Best Web Hosting in the US: The Full Review!
Best of 2020 web hosting US review, from a blogger’s point of view.
Disclosure: If you use our affiliate links or coupon codes, DearBlogger will receive compensation from the companies listed below. Thanks so much for your support as we try to keep providing free and helpful website related advice!
Author: Greg Narayan
Last Update: April 3rd, 2020
WHY READ OUR REVIEWS: Since what seems like the beginning of WP time, we have taught people how to make a blog (and before that helped government agencies run websites) so we know what criteria defines a good web host. These are my top 10 web hosting providers for the US, hard-working local brands that offer maximum value without breaking the bank.
Why Take Our Advice?
Because we’ve been satisfying readers for over 6 years!
Some of the finer sites we’ve shared web hosting advice on:
Best Web Hosting USA: Our Top Picks
| Web Hosting Provider | Price per Month | Features | Disk Space | Reviews | Visit Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | $2.65/month limited time Cyber Monday DiscountGet your discount here! | Great performance, let's you create multiple sites, amazing WordPress support for over 6 years. Largest variety of WordPress packages + WordPress #1 recommended = Our Winner! | 50 GB | BlueHost Review | |
 | USD $2.75 | Fast support, great speed, and 45 day money back. Hosts the most sites of anyone + outstanding customer service. | Unlimited | HostGator Review | |
 | USD $3.95 | Free website builder, free cloudflare CDN, truly awesome people to work with & 30 day money back guarantee is hard to beat. | 10 GB | SiteGround Review | |
 | USD $3.92 | Unlimited storage, free SSL and SSD, anytime money back guarantee, great support. | Unlimited | A2 Review | |
 | USD $7.26 | Free data backups, free data transfer. The standard array of WordPress tools and lots of extra goodies for techies. | 40 GB | InMotion Review |
“Most of us, when we start out, never know at first which web host is best in the US? (Hence why you’re here)
So I thought I’d make a complete list of the best web hosts in the USA I work with (or have worked with previously) for the reader who just doesn’t have enough time on their hards (pretty much all of us).
As a blogger and web designer, I love when my web host release new products like upgraded cPanels or SSLs, just like my gf follows Sephora for example. I actually read web hosting emails and research best web hosting criteria like disk space, uptime, money back guarantees, scripts, customer reviews and of course price so you don’t have to. My goal? Give you an easy web hosting solution with expert web hosting advice (from this page, if we do say so ourselves) so you’re confident enough, backed with with enough facts, to know how to choose a web host, then get back to just doing whatever it is you do best online.
Web Hosting USA Review: Deep Comparison Inside the Top 5
BlueHost
Bluehost has just narrowly eded out HostGator this year. Why? Well, a better question would be why not?
Their cheapest WordPress plan, the Basic plan, consistently outperformed each web host here with page load times of under 1.3 seconds on a basic WordPress website. This is the kind of speed of big time WP sites like Forbes, Time and Disney.
Not only is Bluehost fast, but they have given back immense amounts in the past year to WordPress development, sponsoring Word Camps through the US and teaching introductory code in impoverished neighborhoods. We love a good free tutorial, and Bluehost takes it to the next level here.
As an official recommended host, BlueHost offers a clean and minimalist approach to web hosting over 2 million customers love.
High powered tools to help your blog grow to over 100,000 visitors each month. Great support, high quality tutorials for beginners, obviously supported by many pro bloggers.
Their cheapest packages start at only $3.95, which we’ve negotiated with BlueHost for DearBlogger readers.
Also check our Bluehost Review US page at DearBlogger for all the latest discounts!
Affordability
92%
Easy Setup
90%
Speed, Performance & Power
100%
Security & Infrastructure
95%
Bluehost is our #1 web hosting choice for users in the USA because of the qualities/features listed to your left.
HostGator
HostGator launched as dorm room startup just like Facebook, and now hosts over 10 million websites (most globally). So you’d think as a big company you’d get some of those impersonal service vibes? Nope. HostGator’s live chat is always online and answers in an average of 2minutes!
