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DIYer's Guide To Better Websites + Marketing

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Website Software Reviews: Grow Your Website With The Right Tools

Choosing the right infrastructure for your website is critical. It's the foundation you'll use to build your business - whether it's an online store or personal project.

But choosing the right option is tough.

Because there is no such thing as an overall "best" option for everyone. There is no "best web hosting" or "best ecommerce website platform" - there is only the best option for you based on your goals, expertise, resources & situation.

Here's an overview of the types of reviews I've written based on my experience as either a customer or consultant.

Web Hosting Reviews

Your website has to "live" somewhere. And that somewhere is a server that "hosts" your website. I've been able to look at a wide range of web hosts and break them down based on pros & cons, or compare them to each other based on set of criteria.

My most popular web hosting review looks at the two of the industry's top brands - Bluehost vs. GoDaddy. My post on InMotion and 1&1 Hosting are also popular.

If you're getting frustrated reading about all the options, I also have a BuzzFeed-style quiz that can help you figure out the best web hosting options for you.

Find all my web hosting reviews here.

Ecommerce Hosting Reviews

There are some types of websites that need a core set of features. For ecommerce, that means a shopping cart, payment processing and inventory management. For some, it makes sense to provide those features as part of an integrated platform. My most popular ecommerce hosting review looks at Shopify. I've also written a guide to building your own ecommerce site with WordPress.

If you're getting frustrated reading about all the options, I also have a BuzzFeed-style quiz that can help you figure out the best ecommerce hosting options for you.

Find all my ecommerce hosting reviews here.

Domain & Business Software Reviews

But your business doesn't start and end with hosting - below, you'll also find reviews of domain name registrars, website builders & more. And I have quizzes on choosing domain registrars & choosing website builders too, and a full list of my favorite resources here.

Background on Ratings

I generally hate stars. They do not provide the nuance that I like to know when choosing a service. And yet, stars are a thing. We all expect stars on reviews, so my reviews have stars.

Here's what star ratings on my site mean.

1 Star - if you need the service, stop researching this company and move on. You will certainly find someone better.

2 Star - For what it's worth, this company is fine...but you'll probably be able to find a better service provider regardless of your goals.

3 Star - if there is a specific pro or feature that speaks to you - then you should feel good about using this company. Their cons or disadvantages are not especially bad across the board.

4 Star - unless there is a specific con or disadvantage that turns you off - then they are a good choice. Their pros are great across the board, but you should still keep an eye out for disadvantages that apply to your goals.

5 Star - if you need the service, stop looking and use them. I've never given a full 5 star even though Ahrefs comes super close.

Explore onwards - you'll find all my reviews listed below!

WP Engine Review: 9+ Pros & Cons of WP Engine WordPress Hosting

Nate Shivar Updated January 20, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

WP Engine Review My Pros & Cons of WP Engine WordPress Hosting

WP Engine is a Managed WordPress Hosting service based in Austin, TX. They were one of the (if not the) first companies to provide managed hosting services specifically for WordPress.

While they have plenty of competition in both the general hosting and managed WordPress hosting verticals, they are still the market leader in many ways -and they have broad name recognition and cutting-edge features.

See WP Engine’s Current Plans & Pricing

With the growth of both self-hosted WordPress and website builders, the hosting industry has become a super-confusing place.

Several of the bigger brands such as GoDaddy, Bluehost, HostGator, InMotion and SiteGround all now offer various flavors of “WordPress Hosting.”

I wrote a whole post about WordPress Hosting vs. Web Hosting.

But here’s the short version: They all vary in services provided. Some simply have WordPress-trained tech support. Some offer services such as server-side features and staging for WordPress.

And then there’s a separate level of managed WordPress Hosting where you are not really buying hosting per se – but rather services to keep your WordPress install live. Basically, a Managed WordPress Hosting service offers a menu of services tailored to WordPress at a higher price point, so that the website owner can focus less on speed + security and more on the website content + functionality.

Every competitor in the Managed WordPress Hosting has a different offering. And there is no standardized “menu” of options, but as a whole, they all compete with traditional shared Linux hosting offerings and customized WordPress hosting options.

Either way – that’s the field where WP Engine plays. It’s confusing, yes, but it’s important to understand before making apples to oranges comparisons.

