Scoring Notes & Methodology
How the scores were derived (September 2026)
Scores are evidence-based estimates drawn from publicly available 2025–2026 independent tests, review aggregates (Trustpilot, G2, etc.), official plan features, and common industry benchmarks.
They are NOT the result of a single controlled 30-day lab test of every provider on every metric. Treat them as a strong starting point for comparison, then re-verify the factors that matter most to you.
CURVED GRADING (Final)
The Scoring Template now uses a curved 10-point scale. The highest overall average was scaled to exactly 10.00. All other providers were multiplied by the same factor (10 / max). Column AF is the official Curved Overall score. Column AG retains the pre-curve average for transparency. This preserves relative differences while giving a clean 0–10 (practically 6.5–10) interpretation.
Feature lists (SSL, backups, CDN, staging, WAF, etc.)
Support channel availability and reported response quality
Aggregated user ratings and company longevity signals
Scoring philosophy:
9–10 = Best-in-class or clearly superior for that factor
7–8 = Strong / competitive
5–6 = Acceptable / average for the category
1–4 = Weak or missing important capability
Important caveats:
Website builders (Squarespace, Wix, Shopify, Webflow) are scored relative to their category. Dev Tools and raw server access are naturally lower.
Cloud/VPS providers (Vultr, DigitalOcean, Hetzner, etc.) score lower on managed features (email, one-click WP tools, beginner panel) because they are infrastructure products.
Managed WordPress hosts (Kinsta, WP Engine, Rocket.net, etc.) excel at WP optimization, security, and support but cost more (lower intro-price scores).
Renewal pricing is heavily weighted against hosts with large markups (common on shared plans).
Eco score is higher only where the provider has credible green/renewable claims (e.g. GreenGeeks).
Recommended next step: Sort the Scoring Template by the Overall column (or filter) and then dig into the 5–8 factors that matter most for your specific use case.
