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Dropshipping makes it possible to sell products online–without having to purchase, store, or ship inventory. That’s right, you can operate an ecommerce site from your couch without ever touching the products you’re selling.
But in order to do this successfully, you’ll need to find a dropshipping company to handle the logistics of fulfilling orders.
Whether you have an existing ecommerce business or you’re new to selling online, this guide will help you find the best dropshipping company for your unique needs.
Continue below to learn more about my top recommendations and strategy for evaluating different options.
SaleHoo is one of the most popular wholesaler directory platforms on the market today. A membership grants you access to 2.5+ million products from 8,000+ suppliers.
With SaleHoo, you can find products and start selling them online in a matter of minutes.
For 15+ years, more than 137,000 people have used SaleHoo to sell online with dropshipping services. Here are some other reasons why they come so highly recommended:
All suppliers have been pre-vetted
Unlimited dropshipping training
Award-winning customer support
Plans are backed by a 60-day money-back guarantee
Market research tools for hot products and high profit margins
Easy to navigate with a modern interface
Ability to automate your online store
Annual pricing for the SaleHoo supplier directory costs $67. Alternatively, you can pay a one-time fee of $127 for lifetime access. Try it risk-free.
If you’re using Shopify to sell online, look no farther than Oberlo. The platform integrates seamlessly with your Shopify store, so you can start dropshipping with ease.
More than 100 million products have been sold online with Oberlo.
Oberlo is free for basic use, but you’ll definitely want to upgrade to a paid plan, or you’ll be limited with what you can accomplish. Some of the top features include:
Unlimited monthly orders
Free Oberlo Chrome extension
Bulk orders
Real-time order tracking
Variant mapping
CAPTCHA solver
Ebooks, guides, and free learning tools
24/7 customer support
Customizable listing information
Powerful product data
Paid plans start at $29.90 per month. This entry-level plan supports up to 10,000 products. You can join Oberlo for free to get started.
Dropified is another popular dropshipping solution. It seamlessly integrates with ecommerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and more.
Unlike other dropshipping tools, Dropfied is also compatible with eBay and AliExpress.
If you’re using eBay or AliExpress for inventory, Dropfied eliminates the need to copy and paste customer order details. These orders can automatically be shipped to your customers directly from the supplier.
Other top features and perks of using Dropfied include:
Automatic order fulfillment
Automatic price change updates
Dynamic Facebook feeds
Automatic product availability updates
Simple product variant setups
Easy product filtering
Product and inventory sync
Add to your ecommerce store with a single click
Product customization
Automatically import product reviews from vendors
Easy to change vendors for different products
This list of features and benefits goes on and on. It’s quite extensive, to say the least. Dropified plans start at $47 per month. The entry-level plan supports 15,000 products and unlimited monthly orders. Try it free for 14 days.
#4 – Inventory Source Review — The Best Dropshipping Automation Software
Inventory Source is a bit unique compared to other dropshipping companies on our list. They provide software to facilitate dropshipping automation.
To improve the logistics with your existing suppliers, Inventory Source will be a great option for you to consider.
Ability to add your own suppliers outside of the Inventory Source directory
Bulk feed management tools
Overall, the software is really easy to set up. It will benefit you and your suppliers alike. Plans start at $99 per month. You can create an account for free to browse supplier product feeds, automation tools, and integrations.
#5 – Wholesale2b Review — The Best Free and Simple Dropshipping Company
More than one million products are available on Wholesale2b. The platform makes it easy for anyone to integrate dropshippers to their online store.
Wholesale2b is compatible with multiple sales channels and online marketplaces like Amazon, WooCommerce, Shopify, BigCommerce, Ecwid, eBay, Magento, and more.
You don’t have to sign up with dozens of suppliers to get what you want–your single Wholesale2b account will give you access to more than 1 million products.
Here are some of the other top reasons why Wholesale2b ranks so high on my list:
Free to sign up; no credit card required
Easy to get started
Extensive product catalog with options from multiple categories and industries
100+ dropshippers in the Wholesale2b network
Automatic order imports and inventory tracking
Ability to create a new turnkey ecommerce site from scratch
Whether you have an existing online store you’re planning to start a new ecommerce business, Wholesale2b has you covered. Sign up and try it today—it’s free.
#6 – MegagoodsReview — The Best for Consumer Electronics
Megagoods is my top recommendation for online retailers in the consumer electronics space.
They provide fast shipping, efficient processing, and have a great selection of brand name electronics products.
Here are some of the most popular product categories offered through the Megagoods platform:
Headphones
Alarm clocks
Car audio
Televisions
Speakers
Home theaters
DVD players
DJ products
Bluetooth products
PA systems
Portable electronics
Gaming products
In addition to the extensive electronics options, Megagoods also supplies items like watches, kitchen appliances, cutlery, cookware sets, and more.
The interface is a little outdated, but a Megagoods subscription costs just $14.99 per month. This membership fee gives you access to exclusive pricing. Try it free for 30 days.
#7 – Doba Review — The Most Versatile Dropshipping Company
Doba is one of the most popular dropshipping services on the market today. Its popularity is largely due to the fact that it can accommodate such a wide range of ecommerce shops with varying needs.
With Doba, you’ll have access to millions of products from hundreds of suppliers in a single online catalog. Keep all your products for sale synced, even if you’re selling across eBay, Shopify, Amazon and other online marketplaces.
Other noteworthy highlights of Doba include:
Compatible with 100+ ecommerce platforms including Shopify, Magento, BigCommerce, Volusion, eBay, Amazon, etc.
Information on each supplier (average processing time, fulfillment rates, cost, etc.)
Manage product lists and discover trending products
Advanced search and filtering
Data exports in a wide range of formats
Inventory management tools
Proactive inventory and price change alerts
Plans start at $29 per month. If you sign up for an annual subscription, you’ll get two months for free. Try it free for 30 days.
What I Looked at to Find the Best Dropshipping Company
There are hundreds, if not thousands of different dropshipping companies on the market today.
Without a buying guide to follow, narrowing down your options can seem like an insurmountable task. To make your life easier, follow the methodology that I’ve outlined below.
These are the factors that you should take into consideration as you’re researching and evaluating different dropshipping solutions.
Type of Dropshipping Company
There are a few different kinds of dropshipping companies. The first thing you need to do is determine what type of company will meet the requirements and goals of your business.
Do you need a manufacturer? Wholesale supplier? Supplier directory? In some instances, you might just be looking for dropshipping software to facilitate your existing supplier relationship.
Here are some of the major types of dropshipping options you are likely to encounter:
Dropshipping Marketplaces are online platforms with a network of different dropshipping companies. You’ll be able to facilitate your entire operation and manage the relationships between different dropshippers from a single place.
Manufacturers may let you buy straight from them, getting the lowest possible whole inventory prices. Not every manufacturer will let you dropship—you may have to use dropshipping software and set up the arrangement yourself.
Supplier directories don’t actually handle dropshipping. Similar to an online marketplace, it’s a single location for you to find various suppliers. Typicall, you have to pay a membership fee to the directory.
Dropshipping software is a great way for online stores to automate order fulfillment with their suppliers and manufacturers. These tools eliminate the need for ecommerce shops to manually enter order details after something is purchased through their online sales channels.
Ecommerce Platform
Next, you need to make sure that the company you’re considering supports your ecommerce platform. It’s worth noting that not all dropshipping solutions are compatible with every ecommerce website.
For example, online stores using Shopify won’t necessarily be using the same dropshipping company as a business selling via eBay or Amazon. A brick-and-mortar retailer that wants to add an online sales channel won’t have the same needs as new business selling via Wix or WooCommerce.
So verifying the compatibility between your online sales channel and the dropshipping company’s logistics will be a great way to narrow down your choices.
Wholesale Pricing
In addition to the logistical benefits of dropshipping, you’ll also have access to wholesale rates. But like any type of inventory, those prices will vary from supplier to supplier.
Some dropshipping companies force you to pay a monthly or annual membership for access to wholesale pricing. In many cases, these membership fees are well-worth the discounts you’ll get as a result. But usually, the manufacturers will offer the best rates if you buy directly through them.
You’ll have to walk the line between what makes sense for your convenience vs. profit margins.
Industry and Products
What products are you selling? What are you planning to sell online?
The answer to these questions will definitely impact the dropshipping company you choose. If you’re selling shirts and hats, you probably won’t have the same dropshipping needs as an online store that sells computers, headphones, and other electronics.
Are you selling brand name products? Or will you be putting your own logo on inventory?
These are other questions to consider as you’re evaluating prospective solutions.
Process Automation
The best dropshipping companies leverage automation, which allows you to be as hands-off as possible.
You need to understand the logistics between how orders get processed from company to company. What happens after a customer buys something online? How does that order ultimately end up at their doorstep? The answer varies depending on the solution you choose.
In some cases, you’ll have to manually enter those order details from your own website to the dropshipping platform. But with an automated process, you won’t have to do anything. An online order will automatically be sent to the supplier without any extra steps on your end.
For those of you who already have relationships with suppliers, you can leverage dropshipping software to automate your fulfillment process.
Quality and Speed
Even though you’re not touching the products with dropshipping, your company is still responsible for the product itself.
The customer doesn’t care where the product came from or who shipped it. They expect high-quality products delivered quickly. If the dropshipping company you’re using takes weeks to ship and delivers defective products, it’s going to be a poor reflection of your company—not theirs.
So choose a company with an established reputation in this space. You might have to pay a little extra for the inventory, but it’s worth it to keep your customers satisfied.
Conclusion
The concept of dropshipping is extremely appealing for anyone interested in selling online. But it only works well if you’re using the right dropshipping company.
Which dropshipping company is the best? It depends on your needs. Let’s review my entire list of recommendations:
So Wholesale2b is my top overall pick. It’s going to work really well for most businesses. But as you can see, other options may work better depending on how your business is set up.
Just use the recommendations and buying guide explained in this post to find the best dropshipping services for your online store.
Are There Good Intro APR Business Credit Cards Out There?
Are you looking for business credit cards with a 0% intro APR? We combed through several selections and weighed the pros and cons. The length of the introductory APR period was only one of our considerations. In fact, all of the cards we’re talking about today have no annual fee!
But let’s step back and look at some definitions first.
Annual Percentage Rates
APR is a yearly interest rate. It includes fees and costs paid on borrowed money (loans or credit). Lenders are required by law to disclose this. The rate comes from taking the periodic rate and multiplying it by the number of billing periods in a year. A credit card may have separate APRs for balance transfers, cash advances, or other special offers. If offers are subject to an expiration date, the relevant balance will usually revert to your default APR.
Variable Rate (or Variable APR)
This is an annual percentage rate that can change throughout the year. It can be an introductory APR that changes after a specific period of time. Variable APRs will likely change if the Prime Rate changes. So it makes sense to pay attenti0n to financial news. That way, you know if and when the Prime Rate changes.
Introductory APRs
There are a lot of business credit cards which have a 0% intro APR. The length of the introductory period can vary. So can the APR charged after the introductory period expires. Always check the fine print because there may be other charges that apply. They could negate the benefit of the introductory APR. Note: late payments can often be subject to the higher, post-introductory APR.
Honorable Mention: Get Product Savings
Regions Visa Business Enhanced Credit Card
First of all, consider the Regions Visa Business Enhanced Credit Card. You can earn Regions Relationship Rewards on qualifying purchases. You can redeem these for cash, statement credits, travel, and more. And you also get access to Visa SavingsEdge which provides an automatic savings of up to 15% on eligible purchases. Discounts appear in the form of statement credits. Pay no annual fee.
Get a 0% introductory APR through the end of the sixth billing cycle after account opening. Then pay a 11.49-22.49%, per creditworthiness. Pay a 11.49-22.49% balance transfer APR. This is a good card if you can wait for perks as the statement credits for both programs may take a cycle to show up on your account. But it’s also a decent card for interest rate – if you’ve got good personal credit scores.
Business Credit Cards with 0% Introductory APR for 12 Months and Cash Back
While these two cards had the longest intro APR period we found, their perks were … okay.
#10. Chase Bank Ink Business Unlimited®
With the Chase Bank Ink Business Unlimited® card, you get a $750 bonus cash back if you spend $7,500 in the first 3 months after account opening. Pay no annual fee. Get 1.5% cash back unlimited. Pay a 0% APR on purchases for the first 12 months after account opening. Then pay 13.24-19.24% per creditworthiness. Balance transfer APR is 13.24-19.24% per creditworthiness. If you have several computers or other expensive equipment to purchase, buy them fast to take advantage of the cash back bonus
#9. Chase Bank Ink Business Cash®
For somewhat decent interest rates, check out the Chase Bank Ink Business Cash® card. Pay 0% APR on purchases for the first twelve months. And then pay 13.24-19.24%. you pay no annual fee.
Get 5% cash back on the first $25,000 you spend on certain business products. These include office supply stores, internet, cable, and phone services. This works out to 4% added cash back rewards on top of 1% cash back rewards earned per purchase. The $25,000 flat spending limit resets every year. You can get $750 bonus cash back if you spend $7,500 in the first 3 months after account opening.
It’s pretty hard to hit the minimum spend. The agreement does not prohibit using your card to buy pricier items like plane tickets, vehicle repairs, or even heavy equipment. Still, you may find that using other means, like equipment financing or fleet credit, would make for a better deal for your business.
Business Credit Cards with 0% Introductory APR for 9 Months and Triple Points on Gas
#8. Bank of Hope Business Rewards Visa® Credit Card
Take a look at the Bank of Hope Business Rewards Visa® Credit Card. Pay no annual fee. There is a 3% balance transfer fee with a minimum of $5. Earn 5,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first three months. And earn triple points on gas. Get double points on travel and dining. Earn one point per dollar on all other purchases.
Pay a 0% intro APR for nine months. Then pay a variable APR 12.49%, 16.49% or 20.49% per creditworthiness. It should be easy for most entrepreneurs to meet the spend required for the points bonus. Triple points on gas are particularly helpful if yours is a business requiring a lot of time on the road. Say, trucking. If your credit is good enough to get the lowest APR after the introductory period ends, this could be a great card for you.
