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    Get the Lowdown on Drupal Hosting

    Jon Rettinger

    No matter what type of website you’re building today, when it comes to managing it, you’ll need a CMS to help you through. Although the world loves to rave about WordPress, Drupal has quietly made a name for itself as one of the best and most versatile content management systems (CMS) on the web. Drupal is used by over 3% of the world’s websites and is largely popular because it is also open source, making it accessible to anyone. Even so, before you sign up for Drupal (or if you did so before choosing a web host), opting for Drupal-optimized hosting can save you time, effort, and headaches when it comes to constructing your web property. Drupal website hosting comes ready to integrate and set up the moment you buy it, and will let you get the most out of your CMS. Before selecting your next Drupal hosting plan, read on below and check out our reviews to get a better idea of what you need.

    Best Drupal Hosting
    Features
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    • A2 Hosting Coupon
    • A2 Hosting VPS
    • A2 Hosting Promo Code
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    • Bundled Free Services
    • No Limits on Bandwidth
    • Faster Load Times
    • Amazing Support Team
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    • Fast Loading Times
    • Intuitive Custom Dashboard
    • PHP7 Enabled
    • Free Domain on Sign Up
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    What is Drupal Hosting, And How Does it Work?

    Drupal is an open-source (and free) CMS that is available for a variety of purposes, from managing blogs and small sites to administering large-scale web properties such as government portals and corporate websites. One of the most popular things about Drupal is that it’s also highly customizable, so you can shape it to fit your specific needs. Additionally, there are hundreds of features and tools you can add to make it run perfectly. Drupal hosting is optimized to get the most out of your CMS. It will often include easy installations (such as Softaculous) that make it easy to connect your Drupal account with your hosting, and it will include tools that simplify management from a central location.

    When Should I Choose Drupal Hosting?

    You can opt for Drupal hosting for a variety of reasons, but one of the major ones is usually budget. Unlike WordPress (which, to be fair, does offer a free version), Drupal is entirely free, and completely open source. This means that there is no paid version of Drupal, even if you’re choosing a specific variant for your industry. Additionally, Drupal offers some unique advantages, including industry-specific distributions, a variety of tools, and multiple hosting options that make your website run more smoothly and efficiently.

    The Main Benefits of Drupal Hosting

    Free and Open Source

    There are absolutely no financial costs attached to using Drupal as your CMS. Indeed, the platform is maintained by the community, and is so extensible you can modify your own version to fit your needs. This also means Drupal hosting is cheaper than other available types.

    Programming Language

    Drupal is a powerful tool to build dynamic websites, and you can use it as much more than a CMS. Moreover, its use of PHP means that you can start mastering Drupal if you’re already familiar with the scripting language.

    MySQL Support

    One of the best things about Drupal is how well it connects to MySQL. Although there are many other database querying tools, MySQL remains the gold standard and among the most intuitive, and Drupal is 100% committed to making it straightforward for you to use.

    One-Click Installs

    Despite its flexibility, most of us are not skilled developers who can build any tool they need. Fortunately, Drupal hosting includes hundreds of one-click installations for vital and valuable tools you can add to your back end or website.

    What To Consider When Looking for Drupal Hosting

    Speed Optimization Tools

    One area where Drupal excels is in optimization. Look for hosting providers that give you access to Drupal’s full power to ensure that your loading times and speeds are always reaching their full potential.

    1-Click Install List

    As we’ve mentioned, Drupal is incredibly user-friendly when adding new tools. Make sure your Drupal website hosting plan gives you access to the widest possible list of 1-click installations to ensure your back end matches your website’s requirements.

    Database Efficiency

    They key job of any CMS is to communicate between your database and your website to properly display information. Fast communication is crucial, so choose a Drupal hosting solution that makes it easy to connect the two all while providing seamless data transfers to speed up your website.

