20+ Great Hosting Solutions for Your New Blog Sweet! You’ve made it thus far, but let’s recap and trace our steps on how you got here:
You know, like a pro, ‘What a Blog Is‘ and the definitions.You know why someone should blog.You have a good idea of your blogging persona.You feel equipped knowing about all the different blogging platforms out there, how to choose the right one, and you are aware of the one that I like the best.You’ve prepped for your new domain name / blog name strategically and even have begun using these domain name services to find the best one.You’ve made up your mind as to whether or not you want to blog on a free service or a paid service – you’re going “pro” with your own hosting provider!So, now you just have the find the right hosting provider to get started, right?
Well, there are tons of options out there and this is just a list of a few that I’ve tried myself or used for clients. Ready to take a look?
Here you go…
List of Recommended Hosting Providers:
Again, please note that you are ultimately responsible for doing your research and making sure you choose the right service for your new blog!
If you need some help here are 5 Sites and Tools to help you start that research!
Here are some things to remember when viewing this list:
Do your research! There’s more stuff to consider than just these few items!Not all situations and needs are the same.There is no “perfect” hosting solution. Period. Never forget this.I used to use VPS for TentBlogger and the service, when it was working, was good. They failed me in epic style though. Read this post for more details. I’m actively looking for alternatives now.I now use Firehost and they are kicking serious booty! They are the subject of my Ultimate WordPress Hosting solution post as well.I have given MediaTemple a top score simply because I use it for my large blogs. Most (if not all) new bloggers will not need that for a long time.Personally, Dreamhost has an amazingly simple interface and 1-click installations and I recommend them all the time. I have a promo code, ‘TentBlogger‘ for an extra free domain for life right here!I actively use Site5 as well for some software development projects. Love their service as well! This one is a great alternative to Dreamhost.My “TentBlogger Score” is on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being perfect. Remember that there are no perfect hosting providers!Ready? Here you go!
| Service Name | Cost per Month (Max Discount)? | Free Domain? | Space per Month (GB)? | Bandwidth per Month (GB)? | TentBlogger Score? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dreamhost | $8.95 | Yes | Unlimited | Unlimited | 8 |
| VPS | $20.00 | No | 5 | 250 | 3 |
| HostMonster | $5.95 | Yes | Unlimited | Unlimited | 7 |
| GoDaddy | $2.99 | No | 10 | Unlimited | 8 |
| Host Gator | $4.95 | No | Unlimited | Unlimited | 7 |
| MediaTemple | $20.00 | No | 100 | 1000 | 9 |
| 1 and 1 | $3.99 | Yes | 10 | Unlimited | 8 |
| BlueHost | $6.95 | Yes | Unlimited | Unlimited | 8 |
| Site5 | $4.95 | Yes | Unlimited | Unlimited | 9 |
| Dotster | $4.00 | Yes | 10 | 300 | 7 |
| WebFaction | $5.50 | No | 10 | 600 | 7 |
| PowWeb | $3.38 | Yes | Unlimited | Unlimited | 6 |
| Page.ly | $14.98 | No | 5 | 10 | 5 |
| AN Hosting | $5.21 | Yes | 625 | 6250 | 6 |
| Network Solutions | $3.46 | Yes | 50 | 500 | 6 |
| LunarPages | $3.95 | No | 5 | 50 | 3 |
| WPWebHost | $2.50 | Yes | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| WestHost | $4.00 | No | 50 | 1000 | 5 |
| UK2.net | $1.60 | No | 500 | 1000 | 6 |
| 100TB | $8.16 | No | 70 | 10000 | 6 |
Wait… Where’s #20?
You might have noticed that I’ve only technically listed 19 providers instead of 20. What’s up with that? The 2oth option is creating your own server and hosting solution yourself, which no new blogger would ever need.
But, it is an option, just not a reasonable one.
Love to hear your thoughts! Am I missing one that you absolutely love? What are you using and why?
[This is part of the Blogging Foundations Starter Kit Series.]