They offer the best cPanel, free $100 for Adwords, 45 day money back, and they actually have seasonal coupon offers (even if HostGator gives you a coupon, they offer elite affiliates bigger discounts, so try ours “BigBonus”).
Like all our top 10 web hosts, they use the 1-click WordPress installer (so no coding needed). All of HostGator’s plans can run a WordPress.org website.
HostGator is especially great for powering eCommerce, portfolio and agency websites because they work closely with the best wp theme developers to provide wp theme discounts.
Over the years, earned our pick for best US web host. When push comes to shove, it really is a matter of whether you want the cheapest host with most bang for your buck (HostGator) or whether you want the host WordPress themselves recommends (Bluehost).
We are proud to use both, and can help you regardless!
Their cheapest package starts at only $2.58 through our special promotional page. Must choose 1 year option (we like this plan).
Affordability
95%
Easy Setup
90%
Speed, Performance & Power
90%
WordPress.org Tools
99%
HostGator powers the majority of my blogs including this one, and I’ve stayed with them for over 7 years now (man, feeling old) so they get a cool orange trophy that doesn’t really mean much too 🙂
SiteGround
A worldwide web specialist since the early 2000s, SiteGround boasts over 1 million customers who love their focus on personal support.
The best budget host with dirt cheap plans, yet it still has all the hardware you could ever dream of or want to play around with.
Their Reliable Web Hosting – Grow Big plan is our favorite package at SiteGround. Premium features yet dirt cheap.
Though BlueHost is the our favorite WordPress recommended host, SiteGround also got onto this list through years of giving back to the WordPress community.
It’s tough to rank SiteGround #3 here – they could be #1 for your site, especially with their free CDN and 30 day money back. If you like SiteGround for whatever reason, go for it, you won’t be disappointed!
Cheapest plans here start at only $3.95 (67% off the usual price!)
Affordability
90%
Easy Setup
90%
Speed, Performance & Power
95%
WordPress.org Tools
99%
A2 Hosting
Unlimited storage, free SSL (Google requires SSL for eCommerce) and a premium product has solidified A2 as one of the 5 best web hosts in the USA.
Not to mention some of the industry’s best speed (page load times, server responses, WordPress updates, those sorts of things) & infrastructure technology.
Our pick for the best Managed WordPress host as well as the best “premium” web host in the US. You cannot go wrong with their Swift Plan, as is formally recommended by pro blogger Kulwant Nagi of BloggingCage.
Their cheapest plans start at only $3.92.
Affordability
85%
Easy Setup
90%
Speed, Performance & Power
95%
Security & Infrastructure
99%
InMotion Hosting
In motion is usually our best bet for a client with a little more money to spend who wants that extra hold-your-hand care when it comes to security and backups at a web host.
Free domain name to get started and free SSDs also does not hurt. In fact the only thing that may hurt InMotion is lack of brand awareness, but in the next 2-3 years expert this host as a household name
We love their Business Hosting – Launch plan. If you are browsing InMotion, make sure to checkout their Security Suite and Marketing Tools – these are really standup features many hosts can learn from. You also get a 90 day money back guarantee which means they have total confidence in your business.
Update: We’ve partnered with InMotion to bring you a nice 25% discount (use this link to claim) and a complete website tutorial.
Seriously, if you can afford it, InMotion is a sure bet for a great hosting experience, go for it!
Their cheapest plans start at only $7.26
Affordability
75%
Easy Setup
90%
Speed, Performance & Power
95%
Security & Infrastructure
99%
Best Web Hosting US: Our Review Process
Which is the best web hosting in the US is always a tough question. Much of the time, to be honest, it comes down to which host a friend recommends to you. A personal web hosting recommendation can go a long way. We hope to be your friend in web hosting!