Business Credit Cards with 0% Introductory APR for 6 Billing Cycles and No Minimum Spend to Get a Bonus
#7. Mechanics Bank Visa Business Real Rewards
For no minimum spend, check out the Mechanics Bank Visa Business Real Rewards card. Pay no annual fee. Get 1.5 points per month per dollar. And get 2,500 bonus rewards points after your first purchase. Enjoy a 0% introductory APR for purchases and balance transfers for the first six billing cycles. Then pay 13.99-22.99% per creditworthiness. The bonus is decent. Since there’s no minimum spend, it begs the question. Can you get 2,500 bonus rewards points for buying a pen?
Business Credit Cards with 0% Introductory APR for 9 Billing Cycles and Travel Perks
Take a look at the Bank of America Business Advantage Travel Rewards Credit Card Platinum + MasterCard. Pay no annual fee. Get 30,000 bonus points when you make at least $3,000 in new net purchases. They must post to your account in the first 90 days. Earn 1.5 points per dollar spent. Get triple points per dollar spent on travel. Pay a 0% intro APR for the first nine billing cycles. Then pay 12.24-22.24%.
The bonus points offer is generous. And the spend is relatively easily attainable. If your business requires a lot of traveling, this is a good card.
Business Credit Cards with 0% Introductory APR for 6 Months and Get Points or Cash Back
These two cards are so similar, they came up as a tie. But if we had to choose, we would pick the cash card, as cash never expires.
#4. (tie) Zions Bank Visa Amazing Cash® Business Credit Card
For decent cash back rewards, check out the Zions Bank Visa Amazing Cash® Business Credit Card. Get 3% cash back on select business purchases. These include office supplies, cell services, internet, telecom, and cable TV. And get 2% cash back on select business travel purchases. These include airlines and vehicle rentals.
And get 1% cash back on everything else. Pay a 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for the twelve months after account opening. Then pay a 14.24% variable APR afterwards. Pay a 3% balance transfer fee for each transfer. A $10 minimum applies.
Get a credit limit up to $250,000. Pay no annual fee. There are no rewards fees. Pay a 0% introductory APR for the first 6 months after account opening. Then pay a 14.24% variable APR after.
The upper limit is good. And the varied cash back rewards are decent.
#4. (tie) Zions Bank Visa Amazing Rewards Business Credit Card
With the Zions Bank Visa Amazing Rewards Business Credit Card, you pay no annual fee. There is a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for twelve months. Then pay 14.24% variable. Get three points for every dollar spent on select business purchases. These include office supplies, cell services, internet, telecom, and cable TV.
Get two points for every dollar spent on business travel purchases. These include airlines and vehicle rentals. Get one point for every dollar spent on everything else. Pay a 0% introductory APR for the first six months. Then pay 14.24% variable. Enjoy limits to $250,000. The upper limit for this card is good, and the opportunity to earn points is decent.
Business Credit Cards with 0% Introductory APR for 6 Months and a Generous Points Bonus
#3. Union Bank Business Preferred Rewards Visa Credit Card
Consider the Union Bank Business Preferred Rewards Visa Credit Card. Get a 50,000 introductory reward points bonus when you spend $5,000 in the first three months. Enjoy quintuple points per dollar spent to $25,000 annually on select business expenses. These include office supplies, utility bills, and telecom services. And get one point per dollar spent above that. Get double points for each dollar spent up to $25,000 annually on gas stations and restaurants. And get one point per dollar spent above that. Plus, you get one point per dollar spent on everything else.
Pay a 0% introductory APR for the first six months. Then pay a 11.99-20.99% variable APR. there is no annual fee. This card has a great introductory points offer. And the amount you have to spend to get it isn’t bad.
Business Credit Cards with 0% Introductory APR for 9 Billing Cycles and an Outstanding Post-Intro APR
#2. PNC Bank Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Business Credit Card
Get a look at the PNC Bank Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Business Credit Card. You can get a $200 bonus if you spend $3,000 in the first 3 billing cycles after account opening. Get 1.5% cash back on net purchases. There is no cash back limits. Pay no annual fee.
There’s a 0% APR for the first nine billing cycles after account opening. Then pay a 10.99-19.99% variable APR, per creditworthiness. With mostly lower post-intro period interest rates and an easy to meet spend, this card is can be a great choice.
Business Credit Cards with 0% Introductory APR for 6 Months and an Outstanding Post-Intro APR
#1. Zions Bank Visa Amazing Rate Business Credit Card
So the only card to beat PNC Bank’s lowest post-introductory APR was the Zions Bank Visa Amazing Rate Business Credit Card. You pay no annual fee. There is a 0% introductory APR for the first six months. Then pay 10.24% variable. Get limits to $250,000. This card has a good upper limit and the post-introductory APR is the best one we found.
Business Credit Cards with a Good Intro APR: Takeaways
Know the length of the introductory APR period, and the post-introductory rate. Those are over half the battle when deciding among business credit cards with an intro APR of 0%. Perks and annual rates should also play a part when you make your decision. And, no matter what, strive to pay your business credit card bills on time. Because if you do, then an introductory APR won’t matter to you.
How Many Credit Cards With No Annual Fee Are Out There?
There are tons of credit cards with no annual fee! Some only had an introductory period, whereas others had no expiration date for this benefit.
Business Credit Cards and Annual Fees
In both the business and personal credit worlds, annual fees are commonplace. To give the impression of more exclusivity, a card issuer might call them membership fees. But it’s the same thing.
Always consider annual fees when deciding whether to get a credit card. There’s a range of annual fees for business credit cards. They can run from a somewhat nominal $19 or so, to a double-take inducing $595.
For the cards we’re reviewing here, all of them offer no annual fee as a regular card feature. That is, none of these are introductory rates that will expire. But always read the fine print. Because if the APR is too high or the card provider is stingy with rewards or point or cash back, it may turn out that even a $0 annual fee isn’t enough to justify getting such a card. Let’s look at a variety of choices to fit different circumstances. Here’s our top 10 and two honorable mentions.
Business Credit Cards With No Annual Fee for Amazon Discounts
You can get Amazon discounts? Absolutely.
Honorable Mention: Amazon Prime Store Card
If your business shops at Amazon often, the Amazon Prime Store Card could be the card for you. You get a $60 Amazon gift card upon the approval of your application. Get 5% cashback on Amazon purchases. But limits seem to be low. There are reviews of this card on the Amazon website and you should check them before applying.
Business Credit Cards With No Annual Fee for Bonus Points with a Low Minimum Spend
Honorable Mention: Bank of Hope Business Rewards Visa® Credit Card
With the Bank of Hope Business Rewards Visa® Credit Card, you pay a 3% balance transfer fee which will never be less than $5. You can earn 5,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first three months. Earn triple points on gas. Get double points on travel and dining. Earn one point per dollar on all other purchases.
Pay a 0% introductory APR for nine months. Then pay a variable APR 12.49%, 16.49% or 20.49% per creditworthiness after introductory period ends. It should be easy for most entrepreneurs to meet the spend necessary for the points bonus.
Triple points on gas are rather helpful if yours is a business requiring a lot of time on the road (say, trucking). If your credit is good enough to get the lowest APR after the introductory period ends, this could be a great card for you.
Business Credit Cards With No Annual Fee for a Bonus with No Minimum Spend
But a low minimum spend only gets an honorable mention. This is because we found a card where you can get a bonus with no minimum spend.
#10: Mechanics Bank Visa Business Real Rewards
With the Mechanics Bank Visa Business Real Rewards card, you get 1.5 points per month per dollar. Earn 2,500 bonus rewards points after your first purchase. Pay a 0% introductory APR for purchases and balance transfers for the first six billing cycles. Then pay 13.99-22.99% per creditworthiness. The bonus is decent and since there’s no minimum spend, it begs the question, can you get 2,500 bonus rewards points for buying a pack of gum?
Business Credit Cards With No Annual Fee for Fair Credit
While the terms aren’t the best for this card, it can be tough to find a business credit card you can get if you’ve only got fair credit. Even rarer are such cards with no annual fee – where the annual fee doesn’t expire. This card hits all of those requirements.
#9: Capital One Spark Classic Business Credit Card (Visa)
Fair credit means you have FICO scores between 620 and 659. Capital One spells out that this card is for fair credit. Earn 1% cash back with every purchase, with no minimums. Pay a 26.99% variable APR for both purchases and cash advances. The lowest possible credit line $300.
For the Capital One Spark Classic Business Credit Card (Visa), the cash back percentage is low. And the interest rate is higher than for the other cards reviewed. But if your credit is only fair, or you don’t have a very long credit history, this card could be right for you.
Business Credit Cards With No Annual Fee for Members of the Armed Forces
This card has fantastic rates, but only a limited number of people will qualify.
#8: Navy Federal GO BIZ Rewards Card
The Navy Federal GO BIZ Rewards Card is available as either a MasterCard or Visa. Benefits differ depending on which card type you choose. Get 1 point for each dollar spent but rewards depend on if you have a Visa or MasterCard. With a Visa, you get access to Visa SavingsEdge. With a MasterCard, you get a collision damage waiver.
Pay no foreign transaction fees. There is no earnings cap. The APR can be as low as Prime+ 5.90%. You can get GO BIZ Rewards – points you can redeem for gift certificates, cash deposited into your savings account, and more.
Note: this card comes from a credit union. You must be a member first. The only persons who can be members of the credit union are persons attached to the military, the Department of Defense, or the National Guard and their families. If you can qualify for this card, the interest rate is stellar. And it isn’t just for an introductory period.
Business Credit Cards With No Annual Fee for a Long 0% APR Introductory Period
Not surprisingly, we felt the two Chase cards were a dead even tie. If we had to choose, we would pick Business Cash. This is because the cash back rewards seem to be more generous.
#6 (tie): Chase Bank Ink Business Unlimited®
Chase Bank Ink Business Unlimited® is a similar card to Chase Bank Ink Business Cash®, below. Except the rewards come in the form of cash back versus points. Get $750 bonus cash back if you spend $7,500 in the first 3 months after account opening. And get 1.5% cash back unlimited.
Pay a 0% APR on purchases for the first 12 months after account opening. Then pay 13.24-19.24% per creditworthiness. The balance transfer APR is 13.24-19.24% per creditworthiness. If you have several computers or other expensive equipment to buy, get it fast to take advantage of the cash back bonus.
#6 (tie): Chase Bank Ink Business Cash®
For a long 0% APR introductory period, and somewhat decent interest rates, check out this card. Pay 0% APR on purchases for the first 12 months. And then pay 13.24-19.24%.
With the Chase Bank Ink Business Cash® card, you get 5% cash back on the first $25,000 you spend on certain business products i.e. office supply stores, internet, cable, and phone services.
This works out to 4% additional cash back rewards on top of 1% cash back rewards earned on each purchase. The $25,000 flat spending limit resets every year. You can get $750 bonus cash back if spend $7,500 in the first 3 months after account opening.
It’s a bit difficult to hit the spend amount. Still, the agreement does not prohibit using your card to buy pricier items, such as plane tickets, vehicle repairs, or even heavy equipment. Still, you may find that using other means, such as equipment financing or fleet credit, would make for a better deal for your business.
Business Credit Cards With No Annual Fee for Travel
Business credit cards for travel can often be black and white for business owners. You either need one … or you don’t. If your business requires that you fly regularly, then read on.
#5: PNC Travel Rewards Visa Business Credit Card
With the PNC Travel Rewards Visa Business Credit Card , you get one mile per dollar in eligible net purchases. Earn double miles on the first $2,500 in eligible net purchases. Book your own travel and then redeem miles for a statement credit. No foreign transaction fees on purchases outside US. Pay a variable APR, 10.99- 19.99%, per creditworthiness.
The APR is good if your credit makes you eligible for the lower end of the spectrum. A statement credit for acting as your own travel agent is good, if you have the time to book your own travel. Double miles are welcome but it’s easy for a business owner to exceed the cap.
Business Credit Cards With No Annual Fee for Managing an SBA Express Loan
Much like with the travel credit card we just recommended, you either need this card, or you don’t.
#4: Zions Bank SBA Express Business Visa Debit Card
The unique Zions Bank SBA Express Business Visa Debit Card has floored us! Because – why doesn’t every SBA Express lender do things this way? Use this card to manage SBA Express loan money from Zions Bank, if you are already have an approval.
Get travel accident insurance and other credit card perks, which you would not normally get from an SBA Express loan. This card is best for SBA Express borrowers. If you’re an SBA Express borrower (or want to become one), we could not find a downside to getting this card.
Business Credit Cards With No Annual Fee for a High Credit Limit
High credit limits can be tempting. But business owners may be able to make up shortfalls with online lending, using several smaller credit cards together, or other forms of financing like merchant cash advances.
A high credit limit, though, is a lot easier to keep track of than a number of cobbled-together solutions.
#3: Zions Bank Visa Amazing Rate Business Credit Card
Pay a 0% introductory APR for the first six months. Then pay 10.24% variable. Limits to $250,000. The Zions Bank Visa Amazing Rate Business Credit Card has a good upper limit and the post-introductory APR is very good.
But note that most of the cards under review did not list their upper credit limits.
Business Credit Cards With No Annual Fee for Significant Bonus Points
Bonus points, of course, are only good if you’re going to use them.
#2: Union Bank Business Preferred Rewards Visa Credit Card
With the Union Bank Business Preferred Rewards Visa Credit Card, you get 50,000 introductory reward points bonus when you spend $5,000 in the first three months. Get quintuple points per dollar spent to $25,000 annually on select business expenses. These are office supplies, utility bills, telecom services. And get one point per dollar spent above that.
Get double points for each dollar spent up to $25,000 annually on gas stations and restaurants. Plus, get one point per dollar spent above that. And get one point per dollar spent on everything else.
Pay a 0% introductory APR for the first six months. Then pay a 11.99-20.99% variable APR. This card has a great introductory points offer. And the amount you have to spend to get it isn’t bad.
Business Credit Cards With No Annual Fee for a Good Cash Back Percentage Rate
Our number one card had a great cash back percentage which you can get for a significant amount of annual spending. And the cash back percentage doesn’t seem to have an expiration date. The other thing that attracted us to this card was a somewhat low APR, if you’ve got good personal credit. If your personal credit isn’t so great, then our #3 choice has a better APR with no expiration date.
#1: Huntington Bank MasterCard Voice Business Credit Card
With the Huntington Bank MasterCard Voice Business Credit Card, you earn 4% cash back on the first $7,000 spent per quarter. This is in one category of your choice. There is a choice of 10 categories. Hence the annual spend limit for 4% cash back is $28,000. If you annually charge $28,000, you’ll get a cool $1,120 back.
