Best WordPress themes

In a previous article, I wrote about WordPress themes, what they are, and what to look out for when choosing a theme for your WordPress website. In this article, with that article in mind, here are some of the best WordPress themes on the internet as of 2022.

Astra

With its limitless options and compatibility with well-liked builders like Elementor, Astra has swiftly become one of the best WordPress themes. Astra is a cutting-edge WordPress theme made to build any kind of website. It smoothly integrates with all of the well-known drag-and-drop page builders.

The theme includes a number of starting websites that you may use to rapidly build your website with just one click. These pre-built websites are ideal for startups, blogs, small enterprises, and WooCommerce stores. After importing the demo, you can alter the appearance to suit your tastes.

Astra includes a ton of incredible features, including page headers, a giant menu, several layout possibilities, Google Fonts, endless colour customization options, separate blog page layouts, and custom widgets. You can disable the page header and sidebar. It works effortlessly with major website builders such as Beaver Builder, Elementor, and others.

Astra integrates very well with the WooCommerce plugin to build an online store. Infinite scrolling, rapid product view, store page, product gallery, and cart options are included in their WooCommerce theme.

This theme comes with a free version that already provides you with a basic range of settings; but, if you want to take it a step further, you can upgrade and have access to a large design library.

It’s a lightweight theme with an easy-to-use design that’s ideal for novices. There are themes for online stores, consultants, freelancers, company owners, and much more.

Divi

Divi is a flexible, multipurpose theme that has a large library of pre-made layouts to help you create your website more quickly. Every design and component is fully responsive and pleasing to the eye across all platforms. It was made by Elegant Themes, one of the world’s best WordPress theme stores.

You may construct any kind of layout using Divi’s integrated drag-and-drop builder. Additionally, you receive 800 readymade Divi layouts and more than 100 website bundles to help you get started on a new project.

With Divi, you have total control over your site’s layout, inline text editing, and custom CSS. It is incredibly versatile and simple to use. Additionally, it is SEO-friendly to improve your website’s ranking in Google and other search engines.

Although Divi may not be the most complicated theme available, it is incredibly user-friendly and provides just the right amount of tools and functionality to bring any design to life.

SeedProd

SeedProd is one of the best WordPress themes and drag-and-drop landing page and theme builders. You may create your website precisely how you want it using SeedProd, block by block. Even non-technologists may now simply develop a custom WordPress theme from start.

SeedProd includes a number of professionally designed theme templates. These templates contain all of the page layouts you’ll need for your website, as well as high-converting landing pages. They may be utilized as-is or entirely modified to meet your specific requirements. These are full theme kits that include matching designs for every page of your website, not simply the homepage. There are also over 100 templates for sales sites, optin pages, webinar pages, and other similar pages.

Using the visual editor, you can easily personalize your theme with the components and theme sections you want. You may also quickly add high-converting page modules like giveaways, countdown clocks, choice forms, and many others.

You may use different layouts for different pages and customize the colours, styles, and content across your site. And the greatest thing is that all of your designs are mobile-friendly. You can even see how your site will look on mobile devices and make mobile-only changes.

The visual builder in SeedProd is strong while being user-friendly. Using the drag-and-drop tool, you can easily create a bespoke landing page or a whole website.

Ultra

Ultra is a strong multipurpose WordPress theme designed to make it simple to create a website. It includes hundreds of pre-built sites for various genres such as lifestyle, publications, restaurants, photography, fashion, and more.

Ultra comes with 12 free builder extensions worth over $100 that increase the capability of the Themify builder, allowing you to develop sites more effortlessly. With clever layout choices, you can give each individual page a distinct appearance and feel.

You may import their example configuration, which includes numerous theme settings, content, menus, widgets, and more, with a single click. This allows you to get your new website project up and running quickly. It has a variety of header/page designs, header background choices, footer layouts, single post layouts, archive layouts, section scrolling, and other features.

Smart layout options, colour selections, sharp typography, section-based scrolling, picture filters, and portfolio possibilities are all noteworthy.

Ultra is also a great theme for starting an online business because it is fully WooCommerce compatible. The live WordPress theme customizer makes it simple to set up and customize your site.

Ocean WP

Ocean WP is a lightweight and extensible WordPress theme that allows you to construct any sort of website you desire. It supports major page builders such as Beaver Builder, Elementor, and others.

It includes a 1-click sample content importer and hundreds of ready-made sites to help you get started quickly. The theme includes several extensions that allow you to add features to your websites such as a login popup, an Instagram feed, a sticky footer, a featured articles slider, and more. It is translation ready, allowing you to develop a bilingual website.

Custom header layouts, endless colour possibilities, custom widgets, picture sliders, and a highlighted items section are all available. With WooCommerce support and frequent upgrades, this is an excellent way to get started with your website, and if you feel the need for anything more complicated, you can always upgrade to their premium offer.

BeTheme

BeTheme is the most popular WordPress and WooCommerce theme, with over 650 pre-built websites, plenty of design tools and choices in its 40+ core features, and over 240,000 clients.

BeTheme’s 650+ pre-built websites are adaptable and customizable, allowing them to be tailored to any website type, style, or specialty. It has a live website builder, which is quick, has an intuitive UI, and has highly strong page-building capabilities such as live content editing and auto-save, update, and backup options.

It features a WooCommerce Builder that includes tools for creating templates, Single Product layouts, product wish lists, carts, and other customer-centric services and aspects. Other features include a Live Search function, Muffin and Header builders, and the fact that BeTheme is mobile- and Elementor-ready. A BeTheme-built website will be fully responsive, SEO-friendly, and extremely appealing.

Avada

Avada is the most popular theme on Themeforest and is one of the best WordPress themes Themeforest has to offer. It is the first multi-purpose WordPress theme that includes hundreds of pre-made web page styles and 86+ fully-featured websites.

Avada was created with the primary intention of getting you up and running as soon as possible. Their sample installer makes it extremely simple to install pre-made content. You may design your site using their drag-and-drop builder and thousands of features. It is compatible with all premium WordPress themes.