There are a lot of WP Engine reviews online – usually with user-generated reviews based on anecdotes and personal experience. That’s fine but I take a different approach. This review will look at the pros + cons of WP Engine in the context of all web hosting options to see who it is a “best fit” for.

I’ve used WP Engine for various projects since 2012. I don’t use them for my primary sites right now (see conclusion), but I do have a current client on WP Engine who absolutely loves them. Here’s my WP Engine review structured as pros and cons.

[Read more…] about WP Engine Review: 9+ Pros & Cons of WP Engine WordPress Hosting
WP Engine

WP Engine is one of the leaders in Managed Hosting for WordPress. Great fit for some customers who need performance & critical support above all else. Complexity and price make it less of a fit for others.

Price: 30

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Managed WordPress Hosting

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Hosting Reviews

Bluehost Review: 9+ Pros & Cons of Using Bluehost Hosting

Nate Shivar Updated January 15, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Bluehost Review 6 Pros & Cons of Using Bluehost Hosting

Bluehost is one of the most established and well-known hosting brands on the internet. It’s a brand owned by the Endurance corporation. I have written about Bluehost in my comparison between Bluehost vs. GoDaddy, but I have never written a Bluehost review looking at the pros and cons of the brand.

See Bluehost’s Current Plans & Pricing

Bluehost has positioned themselves as not only the go-to hosting provider for beginner and starting websites, but also the no-hassle hosting provider for small businesses. I’ve used Bluehost for several projects of my own, and my oldest client has been using Bluehost for more than 10 years.

There are a lot of Bluehost reviews online – usually with user-generated reviews based on anecdotes and personal experience. That’s totally fine but I take a different approach, looking at both the advantages and disadvantages of a host.

Like I have mentioned in all my hosting reviews, I don’t think there is such a thing as a “best hosting provider”, just like there is no such thing as a best car or a best house. It’s all about finding the right fit for your project given your goals, your resources and your know-how.

Here’s what I found to be the pros, cons, and alternatives in a full Bluehost review based on my experience with personal projects and clients’ projects.

[Read more…] about Bluehost Review: 9+ Pros & Cons of Using Bluehost Hosting
Bluehost

Bluehost is one of the most well-known brands in the hosting industry. They are not the highest-performing or the cheapest, but they are a solid all-around hosting solution for websites large and small.

Price: 7.99

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Web Hosting

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Hosting Reviews

Bluehost vs. GoDaddy: Who To Choose For Web Hosting?

Nate Shivar Updated January 14, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Bluehost vs. GoDaddy Who To Choose For Web Hosting

GoDaddy has the brand, pricing, and mind-share in the website industry. Bluehost is one of the oldest and most reputable shared hosting companies on the Internet.

Bluehost

View Current Pricing

GoDaddy

View Current Pricing

Here’s my comparison of Bluehost vs. GoDaddy for best choice as a web hosting provider – with a specific focus on WordPress hosting (vs web hosting).

[Read more…] about Bluehost vs. GoDaddy: Who To Choose For Web Hosting?

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Hosting Comparisons

99designs Review: Using 99designs For Blog Logo Design

Nate Shivar Updated January 11, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

My 99designs Review_ Using 99designs For Blog Logo Design

There are tons of free options for graphic design on the web. I love using everything from Fiverr to Hipster Logo Generator to Canva to Stencil to Pixlr to Tailor Brands. But when it comes to website or blog logo design – or really anything related to graphic design that makes your blog stand out – you’ll need expertise (or an algorithm).

And professional graphic design expertise isn’t cheap. So how can you make your website or blog really stand out – give it that extra ‘pop’ that it needs – without turning hiring a professional graphic designer directly?

One option is crowd-sourced design. It’s a way to help make good graphic design accessible to all budgets, while giving freelance graphic designers a vibrant marketplace.

I’ve used 99designs for a couple of my website projects. I’ve had clients use their design contests feature as well.

See 99designs’ Current Options & Pricing

Based on those experiences, here’s my 99designs review with how it works, along with pros and cons…

[Read more…] about 99designs Review: Using 99designs For Blog Logo Design
99designs

99designs provides blog logo design, and crowdsourced graphic design for websites, banners, and more. 99designs has some drawbacks - but is a good choice for affordable blog logo designs, or for website graphic design that will really make it pop without breaking your budget.

