WordPress hosting guide

WordPress hosting guide

There is a lot to consider when choosing a host for your WordPress site.  Of course, you don’t have to self-host your site as outlined in this post on How to Install WordPress.  If you do choose to self-host WordPress, you’ll need a hosting provider.  However, not all hosts are created equal and there are [...]

Author : Cyrus

Author's Website | Articles from Cyrus

Cyrus is the founder of Dzinesoup.com and editor of a number of other design related blogs including Pingable.org. He is a social worker in Burlington, VT and a community consultant.

There is a lot to consider when choosing a host for your WordPress site.  Of course, you don’t have to self-host your site as outlined in this post on How to Install WordPress.  If you do choose to self-host WordPress, you’ll need a hosting provider.  However, not all hosts are created equal and there are a number of parameters that need to be considered. WordPress.org has a hosting suggestion page which currently includes:

If you choose to look further than the WordPress sponsored hosting partners, use the following criteria to make your selection.

Meet the basic server requirements

Many hosts meet the minimum requirements for hosting WordPress, but not all.  They include:

  • PHP version 4.3 or greater although version 5.2 is recommended
  • MySQL version 4.1.2 or greater although version 5.2 is recommended
  • Mod_rewrite Apache module
  • A Linux based platform with either Apache or NGINX

The official WordPress requirements page suggests sending an email to hosts you are considering working with to make sure they meet the requirements.

That’s all WordPress.org has to say.  We have more suggestions when searching for a host.

Excellent Support

  • Peruse the forums and see what kind of support is given.  Dead threads and complaining customers is a big red flag.
  • Look for 24/7 support, an indication the host is dedicated to the business they’re in.
  • Live chat support is a big help and suggests the host is there to help and backs up their service
  • Give them a test.  Send a pre-sales support question – maybe asking how their servers meet the WordPress hosting requirements and note the response time and tone of their response.

Site design

We don’t mean to be design snobs, but if a web host can’t even manage their own website, how can they be expected to support you in managing your own?

Look closely

Does the web host have advertisements, unrelated text links or skeezy operations meant to build links but not necessarily customers?  These are all signs of a host that is not operating ethically.

Hosting other WordPress sites

Look at your favorite WordPress powered blogs and use this tool to find out who’s hosting them.

Look for these key features

  • They offer one-click WordPress installation like Fantastico
  • They offer unlimited MySQL databases (for running lots of WordPress sites)
  • They support WordPressMu (just ask them)
  • They support AJAX

Based on everything, we recommend these hosts in addition to the ones listed above:

Our Recommended WordPress Hosts

Additional resources:

Image credit: Verseone.com
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Use the same Wordpress theme as us:


47 Other Comments

User Comments


  1. WebDesign Orange County
    January 30, 2010

    Great styles. Thanks for sharing!
    WebDesign Orange County´s last blog ..Get Paid NOW Taking Free Surveys – A New Program That Works

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  2. Matthew Heidenreich
    January 30, 2010

    I see the glossy/shiny graphics element of 2.0 starting to fade away. Now when i come across a site with big glossy icons, i find it tacky. Thought this is strange, since just a couple years ago it seemed that it was a necessary element of your design. While i still feel glossy is good in some cases, it’s getting a lot more subtle than it used to be back when the 2.0 craze started.
    Matthew Heidenreich´s last blog ..Showcase of 50 Outstanding Abstract Vector Designs

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  3. Mark
    January 30, 2010

    I love the depth and perception example; I’ve never seen that done before. It would look amazing in a nice deep colored blue IMHO.
    Mark´s last blog ..Video from the Fresh Prince.

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  4. Kevin
    January 30, 2010

    While I agree with most of your points (especially typography, large images, and depth/perspective), the web 2.0 arena has warn it’s welcome. If anything, simplistic designs with the trends you described are replacing it.