Fusion Theme Options, Fusion Page Options, and Fusion Builder are the three main foundations of this website-building system. What these three things have to offer will make you feel like a child in a candy store.

It supports hundreds of plugins and has hundreds of theme choices. Because it has such a large user base, most plugins interact with it, and in the rare instance that anything does not work properly, they have a support team that can assist you with issues about their theme.

Neve

Neve by Themeisle is a mobile-first theme with a gorgeous responsive design. It is an intriguing WordPress theme that was created using a versatile approach to develop any form of website. It provides hundreds of beginning sites complete with landing pages that you can integrate into your website with a few clicks.

This theme is compatible with major page builders such as Divi, Beaver Builder, and others. Neve also works with the WordPress block editor to allow you to alter your pages and articles.

The Neve theme has WooCommerce support out of the box. That means you can also set up an online store and utilize top WooCommerce plugins like Advanced Coupons to propel your eCommerce business forward. For novices, this theme is simple to install. It also includes custom layouts for the website’s header and footer.

Sydney

Another theme among the best WordPress themes is Sydney, which has a mobile responsive design that looks fantastic on all devices. This is an amazing theme for creatives who are starting their own enterprises.

By default, it uses its own Building Blocks, but it is also compatible with Beaverbuilder and Elementor Pro page builders, two of the best available in this sector. The Sydney Theme runs quickly and features lovely demo/starter templates that can be loaded with a single click.

Sydney has over 200,000 active installs and was downloaded even more frequently because it is just a very nice WordPress business theme. Sydney also has Front Page Blocks, excellent SEO but lacking Schema Markup, 100% Responsive on all platforms, Parallax Backgrounds, Crelly Slider Support (Pro), and a gorgeous Full-Screen backdrop.

It also has a portfolio layout with attractive tiles that open up into fast-view boxes for clients to take a closer look at your greatest projects.

TheGem

This Themeforest top-selling theme provides an incredible array of website-building options. The theme has an extensive range of modification options that allow you to create any imagined design outcome quickly and easily.

TheGem is completely compatible with and accessible for WPBakery and Elementor page builders, and it also has enhanced WooCommerce site-building capabilities.

It provides very high performance, quick loading speed, and premium plugins like WP Rocket and Revolution Slider.

Hestia

Hestia is one of the best WordPress themes that is designed for speed. It is one of ThemeIsle’s most popular goods, with several 5-star ratings ThemeIsle is a well-known and popular theme business that was created in 2012. It offers one-page and multi-page layouts to let you create any style of the website.

It is a multipurpose theme suitable for business, magazine, and blog websites. Hestia, unlike other themes, provides a free version with eye-catching graphics. Hestia integrates smoothly with WooCommerce, allowing you to utilize it to build your online store. It is also compatible with all major page builders.

Despite this, it is completely free and available for translation. With a plethora of extensions available by upgrading to Hestia Pro, your possibilities for developing websites are virtually unlimited.

Enfold

Enfold by Kriesi is a theme by an author who was among the first to sell on the Themeforest marketplace.  Enfold not only has a high rating, but it has also sold over 230,577 times, which is as amazing and another indication of how wonderful this theme must be. With 35+ demos to choose from, you may find a perfect starting point before changing the design to meet your specific requirements. This will expedite the process and allow you to complete tasks more quickly.

Once installed, you may edit the content using the professional page builder. Change the photographs and content, and add your own logo. This allows you to rapidly create your own layout.

Enfold is Woocommerce-ready and so works flawlessly with it. The 1-click example websites also provide a variety of shop layouts from which to launch your store.

Storefront

The popular WooCommerce plugin’s default theme is Storefront. In reality, it was created by the WooCommerce core development team. This eCommerce theme has various layouts and colour choices for customizing your shop. The nicest thing about this theme is that it’s lightweight and adaptable.

The theme’s background, colours, and fonts are entirely configurable using the WordPress customizer, which displays your changes in real time. By far the finest integration with WooCommerce and several popular WooCommerce plugins is provided by Storefront.

Gema

Pixelgrade’s Gema is a free modern newspaper-style theme and one of the best WordPress themes. It features a distinct and appealing layout that allows you to showcase your material in ways that capture the attention and interest of your site users. The theme is ideal for personal blogs, travel bloggers, photographers, and literary writers.

It includes a personalized logo, a traditional navigation menu, buttons, post layouts, and a style manager. The Gema theme is user-friendly and simple to install.

Gema has a striking masonry style design that makes your post thumbnails look excellent no matter what size or proportions they are. It displays categories and articles in a completely new way. This theme is ideal for individuals seeking an experimental design.

It’s essentially a strong theme with a minimalist appearance, with no clutter at all. As a result, it’s an excellent choice for those who are daring.

Inspiro

Inspiro is a fashionable WordPress theme. It has a fullscreen video backdrop slideshow that supports YouTube, Vimeo, and user-supplied videos.

The theme is ideal for creating a portfolio, small company, or eCommerce website. It has a gallery module for tastefully displaying your photographs, movies, and job portfolio.

It is also great for picture and video galleries. Beautiful video backdrops and video sliders are also available on mobile. This theme is unique in that it automatically plays videos on all devices. You may utilize self-hosted videos or integrate films from YouTube and Vimeo. The theme has a nearly 5-star rating and a very quick download time in browsers.

Best WordPress Themes Conclusion

Using the right theme may make your website more attractive, user-friendly, and enhance visitor engagement. You can never go wrong with any of the themes on this list. There isn’t one theme that is the best WordPress theme for all websites. Different themes accomplish different things. So choose a theme that works for you.

If you have any questions, let us know in the comments!

If you want to build a website with WordPress, you should be familiar with WordPress plugins. Plugins are an important part of the WordPress ecosystem and are required for creating great WordPress websites. They will make your life much easier by allowing you to do things that the standard WordPress setup does not allow you to do. They enable users to add new features without changing a single line of code.

This article will explain how WordPress plugins work, what they can do, and how to use them.

What are WordPress Plugins?