Product In-Stock: https://schema.org/InStock

Editor's Rating:
4

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Business & Productivity Tools

14+ WordPress Website Examples for Inspiration

Nate Shivar Updated January 8, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

WordPress Website Examples

So you’re using WordPress as your website software, and you’re looking for WordPress website examples for inspiration and confirmation that you’re making the right choice.

WordPress powers more than 30% of the Internet. It’s famous for its versatility and ease of use (yes, there is a learning curve. No, it’s not insurmountable). In short, it’s an incredibly popular choice for your website software.

But before we dive into WordPress website examples in the wild, let’s talk about a few common misconceptions about WordPress.

WordPress is a content management system — web jargon for a place where you can log in to your website to create, edit, and manage your content.

It’s also “open-source”, which means a community maintains it. The software and open-source community live and function at WordPress.org. It’s where anyone can grab a free copy of the software. It’s also know was self-hosted WordPress, because you have to provide the server for the software to live on.

WordPress.org is like buying a house. You can make all the customizations you want, but you’re also in charge of the plumbing and electricity.

Learn how to set up a self-hosted WordPress site from scratch here.

And then there’s WordPress.com. This is a for-profit company and service that offers websites powered by their install of WordPress (the software). They bundle hosting, support, services, and software into a single subscription. WordPress.com is like renting an apartment. You can pay for upgrades, but really everything is up to your landlord… including maintenance.

View WordPress.com’s Plans & Features here.

So what does this have to do with WordPress website examples?

Think of looking for a website builder like looking for a car. You have a make / model in mind, and you’re probably looking to see them drive by on the road to see how they actually look. However, you also care about how they operate. Does it accelerate well? Does it have the hauling capabilities you need? How is the gas mileage?

Looking at a website platform should be done in the same way. A website’s design is simply some HTML and CSS. It can be created anywhere. However, the functionality are more dependent on things like hosting, integrations, features, plugins, etc.

We collected the following WordPress examples not just to show you how they look, but how WordPress websites can function so you can be sure you have a website that fits both the style you want and the functionality you need.

[Read more…] about 14+ WordPress Website Examples for Inspiration

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Explainers & Examples, Website Builder Guides

How to Sell on Depop: Beginner’s Guide to Depop Set Up + Success

Nate Shivar Updated January 3, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

How To Sell on Depop

Depop is a social shopping app for used fashion items. They charge a 10% commission fee when you sell on their platform, but make getting started with your shop incredibly easy.

[Read more…] about How to Sell on Depop: Beginner’s Guide to Depop Set Up + Success

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Ecommerce Guides

What’s The Best Website Builder for Your Website?

Nate Shivar Updated January 2, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Best Website Builder

Figuring out how to choose the best website builder for your website is a tough and often all too confusing process. It’s tough to do a simple comparison because there is no such thing as an absolute “best website builder.” There is only the website builder that is right for you considering all the pros & cons.

[Read more…] about What’s The Best Website Builder for Your Website?

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Rankings

How to Sell on Poshmark: Beginner’s Guide to Poshmark Set Up + Success

Nate Shivar Updated December 29, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

How to Sell on Poshmark

Poshmark is an online app (plus desktop version) where users can buy and sell fashion products from their virtual “closet”.

Like Etsy, Poshmark has a loyal tribe of buyers and sellers — but unlike Etsy, Poshmark focuses on enabling users to “easily shop closets and boutiques”. They focus solely on new and “pre-loved” fashion products, like apparel, purses, and other accessories.

[Read more…] about How to Sell on Poshmark: Beginner’s Guide to Poshmark Set Up + Success

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Ecommerce Guides

Mailchimp Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated December 27, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

MailChimp Website Builder

MailChimp has been one of the fastest growing email marketing providers for years now. They’ve built an huge base of customers ranging from tiny personal accounts to some of the most prestigious enterprise brands in the world.

In 2019, they added a ton of functionality, including postcards & remarketing as they grow their positioning into a marketing platform. And as part of their growth, they’ve introduced a free website builder.

See MailChimp’s Current Plans & Pricing

I’ve been using Mailchimp for years, and was super curious when they announced the beta version of their website builder (FYI, beta just means it’s their first, trial run version. They’re looking for feedback from users to improve the product).

