Morgan E. asks: “I need to switch hosts because mine is super slow and support isn’t helpful, who do you use?”
Hey Morgan this is a super common question I get asked all the time.
The bottom line is there is no one-size-fits-all, permanent solution for this problem. In fact, most hosts change over time. Some improve; some decay.
For example, GoDaddy (in my opinion) had a remarkably bad hosting service when I worked with them a few years ago, but has really improved their hosting and support game lately. Meanwhile, BlueHost has fallen off.
On top of that, each host may be good at one thing while bad at others. Between speed, support, account management, pricing, limitations, and product offering, each host has many opportunities to fail you.
I’ve tried HostGator, 1and1, and A Small Orange as well – each recommended one time or another and none impress me or have my business any longer.
Presently, I recommend Media Temple for your standard shared hosting needs. They have fair pricing, good reliability, good support, and their account center is extremely well organized.
Alternatively, WP Engine is the one consistent company for WordPress sites that I have seen. They are the only site I trust with the label “managed WordPress hosting” because there is a ton of false advertising out there. They can be pricey if you want to have multiple sites and aren’t suitable for hosting non-WordPress sites, though.
Lastly, if you’re a technical person like myself, Digital Ocean is the way to go. You’ll need to do all the leg work, but the pricing, flexibility, and speed are excellent.
But, at the end of the day, it’s all trial and error – and most likely you’ll need to switch over time.
Good luck!