WordPress plugins are apps that allow you to extend the functionality and features of your WordPress website. As the name implies, you ‘plug in’ a piece of software to add new functionality or extend existing functionality on your site without needing to know how to code. Depending on the features of the plugin, it can make minor or major changes to how your site looks and functions.

WordPress is built in such a way that other developers can add their own code to it. The WordPress plugin API provides a robust set of hooks and filters that allow developers to modify or add new functionality to existing WordPress functionality.

Plugins can also be thought of as extensions for your web browser. All you have to do is download an extension, install it, and you’re done. This is also one of the most important advantages of plugins: the ability to quickly add or remove them from your site without disrupting basic operations.

How do WordPress Plugins Work?

Plugins extend the functionality of the core WordPress code by utilizing the existing structure. WordPress plugins are written in PHP, WordPress’ programming language. As a result, they can be seamlessly inserted and integrated into your website’s code.

Some plugins add general functions to your site to make it more secure and searchable, while others cater to specific needs, such as wishlist pages and featured products for an eCommerce site. Some of these specialized functions can be added by selecting specific WordPress themes, but these features usually relate to customizing the site’s structure. For instance, a theme for restaurants will have a plugin for a slideshow or gallery.

WordPress developers can also store data in the WordPress database. Plugins can make use of WordPress content types, taxonomies, and custom fields, allowing users to store more than just posts and pages.

Each WordPress plugin that you install on your site is saved in your WordPress database. You can turn them on and off whenever you want.

Reasons to Use WordPress Plugins

There’s a Plugin for every need

One of the primary benefits of using WordPress as your CMS is that it is supported by a large community of talented developers. As a result, website owners now have access to an incredibly diverse range of top WordPress plugins. There are over 54,000 plugins listed in the official WordPress directory. As a result, there is always a plugin to meet any requirement.

Most other website builders provide far fewer options. Frequently, you will have whatever functionality is built into the website. If you want to go beyond this functionality, you will need to hire a developer to do so. Adding safe and secure online payments to a website, for example, can be extremely expensive.

Because of the security implications of handling financial data, you must exercise extreme caution when developing a solution. Not the case with plugins. WordPress e-commerce plugins, such as WooCommerce, enable you to provide safe and secure online shopping on your website.

Easy to Integrate into Website

The beauty of plugins is that you don’t have to write or add code to integrate them into your WordPress website. The WordPress plugin includes hooks and filters that allow developers to extend its functionality. When you add a WordPress plugin to your website, it is registered in the database. Simply download and activate the plugin from your WordPress dashboard.

Finding and installing plugins for your WordPress website is a breeze. There are two main approaches to this. The first is to go to the WordPress dashboard and click Plugins, then Add New. You can find plugins that meet your needs by using the search field.

For example, if you wanted to find a plugin that allows you to add a cookies consent form you would type “cookies consent” into the search bar. You will then be shown a list of plugins that will allow you to add that functionality to your website.

Transparency

WordPress’s entire foundation is the fact that its CMS, or “Content Management System,” is free, open source, and accessible to the public. This means that any code written for WordPress is open to the public.

Because of the abundance of information available, evaluating WordPress plugins is much easier. The number of active installations in the WordPress plugin directory is one way to gauge a plugin’s popularity.

A plugin with tens or hundreds of thousands of active installations is far less likely to cause issues than one with fewer active installations. If tens of thousands of people have installed a particular plugin on their WordPress website, any issues are likely to have been identified.

With WordPress, all of the functionality developed for these plugins, including their coding, is available for anyone to see, use, customize, improve, and even sell.

WordPress plugins can save you a lot of time when it comes to customizing and making your WordPress website perform the way you want it to. Aesthetics and appearance are one thing, but finding the appropriate plugins to make your website perform exactly the way you want it is another.

Finding the proper plugin is simple using the WordPress.org search box or your own WordPress dashboard, where you can navigate to the plugin area, type in the function you require in the search bar, and you will be presented with a variety of options.

Free and Low Cost

With WordPress plugins, there is almost always a free WordPress plugin that can achieve your desired result. Even with premium (paid) plugins, there is frequently a free basic version available. This free version will usually suffice for your initial needs.

Using the free version is also a good way to see if the plugin can provide the functionality you require. If you are satisfied that the plugin meets your requirements, you may wish to upgrade to the premium version.

Even when there isn’t a free version, WordPress plugins are typically a low-cost option. The development costs of a plugin are shared by all plugin purchasers. In contrast, if you hire a developer to achieve your desired functionality, you will bear the full cost of development.

How to Install WordPress Plugins

There are two ways to install plugins depending on where you get your WordPress plugins. Free WordPress plugins can be found directly from your WordPress admin area or by visiting the WordPress plugin directory

Method 1: Installing WordPress Plugins from the WordPress admin Area

• Go to Plugins > Add New
• Search for the plugin or functionality you want to add.
• WordPress will search the plugin directory and present a list of accessible plugins. After reviewing the results, click the ‘Install Now’ option next to the plugin you wish to install.

Method 2: Installing WordPress Plugins from the WordPress plugin directory or Third-party websites

Search results within the WordPress admin area, on the other hand, are not always useful because they are limited to free plugins only. Furthermore, the sheer quantity of plugins available can be daunting. Many newcomers struggle to determine which plugin is best for the job.

You can seek reviews or options for WordPress plugins that provide the functionality you’re looking for, in order to make an informed decision of which one to go for.

Sometimes, you may need to get a paid plugin, which you wouldn’t find in the WordPress admin area. Thus you may need to download plugins from third-party websites which usually come in a .zip file. However, be cautious because many cybercriminals use plugins to attach harmful code to websites. Before installing WordPress plugins, always ensure that the plugin provider is reliable.

Here’s how to install:

• Download the ZIP file of a plugin from a trusted source.
• Go to Plugins > Add New.
• Click on the Upload Plugin button.
• Drag and drop or choose the ZIP file that you have downloaded on your computer.
• Click the Install Now button and wait until the upload is complete.
• Click on Activate Plugin.