Earn 1% cashback on all other purchases.
Pay no foreign transaction fee. Pay a 10.99-21.99% APR per creditworthiness, which ties to the Prime Rate. If you know you won’t meet the spend limit, and your credit is already good so the APR is low, this can be an outstanding card.
Takeaways
There are a lot of business credit cards with no annual fee. You can get high cash back percentages. Or you can get high limits, or even bonuses. And you can even manage an SBA Express loan. Choose the option which works best for you. You don’t have to settle!
Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can be complicated or overwhelming for the average business owner, but it doesn’t have to be.
With a decent SEO plugin for your WordPress website, the process of improving the quality and quantity of website traffic will be a breeze.
An SEO plugin offers you tools and powerful features like audit checklists, sitemaps, and content insights to optimize your website.
I’ve compiled a list of the best SEO plugins for WordPress options, making it easier for you to find the best tool to suit your company’s needs.
#1 – All-In-One SEO (AIOSEO) Review — The Best Way for Beginners to See Their Pages Rank Higher
All in One SEO (AIOSEO) is the original WP SEO plugin, and it’s been helping people with no SEO experience get their pages to rank higher ever since it came out.
Over the years, it’s grown to handle every aspect of SEO you could possibly want to manage. But don’t worry, you’re not going to get bogged down making tons of decisions about sitemaps and JSON schemas.
For as powerful as the plugin is, it’s remarkably easy to use, even if you don’t have any SEO experience.
Simply download the plugin and follow the setup wizard. If you can answer basic questions like whether you have a blog or an online store, you’re good to go. 10 minutes later, your site is going to have all the fundamentals locked down.
Troubleshooting and fine-tuning things from there is a walk in the park. AIOSEO is constantly auditing your site, explaining the changes you need to make in plain English.
It automatically prioritizes issues, showing you what needs to be addressed immediately as well as missed opportunities for optimization. Simply follow the steps outlined in the checklist and you’ll be well on your way to maxing out your site’s potential.
There are explanations for everything you do, if not links to guided walkthroughs. You can really learn what you’re doing as you go.
Compared to Yoast, another solid plugin that covers WordPress SEO across the board, AIOSEO is just a little bit easier to use, especially for people who are new to the space.
Yoast is what I use. It’s definitely got more features for the power user close at hand, whereas the AIOSEO interface is going to be more intuitive for novices.
One of the reasons this plugin has more than 2 million active downloads is that the free version is loaded with helpful features:
XML sitemaps
Titles and meta descriptions
Basic schema markup
Custom titles and meta descriptions
Bad bot blocker
Basic WooCommerce SEO
Search engine notification
If you upgrade to AIOSEO Pro, you’ll get a lot more hands-on customer support, and additional features to manage SEO across all of your sites:
On-Page SEO
Social media integration
Advanced WooCommerce SEO
Local SEO
RSS SEO
Video SEO
Google AMP SEO
Structured Data (schema markup)
Redirection manager
Even with the full spread of powerful features, AIOSEO is very competitively priced. The pricing tiers are mostly broken down by the number of sites you need.
For the most part, all of the paid plans have the same set of features, but you only get priority support with Pro and Elite plans. There are a few things that don’t come with the Basic plan, such as Local SEO and the redirection manager, but not much is left out.
It can be really hard to choose between the various SEO plugins that “do it all,” but if you are new to SEO or WordPress, nothing is going to be as easy to get started.
The free version is very powerfuland the pricing on paid plans is definitely less expensive than Yoast. While advanced users might be able to get more out of Yoast, AIO has everything you need to get your site to start ranking higher.
Get AIOSEO today. If you don’t think it’s 100% worth it, the company offers a 14-day money-back guarantee.
#2 – WP Rocket Review — The Best for Ranking Higher With Site Speed
Site speed impacts your search rankings. People don’t like slow sites. They’ll leave if it takes more than a second or two for the page to load. Google notices that people are bouncing and moves you down in the rankings.
Speed is one of the few ranking factors that WordPress SEO plugins don’t typically address. But you definitely want to make sure you are doing everything in your power to keep your site fast.
This is why I recommend WP Rocket. It’s a cache plugin, not an SEO plugin, but it’s going to give your pages a performance boost which will help your page rank. You can learn more about cache plugins here (and see why I like WP Rocket the best), but for now I’ll just say it lets you deliver data to visitors a lot faster.
All you have to do is install WP Rocket. It’ll get cracking on your site right away, optimizing your files, media, and databases to make sure your site is as fast as possible.
Have an ecommerce site? No problem. WP Rocket will keep things speedy without getting in the way of your shopping carts and user experience.
I highly recommend installing WP Rocket in addition to your SEO plugin. WP Rocket has compatibility with popular options like Yoast, so you can get the increased site speed without any plugin conflicts.
Go ahead and build a complex interactive website. Add videos and don’t worry about load times. With WP Rocket, you can design really cool pages without leaving visitors in the lurch.
All of the plans come with the same feature set, you just need to pick one based on the number of sites you have. Single is good for one site, Plus works for three, and Infinite will work for unlimited websites.
Because it’s a paid plugin, you get top-notch customer support. Submit a ticket from within the plugin and you’ll have an answer shortly.
When it comes time to renew WP Rocket, you’ll get 30% off the sticker price. If you let it expire, you’ll have to pay full price again.
It’s a really good deal on a truly plug-and-play product. There’s not much you have to do in order to see a benefit. If you are a veteran WordPress user, you’ll find that there is a lot you can configure to make your site even faster.
No matter what your experience level, if you are serious about SEO, you need a good cache plugin. Don’t leave such an easy win on the board.
And if you have a cache plugin that’s not getting the job done, it’s time to make a switch.
Get WP Rocket today. If you don’t see the results, the company will offer a full refund within 14 days of signing up. There’s no risk, only reward.
#3 – Ubersuggest Review — The Best Web App for Domain and Keyword Research
If there’s a drawback with SEO plugins for WordPress, it’s the vulnerability and bloat they can cause. Plugins can open up new security concerns if they’re not kept updated and stable and a whole lot of plugins on your WordPress site can cause it to load slower for visitors, undoing any gains you make in SEO.
So, why mess with a plugin when you can use a web app to do detailed keyword and domain research? That’s exactly what Ubersuggest accomplishes.
My team has built one of the best SEO tools out there. Just plug in a domain name or keyword into the search bar and see all the detailed information you can glean.
The keyword analyzer shows you front-and-center the search volume, average cost-per-click for running a Google ad campaign on the keyword, and scores for how crowded the field of competitors is overall and in paid search.
You also get a handy graph showing historical search volume, plus keyword string ideas for finding less crowded opportunities and content examples to generate ideas of your own.
The same goes for domain searches. Plug one in to see how many keywords it ranks for in organic search, how many backlinks it’s generated, and stats for traffic and domain authority.
There’s even a great chart for breaking down how keywords rank in groups, split out between those placing in the top three of search results, between positions four and 10 on the first page, and so on.
And that’s all on the free version of Ubersuggest. You’re allowed three free daily searches.
Unlock even more data by paying for Ubersuggest, including longer historical search and ranking metrics, tracking, deeper competitive analysis, backlink opportunities, and a whole lot more.
And, guess what? It costs around 90% cheaper than competitors like Moz and Ahrefs.
Seriously, you can use all the features of Ubersuggest for as little as $29 per month. That’ll allow you to manage up to three websites. You can also pay for a lifetime license at that tier for just $290.
Need to manage more sites? The Business plan can handle between four to seven websites for $49 per month or $490 lifetime. Eight or more websites will require the Enterprise/Agency plan, which is still very reasonably priced at $99 per month or $990 lifetime.
So now there’s no need to add bulky plugins that can add security vulnerabilities to worry about. Use my web app Ubersuggest and get all the insights and data you need, no plugin required.
#4 – SEOPress Review — The Cheapest WordPress SEO Plugin That Covers All Your Bases
SEOPress is an approachable solution for people that are new to SEO and aren’t looking to spend the big bucks on one of the more established WordPress SEO plugins.
And it’s not just for US-based users either—SEOPress is available in 17 languages with professional translations in UK English, Chinese, Hindi and more.
Let’s talk about sticker price. SEOPress is less than half the cost of what other “do-it-all” SEO plugins will run you. And those are typically only good for a single site.
SEOPress is $39 per year for unlimited sites. That’s right. Unlimited sites.
This is a major cost difference that adds up quickly. Five sites with Yoast or AIOSEO is going to be several hundred dollars. With SEOPress, you don’t have to worry about that at all.
So you might be thinking, there’s no way SEOPress can really cover all my bases at that price. You tell me.
Even the free plugin from SEOPress lets you handle:
Installation Wizard
XML and HTML sitemaps
Mobile/Desktop preview
Facebook/Twitter preview
Image SEO
Redirections
White label
Titles with dynamic variables
Twitter cards and
Content analysis
And some of these are really deep features. You get unlimited keywords in the content analysis. Yes unlimited with the free version. Usually you are limited to a single word or phrase unless you buy premium.
And you can white label services with the free version. This is a big deal for developers and agencies because they can put their own branding on SEOPress tools they use for clients.
Think about it, unlimited sites plus white labeling means you can build your brand without breaking the bank.
And if you go for SEOPress PRO, you’ll be able to address a much fuller scope of issues, including:
Video SEO
Structured Data Types (schemas)
Breadcrumbs
Local SEO
Broken link checker
Deep WooCommerce integration
404 Monitoring
RSS SEO
For those of you keeping score at home, you’ll notice that AIO SEO and Yoast have slightly larger feature sets. So there is definitely a tradeoff, no doubt about it.
But here’s the thing: for a huge number of users, SEOPress has everything they need, and it’s not freighted with tons of features they’re not going to use.
Pricing could not be more straight-forward or fair:
One quick thing about the pricing for SEOPress Pro. You pay $39 for the license, which comes with a full year of automatic updates and customer support.
If you decide not to renew, you can still use the plugin, you just won’t get the updates or access to customer service. And when you renew, you’ll pay $39, regardless of whether there has been a price increase since then.
For people looking to get deeper into keyword analysis and backlink research, SEOPress offers the Insights add-on for $99 per year per site. You’ll be able to track keyword rankings with information about cost per click and search volume.
With Insights, you’ll also get a much closer look at backlinks on your site. At a glance, you can see who is helping increase your domain authority, or get rid of low quality links that are hurting your reputation.
Insights is obviously a big increase in price, but it’s actually going to cost a lot less than comparable tools from Semrush or Ahrefs.
Semrush is a leader in SEO. The company offers one of the most comprehensive platforms for analyzing keywords, researching competitors, digging into paid search marketing, and much more.
Semrush also makes a free WordPress plugin called SEO Writing Assistant, or SWA. Once you install SWA, you’ll get to draw on Semrush’s amazing platform for help and guidance as you draft content for your sites.
Simply enter the keywords you are targeting and then start writing. You’ll get recommendations and see your content score broken down into readability, SEO, originality, and tone of voice.
It’s all really intuitive. The factors that contribute to your score are broken down in plain English, and SWA gives you concrete actions you can take to improve. Below, I’ve grouped four separate screenshots together so you can see what kind of guidance you get for each category:
On the left, the tone of voice is rated as between neutral and formal, with 83% consistency. In this case, the writer is probably fine, but SWA calls out the most casual sentences in case they want to make it even more consistently formal throughout.
Similarly, SEO-friendliness, readability, and originality are clearly described. These terms are sometimes hard to figure out, especially for newer writers, but SWA makes it easy to see.
You’ll need to create a Semrush account in order to use the plugin, which you can do for free. I will tell you right now that the free account is very limited. You’ll only be able to make a single content template, which is more of a novelty than a tool to really improve SEO across your site.
I think a Semrush account is worth it, personally. My team uses Yoast, which has integration with Semrush, and I don’t know what we’d do without it.
Tackling issues like readability, keyword-density, and plagiarism is really important. If your articles aren’t original, or Google thinks you scraped them from someone else, your sites are going to take a major hit in the rankings.
Now a Semrush account isn’t free by any means. It’s definitely an investment you make in SEO that can pay huge dividends by bringing higher quality traffic to your site.
One thing to be aware of is that the Pro license doesn’t come with the content templates necessary to benefit from SWA—you’ll need a Guru or Business account.
The good news is that you don’t need a paid Semrush account for everyone in order to benefit. You could get a single Guru account for your content manager, and once they connect a document to a content template, any writer working on that document will have access to SWA.
With a Guru subscription, you can create 800 content templates per month, and with Business the limit is 2,000.
I know it’s expensive, but I really only recommend using a paid Semrush account with SWA. Like I said, the limits of the free plan don’t really give you the range to really see a benefit.
In that sense, I look at the free plugin as more of a free trial rather than a useful freemium license. Pretty much all the one-star reviews I read were people frustrated by the free version. On the other hand, people using the paid version were blown away by how helpful it was.
And, if you do spring for the paid version, you’ll get access to more than 40 other tools to help you improve SEO. I’m not going to lay everything out here, but you should definitely explore the entire Semrush platform.
#6 – Schema Pro Review — The Best for Getting More Clicks With the Rankings You Already Have
How do some sites wind up with a way more appealing piece of real estate on search engine results pages?
You know what I’m talking about. These sites have images, videos, map screenshots, and other attention-getting features. Here’s an example of what happened when I searched “best grilled cheese”.
I don’t have the metrics on it, but I’d bet you a dollar that these top three results are absolutely killing it compared to the grilled cheese pages near the bottom of page one.
So how do you get your pages to show up like this?
You need to use schemas, which tell Google how to interpret your content. It used to be really challenging, but if you use a plugin like Schema Pro, you can get these killer search results for all of your pages with a couple of clicks.
That’s why I love Schema Pro. Instead of trying to learn and navigate the rules of the road for schema markup, you just select the type of content you’re working on, and the plugin takes it from there.
The content types that Schema Pro supports include:
Articles
Books
Courses
Events
FAQs
How-To’s
Job Postings
Local Business
People
Products
Recipes
Reviews
Services
Software Applications
Video Objects
If you are consistently publishing any of these types of content, you absolutely need to check out Schema Pro.
There’s just no way that plain text search results can compete. For local businesses, wouldn’t it be nice for your store to show up automatically located on Google Maps? Boom, there’s a picture of your storefront, it’s location, and the drive time’s already calculated.