    Best Drupal Hosting

    • Good for coding beginners
    • Advanced website builder
    • Over 400 apps on offer
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    • Unlimited bandwidth
    • Ideal for coding beginners
    • Free site migration
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    • extensive set of features
    • Beaver Builder drag-and-drop designer
    • Extensive security tools
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    How to Choose the Best Drupal Hosting

    Make Sure Your Hosting Provider is Compatible With Drupal Tools

    One of the most important aspects of getting started is compatibility. Make sure your hosting solution supports multiple versions of PHP, as well as Apache and MySQL. This will reduce complications when you’re setting up your website.

    Ensure it’s Easy to Install and Migrate 

    Although it is powerful, Drupal is also slightly more complex than other CMS tools. Choose a Drupal Hosting provider that offers free installations or migrations, and which can help you through the process to avoid unnecessary complications.

    Make Sure it’s Compliant

    No matter the industry you operate in, there are some compliance standards and regulations that are universal, and which your website must meet. Ensure that your host is compliant with things such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, and more.

    Compare Your Options

    Read through expert reviews to understand each provider’s benefits and drawbacks, and compare with users’ experiences to find one that matches your needs.

    How to Install Drupal Hosting

    Luckily, for most Drupal Hosting solutions, getting started takes less than a few minutes. If your Drupal hosting has 1-click installations available, you can likely set up Drupal by finding the application and selecting it. Once installed, you’ll have to connect your Drupal account to your hosting provider, but that takes a few seconds.

    If you’re installing it manually, you can follow these easy steps to get started:

    1. Download the installation file from Drupal (make sure the version you’re using is compatible with your hosting provider)
    2. Create a PHP file for your settings.PHP and files directory to prepare for installation 
    3. Build a database to connect to Drupal 
    4. Make sure your web hosting is properly configured for your version of Drupal 
    5. Type in the installation script, and get started

    The Top 3 Drupal Hosting Plans

    A2 Hosting

    If you’re searching for speed, there are few alternatives better than A2 Hosting. The company publicizes its use of SSD storage, as well as its Litespeed protocol, which both combine to provide what A2 Claims are 20x faster speeds than other competitors. Additionally, the company grants you unlimited storage and transfers, as well as free SSL certificates for your sites. If you’re moving a website from a different host, A2 Hosting will also help you with a free site migration.

    FastComet

    When it comes to offering features, FastComet is one of the most valuable providers on the market. The company gives you one-click installations for Drupal, and includes a free domain transfer, free CDN from Cloudflare, and daily or weekly backups at no extra cost. Most importantly, FastComet gives you unlimited FTP access as well as MySQL databases, making it easier to get started and set up your Drupal CMS with no complications.

    InMotion

    In addition to being one of Drupal’s recommended hosting partners, InMotion offers several important advantages with its dedicated VPS servers (though they’re slightly pricier; the company also offers shared hosting that supports Drupal). InMotion includes easy 1-click installation for Drupal, and lets you determine which data center to house your data in to ensure the best possible speeds. Additionally, InMotion includes a variety of Drupal-specific educational tools, and 24/7/365 support for subscribers.

    Drupal Hosting for Free

    One of the beauties of Drupal is that it is completely free, making it widely accessible. If you’re on a tight budget, you can avoid having to spend money on things you don’t need and choose a free Drupal hosting option that lets you get online quickly. More importantly, when you choose free Drupal web hosting, you can reinvest those resources into building your business. Eventually, as your traffic increases, we’d recommend choosing a paid plan that gives you a bit more bandwidth and storage capacity.

    Final Thoughts on Drupal Hosting

    Drupal is a wonderful and valuable tool when you’re seeking to build a powerful website at a fraction of the cost. However, to get the most out of it, you’ll need to make sure you have the right framework in place. Selecting the right Drupal hosting option will give you the tools and features you need to build the best website and set up Drupal to utilize its maximum potential. Before choosing a provider, make sure to dive into our expert reviews for detailed breakdowns, and see what others are saying in our thousands of user reviews.

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