How to Update a WordPress Plugin?

It is critical to maintaining your WordPress site updated. This includes updating WordPress to the most recent version as well as refreshing your themes and plugins.

Updating WordPress plugins is more than just obtaining new features. It’s also one of the most important strategies to keep your website secure. Previous versions of a WordPress plugin may have flaws that have been addressed and repaired in subsequent releases.

To update a plugin:

• Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins is where you’ll find it. A table will appear listing the plugins you’ve installed on your site.
• To manually update a plugin, click the Update Now button in the yellow notification window.
• To manually update multiple plugins, tick the checkboxes next to the plugins you want to update. Then, from the Bulk actions drop-down menu, choose Update and click Apply.
• Toggle automatic updates for each plugin by clicking Enable auto-updates in the Automatic Updates column.

How to Uninstall a WordPress Plugin?

There will be occasions when you want to uninstall a plugin or two – for example, certain free WordPress plugins may not be updated on a regular basis, posing security hazards to your site. Others may slow down your site, or you may no longer believe they are required on your site.

To uninstall a plugin:

• Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins.
• Find the plugin you wish to disable or remove in the plugins table.
• Click Deactivate. This step just disables the plugin and does not remove it from your site.
• Select Delete to remove the plugin from your site altogether.

Are too many Plugins bad for Your Website?

A widespread fallacy among WordPress users is that having too many plugins will cause their website to slow down. However, the quality and effectiveness of a WordPress plugin have a greater impact on site speed than the number of plugins installed.

High-quality plugins are designed to use as few resources as possible. Low-quality plugins, on the other hand, tend to consume resources that aren’t required, which might have a detrimental influence on site performance.

Poorly coded WordPress plugins are always the culprits of bad performance. You may install dozens of high-quality plugins without any problems. Installing one or two low-quality (poorly coded) plugins, on the other hand, will cause your load speeds to plummet drastically. Use plugins that have been shown to work efficiently to maintain optimal site speed.

A bloated theme is another common problem that causes bad website speeds or performance. Themes with too many features and poorly-optimized code can frequently slow down a website. When choosing a theme, it’s always a good idea to go with something light.

WordPress Compatibility Conflict

Sometimes a plugin causes problems on your site rather than adding new functionality. You may experience compatibility issues as a result of a variety of factors. A new plugin, for example, may cause compatibility difficulties with your WordPress theme or the current WordPress version you are running if they are not tested properly or the code was written poorly.

Other plugins on your site may be incompatible with the new one as well. They might not get along because they were designed for different WordPress versions, or because some of their functions overlap. New plugins may not work effectively with other plugins on your site in some circumstances due to bad coding or design. This occurs when the developer fails to adhere to WordPress development best practices.

If you’re having issues with your site after installing a new plugin, try deactivating it first. If you are unsure which plugin is creating issues, you can manually deactivate and reactivate plugins one by one to see which is producing errors on your site.

Once you’ve identified the culprit, navigate to the Support Tab on the plugin’s WordPress page. You can search for other people who have experienced the same issue and what they did to remedy it, or you can share your concerns by creating a thread. If you paid for the plugin, see if there is a support team that can assist you with troubleshooting.

Plugin Safety

Never assume your safety is assured. Some plugins may be poorly coded, while others may be incompatible with one another or with your theme. Hackers can potentially cause issues on a website by using improperly written WordPress plugins. It is critical to only get plugins from trusted sites to avoid these issues.

When in doubt, look for plugin reviews and pay attention to how late it’s been updated. It’s also a good idea to test plugins on a staging version of your site before deploying them.

Hopefully, this article helped you understand what are WordPress plugins and how they work. WordPress plugins enhance the operations of your website and offer additional features that can be tailored to your specific requirements. There are thousands of free ones available, however, paid plugins provide more features and support.

When selecting the finest plugin for your website, it is best to read as much information about the plugin as possible. Browse internet forums and solicit recommendations from others. Knowing a plugin before combining it with others in your WordPress can help you avoid future compatibility issues.

What is Web Hosting?

A website or web page can be published on the Internet with the help of a web hosting service. A company that offers the technology and services required for a website or webpage to be seen on the Internet is known as a web host or web hosting service provider.

A website is hosted when a hosting company allots space on a web server for it to keep its files. Code, photos, and other website-related assets are made internet accessible through web hosting. A server hosts every website you’ve ever visited.

Reliable web hosting is crucial if you want to have an online presence. Nowadays, there are literally hundreds of web hosts offering tens of thousands of different web hosting services. Plans range from inexpensive web hosting packages tailored for businesses to free ones with few possibilities. The strategy you go for will mostly rely on how you want to utilize your website and how much money you have set up for hosting.

Types of Web Hosting

Shared Hosting

A website collaborates with other websites to share a web server and its resources. For small sites with little traffic, it’s a reasonably priced choice.

For novices or small business website owners who would rather avoid dealing with the technical aspect of server management, shared web hosting is a great option. In this case, the hosting company handles server maintenance such as backups and updates.

Virtual Private Servers Hosting

This type of hosting operates by making a virtual server serve numerous websites while appearing to be a single dedicated server for each client. Because of this, VPS hosting is regarded as the intermediate step before purchasing your own dedicated computer. The key distinction between VPS and shared hosting is that clients can fully customize their VPS, which is much more similar to dedicated hosting.

Smaller websites and companies who want the flexibility of a dedicated server without the hefty fees associated with it frequently choose VPS.

Cloud Server Hosting

This kind of hosting utilizes numerous connected web servers to provide a cost-effective, scalable, and stable web infrastructure. The reason why so many huge enterprises are moving to the cloud is that cloud hosting plans often offer unmetered, dependable bandwidth and an indefinite quantity of disk space for unlimited domains. It’s a good way to manage a website that uses a lot of resources or has a lot of content assets, like photographs, but the cost can be very high.

Dedicated Server Hosting

Dedicated hosting, also known as managed hosting or a dedicated server, offers full servers for hire. When compared to shared hosting plans, this sort of hosting is rather pricey; as a result, it is typically only utilized when a website experiences high levels of traffic or when more server management is necessary.

