6 Best PHP Hosting (Support PHP 5.2 to 8.2 and phpMyAdmin)
Great PHP hosting providers help ensure optimal performance and reliability for PHP-based websites.
In this article, we’ve explored the 6 companies that stand out in the realm of PHP hosting. Each web host on this list offers robust support for PHP, ensuring compatibility and stability. We’ve also taken a look at other important deciding factors such as performance, scalability, feature offerings, and customer support.
After that, we’ll also explain what PHP hosting is, how to choose a good PHP hosting provider, and provide some tips on running different PHP versions on the same hosting account. Our top pick of PHP web hosts is Hostinger for the value and performance they offer.
1. Hostinger
https://www.hostinger.com/
Hosting Plan
Premium Shared
Support PHP
From 5.2 to 8.1
Price (USD)
$2.99/mo
Key Features
- 100 websites
- 100GB SSD storage
- LiteSpeed Cache
- phpMyAdmin
- 1-click installer
“Hostinger is one of the most famous hosting brands that offer affordable, great server performance and feature-rich hosting plans!”
Hostinger has established itself as a popular choice among website owners and developers. With its affordable and feature-rich hosting solutions, they’re a fantastic pick for anyone hosting PHP-based websites and applications.
One big advantage is its affordability. Hostinger provides competitive pricing plans that make PHP hosting accessible to users with various budget constraints. They also have great global presence, with data centers around the world.
Hostinger also supports the latest PHP versions. You switch between versions 5.2 to 7.4 and manage extensions with essential PHP values. Developers can leverage the latest features, security enhancements, and performance optimizations offered by newer PHP versions.
Plus, Hostinger emphasizes performance and employs advanced technologies such as SSD storage and server-side caching mechanisms to deliver fast and responsive PHP hosting. Their infrastructure is truly optimized to ensure smooth performance for PHP websites. Find out more in our in-depth Hostinger review!
Pros and cons of Hostinger PHP hosting
Pros
- ✓ Scalable and feature-rich plans
- ✓ Affordable hosting plans
- ✓ Comprehensive security features
- ✓ Widespread global data center locations
- ✓ All tiers (web hosting plans) provide unlimited free SSL
Cons
- • No unlimited websites for all PHP packages
- • No free domain for the lowest plan
2. A2 Hosting
https://www.a2hosting.com/
Hosting Plan
Premium Shared
Support PHP
From 5.6 to 8.1
Price (USD)
$2.99/mo
Key Features
- 1 website
- 100GB SSD storage
- Unlimited transfer
- phpMyAdmin
- A2 Optimized site accelerator
“The reasonably priced A2 Hosting offers a feature-rich plan, helpful customer service, and support for multiple PHP versions!”
A2 Hosting has established itself as a premier in PHP hosting with features and services tailored for PHP-driven websites and applications. With a strong emphasis on speed, reliability, and developer-friendly tools, A2 Hosting is an excellent choice for anyone seeking the best PHP hosting experience.
A2 Hosting is all about blazing-fast performance. Their SwiftServer platform utilizes cutting-edge technologies like SSD storage, Turbo Servers, advanced caching methods, and optimized software configurations to ensure PHP applications load quickly to provide an exceptional user experience.
Also, A2 Hosting provides a developer-friendly environment. They offer support for the latest PHP versions, including PHP 7.1-7.4 and 8.0 – 8.1, allowing developers to leverage the latest features and improvements. In addition to changing the PHP version, you can change various PHP settings from your cPanel.
With strategically located data centers, A2 Hosting enhances reliability by reducing latency and ensuring reliable data delivery across the globe. A2 Hosting offers free SSL certificates and Perpetual Security features, including HackScan, to protect PHP projects from potential threats. These security measures help safeguard sensitive data and provide assurance. Learn more in our full review of A2 Hosting.
Pros and cons of A2 Hosting PHP hosting
Pros
- ✓ Blazing speeds supported by Turbo servers
- ✓ Excellent customer support from A2 Hosting’s Guru Crew
- ✓ Comprehensive hosting plans for easy scalability
- ✓ A2 Optimized Site Accelerator
Cons
- • Turbo servers at additional cost
- • Occasional complaints about support quality
3. IONOS
https://www.ionos.com/
Hosting Plan
Plus
Support PHP
From 4.0 to 8.2
Price (USD)
$1.00/mo
Key Features
- Unlimited websites
- Unlimited storage
- Unlimited databases
- phpMyAdmin
- 1-click installation
“You can manually change the PHP version (from 4.0 version and above) with IONOS hosting plan.”
IONOS, formerly known as 1&1 IONOS, is a reputable provider offering reliable and feature-rich PHP hosting solutions. With its extensive experience in the hosting industry, IONOS has become a popular choice for hosting PHP-based websites and applications.
