Best PHP Hosting of 2020

Although static and single-page sites are making a bit of a comeback, the best PHP hosting companies make it incredibly easy for the many site owners who choose to create a website with dynamic content like blog posts, an online store, and other regularly updated items.

PHP is perhaps the foremost scripting language , both for its legacy roots and contributions to cutting-edge and popular applications like WordPress, Magento, Drupal, and Joomla.

Nearly 6 million websites rely on a PHP script, making it a go-to feature among every top web hosting service. From simple WordPress hosting to running a complex MySQL database, a PHP hosting plan is an important tool to have in your belt. Read on as we cover some of the strongest options on the market.

These days, any web hosting provider worth a dime is going to accommodate the widely used programming language. The best PHP host, however, not only makes the language accessible, if not pre-installed, but guarantees modern, regularly updated versions.

For example, Bluehost makes both PHP 5 and PHP 7 available to customers. HostGator, on the other hand, focuses solely on PHP 7 because of its security and performance benefits.

A leading PHP hosting provider, InMotion Hosting also houses a breadth of knowledgebase articles and expertise to help you troubleshoot errors in your PHP code. Not to mention, the hosting company’s technical support experts are available 24/7. They might not be permitted to physically debug your code, but they can certainly provide insights into what settings or plugins may be giving you grief.

Just as developers have their choice of development environment — whether it be a simple text editor or an integrated dev environment — a good PHP host offers different environments in which to house your projects.

As I alluded to earlier, most shared hosting companies accommodate most any PHP application. The cost-effective hosting account often comes with extra perks like a free domain and SSL certificate, along with a website builder or other one-click tools to design and build your website.

Now, let’s cover the crème de la crème of more advanced hosting options:

Best PHP Cloud or VPS Hosting Plan

If you’d like to host your PHP website on a cloud-based or virtual server environment, you’ve probably got some combination of the following questions on your mind: Which PHP versions are supported, and can I use handlers to customize? Will my PHP server be CGI friendly? How much disk space am I getting? I could go on, but you get the point.

InMotion Hosting hits PHP hosting out of the park, allowing customers to choose one or multiple PHP versions. The web hosting company’s free SSDs will make your PHP website load up to 20 times faster than average, and the knowledgebase offers guides for updating your php.ini file.

Best PHP Dedicated Server Host

Looking for the cream of the crop? A dedicated web server represents the premium PHP hosting service, thanks to its sheer volume of computing resources and flexibility of configurations.

In addition to choosing your PHP version(s), you can also experiment with a new PHP framework to speed up your coding. The top-tier hosting package can get understandably pricey, but the servers are generally worth the investment.

With prices starting at less than $100 per month, A2 Hosting offers a cost-effective dedicated server hosting package that blends powerhouse features developers will love with the managed services others prefer for a hassle-free experience.

Any hosting shopper is going to consider cost, but a savvy hosting customer knows to weigh the number of quality features against the price tag. A host promising the world when the reality is subpar support and limited customization control isn’t worth the $3, $5, or FREE price tag the hosting company dangles to initially catch your eye.

Fair: Free PHP Hosting Platform

We get this question a lot: “What about free hosting?” You can fill in the middle with just about any specialty hosting service imaginable, and the answer always remains: Free web hosting options exist, but they’re not worth your time in the slightest.

A free web host typically offers subpar performance and security, potentially exposing your visitors’ and personal data to attackers.

We recommend aiming for a low-cost, high-reliability shared hosting plan alternative — Bluehost, A2 Hosting, or InMotion Hosting to rattle off a few better-than-average options instead of a free host.

Fantastic: Cheap PHP Hosting Solution

Here’s where the real value offer comes in. If you want a bargain in a PHP hosting company, look to the providers that tout longstanding reputations in the industry, a laundry list of PHP-specific features, and credible support staff.

There are a host of features you should demand from any worthy web host: reliable uptime rates, a variety of design and customization options, trustworthy security measures, and solid support, to name a few. Then there are those extra geeky features for the die-hard devs:

• Up-to-date PHP version and the option to use multiple simultaneously
• Unlimited MySQL databases and guidance for updates
• PHP extensions (GNU Multi-Precision Library, Hyperwave, IMAP, Ingres II, InterBase, IRC, etc.)
• Easy customization of the php.ini file
• Root, SSH, and PHPMyAdmin access
• Preferred Linux operating system
• Extensive knowledgebae articles for the DIYers

Above is just a smattering of the tools and tricks a hosting provider might offer for PHP lovers. Each programmer has special preferences, so choose the features most important to you.

You’re all set to begin designing and developing your dream dynamic site! Of course, if you want to incorporate dinosaurs into the actual design, we wouldn’t object.

The providers ranked in our PHP hosting reviews are more than qualified to help you custom-create your next project — whatever that may be. Ready, set, code!