The journey to finding the cheapest portfolio hosting plans brings me some bittersweet memories. I’m a web developer who loves writing, so landing my first client was the most beautiful feeling. Yet, somehow, it was the most difficult to accomplish.
If you know a bit about design and love writing, you might wonder why finding clients can be so challenging. Isn’t the combination of web design and content writing just perfect? It sure is, but there’s more to it. You really need a portfolio that helps you stand out.
When starting out, you want a platform that allows potential clients to check out your best work. Most people don’t realize that it’s not just about building a portfolio and uploading their best work and sitting back, hoping someone will fall in love with what they do and consider them for a gig.
It’s often the little things, like how your portfolio looks and the web host you choose, that can make all the difference in landing that dream opportunity to kick-start your career. To dive deeper into this, I’ll walk you through seven of the most budget-friendly portfolio hosting plans and why they deserve a spotlight in this countdown.
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1. Wix: Best Free Portfolio Hosting Plan
Many people don’t have much money or resources to pour into their portfolios. I found myself in a similar spot years ago when I was just getting my small business web design agency off the ground.
Back then, I just wanted to showcase my work without spending money on premium themes and expensive hosting plans. That’s one challenge the folks over at Wix understand all too well, in my opinion.
- Trusted by 250 million websites across 190 countries
- 2,000+ designer-made templates for every industry
- Built-in eCommerce, scheduling, blogging, and events
- Built-in SEO tools, email marketing, and Google/Facebook ads
- 99.99% uptime on multi-cloud hosting with enterprise security
- Get started on Wix now.
Lynn Cadet
Website building is where Wix shines. The thousands of templates, the intuitive editor, the industry-leading designs that cater to a variety of specific fields and use cases — all these facets represent a platform that excels at facilitating easy web design for the non-tech-savvy user.
Go to full review »| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Setup Time |
| 14 days | 2 GB – Unlimited | FREE (1 year) | 4 minutes |
It’s not a coincidence that Wix offers tons of free portfolio designs. This web host understands many people’s pain and frustration when searching for that one contract to kick-start their careers.
Speaking from experience, most people are usually on a shoestring budget when starting their businesses. Thankfully, Wix offers templates for almost every profession under the sun. Whether you’re an artist, a photographer, or you just want to showcase a school project, Wix has tons of templates to choose from, all available for free.
2. 1&1 IONOS
1&1 IONOS is not just talk without action; it takes portfolio hosting seriously. One of my favorite things about it is the suite of tools specifically dedicated to making the portfolio creation process easier, better, and faster.
You don’t have to be a tech expert to create a portfolio that both you and your potential clients will love. Just follow a simple three-step process: choose a template that fits your niche, add your content like images and text, and personalize the design to reflect your unique style.
- No coding skills necessary with MyWebsite Creator
- Free domain name or transfer your existing site
- FREE social media and marketing widgets
- Pro templates with pre-filled text and images
- Multilingual support and tools for SEO
- Get started on IONOS now.
Christina Lewis
If you’re in need of a one-stop shop for designing and launching a website, you should be pleased to hear that IONOS offers its own custom website building tools for both desktop and mobile devices. In addition to a free domain and email address, along with unlimited storage space, the IONOS MyWebsite platform includes all the essentials for starting a site from scratch.
Go to full review »| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Setup Time |
| 30 days | 10 GB – Unlimited | FREE (1 year) | 5 minutes |
1&1 IONOS does not just let you sign up and figure out everything by yourself. Instead, it consists of some of the most interactive features I’ve seen in any portfolio hosting provider.
To give you some perspective, this web host has embraced the world of artificial intelligence and integrated it into its website-building process.
You don’t have to worry about generating text for your portfolio; the AI text suggestion tool can automatically generate content for you. That means you can pay more attention to building a great portfolio website without worrying too much about creating content to go into the web pages you’ve built.
Overall, 1&1 IONOS offers a wealth of features worth exploring, each designed to make building your portfolio both easy and enjoyable. You can set up appointment calendars, optimize for SEO, sync with social media, manage everything from your phone, and even add order processing and shipping functionalities. With 1&1 IONOS, your options are limitless.
