PHP scripts can only be interpreted on a server with PHP installed, so if you want to enjoy the benefits of PHP hosting, you’ll need to choose a web host that supports it.
What is PHP web hosting?
The Top 10 PHP Hosting Providers
- Bluehost – best overall PHP hosting provider.
- HostGator – best for uptime.
- InMotion – best for secure PHP hosting.
- A2 Hosting – best for PHP hosting support.
- SiteGround – best for PHP features.
- Hostinger – best for affordability.
- iPage – best for PHP updates.
- DreamHost – best for storage space.
- WP Engine – best for scalability.
- HostPapa – best for online guidance.
We’ve conducted extensive research on the top hosting providers that support PHP, and have ranked each provider’s performance in a number of areas, from uptime to customer service. Ready to take a closer look at what makes each provider stand out? Let’s get started! First, a quick comparison with expert ratings (out of five) from our research:
Bluehost
Best overall PHP hosting provider
Key Features
PHP starting price: $2.95/month
Savings alert! Get discounted PHP hosting from $2.65/month from November 22nd!
Money-back guarantee? Yes: 30 days
Uptime: 99.98%
Free backups? Yes
Bluehost supports PHP versions 7.0 through 7.3. You can customize your version with PHP handlers, and configure the environment using php.ini. Bluehost also offers a variety of non-PHP-specific features. Check out our general overview of Bluehost below:
Plans and Pricing
PHP hosting on Bluehost’s shared plans starts at $2.95/month, and there are four different plans to choose from. The cheapest is the Basic plan, which includes unmetered bandwidth and 50GB of SSD storage. The Pro plan is the priciest, and includes unmetered bandwidth, unlimited SSD storage, and a dedicated IP address.
Save Up to 75% On Bluehost’s Shared Plans
From November 22nd you can get PHP hosting on Bluehost’s shared plans from as little as $2.65 per month! These Black Friday savings only last until November 29th, though, so don’t miss out!
Bluehost Support
Bluehost’s knowledge base has a host of helpful articles on PHP hosting. Its general help and support services are also robust – you can contact the team 24/7 via phone and live chat.
Bluehost Security
Bluehost also includes extensive security measures with its plans, such as free SSL, Secure Shell access, and Spam Assassin protection. Of course, there are also advanced security features that you can pay extra for – but in this guide, we’ll just cover the security features that come included with each provider’s plans.
Find out more
- Read our Bluehost Review for more information
- Learn more about costs in our Bluehost Pricing Review
2 HostGator
Best for uptime
Key Features
PHP starting price: $2.75/month
Money-back guarantee? Yes: 45 days
Uptime: 99.99%
Free backups? Yes, weekly
HostGator offers PHP hosting on its shared plans, and its servers are already configured with standard PHP settings that HostGator administrators have determined to be the most optimal. However, you can always override these default settings by creating your own PHP.ini file.
Plans and Pricing
HostGator’s shared plans are optimized for PHP hosting, with prices starting at $2.75/month.
The Hatchling plan includes a single domain, unmetered bandwidth, and a free domain. The Business plan includes unlimited domains, unmetered bandwidth, a free dedicated IP address, free SEO tools, and a free domain.
HostGator Support
HostGator offers an extensive searchable knowledge base which, like that of Bluehost, includes a ton of information on PHP hosting. In addition, HostGator offers 24/7 live chat and phone support.
HostGator Security
So, what about HostGator’s security measures? Each plan offers a free SSL certificate, and better yet, HostGator’s data centers enable flood protection to prevent DDoS attacks.
Find out more
- Learn more about this provider from our HostGator Review
- Get an in-depth breakdown of costs from our HostGator Pricing Review
3 InMotion
Best for secure PHP hosting
Key Features
PHP starting price: $2.49/month
Money-back guarantee? Yes: 90 days
Uptime: 99.97%
Free backups? Yes
InMotion’s PHP plans are strengthened by the suPHP tool, which executes PHP scripts with the permissions of their owners. In other words, the suPHP features make your web hosting more secure.