One website has access to the entire server and all of its resources. It is a costly, high-performance solution for particularly large or well-known sites with devoted technical staff.

It enables more self-service server administration capabilities. The fact that you have complete control over the server, its software, and its security systems makes this configuration more adaptable. However, you must also have the necessary technical knowledge on hand in order to run the platform yourself.

WordPress Hosting

WordPress Hosting is a subcategory of web hosting that is specifically designed to support WordPress sites. With 42.5% of all websites utilizing it, WordPress is the most widely used CMS worldwide. For this reason, a lot of web hosting providers provide managed WordPress hosting services.

WordPress hosting may come under one of several web hosting categories, depending on the web host. Examples include shared WordPress hosting, VPS WordPress hosting, and cloud WordPress hosting, which are all offered by various hosting companies.

You may get a ton of tools and services designed especially for WordPress blogs by using a WordPress host. These may vary depending on the WP hosting provider you pick for, but generally include features such as one-click-install, automatic software upgrades, and a team of support personnel who specialize in WordPress to provide you with tailored help.

Differences Between Web Hosting and WordPress Hosting

Any hosting service that saves a site’s data on a server in order to make the site live on the Internet is referred to as web hosting. The websites stored on one of their servers may be running on thousands of different platforms, and a web host will serve a wide variety of site builders.

On the other hand, WordPress hosting fills a particular void in the web hosting industry. Although unlike web hosting, every website on a shared server will be a WordPress site, WordPress hosting can also employ shared servers to host several websites simultaneously.

To sum up the difference, keep in mind that while web hosting refers to a broad category, WordPress hosting is a particular type of hosting.

If you wish to build a WordPress website, you can go with either hosting option. Your managed WordPress hosting provides WordPress features like pre-installed plugins and optimized web servers, which is the main distinction.

Domain Hosting Vs Web Hosting

Visitors can discover you by typing in a domain name provided by a domain host (like www.newdomain.com). While a domain name serves as a map of your website’s location, it does not represent the information that users will find there.

Hosting companies for domains keep track of them and help with registration. You’ll manage your domain through them if you use one that was registered with a third-party service provider. While most WordPress hosting services provide domain name and domain hosting as part of their plans, you may use a third-party domain name and integrate it into your WordPress/web hosting.

When you purchase a domain name on your own, you can only use it for a limited time (usually one year). To store the files for your website, you need web hosting. You must alter the settings for your domain name to point to your web hosting company once you have hosting.

Advantages of WordPress Hosting

Optimal Site Speed

A server that has been specially set up for WordPress sites will be used by websites on WordPress hosting plans. To guarantee quick loading times, built-in caching software is frequently also included.

In order for WordPress Hosting to operate well, the hardware, firmware, and software setup must be extremely compatible. Having a compatible system prevents performance difficulties and system freezes. The hosted website could crash or briefly go offline if the system isn’t working properly, which would have a negative impact on the legitimacy of the website and the user experience.

WordPress Pre-installed

You don’t have to spend time downloading and setting up the CMS on the server because WordPress is already installed. You simply buy the plan and start building the website. This eliminates the need to worry about compatibility concerns and saves a ton of time.

Automatic WordPress Updates

Automatic WordPress updates are a key advantage of WordPress hosting. Every version that is made available includes numerous enhancements and bug fixes. Not only will you miss out on these crucial updates and bug fixes if your WordPress hosting instance is out-of-date, but you will also be more vulnerable to outside security threats. WP Hosting’s automatic update tool makes sure you are protected on this front.

Managed Services

The WP Hosting team handles all of your website maintenance needs. Without managed services, it falls to you, the website owner, to maintain the resource-intensive WordPress maintenance. The scalability of hosting resources like CPU, RAM, and storage space is just one of the several tasks that are included in managed services.

You will require additional hosting resources when your website gets more traffic, so plan accordingly. The managed team can handle this without you having to worry about the details.

Features of a Good Web/WordPress Hosting

Disk Space

You can use the provided disk space in all hosting accounts to store your website files. You need space for user-submitted material in addition to the files necessary for the website’s functionality. For instance, you require additional storage space for databases, emails, and other files. You can more accurately determine how much space you need by breaking out your usage.

FTP

FTP is a well-liked way for moving files, including web pages, from a local computer to a web host’s computer (servers), where they can be seen by users everywhere. Some servers only forbid you from creating and uploading your own pages.

They prefer that you create and submit your pages using their online site builder. Make sure you have FTP access or at the very least the capability to upload your pages via email or browser unless you are a complete newbie and intend to create a fairly simple site.

Uptime

Nothing is more annoying than a website that frequently goes offline. It detracts from the user experience on your website, lowers your search engine rating, and decreases sales. This may occur if other users on the server have an impact on your shared hosting, or if the servers are old and require ongoing maintenance. Look for a host that promises an uptime of at least 99.95% when selecting shared hosting.

The best hosting services provide great uptime by backing up your website in multiple server locations. A second server in the same data centre won’t keep your website up in the event of a natural disaster. But let’s say there are duplicate servers in numerous data centres on various continents or corners of the country. Your website has a considerably better chance of remaining up and accessible in that scenario.

Control Panel

A control panel’s function is to give you the freedom to handle different facets of your website hosting account on your own. A commercial host should provide you with a control panel so you can do routine maintenance without having to wait for technical support to carry out straightforward adjustments.

To manage email addresses, account passwords, and fundamental server setups, a Control Panel (cPanel) offers a straightforward dashboard. Going via a technical support representative or being required to pay an additional cost each time you need to complete routine administrative chores can be time-consuming.

Any cybercriminal can browse through millions of websites and networks each day in search of security holes thanks to sophisticated hacking software. Every website and system is impacted. The hacker will attempt to exploit whatever weaknesses they find.

Because of this, you require a web host who can offer a wide variety of tools to protect you from various threats. Strong firewalls, intrusion prevention, email scanning, spam eradication, SSL encryption, and other security measures are required. Weak security has terrifying repercussions. Your website could be hacked, used to spread malware, and your data stolen.

