If you’re looking for Skillshare review, along with pricing information and discounts, then you’ve come to the right place.
I’m going to share the pro’s and con’s of using Skillshare for job seekers, and anyone else who wants to learn a new skill – whether it’s a professional skill or something else like art, photography, etc.
So, What is Skillshare?
Skillshare.com is a popular website offering thousands of online classes to boost your professional career and your resume, or to help you learn or improve any creative or artistic skill you want to learn!
At the time of writing this, they have 26,000 classes available.
Popular topics include:
Business, Technology, Design, Photography, Writing, much more.
You can see a more in-depth list of topics and sub-topics available here:
The courses are in video format and tend to be very high production quality (sound quality, camera work, etc.)
While this isn’t as important as the content itself (does the instructor know the topic? Do they explain it clearly? etc…), it’s still pretty important! And Skillshare does a great job of encouraging content creators to produce high-quality content.
It’s a competitive platform from the perspective of course creators, so the top-rated courses really need to check all the boxes in order to rise to the top.
So if you choose a top-rated Skillshare course, you can expect very high-quality info and content.
Review: Is Skillshare Worth It?
In our opinion, yes. Absolutely.
There are three big reasons why:
It’s completely FREE to get started – they offer a 2-monthfree trial which is a long time to be able to try it without paying a single penny
The quality is good, as mentioned above. Many Skillshare courses are as good as courses that would cost hundreds of dollars each on other sites/blogs
Skillshare.com makes it easy to pick the right course for you by showing you an intro video, the number of students enrolled, and real reviews left by past students – so you can find the best course without any wasted time
Skillshare Price/Cost:
Skillshare’s price is $15 per month, or $8.25 per month if you pay for a whole year upfront.
But the current discount they’re offering is what really made us decide it’s a no-brainer to recommend Skillshare in this review.
Right now they have a 2-month free trial, so there’s really no risk to signing up and taking a course for free while you can.
However, we’d recommend signing up now while it’s fresh on your mind because we don’t know how long this offer is going to last.
In the past they only offered one month for free, and they may decide to stop offering any free discounts.Get the Free 2 Month Trial
Then browse courses or search for a specific topic you’d like to learn.
If you’re a job seeker, think of what relates to your industry.
What could you add to your resume “skills” section, or mention in your interview to show you’ve stayed active while job searching or while unemployed?
If you’re already employed, you can look for a course that will help you advance your career or earn a promotion in the future, or just learn something you’d enjoy like illustration or photography.
Skillshare offers an iOS and Android app so you can learn on your mobile phone, or you can log in via the website after you’ve signed up for the free trial.Get the Free 2 Month Trial
Two Features We Love: Unlimited Classes and Community Learning
There are two more great features that we want to make sure we mention in this review of Skillshare.
First, in case it wasn’t clear above, becoming a Skillshare member gives you unlimited access to all courses.
So you don’t have to pick and choose what you want to learn, and you never have to worry if you’re making a mistake by signing up for a class.
If it’s not great, just stop and join a different course. No regrets and no wasted money.
One more cool feature we really love: Community-based learning.
You can take courses on your own and learn at your own pace, but you can also do much more…
Students in a course can interact with other students to share tips, talk about progress, answer each others’ questions, etc.
So along with learning from your computer or phone, you’ll have a chance to join a community of people who are interested in learning the same topics as you are. This will help you stay motivated and could even turn into networking opportunities for you.Get the Free 2 Month Trial
Benefits of Skillshare for Job Seekers:
If you’re a job seeker, there are a couple specific reasons this will help you get more interviews and more job offers.
We hinted at these above, but let’s go into more depth here on how to use this to your advantage on your resume and in interviews.
Hiring managers love to see someone taking an active approach to their career development.
If you’re unemployed, they might ask you in an interview what you’ve done to keep your skills fresh.
Instead of hesitating to answer, you’ll be able to proudly say that you completed a course recently, and then explain what you learned and did.
And having this on your resume will help you get more interviews, too.
You can list your SkillShare course in your resume “skills” section. Here’s an example of how you might list this:
Basics of Java Programming – SkillShare.com Course; Completed February 2019
You can mention it in your cover letter too, to show that you’re working hard to grow your skills even while job searching.
Even if you just grab the free trial and just take one course on a topic in your industry, you can do all of this.
And if you’re job searching while employed, doing this will still help you stand out from the other 20, 30 or even 100 people who applied for the same job as you.
Benefits of Skillshare for Professionals:
Let’s assume you’re happily employed right now and not job searching.
You can still use SkillShare to learn or advance in a topic that will help you ask your boss for a raise, become next in line for that big promotion, or leap to a new higher-paying job at another company in the future.
Basically, you can build out your resume and position yourself to make more money in the next year.
And if you’re totally happy with your career, the final option is to use this trial to learn a skill you’ve always wanted to learn. Something that doesn’t relate to your work at all.
Examples: Illustration, Creative Writing, Photography, Videography, etc.
If there’s anything you’ve thought about learning, chances are it can be found in SkillShare’s 26,000+ courses.
What To Do Next:
We’re not sure how long they’re going to keep offering this free 2-month trial, so in our opinion it’s a good idea to go take advantage of this while it lasts.
They may go back to offering one free month instead of two months as the platform gets more popular, or they may decide to eliminate the free trial.
We recommend signing up for the free trial today so that you’re sure to get the full 2 months:
If you are on the internet, you are very much vulnerable to security attacks, hackers, and threats no matter what. The Internet is filled with all sorts of people, and to make sure you are safe on the internet and your information remains with you only, you need to take specific steps. A very prominent step in one of them is getting a reliable VPN service.
What is a VPN?
A VPN or a Virtual Private Network is an encrypted connection built over the internet from a device to an entire network. In simple terms, VPN adds an extra layer of security via encryption to an insecure or less secure public network. This means that your web browsing and surfing experience is more secure and safe.
Just saying “an extra layer of security” is only a fraction of what VPN is capable of. If you are a frequent user of a public network like a coffee shop or a co-working space, a reliable VPN service can protect you from many security problems and data leaking possibilities. On top of this, since a VPN is a private network hosted elsewhere, it can also help you in the viewing country, or area restricted content quickly.
How Does VPN Work?