[Read more…] about Mailchimp Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

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20+ Considerations on The Future of Web Hosting, Website Builders & Digital Marketing Beyond 2020

Nate Shivar Updated December 17, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Considerations on The Future of Web Hosting, Website Builders & Digital Marketing

There has never been a time when running a website has been more accessible, convenient, and profitable than now.

But there has also never been a time when running a website has been so confusing, frustrating, and winner-take-all than now.

And that contradiction comes because some of the major computing & networking innovations from the 2010s are finally coming to the everyday Internet.

And as the 2010s close out and the 2020s begin, here are some of my considerations (in no specific order) that I think would be useful for DIYers, freelancers, small online business owners, and anyone planning an online presence.

[Read more…] about 20+ Considerations on The Future of Web Hosting, Website Builders & Digital Marketing Beyond 2020

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Review FAQs & Explainers, Hosting Guides

Adobe Spark Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated November 23, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Adobe Spark Website Builder Review

Adobe is a huge name in the software industry — and their website builder app, Adobe Spark Page, is no exception. Adobe Spark is a single-page website builder that makes building one-page websites (think resumes, portfolios, blog posts, presentations, etc.) easy to do with zero design experience.

See Adobe’s Current Plans & Pricing

Recently, I gave Adobe Spark Page a try for a small project after receiving a few reader questions. But before I get into the pros and cons of my Adobe Spark review, let’s consider a bit of background on building a website in general.

There are so many considerations to take into account when choosing the best website builder for your project, such as what you want it to look like, what you need your site to be able to do, and how much time you want to spend creating the site. And really, there are a thousand ways to get what you want in the end in terms of functionality, convenience, pricing, etc. The thing to remember is: whether you’re building a simple personal website or running a business, the way you build your site has a lot of consequences.

[Read more…] about Adobe Spark Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
Adobe Spark Website Builder

Adobe Spark has a straightforward user-experience and easy-to-use editor that makes getting your content out there a breeze. But if you're looking to create anything beyond a simple, single page website, Adobe Spark Page is probably not the best option for you.

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Reviews

WooCommerce Review: Pros & Cons of Using WooCommerce for an Online Store

Nate Shivar Updated November 4, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

WooCommerce Pros Cons Alternatives for Online Store

WooCommerce is the most popular ecommerce plugin for WordPress, which is the Internet’s most popular content management software.

WooCommerce was originally developed by a small theme / web design firm in 2011. It grew rapidly among the WordPress community due to its feature set, but also due to its business model.

Explore WooCommerce’s Feature Set

Same as now, you could download & use the full WooCommerce plugin for free from the start. WooThemes made money by selling compatible designs, support, and from specific extensions (e.g. to connect to a credit card processor).

1 WooCommerce Install

In 2015, Automattic bought WooCommerce from WooThemes. Automattic is the software company run by Matt Mullenweg, the original author of WordPress software.

Ever since, the development of WooCommerce has been tightly coordinated with the development of both self-hosted WordPress and Automattic’s hosted WordPress.com software.

So that’s enough introduction. The point is that WooCommerce is legit, WooCommerce is growing, and WooCommerce can be a great fit for many storeowners…but not all.

[Read more…] about WooCommerce Review: Pros & Cons of Using WooCommerce for an Online Store
WooCommerce

WooCommerce is the most popular ecommerce option for the most popular CMS (WordPress) for plenty of reasons. But it still has plenty of inherent disadvantages for storeowners. If it's a fit, it's amazing. If not, explore alternatives.

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: WordPress

Application Category: WordPress Plugin

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Ecommerce Reviews

How To Set Up a WordPress Ecommerce Website

Nate Shivar Updated October 3, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

How To Set Up a WordPress Ecommerce Website

This guide covers exactly how to set up a WordPress ecommerce website with the WooCommerce plugin.

The WordPress platform originally began as a way to blog online. Over the years, it has evolved into a full blown “content management system” – in other words, a backend software that can “power” any type of website – including an ecommerce website.

[Read more…] about How To Set Up a WordPress Ecommerce Website

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Ecommerce Guides, WordPress Tutorials

Domain Names Explained

Nate Shivar Updated September 13, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Domain Names

Domain Names are human-readable words (e.g., amazon.com) that direct Internet browsers to specific files on a specific server.