Or say you are a food blogger. Wouldn’t it be better if your pages showed up as rich results with a perfect image, cook times, and star-rated reviews?
There is zero coding required. Schema Pro handles all the backend legwork.
You already work so hard to get your pages to rank. Whether you’re on page one or page three, you want to put your best foot forward. Schema Pro lets you optimize your pages to ensure that Google gives you the best chance of getting those rich results.
Schema Pro is a paid plugin. Brainstorm Force, the company that makes it, also offers a free plugin called All-in-one Schema.org Rich Snippet.
The free version might be interesting to check out, but it’s a little dated at this point. It doesn’t use the latest JSON LD code, which is what Google favors. Schema Pro does use this code (although you don’t have to worry about writing it yourself) and you don’t have to do any manual entry at all. With the free version, there’s a lot more work for you.
And the paid version is not very expensive at all, especially considering how big an impact it can have on SEO.
Schema Pro is just $63 for a full year. This includes 1-on-1 support from the customer service team. If your license expires, you can still use the plugin, but you won’t get updates or the free customer support.
You can also purchase a lifetime license of Schema Pro for a one-time fee of $249. You’ll continue to get updates and support for as long as you use it.
Alternatively, you can opt for the Growth Bundle, which includes Schema Pro along with other excellent WordPress tools from Brainstorm Force. You get the Astra Pro theme, a bunch of beautiful pre-made websites, WP Portfolio, Convert Pro, and more.
The Growth Bundle is a great deal for agencies and developers who can get a great price on tools they need to help clients.
If you are just handling schema markup on your site, Schema Pro is all you need.
Another thing to be aware of is that Schema Pro is not an SEO plugin, which means you can use it with plugins like Yoast. You’ll have to be a little careful to ensure that there’s no plugin conflicts, but it’s definitely possible to use Schema Pro to complement your other SEO plugins.
There’s no free trial, but there isa 14-day refund policy. If you are not getting the beautiful and attention-grabbing search results your sites deserve, I would go out and get Schema Pro right now.
#7 – Yoast SEO Review — The Best Free SEO Plugin for WordPress
Yoast SEO is the most downloaded SEO plugin on WordPress. The free version has helped people learn and conquer SEO, and the premium versions help businesses take their content to the next level.
This is what I use for my sites. I’m a Yoast guy and have been for years. Because I have a bunch of huge sites, I use the premium version and it’s totally worth it. But if you are wondering which free SEO plugin is the best, I say Yoast.
And I’m not alone by any means. Yoast has more than 25,000 five star reviews on WordPress.
It’s incredibly easy to use. Maybe it’s not quite as effortless for new users as AIOSEO, but it’s not significantly harder.
And the free version includes a few things that AIO and SEOPress do not. Without spending a dime on Yoast, you’ll be able to tackle:
XML sitemaps
Titles and metas
Canonical URLs
Schema markup
Breadcrumbs
Keyword analysis
Readability analysis
Google/mobile preview
If you have a large site and you want to get by with a free plugin, Yoast is what you want. With AIOSEO and SEOPress, you have to upgrade to premium to handle schema markup and breadcrumbs. With Yoast it’s all free.
And it all makes a difference. Breadcrumbs help readers navigate a site, and they show up in search results. Here’s an example using the search “best treadmills”.
You can see the breadcrumbs in the orange boxes. Readers love these because they help them navigate the site. They know exactly where they are. Google loves breadcrumbs because they tell it how your site is organized.
It’s an easy win to help your pages rank higher, and only Yoast includes it for free.
Should you outgrow the free version, premium Yoast is worth every dollar you spend. I couldn’t dream of running my sites without it. You’ll get:
Internal linking suggestions
Content insights
Redirect manager
Elementor integration
Automated publishing
No in-app advertisements
24/7 customer support
You’ll also be able to take advantage of extensions like Local SEO, News SEO, Video SEO, and WooCommerce SEO. Do note that these extensions are paid add-ons, which aren’t included with your premium subscription, whereas AIOSEO and SEOPress include them with paid versions.
Premium Yoast subscriptions start at $89.
As I mentioned, Yoast is what I use, so I fully endorse the premium SEO plugin. There’s a lot my team does to make sure our pages continue to rank highly. With Yoast, it’s easier to consistently implement best practices across all of our sites.
So I love the premium plugin, but it’s not going to be for everyone.
If you are in the market for a free plugin, I highly recommend Yoast SEO. For zero dollars down, you can start addressing SEO right now. What are you waiting for?
#8 – Ahrefs Review — The Best SEO Plugin for Advanced Users
Ahrefs SEO is a WordPress plugin from Ahrefs, one of the best known names in SEO. This is a super lightweight plugin you can install for free, but you’ll have to get an Ahrefs license to really take advantage of everything you can do.
Think about it as a way to audit the content on your site. But instead of getting surface level information that’s free from Google, you get the benefit of Ahrefs deep databases. You’ll be able to dive into your pages’ performance at the most granular level.
Here’s a screenshot of what I’m talking about:
For each page, you can see where it’s ranking (position), total traffic, what percentage of the traffic is organic, and the number of backlinks. On the right hand side, you’ll see a list of clear suggestions based on the page’s performance.
If a page is under-performing, it may make sense to update it with fresher content. Or maybe you should merge several low-performing pages with one that’s doing better.
But let’s not lose sight of how amazing this is. Tracking backlinks and rankings on your own is incredibly time-consuming. With Ahrefs, everything you could possibly need is right at hand.
If you go with the free plugin, you’ll be limited to auditing the content on your own site. This is really useful if you are just starting off, but for advanced users, I highly recommend paying for an Ahrefs license and taking advantage of your ability to backlink research, content gap analysis, and getting a complete picture of how your competitors’ sites are ranking.
Say you want to dive deeper into the backlinks you have to figure out what’s helping and what you might want to drop. Simply pull up it up in Site Explorer:
You can see each link, along with its domain rank (DR), URL rank (UR), the number of referring domains, total traffic, as well as the anchor text to the backlink.
Don’t know what those are? Don’t worry, just go with one of the other SEO plugins and think about Ahrefs down the line.
But if you are trying to go the extra mile with SEO, your link building team will love all of this information. And you could get just as detailed analysis of your competitors’ sites. Figure out what they are doing well and adjust your strategy as needed.
Paid Ahrefs subscriptions start at $99 for a single user.
You’ll note that additional users only $30 each, which is definitely a plus. That said, Ahrefs is not an all-in-one price. You may have to pay for additional features, and there are limits on the number of sites, keywords, and other factors you can track.
For the most part, the various plans all come with the same set of tools. You get higher limits with the more expensive plans.
It can definitely get pricey, which is why I really recommend it for advanced users. They’re going to get a ton out of it.
People who are newer to the space might not be able to get the bang for their buck. And if you don’t want to pony up for an Ahrefs subscription, you’ll probably find the free version limited. Especially when you consider everything that comes with the free version of Yoast or AIOSEO.
But if you are trying to compete in a lucrative space, you need the detailed information Ahrefs provides.
Check out the free plugin today, or test drive a premium Ahrefs subscription for $7. That will give you one week to try out every amazing tool the company offers.
What I Looked At To Find the Best SEO Plugin for WordPress
Now that you know my top seven best SEO plugins for WordPress, it’s time for you to make a decision that aligns with your company’s needs.
Identifying these criteria is the most critical part of your decision-making process because it will dictate whether it will improve your website traffic and engagement and inform your strategies.
Consider the following factors and whether prospective tools align with your personal preferences to make the right decision for your business.
You Can Handle All Aspects From a Single SEO Plugin
Getting the best SEO plugin for your site is the key. You really don’t want to try and cobble together a few different SEO plugins to handle various areas.
The reason is that having multiple plugins with overlapping functions is going to cause problems. So-called plugin conflicts can slow your site down, if not crash it altogether.
Plus, all plugins take up resources. The fewer you use, the less strain put on your site.
Everyone loves plugins because they do amazing things for your site. But you have to be thoughtful about what you use—especially with SEO plugins.
Some plugins will explicitly call out that they’re compatible with others. That can work. But unless you really know what you’re doing, I’d stick to a single SEO plugin to reap the benefits and avoid the issues.
So head into your search with a list of all the aspects of SEO that you’re looking to address. There’s a lot out there, and you may find capabilities you didn’t know existed. Here are some (not all) of the different areas that WordPress SEO plugins can help you tackle:
Keyword SEO: Discover which keywords matter and work them into your content.
Backlinking: Check, evaluate, and build backlinks to your site to increase domain authority.
On-Page SEO: Make your page easier to read and find for Google bots and human readers.
Google AMP SEO: Optimize your content for mobile users.
SERP SEO: Use schemas to claim a coveted spot on the first search engine results page (SERP) with a featured snippet or spot in the carousel.
Local SEO: Get found by people searching in a specific area and rank higher on Google Maps.
Video SEO: Give your videos the best chance to rank highly and show up even if people aren’t using the video search.
Social Media SEO: Integrate your plugin with social media channels to preview how posts will look or see how they are performing
Now, since you know that you can’t use multiple SEO plugins, it should come as no surprise that some of the most popular options can handle everything. The three I recommended are SEOPress, Yoast, and the aptly-named All in One SEO.
If you have a big site, lots of sites, or you are really trying to get after SEO, I’d choose one of these options and not look back.
Maybe you’re not pursuing every avenue right now, but you probably will be. And that option will be open to you without having to jump ship to a new plugin later. SEOPress actually lets you deactivate the aspects you’re not using, which is more efficient for your site.
Plus, SEO is always changing. These “one-stop-shop” SEO plugins have to change with the times in order to keep their reputation as a complete solution. Again, switching plugins is a pain, but you probably won’t have to by going with the multipurpose SEO plugins.
Not everyone is going to need the full arsenal. If you are just starting off, you can probably get by with a leaner plugin that targets the specific areas of SEO that really matter to you.
This is going to be less resource-intensive and way cheaper. Don’t pay for something loaded with powerful features you aren’t going to use.
Key SEO Metrics Available At a Glance
You can’t improve what you can’t measure.
Good SEO plugins give you clear visibility into your site’s performance.
Look at Ahrefs Rank Tracker tool, for instance. You can see how different pages have performed over time with a few clicks:
All the relevant metrics are plain as day: referring domains, referring pages, organic traffic, organic keywords, the value of that traffic, and all your social shares broken down by channel.
Tracking this on your own would be a full-time job. Now, you have tons of intelligible data to make informed decisions about your content and outreach strategy.
What’s working? What’s not? Now you know.
More than just information, the very best SEO WordPress plugins offer concrete steps you can take to improve.
All in One SEO gives you a site score based on an SEO audit checklist. This reflects how well your site is doing score that reflects how well your site is doing:
If something major has happened, you’ll know immediately. You’ll also know why.
At the bottom of that screencap, there’s a Complete SEO Checklist. This shows you why you have the score you do, broken down into Good Results, Recommended Improvements, and Critical issues.
Clicking on any item in the checklist brings up a short explanation of what’s happening and how to fix it:
With the right WordPress plugin, SEO goes from being this mysterious black box to something you can manage at the tactical level.
There’s a lot of metrics and tools to help you. SEOPress* and Yoast both work inside your WordPress editor to make the process of writing SEO-friendly content easier. Everything from making sure your keyword density is on point to crafting meta descriptions that look good in Google.
I could go on for pages, but what’s important for you is finding a plugin that reports performance metrics in a way you can turn into results. Businesses don’t optimize their sites in the same way, they have different audiences and markets to reach.
Which plugin gives you the toolkit to understand performance and make effective decisions?
You Don’t Have to Hire a Specialist to Use It
SEO is its own speciality. There’s a lot to know, and it’s always changing, so “knowing SEO” is an ongoing battle. If this is your first time trying to optimize a site for search engines, I’d pay very close attention to how easy the plugin is to use.
Good options for beginners include AIOSEO and SEOPress. Both of these have install wizards which guide you through a quick setup. Even total rookies will be able to get their site’s fundamentals in order.
Say you’ve never built an XML sitemap. It’s really important, especially for bigger sites with a lot of pages. AISEO creates these for you, and makes sure they are up to date. It’s all clicks on your end—no code required—and now Google’s going to get your readers to the right page automatically. Readers getting what they want quickly is a very good thing.
I really favored options that run SEO audits of your site and give you simple checklists. Sometimes you’ll be able to troubleshoot issues right there, but what happens when you need more help?
I highly recommend using the knowledge base of the different plugins you are considering. Can you find the information you need and make the changes necessary?
This is really important if you are going with a free option, as there’s understandably limited support. With paid options, you can get the one-on-one help, but being able to learn how to solve things on your own is ideal.
Trends in SEO change like the weather. Google and Bing constantly update the algorithms that drive search. You can have everything optimized and running great only to see rankings drop a few weeks later.
If you, your teams, and clients are comfortable with the plugin, it’s going to be easier to recognize and respond to issues faster.
Can You Get By With a Free SEO Plugin?
Most of the WordPress SEO plugins I’ve reviewed have a free and a paid version. And there are a ton more both kinds out there.
If you are just getting started with SEO on your site, I would highly recommend test-driving a free version of the plugin that makes the most sense given your goals.
The free plugins I reviewed don’t all cover the same ground. The free version of Yoast lets you address breadcrumbs, whereas AIOSEO and SEOPress do not. SEOPress, lets you optimize your posts for social media, which is an add-on for Yoast.
In my reviews, I’ve broken out which features come with the free version and which you have to pay for. You may find that a free plugin is all you need for now, and you can cross the upgrade bridge if it makes sense later.
Do be aware that you’re going to get very limited customer service with a free plugin. You can ask questions in forums, but you may be waiting a few days or more on an answer.
So if you are really new to WordPress and SEO, it may make sense to spend the extra money to get priority support and premium knowledge resources included with paid SEO plugins.
For more experienced users, I think it’s best to jump right in with one of the paid versions. This way there won’t be limits on what you can do.
If you’re ready to start executing on SEO, you’ll likely find the freemium versions constraining, and you won’t get a full sense of what the total plugin can do.
Most* of the premium SEO plugins offer a refund if you aren’t happy within the first few weeks, so it’s pretty risk-free. Yes, it’s going to take a lot longer to start seeing results, but at least you’ll know if you like the interface and it’s tackling all the issues you have.
