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Why are we publishing a comparison of the best WordPress hosts? As a hosting provider ourselves, we know the biased reality of this industry. When you search for “best WordPress host”, you’re sent around in circles from one comparison to the next – all paid for directly by the companies featured in them. The sums involved are substantial, especially for a top-3 spot. We’ve taken it upon ourselves to produce a comparison that includes all the major players in WordPress hosting. We’ve gathered important criteria that are usually left out of sponsored rankings. Of course, we believe in the quality of our own WordPress hosting – but this comparison is based above all on facts. Judge for yourself 🙂
What you need to know about WordPress hosts
Some hosts offer attractive deals with a free domain and advanced features. But once the promotional period ends, the standard price kicks in and the limitations become apparent, such as:
- the number of sites you can host
- insufficient hardware resources
- domain renewal rates above the market average
- expensive premium WP plugins
Web hosting has an environmental cost. We’ve evaluated hosts against concrete, universally applicable criteria:
- Energy efficiency (PUE): the efficiency of the data centres
- Heat reuse (ERF): the recovery of wasted energy
- Electricity sources: the share of renewable energy used
- Electricity production: energy generated by the host itself
- Server lifespan: the reduction of electronic waste
- Local sourcing: components manufactured in Europe
- CO2 offsetting: the neutralisation of emissions
Our goal is to give you a transparent view of what hosting providers are actually committed to – beyond the marketing.
Table of Contents
- Performance: should you choose shared WordPress hosting or a cloud server?
- Infomaniak – WordPress hosting review
- IONOS – WordPress hosting review
- OVHcloud – WordPress hosting review
- Gandi – WordPress hosting review
- Hostinger – WordPress hosting review
- o2switch – WordPress hosting review
- Conclusion – which is the best WordPress host?
Performance: should you choose shared WordPress hosting or a cloud server?
All the hosts featured in this comparison deliver excellent performance as a general rule. Bear one key principle in mind: their configurations can vary considerably, as we detail below – but it’s the optimisation of your own site that will make the biggest difference above all else. So which type of hosting should you go for?
Shared hosting is the ideal entry point for everyone. It lets you host a site at low cost by sharing a server’s resources with other users. It’s the perfect solution for small websites, blogs, showcase sites, or online shops that don’t need dedicated resources. During periods of high traffic, however, performance may be affected, as resources are distributed across multiple sites.
Cloud hosting is the logical choice for an established site or a project that you know will require scalable resources. Unlike shared hosting, it provides dedicated resources that can dynamically adapt to demand – based on traffic, database size, or the applications in use. It’s the ideal solution for high-traffic sites, online shops, and projects requiring high availability.
Infomaniak – WordPress hosting review
About Infomaniak
Infomaniak is an independent company founded in Switzerland in 1994 and not listed on the stock exchange. It is a leader in eco-friendly hosting. Its business model is built on protecting the privacy of user data.
Advantages of Infomaniak for WordPress
Free (unlimited) access to the Divi theme for WordPress and to themes from Elegant Themes – to create sophisticated websites from over 2,600 page layouts. The Bloom and Monarch plugins are also included at no extra cost, adding marketing and social sharing features.
Installing and managing your WordPress site
The Infomaniak Manager simplifies the setup and management of sites (up to 20 sites on the basic hosting plan). WordPress installation is fully automated with a single click. The built-in WebFTP access lets you quickly edit files such as robots.txt without needing an external FTP client.
Infomaniak’s WordPress performance
Infomaniak prioritises stability and reliability above all else:
Infomaniak’s servers operate at an average of 40% of their capacity, which allows them to absorb traffic spikes. Dedicated database servers improve the processing speed of WordPress requests.
WordPress security and backups
Infomaniak offers enhanced security that’s accessible even for beginners. On one hand, DDoS protection alongside antivirus and anti-malware systems guard against online threats. On the other, potential WordPress vulnerabilities are detected by a built-in security scanner and patched without requiring any action from the user. Daily backups with a 7+30-day retention period provide additional protection, with automatic restoration that simplifies site recovery in the event of an issue (or accidental change).