See our full review of 1&1 IONOS >>
3. Network Solutions
I have fond memories of Network Solutions. Founded in 1979, it’s one of the oldest web hosting companies I know. I first stumbled upon it in 2010 when I was just searching for an affordable option to host my portfolio.
But make no mistake; the affordable price is not the reason I included Network Solutions in this list. Rather, its simplicity is what makes it stand out.
- AI builds your website in as little as 6 minutes
- 1 free hour of expert design support included
- Free domain, SSL, and professional email for 3 months
- Built-in email marketing and social media scheduling
- World’s first domain registrar, established in 1979
- Get started on Network Solutions now.
Christina Lewis
Aimed at individuals or small businesses new to the wacky world of web design, the Network Solutions website builder and hosting package should get you online reasonably quickly and have your online presence looking professional in no time. Similar to many other drag-and-drop website builders, there isn’t too much originality to Network Solutions’ website building tool.
Go to full review »| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Setup Time |
| N/A | Unlimited | FREE (1 year) | 6 minutes |
Most people don’t realize that a portfolio is like a digital résumé. And statistics have consistently shown that recruiters (and potential clients) spend just six to seven seconds looking at a résumé. A simple design means your portfolio won’t look too busy in the eyes of your recruiter, and that’s exactly why I like Network Solutions.
Its templates are built with simplicity in mind so they’re easy to use. Another thing that caught my attention is the desktop and mobile preview feature. You don’t want surprises once you’ve published your portfolio.
And if you want a little more help in your site-building journey, you can take advantage of the company’s AI site-building tools, which help you design your site, create a logo, and come up with a domain name. There’s not much more you could ask for in a site builder.
See our full review of Network Solutions >>
4. SiteGround
I’ve always thought of SiteGround as a solid web host, but I wasn’t sure if it was the best choice for portfolio hosting. So, I decided to give it a quick test drive.
Before that, I hadn’t really had a bad experience with SiteGround other than the fact it cost a little bit more than other web hosts I’ve used. But like they say, you get what you pay for.
- AI-powered drag-and-drop builder with 6M+ free stock images
- Professional templates with built-in SEO and analytics
- Native eCommerce with 0% platform fees
- Daily backups, advanced security, and ultrafast hosting
- 14-day free trial, no credit card required
- Get started on SiteGround now.
Lynn Cadet
Do you know you need to build a website but don’t know where to begin. Well, SiteGround will give you not one, but two extremely popular and user-friendly options to create the online presence of your dream.
Go to full review »| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Setup Time |
| N/A | 10 GB – 100 GB | New or Transfer | 5 minutes |
It would be unfair to list the best portfolio hosts without thinking of WordPress website users. That’s where SiteGround comes in to offer the best WordPress hosting plan for portfolios. With more than 40 stylish WordPress themes to choose from, all available for free, and additional benefits such as free emails to give you a sense of professionalism, SiteGround’s managed hosting is worth every penny.
Last but not least is SiteGround’s award-winning customer service. In 2020 alone, it won two Stevie Awards for customer service.
For context, I’ve never had to wait longer than two minutes to chat with a customer support representative at SiteGround.
You can tell SiteGround takes customer service seriously. I stumbled upon this blog post that shows exactly why the web host offers top-notch customer service.
See our full review of SiteGround >>
5. Bluehost
Like SiteGroud, Bluehost is one of those web hosting companies endorsed by WordPress. But compared to SiteGround, Bluehost is way cheaper.
I recommend this web host if you’re just starting with WordPress but you are operating on a limited budget. Bluehost has many premium themes to choose from for your portfolio, but you can also settle for the free version if you want to cut costs.
- AI-powered setup gets your WordPress site live in minutes
- 200+ themes with built-in eCommerce and WooCommerce
- WordPress.org recommended host since 2005
- Pro services to design, build, and market your site
- 24/7 expert support via live chat, phone, and email
- Get started on Bluehost now.