When you browse the internet, a query is generated and sent to the resources you are requesting. This query travels through numerous servers, physically spread over the world. The thing with these servers is that you cannot rely on them when it comes to security and protection of your data. If somebody wants to hack into what you are entering, they can tap into your network and gain access to all your data. Hackers and even government can easily tap into what you are sending and receiving and can easily exploit that data to harm you or your business. A VPN creates a private network that works as a middleman and acts as a point to point network connection between you and the VPN server. When a Virtual Private Network is in place, your search request is encrypted and then gets sent to the VPN server. Then the VPN server requests the data from the source website or address and encrypts it before sending it back to your device. This way, your internet connection remains secure and far away from hackers, malware, your internet service provider, and even the government.
Why WordPress Users Require a VPN service?
So, we now know what VPNs are used for and how they can help you in maintaining a secure network over the internet. Let’s take a look at why you need a VPN service. Why don’t we look at this with the help of an example? Let’s say you are working on your website or your client’s website from a coffee shop and minding your own business. Since you are on a public network like a coffee shop, you are vulnerable to attacks and data breaches since literally anybody can get access to the wifi network quickly. I mean, how hard it is to ask the barista for the wifi password?
Once a hacker gets the wifi access, they can tap into what you are sending and requesting from your system. For example, you enter the details of your WordPress admin dashboard, your details and credentials can be stolen. If you are accessing through an HTTPS, you are much more secure. This is because the traffic is already encrypted, but this is not always the case. For example, if you are working on a client website without SSL certification, your only reliable way to deal with this is by using a virtual private network or VPN.So, if you, too, are a WordPress user, you can log into any website and from any network, private or public, without worrying about data theft or any hacking attack. With a VPN, you can also boost the security for your website. For example, if you have a VPN service that comes with a dedicated IP Address, you can create a VPN with static IP, that way, you will be able to safely access your website no matter where you are in the world. You can restrict some sensitive parts of your website to only accessible from a specific IP address with this, making your data more secure.
How to Choose the Best VPN as a WordPress User?
There are quite a few good VPNs out there, and if you are going to buy one of those, you need to make sure that you know the things you should be looking for. If you are not aware of what VPNs are, I would strongly recommend that you go through these points before making a purchase. If you do not want to do that, you can go through our list of top 3 VPNs for WordPress users and can choose the one you like. But before we get there, let’s discuss what features make a VPN service worth going for.
Here are the things that you must look at before selecting a VPN service.
Easy Setting Up
Nothing is worth going after if it only complicates things, and this applies to VPN service providers as well. You need to go with a provider, which makes your jobs more effortless and secure. Ideally, you can select a provider with an easy setup and getting started guide and can be set up without any technical assistance requirement.
Performance & Bandwidth
You do not want a slow bandwidth VPN. It can be pretty annoying in your daily usage and can kill your productivity as well. If the VPNs do not have the infrastructure to support faster connections, it will reflect in your daily productivity. This is something you do not want.
Dedicated IP
Not all, but some VPNs allow you to pay a little more, and for that extra amount, you get a dedicated IP address. This address can be beneficial if you want to restrict some parts of your website. Parts like super admin controls, or any other sensitive side of your website which you do not want to be accessible from anywhere in the world. For such scenarios, a dedicated IP address is perfect.
Servers and Physical Locations
The more servers the VPN provider has, the more options you get to choose from. Having more servers will allow you to get access to content which is locked based on the geographical locations, and you always get the option to jump from a slower location server to a faster one.
Data Security and Privacy
After all, you are doing this to add an extra layer of security. Why leave this out now? You need to make sure that your VPN service provider comes with the best layer of added security to protect you from any potential issues and attacks.
Price
Last but not the least cared about. Do not directly go ahead with the cheapest option out there but see and compare the features and return you get for the price you pay. Also, you can take a look at the prices for more extended periods. You will see a significant difference in the price you pay for monthly plans vs. the price you pay for the yearly rates. With these things to keep in mind, you can now take a look at the top 3 VPNs for WordPress users out there. You should do an individual check and see if the VPN clears the requirement or not. Let’s have a look at the top 3 VPNs for WordPress.
Top 3 VPN Services for WordPress Users
Here are the top three WordPress VPN services that you can go with. All these services are excellent, and you can choose any of these VPNs, and you will get one of the best deals out there.
ExpressVPN is a very popular option when it comes to VPN service. Moreover, ExpressVPN has a strong network of servers with over 145 locations in 94 countries. Not just standard encryption, they offer industry level encryption. It is super useful in keeping your identity secure and protecting you from any targeted malicious attack. Coming to ease of use, it comes with a fleet of apps compatible with all platforms and devices. While the download and surfing speed is awe-inspiring with ExpressVPN, the user-friendly apps make up most of the USP of the VPN service provider. Even If you have no experience with VPNs, ExpressVPN is one of the best services you can get. Any beginner with minimal knowledge with a VPN will be able to set it up quickly.
So far, one of the best features of ExpressVPN is that it is super easy to get started. No matter what device or platform you are using, ExpressVPN will have a solution for that. ExpressVPN comes with a dedicated app for almost every device.
macOS
Windows
iOS
Linux
Android
On top of these platforms, if you are surfing the internet and looking for encryption help on your browser, they have extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and even Safari. Other than WordPress usage, if you want to stream Netflix from another or wish to join a server in another country using PlayStation, you can do that too with ExpressVPN. You can connect to AppleTV, Fire TV, Smart TV, Playstation, and loads of other devices. If you can configure the router yourself, great! But if you do not know how to configure your router, ExpressVPN sells pre-configured routers that require no setup.
Server Locations
The ExpressVPN is spread over 160 locations in 94 countries with unlimited server switches and speed. This makes it possible for you to connect from anywhere in the world.
Privacy
ExpressVPN is equipped with top-notch privacy protection practices, which is sure to protect you from any malicious attack. The service comes with hacking and surveillance protection with 256-bit AES encryption, kill switch, DNS/IPv6leak protection, and split tunneling.
Pricing
ExpressVPN allows you to use the VPN on three servers simultaneously with a single subscription. Regarding plans, they range depending on the duration of the billing. Here are the details of the three plans: For the monthly billing, price is $12.95 per month. For six months plan, the price comes to $9.99 per month. And, for the yearly plan, the monthly cost comes down to $6.67 per month, with a total of 99.95 billed annually. You also get a bonus of 3 months with the yearly plan.