Support

Since problems might arise at the most inopportune times, it is vital to confirm that your host offers competent support around-the-clock. When you push the S.O.S. button, you’ll need someone to throw you a lifeline, and you’ll want to know that whoever answers the phone is technically qualified to assist you right away. Read internet testimonials from actual customers to get a sense of this.

The best web hosting providers provide 24/7 customer support through multiple channels, such as:

• Knowledge bases
• Forums
• Live chat
• Chatbots
• Email support
• Calls

Email Services

The majority of web hosting services provide email; nevertheless, you require more than just send and receive functionality. A trustworthy host will regularly ensure that your email server is not banned and will scan emails for spam and harmful software.

Check to see if your provider supports integration with programs like Outlook, offers enough storage, file sharing, mobile, and webmail access, as well as tools like calendars and tasks that are crucial for today’s organizations. There are three types of email accounts provided by hosting services

POP3 account: These are standard email accounts. The server has room for you to keep your emails. You can download your mail using an email application.

Forwarding emails: useful if you are using the email filtering services of another organization. Your emails are forwarded to another email address rather than being stored on your mail server.

Alias accounts: similar to setting up mail accounts for forwarding. Some servers let you set up a catch-all alias, which is frequently used to gather emails sent to addresses that your mail server doesn’t recognize.

SSL Certificates

You must ensure that customer transactions are secure if you sell anything online. To accomplish this, you should use an SSL certificate, which the majority of web servers will give you. If your website lacks SSL, Google will flag it as “not secure,” and payment gateways may forbid you from using their services to sell goods directly from your website; instead, you may have to divert customers to another website to process their payments.

Additionally, antivirus vendors have advised their clients to only use websites with SSL certificates due to the current Wi-Fi vulnerability known as KRACK (i.e. those that have addresses beginning with HTTPS). Make sure your site server offers SSL certificates if you are conducting online sales.

Backup Solution

A reliable host should offer a remote backup solution. What would happen if you lost all of your data, including the content of your website, emails, client information, financial information, and inventory records? This kind of catastrophe has the potential to bankrupt numerous businesses.

You require a web host that offers a backup service that satisfies your needs in order to safeguard yourself. For instance, you need ongoing backups if you sell things regularly to ensure that you do not lose any information about recent transactions.

Ensure that remote backups are kept on servers other than the ones where you are hosted. In this manner, even if your server crashes, your backups remain accessible.

There is a WordPress hosting company that will meet your demands, whether you want fast loading speeds, 24/7 support, managed or shared hosting, or daily backups.

We hope you learnt a lot about Web Hosting and WordPress Hosting. If you have any more questions, let us know in the comments!

The exclusive address for a website is its domain name. It typically consists of a domain name extension and a website name. A distinctive domain will improve your identity and make your website easier to find for your audience.

What is a Domain Name?

When someone types your website’s domain name into their browser’s URL bar, they are accessing it. Your domain name will serve as the address for your website, to put it simply. It provides the location of your site to the web browser. Similar to a physical address, a domain is how online users may find your website. A domain name also contributes to the professional appearance of your website, similar to having a sign in front of your shop.

The Internet is a vast network of computers interconnected by a worldwide system of cables. This network’s computers can all communicate with one another. Each machine receives an IP address that serves as a means of identification. A specific computer on the internet is identified by a set of numbers.

This kind of IP address is really challenging to memorize. Consider using such numbers to access your favourite websites. In order to address this issue, domain names were created.

You no longer need to input a lengthy string of numbers in order to view a website. Instead, you can access it by entering a simple-to-remember domain name in the address bar of your browser. wpbeginner.com, as an illustration.

How does a Domain Name work?

All domain names point to the distinct web servers that house the websites and are associated with their corresponding IP addresses. When a user enters a domain name into a browser, it searches for the associated IP address via a global network of Domain Name System (DNS) servers.

The server returns the IP address information to the web browser, which requests site data from the domain’s hosting service. The website’s files, database, and HTML code are all kept on this web server.

These name servers are machines that are under your hosting provider’s control. Your request will be forwarded to the computer hosting your website by your hosting company.

These computers are called web servers. They are equipped with unique software (Apache and Nginx are two popular web server software). The website and any associated data are now fetched by the web server.

Types of Domains

Top-level Domains (TLDs)

Top-level domains or TLDs are generic domain extensions that are listed at the highest level in the domain name system.

There are many TLDs available online, but more than 54% of all websites use the most prevalent one, the.com domain. Because users frequently write it by default, a popular extension generates a lot of organic traffic. Other popular TLDs include .net, and.org. We don’t advise utilizing other TLDs because they are less popular. For instance, .biz, .club, .info, .agency, and numerous others.

Country Code Top Level Domain (ccTLD)

Country code top-level domains or ccTLDs are country-specific domain names which end with country code extensions like .uk for the United Kingdom, .gh for Ghana, .de for Germany, and .in for India.

A business that concentrates on a particular nation can benefit from using a ccTLD. International businesses might differentiate their content for several locations in this way. The BBC, for instance, utilizes bbc.com for their global audience and bbc.co.uk for locals in the UK.

Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD)

There are no set requirements to be granted a gTLD. However, some extensions are supported by specific groups or authorities. However, because some domains have particular associations, you must be cautious to avoid confusing your visitors.

Certain generic TLDs are only available to certain kinds of registrants. An academic institution might use.edu, whereas a government organization might use.gov. You won’t be allowed to utilize the generic TLDs associated with that category for your business or project if it doesn’t fit, but you can use popular extensions in its place.

Choosing a Domain Name

Currently, there are more than 350 million domain names registered, and hundreds more are added every day. This indicates that all the excellent candidates have already registered or will do so very soon. New users are under a lot of pressure because of this to think of a domain name for their website. Here are some tips to choose a domain name

Domain Name Registrar

A domain name registrar is a company that makes it possible for individuals and organizations to register domain names. Numerous businesses with various pricing structures, feature sets, and security procedures have been given permission by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to function as domain name registrars.