That said, some hard facts and criteria never hurt. Whether we are reviewing the best web hosts in Mexico, best web hosting in India, best web hosting US, top web hosting UK, best web hosting Canada, best web hosting in Australia, web hosting providers in Singapore, or wherever, we always take a good long look at:
- WordPress tools
- Quality of support
- Disk space
- Uptime reviews
- cPanel reviews
- Pricing
- Bonus features
- Security
- Backups
- Ability to grow with a host (aka can the host offer you free migrations to a better plan when you cross 10k, 100k, 1M views and need that boost)
Of course, the facts have to hold up too. I hope this guide helps explain common questions like how much does it cost to host a website in the US, the answer to which is just the cost of the hosting per month and the cost of a domain name per year.
A collection of the most frequently asked web hosting US reader questions we get. We’ve use layman’s terms and everyday English and answered all your FAQ here on this page so you don’t have to run around searching for answers.
a. What is the best web hosting for small business?
If you were instead to ask which is the best web hosting for a small business, that may depend on where your current business connections and budgeting lies. Many web hosts have partnerships with other brands, for example HostGator has strong parternships with WordPress, Comodo, and Constant Contact, while Siteground has a strong relationship with WordPress and Aweber.
You should consider all possible marketing opportunities that may arise from your host of choice, and place your web hosting payments in the right hands to position yourself for the most future success.
b. What is the best hosting for WordPress?
Another good question is which hosting is best for WordPress? To answer this question you need to look at availability of 1-click “script” (WordPress, Joomla, Magento, and more are all scripts among which there are about 400-500 available today) which can be installed in 1-click at the host so you don’t need to do any coding to get your website setup. However, all the best web hosting USA have this feature! So, you should look at cPanel strength, and also reviews from WordPress bloggers who might be further ahead of you.
c. Does a website even need hosting?
Every WordPress website and every website has to be hosted somewhere, and literally everyone we talked to is happy when they choose a a web host from our list above, as opposed to trying to survive on a free host. You may research the costs to setup a basic WordPress.org hosting, and get another big list of providers! But this is it, right here. The costs to setup a WordPress site are low these days. Even the small nominal cost of web hosting puts you on the same playing field as big names like Mashable, TechCrunch, ProBlogger and more right away, so nearly everyone considers it worth it (even if they wait too long, haha).
All of these web hosts also let you buy a domain name in the US too, and some even offer domain name discounts in the US.
d. How can I pick the best domain name?
How to pick a domain name can be a tricky task too. That’s why in every WordPress tutorial we make we feature not only how to setup web hosting cheaply but how to select the right domain name to match your business goals.
e. What’s the difference between web hosts?
Marketing gimmicks aside, the main differences you will see in web hosting providers in the USA are price, features, storage space, customer satisfaction, and support. We hope this article has provided some clear differences between web hosts, however doing a little more homework never hurts or asking your blogging friend next doors.
f. Can Google host a website?
Google has their own cloud hosting for small business and WordPress websites. The hosting is done by Compute Engine. You can try it free which is nice, the not so nice part is it’ll cost about nearly $25/month after your trial has ended. That’s just too much for a basic website, but, as it’s Google, you can expect this service to have premium support (haha!). You can also host a blog for free on .blogspot, the Google free blog hosting platform which is truly amazing, let’s you try Adsense and more.
g. What is a web hosting platform?
A web hosting platform is most-commonly a group of servers, powered by several advanced softwares for maintenance, security and usability. You can find a web hosting platform at one of our best web hosting providers on this page, or on our international web hosting pages. Web hosting companies are judged based on price, quality of support, speed, user-friendliness and performance among other things.
h. What is the cheapest way to host a website?
The cheapest way to host a website is technically to do it yourself. You can download a software packet called WAMP and turn any laptop or home computer into a server. This type of setup won’t allow for high levels of traffic, it’s more just for testing out software you may be designing and other personal uses. If you host a website yourself for lots of traffic, you’ll need to invest in thousands of dollars worth of equipment. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart, but it’s still an option! After all, all these top US web hosting companies had to start somewhere!
i. Can I host my own website?