Looking at free vs. paid SEO plugins, you need to strike a balance. New users don’t want to pay for an overwhelming amount of features they’re not going to use. Experienced users can’t afford to start using a tool that only lets them implement a piecemeal strategy.
If you can afford a paid SEO plugin, I would definitely recommend it. Given how big an impact it can have on boosting traffic to your site, the cost will be a drop in the bucket.
Conclusion
My top recommendations for the best SEO plugin for WordPress are AIOSEO and Yoast SEO. To recap the full list:
AIOSEO is the perfect toolkit for an expert looking for extra help, while Yoast has a unique page analysis functionality and is great for any size business.
WP Rocket makes your site so much faster, helping you pass the crucial first test for ranking well on Google.
Our very own Ubersuggest tool eliminates the need for a true plugin. Just enter keywords or domain names into the web app and see all the data you could need to spot opportunities.
Semrush offers content strategy features and is affordable. SEOPress is an excellent choice for novices and is very straightforward with some customization options.
Ahrefs offers great customer service, and Schema Pro has diverse functionality.
No matter what you decide, any tool in this guide will be on the right path to optimize your website and increase traffic.
What is the Best Business Credit Card for Your Business?
Business credit cards are a part of business credit. Like other aspects of business credit, business credit cards can help you get products and services your business needs. You can use them to help smooth out cash flow peaks and valleys. And you can use them to build business credit. The best business credit card for your business can do many of these things.
Getting Approvals
Business credit cards run the gamut from starter vendors which don’t ask for much, to Tier 4 bank credit cards. And there can be cards where you must provide your Social Security number to satisfy a federal anti-money laundering law. As you might expect, the harder to get approvals, the more your business must do to meet credit provider requirements.
In general, approvals hinge upon:
Business credit scores. Mostly your history of paying your company’s bills on time.
Time in business. Since about 2/3 of all new businesses fail within the first 10 years, more time in business is a gauge of stability and ability to pay back any credit in use.
Personal credit scores. Many credit providers review personal credit scores, particularly if a business is new.
Avoiding Denials
Credit providers want to know you’ll pay them back. They also want to make sure there’s nothing fraudulent going on. When basic data (name, address) is inconsistent from one record to another, credit providers see that as fraud. They will deny the application. As a result, records consistency is vital for avoiding denials.
Incomplete applications are another reason for denials. So, if an application calls for certain documents, you’ve got to provide them. Such documents can include business plans, bank statements, and incorporation documents (if applicable).
Beyond Getting Approvals
There are tons of business credit cards out there. Just applying for the ones where you’ll get approval is a decent strategy when you’re first starting out with building business credit. But once your business credit scores improve, such as a PAYDEX score of 80, you can be a lot choosier.
But the best business credit card for your business can also be divvied up by features, such as:
Credit cards for 0% interest (ongoing or introductory) rate
Low percentage interest rate (over 0% but still lower than the norm)
$0 annual fee (ongoing or introductory)
Cards that appeal to a social conscience/allow for donations to social causes
Bad credit/fair credit/average credit
Balance transfers
Travel
Points (other than travel points)
Cash back
Rewards
Statement credits/monetary bonuses
High Limits
Unique benefits (does not fit under any other categories)
Business Debit Cards
A business debit card is a card that works a lot like a business checkbook. The limit is the amount of funds you currently have in your business checking account. Every time you use it to make a purchase, the amount you charge comes from your account as a deduction.
Prepaid Business Credit Cards
A prepaid business card is a convenient alternative to carrying cash. It works just like a secured consumer credit card. Add funds to your account. Whatever amount you add is available for purchases.
The Best Business Credit Card for You Might be Secured
A secured business credit card is for businesses with no credit or less than perfect credit history. An initial security deposit is necessary. This establishes your card’s credit limit. In most cases a minimum deposit of $500 is necessary. Once you start making purchases you will receive invoices like a regular credit card.
Unsecured Business Credit Cards
An unsecured business credit card works like an unsecured consumer credit card. Credit limits come from many factors depending on the card issuer. Factors in deciding credit limit can include personal credit and/or business credit scores. They can also include time in business, annual revenues and so on. These credit cards give your business the opportunity to earn incentives and rewards.
Business Charge Cards
A business charge card has all the convenience of a credit card. But it’s without the high price of interest. When using this card you must pay your balance in full each billing cycle. Since you can’t carry a balance, a charge card doesn’t have a periodic or annual percentage rate. Hence there is no rate for a charge card issuer to disclose.
No PG Business Credit Cards
A no PG business credit card is just what it sounds like. It’s a card you can get without a personal guarantee. This card will link to your EIN, not your SSN. And it generally requires no personal credit check or guarantee for approval.
Credit Cards for 0% Interest or a Low Percentage Interest Rate
A low percentage interest rate is over 0% but still lower than the norm. Many annual percentage rates tie to the prime rate. Lower or 0% rates are often introductory, and end after a certain time frame or number of billing cycles.
The Best Business Credit Card for Your Business Might Have a $0 Annual Fee
Cards with no annual fee can be ongoing or introductory. Like 0% interest rates, introductory fees end after a certain amount of time, or a particular number of billing cycles.
The Best Business Credit Card for Your Business Can Even Appeal to Your Social Conscience
Some business credit cards allow for donations to social causes. These donations are often in the form of points. American Express has its own program, Just Giving. MasterCard allows for charitable giving via its personal credit cards. This is through a program called Charity Charge.
Bad Credit/Fair Credit/Average Credit Business Credit Cards
There are some business cards which will accept less than stellar personal credit. But you will often need to assure the card issuer of repayment in some other fashion. . This may involve giving the provider access to your books so they can assess your cash flow. Or the provider might set up a frequent (as in daily) electronic withdrawal from your account. This is so you don’t get behind in payments.
Balance Transfers
Many cards allow for balance transfers. You may have to pay an annual percentage rate for transfers. And, like with APRs for purchases, the APR for balance transfers may have an introductory rate. Or you may have to pay a flat rate, often a minimum.
Travel
Travel rewards are usually in the form of miles rather than points. Rewards may tie to a particular airline or hotel chain. Travel rewards may also come in the form of discounts on car rentals. They may even come in the form of added miles for filling up using certain gasoline brands.
Points
These are points which come from an activity other than travel. A card issuer might offer multiple points per dollar spent, for spending within a particular category, such as internet shopping. Some cards offer differing multiples depending upon category of choice.
Cash Back
Cash back usually comes in the form of a low percentage rebate, such as 1%. Some card issuers offer unlimited cash back. Others offer bonus amounts for chosen category spending or meeting a certain spending minimum within a particular amount of time after account opening. Such as $750 if you spend $7,500 in the first three months after account opening.
The Best Business Credit Card for Your Business Might Have a Great Rewards Program
Rewards can take the form of rebates or statement credits or other perks. Some cards offer a reward in the form of free TSA PreCheck®, which currently costs $85. Other such perks may include waiving a first late payment fee or a free cell phone protection plan.
Statement Credits/Monetary Bonuses
Statement credits are payments toward your credit bill. They tend to be one time only. They often tie to a minimum spent amount, within a time after account opening. Bonuses are slightly different. With bonuses, it’s a monetary reward not paid toward your credit balance.
In general, higher limit credit cards tie to better credit scores. They may come with substantial annual fees. Higher fees can incur all along or after an introductory period. Cardholders should pay particular attention to annual percentage rates. Annual percentage rates will matter more when your limit is $250,000 rather than $25,000.
Unique Benefits
Unique benefits do not fit under any other categories. Cards may only be available to a certain type of person like members of the armed forces. Or a card may enroll you in some sort of benefits program. Still others may offer certain purchase discounts.
The Best Business Credit Card for Your Business: Takeaways
Business credit cards come in several forms like secured or debit. And they offer certain features, like low APRs or high limits. With good business credit scores, you’ll have your choice of benefits and features. There are several different types of business credit cards and various benefits. And there are special characteristics for unique cards.
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The best WordPress plugins make your site faster, increase traffic, and tighten website security for your visitors.
But you don’t want to overdo it. Installing too many WordPress plugins can actually slow down your site. Using certain plugins together can cause conflicts that you definitely want to avoid.
I’ve got a good number of plugins on my blog, which gets millions visitors each year. You can fill out forms, sign up for membership content, and more–everything runs smooth. It’s all about picking the right plugins that work together for your needs.
I’ve put together a list of the seven best WordPress plugins you can install right now to improve your site. After the reviews, I’ll show you how to evaluate your options and avoid issues.
#1 – WP Rocket Review – The Best for Speed Optimization
A WordPress site can put a lot of strain on your server, which increases the possibility of crashing your web server. To avoid such unfortunate situations and ensure all your site loads super fast, you need a caching plugin like WP Rocket.
WP Rocket is a simple and effective plugin designed to boost your website speed and performance. It doesn’t wait for someone to request a page to save it to cache. Instead, it automatically builds your website cache, resulting in an immediate performance boost.
The plugin turns on recommended WordPress caching settings, such as page cache, gzip compression, and cache pre-loading automatically.
You can also activate other features like CDN support, lazy loading images, DNS prefetching, and minification to improve your page loading time and reduce bounce rate.
Starting at $49 for an annual license per site, WP Rocket is less than $5 a month. There are solid WordPress cache plugins available, but WP Rocket is still my number one pick in the category. It’s easier to use than some of the less expensive ones, which is probably why it is so popular.
There is no free trial, but WP Rocket does have a 14-day refund policy. So you can try it risk free to see how it impacts your site’s performance. Learn more.
#2 – Yoast SEO Review– The Best for Increasing Organic Website Traffic
Users serious about search optimization trust Yoast SEO to reach their goals. All you need to do is select a keyword, and the tool will then optimize your page around it.
Not only does it help you improve SEO, but it also analyzes your content readability. It gives you real-time page analysis to optimize your content, images, meta descriptions, titles, and keywords.
No wonder it might be the most popular SEO tool in the WordPress plugin repository.
Further, Yoast checks the length of your sentences and paragraphs, whether you’re using enough transition words or subheadings, how often you use passive voice, and so on. It tells Google whether or not to index a page or a set of pages too.
Although there’s a free version available, you can upgrade to the premium version for $89 per year that comes with extra functions, allowing you to optimize your content up to five keywords, among other benefits.
#3 – Akismet Review– The Best for Spam Protection
Nobody appreciates the opinions of bots. Unfortunately, spam comments are an unavoidable price of website success.
With Akismet, though, you’ll be able to eliminate spam comments–no matter how genuine they look–effectively and effortlessly. After all, it’s the official anti-spam plugin developed by Automattic, the parent company of WordPress.
There’s a possibility of the plugin missing out on a few spam comments or not identifying false positives. You only need to tell it about them, and the plugin learns and gets better over time.
The plugin also checks your contact form submissions against its global spam database to weed out unnecessary and fake information.
Although free to download, you will need an Akismet.com API key to use the plug-in. These keys are free for personal blogs, but businesses and commercial sites will have to opt for paid subscriptions.
#4 – Wordfence Security Review– The Best to Handle Security Concerns
Wordfence Security is a WordPress firewall and security scanner plugin. It offers your site full protection from malicious hackers, malware, spam, and other online threats.
It searches for malware and compares code, theme, and plugin files with the records in the WordPress.org repository, allowing it to verify their integrity and report any changes to you.
The plugin comes fitted with a web application firewall (WAF) called Threat Defense Feed that helps Wordfence identify and block malicious traffic. Plus, it prevents brute force attacks by ensuring you set stronger passwords and limiting login attempts.
Wordfence firewall and security scanner will give you security risk alerts before your website is hacked, keeping it safe and secure. It also comes with login security features that enable you to activate reCAPTCHA and two-factor authentication on your website.
A free version of Wordfence is available. But you can also buy the premium plan at $99 per year to get extra security features like the real-time IP blacklist and country blocking option, along with support from professional support engineers.
#5 – UpdraftPlus Review– The Best for Site Backup
Many people fail to consider the importance of having a backup plugin. Don’t make that mistake.
Thousands of sites get hacked daily. WordPress sites are a really common target for hackers because it is so popular and a lot of non-technical folks use it. Simply hoping you won’t be next on the list is just wishful thinking. You have to be prepared, which is where backup plugins come in handy.
There are plenty of WordPress backup plugins online, but only a few are as powerful and user-friendly as UpdraftPlus. It allows you to set up automatic backups and store your files on a remote location like Google Drive, FTP, email, and Dropbox.
Restoring your website from a backup is also super easy and can be done straight from the dashboard. Other features include advanced reporting, database encryption, additional storage destinations like OneDrive, Azure, SFTP, and backup scheduling.
You have the option to either use the base version of UpdraftPlus or purchase its premium version that costs between $195-$399 a year, depending on the plan you choose.
#6 – MonsterInsights Review– The Best for Data Tracking
Data tracking is crucial for scaling and improving your website. Without facts, all you’ll have are assumptions. MonsterInsights allows you to add, customize, and manage your Google Analytics-related web tracking services–all within your WordPress dashboard.
Google Analytics helps you improve your website, content, and better user experience by giving you key insights about how every webpage performs and which online campaigns bring in the most traffic and conversions.
Some of you may have heard of Google Analytics for WordPress. It was the former name for MonsterInsights. The name might’ve changed, but the purpose remains the same.
You can use it to view active sessions, conversion and bounce rate statistics, and keep track of outbound and internal links and downloads. Other details like your total revenue, top products, and top referral sources will also be included.
With all the information readily available, you can work on creating a data-driven strategy to grow your business.
MonsterInsights has a free version that allows you to install Google Analytics, track data, see metrics on the dashboard, and run reports.
There is also a premium version that is more of an investment but includes post and page tracking, custom tracking and reports, AdSense tracking, and more. The premium version starts at $99.50 per year with the Plus plan.
#7 – WPForms Review– The Best for Designing Contact Forms
You can use WPForms to create appealing and highly-effective contact forms rather quickly, thanks to its drag-and-drop builder.
It comes with several cool features like smart conditional logic to ensure your visitors have an excellent customer experience, which, in turn, increases the chances of them submitting their contact information.
Moreover, WPForms can integrate with all popular marketing and payment platforms.
The free plan lets you create a secure contact form with ease.
But if you want access to more templates and advanced features to boost your lead generation efforts, the paid version would be more appropriate. The paid version starts at $39.50 per year for one site.
