is a specialized web hosting service that is optimized specifically to provide users with the infrastructure, performance and security needed to run a WordPress website.
Building a WordPress website can be a learning experience, especially for those with limited knowledge or expertise, but it is certainly possible for beginners. If you want to create a more complex or customized website, it may require more skill and resources. Read more on how to build a WordPress website in nine steps.
Yes, there are certainly limitations to free web hosting services. Although they can be an attractive option, they often come with several limitations and drawbacks. Some limitations include limited storage space, limited bandwidth, limited customization options, limited support and ads and branding displayed on your website.
Natalie Cusson is a small business owner with over 15 years experience in the creative arts. She's worked on ad campaigns for international brands such as Nike, Subaru, Polaris and Progressive Insurance - to name a few. Her many passions include writing, meditation, and living a healthy lifestyle.
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