PHP is a versatile and flexible scripting language for building dynamic web pages. It has a large community base and rich support for databases such as MySQL. PHP is also open-sourced, making it a cost-efficient choice for the server-side deployment of any web application. These features are ideal for positioning PHP web hosting as the de facto choice for building web applications. This article will delve deeper into the technicalities of PHP hosting and the various options available from different PHP hosting platforms.

What is PHP Hosting?

A PHP hosting platform allows web developers to launch web applications built with PHP scripts and additional plugins. Choosing a PHP hosting provider with a good mix of hosting options, performance, and security features is vital to ensure optimal operation for the application. 

The hosting service offered by a PHP hosting platform provides multiple tiers of hosting options. At the same time, it must offer high-performance hardware and systems to ensure quick response time in web page loading. Finally, it must offer security features to protect the web application from cyber-attacks and data breaches. These three aspects, along with pricing, form the four cornerstones to benchmark any PHP hosting provider.

PHP Hosting Providers: Side by Side Comparison

We have done in-depth research and identified the top 10 PHP hosting platforms you can consider for your hosting needs. 

Most Important Considerations for PHP Hosting Platforms

Before we proceed further and analyze each of the above platforms, let’s look at the cornerstone metrics in more detail to understand better the capabilities of any PHP hosting platform in layperson’s terms.

Hosting Options

The hosting options offer different server configurations for deploying a PHP hosting plan for web applications. The most common options are:

1. Shared Hosting: In shared hosting, a web application is deployed on a virtual server along with many other web applications, and all the hosted applications share the server resources. The hosting platform controls and manages the deployment and traffic in this case.
2. VPS Hosting: VPS hosting offers a virtualized environment with dedicated resources on a physical server. This option provides more control over hosting since the virtualization ensures a dedicated environment for deploying a web application.
3. Dedicated Hosting: Dedicated hosting offers a bare metal physical server, optionally with OS, such as Windows or Linux, and essential frameworks and tools to deploy a web application. It is the most powerful hosting option, allowing complete control over the server resources.
4. Cloud Hosting: Cloud hosting is a scalable hosting option for high-traffic, reputed php applications. It combines multiple VPS or dedicated hosting hardware, which are part of a dynamic pool of servers to host multiple websites in a flexible configuration. This pool is configured to offer elastic deployment of high-traffic websites such that server resources can be scaled up or down based on the user traffic.

The hosting options decide the reliability of the web application. Shared hosting is the least reliable since the hosting environment is shared with many other applications. Dedicated and cloud hosting offers the most reliable hosting option.

However, some PHP hosting platforms offer an uptime guarantee on shared hosting based on a certain volume of traffic to the website. This combines additional guarantees for a service level agreement (SLA) with customer support or a money-back guarantee.

All PHP hosting platforms offer a control panel, such as cPanel, for beginner-friendly management of backup, restore, and other maintenance-related automation services and associated technical support. These services are also backed by expert support programs to ensure close handholding for customers.

Performance

Performance is a function of page loading time. Suppose the web application lags, and each click on a hyperlink leads to inordinate delays in refreshing the web page content. In that case, it is likely a performance issue, assuming the network connectivity is good. Performance issues can also result from MySQL databases.

PHP offers just-in-time compilation and several enhancements to improve the performance of the server-side business logic.  Additionally, PHP hosting platforms employ several strategies to improve performance, such as:

1. Server Hardware Configuration: The performance of a PHP hosting platform is a factor of certain hardware types. For example, NVMe storage offers superior performance due to its exceptionally high read and write operation speed, compared to a general SSD or older HDD-based storage technologies.
2. Traffic Management: The bandwidth offered by the PHP hosting platform also plays a significant role in performance. Some platforms limit the traffic based on the visits to the website, resulting in poor performance beyond a certain point.
3. Content Caching: Web hosting services have multiple Points of Presence (PoPs) across the world such that they can serve the web content to a user from a PoP nearest to the user’s geographic location. This feature dramatically enhances the page loading times, thereby increasing the performance of web applications.

All PHP hosting platforms offer customizations around server hardware and some form of content caching to enhance performance. Specific performance features related to hardware and traffic management provided by each platform are presented as part of the individual platform coverage. Many of these features are available as a one-click configuration.

