? First, though, let’s run through some of the key elements of a good PHP and MySQL hosting service.
What makes for the best PHP MySQL hosting service
It’s no good to consider the all-around feature set of a particular host and not take a look at how it handles your database. After all, your site needs to perform well on the front- and back-ends, or risk failing at both.
As such, there are a few key touchpoints you should consider when looking into the best PHP and MySQL hosting services:
- Do you get a few different ways to access your site’s PHP files? You’ll at least want Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) access, but Secure Shell (SSH) is also a bonus.
- What tool does a host provide to access your databases? Some hosts provide nothing, but others will offer one of two solutions: phpMyAdmin or Adminer. The former is popular, but the latter is smaller and arguably more powerful.
- Can you add a sufficient number of MySQL databases? Each site you run will only need one database, but it’s a good idea to have the capacity to set up multiple MySQL databases. This brings us onto our next point.
- Does the host have sufficient resources to run everything in an optimal way? You’ll want to ensure that your site runs well on the front- and back-end. Skimping on one or the other will tank your performance.
? With the above in mind, the list of hosts we’ll show next should have you covered on all of this.
The most reliable and best PHP MySQL hosting services in 2022
Let’s look at five of the most reliable – and best – PHP and MySQL hosting services available:
1. SiteGround
When it comes to hosting in general, SiteGround is a perennial contender regardless of the niche. This is because it offers stellar, market-leading customer service, robust architecture for its servers, and first-class competitive pricing for new users.
There’s so much under the hood that we can’t cover it all. However, here are the highlights:
- Optimized hosting for WordPress websites, so yours will run fast.
- Each site gets a free Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate, so you can encrypt your data and keep your users safe.
- You can host an “unlimited” number of databases.
- Higher-tiered plans run your PHP code at a faster rate, too, which means there are even more performance benefits.
The final point refers to the work SiteGround does to reduce your Time To First Byte (TTFB). This is the time it takes between a request, and when that first byte reaches the browser. It’s important and goes a long way to boost your site’s performance.
? Pricing
The initial pricing for SiteGround is competitive – almost the best in its class. Because SiteGround offers heavy discounts for new users, you’ll find each of its tiers is available at rock-bottom prices:
- StartUp: $3.99 per month.
- GrowBig: $6.69 per month.
- GoGeek: $10.69 per month.
However, know that those prices don’t stay low, and will rise dramatically at the start of your next billing period. It’s something to keep in mind as you look at the other hosts on this list.
2. Hostinger
Hostinger is a solution that looks to offer as much functionality as possible, regardless of the use case. As such, there is a lot under the hood, and you’ll find it’s comparable to other budget-friendly hosts.
Here’s what Hostinger has to offer as one of the best PHP and MySQL hosting services:
- A near unlimited number of databases on most of its plans.
- A 99.9% uptime guarantee.
- The ability to select your PHP version (5.2–8.1), with further editing of your php.ini file if necessary.
- Remote MySQL access, if required, through the phpMyAdmin tool.
What’s more, each site uses the InnoDB storage engine for each MySQL instance. This offers more performance benefits under the hood, and coupled with Hostinger’s PHP performance-boosting functionality, means you have a fast site by default.
? Pricing
Much like SiteGround – in fact like all the hosts on this list – there’s a competitive initial price to help sway you. There are four plans to choose from:
- Single WordPress: $1.99 per month.
- WordPress Starter: $3.99 per month.
- Business WordPress: $6.99 per month.
- WordPress Pro: $11.59 per month.
Even without the discounts, Hostinger offers good prices. As such, you might feel that this PHP and MySQL hosting service is the one for you.
3. Bluehost
As one of WordPress’ recommended hosts, Bluehost has a feature set that marries up well to the platform. In fact, it can compete with most hosts on features, functionality, and price.
When it comes to WordPress, Bluehost can definitely compete with the bigger names:
- Other than the bottom pricing tier, every plan comes with an “unlimited” number of MySQL databases.
- However, you get the same maximum database size (5 GB), tables (5,000), usage (10 GB), and concurrent requests (150).
- You get the ability to host up to 200,000 files on most plans, with 300,000 on the top tier.
In fact, this is a good time to talk about how the pricing differs between those plans – let’s do this next.
? Pricing
Bluehost have arguably the cheapest prices from any major host, which makes them a tantalizing prospect. Here are the choices:
- Basic: $2.75 per month.
- Plus: $5.45 per month.
- Choice Plus: $5.45 per month.
- Pro: $13.95 per month.
However, for the best price from each of these, you’ll need to sign up for a 36-month contract length. Opting for 12 months doesn’t give you the best discount, but it’s still much cheaper than other providers. In fact, the introductory pricing and the renewal price differs between contract lengths, so you’ll want to look at this closely before you pick a plan.
4. DreamHost
DreamHost is another ‘official’ recommended host, and it’s got a fantastic blend of features, functionality, and pricing to tempt you to its servers.
While DreamHost offers a lot out the box, there are a few standout points relating to its database and PHP resources:
- You get advanced functionality to access your site’s files, such as SFTP, SSH, and the WP-CLI.
- You’ll access your databases through the custom DreamHost control panel, using phpMyAdmin.
- There’s a flexible approach to MySQL users, with the ability to create as many users as you need.
DreamHost offers lots to its users, and higher-tiered plans include premium Jetpack packages, bigger hard disk storage, built-in caching, and even staging functionality.
? Pricing
DreamHost’s pricing is a touch more complicated than other hosts, but is still straightforward to understand. Here are the plans:
- Shared Starter: $2.59 per month.
- Shared Unlimited: $3.95 per month.
- DreamPress Starter: $16.95 per month.
- DreamPress Plus: $24.95 per month.
- DreamPress Pro: $71.95 per month.
What’s more, DreamHost offers a non-contract month-by-month pricing model too. This is fantastic if you wish to trial the service, or if you want high-quality hosting that your budget can handle.
5. InMotion Hosting
The next host in line is InMotion Hosting. This is an option that fewer users seem to pick for a PHP and MySQL hosting service, but the solution has plenty to offer to most sites.
Here’s what you’ll get from the host:
- Anywhere between 2–15 MySQL databases on most plans, with an almost unlimited number on the higher tier. You’ll access each one using phpMyAdmin.
- Around 2–6 PHP ‘workers,’ depending on your tier. Consider these how well a site can process uncached requests. The higher the number, the better it can do.
- The ability to support PHP ver 8 – a newer standard with big performance benefits.
There are lots of other features too, such as Broti compression (an alternative to GZIP compression), and one-click installs for a number of open-source tools, including WordPress.
? Pricing
Price-wise, InMotion offers four plans with varying discounts for each:
- Core: $2.29 per month.
- Launch: $4.99 per month.
- Power: $4.99 per month.
- Pro: $16.99 per month.
There isn’t much difference between each of these plans when it comes to their PHP / MySQL capabilities. It means InMotion will have good functionality under the hood if you opt for this PHP and MySQL hosting service.
? Conclusion
This post has looked at the best PHP and MySQL hosting services currently available. Of course, you need a database that performs as well as the rest of your site. A host that can look after your PHP files and your MySQL database is going to be a priority solution to investigate.
The choice you make will depend on the features you require a host to provide, and your budget. Here’s a quick summary of our findings:
