Latest news with #WordPress.com
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The Best WordPress Web Hosting Services for 2025
PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing. You can't go wrong with WordPress as the foundation for your website. The content management system (CMS) anchored itself into the bedrock of the internet, powering more than 40% of the web since its introduction nearly 20 years ago. WordPress' open-source nature has fostered an incredible library of themes and plug-ins that expand your site's functionality. Many web hosts offer WordPress-specific services, typically in an optimized environment. But which should you choose? Let us offer a helping hand. PCMag has rigorously reviewed web hosting services since 2013, so you can trust our independent reviews. Start with our top picks, such as GoDaddy and WP Engine, followed by everything you need to consider when choosing a WordPress web hosting service. Note that we speak of the CMS, not the relatively limited The latter CMS has more in common with website builders than traditional website hosting. While researching the WordPress hosting tier that best fits your site's vision, you'll likely see an option to select either managed or unmanaged (aka self-hosted) WordPress hosting. That choice is important, as the two options offer radically different server maintenance experiences. With managed WordPress hosting, your site lives on a server tuned to work with WordPress. You'll enjoy WordPress-specific security, automatic site backups, malware scanning and removal, and other benefits without lifting a finger. Your web host's server team will do the work for you. The downside? Managed WordPress hosting typically limits some of the plug-ins you can install to ensure your site operates in tip-top fashion. With unmanaged WordPress hosting, your site lives on a server that typically features just the Linux or Windows operating system. This hosting type requires you (or an IT person) to set up everything yourself, including the features you get with managed WordPress hosting. You'd go this route if, say, there's specific, custom software that needs installation. Alternatively, you may just like getting your hands dirty. You'll typically save a few bucks going the self-hosted route, too, because you're not paying a web host a server maintenance fee. WordPress hosting prices vary widely. Entry-level plans cost roughly the same as shared web hosting, but higher-tier plans scale upward to around $60 per month. The upside? Your WordPress installation should run more smoothly, and setup should be easier in a WordPress environment than in a traditional hosting environment. Before signing up for a WordPress web hosting service, you should look for these attractive and possibly essential features. Ideally, you'll want to invest in a WordPress host with unlimited monthly data transfers, email, storage, and 24/7 support. Many WordPress web hosts place caps on those features, particularly on the managed side. WP Engine, for example, limits sites to 400,000 visitors and a relatively paltry 30GB of storage. If you expect lots of site growth, you'll want a host to properly accommodate your website's future expansion. Additionally, you'll want a service that offers Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) if you plan to sell products. Ever see a green padlock in your browser's address bar while you're on your bank's website? That's the symbol that tells visitors that SSL is in place. It's a symbol of trustworthiness. An SSL connection encrypts the data that travels between your site and users' web browsers, thus safeguarding the transmission of purchasing information. All the WordPress hosting services in this roundup offer SSL certificates, but the prices vary from company to company. Some companies include a free SSL certificate when you sign up for a hosting plan, while others charge nearly $100. Naturally, your web hosting needs will differ from the next person's, but keep these features in mind if you want a silky-smooth WordPress experience. If you plan to create a WordPress-powered site, there's no reason not to invest in WordPress-specific hosting. It's packed with benefits. That said, a WordPress environment won't let you set up a non-WordPress site—that's something else to keep in mind, especially if you have a site in mind that will rely on specific frameworks, for example. In those instances, you'll want to build your site on shared hosting, VPS hosting, or dedicated hosting services. And, if you want to start your own web hosting company, reseller hosting is the way to go. In addition, you must consider how long you'll need WordPress web hosting. If it's a short-term project—say, less than a month or two—you'll typically receive a refund should you cancel your hosting within 60 days. Some companies offer 30-day money-back guarantees, while others offer 90-day money-back guarantees. Once again, it's beneficial to do your homework. We've reviewed many WordPress hosting services for individuals and small businesses and included our favorites in this guide. The chart below includes traditional web hosts that offer WordPress hosting and standalone WordPress services. It also gives you a quick overview of the major features you'll find with each service. Just getting started with web hosting? Make sure to check out our primers, How to Create a Website, How to Register a Domain Name for Your Website, How to Get a Free Domain for Your Website, and Linux vs. Windows: How to Pick the Best Server OS for Your Website. Mike Williams and Jeffrey L. Wilson contributed to this article.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Automattic says it will start contributing to WordPress again after pause
parent company Automattic is changing direction... again. In a blog post titled "Returning to Core" published Thursday evening, Automattic announced it will unpause its contributions to the WordPress project. This is despite having said only last month that the 6.8 WordPress release would be the final major release for all of 2025. "After pausing our contributions to regroup, rethink, and plan strategically, we're ready to press play again and return fully to the WordPress project," the new blog post states. "Expect to find our contributions across all of the greatest hits — WordPress Core, Gutenberg, Playground, Openverse, and This return is a moment of excitement for us as it's about continuing the mission we've always believed in: democratizing publishing for everyone, everywhere," it reads. Automattic says it's learned a lot from the pause in terms of the many ways WordPress is used, and that it's now committed to helping it "grow and thrive." The post also notes that WordPress today powers 43% of the web. It's unclear what has changed between then and April. However, according to sources who spoke to TechCrunch, Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg explained in an internal post published last night that he wants to get a 6.9 release out this year with an admin refresh and something from the "new AI team." (The latter references this week's announcement that WordPress formed a new team to steward the development of AI projects.) "I don't think that will happen without our contributions," the post stated, according to a source familiar with the internal discussions. Insiders are speculating there's more to it than that, and various theories are being floated. Some wonder if Mullenweg was pressured into this move or if he realized that pulling back wasn't good for his business or its reputation? Others are debating if this change of heart has to do with Automattic's ongoing litigation with WordPress hosting company, WP Engine, which Automattic has called a "threat" to the WordPress community and a "cancer to WordPress." No one knows what to believe, and none of these backchannel theories line up with the officially stated reason. Automattic was asked for additional comment. Since 2024, Automattic has been engaged in a legal dispute that has to do with how little, in Mullenweg's opinion, WP Engine contributes to the WordPress project, despite its size and revenue. He sees the hosting company as profiting off the open source work WordPress is doing without giving back. Mullenweg also alleges that WP Engine benefits from the confusion between WordPress and commercial services like WP Engine. This led him to ban the company from accessing and sue in court for unauthorized trademark usage. Simply put, Mullenweg thinks WP Engine should either pay a direct licensing fee or up its contributions to the open source WordPress project, or shouldn't be allowed to use its trademark. WP Engine responded that it doesn't think it needs a license and that Automattic misunderstands trademark law, suing Automattic in return. Last month, Automattic laid off 16% of staff, saying the restructuring was necessary to be more agile and improve its productivity and profitability. The WordPress vs. WP Engine drama, explained WordPress has formed an AI team Sarah Perez can be reached at @sarahperez.01 on Signal and sarahp@ . This article originally appeared on TechCrunch at Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Verge
7 days ago
- Business
- The Verge
May 30, 2025 at 9:01 AM EDT
Automattic has resumed contributions to the WordPress project. The company, which runs paused contributions to the WordPress open-source project in January, citing the 'significant time and money' it spent due to its ongoing legal battle with WP Engine. In a post on Thursday, Automattic announced it's ready to 'return fully' to the WordPress project, where it will provide contributions across WordPress Core, Gutenberg, and other parts of the ecosystem.
Techday NZ
19-05-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Fivetran appoints Monica Ohara as Chief Marketing Officer
Fivetran has appointed Monica Ohara as its new Chief Marketing Officer, tasking her with leading the company's global marketing strategy and brand development efforts. Ohara brings over two decades of experience in marketing, growth, and leadership roles at technology companies. She will report to Chief Operating Officer Taylor Brown and become a member of Fivetran's executive team, overseeing functions including brand, customer, partner, field and product marketing, public relations, analyst relations, and events. Her previous roles include Vice President of Global Marketing at Shopify and marketing leadership positions at and HackerRank. In addition, Ohara co-founded the growth marketing startup DataScore, which was acquired by Lyft, where she subsequently led rider and driver acquisition efforts through the company's initial public offering. "Monica brings a rare combination of entrepreneurial drive, deep marketing expertise, and a proven ability to scale some of the world's most respected technology brands. Her experience leading growth at both early-stage startups and global enterprises will be critical as Fivetran continues to expand our market leadership. We are confident Monica will help propel Fivetran's next chapter of innovation and growth," Taylor Brown, Chief Operating Officer at Fivetran, commented on the appointment. This leadership change follows a range of recent executive appointments at Fivetran, including Suresh Seshadri as Chief Financial Officer, Anand Mehta as Chief People Officer, and Simon Quinton as General Manager for EMEA. These additions accompany the company's acquisition of Census, which introduces Reverse ETL capabilities to its platform and is intended to solidify Fivetran's position as a provider of end-to-end data movement solutions. "Throughout my career, I've been drawn to companies that make complex technology accessible and enable transformative outcomes for their customers. Fivetran's ability to automate data movement and enable real-time decision-making is fundamentally changing how businesses operate. I'm excited to help amplify Fivetran's impact globally and build deeper connections with the customers and partners who rely on us every day," Monica Ohara said. Prior to this appointment, Ohara held the position of Vice President of Growth Marketing at Shopify. She also served as Chief Marketing Officer at and HackerRank and led growth strategy at before its acquisition by Ohara holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from UCLA and studied Principles of Engineering Design through Johns Hopkins University's Centre for Talented Youth. Fivetran is currently used by companies including OpenAI, LVMH, Pfizer, Verizon, and Spotify to centralise data from various sources such as SaaS applications, databases, files, and other systems into cloud destinations. Its services include data lakes, high-performance pipelines, and interoperability aimed at supporting analytics, artificial intelligence, compliance, and business objectives.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
WordPress.com launches a free AI-powered website builder
Hosting platform on Wednesday launched a new AI website builder that allows anyone to create a functioning website using an AI chat-style interface. The feature, which is being made available to WordPress users for free, is targeted at entrepreneurs, freelancers, bloggers, and others who need a professional online presence, the company says. At this time, the AI builder is not capable of creating more advanced websites like those needed for e-commerce stores or others with complex integrations, however. While AI-powered website builders are no longer new, the addition is designed to help WordPress better compete with companies like Squarespace and Wix, which offer AI builders to speed up site creation and design. But like most of these builders today, more advanced website edits and layouts will still require an understanding of using website development and design tools. In time, that could change as the AI learns from the edits users make to their sites after the initial creation. To use the new tool, users engage with an AI chatbot in a conversational style to design the website with their own text and images and to configure the site's layout. To get started, users first type in a prompt that explains their website idea -- like "build a website for my coffee shop." The company suggests being as specific as possible in this prompt, offering a site name and short description, along with information about what sort of content the site will host. Users then either sign up for or log in with their WordPress account to watch the AI build their website for them. (The feature is only available for brand-new websites, the company notes.) After the site is created, users can chat with the AI to make changes, or they can adjust things manually if preferred. The AI builder includes 30 free prompts before users will need to choose a hosting plan, all of which include unlimited prompts. This gives people a way to try the AI builder and see if it will meet their needs before committing to hosting on To launch the finalized website to the public, a hosting plan is required. These range from $48 per year for a personal site to $300 per year for a business site. The plans include a set amount of storage, a free domain for a year, access to free premium themes, customer support, and more. The AI builder is available alongside these plans at no additional charge. This article originally appeared on TechCrunch at Sign in to access your portfolio