Security

Security for PHP hosting providers is implemented in various ways. On the one hand, it is a set of tools and procedures for automatically updating and patching the PHP versions and server software to avoid any security vulnerabilities. 

However, to ensure foolproof security against cyber threats,  a more elaborate set of middleware components is required. These are integrated within the hosting infrastructure to provide essential security measures, such as SSH access, secured FTP, SSL encryption, user authentication, and authorization. The PHP programming language has built-in support for all these security facilities to ensure PHP developers can develop code based on a base benchmark for secured web hosting. 

PHP hosting platforms augment these security capabilities by offering free SSL and free domain hosting and protection, along with additional features such as:

1. WAF: A Web Application Firewall monitors and blocks HTTP traffic based on certain rules, to protect the web application from potential hacking attempts and security loopholes. 
2. DDoS Protection: Defending against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks is a crucial requirement to thwart security breaches by external hackers.
3. Threat Intelligence: Integration with threat intelligence platforms offers preemptive insights and remediation assistance in dealing with global cybersecurity incidents, especially the zero-day vulnerabilities that threaten to jeopardize hosted web applications.

All PHP hosting platforms offer some flavor of these security capabilities, along with proprietary security tools. Specific security features and tools provided by each platform are presented as part of the individual platform coverage below.

Best PHP Hosting Platforms

We have scoped the top 10 PHP hosting platforms based on the above three considerations surrounding hosting options, performance, and security features. Apart from that, we have also covered the pros and cons and pricing options for each platform.

1. Bluehost

Bluehost is one of the largest web hosting companies in the world. Established in 2003, it offers a full-stack solution from hosting, email, domain, professional web design, and digital marketing services. Bluehost is ideally suited for hosting PHP websites based on WordPress.

Hosting Options: Bluehost supports various hosting configurations from shared, VPS to dedicated hosting, allowing the customers to choose their reliability requirements. For PHP, Bluehost also offers separate hosting plans based on WordPress.

Performance: Bluehost supports various CPU configurations with SSD and HDD storage options. 

Security: Bluehost guarantees that all its servers are secured by default. They also offer malware scanning for monitoring malicious traffic and access control features for administering the hosting environment.

Pros:

1. Bluehost is one of the largest web hosting companies with a proven track record.
2. Bluehost support for hosting online stores and marketplaces.
3. Bluehost provides additional services for web design and development.

Cons:

1. Bluehost does not support high-performance NVMe storage.
2. Bluehost has a three-year commitment to avail the lowest price on hosting plans.

Pricing:

1. Pricing for shared hosting on Bluehost starts at $2.95/month.
2. Pricing for VPS hosting on Bluehost starts at $29.99/month.
3. Pricing for dedicated hosting on Bluehost starts at $89.98/month.

2. SiteGround

SiteGround is also one of the older and reliable hosting platforms. Established in 2004, it offers specialized WordPress and WooCommerce hosting for PHP. SiteGround is powered by Google Cloud.

Hosting Options: SiteGround offers web hosting based on shared and cloud hosting configurations for supporting small to large websites. PHP support is provided via WordPress.

Performance: SiteGround offers SSD disk space and claims to have globally distributed data centers worldwide, giving it an edge in performance.

Security: SiteGround offers a WAF with the capability of AI and an anti-bot detection mechanism to safeguard websites from security threats.

Pros:

1. SiteGround supports powerful caching techniques and ultrafast PHP setups.
2. SiteGround offers pre-installed WooCommerce hosting for those businesses that want to host their online stores.

Cons:

1. SiteGround does not support VPS and dedicated hosting options.
2. SiteGround does not offer add-on professional services for online businesses. 

Pricing:

1. Shared hosting on SiteGround starts from $3.99/month.
2. Cloud hosting on SiteGround starts from $100/month for the lowest tier.

3. Hostinger

Hostinger offers a unique hosting solution that combines a hosting platform with AI-driven website building. It is one of the best platforms for managed WordPress hosting with optimized features for improved website performance.

Hosting Options: Hostinger supports both shared and VPS hosting, along with large-scale hosting on the cloud, to enable different tiers of reliability for businesses of all sizes. Hostinger also supports PHP via separate hosting for WordPress.

Performance: Hostinger hardware configuration offers super-fast NVMe storage and supports unlimited bandwidth to deliver maximum performance for web applications.