While other companies listed here are considered the big players, and someone might say they are a popular option. But other reliable and stable VPNs are entering the market recently. And SurfShark VPN is one of those emerging companies.SurfShark is a trustworthy VPN company with secure infrastructure and fast servers. While it might have fewer servers and locations, it does have some unique features that set it apart from others.SurfShark offers the best plans and pricing options that will fit even the tightest budgets. This feature does make SurfShark one of the most affordable VPN services out there.
Features of SurfShark VPN:
Reliable Security
SafeShark does a great job of keeping your data and information secure, so it does not land in the wrong hands. With the encryption techniques and protocols (OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec) being used are the best in the industry.
Anonymity
SurfShark can easily cloak your IP address and redirect it through a secure VPN tunnel. This allows you to stay anonymous no matter what you do online. Also, like other VPNs, SurfShark comes with a kill switch, as well.
Privacy First policy
SurfShark is based in the British Virgin Islands, as well. This helps SurfShark in keeping away from strict data retention laws. With the no-logs policy, SurfShark does not have anything to give up, which is a big plus in case the government ever requests the logs in the jurisdiction they are in.
Unlimited Devices
You can connect with as many devices you want with SurfShark. Since you can connect all your devices like computers, mobiles, TVs, routers, tablets, etc. with SurfShark, it makes it possible for you to browse privately entirely.
Other Notable Features:
Whitelist
With the split tunneling feature, you will be able to create separate tunnels. This makes it possible for you to whitelist websites that go through the natural passageways and a different tunnel to direct all the other traffic through the encrypted passageway.
MultiHop
MultiHop makes it possible for you to connect from different countries at once, making it possible for you to take your ID protection and footprint masking to a different level.
Camouflage Mode
Camouflage mode adds an additional mask on your encryption, which assures that even your ISP can’t tell if you are using a VPN.
Pricing
The price of SurfShark starts at $1.99 per month if you go for the two-year plan, and for the 12-month plan, it costs $5.99 per month. If you want a single month plan, you can get it for 11.95 per month.
Another very popular option is the VPN industry is NordVPN, with more than 5000 servers located in over 62 countries. This VPN service comes with a suite of easy to use apps as well, which makes it super easy to get started.NordVPN allows you to connect with up to six devices and on different server locations simultaneously.
Features of NordVPN
Let’s take a look at the notable features of NordVPN:
Privacy and Security
NordVPN is equipped with almost everything you’ll need to make your WordPress website sessions secure. You get the DNS leak protection, No logs policy, AES- 256 encryption. And even the Kill switch functionality to assure that your connection is always secure.
Server Locations
As mentioned earlier, NordVPN has more than 5000 servers spread in over 60 countries. This does add up to the features of a VPN as you can connect from various locations if required.
Ease of Connectivity
Like other popular VPN providers, NordVPN has dedicated apps connectivity. Connectivity with windows, iOS, macOS, Android, Linux, and they also have browser extensions for Chrome and FireFox.
Pricing and Plans
When it comes to pricing, NordVPN does have outstanding offers. If you are planning for a long term investment like a 3-year plan, you can get NordVPN for a great price of just $3.49 per month. The two-year plans come at $4.99 per month. If you want a yearly plan, you can get it for $6.99. If you’re going to try out NordVPN for a single month, you can get it for $11.95 per month.
The VPNs listed above are the best in the industry. You can choose from any of the 3 VPNs, and you will do just fine. If you have specific requirements, so make sure to check them before purchasing the VPN of your choice.
Within the past 5 years, the number of domain registrars and website hosting companies have grown exponentially. As a result of this explosive growth, it can be challenging to select a domain registrar among the many companies that provide domain registry services.
Some registrars specialize in selling domain names. While others sell additional features such as web hosting, security, email marketing solutions and cloud services. With some domain registrars, the list of services they offer are endless.
Two of the most well known domain registrars are Namecheap and GoDaddy. Before we take a look at the features of each of these services, let’s explore some features that you should look for in a great domain registrar.
How to Select a Reliable Domain Registrar
When you are researching domain registrars, you must remember that each registrar has access to the same domain names and URLs. This means that no company can provide you with better URL names than other companies.
Here are a few questions you should ask yourself before you select a domain registrar. What features are being offered with the domain registry package? Is the price competitive with other domain registrars? If not, what features are being offered to compensate for the price difference? Has the company created processes that make it easy for you to manage your services without assistance?
This is a list of things you should pay attention to as you conduct your research.
Additional or hidden fees associated with transferring your domain name
History and reputation of providing quality services
Reasonably-priced services
Accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned of Names and Numbers(ICANN)
Easy domain transfer and forwarding services
24/7 customer support
Private WhoIs registration
Manual and automatic renewal features
There are plenty of domain registrars that come and go. It is important to pay close attention to the terms and conditions of your service provider.
When you visit your prospective domain registrar’s websites, you should stay focused on your immediate needs. With all of the services that are provided, it can be easy for you to get distracted by the numerous specials and offerings on the website.
Competitive pricing should be a factor as you select your domain registrar, but it should not be the only factor. Make your final decision by considering all of the features that were mentioned earlier in this review.
Many experts recommend that customers use a different domain registrar and website hosting service. If you decide to change to another website hosting service, having your domain name with the same registrar can complicate the matter. You should ask the customer representative of your prospective domain registrars if switching your domain registry to another website host will cause any disruptions.
Namecheap vs GoDaddy – Which Domain Registrar is the Best?
If you have been contemplating whether to subscribe to Namecheap or GoDaddy, this review will help you sort out the details associated with each domain registrar. Our primary goal is to help you make an informed decision after you read this comparison of Namecheap and GoDaddy.
As a leading domain registrar that is accredited by ICANN, Namecheap has developed a strong market share since it was founded in 2000. Namecheap has provided over 4 million domain names to customers throughout the world. Although Namecheap’s core business is domain registry services, it provides additional services including web hosting, email hosting, security and cloud-based services.
Godaddy
In terms of size and market domination, GoDaddy is the largest domain registrar. In fact, GoDaddy has over 30 percent of the domain registry market share.
This company has provided more than 59 million domain names registered throughout the world. GoDaddy provides a wide array of services including email aliases, online marketing tools, search engine optimization, privacy protection and sub domains.
