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Best hosting for beginners 2025


If you’re just starting with hosting a website, it can be confusing trying to figure out which host is right for you. With words like CDN, PHP, web application firewalls, and content management systems thrown around in provider descriptions, it may be difficult to understand what you need exactly. To navigate this experience smoothly, I recommend choosing a reliable and beginner-friendly host, such as Hostinger.

Best web host for beginners
Hostinger is a top choice that offers one-click installations, a WordPress builder with integrated AI, a web builder, and free migration for beginner-level users.
cybernews® score
4.9 /5

In this article, my goal is to guide you through the process of choosing the best web hosting for beginners with thorough explanations and examples. After extensive testing of web hosts, I found that not many are suitable for beginners. So, to help you find the best, I collaborated with the Cybernews research team and reviewed 58 hosts. Find my top 5 beginner-friendly web hosting providers that offer easy-to-use tools, helpful support options, and affordable pricing.

Best hosting for beginners in 2025

Akvile Tamasiuniene Ieva Jociūtė author sarunas karbauskas vincentas
Why You Can Trust Cybernews

Our in-house research team and expert writers work hand in hand to regularly test hosting services and provide accurate and fact-checked information. Discover the ins and outs of how we test and evaluate website hosting providers.

58
Web hosts tested
1
Month uptime monitoring period
1748
Hours of extensive testing
Recent update
In this February 2025 update, I reviewed and updated the overviews of my recommended providers to more clearly indicate why they are the best for web hosting beginners. Regarding our latest performance tests, Hostinger gained first place in our lineup. Furthermore, I also included more detailed information on what makes a great beginner website host and clarified the Cybernews web hosting testing process.

How to choose a beginner-friendly web host

Web hosting for beginners can be simple, as numerous excellent hosting providers simplify establishing a website. Below are some key points for selecting the most suitable web host for a beginner:

  • User-friendliness. Choose a control panel that is both simple and easy to use. Also, try to avoid overly complex layouts that could hinder your experience.
  • Customer support. Look for 24/7 live support and support via email or phone. This is particularly important for beginners, as you may have numerous questions about the workflow.
  • Pricing. Don’t forget to compare the prices of different providers. Also, look for additional free features, such as a free domain, included in the pricing.
  • Compatibility. If you plan to integrate with a CMS, check if the host is compatible with your chosen system, such as WordPress.

Best web hosting for beginners – our detailed list

We reviewed 58 web hosting providers to select services that guarantee ease of use for novices, great prices, performance, and more. Without further ado, let's take a look at the best beginner-friendly web hosting providers.

1. Hostinger – best beginner-friendly web hosting overall

hostinger
Rating:
4.9
Uptime:100%
Customer support:24/7 live chat, email, knowledge base
Current deal:Get up to 81% OFF Hostinger + free months

Hostinger is the best web hosting service for beginners for various reasons. For starters, it’s cheap, starting from just $2.32/month. Moreover, it’s easy to use and is great for hosting various types of websites.

Here are the top 5 reasons why Hostinger is a great match for beginner users:

  • If you don’t have a site and want to build one, there’s an option to create a website using AI or use one of the Hostinger Website Builder templates. Moreover, guided setups simplify website creation by providing step-by-step assistance.
  • Hostinger uses a very intuitive custom panel option called hPanel. It allows you to effortlessly set up apps using one-click installers and easily navigate through security and performance settings. However, if you run into any issues, there are extensive support options available to help you.
  • The automated setup process includes installing your preferred CMS, such as WordPress, configuring SSL and other security features, and setting up a CDN. What needs to be installed manually has detailed descriptions and guides.
  • Hostinger includes all you need for your first website, including unlimited bandwidth, a custom domain name (free for the 1st year), and weekly backups.
  • Hostinger also takes care of performance optimizations by using the latest advanced server technology. The updates are also automated.

Performance. Hostinger is an ideal candidate if excellent site performance is a crucial deciding factor for you. It includes SSD storage, which is speedier than the old HDD drives. You also get the latest PHP versions and the LiteSpeed Web Server tech and caching, which helps boost website speed.