As an analogy, a domain is like a physical address… but on the Internet. Like a physical address, they don’t really do anything on their own, but they are critical to understanding when you are building an online project.

[Read more…] about Domain Names Explained

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Review FAQs & Explainers, Domain Registrar Guides

What’s The Best Email Hosting for Your Project?

Nate Shivar Updated September 2, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Best Email Hosting

Choosing the best email hosting for your project is a tough and often all too confusing process. It’s tough especially because there is no such thing as an absolute “best email hosting” – there is only the email hosting that is right for you considering all the tradeoffs.

[Read more…] about What’s The Best Email Hosting for Your Project?

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Hosting Rankings

1&1 IONOS MyWebsite Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated September 1, 2019 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

1&1 IONOS MyWebsite Review_ Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

1&1 MyWebsite is an all-inclusive website builder from German web hosting company IONOS. Their website builder is geared toward helping small businesses get up and running online with pre-made templates that include images and text based on your niche. Their platform requires zero code or design skills, meaning even those with no website experience can create a good-looking site in minutes.

See 1&1 MyWebsite’s Current Plans & Pricing

Recently, I gave 1&1 MyWebsite a try for a full 1&1 MyWebsite review (I have previously reviewed their hosting services). But before I get into the pros and cons of this website builder review, let’s dive into an overview about tools to build a website.

[Read more…] about 1&1 IONOS MyWebsite Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
1&1 IONOS MyWebsite

1&1 IONOS MyWebsite is 1&1 IONOS' hosted website builder. It comes bundled with hosting and drag & drop features.

Price: 5

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Reviews

Homestead Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated August 29, 2019 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Homestead Website Builder Review_ Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Homestead is an all-inclusive website builder that’s tailored to helping businesses build their websites quickly, so they can have an online presence. Their platform includes “ready-to-use” templates that DIYers can customize to meet their needs, or simply “plug in” their content and hit publish.

See Homestead’s Current Plans & Pricing

Recently, I gave Homestead a try for a full Homestead Website Builder review. But before I get into the pros and cons of my review, let’s dive into an overview about tools to build a website.

[Read more…] about Homestead Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
Homestead Website Builder

Homestead is one of the Internet's oldest website builders. Now owned by Endurance, they still offer template-based website design & hosting services.

Price: 7.99

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Reviews

Strikingly Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated August 8, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Strikingly Website Builder Review_ Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Strikingly is an all-inclusive website builder that’s tailored to helping entrepreneurs get up and running online quickly and easily. They’re platform requires zero code or design skills, meaning even those with no website experience can create a good-looking site in minutes.

See Strikingly’s Current Plans & Pricing

Recently, I gave Strikingly a try for a full Strikingly Website Builder review. But before I get into the pros and cons of my review, let’s dive into an overview about tools to build a website.

There are so many considerations to take into account when choosing a website builder — and really, there are a thousand ways to get what you want in the end in terms of functionality, convenience, pricing, etc. The thing to remember is: whether you’re building a simple personal website or running a business, the way you build your site has a lot of consequences.

In the long-term, it affects your versatility, functionality, and, of course, your brand. In the short-term, it can certainly add/take away a lot of headaches. That said, just like choosing a physical house or office, there is no such thing as an absolute “best” or “top” choice. There’s only the right choice relative to your goals, experience, and circumstances.

[Read more…] about Strikingly Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
Strikingly Website Builder

Thinking of using Strikingly for your next website project? Here's my full Strikingly Website Builder review with pros, cons, and alternatives.

Price: 8

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Reviews

How To Set Up A WordPress Website From Scratch

Nate Shivar Updated July 25, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Website Setup

This guide covers exactly how to set up a WordPress website from scratch for beginners.

Because here’s the problem: you are looking to start a website for your blog, business, portfolio, store, or forum – but the idea of messing with computer code, databases, or software sounds a bit daunting.

[Read more…] about How To Set Up A WordPress Website From Scratch

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Hosting Guides, WordPress Tutorials

How Much a Website Costs Per Year Explained

Nate Shivar Updated July 19, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Website Costs Per Year

So, how much does a website cost per year?

Wait for it…. it depends. :)

But yes – “it depends” is not helpful at all.