Infomaniak’s customer support
Infomaniak’s support is available 7 days a week from 6am to 9pm, provided by continuously trained teams based in Switzerland (Geneva and Winterthur). This proximity fosters a strong understanding of European customers’ needs. Infomaniak’s support FAQ is widely recognised and helps users resolve most issues quickly.
Infomaniak’s environmental commitments
Infomaniak’s commitment to the environment has been total since 2007:
PUE indicator: Infomaniak’s infrastructure PUE energy efficiency rating is 1.06 – one of the best figures in the world (global average: 1.7 in 2024).
Heat reuse (ERF): Infomaniak captures the waste heat (which would otherwise escape from servers into the atmosphere) in its new D4 data centre, targeting a factor of 0.95 – meaning nearly 100% of the energy released is reused to heat a residential neighbourhood (6,000 homes).
Renewable energy: Infomaniak runs entirely on certified renewable electricity, part of which is produced directly by its own solar power plants.
Equipment lifespan: server lifespans are extended to 15 years thanks to Infomaniak’s virtualisation technologies.
Local sourcing: the SSDs used in Infomaniak’s servers and the panels for its photovoltaic plants are manufactured in Europe.
Greenhouse gas emissions offsetting: every year since 2017, Infomaniak has offset 200% of its CO2 emissions.
Infomaniak shared server pricing
- Starting price: €69 excl. VAT/year (Standard plan)
- Disc space: 250 GB SSD
Infomaniak cloud server pricing
- Starting price: CHF 461 excl. VAT/year (Cloud 1 plan)
- CPU: 2 vCPU
- RAM: 6 GB
- Storage: 100 GB SSD
What users think of Infomaniak
Reviews of Infomaniak are generally positive, with users expressing strong satisfaction across several areas:
- Reliability and stability: consistent performance with no major outages.
- Environmental commitment: exclusive use of renewable energy and CO2 offsetting.
- Intuitive interface: simplified service management.
Feedback on the support team is also largely positive:
- Available 7 days a week from 6am to 11pm.
- Fast and effective responses, generally within 24 hours.
- Multilingual support based in Switzerland.
A few recurring criticisms do emerge, however:
- Longer wait times during periods of high demand.
- No 24/7 support, except on certain premium plans.
IONOS – WordPress hosting review
About IONOS
IONOS (formerly 1&1) is a publicly listed company formed through multiple mergers and acquisitions, belonging to the German group United Internet AG, which is controlled by its founder (majority shareholder).
Advantages of IONOS for WordPress
IONOS offers a proprietary caching plugin (available on premium plans) integrated directly into its servers, which optimises resource allocation and improves load times without requiring any manual input from the user.
Installing and managing your WordPress site
IONOS WordPress hosting includes a single site. WordPress installation is automatic and connecting a domain name is straightforward. The domain is included for the first year, after which it becomes chargeable at rates higher than those of Infomaniak. The hosting includes WebFTP access for making quick edits to specific files – such as robots.txt – without needing to install additional software (an FTP client).
IONOS’s WordPress performance
IONOS hosting performance is divided into several tiers (levels 3, 4, and 5). In practice, this complicates the task of estimating your resource needs as your site evolves and traffic grows – especially since IONOS provides no real-time monitoring indicators to check this. These tiers introduce an element of guesswork when it comes to choosing the right resources for your WordPress site. The uncertainty is compounded by the fact that with shared hosting, resources are by definition already limited.
You can speed up international page loading by activating a CDN package provided as an add-on by Cloudflare (€2.50 excl. VAT/month). It caches a static version of your site across a global server network, delivering content from the server closest to your visitors.
WordPress security and backups
IONOS WordPress hosting includes malware detection (on the most expensive tier only), but without managing automatic threat removal or patching security vulnerabilities. IONOS includes automatic daily backups with a six-day data retention period. You can automatically restore the WordPress installation and database from the hosting control panel. The paid JetPack plugin plan also adds real-time backups, included free for the first year only. After that, it becomes chargeable, and the cost alone exceeds that of the basic hosting plan.