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  5. akam
    January 31, 2010

    wow really so nice…………bravo

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  6. Nijiko Yonskai
    January 31, 2010

    I like the simple :<

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  7. Vladimir Remenar
    January 31, 2010

    I would make a prominent place for white space usage. Designer are exploring and using white space more effectively than ever. Just take a look at Drawar, Andy Ruthledge’s Design View, Astheria and 52 Weeks of UX.
    Vladimir Remenar´s last blog ..Hacking websites: The Series

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  8. BigM75
    January 31, 2010

    mir is nicht ganz der sinn des artikels klar

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  9. Theo
    January 31, 2010

    Very interesting.
    Thank you for this article!
    Theo´s last blog ..Suchmaschinen-Optimierung, der Weg nach vorn

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  10. ferizaenal
    February 1, 2010

    thanks… :)

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  11. Webstandard-Blog
    February 1, 2010

    Nice overview, but all of them were already trends in 2009. So we have to see, if something “new” is coming into 2010?
    Webstandard-Blog´s last blog ..Navigation Menu made by jQuery – Best of Tutorials

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  12. sarbartha
    February 1, 2010

    I thought that I will experience something interesting over the list of design trend 2010.
    sarbartha´s last blog ..iPad CONTEST: 3 Chance to win a FREE Apple Tablet

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  13. Serge
    February 1, 2010

    Nice showcase!

    a lot of inspiration

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  14. insic
    February 1, 2010

    Interesting post about web design trend.
    insic´s last blog ..Stunning & Inspiring HD Wallpapers for your Desktop

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  15. Cher Cabula
    February 1, 2010

    Great Read! Thanks for sharing!
    Cher Cabula´s last blog ..Project 365 January Roundup

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  16. Erotik Sohbet, Webcam Şov
    February 1, 2010

    2010 blogları çok güzelmiş. tşk.

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  17. Ian Devlin
    February 1, 2010

    Interesting list, thanks for that.
    Ian Devlin´s last blog ..iandevlin.com mentioned on Web Design Ledger

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  18. Tim from Rototiller
    February 1, 2010

    I am a customer of Godaddy. It is the number one place online to get your domain and hosting account. It usually costs about $10.00 to get your domain and then it is yours for life, or for as long as you choose to renew it every year.



  19. Claudio Rimann
    February 1, 2010

    i like the designs you showcased. but in one point i disagree. web 2.0 is – imho – much more than just a “design trend” or how a website looks. it’s the whole concept of interaction between creator and consumer, which changed the web to version 2.0, not only the look and feel of it.

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  20. jeprie
    February 2, 2010

    Nice article. I really agree with the one page trend.
    jeprie´s last blog ..Membuat Poster Wanted Bergaya Koboi dengan Sobekan Kertas

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  21. AnggaRifandi
    February 2, 2010

    Thanks for this great article and resources :)
    AnggaRifandi´s last blog ..Wallpaper Blogger in Your Own Word

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  22. Anggayasha
    February 2, 2010

    Yes, web with large image quite popular for now.

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  23. Andrew M
    February 2, 2010

    I guess it depends on how you define trends. What you describe here are random observations of the past. Any possible trends happened years ago. The Web 2.0 look and feel was a trend overt two years ago.

    This article stats the obvious and provides no insight and little value. Your title must have been created for SEO purposes as it has all of the buzz words – 2010, trends, etc. although your content does not deliver.

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  24. Nate G
    February 2, 2010

    Agreed.

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  25. Web Design Maidstone
    February 2, 2010

    Some really nice insights

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  26. Don-nash
    February 3, 2010

    thanks for the sharing

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  27. website ontwerp
    February 3, 2010

    Very great overview! I personally like the simple and typography stuff as todays trends. Like designwise, grafik and sanguine. Keep it up!