Price
Both Namecheap and GoDaddy offer various advertisement promotion codes that are available on several websites on the internet. Since both sites offer so many services to customers, it would be difficult to compare the prices of each service. For the purposes of this review, we will compare the prices of a 1-year renewal rate for domain names of each site.
Namecheap and GoDaddy offer various prices on .net, .org, .info, .co, .biz .io and .us domains. On both sites, you can receive additional discounts if you pay in full for service for multiple years. GoDaddy and Namecheap allow you to register your domain name for up to 10 years. There are also several Godaddy alternatives.
Overall, prices are cheaper on Namecheap + they offer you Privacy Protection for FREE, where as on GoDaddy this is a premium addon.
Namecheap and GoDaddy – Pros and Cons
When you are looking for a domain registry service, you must keep in mind that the perfect domain registrar does not exist. Every domain registrar has good and bad aspects.
With that said, there are pros and cons associated with Namecheap and GoDaddy.
Pros – Namecheap
Good service and security features
ICANN Accreditation
Domains are simple to transfer
Minimal upsell tactics
Knowledgeable help desk
24/7 customer support via help desk
Competitive price points for all services
Cons – Namecheap
Some new domain extensions can be very expensive.
Customer support needs improving
Pros – GoDaddy
Large, trusted brand in the domain name registry industry
Easy to purchase and select a domain name
Website seems easy to navigate and understand the offerings
24/7 customer support
A wide range of services with GoDaddyPro
Customer support representatives are helpful and knowledgeable
Accredited ICANN
Cons – GoDaddy
Check-out process can cause confusion
Domain manager is not integrated into same window as other features
Difficult domain transfer process
Too many instances of upsell
Long customer support wait times
Due to promotions and upsell tactics, there are a lot of pop-up specials on the screen. This can be annoying when you are trying to navigate quickly around the site.
As you compare Namecheap and GoDaddy, be mindful that GoDaddy is a larger company. There some problems that large companies experience. For example, GoDaddy may not have as many personal touches as Namecheap.
Namecheap is a smaller company. As a result, it can provide more personalized attention and services for its customers.
Overall User Experience
Your time is limited. So your domain registrar should provide an easy-to-navigate user experience for you. Managing your domain name should not consume a large amount of your time during the day. This section of the review will explore the overall user experience including point of purchase, use and navigation.
Namecheap The overall check-out process for this domain registrar is quick and seamless. The process is straightforward, and there are not a lot of upselling tactics to disrupt your experience.
Namecheap provides a good search engine for domain name suggestions. When you enter this site, you will notice that Namecheap does not have all of the bells and whistles like its larger competitor. Namecheap offers a quick live chat feature, but it lacks telephone support services.
GoDaddy The GoDaddy website experience is lively and colorful. At first glance, you can the company has a lot of offerings. However, the hustle and bustle associated with this website can be confusing.
First of all, GoDaddy is the epicenter of upsells. With each click of your mouse, you will be bombarded with an advertisement for a different special. If you want to get a domain name quick, fast and in a hurry, the constant upsells can stall your progress.
GoDaddy offers both telephone and live chat support options. This feature is good for you if you need a solution to a problem that you cannot figure out on your own.
GoDaddy offers a domain management feature. However, the domain manager opens in another window. This feature makes the user experience feel segmented and disjointed.
DNS Management Interface
The DNS management window is the sections that enables you to make changes. Unless you have a technology manager, you will be making all of your DNS changes manually. You may have to reroute your DNS to your web host, configure sub domains and set up emails related to your domain. The DNS management interface needs to be user-friendly.
Namecheap’s DNS Management Interface Namecheap offers a streamlined DNS management interface. It is free from clutter and unnecessary upsell offers. Namecheap’s layout is straightforward. It is constructed in a way that minimizes the time it takes for you to quickly make changes and leave the site.
GoDaddy’s DNS Management Interface GoDaddy has a more cluttered DNS management interface. There are additional features on the management interface that do not add value to the customer experience.
For example, you may notice features on your DNS management interface that you did not purchase. This part of the site features extra settings for GoDaddy’s upsell subscriptions. These features get in the way of functionality and make the user experience burdensome.
Domain Name Extras
It is not uncommon for domain registrars to provide extra services that are included in the price of your subscription price. After all, there is so much competition that they need to do make an extra effort to differentiate their services from the other companies in the domain registry industry.
Namecheap Extras
100 percent free email forwarding services
Reliable DNS (no history of company being hacked)
WhoIs privacy feature is bundled
Namecheap charges $3 for photo storage and limited hosting package
Free custom name servers
GoDaddy Extras
GoDaddy charges an additional fee for custom name servers
GoDaddy provides a limited hosted package and photo storage for free for 1 year
GoDaddy charges an additional fee for WHOIS guard
GoDaddy offers email as an upsell package
GoDaddy offers a reliable DNS, but the site has been hacked
Namecheap and GoDaddy Upsell Tactics
The internet has evolved so much during the past 20 years that it is hardly recognizable. As technology improves, the need for specialized services grow.
As a result of the internet’s continuous growth, it is not unusual for both Namecheap and GoDaddy to provide customers with the opportunity to take advantage of other offers. This tactic is actually a valuable service for customers, and a lucrative marketing opportunity for domain registrars.
When it comes to using upsell tactics, the GoDaddy website seems to be aggressive and pushy. It seems as if the annoying upsells advertisements do not give you time to make a conscious decision about whether you need to purchase the additional service. If you do not like pushy marketing strategies, visiting the GoDaddy website can frustrate you.
In terms of upsells, Namecheap and GoDaddy offer some of the same packages for hosting and storage. Some of the most common upsells for each of the domain registrars include SSL certificates.
Company Values
If you are like most people, you like to support companies that have admirable company values. When you support any company, you are providing them with the means to further their messages and position in the marketplace.
Namecheap publicly opposes the Stop Internet Piracy Act (SOPA). The purpose of this legislation was to limit the freedom of internet users. Namecheap believes that every person should have the right to use the internet as they desire in a responsible manner without legislative restraints.
GoDaddy actively supports the SOPA legislation. They also support marketing practices that attempt to lock their customers into extended agreements. Another practice they have is using sexual exploitation to market their services.
Although many of these practices may not offend you, it is good to be aware of the values of each of the companies.
