5 Hosts Compared for 2019/2020 ??

? What to look for in WordPress hosting Australia

There are six things you want to look for in WordPress hosting Australia:

? Local web servers:

One of the most important factors to consider when picking from the best WordPress hosting Australia is if the platform you’re considering indeed does offer web servers based in Australia. A local web server is the best way to guarantee fast loading times. Of course, you will also want to take further steps to optimize your website for speed as you build it.

? Pricing in Australian dollars:

If your business is based in Australia, a hosting plan priced in Australian dollars offers two major benefits. First, you don’t have to worry about exchange rates. Second, keeping all of your expenses in one currency makes things easier come tax time.

? Local customer service:

As a business owner, every minute your website is malfunctioning can be a minute you are losing money, and you’re definitely losing money if your site goes down.

You want a web host with customer service operatives available during business hours in your time zone. You should also research the general timeliness and helpfulness of the customer service before you register with any web host.

?️ Reviews from business owners in your locale:

The unfortunate reality is that for many international web hosts, working with clients in Australia is an afterthought, not the main goal. This means that their support services might not be delivered to Australian customers at the same level of quality other customers receive. The best way to avoid this problem is to look for reviews from other Australian business owners to confirm the quality of the service you’re buying.

? Free domain name:

Other than hosting, a domain name is the one thing you absolutely need in order to create a website, and many hosting packages offer this as a free perk with your first year of hosting.

This is an easy way to save $15-20, so while it probably shouldn’t be a deal breaker, a hosting plan with a free domain is almost always superior to one without a domain name.

? Number of permitted websites:

The vast majority of website hosting plans only allow you to run one website, but some may allow you to build two or more websites. These plans can save you an enormous amount of money if you want to create individual websites for various branches of your business or build separate websites for customer use and employee use.

✉️ Email hosting:

Using an email address connected to your domain name looks more professional than using a third-party host like Gmail. Any reputable web host will allow you at least one email address at your domain, and some offer multiple email addresses connected to your domain.

However, it should be noted that many web hosts use clunky third-party email services, and you may want to consider separate email hosting.

? WordPress already installed:

Finally, if you are specifically seeking WordPress hosting, you want a host that offers pre-installed WordPress. This allows you to start building your website right away. Some hosts might also pre-install plugins for things like ecommerce, which can save you additional time.

?? Best WordPress hosting Australia

1. Bluehost (www.bluehost.com)

Priced from: 4.38 AUD/month (regular 11.86 AUD/month)
Traffic allowed/bandwidth: Unmetered
Free domain: Yes + up to 25 subdomains
WordPress pre-installed: Yes
Local web server: No
Local customer service: No

Bluehost is one of the most popular website hosting services in the world, and has even received official endorsement from WordPress.org. Bluehost offers fast loading speeds, continuous uptime, and a variety of free security features, including a free SSL certificate.

Installing WordPress on Bluehost is easy, and only involves telling Bluehost the name you want to set for the site. Speaking of the name, Bluehost gives you a free domain name for the first year.

Bluehost also gives you access to a really easy-to-use user panel to manage and administer your website once it’s created. Every option is easily available and clearly described.

? Go to Bluehost

2. Crazy Domains (www.crazydomains.com.au)

Priced from: 5.42 AUD/month (regular 10.83 AUD/month)
Traffic allowed/bandwidth: 200,000 monthly visitors
Free domain: No
WordPress pre-installed: No
Local web server: Yes
Local customer service: Yes

Crazy Domains started out as a domain registrar and has expanded to offer a wide variety of web hosting plans, including multiple WordPress hosting plans.

They have also invested in web servers all over the world, including three in Australia. You will have to install your own WordPress, but with one-click installation scripts, this is still one of the best options around for WordPress hosting Australia.

Crazy Domains gives you a range of WordPress-specific features, such as, one-click staging for WordPress, GIT pre-installed, WP-CLI enabled, and auto-updates for WordPress.

? Go to Crazy Domains

3. Cloudways (www.cloudways.com)

Priced from: 10 AUD/month
Traffic allowed/bandwidth: 1TB
Free domain: No
WordPress pre-installed: No
Local web server: Yes
Local customer service: No

Cloudways is a truly global web host, working with multiple data centers in locations all over the world. This includes designated spaces in Australia provided by Vultr, Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform. They also offer a unique Pay as You Go system, allowing you to pay only for the services you plan on using, with a base price of 10 AUD/month.

This is cloud hosting, which is not your standard variety of shared hosting. Cloud hosting offers better scalability and is an overall more versatile and future-proof setup.

? Go to Cloudways

4. SiteGround (www.siteground.com)

Priced from: 4.95 AUD/month (regular 14.95 AUD/month)
Traffic allowed/bandwidth: 10,000 monthly visitors
Free domain: No
WordPress pre-installed: Yes
Local web server: No
Local customer service: No

SiteGround is a premium WordPress hosting service known for their fast and consistent loading times, quality email hosting, and helpful customer service. All SiteGround plans also include a free SSL certificate and CDN.

The entry-level WordPress hosting solution allows you to run one website, use up to 10GB of disk space and welcome ~10,000 visitors monthly. You get a fresh WordPress install set up for you during signup, there are auto-updates, WP CLI installed, and free daily backups. All these features will make running your website easier on a day by day basis.

? Go to SiteGround

5. GoDaddy (au.godaddy.com)

Priced from: 5.49 AUD/month
Traffic allowed/bandwidth: 25,000 monthly users
Free domain: Yes
WordPress pre-installed: Yes
Local web server: No
Local customer service: No

GoDaddy is one of the biggest names in website hosting overall, not just WordPress and not just in Australia. They offer plans in a variety of currencies, including Australian. All of their plans come with a CDN to ensure fast international speeds, email hosting for one year, free domain for one year, and website backup protection with one-click restoration.

There are also automatic WordPress core software and security updates. You can host one website on the entry-level plan, and you get 30GB of disk storage to use. That entry-level plan is suitable for up to 25,000 monthly visitors.

? Go to GoDaddy

? Final thoughts on the best WordPress hosting Australia

All of these options provide quality web hosting with consistent speeds and up times, but the best option for you depends on your business’s individual needs:

If cost is your primary concern, you’ll want to choose Bluehost or SiteGround; their “regular pricing” might be high, but sales are frequent and both offer built-in features that will save you money. ? our pick
For access to local customer support, you will want to choose Crazy Domains.
To keep your data safe, choose SiteGround, their automated backup system and knowledgeable support.
Want to future-proof your website with possible expansion and traffic spikes in mind? Cloudways might be the best option for you.

Still struggling to make a decision? Take a look at this table for some quick comparisons:

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? What to look for in WordPress hosting Australia