IONOS’s customer support
IONOS customer support is based in Germany with decentralised teams across Europe and the USA. Available 24/7 by phone, chat, and email. Support is provided in German, English, French, and Italian. IONOS also offers a knowledge base and tutorials.
IONOS’s environmental commitments
IONOS highlights its sustainability commitments and efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, including optimising infrastructure energy efficiency, using exclusively renewable energy, and offsetting all greenhouse gas emissions. However, several points deserve closer attention:
The PUE energy efficiency indicator for IONOS’s infrastructure sits between 1.20 and 1.72, while the global average in 2024 stands at 1.7. By comparison, Infomaniak optimises its infrastructure to achieve a PUE of 1.06 (infomaniak.com).
Waste heat reuse (ERF) is not rolled out across the organisation. It is carried out only on a limited and experimental basis.
Renewable energy production via solar plants is similarly limited to a handful of installations.
The server lifespan and the origin of components remain unclear. Verifying whether hardware is locally sourced is not possible.
IONOS shared server pricing
- Starting price: €72 excl. VAT/year (Starter plan)
- Disc space: 25 GB SSD
IONOS cloud server pricing
- Starting price: €144 excl. VAT/year (VPS Basic plan)
- CPU: 2 cores
- RAM: 4 GB
- Storage: 80 GB SSD
What users think of IONOS
Online user reviews of IONOS highlight several recurring concerns:
- Pricing opacity: prices can increase significantly after a few months (up to double or triple).
- Aggressive sales tactics: strong pressure to subscribe to additional services.
- Lack of transparency: renewal terms are not always clearly communicated.
On the support side, reviews are mixed, with particular mentions of:
- Persistent issues dating back to the 1&1 era: complex account management, poorly handled migrations, confusing interface.
- Long wait times to get a response.
- Inconsistent service quality depending on who you speak to.
- Lack of follow-up on reported issues.
OVHcloud – WordPress hosting review
About OVHcloud
OVHcloud is a French company specialising in cloud computing and web hosting. Founded in 1999, it is one of the few European players with a global infrastructure. The majority stake is held by its founder Octave Klaba and his family, with a portion of the capital listed on the stock exchange.
Advantages of OVHcloud for WordPress
What sets OVHcloud apart is the ability to choose the location of your hosting from several data centres around the world – a rare option on the market.
Installing and managing your WordPress site
OVHcloud offers a one-click installation module for WordPress, simplifying site setup. The basic plan supports a single site with 100 GB of storage. Shared hosting plans use SSD NVMe discs on certain ranges, while others still run on the slower SATA standard (OVHcloud Documentation). The domain is included for the first year only. WebFTP access via Net2ftp is included, allowing you to edit files such as robots.txt directly from a browser.
OVHcloud’s WordPress performance
OVHcloud WordPress hosting performance depends on three configuration tiers. However, this segmentation makes it harder to continuously assess your resource requirements. Upgrading adds CPU cores and RAM, but resources are not guaranteed on the entry-level plan.
A CDN is available, but only on higher-tier plans (OVHcloud).
WordPress security and backups
OVHcloud includes anti-malware protection, but does not provide a tool to automatically patch security vulnerabilities.
Backups are automatic but vary in frequency depending on the plan (once a week on the entry-level plan, daily on higher tiers). Backup retention is just 7 days, compared to 7+30 days at Infomaniak. OVHcloud requires several manual steps for restoration via database management tools, unlike Infomaniak and IONOS which offer fully automated solutions for site recovery.
OVHcloud’s customer support
OVHcloud’s customer support is primarily based in Europe and available in French, English, Spanish, and German. It operates via online documentation, a ticketing system, and telephone assistance (for higher-tier plans only). OVHcloud provides tutorials to help users configure and manage their hosting independently.
OVHcloud’s environmental commitments
On the most important indicators, here is what OVHcloud communicates:
- PUE indicator: OVHcloud’s infrastructure PUE energy efficiency rating ranges from 1.10 to 1.30 depending on the data centre. These figures are better than IONOS’s, which range from 1.20 to 1.72 (global average: 1.7 in 2024). By comparison, Infomaniak achieves a PUE of 1.06 (Politique Environnementale OVHcloud).