Namecheap vs. GoDaddy – Conclusion
The purpose of this review is to provide you with enough information to help you select a domain registrar that meets your needs. Our goal for this review is to tell you whether Namecheap or GoDaddy is the best domain registrar, in our opinion.
Namecheap and GoDaddy are both good domain registrars in their own right. Both of the registrars provide domain names at reasonable prices. They have solid security features, flexible domain management services, around the clock customer support and dynamic DNS performance. Another positive feature associated with Namecheap and GoDaddy is they provide freebies when you get services.
If you like domain registrars that offer a few services, provide a user-friendly interface and minimizes upsell tactics, Namecheap might be a clear choice for you.
Are you planning to create your first website? Do you want to start it for free? Then, Wix is a great platform to consider. Wix is a simple, beginner-friendly website builder that allows you to build a website easily without worrying about code.
In this Wix review, we’ll examine various aspects of the platform including its features, functionalities, pricing, and more, to help you decide if it’s right for your website needs.
About Wix
Wix is a simple website builder that allows you to create any type of website with ease. You can quickly create a beautiful blog, eCommerce store, business website, online portfolio, photography site, or any other type of website using Wix.
It comes with an easy-to-use drag and drop builder with which you can customize anything and everything on your site and build the design you want. If you want an even easier option, you can use Wix Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI) which builds a personalized website for you based on your answers to a few simple questions. For advanced users, there’s also the Wix Code option.
Wix is a fully-hosted platform which includes hosting and domain services for you. In addition, it’ll handle your website security, and provides you with easy tools for search engine optimization (SEO). In other words, it’s a full package website building service, which is great for beginners.
Wix.com was founded in 2006 with the goal to empower anyone to create their own website. It now has over 110 million users across 190 countries. It’s currently one the most widely-used website builders and utilizes the second most-used cloud-based website builder technology.
Getting Started with Wix
To start making your new website on Wix, you’ll need to visit the official Wix website and click the Get Started button.
In the next screen, you’ll see the Log In or Sign Up options. Since you’re just starting out, you’ll need to choose Sign Up.
Then, you’ll need to insert your email address and a new password for your Wix account.
After you enter the required email and password, click the Sign Up button.
On the next screen, you’ll see be asked to answer a few questions; however, you can skip this.
Now, you’ll see 2 easy Wix options for building your site: Wix Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI) and Wix Drag and Drop Editor.
If you choose Wix ADI, you’ll be asked a few simple questions, and on the basis of your answers, Wix’ll automatically build a personalized site for you. Whereas, Wix Editor allows you to choose a template, and customize it with their drag and drop builder. When we compared these 2 options, we found Wix ADI easier; so let’s see how that works first.
Click Start Now below the Wix ADI option to proceed. Now, you’ll see the first question: What type of site do you want to create?.
You can enter your business name or website type, then choose a suitable option. After that, click Next.
Now, you’ll be shown the features you’re most likely to use on your site. You can check all, some, or none as per your desire.
Once you’ve made your choices, click Next.
Then, on the next screen, you’ll be asked to insert the name of your website. Choose the name you’d like to have and enter it there.
After you fill in your website name, click Next. Then, you’ll be asked to enter your physical location. If you think it’s not necessary, you can skip this step.
Next, you’ll see the Review and edit your info page.
You can add a new logo for your site, change your website name, email address, add contact details, and social media. Then, click Next.
On the next screen, you’ll be asked to choose a style.
You’ll need to choose the colors and fonts you want to use via a Style. For this example, we’ll pick Elegant. After you make your selection, click Continue.
Then, you’ll be asked if you want to create a color palette from your logo in the next step. You can click Create Palette.
Now it’ll create a unique color palette for your website.
You can click Use These Colors to proceed. Then, Wix ADI starts creating your website. It automatically adds the features you’ll need.
It adds a blog section, contact section, chat features, and other useful elements. It also makes your site mobile-responsive.
After the automatic site-making process is completed, you’ll be asked to choose a homepage design.
You can choose the design you like the most by clicking it. Next, you’ll a preview of what your finished website could look like. However, you’ll be given edit options for each section or each element if you mouse hover on them. So if the preview isn’t perfection, feel free to make changes before publishing.
If you want to edit anything, like changing the title, adding a description, or changing the header image, you can simply click on the item you want to change. Then, it’ll show an editing panel on the left side and live preview to the right.
Now, you can live preview every change you make on the editor. You can edit anything you want. When you’re happy with the design, you can click the Publish button at the top.
In the next screen, you’ll be able to choose a domain name. It has 2 options: use a free Wix subdomain or connect your custom domain.
For beginners, Wix provides a free Wix subdomain option with which allows you to have a Wix website completely free. Your Wix subdomain will have a format like this: https://username.wixsite.com/sitename.
For example, you can see in the screenshot below.
If you want to use a custom domain name like mystunningwebsite.com, or isitwp.com, you’ll need to subscribe to a Wix premium plan.
After you add your website name, click Publish and Continue.
Now your free Wix website will be online.
You can now view your site. That’s it! It’ll take you just a few minutes to answer Wix’s questions, and Wix ADI will do the rest!
Wix Editor – Easy to Use Drag and Drop Tool
Another easy option for creating a free website in Wix is using the Wix editor, their user-friendly drag and drop builder.
If you choose Wix Editor, you’ll first need to choose a template to start your site. You can preview the available templates, and choose the one you like most by clicking Edit.
Next, you’ll see the drag and drop Wix Editor interface open.
Now, you can easily change anything simply by clicking directly on any element you want to edit. Then, it’ll open the editing options right there.
You can also drag and drop any element/ block anywhere within your template. It’s very easy to customize the entire site design with the Wix Editor.
Once you customize everything you want, click the Publish button to make your Wix website live.
Wix Code for Advanced Code Capabilities
In addition to Wix ADI and Wix Editor, Wix has yet another option for creating a free website: Wix Code. This option was specifically designed for professional web developers who have good coding skills.
Using Wix code, you can customize your entire Wix website design and add more powerful functionalities to it. To get started, you’ll need to turn on Developer Tools first.
Wix Templates
Wix features 500+ designer-made professional website templates ready for use. You can find a wide selection of templates for different categories. Some of the categories are:
Business
Online store
Travel and tourism
Blogs and forums
Landing pages
Fashion and beauty
Events
With the professional-looking themes at Wix, it’s easy and quick to make a stunning website.
