Since our comparative guide on Web hostings was a massive hit. Now I have decided to write a detailed guide on each web host separately. I’ll be starting with writing on VPS Hosting.
A Virtual Private Server, or VPS, is one of the best hosting options. It’s a single server split into individual virtual machines, running their own operating systems handling custom configurations. Unlike shared hosting, VPS has dedicated resources (RAM and CPU) and is independent of all the other websites on the server.
Finding the best VPS hosting for WordPress can be overwhelming with so many different options in the market. Sometimes VPS isn’t even the best option for your needs. Just because your website has outgrown shared hosting doesn’t mean that you need a VPS.
Buying a VPS plan means that you get your very own virtual server environment. You have full control over the operating system, the extensions and apps you install, and all their settings. Each physical server will still host multiple VPS customers, but not as many as with shared hosting, and typically each VPS will be allocated a share of key resources – RAM, storage space, CPU cores – for their use alone.
This can be easier to manage than you might think. Many VPS plans include standard tools like cPanel to help monitor and configure your site. Some hosts will manage the service for you, monitoring for problems like a crashed service, and fixing them as soon as they’re detected.
VPS prices and specs vary from a few dollars a month to hundreds, depending on your requirements. There’s a lot of choices out there, but don’t panic – our list of five best VPS providers will point you in the right direction.
Best VPS hosting options for 2019:
The sheer number of Virtual Private Server companies out there right now is overwhelming. But don’t you worry because that’s exactly what we are here for. We’ll break it down for you.
1 – HostGator:
HostGator hosts over 8 million domains and is one of the most popular web hosts in the industry. With 1-click WordPress installation, 99.9% uptime guarantee, and 24/7 support, it’s a smart choice for every website owner. WPBeginner is a proud HostGator customer since 2007, and our website is hosted on HostGator dedicated servers. We consider them the best web hosting for businesses. With HostGator VPS, you get the maximum features at the best price. WPBeginner users get 75% off all VPS plans.
It is the master of hosting. It came out with the top overall hosting score from our research. It’s not quite as masterful when looking at VPS hosting in isolation, but it’s certainly no slouch. With good features and the best uptime of any provider, you could do a lot worse.
2 – InMotion:
InMotion Hosting is refreshingly different. Its baseline VPS-1000HA-S plan doesn’t have the most eye-catching price at $27.99 per month over two years, but it’s easy to see why the company asks this much. The product has a better specification – 4GB RAM, 75GB storage, 4TB bandwidth, 3 dedicated IPs – than some high-end plans from other providers, backups and a cPanel license are included for free, and there’s a 90-day money-back guarantee.
There’s an unusual feature in what InMotion calls “unlocked CPU cores”. Rather than having access to one or two cores only, you’re able to spread your processing load across all cores on the server, a major performance boost for tasks involving a lot of simultaneous processing.
Welcome bonus touches include a feature called Launch Assist, which essentially means you get two hours of free time with one of InMotion’s server administrators. Whether you need to change domain settings, configure cPanel, migrate WordPress or database files, they can help you get the job done.
Put it all together and you’re getting a very capable set of VPS hosting plans. If you’d prefer a package which comes with unexpected surprises, rather than hidden catches, we’d give InMotion a try.
3 – A2 Hosting:
A2 Hosting serves up its VPS plans with a friendly smile and invaluable advice. It’s perfect for hosting newbies, with an intuitive help and support service and an anytime money-back guarantee.
It is all about providing the best speed for your website with their VPS hosting. With technology such as the Railgun Optimizer, preconfigured server caching, and SSD storage for its servers, the guys at A2 Hosting are serious about their speed.
While they offer all the essential features that you would need for a VPS hosting, such as the ability to use cPanel, Linux OS, and even allowing Root access, their major strength is providing unparalleled server speed which is unmatched in the hosting industry.
4 – SiteGround:
SiteGround is one of the most popular and highest rated hosting providers in the WordPress community. They provide unique in-house WordPress speed and security solutions to make your site as fast and secure as possible. They are known for the best 24/7 support in the industry which is why they’re an official ‘WordPress’ recommended hosting provider.
SiteGround features include automatic upgrades, built-in WP caching, CDN, one-click staging and GIT version control. They are also one of the few companies offering location-specific hosting with 3 data centers in the USA, Europe, and Asia.
5 – Liquid Web
Liquid Web, started in 1997 has become the leader in managed VPS hosting, managed cloud hosting, and dedicated server hosting. They are famous for their fast and high-quality support, known as ‘Heroic Support’.
