Best Web Hosting for Beginners: 6 Cheap and User-Friendly Hosts

That’s why I’ve put together this guide about web hosting for beginners and how to find the right platform for your next project. I’ve focused on what actually matters when you’re just starting out – things like how easy it is to set up your site, manage it, and the helpful features that make the whole process less stressful.

I’ll walk you through the criteria I used to choose these options, and then we’ll dive into the top hosting picks, one by one. Let’s get started!

What makes for the best web hosting for beginners?

When I put together this list, I focused on the features that make web hosting as stress-free as possible for someone just starting out. Here’s what I looked for:

One-click website installers

As a beginner, you want to get your website up and running fast, without diving into complicated setups. That’s why one-click installers are a must. They let you install WordPress (or whatever platform you’re using) by simply filling out a few basic details, and the installer takes care of the rest. No need to mess with code or settings – just click, and you’re good to go.

User-friendly dashboard

Building your site is just the first step – you’ll also need to manage it later on. A beginner-friendly host should have a dashboard that makes this easy, even if you have no technical experience. You’ll use the dashboard to handle things like email accounts, backups, and SSL certificates, which protect your site’s data. The hosts on this list all offer intuitive dashboards where you can manage these features without feeling lost.

Useful features like email hosting

You’ll probably want more than just a website. Having a custom email address, like you@yoursite.com, adds professionalism to your online presence. The best beginner-friendly hosts should make it easy to create and manage your email, along with handling other basics like domain management. All the hosts I’ve picked give you simple tools to do just that.

Affordable pricing

As someone starting out, you don’t need to break the bank on hosting. You can always upgrade later, but it’s important to start with something affordable while you get the hang of things. Most of the hosts on our list cost less than $10 per month – some of them even less than $3 – giving you plenty of value without the steep price tag.

Good documentation and support

No matter how beginner-friendly a host is, there’s a good chance you’ll still have questions. That’s why I looked for hosts that offer solid documentation to walk you through common tasks, and 24/7 customer support in case you get stuck. Having a friendly, knowledgeable support team to lean on is a huge plus when you’re just learning the ropes.

Performance you can count on

Here at WPShout, we’ve been testing web hosts for years, so we have long-term performance data on each of these providers. Website speed and reliability matter, even for beginners, because no one wants a slow or constantly down website. The hosts chosen have proven to offer great performance, so you don’t have to worry about frustrating slowdowns or outages.

Positive user feedback

We don’t just rely on our own testing – we’ve also been collecting feedback from real users through surveys. This helps us understand which hosts beginners actually like using. I’ve factored that feedback into the recommendations, so you can feel confident knowing that these options are appreciated by others who were in the same position as you.

Hand-picked top hosts for beginners 🙌

Here’s the final lineup that I believe are the best web hosts for beginners that the market has to offer today:

(Note; includes Black Friday pricing for 2024.)

Bluehost

If you’re just getting started with building a website, Bluehost is one of the easiest options out there. I’ve personally found their setup process to be super simple.

They do offer one-click WordPress installation, as many hosts do these days, but the ease of use also goes further once your initial signup is done. No need to wrestle with complex configurations – it’s all designed to be beginner-friendly. Their custom control panel makes it easy to manage everything from your domain to email without feeling overwhelmed.

One thing everyone really appreciates about Bluehost is how affordable it is to get started. For just $1.99 a month to start, you get the hosting and also a free domain for the first year. That’s a great deal for beginners. Just keep in mind, the renewal price goes up to $7.99 a month after the first term. Still, it’s great value, considering you can host up to 10 websites.

On top of that, you get features that make your website look professional right from the start, like the ability to set up custom email addresses using your domain. Plus, there’s 24/7 customer support, which is always helpful.

Overall, Bluehost is a solid option that strikes a great balance between ease of use, affordability, and reliable performance. With a user rating of 7.10 in our survey, it’s clear that plenty of others have had positive experiences with them as well.

Top features for beginners:

• Affordable pricing: Starts at $1.99 per month with a free domain for the first year.
• One-click WordPress installation: Get your site up in minutes with zero hassle.
• User-friendly control panel: Manage your site easily, even if you’re new to all this.

Uptime over the last three months 𝒾We track the performance metrics of each of our test setups continuously. This includes their load times from multiple locations around the globe, and uptime percentage over the years. See the live status page of Bluehost linked below.

