Best PHP Hosting: Comparison & Reviews

PHP hosting: How To Find The Best One!

It can be quite difficult to choose a good PHP host if you’re not really sure what to look for. Well, we’re here to tell you about all the important features that you should be checking out before making the final decision. In the end, it would require you to compare the features we talk about below among all the hosting providers you’re considering.

Server Location

Your PHP host’s server location is important for speed. Therefore, your top priority would be to find a hosting Company with servers located in your vicinity. For example, if you live in Australia, try to find a web hosting provider in Australia, and if you live in Canada, look for a Canadian web host. If not, they should at least have an integrated CDN service in their features.

CDN stands for Content Distribution Network – and that’s exactly what it does – distribute cached versions of your content to their networks so as to reach the end-users quickly.

There are tons of CDNs out there and your chosen PHP hosting provider can use any of them. One very popular CDN today is called CloudFlare – and it’s commonly found packaged in hosting plans. So, keep an eye out for this service when reviewing the features on the PHP hosting Companies that you’re considering.

Server Uptime

Hosting companies that can deliver 99.9% uptimes are the best. You can easily compare different web host’s uptime in actual figures by searching on Google.

We don’t recommend getting hosting services that don’t promise (and deliver) uptimes at this rate as it could prove to be problematic. Too many downtimes can affect your business especially if it’s an e-commerce site.

SSL Certificates

A secure site is beneficial to all – to you and your site visitors. With an SSL certificate (SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer), you can be sure that data transfers between your host’s servers and site visitors are encrypted. Hackers won’t be able to steal information if they’re encrypted, you know.

You’ve probably seen sites with SSL certificates – but are simply not aware of it. If you see an “s” at the beginning of a website’s URL (example: https://), it means that the site is SSL certificate compliant. If a website only has http on its URL, it means that it doesn’t have an SSL certificate and not that secure.

These days, security has become a major issue on the internet – and that’s why more and more people are only trusting sites that carry that “s” in their addresses. In fact, Google itself is encouraging sites to have SSL certificates and is considering this as a ranking signal in SEO.

In light of the above statements, we recommend choosing a PHP hosting provider that offers SSL certificates as part of their hosting plans. Basic SSL certificates also come included with packages that have the Let’s Encrypt service.

Should it turn out that the hosting plan you end up doesn’t carry a free SSL certificate, just make sure that you get one (yes, it’s that important). You can purchase it from any hosting Company by paying for the added feature (it costs around $10/ year).

Speed

In general, your site speed is already taken care of if you follow our advice on server locations and/ or CDNs. However, you have nothing to lose (and everything to gain) if your chosen hosting Company offers you more.

More CPU resources is always a good thing. Custom scripts that are specifically for PHP will also add to your site speed. They’re all good and should be considered as bonuses when you end up getting them as extra features.

Disk Space

If you’re building an e-commerce business or a membership site, disk space is very VERY important. We’d recommend around 20 to 30 GB disk space in these situations and even unlimited (if your website is huge).

For other types of businesses, however (including blogs), we can say that super large disk spaces are really not that necessary. If you can’t afford to get plans with unlimited storage spaces, know that 1GB is usually enough for typical businesses and blogs. We only encourage you to use a separate email in this case so as not to put a heavy load on your limited disk space.

Therefore, don’t just immediately buy a plan just because of its unlimited storage space feature. Remember, there are lots of other features to consider to end up with the best PHP web host for your site.

Bandwidth and Data Transfer

Bandwidth and data transfer on your PHP hosting provider is very important especially if you’re offering on-site downloads of really large files (e.g. images, videos, and PDFs just to name a few). In this case, we advise getting a plan with unlimited bandwidth and data transfer as such actions can really take its toll on data.

Customer Support

Because of its great importance (especially in times of trouble), we can only suggest going for hosting providers that provide 24/7 customer support. Moreover, prioritize getting live chat and phone support options.

PHP: The Details

In the old days, web developers created bland, static websites and content because they did not have access to the scripting language that we have now. Because there was absolutely no way to create a dynamic website, web pages contained raw HTML content, leaving developers with very little to work with. It wasn’t until 1995, when Rasmus Lerdorf, a programmer, decided to develop a scripting language to monitor his online resume and relate personal information. He named this scripting language, PHP or Personal Home Page. This became the first glimpse of PHP and all its wonders.

What is PHP?

PHP is a programming language essential to creating dynamic web pages and content. It originally stood for “Personal Home Page” whereas today this acronym stands for “PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor”.  The reasoning for the name change is because the original purpose of this scripting language was for Lerfords personal use. Eventually, PHP evolved into something greater than Lerford probably ever imagined, making it one of the most popular, commonly used, programming language in the world.

PHP sparked a change in the world of web developers, allowing them to create dynamic websites with amazing, animated content. It brought along an easy to use framework, with the necessary tools to develop lively, more interesting sites. Before PHP driven websites, hard coded HTML was used, making websites very bland. PHP fixed this problem utilizing a non-static script.