What I Looked at to Find the Best WordPress Plugin
I’ve compiled a list of a few factors you should consider to narrow down your search to determine the right fit for your website.
Every plugin’s page on the WordPress Plugin Repository contains detailed information about the plugin, its purpose, how to use it, and more. Refer to this information to decide whether a specific plugin is a good fit for you.
Search the plugin directory and pick a few options you think will suit your needs best. When it comes to making the final selection, use my tips below:
Free vs. Premium
We all like free things, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re better. WordPress plugins are no exception.
Free plugins can be great if you don’t want to spend money right away, and most of them are enough to get the basic job done.
However, if you’re looking for more features or higher customization, most plugins will need to be upgraded to the premium version to unlock more features.
Contrarily, premium plugins are designed to ensure compatibility with new WordPress versions and provide better security. On top of this, you get a more comprehensive selection of features to customize and enhance your site.
If monetary commitment is something you’re worried about, you’ll be pleased to know that most premium plugins are quite affordable. So you won’t be breaking the bank anytime soon.
In the end, it’s your call. Just make sure you make the right choice for the functionality of your site.
Overall Plugin Ratings
The overall rating of a WordPress plugin can tell you a lot.
Previous users can rate a plugin up to five stars based on their experience. Skip options that don’t have an average of at least (or almost) four stars.
Plugins with a one-star, two-star, or three-star rating are mostly glitchy and create a lot of problems. Whereas higher-rated plugins are well maintained, work well, and offer adequate support.
Otherwise, why would any user give them good ratings and reviews?
Go Through As Many User Reviews You Can
There’s no better way to determine the quality of a plugin than directly from users. This way, you know precisely whether a plugin is successful.
I would also recommend looking at the total number of ratings. For instance, if a plugin has only been rated by five or seven people, it means it’s relatively new. If they give a decent review, the average rating will automatically be higher.
It’s always better to download plugins with more users and reviewers.
So, not only should you read the user reviews, but also check the total number of reviews.
See How Active the Support Section Is
Every plugin on the WordPress plugin repository has a support forum.
Go through the support tab to check out the level of activity within these forums. Regular activity is necessary as it indicates the developer is responsive and wants to deliver an excellent experience to its users by solving user-reported issues.
If you’re evaluating a premium plugin, their official website should be your go-to instead of the support tab.
Find out how easy it is to get support and whether it has the features you need. Send a test email to see how fast the developers respond to check out their efficiency.
If a plugin has several unresolved threads or you don’t get an answer to your test email, it probably means the plugin is abandoned or that developers are not responding to user issues.
It could still work, yes. But you won’t get adequate support if you face problems.
Find Out the Frequency of Updates
The best plugins are updated regularly. If not, or if it has been a long time since their last update, they may not be well-maintained.
Of course, there can be some exceptions, but regular updates are still an important consideration.
Ideally, plugin updates should be in line with WordPress’ core updates. This ensures optimal compatibility and a good level of active implication from the plugin developer.
You can check exactly when a plugin was last updated by visiting the WordPress plugin repository.
Also, check out the Active Installations section. This will give you an idea of the plugin’s popularity and whether it’s still relevant to the ever-changing market trends.
Conclusion
WordPress plugins can do it all, from designing and maintaining a website to optimizing it for search engines to enhance user experience.
Get started today with my top recommendations. These are trusted products that can help you take your site to the next level. Here’s the full list to recap:
Use Yoast to keep your SEO on point, and block spam and bots with Akismet. Next, make sure your WordPress security remains uncompromised with Wordfence.
WP Rocket keeps loading times short, while UpdraftPlus can come to your rescue when you face compatibility issues or want to migrate your site.
Got a favorite plugin that I didn’t mention? Comment below to let me know!
Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.
Here’s some good news–you can get a website up and running without spending a dime.
Yes. Free web hosting exists, and I’ll show you how to get it.
You’ll be able to launch a website with a few clicks, but don’t expect anything fancy.
Some of the trade-offs with free web hosting include: ads on your site (that don’t make you money), a cap on how much traffic you can get, sudden downtimes, and little to no customer support.
There’s some really great cheap web hosting options that will help you build a site without tradeoffs for a few bucks a month.
But if you really need a 100% free web hosting solution, check out my recommendations below.
#1 – WixReview — Best Free Web Hosting With Website Builder
When it comes to building a simple blog or an online portfolio that highlights your work, Wix is the best intuitive website builder you can count on.
With the help of its simple drag-and-drop interface, you can create a simple website in minutes. Wix takes care of your website through free hosting so long as you don’t mind having Wix brand ads displayed on your pages.
And if you don’t want to build your own site, all you need to do is answer a few questions. The platform’s Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI) will then automatically generate a website with a design based on the answers you give.
You’ll get a great looking page in a few minutes, and from there you can fine-tune it the way you want. Editing within Wix is easy, and you’ll be surprised at how many options you have.
Although free accounts can only use the Wix subdomain, there are enough templates and apps you can choose from to add a little bit of personal touch to your website.
Should you decide to create a website with Wix, you will get a storage space of 500 MB and a bandwidth of 500 MB, enough for a low-traffic site like an online portfolio.
If you want more flexibility, you can upgrade to premium plans anytime to access custom domain, email, and ecommerce features.
Premium plans also eliminate ads so your website will look more professional and less cookie-cutter.
But even with ads, Wix has plenty to offer that will put the spotlight on your content. Whether you’re a writer, designer, or photographer, Wix remains the best website builder to help you establish an online presence without touching any code. Sign up now.
#2 – Square OnlineReview— Best Free Ecommerce Hosting Platform
Square Online is a free ecommerce platform for aspiring entrepreneurs who are still getting their feet wet with online selling. Unlike big names in the industry, Square Online lets you sell unlimited products without paying recurring fees.
It’s free to set up your online store hosted by Square Online. You’ll pay a fee for transactions on the site, but it’s only a small percentage of your total sale.
Your still making money on your free Square Online site, which is pretty great considering you still pay transaction fees on paid hosting platforms as well.
The drag-and-drop editor only offers four customizable themes, but you get an assurance that every design follows your industry’s best practice. Without touching any code, you can create your online store with a responsive design that fits in any device.
Square Online also offers the following to help you get started with your business:
Square POS integration so you can automatically import your product catalog and let it sync with your online store for a seamless inventory management
Payment processing system that accepts all major credit cards, Google Pay, and Apple Pay
In-house and on-demand delivery
Instagram integration
Free SSL security
SEO tools
In exchange for hosting your online store for free, Square Online requires a small commission fee of 2.9% + 30¢ for each product sold. Should you decide to scale your business, you can leave the free plan and move to the premium plans starting at $12 per month.
Through a new feature called Square Online Checkout, sellers also have the option to sell their products and receive payment using only a link instead of a website.
Whether you’re an established brick-and-mortar store owner or just starting from scratch, Square Online has all the basics to help you navigate the unfamiliar world of ecommerce with ease. Start now.
#3 – DreamHostReview— Best Free Web Hosting for Nonprofits
DreamHost believes in every nonprofit organization’s advocacy so much that they’re giving them a shared hosting plan at no cost.
Aside from free web hosting, DreamHost also provides US-based charitable organizations with the following:
Free domain
Free backups
Free shopping cart installation so you can accept donations with ease
Unmetered transfer and unlimited monthly visitors
Free SSL certificate to keep online transactions secure
To create a free hosting account, DreamHost does not require any credit card details and needs just your billing address for verification purposes.
You also need to attach a 501(c)(3) determination letter, a document from the United States IRS proving your tax-exempt non-profit status under the applicable sections of the tax code.
Since it’s a free account, you won’t have access to reliable 24/7 customer support. However, DreamHost’s dedicated help center and ticketing system offset this, which more than meets the need for straightforward troubleshooting solutions.
Should you want more control over your account, nonprofit organizations can also avail themselves of a 35% discount off DreamHost’s managed WordPress hosting plans. This means you can host your site under a paid plan for as low as $11 per month.
#4 – WordPress.comReview— Best Free WordPress Hosting Service
Often confused with the open-source software WordPress.org, WordPress.com is the free platform where non-technical users can create websites.
Since it is powered by the same robust and world-class infrastructure behind nearly half of the world’s websites, WordPress.com is the best place to learn how to manage a website while you’re still not ready or able to pay for a hosting service.
Setting up a website is easy. You can select a WordPress subdomain and choose from any of the available themes.
Just like Wix, WordPress.com also displays ads to sustain its free platform. While the ads may sometimes be annoying, this is a small price to pay for all the other features that WordPress.com has to offer:
3 GB storage space so you can publish both text and beautiful images
Unlimited bandwidth
Free SSL certificate for an additional layer of security
Optional backups so you can save your files on your hard drive
While it has excellent performance for a free hosting platform, WordPress.com can’t beat the paid version in terms of flexibility. The WordPress CMS installed on websites in paid hosting plans gives you direct server access and freedom to install plugins and themes of your choice.
Still, WordPress.com is good for starters, especially if you only want a simple, stripped-down website to showcase your writing portfolio or personal diary.
#5 – GitHub Pages Review — The Best Free Static Web Hosting for Developers
Anyone with basic coding skills is already familiar with GitHub, an open-source platform where developers store their coding projects. GitHub Pages is where you can take these codes from the repository, have them go through a build process, and turn them into a simple static website.
A static website is ideal for those who prefer a small website that doesn’t need to be updated regularly. It’s also perfect for students who want a test site to play around with or present for their school projects.
GitHub Pages is completely free, yet it comes with a range of outstanding features:
One site per GitHub account
Unlimited project websites
1 GB of storage plus 100 GB bandwidth every month
Standard github.io subdomain or custom domain name you own
Free HTTPS to prevent others from tampering with your traffic
Built-in integration with Jekyll, a popular static site generator, for more customization options
To build your static website, all you need to do is sign in to your account and create a new repository. You can then use the Jekyll Theme Chooser to pick from one of the pre-made themes.
If you don’t like your theme or your static website’s content, no need to worry as changes are a simple edit and push away. You can make these changes either via the web or locally on your computer.
Whether you’re a developer or a non-techy looking for easy-to-follow instructions, GitHub Pages has all the tools you need to create a free static site.
What I Looked at to Find the Best Free Web Hosting
Before we proceed, you have to remember that there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
In the case of a free web host, it has limitations that don’t appeal to everyone.
Free web hosting is designed to meet the needs of a niche market like a new hobby blogger who doesn’t intend to earn from his website or a student looking for a free platform where she can test her web development projects.
With that being said, you can’t use the same criteria in selecting a paid hosting plan when zeroing on the best free web hosting to suit your needs.
Remember, you get what you pay for. And in the case of a free web host, you shouldn’t expect to receive round-the-clock support, daily or on-demand backups, and 100% uptime guarantee, among others.
However, some free options are a cut above the rest. Use the following parameters to figure out whether a free web hosting service is worth a try.
Custom Domain
Most companies are willing to host your website for free so long as you’re also willing to use a subdomain.
For instance, Wix is a popular website builder that requires its free users to use a subdomain (e.g., neilpatel.wix.com).
A subdomain doesn’t look professional nor is it good for branding. So, unless you only want a stripped down website you can play around with, it would be better to opt for a company that can host your custom domain for free.
A custom domain is one that you own (e.g., neilpatel.com). You can purchase it from a domain registrar or from any hosting provider that also offers domain registration on the side. Domains are inexpensive, and you’ll need to renew them annually.
If branding is your top priority, make sure to find a free web host that gives you the option to stand out in a sea of other freely hosted websites.
Security
While advanced security features don’t exist in free web hosting platforms, they should at least offer a free SSL certificate.
SSL (secure sockets layer) is a technology that encrypts the information that passes through your website. It protects your site visitor’s sensitive data like passwords and credit card data from outside intruders.
If you’re launching a basic ecommerce site on a free hosting platform, a free SSL certificate is non-negotiable. However, some free web hosting services only offer a self-signed SSL, which misleads users into thinking that it’s the same as the industry-standard SSL certificate.
A self-signed SSL is issued by servers and not by trusted authorities like Comodo, Digicert, and Let’s Encrypt. Since it’s not a standard version, websites with self-signed SSL will still show security warnings to visitors.
Hence, a self-signed SSL defeats the purpose of an SSL certificate even though it offers the same level of encryption. Especially if you’re planning to sell a product through your website, having a self-signed SSL is no better than not having an SSL certificate at all.
Storage and Bandwidth
As a rule of thumb, never go with free web hosting unless you’ll use it for a basic website with little to no traffic.
A free web host isn’t designed to handle huge traffic volume. This is why it’s important to read the fine print of the hosting provider’s terms and conditions before signing up.
Unfortunately, a lot of free hosting providers tend to mislead clueless users by including “unlimited storage” and “unlimited bandwidth” in their list of features.
Disk space or storage space is the amount of server space allocated to your website files, while bandwidth is the amount of data allowed to transfer from the server to your visitors in a given amount of time. If your website is hosted in a free platform, your disk space and bandwidth are best described as low and never “unlimited.”
“Unlimited bandwidth” is a promotional tactic by free hosting providers based on the assumption that sites on a shared server will not use up the available resources, which is rarely the case.
Instead of being swayed by these superficial features, pay more attention specifically to file size limit and CPU limit.
A file size limit is the maximum file size your website can upload, while the CPU limit refers to how much of the server’s central processing unit (CPU) your website is allowed to use.
Free web hosting providers can temporarily shut down your site without warning, so make sure you know exactly what and how much your limitations are.
Ads
The only reason why free web hosting continues to exist is because of the business behind it. And a business requires a source of revenue.
Some of the more popular free web hosts sustain their platform through ad space. This monetization method may be effective, but it comes at the expense of your visitors.
You have no control over what appears on the advertisements or where they’re placed. Not to mention ads, in general, tend to be obtrusive and take the joy out of consuming your content.
If you want free hosting but care about your site’s aesthetics and user-friendliness, you can opt for a company that supports their free platform through other means, such as the sales of premium hosting plans.
Customer support
Support for websites hosted in a free web host is limited at best. Unless you already have both the budget and need to upgrade to premium plans, there’s nothing else you can do.
When looking for the best free web host to entrust your website, choose one with an active community forum.
Check the latest posts and see how fast the response time is. The more active users the service has, the quicker you’ll get a resolution to any problem you might face in the future.