Security: Hostinger offers malware scanning, a secure access manager, and Cloudflare-protected name servers.

Pros:

1. Hostinger is optimized for WordPress hosting with a huge set of hosting features designed explicitly for WordPress.
2. Hostinger offers an easy-to-use website builder that is powered by AI.

Cons:

1. Hostinger does not offer dedicated hosting with customized server configuration.
2. Hostinger does not offer add-on professional services for online marketing. 

Pricing:

1. Shared hosting on Hostinger starts from $1.99/month.
2. VPS hosting on Hostinger starts from $5.99/month.
3. Cloud hosting on Hostinger starts at $8.99/month.

4. HostPapa

HostPapa offers a cost-effective hosting platform for small businesses, with additional services for domains, email hosting, and website building.

Hosting Options: HostPapa offers shared and VPS hosting with options for optimized WordPress hosting. It also offers a dedicated support service, a Papacare+ support plan, for customers.

Performance: HostPapa offers a range of CPU cores along with SSD hosting. It imposes a limit on bandwidth but supports a zero-configuration, enterprise CDN for managed hosting.

Security: HostPapa offers essential security features in the form of WAF, malware scanning, and a custom security toolkit called ProtectionPower.

Pros:

1. HostPapa is ideal for small businesses that need all hosting-related services under one roof.
2. HostPapa offers additional security services, such as ProtectionPower which offers advanced tools to protect and lock websites from specific hacking attacks.

Cons:

1. HostPapa does not support dedicated and cloud hosting.
2. HostPapa does not offer additional services for online marketing.

Pricing:

1. Shared hosting on HostPapa starts from $2.95/month.
2. VPS hosting on HostPapa starts from $19.99/month.

5. A2 Hosting

A2 Hosting offers the regular PHP hosting platform, along with a bunch of custom options for specific use cases, such as business, non-profit, LMS, and eCommerce hosting.

Hosting Options: A2 Hosting’s multiple hosting plans make it a perfect choice for high-reliability web hosting, including turbo and optimized hosting options for WordPress, Joomla, Magento, and other PHP frameworks.

Performance: A2 Hosting offers a wide range of configurable options to deliver optimum performance for hosting based on multiple use cases and unlimited data transfer. It also offers high-performance NVMe storage.

Security: A2 Hosting offers reinforced DDoS protection, firewall, and virus scanning.

Pros:

1. A2 Hosting offers high-performance web hosting with pre-tuned optimization for different hosting scenarios.
2.  A2 Hosting offers domain and email hosting with additional services for site building.

Cons:

1. A2 Hosting does not offer professional services on top of hosting for supporting online marketing.
2. A2 Hosting is not suitable for very small, personal websites. 

Pricing:

1. Shared hosting on A2 Hosting starts at $9.99/month.
2. VPS hosting on A2 Hosting starts from $35.99/month.
3. Dedicated hosting on A2 Hosting starts at $139.99/month.

6. Ionos

Ionos is a full-stack web hosting company that offers WordPress hosting, domains, email, and other online marketing tools. It has a rich legacy going back to 1988 when the company was incorporated as 1&1, enabling millions of clients to get online and set up their web presence during the early days of the Internet.

Hosting Options: Ionos primarily offers shared and VPS hosting. It also has dedicated servers that can be customized based on the AMD and Intel architecture.  PHP support is offered as managed WordPress hosting, as well as PHP extended support, for securely running older PHP versions. 

Performance: Ionos offers various performance levels optimized based on the number of visitors on the website per minute. VPS hosting is offered with fast NVMe storage.

Security: Ionos offers an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) /  Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) along with the standard DDoS protection and firewall management. 

Pros:

1. Ionos offers configurable performance on shared hosting based on the number of website visitors.
2. Apart from WordPress, Ionos offers preinstalled hosting options for other PHP-based CMS frameworks such as Joomla and Drupal.
3. Ionos offers a unique cloud hosting offering that allows customers to deploy a virtual data center in minutes.
4. Ionos offers cloud storage and office suites from Microsoft and Google.

Cons:

1. Due to an extensive set of services around hosting, servers, and cloud computing, some customers have reported minor issues with ease of use in certain administration UIs, like the backup console. 

Pricing:

1. Shared hosting on Ionos starts at $5/month.
2. VPS hosting on Ionos starts at $2/month.

7. InMotion

InMotion hosting offers a wide range of hosting options, with WordPress-optimized hosting, as well as WooCommerce hosting.