Uptime:100%
Average response time:176ms
Fully built site loading time:1.7s

Pricing. Hostinger lets you choose between 2 shared and 1 cloud hosting plan. Its prices are relatively cheap, starting from $2.32/month for a 4-year subscription. And, of course, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Overall, Hostinger’s features tick all important boxes for beginners: price, ease of use, customer service, and performance.

2. Bluehost – cheap and easy-to-use beginner host

Bluehost
Rating:
4.6
Uptime:100%
Customer support:Live chat, phone, priority ticketing (costs extra)
Current deal:Get up to 83% OFF Bluehost

Bluehost is another great provider when it comes to beginner web hosting, and for a good reason. It ensures a smooth introduction into the hosting world thanks to its intuitive interface and plans filled with essentials.

Here's why Bluehost is my favorite beginner web host:

  • User-friendly and functional cPanel combination with its own automatic management tools.
  • Bluehost’s shared hosting plans include a free custom domain, a WordPress website builder, an SSL, and at least 5 email accounts. Plus, you get to enjoy unlimited bandwidth and free CDN.
  • An intuitive website builder with beautiful responsive templates, an easy-to-use editor, and numerous features like SEO and analytics to help you with all aspects of your first site.
  • Staging environments for testing any updates to your site before going live with the changes. That way, you can catch any inconsistencies or fix issues early.

Performance. Bluehost’s testing revealed that its performance proves its trustworthiness. It’s a generally fast hosting provider, with a fully built site loading in 1.7s. However, keep in mind that the host has data centers only in the US.

Uptime:100%
Average response time:154ms
Fully built site loading time:1.7s

Pricing. With this host, you can choose from 4 shared hosting plans. The prices start from just $1.99/month. And, of course, there’s also a month-long money-back guarantee.

If you’re looking for the best host for personal website use, Bluehost’s easy management, WordPress tools, and website builder make it a formidable contender.

3. DreamHost – affordable WordPress hosting for beginners

DreamHost
Features:
4.4
Uptime:100%
Customer support:Email tickets, live chat, phone support (paid)
Current deal:Get DreamHost, now 72% OFF

DreamHost is known for its cheap and easy-to-manage shared hosting for beginners. With a beginner-friendly control panel, affordable prices, and a built-in WordPress website builder, DreamHost is one of the best solutions that you can find.

Here are the top 4 reasons why DreamHost is a great beginner host:

  • One-click WordPress installation and detailed tutorials on how to use tools and features to make the website hosting process easier.
  • All plans include a website builder – so if you want to create a website but don’t know how, DreamHost has you covered.
  • Automatic setup for the most important features, such as SSL and web app firewall, as well as CDN. With all plans, you also get unlimited bandwidth, automatic backups, and domain privacy.
  • Automated migration – if you already have a site but want to switch providers, DreamHost offers an automated migration process. You won’t have to deal with all the complexities by yourself.

Performance. Whether you’re a beginner or not, you can rely on DreamHost’s performance. It comes with a magnificent 100% uptime guarantee. Yet, its data centers are located in the US alone.

Uptime:100%
Average response time:239ms
Fully built site loading time:1.1s

Pricing. You can get DreamHost for as low as $2.59/month when getting a 36-month plan. There are 2 shared hosting subscription options available and a generous money-back guarantee of 97 days.

Such strong factors make DreamHost look like an excellent WordPress hosting solution for beginners and smaller businesses.

4. SiteGround – beginner hosting services with great performance

Siteground
Rating:
4.3
Uptime:100%
Customer support:Live chat, phone support, helpdesk tickets
Current deal:Get up to 83% OFF SiteGround + FREE TRANSFER

SiteGround is an excellent pick for those who are just beginning their website hosting journey. Thanks to its intuitive hosting panel, you’ll understand everything in no time.

Here are more reasons to choose SiteGround as a beginner:

  • An intuitive control panel with automated setup helps you install WordPress, create a professional email account, and activate the SSL certificate in a few steps.
  • All shared hosting plans come with a free domain, email accounts, free SSL certificates, and unlimited bandwidth. There’s also Cloudflare CDN and built-in caching included.

Performance. SiteGround is one of the most reliable providers when it comes to performance. You’re guaranteed an average of 100% uptime and exceptional speeds. One of the reasons is its strong technology, such as LiteSpeed web servers and Google Cloud infrastructure.