One of the notable features of IONOS PHP hosting is its powerful and resilient infrastructure. Featuring geo-redundant data backup ensures an extremely high level of availability for your website at 99.9%. Copies of all data are in two independent, high-performance data centers. This way, you need not worry about data losses.
You can switch to a newer PHP version (PHP 8.2) via the IONOS Control Panel settings to enjoy enhanced security and higher performance. For security reasons, older PHP versions are only available as part of IONOS Extended Support (for existing customers).
Security is a top priority for IONOS. A firewall protects the IONOS servers against cyberattacks. SSL-encrypted data transmission safeguards your customer’s sensitive data. IONOS helps protect your site from XSS attacks. Follow the steps given in their Help Center to implement the necessary protective measures. Head over to our complete IONOS official website to learn more!
Pros and cons of IONOS PHP hosting
Pros
- ✓ The Plus plan is value-for-money at $1/month
- ✓ ISO 27001 certification data centers
- ✓ Free domain, wildcard SSL, email for all plans
- ✓ Other services available (Domain, SSL, marketing, website builder, and more)
Cons
- • Mixed reviews on customer support
- • Storage for the lowest plan is limited
4. InMotion Hosting
https://www.inmotionhosting.com/
Hosting Plan
Launch
Support PHP
PHP 8 (JIT compilation)
Price (USD)
$6.99/mo
Key Features
- Unlimited websites
- Unlimited NVMe SSD
- Unlimited bandwidth
- phpMyAdmin
- 1-click installation
“You can host multiple PHP websites from a single hosting account with InMotion Hosting.”
InMotion Hosting has built a strong reputation as a leading provider of PHP hosting, offering a wide range of features and services tailored to the needs of PHP-based websites and applications. With a focus on performance, reliability, and excellent customer support, InMotion Hosting stands out as one of the best choices for PHP hosting.
It utilizes advanced server hardware, including SSD storage, to ensure fast and responsive hosting for PHP websites. InMotion Hosting also optimizes its infrastructure for PHP, leveraging caching mechanisms, PHP accelerators, and other performance-enhancing technologies to deliver exceptional speed and responsiveness.
In terms of compatibility, InMotion Hosting supports the latest PHP versions. Many PHP tools are available for developers to explore – FTP, SFTP, and SSH Access. Also, InMotion Hosting supports PHP, Ruby, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, and Python.
You switch between PHP versions cia cPanel, a user-friendly interface for all your hosting needs. This user-friendly interface is particularly beneficial for users with varying levels of technical expertise. Find out more in our in-depth InMotion Hosting review!
Pros and cons of InMotion Hosting PHP hosting
Pros
- ✓ Performance-oriented PHP hosting plans
- ✓ Multiple support channels through phone, chat, email, and others
- ✓ Competitive pricing for their feature-rich plans
- ✓ High-grade commercial security
- ✓ 90-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- • Data centers are in the US only
- • US-based support only
5. HostPapa
https://www.hostpapa.com/
Hosting Plan
Plus
Support PHP
PHP 5.6 to 8.1
Price (USD)
$5.95/mo
Key Features
- 10 websites
- 100GB SSD storage
- phpMyAdmin
- Enhanced WordPress caching
- Free domain and SSL certificate
“HostPapa is budget-friendly, eco-conscious and really easy to use. Easily one of the best PHP Hosting for small businesses!”
HostPapa is a reputable provider that offers reliable and feature-rich VPS PHP hosting solutions, making it a strong contender in PHP hosting. HostPapa utilizes a powerful server infrastructure, including SSD storage and performance-enhancing technologies.
HostPapa supports the latest PHP versions (PHP 8.1 by default). With support for the latest PHP versions, HostPapa ensures compatibility with modern PHP applications and frameworks, empowering developers to leverage the full potential of PHP technology.
HostPapa provides a user-friendly control panel (cPanel) that simplifies the management of PHP websites. The control panel offers an intuitive interface and a range of features to configure and switch between PHP versions, manage PHP settings and domains, set up databases, and perform other essential tasks.
HostPapa’s award-winning 24/7 VPS support is available round‑the‑clock via telephone, online chat, and email in English, French, Spanish, or German. Or you can browse their extensive self-serve VPS Knowledge Base.
Pros and cons of HostPapa PHP hosting
Pros
- ✓ Comprehensive security measures
- ✓ Award-winning 24/7 VPS support
- ✓ Your VPS will be provisioned on blacklist free IPs list
- ✓ Free site migration
Cons
- • VPS packages are overall pricier
- • Mixed reviews on customer support
6. Cloudways
https://www.cloudways.com/
Hosting Plan
Plus
Support PHP
PHP 7.4 to 8.2
Price (USD)
$11/mo
Key Features
- 1GB RAM
- 25GB SSD storage
- 1TB bandwidth
- Optimized With Advanced Caches
- 24/7/365 support
“Forget the complexity and explore the simplicity of PHP hosting together with Cloudways!”