Wix Marketing Tools
After you’ve created a website in Wix, you’ll need to promote to drive more traffic to it. Fortunately, Wix has powerful marketing tools built in just for you.
There’s a user-friendly Wix SEO Wiz to help you boost your website’s rank on Google search results. It’s a step-by-step plan which guides you to improve your site’s visibility online.
In addition, you’ll find powerful tools for email marketing, social posts, marketing integrations, and logo maker for branding your business.
Wix Apps to Grow Your Website
To help you add more functionality to your Wix site, you can use Wix apps. There’re over 200 powerful free and premium Wix apps for you to utilize.
These apps are useful for a variety of purposes including analytics, chat, forms, events, bookings, photography, video, music, etc.
Wix Pricing and Support
Wix has both free and premium plans for making your website. It allows you to build a complete website for free if you’re okay with a Wix subdomain like this: https://username.wixsite.com/sitename. But, if you want to use a professional custom domain name, you’ll need to subscribe to one of their premium plans.
There’re 5 pricing plans for premium users:
1. Connect Domain: The most basic plan is called Connect Domain which costs $4.50 per month. With this plan, you can connect a custom domain; however, you’ll need to register a domain on your own first and later connect it with your Wix site. You should also take a look at our article on best domain name registrars to buy a domain.
2. Combo: It costs $8.50 per month. With this plan, and all the plans above it, you’ll get a free domain from Wix. However, if you’ve got a domain already registered, you’ll have the option to connect to it.
3. Unlimited: This plan offers unlimited bandwidth, free domain or connect domain, remove Wix ads, customized favicon, etc. It costs $12.50 per month.
4. eCommerce: This plan was especially designed for eCommerce sites. It has all the features in the Unlimited Plan plus additional online store features. It costs $16.50 per month.
5. VIP: It’s the most advanced Wix premium plan. It costs $24 per month. It has all the features in the eCommerce plan plus an additional email campaigns option and priority support.
Wix has a massive collection of articles in the help center for almost any query you might have. You can browse through the articles and get your issues solved in no time.
However, Wix doesn’t have any instant support options for its basic users. They offer priority support to only the VIP plan users.
Wix vs. WordPress – Which Website Platform You Should Use
Although Wix gives you an easy way to start a website, you’ll need to compromise on a number of possibilities that a content management system like WordPress can offer. Here’re just a few advantages of using WordPress:
1. Full Control of Your Website and Data
WordPress allows you to host your website on your own servers; hence, you’ve full control over your site. Whereas, with Wix, you’ll have limited control over your site as Wix itself hosts your site. Worst of all, Wix can discontinue their service or suspend your site for any reason at any time.
2. Boundless Design Possibilities
WordPress offers you limitless design possibilities with thousands of free and premium WordPress themes. There’re thousands of free themes at the official WordPress.org theme repository, and several more thousands of premium themes at theme marketplaces and third-party theme company websites. On the other hand, Wix has just around 500 templates.
3. Good Pricing Options
To start a Wix site with a custom domain name, you’ll need to buy their Combo plan (at least) or get a new domain and connect with their Connect Domain plan that costs $8.50 and $4.50 per month respectively. Whereas you can start a WordPress website for just $2.75 per month with Bluehost.
Our Verdict on Using Wix for Creating a Free Website
Wix is one of the most popular website builders on the market with easy-to-use features that allow you to build a simple website. It enables anyone to build a simple website or blog to showcase content; however, due to a limited number of templates and tools, you may not find exactly what you need to succeed long term.
It offers a free website plan for beginners which is good for students to start their own blog for free. You can always use the free plan if you’re okay with an ugly domain with your username appended with wixsite.com/yoursitename. But, if you have to upgrade your site or need a custom domain, the pricing options aren’t cheap for low-budget users.
In conclusion, we believe that Wix is a decent website builder platform for creating your first website. But if you wish to establish your own brand or grow your business, a more powerful and more flexible platform like WordPress is the better option. We give Wix 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Bluehost Pros: + Best Uptime (99.99%) + Fast Load Time (0.41ms) +Cheap “Intro” Cost ($2.75/mo) + Easy to Use and Signup + Fast Support (Live Chat and Phone) + 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Bluehost Cons: – No Free Site Migrations
Bluehost is our top-rated web hosting company because their last 16-month uptime and speed is very strong – 99.99% and 0.41ms respectively.
Their 3-year introductory price is $2.75/mo and that comes with features like free domain name, website builder and one-click install for WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal. So for starters (someone without a website), this is probably the best option. They also have a 30-day money back guarantee.
They use their built-in admin panel (along with cPanel) that makes setting up and managing websites very simple and straightforward.
While their bandwidth is unmetered, the maximum storage varies from 50GB to unlimited – depending on which plan you choose. We recommend getting the prime plan for the most value.
SSL certificate (HTTPS://) is included for free on all plans as well as email accounts. You can let Bluehost transfer your existing website to their hosting environment, but this will cost $149 per website.
Bluehost’s test site speed from December 2017 to March 2019 | See stats
SiteGround Pros: + Very Good Uptime (99.99%) + Fast and Knowledgeable Support + High-Performance WordPress Hosting + Free Site Migration + Easy to Use, includes cPanel
SiteGround Cons: – ‘Setup Fee’ for Monthly Billing – Limited Storage Space
With an introductory rate of $3.95/month (for a minimum of 12-months) and a renewal rate of $11.95/month, SiteGround is not the cheapest web host on our list.
And sure, you can probably justify this hefty price tag by pointing to their free SSL certificates, site migration, CDN, email accounts, and daily backups.
Or the impressive WordPress features, intuitive cPanel and highly knowledgeable support team…
… But when you consider that your site will be limited to only 10GB of storage space, 10,000 monthly visits, and a ‘fast-but-not-fast-enough’ speed of 713ms, it starts to become a harder sell.
However, on the good side, they have data centers across US, Europe and Asia, a strong reputation in the marketplace, and plenty to offer new customers. But you can get more bang for your buck by using one of our top three hosts like Bluehost or HostGator.
SiteGround test site speed from December 2017 to March 2019
HostGator Cloud Pros: + Good Uptime (99.98%) + Fast Load Time (0.43ms) +FREE Site Migration (1) + No Bandwidth/Storage Limit + Unlimited Email Accounts + Free SSL Included
HostGator Cloud Cons: – Higher Renewal Cost
HostGator cloud hosting offers their users unlimited bandwidth, storage space, and email accounts.