A single database called registry houses all domain name records. A domain name must be entered into the database along with all pertinent details for it to be recognized.

ICANN has authorized a domain name registrar to alter the data associated with your domain name in the database on your behalf. Additionally, a domain name registrar offers simple tools that you can utilize in your web browser to make those modifications.

Things to Consider when Choosing a Domain Name Registrar

Pricing

Pricing is always an important consideration for any firm when making purchases. Examine the pricing structure thoroughly before selecting a domain registrar.

The price of domain names varies depending on the domain extension, such as.com,.org,.net, or.io. You’re not required to choose the most expensive registrar. Instead, examine a few reputable registrars and find out how much they are willing to charge for your top domain names. Choose a business with a reputation for providing excellent service and a fair price for the domain.

Add-ons Pricing

When you buy a domain name, some domain name registrars can automatically pre-check add-on services. Unchecking those boxes would dramatically raise your bill if you don’t. A.com domain name shouldn’t typically cost you more than $14.99 per year. If it happens, that should send up a warning sign.

User Experience

The most critical factor to take into account while choosing a registrar may be the user experience. The website of a registrar should be simple to use and navigate. It should be simple to perform tasks like moving domains and modifying DNS information.

The registrar should also offer friendly customer service. Before registering a domain, a potential customer ought to be allowed to open a support request and gauge the turnaround time.

Security

The security of the domain name must be your primary concern. Domain name hijacking. This is a method of fraudulently acquiring control of a domain name, usually with the intention of selling the domain back to the victim or a rival.

Choose a reputable domain registrar that will take the necessary precautions to stop domain hijacking. In order to prevent domain hijacking, you should also review a registrar’s authentication and security procedures.

Additional Services

Your requirements for domains don’t end with domain registration. Services like site hosting, email hosting, security, email marketing, and many others are essential. You might also want to look over the additional services your domain registrar provides. Even though you might not require these services right now, it is still a good idea to know that they exist.

As a result, you ought to compare the bundle package pricing offered by various registrars and get several services at a reasonable cost.

Top Domain Name Registrars in 2022

Domain.com

Domain.com, founded in 2000, is one of the world’s most popular domain name registrars. They permit the registration of all top-level domain name extensions (TLDs) as well as hundreds of country code top-level domains (ccTLDs). Domain.com provides a rapid domain search tool for domain name research. Their search returns premium domains as well.

Domain transfers are simple with Domain.com, however, the company’s fee is not listed on its website. Before you can see how much it will cost, you must first enter the domain you wish to transfer.

Domain privacy is critical. It enables you to keep your personal information hidden from prying eyes, preventing identity theft and unwanted access. You’ll also get frequent virus scans and blocklist protection with the inclusion of Domain.com’s SiteLock.

When compared to other providers, the company’s costs and renewal rates are quite fair. A.com domain, for example, costs $9.99 for the first year and $15.99 to renew. If you register your domain for five years, you may lock in the pricing of around $10.80 at checkout.

Namecheap

Namecheap is another website that began as a simple domain registrar and has since expanded to provide a choice of web hosting plans and other web services. They also provide domain add-ons such as domain privacy and premium DNS. Their domain management interface is neat and user-friendly

NameCheap has a good feature in that they provide free WHOIS privacy with all of their domain names. It’s a privacy safeguard that keeps your personal contact information from being displayed in the WHOIS database, which is open to the public. You will never have to pay for WhoisGuard as long as your domain is registered with Namecheap.

Transferring a domain name away from Namecheap is as simple as it gets. It’s a fairly common procedure—as long as your domain is more than 60 days old and hasn’t been moved within 60 days, you can leave Namecheap. Transferring a domain to Namecheap is quick (between 30 minutes and six days) and inexpensive. Simply enter the domain you wish to transfer into the search field to discover if it’s qualified, and then transfer it.

Namecheap may not have as many highly specialized extensions, but they do have some of the cheapest prices on .com, .net, and.org domains.

GoDaddy

GoDaddy is one of the most established and well-known domain registration companies. They manage over 84 million domain names on behalf of over 20 million clients.

Basic domain privacy and protection are included with every GoDaddy domain at no extra charge. Your address, email, name, and phone number are therefore kept private from the general public. It’s good to have something for free from GoDaddy, as opposed to other domain registrars that charge more for domain privacy.

You may transfer your domain name, change name servers, update your contact information, handle bulk domain renewals, and configure a number of other domain settings using GoDaddy’s robust yet user-friendly domain management interface.

One of the greatest initial bargains is also provided by GoDaddy. A domain name with a two-year registration costs just £1.99 for the first year. A better offer from such a reputed domain registrar is difficult to find.

Bluehost

Bluehost is one of the top web hosting companies and domain registrars for beginners. It’s the service we recommend if you’re starting a new website or if this is your first website ever, especially if you intend to utilize WordPress, which Bluehost offers as a one-click installation.

Their UI is user-friendly for novices, it has WordPress pre-installed, and their chat assistance is really helpful when needed.

They also include numerous services that website owners want, such as the option to create an infinite number of subdomains, virus protection for websites, professional emails via G Suite (Google Workspace), and much more.

All of their hosting plans include a free domain. You won’t find a better value anywhere else, with shared hosting options beginning as little as $2.75 per month (subject to vary due to promotional promotions). At least not from a reputable provider of excellent hosting and domains. However, A .com domain name costs $12.99 per year and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and free SSL certification.

Hover

Hover is a domain registrar that promotes itself as the “site where the internet’s finest ideas become named.” That argument is fairly subjective, but Hover’s appeal cannot be denied: they are a basic firm that does one thing exceptionally well: selling domains and related email accounts.

This is an excellent alternative if all you need is to register a domain without all the bells and whistles. Hover Link enables you to connect vital services such as Etsy, Facebook, and Shopify.

Hover is particularly noteworthy for its search tool, which delivers an enormous list of similar names combined with your desired top-level domain and additional domain extensions if you can’t find the precise domain you’re looking for. You can also restrict your domain search by filtering Hover’s choices by company category.