[Read more…] about How Much a Website Costs Per Year Explained

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Review FAQs & Explainers, Hosting Guides

Cloudways Hosting Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated June 29, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Cloudways Hosting Review_ Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

So you’re looking into using Cloudways as your hosting provider, and you’re wondering how they stack up against the competition.

But hold on one second.

I tested out Cloudways for a client project because they have gotten really good press for creating a truly unique product in a pretty staid industry.

As with any unique product, they’ll need a bit of background on the web hosting spectrum.

Let’s talk about the difference between cloud hosting and traditional shared hosting.

Usually your website files live on a part of a server that you rent from a hosting company (hence “shared” hosting). A cloud is an entire network of data centers that host website files in a distributed & decentralized fashion. Your files are deployed “everywhere” in a way of speaking. You just rent the resources on the network needed to host & deliver your files.

Imagine real-world housing for a second. Traditional hosting is like buying a house, townhouse or condominium. You buy it and you can do whatever you want. It’s cheap and predictable. But if your entire extended family shows up one day – you might have some issues hosting everyone. Cloud hosting is like having access to any house anywhere in the world whenever and wherever – you just have to pay per night for whatever house you use. It’s more expensive day to day, but when your entire extended family shows up one day – it’s a pretty simple, quick fix. You just get the 12 bedroom house for the night and no one is the wiser.

The actual cloud is built by the biggest tech companies in the world. There are not that many. Amazon is the biggest. They are closely followed by Google, Microsoft, Oracle, and IBM along with a few smaller ones like Digital Ocean.

With cloud hosting, you have more access to guaranteed resources than on shared hosting.

On shared hosting, you have a set amount of resources on a specific server that also has a set amount of resources. For example, you might have 1GB of Memory dedicated to you on a server that has 10GB of memory in total.

But suppose there are 10 customers on that shared server, each with 1GB of memory. 9 of those customers start using a full 1GB of their allocation – sometimes a little bit over. Well, now, you can’t actually use your 1GB of memory without bringing the server done. In that case, you might get throttled or one customer’s site might get taken down. Now, a good shared hosting will have network engineers who have built out ways of balancing, but it’s the core tradeoff with the setup.

On cloud hosting, you pay per use of resources on a distributed network of servers that has basically infinite resources. Your data doesn’t live on a single server. Instead, it’s copied on a whole network all around the world. If a single server gets overloaded, another server starts returning the the data.

This is the reason why NetFlix runs on Amazon’s cloud and why Twitter runs on Google’s Cloud. Those are extreme but illustrative examples. They see huge spikes at random times during the day that only a cloud can handle.

This makes cloud hosting a great option for websites that have spiky traffic (like viral news sites or a site that goes through regular launches) and doesn’t want to commit to a set amount of resources that may or may not be guaranteed.

But cloud hosting is traditionally expensive and very technical to set up, which can make it not make sense for a lot of DIYers and small businesses. The time & money to get it configured *just* right is out of reach for most businesses.

And that’s where Cloudways comes in.

[Read more…] about Cloudways Hosting Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
Cloudways

Cloudways is a unique solution for those who need the benefits of cloud hosting without the complete complexity of it. While Cloudways still isn't as straightforward as traditional hosting companies, it does streamline the process of getting set up with a cloud host.

Operating System: All

Application Category: Cloud Hosting

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What is Cloud Hosting?

Nate Shivar Updated June 19, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

What is Cloud Hosting

Cloud Hosting is a website hosting product that distributes your website data among an entire network of data centers with near infinite resources.

Cloud hosting usually charge per use rather than per resource feature. Cloud hosting is provided by the big tech companies like Amazon, Google, Oracle, Microsoft and IBM – but is sometimes resold via traditional hosting brands who bundle customer support.

[Read more…] about What is Cloud Hosting?

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What is VPS Hosting?

Nate Shivar Updated June 19, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

What is VPS Hosting

VPS Hosting is a website hosting product that dedicates specific server resources to a hosting account. VPS Hosting is used as a predictable hosting solution for high traffic or resource websites.

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What is Shared Hosting?

Nate Shivar Updated June 19, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

What is Shared Hosting (1)

Shared Hosting is a website hosting product that shares server resources across several hosting accounts. Shared Hosting is used as an affordable, straightforward hosting solution for the majority of websites.