- Heat reuse (ERF): The company uses a water-based cooling system that captures around 70% of the heat generated by servers and dissipates it through a closed circuit (Livre Blanc OVHcloud).
- Renewable energy: In 2024, OVHcloud reported a renewable energy usage rate of 92%.
- Equipment lifespan: The average age of an OVHcloud server is 4.5 years, with 45% of equipment assembled from refurbished components. The company runs a refurbishment programme and aims to reduce landfill waste by 2025 (DPEF OVHcloud).
OVHcloud shared server pricing
- Starting price: €2.99/month
- Disc space: 100 GB SSD
- SSL certificate: Included
- Domain: Not included
OVHcloud cloud server pricing
- Starting price: €9.99/month
- CPU: 2 cores
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 40 GB SSD
What users think of OVHcloud
Online reviews of OVHcloud are mixed, with feedback covering several points:
- Robust infrastructure: large data centre network with choice of server location.
- Varied plans: ranges suited to both individuals and businesses.
- Competitive pricing: good value for the allocated resources.
However, recurring criticisms concern the support:
- Long response times for technical support.
- Phone support reserved for higher-tier plans.
- Difficulty getting effective assistance on complex issues.
Gandi – WordPress hosting review
About Gandi
Acquired in 2023, Gandi SAS is a subsidiary of the Dutch group Your.Online, owned by the investor Strikwerda Investments – who also acquired o2switch. Following this takeover, customers expressed concerns about the impact on pricing and service quality. Hosting, email, and domain prices have risen sharply since then (increased). (source in English)
Advantages of Gandi for WordPress
Gandi no longer holds the same market position it once did. The “no bullshit” ethos has given way to steep price increases alongside a decline in support quality, as user reviews reveal (see section: What users think of Gandi).
Installing and managing your WordPress site
Automatic installation ties the hosting to a domain name that is free for the first year only (domain renewal rates are among the highest in this comparison). Each hosting plan supports only one WordPress site. WebFTP access is included, allowing you to easily edit specific files such as robots.txt without installing additional software (an FTP client).
Gandi’s WordPress performance
Gandi uses an architecture based on isolated containers rather than traditional shared servers, to avoid arbitrary resource limitations – though this requires a good estimate of your site’s needs, which is not always straightforward.
To ease this constraint, Gandi allows a temporary adjustment of CPU/RAM resources (on higher-tier plans), once per month without changing pricing tier, to handle foreseeable traffic spikes.
WordPress security and backups
At Gandi, backups are not as easy and intuitive to manage as with some competitors. Automatic snapshots are available with retention periods of 24h, 48h, 7 days, and 14 days. Restoration requires an sFTP connection and manual steps. These snapshots cover files only, not WordPress databases. This means users must handle full site backups themselves. Gandi also offers no proactive WordPress vulnerability scanning or automated security patching.
Gandi’s customer support
Gandi’s technical support is available 24h/6d (Europe) by ticket and chat (when available) in French, English, Spanish, and Mandarin. Teams are spread across Europe, North America, and Asia. Gandi provides an online knowledge base and video tutorials. Unlike some competitors, Gandi does not offer telephone support.
Gandi’s environmental commitments
At Gandi, the most important environmental indicators are simply not available:
PUE indicator: the energy efficiency indicator (PUE) for Gandi’s data centres is not disclosed.
Heat reuse (ERF): the waste heat reuse indicator (ERF) for Gandi’s facilities is not disclosed.
Renewable energy: Gandi’s renewable energy usage rate is not disclosed.
Equipment lifespan: the average lifespan of Gandi’s equipment is not disclosed.
Gandi shared server pricing
- Starting price: €86.40 excl. VAT/year (Starter plan)
- Disc space: 20 GB
- SSL certificate: Included
- Domain: Included for the first year
The entry-level plan does not allow storage to be expanded up to 1 TB.