On top of that, they have free site migration if you decide to transfer your website from another host without the hassle. Their last 16-month performance stats aren’t bad either, 432ms load time and 99.98% uptime.
They’re one of the fastest hosts we’ve reviewed, their servers are perfect for WordPress websites. Most of their data centers are based in the US, but the host does well to serve European clients too.
Before you sign up, be sure with the higher renewal prices that start right after your billing period ends. For example, the $2.99 is for the first 1-6 months, then the price jumps to $9.95 – $14.95/mo.
They do have fast and efficient live chat, SSL certificate is included as well as daily backups.
If you need a scalable hosting, HostGator Cloud is probably your best option.
HostGator Cloud’s test site speed from December 2017 to March 2019 | See stats
Hostinger Pros: + Fast Load Time (0.37ms) +Cheapest Plan ($0.80/mo) + Datacenters in 7 Regions + FREE Domain Name (1 year) + Uptime Guarantee + 30 Days Money Back
Hostinger Cons: – SSL Not Included
Hostinger is one of the cheapest hosting providers that costs only $0.80/mo when choosing their longest (48 months) subscription.
They have data centers and servers across the world in seven different regions.
While being one of the cheapest, they still manage to achieve a just “okay” uptime of 99.91%. If we were to count only the last 15-months instead of 16-months, then their uptime would be a solid 99.97%. Their average page load time is very fast though, only 0.37ms.
Bandwidth and databases are unlimited unless you choose the “Single Web Hosting” plan. With the latter you’ll be limited to 10GB of disk space, 100GB of bandwidth, one MySQL database, and one email account.
Unfortunately, not everything is cheap. The important add-ons which aren’t included in the basic plans are priority support and SSL certificate which will set you back some more money.
Similarly to Bluehost, they too offer a 30-day money back guarantee on all the hosting plans.
Hostinger’s test site speed from December 2017 to March 2019 | See stats
GoDaddy Pros: + Good Uptime (99.97%) + Fast Load Time (0.52ms) + Many Great Features + Well Known Brand
GoDaddy Cons: – Unreliable Support – Emails, Backups and SSL Cost Extra
GoDaddy’s brand is easily one of the most well-known domain registrar and hosting provider on the market.
But is their reputation well deserved when it comes to performance and delivering fast page speed?
While their page loading speed is relatively fast, just above 500ms, their uptime isn’t ideal – 99.97%.
A glance at what they offer – a 99.99% uptime guarantee, 100GB of website storage (a lot), unmetered bandwidth and free trial for their website builder, seems like a too good deal.
But when you look at the sheer number of highly pried upsells and sneaky marketing tricks (like charging for site backups, SSL certificates, email accounts, and more), it becomes harder and harder to give credence to the brand’s reputation.
In addition to the many shameless money grabs present inside of GoDaddy’s pricing structure, the inefficacy of their customer support team and lack of compelling freebies (like the industry standard SSL certificate and unlimited email accounts) makes us hard pressed to recommend them above any of the aforementioned hosts.
GoDaddy test site speed from December 2017 to March 2019 | See stats
6. WebHostingBuzz – Small, But Reliable Web Host ($4.99/mo)
WebHostingBuzz hosting page
WebHostingBuzz Pros: + Good Load Time (0.47ms) + Excellent Support + 45-Day Money Back Guarantee + Free Migrations & Domain Name + Solid Uptime (99.98%)
WebHostingBuzz Cons: – Payment Terms
Founded in 2002, WebHostingBuzz is specialized in the UK web hosting market.
With more than 250+ server locations worldwide, site load times of only 474ms, and a 99.98% average uptime (which is almost as good as what they advertise) this “under the radar behemoth” brings a lot of value to the table.
Their customer support is some of the best we’ve ever experienced–we had all of our (very technical) questions answered in a matter of minutes–and, when you consider that they offer a 45-day money back guarantee, unlimited bandwidth, 20GB disk space, free site migrations, and a free domain at only $4.99/month… they appear like one of the best hosts on our list.
However, with a 12-month minimum payment term and a 48-month minimum for the advertised price of $4.99, you can get a lot more for your money with another provider.
WebHostingBuzz test site speed from December 2017 to March 2019 | See stats
A2 Hosting Pros: + Fastest Load Time (0.34ms) + Quick and Efficient Support + Free Site Migration + Compatible With Common CMS’s + Environment-Friendly
A2 Hosting Cons: – Uptime could be better (99.92%) – Restrictions on Cheapest Plan
US-based A2 Hosting is the fastest shared web hosting we’ve tested to date.
Hands down, they’ve managed to achieve 336ms average load time over a period of 16-months. All of their plans offer unlimited bandwidth and storage, responsive customer support (phone and live chat), free SSL certificate, site migration, and domain name…
It’s easy to see why A2 Hosting was almost our favorite host on this list.
However, they were held back from a top-three spot due to two big problems.
First and foremost, their uptimes. With an average uptime of 99.92%, the unreliability of A2’s hosting simply won’t meet the needs of most webmasters.
Furthermore, there are some hefty restrictions placed on their basic web hosting package: like the one-website limit, five database limit, exclusion of addon domains, and WordPress cache limitations. If you want to avoid the limitations, you just need to choose a more flexible hosting plan.
Although they are still one of our favorite hosts, with a $3.92/month price tag renewed at $9.99/month, we can’t recommend them above providers like Hostinger.
A2 Hosting test site speed from December 2017 to March 2019 | See stats
From 99.97% uptimes, upfront and affordable pricing – $1.99/mo for the first three years then $7.99/mo, free 24/7 live chat and over the phone support, unlimited bandwidth, storage, and domain names and a free SSL certificate and email address… iPage has a lot to offer.
But, as with A2 Hosting, there are a few things that stopped iPage from earning a higher ranking on our list.
Specifically, iPage charges $17/year per domain, $150 for every site transfer, and offers a below-average site speed of only 787ms (the slowest of our top ten hosts).
Furthermore, they don’t offer cPanel access and the purported “unlimited” bandwidth and storage aren’t quite what they appear to be.
