Are you taking your first steps online to set up a professional portfolio or blog? Or maybe you are interested in an outlet for your creativity? In all these cases, as well as several others, you need a personal website with a reliable hosting plan to ensure stable and effective functioning.
Nowadays, it’s hard to find a good job without having a solid presence on the internet via a résumé or a blog. Normally employers are more impressed with those candidates who take modern technologies seriously and have a broad following on the net. Whether it is a food blog, a site with embroidery tutorials, or simply a way to keep in touch, through websites you can perfectly show who you are. To have one created and running well, you should back it with reliable hosting. Only the best options will help you get a mobile-friendly website built with professionally designed templates and running with no issues.
We have reviewed the market to get the best deals to your attention. These website hosting providers propose completely free-of-charge site-building platforms with amazing features such as eCommerce and site development tools, simple management with intuitive control panels, limitless bandwidth and disk space, quick load times, robust security tools, and affordable pricing. Here are top companies that work the best for establishing and hosting personal websites:
1. Hostinger
| Product Name: | Hostinger |
| Official Website: | hostinger.com |
| Launched: | 2004 |
| Websites managed: | 4,532,328 |
| Test Plan: | Free hosting available |
| Cheapest Plan: | $1.99/mo |
| Refund: | 30 days |
Hostinger – is a cost-effective hosting for your personal website that has quality data centers in the USA, the UK, France, India, Lithuania, Singapore, Brazil and the Netherlands. The company currently hosts over 3,3 million websites, which makes it one of the most popular hosts worldwide. As the all-in-one hosting solution, Hostinger makes it possible to manage up to 100 websites (depending on the plan selected), register a domain name for free, optimize your workflow with managed WordPress hosting, set up a professional business email address as well as launch web projects using their website builder.
Hostinger Pros for Personal Use:
- Built-in website builder;
- WP hosting and free 1-click installation;
- LiteSpeed technology;
- Integration of external services;
- Customer support available 24/7.
Hostinger Cons for Personal Use:
- Limited resources on cheap shared hosting plans;
- Performance fluctuations;
- Data transfer and backup limitations.
Established in 2004, Hostinger has rapidly grown into one of the leading hosting providers globally, serving millions of customers in various countries.
One of the key features that sets the host apart is its commitment to offering budget-friendly hosting plans without compromising on performance or customer support. They provide a range of hosting options, including shared hosting, cloud hosting, WordPress hosting, VPS hosting, and even dedicated servers.
The service boasts a user-friendly control panel and a custom-built website builder, enabling even those without technical expertise to create and manage their websites with ease.
Moreover, they offer 24/7 customer support via live chat and a comprehensive knowledge base to assist customers at any time.
While security is a top priority for Hostinger, they provide various measures to protect websites from potential threats, including free SSL certificates and daily backups.
When it comes to personal website hosting, users may choose from four subscriptions included in the shared hosting package. These include Single, Premium, Business and Cloud Startup. The cost of plans starts at $1.99 per month. The prices, however, will increase upon the subscription renewal. If you decide to cancel the selected plan, the company offers the 30-days money-back guarantee that lets you get your funds back.
2. a2hosting
| Product Name: | a2hosting |
| Official Website: | a2hosting.com |
| Launched: | 2003 |
| Websites Managed: | Over 455,947 |
| Test Plan: | No |
| Cheapest Plan: | $2.99/mo |
| Refund: | 30 days |
a2hosting – is an easy hosting for personal use, which delivers fast, secure and excellent customer service, diversity of hosting solutions and competitive pricing policy observed on its long-term plans. The system stands out in terms of uptime rates and high speed on Turbo Boost and Turbo Max subscriptions that ensure 20 times faster speed compared to basic plans.
a2hosting Pros for Personal Use:
- Informative knowledge base;
- Several types of hosting solutions;
- Free website migration for Startup, Drive, Turbo Boost and Turbo Max plans;
- eCommerce hosting;
- WordPress hosting.
a2hosting Cons for Personal Use:
- Windows hosting currently unavailable, but the system promises to offer it soon;
- Expensive plans for short-term periods;
- Turbo Server option is available on more expensive hosting plans only.
In addition to standard shared hosting subscriptions, a2hosting offers other hosting solutions. These include plans for VPS, Dedicated, Reseller, Email, cPanel, Turbo and Web hosting plans.
If you plan to sell products on the web, you will also benefit from using eCommerce hosting subscriptions. They are compatible with different eCommerce software and features that let the system users set up, manage and host all types of digital stores.
a2hosting also allows selecting your data center location for higher speed and you can pre-install your WordPress website (if any) to make it run quicker. What’s important, the system comes with the built-in website builder that lets you both set up, run and host projects.
The company offers moderate pricing policy. It has many plans for versatile hosting solutions it provides. The cost starts at $2.99/mo for the annual subscription (shared hosting), but you can even save more, when purchasing a 36-months plan.
3. InMotion Hosting
| Product Name: | InMotion Hosting |
| Official Website: | inmotionhosting.com |
| Launched: | 2001 |
| Websites managed: | 942,247 |
| Test Plan: | No |
| Cheapest Plan: | $2.99/month |
| Refund: | 90 days |
InMotion Hosting – is another trusted hosting provider for personal websites that was introduced to the market in 2001. Since that time, the company has won recognition and popularity not only with business owners, but also with ordinary users willing to set up and host their personal projects. Among the highlights of the software, it makes sense to mention the extensive choice of hosting plans, advanced security tools, great customer support and good performance parameters.