Gandi cloud server pricing
- Starting price: €72.60 excl. VAT/year (V-R1 plan)
- CPU: 1 core
- RAM: 1 GB
- Storage: 25 GB
What users think of Gandi
As reviews indicate, Gandi has been subject to very significant price increases. This is a critical consideration for anyone looking for a cost-effective long-term solution. Gandi’s prices – particularly for domain renewals – can catch out customers who initially signed up based on introductory offers.
Online reviews of Gandi highlight both positive and negative aspects:
- Clean interface: solid domain name management.
- Ethical stance: a transparent company.
However, several points are frequently criticised:
- Frequent and substantial price increases.
- No live chat for responsive support.
- Long response times, sometimes running to several days.
- Occasionally generic replies, forcing users to follow up multiple times.
Hostinger – WordPress hosting review
About Hostinger
Hostinger is a web hosting company founded in 2004 and based in Lithuania. Listed on the stock exchange since 2021, it is 31% owned by the investment fund ConHostinger.
Advantages of Hostinger for WordPress
The LiteSpeed environment used by Hostinger improves WordPress site loading speeds. A pre-installed proprietary caching plugin optimises resource management without requiring any technical intervention.
Installing and managing your WordPress site
WordPress installation is handled via an automated wizard in the hPanel control panel. Advanced plans support up to 100 sites. A domain name is included free for the first year, then becomes chargeable. The built-in file editor allows you to edit site files directly from the interface without needing to use an external FTP client.
Hostinger’s WordPress performance
Hostinger’s WordPress hosting plans include a free CDN to reduce load times for international visitors. Plans are scalable, but resources remain shared, which can impact performance during periods of high traffic.
WordPress security and backups
A malware scanner regularly analyses site files, but automatic threat removal is not included as standard. Backups are limited to a weekly frequency on standard plans, which can expose users to data loss in the event of an issue. Daily backups – standard with some competitors – are reserved for higher-tier plans.
Hostinger’s customer support
Hostinger’s support is primarily based in Lithuania, with teams spread across Europe, Asia, and South America. Available 24/7 via chat and email, though the absence of phone support remains a notable drawback.
Hostinger’s environmental commitments
Hostinger highlights its sustainability commitments and efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, including the use of renewable energy for part of its infrastructure. However, several points deserve attention:
Hostinger’s average energy efficiency indicator (PUE) is 1.4045 across all its data centres (hostinger.com). These figures are below the current global average of 1.7, but remain higher than Infomaniak’s performance, which targets a PUE of 1.06 (infomaniak.com).
The waste heat reuse indicator (ERF) for Hostinger’s facilities is not disclosed.
Hostinger states it used 43% renewable energy in 2023 (hostinger.com). No information is provided on the geographical distribution or exact origin of this electricity. No details are available regarding any self-generated electricity via solar or other installations.
Server lifespan and the origin of hardware components are not specified, making it impossible to assess the long-term environmental impact of the equipment.
The absence of data on certain criteria makes it impossible to accurately assess Hostinger’s approach to reducing its environmental footprint.
Hostinger shared server pricing
- Starting price: €83.88 excl. VAT/year (Premium plan)
- Disc space: 100 GB SSD
- SSL certificate: Included
- Domain: Chargeable after the first year
Hostinger cloud server pricing
- Starting price: €299.88 excl. VAT/year (Cloud Startup plan)
- CPU: 2 cores
- RAM: 3 GB
- Storage: 200 GB SSD NVMe
What users think of Hostinger
Online, Hostinger receives generally positive reviews across several areas:
- Intuitive interface: simplified service management.
- Good value for money: attractive pricing for beginners.
- Decent performance for shared hosting.
The most frequent criticisms concern:
- Price increases after the first year.
- Difficulties obtaining a refund in the event of an issue.
- Support that can be slow, with generic responses.
o2switch – WordPress hosting review
About o2switch
Acquired in 2022, o2switch is a subsidiary of the Dutch group Your.Online, owned by the investor Strikwerda Investments. In February 2025, o2switch moved away from its well-known “all-in-one” plan to three new offerings whilst significantly increasing its prices. Existing customers were automatically migrated to the €16/month plan, representing a 128% price hike with just a 7-day notice.