Cloudways is a renowned provider that offers exceptional PHP hosting services, making it a top choice. They are known for their powerful performance and developer-friendly solutions. Leveraging the cloud infrastructure, Cloudways implement cutting-edge technologies, including SSD storage, built-in caching mechanisms, and content delivery networks (CDNs).
Cloudways allows users to choose from multiple cloud providers, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and DigitalOcean. You have the flexibility to select the infrastructure that best suits your needs.
Cloudways is PHP 7.4, 8.0, 8.1, and 8.2 ready; you can test compatibility and switch versions via several clicks only. Supporting the latest PHP versions means the latest features, security patches, and performance improvements. Cloudways ensures compatibility with modern PHP frameworks and applications, empowering developers to build high-performing PHP projects.
Scalability is another key strength of Cloudways’ PHP hosting. They provide a scalable infrastructure that allows users to adjust their hosting resources as their PHP projects grow. With just a few clicks, users can scale up their server capacity to accommodate increasing traffic and resource demands, ensuring optimal performance even during periods of high usage.
Pros and cons of Cloudways PHP hosting
Pros
- ✓ You pay for what you need in these scalable and flexible plans
- ✓ Supports reputable Cloud platform providers
- ✓ PHP packages are performance-optimized
- ✓ High-grade commercial security
Cons
- • Plans can be pricey depending on your Cloud platform provider
- • No free trial for Amazon Web Services
What Is PHP hosting?
PHP, which stands for Hypertext Preprocessor, is a popular server-side scripting language for web development. PHP hosting is a web hosting service, designed and optimized to support websites and applications built using PHP.
PHP hosting providers offer server environments and configurations tailored to run PHP scripts efficiently. They ensure the necessary PHP modules and libraries are installed and properly configured to support PHP-based websites and applications.
PHP hosting typically includes features such as PHP version management, database support (such as MySQL), FTP access, email services, and a user-friendly control panel for managing website files, domains, databases, and other hosting settings.
How To Choose A Good PHP Hosting Provider
A good PHP hosting provider should offer a range of features specifically designed to support PHP-based websites and applications.
- PHP version support
Ensure that the hosting provider supports the latest stable versions of PHP; this allows you to leverage the newest features, security enhancements, and performance improvements. - Performance optimization
Look for a hosting provider that employs performance optimization techniques such as caching, content delivery networks (CDNs), and server-side optimizations to ensure the fast and efficient execution of PHP scripts. - Database support
PHP applications often rely on databases for storing and retrieving data. Ensure the hosting provider supports popular databases like MySQL or MariaDB, allowing seamless integration between your PHP code and the database. - Security measures
Security is crucial for PHP hosting. The provider should implement robust security measures such as SSL certificates, firewalls, malware scanning, regular backups, and proactive monitoring to protect your PHP applications and data from potential threats. - Control panel
A user-friendly control panel simplifies the management of your PHP hosting environment. It should offer features like domain management, file management, database management, and one-click installation of PHP applications. - Customer support
Responsive and knowledgeable customer support is crucial should you encounter any issues or have questions. Look for a hosting provider that offers 24/7 support through multiple channels like live chat, email, or phone. - Pricing and value
Consider the pricing structure and value on offer. Compare plans, features, and resources with the cost to ensure a fair and competitive deal.
Can You Run Different PHP Versions On The Same Hosting Account?
The ability to run different PHP versions on the same hosting account depends on the hosting provider and their server configuration. Some hosting providers offer the flexibility to choose and switch between different PHP versions.
However, it’s important to note that not all hosting providers support multiple PHP versions. Some providers may have a default PHP version set for the entire hosting account, and changing it may affect all websites hosted within that account.
If running different PHP versions is a requirement for your project, check with the hosting provider beforehand to ensure they support multiple PHP versions and provide the necessary tools or interfaces to manage and switch between them. They may offer options such as PHP version selectors, PHP configuration files, or control panel settings that allow you to specify the PHP version for each website or directory.
Additionally, running multiple PHP versions on the same hosting account may affect compatibility and resource allocation. It’s essential to thoroughly test your applications and ensure they are compatible with the chosen PHP version before making any changes.
Discover The Top PHP Providers For Your Website’s Success
Choosing the best PHP hosting provider is vital for the success and performance of your PHP-based website or application. PHP is a widely used scripting language in web development, and having a reliable hosting environment is crucial to ensure seamless functionality and optimal performance.
Peruse the list above and consider your specific requirements, budget, and the nature of your PHP project. Then, you can make an informed decision and choose the best PHP hosting provider that aligns with your needs while enjoying the optimal environment for your PHP-based website or application.
