Website hosting services comparison: alternatives to Bluehost
I have used and recommended Bluehost website hosting for years, but lately it’s been apparent that it’s time to look for an alternative. Their support used to be excellent, but I noticed it suddenly went downhill last year, and several Bluehost users have also experienced issues with site speed and downtime. One of my clients on Bluehost had a malware issue last year, and getting it resolved was a nightmare. Plus, their recently redesigned customer dashboard is buggy and makes it hard to find things. Below is an overview of several popular website hosting services, listed from least to most expensive. As with anything, you get what you pay for with website hosting. If having a reliable website is essential to your business, this is not the place to skimp on costs. I have personally not used these services except where mentioned and I am not an affiliate for any of these companies. Note: Most hosting providers will offer a low monthly fee for the first year, and then the rate increases. Be sure to read the fine print so you know what you can expect to pay after that initial promotional period. Also note: I didn't include GoDaddy here. I used them prior to Bluehost and moved away from them for various reasons, including poor support. Some of my clients do use GoDaddy and have had no major issues, but they would not be my first choice. TMD Hosting I recently helped someone who had an issue with a site hosted by TMD Hosting. I ended up needing to submit a support ticket and I was impressed by how quickly their support responded and resolved the issue. The client said they have been wonderful and always quick to respond, and the company has a 4.3 average rating on Google. A starter plan, which includes one website, is $9.99 / month with a promotional rate of $2.99 / month for the first year. This includes a free SSL certificate and one-click staging. Pros: Great rates and free SSL certificates on all plans Possible cons: Some reviews say they were unable to cancel their auto-renewal and still got charged after trying to cancel their plan, but this sort of thing could be attributed to user error. Given the overall positive reviews, great rates, and my personal (but brief) experience with their support, I would personally feel comfortable giving them a try. Cloudways Cloudways has generally good reviews, with plans starting at...
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