In addition to a community forum, some free web hosts also have a self-service knowledge base where users can quickly get answers to their most basic questions.
Conclusion
Nothing beats a paid hosting plan for all the extra support, features, and functionality. Still, if you need free web hosting or if you want to try out different web hosts before committing to an investment, there are some good free options available.
These are my top choices if you are looking to get online without spending a dime:
Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.
More people blog on WordPress than any other platform. If you want to stand out from the crowd, you need the right theme.
WordPress themes determine the layout of your blog, the impression it has on visitors, and how easy it is to navigate.
There are a lot of WordPress themes to choose from. Over the years, I’ve experimented with dozens of themes across my sites. As one of the internet’s most successful bloggers, I know what works.
Here’s my latest take on the seven best WordPress themes for blogs. This page is always getting updated as new themes come out and others outlive their use.
Keep reading to find my top picks along with a buyer’s guide that will help you make sense of your many good options.
#1 – Olsen Review – The Best WordPress Theme for Lifestyle and Fashion Blogs
If you are a lifestyle or fashion blogger looking for a place to store all of your content among a focused layout with crisp fonts, Olsen is the perfect theme for you.
It takes very little work to pull off a very professional blog. You’re not going to break the mold with something people have never seen before–Olsen’s strength is in it’s familiarity. Readers will immediately be comfortable with your layout, knowing how to navigate and share your content.
Providing a fluid and peaceful reading experience, Olsen is the theme for anyone who wants their images to stand out next to their content. Tell a story with more than just words.
Olsen is completely customizable and is the perfect place to show off your best work.
Two unique elements this theme offers are a Featured Content slider and an Instagram footer widget. Both elements are great for sharing your work with readers.
The Featured Content slider is a little different from the average Featured Content add-on. This element allows you to pick up to six images or posts and include them at the front of your blog. The reader can navigate this slider by clicking the left or right arrow.
The Instagram footer widget is unique and doesn’t appear in any other theme on this list. This is the perfect add-on for a fashion or lifestyle blogger who wants to showcase their photos. It shows the widget at the bottom of your blog and features your most recent Instagram posts in a large single row.
The downside is for people who want the Instagram feature for free. Unfortunately, you must pay for the theme or buy a plan to use it, but we think this trade-off is worth it.
You can get started with Olsen today for free. Upgrading to Olsen Pro is only $34.30 for a full year. There is also a Club Membership, which gives you access to many more themes and plugins, and it’s only $48.30.
#2 – Extra Review — The Best for Most Standard Blogs
If you are looking for a WordPress theme that lets you do it all–and have an easier time doing it–then Extra is my top recommendation.
With some themes, you can get pigeon-holed into a certain style or format. With Extra, you never have to worry about limits or boundaries.
Blogs of any type, digital magazines, portfolios, online stores–really any kind of blogging experience you are looking to deliver is possible with Extra.
Extra is from Elegant Themes, the same people who make Divi, which is the most popular WordPress theme in the world. If you are looking to build a unique website on WordPress, Divi is a great choice.
However, if you are specifically focused on finding a theme for WordPress blogging, go with Extra. It gives you the same foundation as Divi, but it’s been optimized for bloggers.
The most important aspects are the new modules within the Divi Builder that help you curate your content for readers, including post feed, post carousel, post slider, and tabbed posts. All of these are tied to the categories you set and easy to arrange in an appealing layout.
Publishing the striking blog on the left is as easy as filling in the intuitive layout on the right.
With Extra you get the Divi Builder ability to create everything visually, but it’s within a framework that makes blogging easier. It’s a true drag-and-drop editor that lets you build elegant posts and pages very quickly.
Start from one of more than 800 pre-made layouts and customize virtually every aspect from there. Colors, fonts, sizing, spacing, sizing is easy to adjust with clicks, not code. Whatever you design is fully responsive to any screen size. No extra work or double-checking on your part.
Here are some of the other ways that Extra helps people take their WordPress blog to the next level:
Built-in ratings and review system
Customizable menus and headers
Automatic WordPress updates
24/7 customer support
Optimized for WooCommerce
Social media integration
All of these features work together beautifully. Your blog readers are greeted by an enticing layout and your site is effortless to navigate. They can read, review, rate, and share your posts across other channels.
Extra is available for purchase through a membership to Elegant Themes. That means for one price, you get access to Divi, Extra, as well as Bloom (email plugin) and Monarch (social media plugin).
This is a complete set of tools that can power your entire website with a modern and integrated blog.
Elegant Themes memberships are $89 per year, or $249 for a lifetime subscription. This includes 24/7 premium support and unlimited usage of every product.
The company is constantly adding new features. I’m talking about fresh layouts every week and new tools to help your blog stand out.
#3 – Newspaper Review — The Best for Breaking Stories
Some people need a simple blog that showcases their portfolio. Others need a platform that delivers new content to their readers on a daily basis, whether they are breaking stories about their brand or community.
I’m talking about a blog experience where visitors show up to find a new arrangement of content every morning. If this describes you, then Newspaper is the WordPress theme for your blog.
It is the number one bestselling news theme of all time, and for good reason. You can use any kind of content or social media integration–it’s all going to look sharp.
Beginners and professionals will love how easy Newspaper is to use. Whether you want to get set up in minutes or craft a trendsetting design, you’ll find the theme very accommodating.
Include sound, moving images, and other features to engage your audience with no more than a few clicks. And, you can rest assured that none of the changes you make will slow your site down.
This is true even if readers are on their phone, as Newspaper is completely integrated with the Google AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) plugin.
Instead of a slow, cluttered experience–as you might get with another news-style WordPress theme–all of your readers can enjoy what you publish. Given how much traffic comes from mobile-users, this is a big deal.
None of this will require coding, so your whole team can take advantage of the theme. No graphic design degree necessary to edit images. With Newspaper, it’s a snap to create eye-catching, on-brand images that develop your story.
This means less steps to make sure your content, logos, headers, and footers are all working together to deliver a positive blog experience for your readers. And if you are constantly updating, the time-savings adds up quick.
With Newspaper, you can eliminate hours from your monthly workflows and free up your team to create.
Despite being able to do so much, management remains quite simple. Quickly gain mastery over your blog and use the great features included with Newspaper like:
100+ pre-built websites
1,000+ pre-made templates, pages, posts and sections
Unlimited sidebars
Live search display
WooCommerce shortcodes
Membership paywalls
Rating and review system
Monetizing your blog is incredibly easy with banner ads, Google Ads, and Adsense. All ads are responsive, and Newspaper starts you off with 14 predefined and 5 custom spots. You can place ads where you want without disrupting the flow of your blog.
Pricing for Newspaper starts at $59 for a regular license. This includes free future updates and 6 months of premium support. You can extend support for a full year for $17.63.
There’s a ton included with the price, but if you want to add other plugins to optimize SEO, open an online store, or increase security, you can rest assured that Newspaper theme will integrate smoothly.
Akea is a WordPress theme from GoodLayers, a company that empowers bloggers who live by the “less is more” mantra.
Over the years, the company has released some of the greatest minimal blog themes. It’s best for people who don’t want too much information and stimulation a negative and expect readers with similar tastes.
You get total control over how your content is exhibited. Play with the spacing between items on your page. Tweak the size of thumbnails used for your blog. Use a single image to fit any screen size with the 100 percent fluid layout.
Customize it until you get it just right. With Akea, you don’t have hundreds of templates, but you don’t have to squeeze anything into a pre-built mold. Instead, you get a relatively small selection of blog layouts and each one is an open field.
Upload your own font. Bring in any video, quotes, galleries in a slider. Make a bold impression using a few commanding content elements arranged just the way you like.
If you’re looking to jam the most content per square inch into your blog, this is not for you.
This isn’t to say you can’t include sidebars, or menus, or give your readers tons of options. With Akea, that’s all easy to do. It’s just really focused on the minimal style, so all of these elements are unobtrusive and clean.
You get a floating navigation bar, so your readers always have quick access to more content, but you are never overloading them at any point.
That’s the spirit of Akea, which comes with a trim feature set designed for you to start making it your own immediately. Some of the essentials include:
Drag-and-drop page builder
Unlimited customizable sidebars
14 blog layouts
Social media integration
WooCommerce integration
Custom skin colors for page sections
While you get comparatively few templates compared to other options, there’s a lot you can do with each one.
Akea starts at $54. It includes free lifetime updates and premium customer support for the first six months.
Because Akea is a newer theme, there are fewer reviews of the theme than some of the others I recommend. But GoodLayers has always done a solid job, and Akea works well with the latest plugins and WordPress updates.
This means less work on your end to make sure everything is running smooth, as the modern integration decreases problems and potential security issues.
It’s also fully compatible with the WordPress Gutenberg editor, which is now standard for all new sites. This is going to save a lot of time and make the final product look better with less configuration.
#5 – Pearl Review — The Best Corporate WordPress Theme
Pearl is an incredibly feature-rich and flexible WordPress theme that’s got enough options to outfit any business.
I recommend this to people whose blog is part of a larger website. Pearl is kind of overkill if you just need a blog, though you could make an incredible blog with it.
On that note, it might be a good option if you are hitting your limits with your current WordPress theme. If there’s features and functionality you can’t swing now, Pearl will help you get there.
To put it simply, with Pearl you’re not making compromises–you’re making a blog that’s tailored to fit the needs of your industry and goals. Pearl offers an astonishing range of demos for virtually every vertical: agency, beauty, ecommerce, law, music, software, and more.
Each of these demos has been carefully designed to include a suite of features and layout to meet the challenges businesses face.
The Pearl Viral demo, for example, showcases your posts according to how popular they are, with professional category tags to help readers find what they want.
For a business in the entertainment industry, the out-of-the-box power of this blog layout and styling is obvious. The same is true for everyone of the many industries Pearl supports.
And your blog will be totally tied into the rest of your site, which is a must if blogging is a part of your business outreach. Readers can react to posts, leave a reply, share it on social media, or get drawn further into your site and company offerings.
You can add more than 55 different types of shortcodes (UI blocks) into your posts. This includes things like a music player, calls to action, events lists, icon boxes, galleries, pricing tables, and a lot more.
This is huge for corporate users who need a range of ways to communicate and interact with their audience. Some of the other standout features include:
Visual Composer drag-and-drop builder
Mega menus with three drop down levels
Customizable headers and footers
800+ fonts
Custom icons
Sidebar builder
24/7 with live chat
There’s really not much you can’t do with Pearl, and most of it can be accomplished without writing a line of code.
And all of this is available for the price of $59 for a regular license with free lifetime updates. Six months of maintenance is included, with additional coverage available for purchase.
If you need a high-functioning blog, bear in mind that Pearl includes a number of premium plugins for free. You get WPBakery, Booked Appointments, Ninja Popups–in total it’s about $325 worth of premium plugins based on the going rates.
Pearl is a very reasonable price for what you get, and you’ll have to spend less moving forward.
For as popular as food blogs are, they can be tricky to create if you are using a multi-purpose theme.
You can do it, for sure, but it’s going to take a lot more work. And it’s probably not going to come out as well as if you had just started with a WordPress theme built specifically for food blogs..
TinySalt is just that. It’s got every feature and formatting capability you need to blog in this space.
Where a recipe would be difficult to get the formatting correct with an ordinary WordPress theme, TinySalt gives you turnkey options to produce this niche type of content immediately.
Breakdown your most complicated dish into a series of simple steps. Include photos where you think it will help. Add a button early in the post to let readers jump straight to the recipe.
And you don’t have to spend any time getting all of this to flow on your blog. TinySalt has 12 demos you can import to your website. Mix and match to deliver the exact experience you are looking for.
Readers can quickly search through your recipes with a convenient filter, or browse your beautiful blog. When they find one they like, they can print, rate, and share them with their friends on social media.
If they decide against a certain meal, your blog can automatically recommend related recipes at the end of a post.
Don’t let the Tiny in the name fool you, this theme is packed with potential. You get:
32 blog variations
10 post templates
Recipe videos
Unlimited colors
900+ fonts
Featured recipes slider on your homepage
All TinySalt is missing is your recipes and imagination.
TinySalt starts at the low cost of $39 for a regular license. Future updates and six months of premium customer service is included at that price. Ongoing support is available if you need it.
At that price, it’s not hard to turn a profit with TinySalt, even if it’s just a side-hustle for now.
You’ll be able to see your own products with WooCommerce, or promote items through advertising and affiliate marketing. It’s also compatible with MailChimp, which means you can turn your food blog into a newsletter to build your subscriber base.
Eliminate the complex configuration that goes into food blogging and take your site to the next level. Stop cooking with the wrong equipment and get TinySalt today.
#7 – ConsultingWP Review — The Best for Promoting Your Business
I really like ConsultingWP for businesses that want their blog to make a splash.
Whether you are looking to make connections for providing services, or to get your brand out to the world, this is an empowering WordPress theme for business blogs.
You get tools to build that anyone at your company can use on day one. You’re not going to have to hire out a professional or lean on a single person in-house to keep everything looking great.
Never touch code and never compromise on the finished product.
Simply browse through the hundreds of templates offered by ConsultingWP, find the one you like, and begin importing it. You’ll have complete control over what plugins and options you want to bring over to your new blog.
From there, you can customize the blocks, fonts, headers, layout, and so on on. Instead of having to mess around editing PHP or CSS files, everything is a few clicks.
Up to this point, what I’ve described is a very good WordPress theme for blogs, but where ConsultingWP steps away from other easy/powerful options is the business-focused feature set.
One of the most useful is the Cost Calculator Builder, which lets clients price out your services on your blog. Instead of having to call for a quote (which can be a tricky step to get people to take) people can investigate on their own using the simple calculator.
Normally, creating an interactive form like this would take some serious effort. And, if you wanted to make changes to your pricing, it might be a hassle to get it right.
With ConsultingWP, you have full control over this simple feature. Run promotional pricing without worrying it’s going to break your site and confuse potential clients.
Some of the other fantastic built-in elements include:
eRoom Zoom meetings and webinars
Professional booking for appointments
100+ page templates
500+ theme options
Customizable menus
Events manager
24/7 customer support
For businesses, the all-in-one feature set is really attractive. I mean, you can do all of this with a hodge-podge of third-party plugins, but there is zero guarantee they are going to work well together. At best, you’d have a lot of maintenance to keep things running smooth without slowing your site to a crawl.