See above. You can from your own computer. However your long-term costs will be much lower and your traffic much happier if you choose a basic web hosting US company, pay a few dollars per month, and you’ll still be able to say you “host it yourself” just with the help of a web host like the vast majority of us bloggers and web designers use.
j. What does it mean to host a website?
To host a website means to keep any type of website online for viewers on a daily basis while maintaining control of the hosting account.
k. How do I start a web hosting company?
You would first want to work for a web hosting company if you want to start a web hosting company. Common entry level jobs that would teach you the necessary skills are tech support, server security and server maintenance. From these positions, you will be able to network with the types of people who can guide you towards starting your own web hosting company. Of course, you would also probably manage a few web hosting accounts (or a ton, like us) just to see what it feels like and build your own websites too!
Bonus: How To Make a Website in the USA (Complete Beginner Tutorial)
Well now that you’ve done your reading, I figured I’d reward you with something more relaxing: a video! Grab yourself a coffee, tea or whatever you like to drink, and sit back as you learn how to create a website with web hosting in the USA. As Bluehost is our #1 Winner, we figured we’d walk the walk and actually film setting up a Bluehost WordPress website so you know how easy it really is. Our videos have so far helped 25,000 beginners get started, so it’s a decent place to at least have a quick look!
Web Hosting US Glossary: Important Web Hosting Terms as You Begin
- Web hosting: the business of providing storage space and access for websites
- Uptime: time during which a machine, like a computer, is in operation.
- Bandwidth: the range of frequencies within a given band, used for transmitting a signal.
- Downtime: time during which a machine, like a computer, is out of action or unavailable for usage.
- CPU: the abbreviation for central processing unit. The CPU is the brains of the computer where nearly all calculations take place.
Types of Web Hosting US Packages – Full Summary
- Linux Shared Hosting: Commonly referred to as just “shared hosting”, Linux Sharing Hosting now powers most websites around the world. It’s open source meaning developers around the world can fix any bugs that come up quickly, and it is by far the most popular shared hosting ideal for WordPress, PHP, MySQL, and other scripts like ZenCart, Magento, Joomla, phpBB, and many more.
- Windows Shared Hosting: Proprietary software using Windows as the server’s operating system and offering Window specific operations and technologies. More expensive than shared hosting because of licensing agreements from Windows. Not necessary to use if you run a Windows computer, the type of computer you own has nothing to do with the host you should get.
- Open Source Hosting: Describes a large archive or facility containing source code which may be used by expert developers for any given number of projects at any time to further the greater good of the Web.
- Cloud Hosting: Generally X amount faster and more scalable than shared hosting, with less websites on the server and you will get more Ram and and more Cores. However, not necessary to run a successful medium sized blog (10,000-100,000 visitors annually).
- WordPress Hosting: WordPress hosting is a concierge hosting service where all the minor details of running a WordPress website, like daily backups, website uptime, deleting an installation, managing plans and a few more factors are managed by the web host. Not necessary to run a successful WordPress blog (we started on a shared Starter plan).
- Reseller Hosting: You run your own hosting environment and are encourage to “resell” space for others to use. You basically become a small web host on your own. Profitable for the driven markerter and web hosting expert.
- VPS Hosting: Virtual Private Server hosting. This server environment resembles a dedicated server in that it runs it’s own version of an operating system, and you get your own space and access to more advanced server tools like WHM, SSL, migration handling, unlimited website space, and so much more. Premium support who will listen to your relationship problems.
- Dedicated Server: The big daddy of web hosting, a single computer network with the ultimate level of support. They will literally make you a drink and send it to your door.
Next Steps to Get Web Hosting
And there you have it. Overwhelmed? Yeah, me too. Like I said above, once you review the criteria of picking a best web host if you still can’t make up your mind, as a friend! As us! We are your friend! Check out my blog post from wayyy back on best places to start a blog (or website) and just browse the comments and engage someone. It helps to know others have traveled the path before you, and certainly helps if you can look up to someone in blogging and go as they’ve gone. Or you could make a massive spreadsheet of all the data. Either way, you’re not alone, we are here for you!