All Liquid Web hosting servers are highly tuned for speed, performance, and security making it a completely hassle-free hosting solution. Their WordPress hosting option includes staging sites, automatic updates, and an intuitive dashboard to manage all your sites in one place. There’s a reason why top companies like Motorola, Red Bull, ESPN, Audi, and FedEx use Liquid Web.
Their VPS platform supports seven different operating systems, but will not work with custom systems. All software is customizable to the user’s taste, and all subscribers have access to Liquid Web’s Heroic Support Team, who are available 24/7. All VPS plans can be easily upgraded with just a click of a few buttons.
6 – Blue host
Bluehost boasts that its VPS services are both flexible and powerful. That means they allow multi-server management, hence users can add more space to their account at any time, or even a couple VPS with shared or dedicated servers.
They also use all SSD disks which (coupled with their great uptime) provides a fast and reliable experience. Provisioning occurs instantly, so there is no downtime prior to VPS launch. They use KM hypervisor to guarantee 100% access to all resources for users. While they don’t yet offer additional CPU and RAM, Bluehost’s enhanced cPanel gives you the ability to add additional storage at a moment’s notice.
Their pricing starts at $18.99 per month, which is one of the lowest we’ve seen. However, the listed prices here are a promotional offering that is for the first subscription period only. After that, the price reverts back to its normal rate. All Bluehost VPS services are covered by a 30-day money back guarantee and include 24/7 customer support.
For a low price, they offer a great amount of SSD disk space and RAM, terabytes of bandwidth, premium support, and excellent uptime compared to other VPS services.
7 – GoDaddy
Knowing when your business or websites are ready to take the leap into a VPS hosting plan can be tricky. Symptoms of outgrowing shared hosting include needing more storage space, specialized security, or dedicated computing resources, among other signs. Although the GoDaddy name might not be the first hosting provider to come to mind, the company’s VPS plans offer the same security, speed, support, and value the brand embodies in shared hosting.
A beacon of flexibility, GoDaddy offers four VPS options for both Windows and Linux plans, in addition to three levels of managed services. Our biggest complaint is that site owners are responsible for migrating their information and files to the VPS, but we appreciate that GoDaddy will provision the virtual server in minutes and take care of patching, security, monitoring, backups, and more.
Users get root access or can manage their server from the free cPanel installation. In addition to ample processing power and unmetered bandwidth, GoDaddy includes one year of a free SSL certificate and provision-free upgrades as you scale through the VPS plans:
8 – iPage
iPage VPS hosting service comes with advanced customization through optional root access. Hosting environments are completely customizable, supporting proprietary software and applications.
iPage also offers a flexible, cloud-based VPS service. Migration options are integrated seamlessly, along with instant provisioning. This gives the end user the ability to scale their site forward or back as business rises and falls. That flexibility is exactly what you want out of a VPS.
Plans range in size from 1GB of RAM up to eight, with prices rising from $19.99 per month to $79.99 per month. All plans come with a free domain, pre-installed scripts, and 24/7 support.
9 – DreamHost
DreamHost offers a number of cost-effective managed and non-managed WordPress hosting packages.
The lowest cost WordPress hosting solution is their Save Money Shared WordPress Package that is $2.59 per month. This is perfect if you’re just starting out and just want the basics to get you up and running.
If you require a managed WordPress hosting solution, then the next package up is called DreamPress that starts from $16.95 per month. The great thing with Dreamhost is that their servers grow with your website. If you require more power because your website has grown in content and traffic, then their range of packages still enables you to scale your site without having to migrate hosts.
Their package offerings range from complete beginners all the way up to experienced webmasters running very high traffic websites.
10 – Hostwinds
Hostwinds VPS features come in both managed and unmanaged varieties. Users can choose from either a Linux or Windows-based product (either one doesn’t work on both systems).
Their fully-managed VPS plans are set up instantly and backed up nightly. They use solid state drives, which are physical pieces of hardware that store user information. This ensures that should an outage or hack ever occur, all of your most valuable information is safely kept off the network.
They boast a 100% satisfaction guarantee and offer free website transfers. The company’s redundant network uptime is clocked at 99.99999%, meaning that your website will be available whenever you want it. What’s more, their extensive cloud control panel allows users to control their server from anywhere in the world.
Hostwinds’ lowest level of pricing is just $5.50 per month. That’s incredibly low, but it is also for only 1GB of RAM, which not many companies offer. Their highest package is 6GB with $25.50 per month. If you’re looking for some more power, Hostwinds also offers a number of add-on tiers.