Hover provides phone, email, and live chat assistance to consumers. However, their customer support personnel are only available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 12 a.m. to 5 p.m. (all times are EST). If you reside in a different time zone, this may be an issue.

Pricing starts at $12.99/year for .com domains, and renewals at $14.99/year with WHOIS protection included with all top-level eligible domains.

Naturally, there is no one optimal domain registrar for everyone. Some firms will always be superior to others, based on your specific wants and requirements.

We hope this article helped you learn how to choose the best domain registrar for your business. Read this article on how to buy and register domain names. If you have any questions, let us know in the comments!

If you want to create a blog or a new online company, you must first register a domain name, often known as the name of your website. Choosing the best domain for your purposes may appear complicated at first, but the procedure is rather easy.

Basically, to acquire a domain name from a domain name registrar or hosting provider, go to a domain registrar, locate the domain you wish to buy, and follow the purchasing steps. We’ve looked at domain and domain names extensively in a previous article. In this article, we’ll look at choosing a domain name and how to register your domain easily.

Choosing a Domain Name

Be on Brand.

Generic domain names are usually inferior to creative, memorable ones. After all, it is your domain name that people will use to locate, remember, and spread the news about your company on the internet. It’s far preferable to have something that corresponds to your brand rather than a domain name comprised of a slew of generic terms.

Even if you haven’t yet established trust and loyalty, you may begin by selecting a great domain name that complements your brand.

Pick Your Domain Extension

Because the.com domain extension is now the most popular top-level domain, consider starting with it because most online users will recognize it. However, because.net and.org extensions are not rare, they might be ideal backup alternatives if you locate the right name and the .com for that name is not available.

For instance, if yoursite.com is not available, you may choose yoursite.net or yoursite.org

However, if you do decide to use an extension other than.com, be sure to look at what sort of website is currently using the.com extension. Someone will unintentionally go there while seeking your brand. If the site contains dubious or objectionable information, you should avoid using that name entirely. Here are some examples of Top-Level Domains

• .com: Short for “commercial,” this was the first TLD introduced, and it was primarily intended for business and commercial usage. It remains the most popular.
• .net: Short for “network,” this was established for technological firms, but it has since become another popular option for company website owners of all sorts.
• .edu: This TLD, which stands for “education,” was designed for universities, colleges, and other educational institutions. It is now largely linked with schools in the United States.
• .org: Short for “organization,” this was created for non-profit organizations but quickly spread to schools, neighbourhoods, and for-profit businesses.
• .gov: Short for “government,” this domain was intended exclusively for use by US government agencies.
• .mil: Short for “military,” this TLD was created only for use by branches of the United States military.

Short Domain Length

Shorter is preferable when it comes to domain name length. Search engines, like Google, appreciate domain names that are easy to remember and deliver on their promises. URLs including digits and special characters can harm search engine results.

A short and memorable name is easier to remember and type than a long one. It also increases the likelihood of visitors remembering the website’s name. As a result, strive for a name with six to fourteen characters.

The disadvantage of short domain names is that they are few. However, if your brand name is completely original or has some other creative feature, you might be able to locate something that fits the bill.

Avoid Numbers and Hyphens

URLs including numerals and hyphens are more difficult to remember and enter.  If you pick a domain name that includes these characteristics, you will most likely lose traffic from individuals who can’t remember your domain or tell someone else how to locate it. Instead, stick to a domain made up of a single word or a combination of terms.

Make Your Names Future-proof

Domains are an investment in the long run. That is why basing the name on a currently overhyped catchphrase may not be the greatest idea in the long term. Consider where your company or brand may be in five or 10 years.

If you start with something simple like men’s clothing, you may find yourself increasing your catalogue as your company expands. As a result, the terms “fashion” or “clothing line ” may be more appropriate descriptors than “men’s clothes”

Use a Domain Name Generator

Use a domain name generator to generate additional ideas. Enter a word or phrase that characterizes your project, and it will provide you with a list of choices that you can check for availability. Use additional resources, such as Thesaurus, to avoid using a term whose meaning you may have misunderstood.

Steps to Buy a Domain Name

1. Choose a Trusted Domain Registrar

Spend time researching before choosing a domain registrar to ensure your domain is in good hands. The domain name should be accredited with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the non-profit organization in charge of managing all number spaces on the internet.

We have a comprehensive list of the best domain registrars in 2022. You can check it out here.

2. Use a Domain Availability Checker tool

Use a domain checker to find the domain you want to buy. This will inform you whether or not the domain you eventually decided on is available.

3. Pick a Domain Name Option

When searching for available domain names, you’ll frequently discover that your first, second, and tenth options have already been taken. If your ideal web address is already taken, consider contacting the owner of that domain and proposing a reasonable amount for that name. To locate that person’s details, such as their phone number or professional email address, use the WHOIS tool.

Checking the availability of a chosen website name using other top-level domains is another option. If the.com isn’t available and you are dead set on a particular name, consider.net or.org if you believe it’ll work.

4. Make Payment and Complete Registration

When you’ve decided on a domain name, it’s time to buy it. Whichever service you purchase a domain name with, we will notify you of the annual cost as well as any possible savings.

You must also select the domain registration duration. Registrars provide terms ranging from one to 10 years. The registrar will notify you to renew your registration before the initial period expires. Typically, domain registrars demand consumers to pay for a minimum of one year.

5 Verify Your Domain Ownership

The last step is to confirm domain ownership using the email address you gave when you registered the name. After completing the domain setting, the email generally appears within a few minutes. To verify your contact information, simply click the verification link in the email.

Because domain names are memorable, they make it simpler to discover pages on the internet. Otherwise, users would have to write a difficult-to-remember unique numerical label known as an IP address. Therefore, be intentional about your domain name and come up with a name that speaks to your brand and identity. Using these tips should make your journey to the best domain name easier than before.

We hope this post was useful in teaching you how to register a domain name for your website. If you have any further queries, please leave them in the comments.