I’ve been thinking about starting a blog for a while now, and this time I’m serious about making it happen. I tried blogging years ago, back when it wasn’t as mainstream and monetization wasn’t an option. But now, I’m determined to do it right and eventually monetize my blog.
I’m planning to launch my new blog on January 1, 2025, and I’m leaning towards using WordPress.org. However, I’m unsure whether I should go with Bluehost, HostGator, or another affordable hosting option to start with, since I’m still a bit of a newbie when it comes to modern blogging. I’d like to keep costs low at the beginning, and then upgrade to a more premium host once I’ve got a better grasp on things.
Additionally, if you have any tips on getting started with a blog, I’d love to read them! I’m especially interested in things I should know as a beginner to set myself up for success from the start.
Thanks so much for your help—I really appreciate it!
Kenn said:
Absolutely not Bluehost. They were great 10-15 years ago, but they’re terrible now. Avoid.
Any advice for a better alternative?
I migrated my sites to Bigscoots. They’re fantastic and the customer service is top-notch, but possibly more than you need if you’re just getting started.
Not Bluehost. People only recommend it because they’re making money every time someone clicks their link and signs up. None of them are actually using it themselves.
Bluehost, Hostgator, and GoDaddy should all be avoided. Search their names in this sub to learn why. You will not have a good user experience with them, and everyone promoting them is being paid to do so.
Bigscoots and Siteground are good. I host with Namecheap and I’m happy with them. Hostinger is okay—seems like a mix of opinions, but many are positive on them.
Bluehost’s “cheap” plans are really horrible—all your web vitals will be crap due to the high TTFB. My site has been down at least once every single month. And just in case you didn’t know, Bluehost gets a lot of “recommendations” by bloggers because they pay out a metric ton of affiliate income (something like $200 per signup IIRC). Not sure if their more expensive plans are any better, but I don’t intend to try. Their VPS plans are more expensive than the average, with worse reviews.
Needless to say, I’ll be moving as soon as I get my new host up. I’m planning on moving to Cloudways. If you’re willing to learn how to handle your own VPS, Hostinger has dirt cheap unmanaged VPS plans.
Bluehost and HostGator are both owned by the same company and should be avoided. I’ve had to use them much more than I’d like due to client sites being with them. Their servers are very oversold and outdated with software that has hit end of life and not supported anymore. Even their database server is many versions behind. SetraHost is a great alternative, and I’ve had nothing but good experiences with them.
I’m certainly no expert; my blog is only about 6 months old. But I use Hostinger and have been happy. I like that they provide a free staging area if you want to make any big changes to your site. I did a complete overhaul to my theme and it took me a couple of days to build it in the staging area, and I was able to go live with it seamlessly.
@emanuella
Did you find it much of a learning curve to use their unmanaged VPS hosting? I’m a SWE but not a web dev, not sure if I want to go with Hostinger or just go with Cloudways’ Digital Ocean plan to save myself the hassle (which AFAIK isn’t a VPS but seems to be on par with them).
Avoid both companies above. Blue is part of EIG, and you can see there are many negative reviews about their service. Since you just started your blog, you can take a look at SG and Asphostportal. I can make sure they are far better than your choices above. I personally use Asphostportal since they are more affordable and they also have great support.
I appreciate your interest in starting a blog in January 2025. Regarding domain name registration and website hosting, I suggest you go with Raj Softech Hosting Solutions. These brands, Bluehost, Hostgator, and GoDaddy, all belong to the same parent company (with different brand names).
Download free WordPress from WordPress(.)org and install it on the hosting server. Then, purchase a good theme related to blogging and install it on the WordPress CMS. Hire a person (or) DIY to develop your blog.
All these are okay, but the hardest part of blogging is to create content consistently and engage in building a strong audience base.