InMotion Pros for Personal Use:
- Free website/domain migration;
- Free SSL Certificates;
- Fast load times;
- Sufficient disk storage and bandwidth even on low-tier plans;
- WordPress/eCommerce hosting.
InMotion Cons for Personal Use:
- Higher rates after renewal;
- Less data centers as compared to rivals;
- No instant account activation (may require manual verification).
To cover the prevailing amount of user requirements, InMotion Hosting grants access to free domain and website migration. This means that if you already have a website hosted with another provider, you can transfer it to the company servers at no cost. They also offer a free domain name for the first year after registration – it is included in most plans.
If needed, you can create the unlimited number of email addresses associated with your domain even on low tier plans. What’s more, the host guarantees regular backups to prevent the potential data loss in case of unpredictable situations.
An interesting feature is that InMotion offers green hosting to its subscribers. They are committed to eco-friendly responsible hosting policy. With this purpose, they have improved carbon output at their data centers, cutting cooling expenses by nearly 70%. That is really worth the attention.
When it tackles the pricing aspect, InMotion Hosting won’t offer you a completely free plan or trial. Instead, you will be suggested to pick one of premium subscriptions depending on the hosting types required. Thus, the cheapest shared hosting plan will cost you minimum $2.99/mo. The most affordable VPS hosting plan will cost $9.99/mo. Need dedicated hosting? Then get ready to pay not less than $35/mo. Finally, the service offers one of the longest money-back guarantees in the hosting industry – 90 days. This is definitely one of its advantages.
4. LiquidWeb
| Product Name: | Liquid Web |
| Official Website: | liquidweb.com |
| Launched: | 1998 |
| Websites Managed: | 4,551,309 |
| Test Plan: | No |
| Cheapest Plan: | $15/month |
| Refund: | 30 days |
Liquid Web – is a dedicated personal server hosting, which has over 10 data centers worldwide. It currently hosts over 4 million websites, offering different types of hosting solutions, including VPS, cloud and dedicated hosting.
LiquidWeb Pros for Personal Use:
- 100% uptime guarantee;
- HIPAA and PCI compliance;
- eCommerce support;
- Expert customer assistance available 24/7;
- User-friendly website builder.
LiquidWeb Cons for Personal Use:
- Unsuitable for beginner;
- Does not provide shared hosting;
- Not the cheapest hosting provider.
For more efficient website hosting, LiquidWeb offers premium class server specifications, unmetered bandwidth, SSH access, reseller plans, WP-CLI along with Git available on all managed plans.
Obviously, LiquidWeb is not a cheap company, but its flexibility and functionality are worth the budget invested. Thus, the software works best for large enterprises looking for powerful and trusted hosting solutions. This is also a nice pick for web designers, executives, producers working on the development and promotion of large-scale projects.
Currently, the system does not offer a free trial, but you can get a money refund, if you apply for it during the 30-day term. The cost of premium subscriptions starts at $15/mo.
5. DreamHost
| Product Name: | DreamHost |
| Official Website: | dreamhost.com |
| Launched: | 1996 |
| Websites Managed: | 633,564 |
| Test Plan: | No |
| Cheapest Plan: | $2.95/mo |
| Refund: | - |
Dreamhost – is a trusted company offering affordable hosting services for personal needs. Based in the US, they deliver quality and versatile hosting solutions for all types of projects. Along with 100% uptime rates, the software allows for automatic WordPress updates, SSD storage, custom control panel for easy account/website management.
DreamHost Pros for Personal Use:
- Wide range of hosting plans – shared, VPS, dedicated and even DreamPress (used for WordPress website) server hosting;
- Servers optimized for high speed and advanced performance;
- Free SSL certificates;
- Unlimited disk storage space and bandwidth;
- WordPress specialization.
DreamHost Cons for Personal Use:
- No cPanel, which is a drawback for subscribers who have got used to this popular control panel;
- No phone support for basic shared hosting Plan;
- No free domain.
In addition to the advantages listed above, DreamHost also comes with a free website builder that lets you set up, customize and promote new projects. This is really helpful for beginners who don’t know coding basics or just lack time to develop websites individually. The company is also concerned with delivering green hosting. It is committed to reducing its carbon footprint and operates its servers using renewable energy sources.
Speaking about pricing, DreamHost offers three types of plans, namely Shared, VPS and DreamPress packages. The prices range from $2.95 per month to $16.95 per month and higher. The final cost will depend on the terms and tools you would like to see in your subscription.
Final Words
Whether you are going to announce your registry to your upcoming wedding guests, introduce your blog about flowers and plants, or need a working way to impress a prospective employer, setting up a personal site is the best option to use.
After establishing your site, the next step should be finding a reliable hosting provider to get your site secure space on the net.
Depending on the purpose your website has, the website hosts we reviewed here will fill just about any need from eCommerce solutions to managed WP services and website builders.
When you weigh your options, pay close attention to the 24/7 support through different channels since you are not a web developer and may occasionally need professional assistance.
Each of the hosts we reviewed here stands out for a reliable and knowledgeable support team. Furthermore, they are all budget-friendly solutions that deliver premium and fast performance despite the price. Each of them has a series of benefits.
For instance, Hostinger comes with the built-in website builder and opportunity of 1-click WordPress integration. a2Hosting offers a full site lifecycle hosting service not to deal with anything yourself.
InMotion Hosting has distinguished itself as one of the oldest eco-friendly hosting providers that has environmental concerns.
LiquidWeb is mostly focused on providing dedicated personal server hosting, but it doesn’t have any shared hosting plans.
Finally, DreamHost offers affordable hosting services for personal/business needs and it also has a built-in website builder for quick DIY project set up and hosting.