Uptime:100%
Average response time:56ms
Fully built site loading time:0.8s

Pricing. SiteGround offers 3 shared hosting plans suitable for beginner projects. You can get the entry hosting plan starting from $2.99/month with a one-year billing cycle. If it doesn’t meet your expectations, there’s always the 30-day money-back guarantee.

SiteGround’s plans offer great value for your money, with great performance and loads of features that beginners will appreciate.

5. HostGator – beginner-friendly hosting with competitive pricing

Hostgator
Rating:
4
Uptime:100%
Customer support:Live chat, phone support
Current deal:Get up to 81% OFF HostGator

HostGator is one of the most beginner-friendly shared website hosting providers. It offers a hassle-free hosting experience with an intuitive cPanel and a great customer support team. And all of this comes at competitive prices.

These are the top features that make HostGator a beginner-friendly host:

  • HostGator uses the traditional and popular cPanel together with a native user interface. Such a combo helps make the learning process very simple.
  • Setting up everything for your site is easy: with detailed descriptions and an intuitive interface, you can install and set up WordPress, SSL, domains, and other features.
  • Each of HostGator’s shared hosting plans will load you with essentials. This includes such features as an SSL certificate, a custom domain, unlimited storage, bandwidth, and email accounts.
  • You also receive a free website builder, allowing you to create a site with up to 6 pages.

Performance. With this host, you get a regular 100% uptime guarantee. And once you fully build your site, you can expect above-average loading times. The only thing worth noting is that its data centers are only in the US.

Uptime:100%
Average response time:162ms
Fully built site loading time:1.2s

Pricing. The hosting provider is not very different from other hosts when it comes to pricing structure. There are 3 pricing options available with prices starting from $2.29/month (if you get it for 3 years). As usual, there’s also a standard 30-day refund policy.

HostGator’s analysis demonstrated that it’s an impressive host suitable for beginners who want everything in one purchase – ease of use, a website builder, and essential features.

Best web hosting for beginners compared

RatingStarting priceUptimeSpeedFree domainFree SSLEmail accountsCustomer supportReview
Hostinger
4.9
$2.32/month100%176ms24/7 live chat, email, and ticketing systemHostinger review
Bluehost
4.6
$1.99/month100%154ms24/7 live chat, phone line, and ticket supportBluehost review
DreamHost
4.4
$2.59/month100%239ms24/7 email ticket system, live chat, and phone supportDreamHost review
SiteGround
4.3
$2.99/month100%56ms24/7 live chat, phone line, and helpdesk ticketsSiteGround review
HostGator
4
$2.29/month100%162ms24/7 live chat and phone lineHostGator review

How we tested beginner-friendly web hosting

To find the best beginner-friendly web hosts, the Cybernews research team and I reviewed 58 58 hosting services. Here’s a simple breakdown of our hosting testing and ranking process:

  1. Ease of use (30%). First, the research team and I compiled an initial list of providers that are generally good for beginners, with easy-to-navigate dashboards and other features. We also looked at whether there are any automation or guidelines that make starting with a host easier.
  2. Features (20%). Then, we considered the features and resources offered, such as free SSL, custom domains, other security features, and CDNs.
  3. Performance (20%). The research team tested each provider’s performance, including metrics such as uptime, server response time, site load time, and traffic handling.
  4. Support (15%). I noted what support options each provider offers and reached out to them with simple questions that a beginner may have to evaluate the responsiveness and helpfulness of the agents.
  5. Pricing (15%). Finally, I compared the price-to-quality ratio between the providers, taking into consideration all testing and evaluation results.

After we did all the evaluations, we ranked the initially chosen providers from 1 to 5 based on their test and assessment results to give you a clear understanding of which host best suits your needs.

Bottom line

Finding the right web hosting provider as a beginner can be a difficult challenge. Many web hosting options claim to be beginner-friendly, but only a handful stay true to their word. And a simple dashboard isn’t enough to make it easy for beginners.

Hosts should also offer dependable customer support and plans with hosting essentials, such as a free domain and SSL certificate. For this reason, we tested dozens of services to help you pick the friendliest option for novice users.

My top recommendation is Hostinger. It guarantees a very intuitive control panel, excellent performance, and all of the essentials for a great price. However, apart from Hostinger, there are a number of other strong alternatives on the list to choose from.

Beginner web hosting FAQ

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