InMotion also provides a wealth of other, non-PHP specific features, which we’ll explain under “Plans and Pricing.” But first, take a look at our snapshot summary of InMotion:
Plans and Pricing
InMotion’s shared plans start at $2.29/month. In addition to supporting PHP hosting, each plan includes free site transfers, scheduled data backups, and free solid-state (SSD) drives. This $2.29/month ‘Core’ plan is a promotional offer for Website Builder Expert readers – just click the button below to go to InMotion and see the discount automatically applied.
Save on Shared Hosting With InMotion’s Black Friday Deal!
From November 11th you can get InMotion’s Power plan for the price of the Launch plan – that’s over $200 in savings! This great value deal lasts until the end of December, so don’t miss out!
InMotion Support
InMotion offers 24/7 phone and live chat support, as well as a searchable Support Center knowledge base with over 5,000 articles.
InMotion Security
As far as security goes, InMotion includes free SSL, Secure Shell access, and DDoS attack protection. This provider also includes HotLink protection to prevent stolen bandwidth.
Find out more
- Learn more with our InMotion Review
- See how the #1 and #3 PHP hosts fare overall in our InMotion vs Bluehost general comparison
4 A2 Hosting
Best for PHP hosting support
Key Features
PHP starting price: $3.92/month
Money-back guarantee? Yes: anytime
Uptime: 99.95%
Free backups? Yes
A2 Hosting lets you choose between the many different versions of PHP on offer, the latest being PHP 7.4. Other versions provided by A2 Hosting include 7.0 through 7.3. Check out what else this provider can do:
Plans and Pricing
A2 Hosting offers PHP web hosting on all three of its shared plans: Lite, Swift, and Turbo. Shared plans start at $3.92/month. At the cheapest end of this spectrum, the Lite plan is great for those just starting off, while the Turbo plan runs very quickly and is great for sites with a lot of files and content.
All of A2’s shared plans offer unlimited SSD storage and transfer, free site migration, and the popular cPanel control panel.
A2 Hosting Support
A2 Hosting’s customer support team – otherwise known as the Guru Crew – is available 24/7 via phone and live chat. You can also submit email tickets with help requests. A2 Hosting’s searchable knowledge center is just as robust as those of its competitors, and you can find a lot of articles on PHP-related topics there.
A2 Hosting Security
A2 Hosting has also implemented an in-house Perpetual Security initiative to keep its websites safe, which includes:
- HackScan protection
- Dual hosting firewall
- Server hardening
- Reinforced DDoS attack protection
Find out more
- Read our A2 Hosting Review to learn more
- How much does it cost to host a website? We’ve broken down the general budget
5 SiteGround
Best for PHP features
Key Features
PHP starting price: $6.99/month
Money-back guarantee? Yes: 30 days
Uptime: 99.98%
Free backups? Yes
SiteGround’s PHP hosting starts at $6.99 per month, and for that price you’ll have access to versions 7.0 through 7.4. SiteGround prides itself on its highly secure PHP executions and automatic PHP updates, and you can also feel good about this provider if you’re trying to go green: SiteGround offers a 100% renewable energy match on its PHP shared plans.
Plans and Pricing
SiteGround offers PHP hosting on all of its shared plans. The StartUp plan is cheapest at $6.99/month, followed by the GrowBig plan at $9.99/month, and finally the GoGeek plan at $14.99/month.
All of SiteGround’s shared plans include unmetered data transfer and unlimited sub and parked domains. In addition, the SSD storage breakdown across plans is 10GB on StartUp, 20GB on Grow Big, and 30GB on GoGeek.
SiteGround Support
In addition to 24/7 phone and live chat support and its own knowledge base, SiteGround also offers dedicated tutorials for different tasks and tools, to help you take your site to the next level.
SiteGround Security
SiteGround’s security measures include free SSL and 24/7 server monitoring. SiteGround also runs an Intrusion Prevention System, which can identify any users trying to bruteforce your passwords, and then swiftly disable access to the attacker’s IP address.
Find out more
- Our SiteGround Review will give you all the details about this provider
- Start planning your budget with our full SiteGround Pricing Review