Hosting Options: InMotion offers all the standard hosting options, including shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting. Apart from WordPress, it supports Drupal, Joomla, and other PHP frameworks, along with support for custom PHP hosting (for example, Laravel).

Performance: InMotions offers VPS, dedicated servers with four cores and above, and NVMe options.

Security: InMotion offers hack and premium malware protection and automatic backups. 

Pros:

1. InMotion offers many hosting options with low to high reliability and traffic handling options.
2. InMotion offers VPS hosting based on its proprietary UltraStack caching system for superior performance.
3. InMotion offers a custom dashboard, WebPro, for ease of managing multiple websites.

Cons:

1. InMotion has a three-year commitment to availing the lowest price on shared hosting plans.
2. InMotion does not offer online marketing tools and services.
3. InMotion does not offer email services and hosting options. 

Pricing:

1. Sharing hosting on InMotion starts at $2.49/month.
2. VPS hosting on InMotion starts at $14.99/month.
3. Dedicated hosting on InMotion starts at $89.99/month.

8. HostGator 

HostGator is a web hosting company for the pros, with an extensive lineup of tools and services for website building, online marketing, and SEO.

Hosting Options: HostGator offers all the hosting options, from shared hosting to VPS and dedicated hosting. For PHP, it offers a separate set of plans for WordPress hosting. 

Performance: HostGator offers standard hardware configurations with HDD and SSD options and unmetered bandwidth.

Security: HostGator offers centralized DDoS protections, and CodeGuard features that protect websites against viruses.

Pros:

1. HostGator offers power hosting for dedicated servers with higher core configurations.
2. Hostgator offers a bouquet of services for online marketing.

Cons:

1. HostGator does not offer high-performance NVMe storage.
2. Hostgator does not offer cloud hosting.

Pricing:

1. Shared hosting on HostGator starts from $2.75/month.
2. VPS hosting on HostGator starts from $23.95/month.
3. Dedicated hosting on HostGator starts from $89.98/month.

9. DreamHost

DreamHost is another full-stack hosting provider with an extensive set of hosting options, domains, and a rich set of pro services for web design, online marketing, and website management services. 

Hosting Options: DreamHost offers all the possibilities for hosting, with shared, VPS, dedicated, and cloud hosting, along with PHP support in the form of separate managed WordPress hosting.

Performance: DreamHost offers four-core and twelve-core CPU configurations with SSD storage and unlimited bandwidth.

Security: DreamHost provides various security features around malware removal and WAF. It also offers a website management service for site updates, backups, and fixing hacked websites.

Pros:

1. DreamHost offers the entire bouquet of hosting options and also offers managed WordPress hosting.
2. DreamHost offers advanced online marketing services for SEO and social media.
3. DreamHost offers website management and training services with tutorials around web hosting.

Cons:

1. DreamHost does not offer high-performance NVMe storage.
2. DreamHost shared, and VPS hosting pricing requires a three-year commitment to avail competitive rates.
3. DreamHost dedicated hosting options do not offer many CPU configurations.

Pricing:

1. Shared hosting on DreamHost starts from $2.59/month.
2. VPS hosting on DreamHost starts from $10/month.
3. Dedicated hosting on DreamHost starts at $149/month.

10. InterServer

InterServer offers a good mix of shared and VPS hosting with pre-built cloud apps for deploying PHP framework-based hosting for WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, and more.

Hosting Options: InterServer offers shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting with additional storage and GPU-powered dedicated servers. 

Performance: InterServer offers a boost hosting feature based on SQL I/O operations.

Security: InterServer offers proprietary InterShield protection to secure websites against attacks, viruses, and malware. 

Pros:

1. InterServer offers all hosting options with an option for powerful GPU dedicated servers for high-performance computing capabilities.
2. InterServer offers separate storage hosting for media backups and data archival.

Cons:

1. InterServer does not offer add-on professional services around online marketing.

Pricing:

1. Shared hosting on InterServer starts at $2.5/month.
2. VPS hosting on InterServer starts at $6/month.
3. Dedicated hosting on InterServer starts at $49/month.

FAQs

DevGold Staff

Experienced software engineers and avid supporters of the developer community, specializing in APIs.

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