If you need a fast, feature rich, and fully equipped website to grow your online business, iPage simply doesn’t cut it. Yet, it might be a solid option for beginners with less money to spend on web hosting.
iPage test site speed from December 2017 to March 2019 | See stats
Dreamhost Pros: + Knowledgeable Support + 97-Day Money Back Guarantee + Unlimited Bandwidth + They’re Carbon Neutral
Dreamhost Cons: – Possible Delayed Setup – No cPanel
With more than 400,000 active customers and a hosting roster of more than 1.5 million websites, DreamHost is one of the biggest players in the web hosting game.
Founded in 1996 and offering pricing plans that start at only $2.59/mo (for the first 12-months), they’re also one of the oldest and cheapest.
However, there are a few key issues that prevent us from giving them a full endorsement.
Although they offer fast load times of 719ms, a 99.96% average uptimes, a 97-day money back guarantee, and completely unlimited bandwidth, the complete lack of live chat support and a traditional cPanel (in all fairness they do offer their own unique cPanel… but as web professionals, we weren’t fans) makes Dreamhost a hard sell.
With so many amazing hosts out there, DreamHost simply doesn’t offer anything that you can’t get from another host at the same price.
With 99.95% uptimes and load speeds of 493ms, GreenGeeks offers fast and reliable hosting at an affordable rate of $2.95/month.
Add to this their feature-rich bonuses, high-quality customer support, and environmentally friendly practices and it’s easy to see how GreenGeeks are quickly carving out a name for themselves in a wildly oversaturated market.
If you decide to purchase their “Eco-site Starter”, your patronage will be rewarded with unlimited bandwidth, storage, and email accounts, a free SSL certificate, free domain (for the first year–then $13.95/year after), and a free website migration.
Their customer service is responsive, helpful, and available through live chat, email, and over the phone.
Unfortunately, the $9.95/month renewal rate, limited data centers (located in the U.S. and Netherlands only) and questionable refund policy may dissuade some webmasters from choosing GreenGeeks over other hosting providers.
GreenGeeks test site speed from December 2017 to March 2019 | See stats
Unlike other sites, we actually sign up and pay for web hosting.
We break down information about available packages and services, hidden fees, payment methods, and more. When we look at a web host, we start by reading over their terms of agreement to find out if there are any hidden, unfair terms that consumers should know about.
Then, we take a look at what kind of customer support they offer, whether it’s a live chat, phone, ticket, or email. Once we get a test site up and running, we evaluate the user interface of the host’s control panel and the total activation time.
We also monitor our site performance by plugging our domain names into Pingdom to look at speed and uptime.
We look at how fast sites load in certain countries and across certain devices. Our reviews also look at the quality of customer support for each host. We actually contact each host to see how long they take to respond and whether or not they are friendly and helpful.
Based on everything we look over, we assign a total rating for each host that ranges from 0 to 10
Why Uptime and Load Time Matters
Uptime and load time matter because they affect traffic, which in turn, most likely will affect your overall revenue.
You’ve got to keep an eye on both of these metrics because they indicate your site’s quality of performance. Uptime refers to the total time that your website is up and running without problems. Downtime refers to the time when your website is offline and unavailable to visitors and potential customers.
The time your website isn’t running, you’re losing money.
At the same time, if you have a slow load time, your bounce rate will be off the charts. People don’t want to wait forever for web pages to load. In fact, they won’t wait longer than 3 seconds if they’re using a mobile device to browse. Today, more page views happen on mobile than on desktop.
That’s why you should make sure that your load times are fast and that your uptime is high.
What is Shared Hosting?
Shared hosting consists of multiple websites on the same web server owned by the web host.
This is easily the most popular (and cheapest) method of web hosting. If your site has high traffic, you might not want to go with shared hosting. Sometimes, resources aren’t shared equally when it comes to this hosting method.
Remember how I told you that a server provides resources for storing files? Well, these resources, like hard drive space and RAM, can slow down if a site you’re sharing the server with is receiving tons of visitors or has incorrect coding.
This can lead to your website going down or experiencing super slow load times, therefore only go with shared hosting if your revenue doesn’t depend on your site’s performance (or if you’re not receiving gobs of traffic).
What is Cloud Hosting?
Unlike shared hosting that relies on one server, cloud hosting uses a cluster of servers that work together to store your website’s files and data.
Cloud-based hosting is great because it’s more efficient and secure than other hosting methods. These cloud systems protect your site against attacks better than traditional hosting systems because all the resources of multiple servers are in one virtual network.
Since the servers are virtual, clients only pay for what they need and use. When a physical server connected to the cloud goes offline or malfunctions, the virtual servers won’t be affected.
Think of it as a pay-as-you-go cell phone plan: You’ll never pay for resources you don’t need. And, if you need more to cover a jump in traffic, all you’ve got to do is pay a bit more money for that period of time.
What is WordPress Hosting?
WordPress hosting is for WordPress websites only. It’s fast because every aspect of WordPress servers has been optimized for setting up WordPress.
Your loading speeds will be much faster on WordPress in comparison to some other shared hosting sites. This is also true for your uptime. It’s also more secure because you’ve got a support team of WordPress experts to back you up if your website is attacked. Plus, your server will always be up to date.
WordPress is a bit less customizable than other hosts, though. For example, certain plugins aren’t permitted, and some plugins can’t be altered. Also, if you choose WordPress as your host, then you will also have to use WordPress as your CMS; it won’t allow you to use other CMS providers.
Site Transfers (FREE or Not?)
What if you pick a web host only to discover that you don’t like it? Site transfers allow you to move your website to another host.
Moving to another website consists of transferring the website’s files and databases, configuring your site with the new host, and directing your domain’s DNS to the new host. Once you pick a new site host, they can usually help you out with this process. The cost will depend on the host you’re switching to, but it will probably be anywhere from $150-$400.
But some web hosts on our list, like HostGator and GreenGeeks, offer free web transfers.
For paid transfers, you can usually transfer more than one site. It’s only $149.99 to migrate as many as five websites and 20 email accounts to Bluehost.
The site transfer will usually take a few days.
For a host like HostPapa, it will take 5 to 7 days to complete a site transfer. They recommend modifying DNS entries before starting the transfer so that it takes less time.
They can also update your DNS entries, but this service will add 24 to 72 hours before your site becomes live. With A2 Hosting, it’ll take anywhere from 2 to 4 days.