Advantages of o2switch for WordPress
With the all-in-one plan now gone, what still sets o2switch apart? An in-house tool called WPTiger lets you manage your WordPress sites from a single place, centralising the management of themes, users, plugins, and maintenance tasks. The domain name is included with hosting at no renewal charge.
Installing and managing your WordPress site
o2switch hosting allows you to host an unlimited number of WordPress sites under one account. Installation is automated but requires a few manual steps using the Softaculous app. Site management goes through cPanel – a comprehensive tool, but a complex one for beginners. The advanced management tool WPTiger blends hosting/server settings with internal WordPress management. Using it means stepping outside the familiar WordPress environment and learning a separate new platform – adding to the learning curve that cPanel already presents.
o2switch’s WordPress performance
What does o2switch’s “unlimited” offering actually mean? The so-called unlimited plan from o2switch applies only to hosting storage space, not to the other essential hardware resources such as CPU, RAM, and so on. Like all shared hosting, o2switch’s unlimited hosting can be subject to limitations. Storage space is strictly limited to website hosting and excludes any other use such as online storage. Hosting terabytes of RAW or video files, for example, is not an option.
The hosting includes several caching technologies such as Varnish, LiteSpeed, and LSCache to improve overall performance.
WordPress security and backups at o2switch
o2switch integrates a web application firewall (WAF) based on OpenResty that filters attacks. The solution does not automatically patch detected vulnerabilities, so users must intervene manually. Automatic backups run daily with a 30-day retention period. Restoration is straightforward, but it does not automatically restore MySQL users or their access permissions. Without this data, the site may encounter errors. The user must manually re-establish database access, which can be difficult without technical knowledge.
o2switch’s customer support
o2switch’s customer support is entirely based in France, in Clermont-Ferrand. Available 24/7 by email and ticket. Phone support and live chat are available Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm. Support is in French only. o2switch also offers a detailed knowledge base with tutorials and a FAQ.
o2switch’s environmental commitments
PUE indicator: the energy efficiency indicator (PUE) for o2switch’s infrastructure is not disclosed. o2switch still uses air conditioning to cool its infrastructure, drawing on cold outside air when conditions allow.
Heat reuse (ERF): o2switch does not recover waste heat from its servers.
Renewable energy: o2switch does not use renewable energy. It relies on low-carbon energy sources (e.g. nuclear, hydroelectric) for 94% of its consumption and fossil fuels for the remaining 6%. No renewable energy is self-generated either.
Equipment lifespan: server lifespan is not specified, but o2switch mentions that it regularly refreshes its hardware to adopt newer, more energy-efficient technologies. o2switch favours short supply chains by sourcing from French suppliers wherever possible.
o2switch shared server pricing
- Starting price: €84 excl. VAT/year (Grow plan)
- Disc space: “Unlimited” (see our article) in SSD NVMe
- SSL certificate: Included
- Domain: Not included in the basic plan
o2switch cloud server pricing
- Starting price: €192 excl. VAT/year (Cloud plan)
- Storage: Unlimited in SSD NVMe
What users think of o2switch
o2switch has a strong reputation for its all-in-one plan and French-language support:
- Responsive support based in France.
- Unlimited plan with no hidden costs.
- cPanel-based interface, appreciated by advanced users.
However, recent criticism focuses on:
- Price increases in 2025, with forced migration for some customers.
- Longer support response times during peak periods.
- Occasional automated replies directing users to the documentation.
Conclusion – which is the best WordPress host?
Looking beyond sponsored comparisons and examining the facts, Infomaniak offers the most complete package for the price: up to 20 sites, 250 GB SSD, automatic backups with long retention, proactive security, premium themes (including the Divi theme) and plugins included. Infomaniak maintains a clear, transparent pricing policy with no bait-and-switch pricing and no essential features hidden behind paid add-ons. Support is available 7 days a week from a local team. Sites are hosted in data centres powered 100% by renewable energy, with outstanding energy efficiency (PUE of 1.06) and a heat reuse mechanism that redirects 100% of waste heat to warm residential buildings.
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