With ConsultingWP, on the other hand, businesses get a toolkit that’s been designed to work in harmony. This means less work for better results.
Starting at $59 a regular license, this is a great deal. Trying to match the feature set by downloading individual plugins would be far more expensive and frustrating.
A regular license comes with six months of premium customer support. You can choose to extend support for an additional cost.
If you are looking for a professional blog that establishes your business as a leader in your space, I highly recommend ConsultingWP.
What I Looked at to Find the Best WordPress Theme
Now that you know our seven best theme recommendations, it’s important to understand what matters.
Make the right decision by following these considerations.
Know Your Blogging Niche
It sounds self-explanatory, but it’s relevant when choosing the perfect theme. Today we looked at the seven most common blogging niches, and how each theme suited for those niches is different.
When choosing a theme, you must know your blogging niche because you don’t want to install TinySalt if food blogging is your focus. Different niches require different themes with distinct features, layouts, and designs.
I would suggest creating a list of your most passionate hobbies and start there.
Customization is Key
Having a customizable theme is crucial for an easily-navigated blog.
It’s okay if you are not interested in investing money into your blog. However, many free themes have limits on customizing, whether for headers, colors, or layouts.
Every theme on this list is customizable to some extent, some more than others, so it’s important to look into the nitty-gritty before installing.
Features
Every theme listed here today has some incredible features that work best for its particular niche. However, some themes have more unique elements than others, and it’s critical to weigh whether you need them.
Paid themes are more likely to have more unique elements, such as Olsen with the Instagram footer widget, and the premium plugins that come free with Pearl.
If you know you won’t need an Instagram footer, it’s best to keep your money in your pocket.
Some basic features that are imperative for most blogs include:
Custom colors
Site logo
Flexible display
Classic menu
Widgets
So, make sure you look for these when installing any theme.
Conclusion
Running a successful WordPress blog isn’t easy. Having the right theme helps a lot.
Here’s the complete list of my top recommendations:
Extra is a great all-in-one blog solution that’s going to cover most people. No matter what direction you take, you’re always going to get the latest features to experiment and engage your audience.
Some of my recommendations work really well in particular niches, like Olsen and TinySalt, whereas others play to a certain style. Akea favors minimal content with maximum impact, whereas Newspaper is going to give readers dozens of posts to read at every turn.
ConsultingWP and Pearl are safe bets for any business blog. I’d lean toward the former if you are looking for something sleek for your company, and toward the latter if your blog is part of a more complex site.
Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.
Your website should load quickly and present content for readers in a sensible way.
The good news is there’s a wide variety of excellent WordPress themes that do just that.
WordPress themes offer different layouts for your website–be it a blog, online store, portfolio, or business. You’ll be able to present content beautifully and boost engagement with your brand. Get everything designed the way you want without writing a line of code.
I’ve put together a guide to the best WordPress themes available now to help get you started.
The Jayla theme offers a minimal and contemporary approach to the e-commerce industry, allowing you to create a store and sell products online with ease.
Jayla is built around the popular and powerful WooCommerce plugin, which means you’ll have access to a large number of features.
Jayla also gives you access to multi-block builders to speed up your site’s creation and an almost unlimited number of colors for your layout.
Perhaps most impressive is the wide variety of shops you can build with the theme. From furniture shops to tech stores and everything in-between, Jayla is useful in most e-commerce scenarios.
Other highlights of the Jayla theme include:
One-click install demo
Lifetime support
Header and foot builder
Drag and drop page builder
Woo product filter
Compatible with Yoast SEO
WooCommerce product wishlist
Supports over 800 Google fonts
On the pricing side, Jayla costs just $59 for the regular license, which is more than enough to get your store started.
That regular license also adds in future updates for no extra cost and six months of support with site bugs and other issues.
If you want additional support, you can extend it to 12 months for $17.63. Get Jayla here.
We all have to start somewhere, and the same is true with WordPress themes. Where do you even begin? The answer is with Astra.
Astra is our top pick for WordPress beginners for its slick customization options, high level of functionality, and the considerable number of free extensions available for it.
I mentioned earlier that ensuring great page builders were compatible with a theme was important, and Astra doesn’t disappoint. Some of the most popular page builder plugins, like Elementor and Beaver Builder, are easily used with it.
On top of that, Astra offers a lightweight experience, allowing it to load exceptionally quickly. That’s without mentioning the super easy customization and pre-built options for blogs, portfolios, and online shops.
Other key features of the Astra theme include:
Dedicated sidebar
WooCommerce ready
Mega-menu
Mobile headers
Fluid layout
Spacing control
Custom fonts
Infinite loading
In terms of pricing, you can get Astra for free, and this provides you with a basic theme able to get you up and running. For some, it might be all they need.
There is also a pro version of Astra available that offers additional settings and options. The pro version is a must if you need a great deal of customization and new layouts. You can purchase it for $47.
Tusant by Second Line is a first-rate theme that’s best suited for podcast creators, musicians, voice-over actors, and music streaming.
While many themes can offer flashy designs, Tusant is practical, too, allowing you to embed audio and video from multiple sources.
For example, a podcast creator would be able to embed an entire ongoing series with ease, while musicians could display their latest work. The developers say Tusant can showcase an unlimited number of entries.
What’s more, Tusant supports all of the vital podcasting plugins such as PowerPress, Seriously Simple Podcasting, and PodLove. You can host MP3 files locally, too, so there’s little to get in the way of your creativity.
Tusant also offers the following:
Over 900 Google fonts supported
One-click theme install
Dedicated support
Responsive mobile design
WordPress built-in customizer
Full documentation for each section
Translation ready
Page builder support included
For the pricing, there are three distinct tiers from the Tusant creators:
Single Podcast Theme: $69 for one Second Line Podcast WordPress theme of your choice + 12 months of updates and support
Podcast Theme Bundle: $139 for access to all Second Lines Podcast WordPress themes + 12 months of updates and support
Lifetime access: $389 for unlimited lifetime access to all Second Lines Podcast WordPress themes + lifetime updates and support
Second Line currently has five different podcast WordPress themes. Tusant offers multiple layouts, beautiful displays for playlists, and supports over 20 podcast hosting providers. If you’re a podcaster, you cannot go wrong with Tusant. Buy it here.
Whether you’re a freelance marketer, editor, or content writer, an excellent theme to show off your accomplishments and details is essential.
That is where Sydney comes in. This is a powerful and feature-rich theme ideal for freelancers, both those new to the industry and those who have been doing it for years and might want to change things up.
Sydney has more than 600 different Google fonts to choose from, and users have access to a full-screen slider, which can make a strong first impression on potential clients.
I also like the custom Elementor blocks that can be designed just how you want, enabling you to focus on getting your branding right.
Other features of the Sydney theme include:
Slider or static image header
Translation ready
Social buttons
Cross-browser support
Regular updates
Live customizer
Parallax backgrounds
Color controls
Sydney has a free version, and you’ll have access to a lot of vital features.
With that said, the pro license only costs $69 per year, or $169 for a lifetime license. The upgrade will allow you to take things to the next level with extra page options, templates, WooCommerce, video headers, and more.
You can also pay $389 for a lifetime license for all of the company’s podcast WordPress themes.
It’s a good idea for most freelancers and small businesses.
#5 – Foodie ProReview — The Best for Food Bloggers
This compelling WordPress theme is perfect for sharing new recipes and the best cooking tips with your online audience.
Minimalist and clean, yet offering loads of features and specific design choices, you can’t go wrong with Foodie Pro.
Consisting of the Genesis Framework—both secure and search-engine-optimized—Foodie Pro offers an almost countless number of color and typography options.
You’ll be able to upload your brand’s logo quickly, and a selection of pre-built templates only helps speed things up if you’re in a hurry to launch.
Other features of Foodie Pro include:
Customizable header
Mobile responsive
Widget areas
Recipe index
Works with popular plugins
Child theme based on the Genesis Framework
WordPress customizer
Lightweight design
There’s no free version of Foodie Pro, but you can buy the theme and complete framework package for $129.95, which I think is a fair offer based on what you can do with it.
There’s also a Genesis Pro option for those who love the framework and want to invest further. The Genesis Pro variant includes access to additional support and every future theme the company releases.
Genesis Pro is a good choice for those with big plans and costs $360 a year.
Zakra isn’t just a memorable name—no, this stylish WordPress theme will help your brand rank higher on Google.
Zakra is optimized for the largest search engines, loads quickly, and supports almost all essential SEO plugins.
One particularly impressive feature is the 50 or so demos that are pre-built and ready to go with the theme.
These demos cover multiple scenarios you may need and can be quickly set up with a one-click demo importer. From there, you’ll be able to customize the demo to your liking.
One major advantage is the speed at which you can do this, so it’s an excellent option for those short on time.
The Zakra theme also delivers:
Lightweight designWooCommerce integration
Suitable across multiple devices
Compatible with key page builders
Translation-ready theme
Right-to-left text direction languages
Dynamic, customizable areas
Menu styling option
Zakra is free to use, but be aware that multiple features are locked out. Once you’re happy with the theme, you can upgrade to one of the more premium packages.
There are four pricing tiers, and all of them feature the Zakra Pro extras. The following prices are for lifetime access:
Personal: $159 for 1 site license
Personal Plus: $209 for 3 site licenses plus 30+ premium starter demos and Elementor companion
Professional: $422 for 10 site licenses plus 30+ premium starter demos and Elementor companion
Developer: $454 for unlimited site licenses plus 30+ premium starter demos, Elementor companion, and future plugins
You can also choose to pay via an annual fee. I think the Personal Plus package with a lifetime subscription would be a great option for most.
#7 – Travel Way Review — The Best for Travel Bloggers
Travel Way is perfect for travel bloggers and photographers who want to show their locations’ real beauty. Travel Way is also great for travel agencies and portfolios.
With call-to-action buttons, multiple sections, and handy social icons, it’s a theme ready for the modern traveler.
The free version of Travel Way is flexible and highly customizable, with the option of setting up galleries, booking forms, services, and portfolios. There’s a huge amount you can do with this theme.
Even better, it works well with all of the major browsers, is very responsive, and offers unlimited pages for each section of your site.
Other attractive features of Travel Way include:
Featured sections
More than nine custom widgets
Testimonials
Tour packages
Custom sidebar areas
Full layout controls
Page builder compatible
Extensive slider options
The pro version features advanced custom widgets, multiple options for comment sections, more menu and logo positions, and quite a bit more.
It costs just $55 for personal use and $99 for developers, so if you’re pretty set on the theme, I wouldn’t hesitate to upgrade for the rest of the features.
What I Looked at to Find the Best WordPress Themes
Deciding on a single WordPress theme for your brand can be overwhelming. There are tons of options out there, and it can be difficult to know where to start. If you’re struggling to pick one, try thinking about the complete picture.
The first aspect to think about is whether you should get a free or paid WordPress theme. The difference isn’t just in the pricing.
A free WordPress theme can offer a lot to the right person, but it’s worth knowing some of the drawbacks. The main one is the lack of ongoing support for that specific theme, which, in most cases, can mean you’re left tracking down the original creator’s email for help when something breaks.
Far from ideal.
Not to mention that the same free themes can pop up on many websites, taking away originality from your branding.
But you can usually try out a theme for free before deciding to invest in the full paid version, so they do have their uses.
Paid themes are a better bet for brands in general, though. They generally include regular updates and support, higher levels of customization, and higher-quality code.
Another thing to mention is that WordPress.org, or ‘self-hosted WordPress,’ (as opposed to WordPress.com) is the best bet for most businesses as it gives a greater level of control and is cheaper overall. This extends to themes, availability, and customization.
With that said, I’ve seen some top brands on WordPress.com, or ‘hosted WordPress,’ with some genuinely dazzling themes, too.
If you’re in doubt, I’d still say go for WordPress.org.
Other key things to think about are the following:
Theme Functionality
Thinking about functionality is very important. I’m talking about what you need a site to do to conduct business.
Do you need social media icons that link out to brand accounts? How about a comment section or forum, and what about the e-commerce side of things like a shop?
In other words, you need to think hard about the features you need.
The great news is that WordPress plugins can add a significant number of extras whenever you want, but it’s worth looking into the functionality of a theme you like.
For example, specific themes might be coded in such a way that adding a forum could prove difficult.
If you like a theme, make sure you’ve done your research before buying it and that it can support your core needs.
Site Responsiveness
Is your new theme going to look good on any screen size?
A mobile reader needs to have the same complete experience as a desktop user, so any good WordPress theme will adapt to this on a case-by-case basis. Don’t forget that Google has made it mandatory for sites to be mobile responsive, which can affect your rankings in a big way.
Mobile traffic is increasing every year, so a responsive WordPress theme is essential. Most WordPress themes include this as standard, but not all do, and free themes often don’t. Think carefully about this when researching.
Page Builders
A good page builder will allow you to drag and drop to create pages with little fuss.
Most WordPress themes come bundled with page builders, but not all of them do. Some themes may even use a bespoke page builder that could slow down a site with unwanted code.
Ideally, you want a WordPress theme optimized to work with the best page builders, particularly if you have a preference.
You could find a WordPress theme that provides almost everything you want, only to find it’s incompatible with your favorite builder. Or buy one that features a proprietary builder, but it’s just not very good. Too late, though, because you’ve already purchased it.
Browser Support
A theme can load smoothly and look beautiful on your browser, but what about on your customer’s browser? It’s worth noting that not all themes will work correctly on every browser, so a good deal of testing is a sound idea.
You can usually check a browser’s compatibility under a WordPress theme’s details, but the developers won’t always list this. In that case, test it yourself.
It’s as simple as downloading a few of the most popular browsers, loading up your site with its new theme, and seeing what works and what doesn’t.
More often than not, you’ll find an issue or two that only occurs on a specific browser. I’ve seen pages breaking inexplicably on certain browsers while others were fine. This is often an overlooked area, so it’s prudent to get ahead of any potential issues.
Summary
There are tons of beautiful WordPress themes out there, and my list has given you just a snapshot of everything you can do on the platform. But many themes work better for specific uses.
The picks on the list offer some of the best themes available in their respective areas:
Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission. Do you want to skip the read and get right to my top picks? The best cheap web hosting service for most people is Hostinger or DreamHost. There’s no need to pay a fortune … Continue reading Best Cheap Web Hosting
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