A great example of how PHP works in regards to HTML is the login format websites such as Facebook use. In order for users to log into their Facebook page, they must input their login information such as a username and password in two little boxes. The boxes where users input their login information serve as forms. What PHP then does is take the information in the form and takes necessary action.

What are some features of PHP?

There is not enough room to list all of the features and benefits that PHP offers. Since its foundation, there have been many versions of this language, and programmers still strive to enhance and improve this scripted language. Because of this PHP can about anything whether it be collecting form data, generating dynamic page content, or sending and receiving cookies. This scripting language can be used in web development or embedded into HTML. It can also be used in combination with various web template systems, web content management systems and web frameworks.

PHP is primarily available on Linux hosting plans, but is also compatible with other major operating systems including Windows, Mac OS X, RISC OS, and others. Due to its versatility and extremely strong support for a wide range of databases, it is easy to find the best PHP hosting available to suit your needs.

Why use PHP?

PHP exceeds expectations because of it’s easy to use software, consisting of amazing features, and secure technologies. Any level of expertise can use PHP, making it simple to create or add dynamic content to a web page. It is reliable, has an amazing support team of programmers behind it, and comes at no cost. PHP is the ideal programming language to use, being very popular among developers and programmers.

Developers have so much to gain from this lightweight resource, making web pages easy and efficient, all while being able to add content from a database to provide fun on all kinds of hosting accounts. This programming language is consistent and well-designed, making the creation process of interactive content smooth and simple.  Aside from the endless features PHP offers, it can interact with many different database languages. PHP continues to bring new, cool features to the table. Beginning a new project in PHP is a great start to writing great code, providing good performance, ultimately developing a great PHP setup/website.

Many popular websites like Facebook, Etsy, or WordPress use PHP because it is well tested and fully functional. PHP is supported by nearly all web hosting from the cheapest to the most expensive. It is developed with an easy framework making it hard to make errors. Aside from websites, you can also use PHP to develop pdf’s, certain forms of flash, and more.

Recommended Host for PHP

Selecting the best PHP hosting to develop your needs is easy because PHP is compatible with most web hosts. Not only does it set a good foundation, great for all levels of expertise, but it brings websites to life (as opposed to hard-coded HTML websites). Web developers have found that the best PHP hosting is SiteGround. This web host provider stands out from its competition by offering all around great features at a very low cost.

PHP Hosting Frequently Asked Questions

What is a dynamic web application?

Before PHP, web pages relied heavily on HTML, bringing forward the creation of static, non-changing websites. PHP builds interactive, fun web pages, ridding content from the dull and boring sides they would have been otherwise.

A dynamic web application provides aesthetically pleasing, enjoyable content and features to viewers. Facebook, for example, is the leading social media networking site among users, consisting of PHP’s programming language. Part of what makes Facebook so popular is its dynamic web application content.

Is PHP popular?

Yes. PHP has been around since 1995, opening new doors for web developers while introducing the first glimpse of scripted language and its features. Today, it is used by many developers because of how easy it is to learn and is projected to stick around for many years to come (think WordPress for example). PHP exceeds user expectations, consisting of a large range of amazing features that make it simple to create or add dynamic content to a web page. It is reliable, has an amazing support team of programmers behind it, and comes at no cost. PHP is the ideal programming language to use, being very popular among developers and programmers.

Who should learn PHP?

Developers, programmers, or anyone who is interesting in creating interactive websites and content, should learn PHP. It is easy to learn, great for all levels of expertise, and projected to remain in the market for many years to come.

How do I display static HTLM within a PHP script?

Opposed to other programming languages, PHP is designed to work alongside HTML. In a PHP script, you can work between the two, providing easy resources to creating interesting web applications, compared to other scripting languages.

Why wasn’t PHP 6 ever released?

PHP 6 was never released because the project faltered to meet its ultimate goal. Since it was never met, the progress made within this version was pushed back into a smaller form release of PHP 5. To avoid any confusion, the next generation was named PHP 7.

Is PHP secure?

PHP has the potential to provide safe, and secure web applications. Inexperienced developers need to take the time to fully understand this language or else they may encounter security gaps into their websites or applications if they are not careful. With the help of published tutorials, courses, and training, users will gain an understanding of PHP quickly and efficient. Along with this, when newer versions of PHP are released, users of encouraged to update their websites to ensure even more secure web pages or applications.

Can I still use previous PHP versions?

Yes, previous versions of PHP are still available. In the case of version 4, it is no longer supported officially, and recommended to transition older websites to the newer version 5 or above.

What’s new in PHP 7?

PHP 7 is the latest development bringing even faster speed than the previous version as well as a better method to improve error handling, limited Unicode support, and other features. Users are encouraged to transition to PHP 7 to enjoy the new and improved features that it brings.

How to get PHP?

Installation instructions slightly differ depending if PHP is being installed on a Unix, Mac OS X, or Windows system. PHP installation and configuration can usually be found in the website control panel application provided by your host without any additional cost to your hosting fees; confirmation of this is recommended with the host when choosing a plan.