Sead Fadilpasic
With Bluehost, new site owners have the drag-and-drop simplicity of the WordPress website builder at their fingertips. This makes launching a new online brand, store, or personal site from scratch relatively painless.
Go to full review »| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Setup Time |
| 30 days | 10 GB SSD – 100 GB SSD | FREE (1 year) | 5 minutes |
This legendary web host also has a website builder that works a little differently from others I’ve used. Most site builders will have (almost) everything you need to build a website, but they’ll leave you stranded, especially if you’re a beginner. Some of these hosts assume that having a website builder is the true mark of beginner-friendliness. It is to some extent but not entirely.
Think about driving an automatic car versus a stick shift. Everyone knows that automatic cars are easier to drive, but new drivers still need to learn a thing or two before getting behind the wheel. It’s not just a matter of turning on the ignition, switching gears, and driving. You’ll need some help in the beginning.
That’s what makes Bluehost different in the hosting realm. The web builder will ask you questions about the kind of website you want to build and your specific niche. Based on your answers, it will automatically create a full template and let you customize it to align with what you’re looking for. The bottom line is that if you’re a beginner who wants to build an affordable portfolio using WordPress, Bluehost is a great option.
See our full review of Bluehost >>
6. Hostinger
I love Hostinger because it works great on WordPress, one of my favorite platforms for building a website. But I’d only go in this direction if I intend to market my portfolio to a potential client or recruiter. That’s because it comes with great eCommerce features, such as more than 20 payment options, including order management, and support for up to 500 products.
- Best website builder: The most complete AI-powered builder at this price point.
- Describe your site to AI and go live in minutes
- 300+ designer-made templates with drag-and-drop
- Built-in eCommerce with 0% fees and 100+ payment methods
- Built-in SEO, email marketing, and AI logo maker included
- Free domain for 1 year + 14-day free trial to start
- Get started on Hostinger now.
Sead Fadilpasic
Whether you’re taking your first foray into website hosting or are a developer looking to save some time, a strong website builder can dramatically streamline the creation process and enable users to launch a website in five minutes or less. Fortunately for customers, Hostinger has invested heavily in crafting an impressive visual editor sure to appeal to users of all levels of experience.
Go to full review »| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Setup Time |
| 30 days | 25 GB SSD – 100 GB NVMe SSD | FREE (1 year) | 3 minutes |
So, what does eCommerce have to do with your portfolio website? Let’s take a trip down memory lane.
You’ve probably seen those self-proclaimed wealth coaches on YouTube chilling with a bunch of Lamborghinis in the background and begging you to click on the link in the description to unlock your inner millionaire.
The link in the description will likely redirect you to their portfolio and probably a landing page asking you to buy their eBook to learn more about becoming the next millionaire. That’s where the importance of having a web host with eCommerce capabilities comes in (if you plan to sell any product or service on your portfolio).
If that’s the kind of portfolio you want to build or something along those lines, Hostinger ticks all the right boxes. It comes with tons of marketing tools and integrations, a free custom domain, and a professional email.
See our full review of Hostinger >>
7. BoldGrid
BoldGrid wraps up my list of the best portfolio hosting providers. I’ve seen many plugins for building WordPress themes, but very few come close to BoldGrid in terms of customization.
What I love the most about BoldGrid is the fact that it suits both beginners and experts. I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t appreciate a highly customizable portfolio builder like BoldGrid given that it offers everything you need to build a custom portfolio. All there is to add is a little bit of creativity. That shouldn’t be too difficult to pull off.
- Fotolia and Flickr image databases
- Pre-built and customizable content with GridBlocks
- Responsive themes with tablet and mobile editing
- Generates clean, efficient, and compliant HTML
- SEO, gallery, and forms plugins
- Get started on BoldGrid now.
Laura Bernheim
After taking the BoldGrid suite of plugins for a test drive, we experienced how the company makes WordPress more accessible for beginners and much more efficient for professional developers. Because BoldGrid requires a separate hosting account and WordPress installation, it is a little more challenging for wide-eyed beginners to get started than it is for other website builders.