Load times this month

Flywheel

Flywheel is a great option if you’re building a WordPress site specifically, and want a hassle-free experience with premium support. Their dashboard is incredibly easy to navigate (my favorite), designed specifically for beginners who don’t want to get bogged down in technical details. Managing your website feels simple, with an intuitive interface that keeps everything in one place.

Setting up a WordPress site with Flywheel is as seamless as can be. They handle the technical stuff, so you can get your website up and running without dealing with it. Another feature most users appreciate is one-click staging – you can create a copy of your site to test changes before making them live, which is perfect for experimenting without risk. Flywheel also automatically backs up your site every day, so you can rest easy knowing you won’t lose any progress.

Security is a top priority, with free SSL certificates (which is the standard these days) and proactive malware monitoring. On top of that, their 24/7 customer support team consists of WordPress experts, so you can get reliable help anytime you need it. Flywheel also offers free professional site migrations, so moving an existing WordPress site to their platform is a smooth process.

One downside is that Flywheel doesn’t offer email hosting or domain registration, which means you’ll need to handle those through separate providers. While their pricing starts at $13.00 per month (and doesn’t jump up after the first term), it’s higher than typical shared hosting.

Top features for beginners:

• User-friendly dashboard: Manage your site easily with an intuitive, clean interface.
• One-click WordPress setup: Get your site live quickly without technical hassles.
• Daily backups and security monitoring: Security and peace of mind with automatic backups and site protection.
• One-click staging: Safely test changes before making them live.
• 24/7 expert support: WordPress-specific support available whenever you need help.

Uptime over the last three months 𝒾We track the performance metrics of each of our test setups continuously. This includes their load times from multiple locations around the globe, and uptime percentage over the years. See the live status page of Flywheel linked below.

Load times this month

SiteGround

If you’re looking for a hosting provider that balances simplicity with solid performance, SiteGround is a great place to start. One thing that sets them apart is their custom-built Site Tools control panel. It’s designed to be super intuitive, so even if you’ve never managed a website before, you’ll find it easy to handle everything from your site and domains to emails, all in one place. No technical skills are required.

Getting your site set up is also easy with SiteGround’s Website Setup Wizard. It walks you through the process step-by-step, whether you’re building a site from scratch or transferring one from another host. They also offer one-click installations for WordPress. Also for WordPress users, their WordPress Starter Plugin is a real timesaver, guiding you through theme selection and plugin setup if you’re coming to this with a plan to build a totally new site.

Security is another area where SiteGround shines. They include a free SSL certificate with all plans, and they automatically back up your site daily. Plus, their AI anti-bot system helps protect your site from malicious attacks. These security features are particularly helpful for beginners who might not know how to handle these concerns on their own.

On the pricing front, SiteGround’s plans start at $2.99 per month, which is a good deal for the range of features they offer. Just note that after your first term, it renews at $17.99 per month. This plan allows for 10 GB of storage and supports around 10,000 monthly visits. It is valid for only one site, though.

A downside is that SiteGround doesn’t include a free domain with their hosting plans, so you’ll need to factor in the cost of buying a domain separately. Still, with a high user rating of 8.33, it’s clear that beginners appreciate SiteGround’s ease of use and reliability.

Top features for beginners:

• Site Tools control panel: Simplifies website and email management with an intuitive interface.
• Website setup wizard: Step-by-step guidance for setting up or migrating your site.
• Daily backups: Automatic backups keep your site safe in case something goes wrong.
• 24/7 customer support: Responsive support that’s always available to help when you need it.

Uptime over the last three months 𝒾We track the performance metrics of each of our test setups continuously. This includes their load times from multiple locations around the globe, and uptime percentage over the years. See the live status page of SiteGround linked below.

Load times this month

Hostinger

Hostinger stands out as one of the more affordable web hosting options available, without compromising on essential features. With plans starting at just $1.95 per month, it’s a great choice for beginners who want to keep costs low while still getting everything they need to launch a website. Even though the renewal price is $7.99 per month, you still get impressive value with support for 100 websites, and bandwidth that handles around 25,000 monthly visits.

Managing your website with Hostinger is straightforward, thanks to their custom-built control panel, hPanel. It’s designed to be easy to navigate, allowing you to manage domains, emails, and files without getting lost in technical details.