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  28. Josh Kohlbach
    February 3, 2010

    From what I can tell as far as trends for 2010 go the concentration seems to be on two main things:

    - Nice big headers that are pretty, but more importantly, functional.
    - Ample use of whitespace to promote clarity

    I’m not sure the content here describes trends as such, but they sure are a nice collection of inspiring designs.
    Josh Kohlbach´s last blog ..The Lazy Mans Guide To Designing Your Customer’s Website

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  29. DesignDef
    February 4, 2010

    Thanks for a great compilation of these blogs. I have been reading regularly from a few of these but there are some that i missed. :)

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  30. Kris Harris
    February 4, 2010

    Coming from a web design company myself we are getting more customers wanting blogs for their sites or want us to re-design their existing. Seeing these blogs have given us some great ideas for our future customers. Thanks.

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  31. Ted Rex
    February 4, 2010

    Thanks for that post. I made this one of my three links today on my Design Thought for the Day blog:
    http://designthoughtfortheday.blogspot.com/2010/02/02-04-blog-design-trends-great.html

    All the best, Ted

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  32. Dainis Graveris
    February 4, 2010

    Thank you! Great to see your appreciation for this research! Thanks to Cyrus!

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  33. Dainis Graveris
    February 4, 2010

    Hey, good point though you should agree it’s hard to define what’s really new in Year 2010, because big trends will stay all the time, they just will change – for example web 2.0 is staying more subtle, but trend as name is still staying.

    This article tries to define and show some new and subtle changes which could be interesting to notice.

    I am sorry if you were expecting more than you received. We definitely try our best to deliver.

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  34. Edward Julio B. Tuppil
    February 5, 2010

    IEMAI was the best… A very Nice Concept… Really Cool… Everythings Nice and great!!! :X

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  35. agel
    February 5, 2010

    Great, thanks for sharing.

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  36. andrew
    February 6, 2010

    Wow nice to see the new web3.0 trends already.
    andrew´s last blog ..Free ashampoo winoptimizer 6

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  37. David Ingledow
    February 7, 2010

    Web 3.0 is going to be brilliant. I’m starting to look at AJAX as well! I still can’t believe that there are a lot of sites that are still distinctly Web 1.0!?!?!?!?!

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  38. David Ingledow
    February 7, 2010

    Agree with Ian Devlin – your logo really stood out to me!

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  39. Duvvar Design
    February 8, 2010

    web 2.0 finished,
    welcome to web 3.0 ;)
    this is thank you.. :)

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  40. Rommel from Man and a Van London
    February 9, 2010

    I’m a customer of EUK hosting. I have found some of the requirements listed in this post. Is that mean I have the right provider for installing wordpress?



  41. Simon
    February 10, 2010

    I would assume so, but as I am not with them there is no way to know. You could try contacting them.



  42. wien
    February 12, 2010

    very nice article, thanks

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  43. SM
    February 12, 2010

    Nice collection. Thanks
    SM´s last blog ..Новое доменное имя блога

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  44. KARTHIK KUMAR
    February 16, 2010

    Nice Designs thanks.

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  45. KARTHIK KUMAR
    February 16, 2010

    Nice designs. Will try some.
    KARTHIK KUMAR´s last blog ..Dolphin declared as National water animal of India

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  46. web designing companies delhi
    February 25, 2010

    really its awesome ….
    very useful for designing

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  47. Print Create
    February 25, 2010

    Looking Ahead to Print Design in 2010…

    I recently ran across a blog that talks a little bit about web advances that have lead to design changes online. It also talks a lot about elements of design that cross over from web design to print design. You can read Design Trends among Blogs to see…

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  48. keith from Find Blog Ideas
    February 28, 2010

    I’ve never used a hosting plan before My blogs have been hosted by blogger and I just linked my own domain up to my blog, good points here and probably good to know for the future.



  49. FreshDesigns
    March 9, 2010

    Its indisputable how technology changed. Even the simplest of websites have evolved throughout the years.

    I remember the first Internet where websites were only text – now we have dynamic portals, flash animated websites and what more. Technology has changed everything and its evolution will never end – as long as its used for the good of the people and not vice-versa.

    This comment was originally posted on 1stwebdesigner – Love In Design



  50. rene
    May 4, 2010

    I’ve been wanting to move to WordPress engine on their blogs, and even thought that they could be some difficulty with the choice of hosting, thank you for your helpful advice.


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