Go to full review »| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Setup Time |
| 90 days | 90 GB SSD – Unlimited SD | FREE (1 year) | 5 minutes |
I know many web hosts come with drag-and-drop website builders, but something in particular makes BoldGrid stand out. From my experience, it’s the ease of use and availability of numerous building blocks to create a design that expresses your style and showcases your talent.
The fact that BoldGrid suits WordPress also makes it a great option since the latter is the most popular content management system in the world.
With more than 200 templates to choose from, I’ve never run out of options while using BoldGrid to build portfolios for my clients, and I don’t think you would either.
Other portfolio hosting providers that deserve a shout-out include Journo Portfolio (best for restricting access to your portfolio), hosting.com (fastest portfolio website builder), and InMotion Hosting (many templates to choose from).
See our full review of BoldGrid >>
Can I Host My Portfolio for Free?
First of all, you can, but I wouldn’t advise you to go that route. Here’s why.
While free portfolio hosting services are usually convenient and cost-effective, the cons outweigh the pros. To begin with, most free hosting services often restrict the amount of storage space, bandwidth, and many other resources you need. So if your portfolio website includes high-resolution images or multimedia content, you may quickly reach these limits. That alone could lead to poor performance and high downtime.
Also, free hosting services won’t give you access to advanced server configurations. Others won’t even allow you to install custom software or plugins. As a result, you won’t really be able to fine-tune your portfolio website to just how you want it to be.
From my experience, many free hosting services I’ve used would assign a subdomain to my website (e.g., your-username.domainname.com). That makes the portfolio’s URL look less professional and makes it more difficult to memorize. It basically dilutes your personal brand and advertises the hosting service more.
A free portfolio host won’t be able to handle sudden traffic spikes or increased resource demands. This is especially true if your portfolio gains popularity. Remember the YouTube video we referenced earlier as an example? So, what happens when the video goes viral, and 10,000 people click on the link in the description per day?
A free portfolio hosting provider won’t handle such a sudden spike in traffic, resulting in slower loading times, potential downtime, or even suspension of service.
When opting for a free hosting provider, be ready for limited security features. Don’t get me wrong; you’ll likely get basic measures like free SSL certificates, protection against DDoS attacks, and regular backups.
But that’s just a fraction of what you need to keep your portfolio safe on the internet. Regarding advanced security features like malware scanning or firewall customization, don’t expect too much from them.
Instead of free hosting, consider signing up for a shared hosting plan, which is often cheaper and has all the basic features you need to host your portfolio.
See the best shared hosting plans >>
How Much Does a Simple Portfolio Website Cost?
You’ll come across various answers to this question, but the simplest and most honest one is that it depends. Most hosting providers charge between $1 and $5 monthly for a basic plan. Others might ask for more if you require a premium plan with extra resources like additional disk space and bandwidth.
How Do I Make a Simple Online Portfolio?
Making a simple online portfolio isn’t that difficult. All you’ll need is a good hosting provider and simple templates you can use to build the portfolio. Network Solutions is my personal favorite for simplicity. If you’re looking for the best drag-and-drop web builder to put your portfolio together within minutes, I’d go for Wix.
Once you’ve signed up for the web hosting service, the next steps should be straightforward. You’ll just need to provide a bit of information about your portfolio, such as its niche, and select the best template for you.
Stand Out from the Crowd with a Stunning, Professional Portfolio
Remember what I mentioned earlier at the beginning of this article? Your portfolio is like your digital résumé. You need something that attracts attention and sends tails wagging at the prospects of working with you.
No one will want to browse your portfolio if it lacks fundamental design principles. Keep in mind that internet users have a very short attention span, sometimes even less than three seconds. You need a portfolio that captures their attention right from the start.
Luckily, with the seven portfolio hosting plans I’ve reviewed above, building a stunning professional portfolio shouldn’t be that much of a problem. And the best part is that you get to save money while doing so.
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