Plus, they’ve integrated the Zyro website builder, which comes with a drag-and-drop interface and AI tools to help you create a professional-looking site, even if you don’t have any coding experience.

For added value, Hostinger includes a free domain name for the first year, as well as a free SSL certificate for securing your site. Custom email addresses like you@yourdomain.com are also easy to set up, giving your website a more professional feel right from the start.

And if you ever need help, Hostinger’s 24/7 live chat support is there to assist, along with a library of tutorials to guide you through common issues.

Top features for beginners:

• Affordable pricing: Starts at $1.95 per month with great value for your first term.
• User-friendly hPanel: Simplifies website management without technical jargon.
• Free domain: Comes included for the first year.
• Zyro website builder: A drag-and-drop builder that makes site creation easy, even for beginners.

Uptime over the last three months 𝒾We track the performance metrics of each of our test setups continuously. This includes their load times from multiple locations around the globe, and uptime percentage over the years. See the live status page of Hostinger linked below.

Load times this month

DreamHost

DreamHost is an excellent choice for beginners who want flexibility, ease of use, and no surprises with bandwidth. Their shared hosting plans actually come with unlimited bandwidth, meaning your site can (theoretically) handle as many visitors as you need. Plus, with 50 GB of storage, you’ll have enough space to comfortably host most beginner websites.

If you’re using WordPress, DreamHost makes the process easy with one-click installations and a free automated migration plugin for those transferring a site from another host. Their custom control panel is also straightforward and user-friendly, so you won’t feel lost when managing your site, domains, or email accounts.

DreamHost may not include a free domain name with their basic plan, but they pack in a lot of value with features like a free SSL certificate for site security, automated daily backups, and free domain privacy protection – all great tools for keeping your site safe. And with their generous 97-day money-back guarantee, you have plenty of time to test their services without any financial risk.

While DreamHost doesn’t offer phone support as a standard option, they do provide 24/7 live chat and email support, so help is always available when you need it. With a solid user rating of 7.58, DreamHost is a reliable option that gives beginners the tools they need to get started with confidence.

Top features for beginners:

• Unlimited bandwidth: No worrying about traffic limits…again, theoretically.
• One-click WordPress installs: Quick and easy site setup without technical hassles.
• Free domain privacy: Protect your personal information when registering your domain.
• 97-day money-back guarantee: Try DreamHost with peace of mind.

Uptime over the last three months 𝒾We track the performance metrics of each of our test setups continuously. This includes their load times from multiple locations around the globe, and uptime percentage over the years. See the live status page of DreamHost linked below.

Load times this month

Namecheap

If you’re just starting out and want something that’s both easy on your wallet and simple to use, Namecheap is a great option. They offer one-click installs for platforms like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal, which is always a good thing. They also use cPanel, which is the standard among web hosting panels, so managing your site, domains, and emails feels very easy.

One of the things I really appreciate about Namecheap is how affordable it is, especially for beginners. Their plans start at just $1.58 per month, which is one of the lowest out there. Even when we look at the long-term price of hosting with them, it’s still in a class of its own (which I talked about in this separate post).

If you’re not familiar with coding, Namecheap has your back with their drag-and-drop website builder, too. You can design a great-looking site using their customizable templates without touching a line of code. Plus, they make it easy to set up custom email addresses.

On top of that, Namecheap offers 24/7 live chat support, and their 30-day money-back guarantee also gives you plenty of time to try them out risk-free. Keep in mind they don’t include a free domain with their lower-priced plans.

Top features for beginners:

• One-click installs: Get your website live in minutes without technical headaches.
• User-friendly cPanel: Easily manage your site, domains, and email accounts.
• Affordable pricing: Starts at just $1.58 per month, making it one of the most budget-friendly options.

Uptime over the last three months 𝒾We track the performance metrics of each of our test setups continuously. This includes their load times from multiple locations around the globe, and uptime percentage over the years. See the live status page of Namecheap linked below.

Load times this month

Which is going to be the best solution for your needs?

I know this is not an easy question, so if you’re having trouble finding an answer, here’s a master comparison table that highlights all the key details about each of these hosts:

Which web host sounds like the best fit for you? If you’re a beginner, I’d love to hear what features matter most to you when choosing a web host. Leave a comment below with your thoughts or any questions you have – I’m here to help!