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Shopify vs. Volusion Ecommerce Platform Comparison

Nate Shivar Updated June 18, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Shopify vs. Volusion Ecommerce Platform Comparison

Shopify and Volusion are two of the most well-known “hosted” eCommerce platforms on the Internet.

Shopify

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Volusion

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Ecommerce options exist on a spectrum of convenience and control. Both Shopify and Volusion are right in the middle of the spectrum because they bundle all the technical parts of an online store – hosting, speed, security, inventory, shopping cart and payment processing – and bundle it into a single monthly price.

This contrasts with solutions like WordPress + Woocommerce where you buy, operate, and maintain each piece of the store but also have true 100% control over your website.

Ecommerce Real Estate Tradeoffs

But like a self-hosted eCommerce website, Shopify and Volusion also bundle as part of your website on your domain where you have full control of products, pricing, and customer experience. So unlike running a store on Etsy, eBay or Amazon – you control the build, design, and content of your store.

Even though this part of the spectrum has plenty of tradeoffs – services like Shopify and Volusion are an excellent option for many store owners. So the question becomes – Shopify vs. Volusion?

I’ve reviewed Shopify here and Volusion here. I’ve used both as a customer and as a consultant to customers of both.

They are both excellent companies with an excellent product. And like all my other eCommerce and hosting reviews, there is no such thing as an absolute “best” – there’s only the best option for you based on your situation, goals, and resources.

Here’s how Shopify compares to Volusion across 6 different variables that most customers look at – and what you should consider with Shopify vs. Volusion.

Aside – I built a Buzzfeed style quiz for eCommerce platforms that grades the factors with your goals. You can check out the quiz here.

[Read more…] about Shopify vs. Volusion Ecommerce Platform Comparison

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Volusion Review: Pros & Cons of Using Volusion for Ecommerce

Nate Shivar Updated June 18, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Volusion Review_ Pros & Cons of Using Volusion for Ecommerce

Volusion is one of the most popular hosted ecommerce platforms. They focus on providing a full toolkit for ecommerce owners who want a hosted solutions. They have historically been a go-to solution for mid-size ecommerce companies who valued their operations & inventory features.

See Volusion’s Current Plans & Pricing

But, as of July 2018, Volusion launched V2 of their platform. With Volusion V2, they are trying to become the go-to solution for entry-level and intermediate ecommerce sellers with a heavy focus on simplified pricing and simplified onboarding.

I originally used Volusion back with their V1 platform for this review, but recently tried out their V2 platform for a research project. I’ve re-written this post to reflect V2 only – even though there are plenty of stores out there using Volusion V1.

There are a lot of Volusion reviews online – usually with user-generated reviews based on anecdotes and personal experience. That’s fine but I take a different approach. Like any option, it’s going to have some pros and some cons and will really come down to if it’s a good fit for your specific business. In this Volusion review, I’ll focus on 6 pros and 6 cons that will probably most affect your choice.

[Read more…] about Volusion Review: Pros & Cons of Using Volusion for Ecommerce
Volusion

Volusion is one of the most popular hosted ecommerce platforms with a focus on simplicity and ease of use. Falls down on marketing & feature implementation.

Price: 26

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Ecommerce Hosting

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Best Shopify Alternatives & Competitors for Online Stores

Nate Shivar Updated June 14, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Shopify Competitors

There has never been so many options for starting an online ecommerce store. Shopify was one of the companies to really start the “hosted ecommerce platform” revolution where non-developers could start and setup a unique, fully-functional, beautifully designed online store with no professional help. They have quickly become the name brand in the industry.

[Read more…] about Best Shopify Alternatives & Competitors for Online Stores

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Hostwinds Hosting Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated June 14, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Hostwinds Review

Hostwinds is an independent, US-based web hosting company who’s been around since 2010. They boast inexpensive pricing and excellent customer service, and like most hosting companies, also provide email, website builders, and domain services in addition to basic web hosting.

See Hostwinds’ Current Plans & Pricing

I’ve had several readers email to ask my opinion about Hostwinds, so I decided to give them a shot for a small project.

Here’s my Hostwinds review — structured with pros & cons based on my experience as a customer.

[Read more…] about Hostwinds Hosting Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
Hostwinds

Hostwinds is an affordable hosting company with solid support and onboarding. They fall down a bit on performance, branding, and pricing details.

Operating System: All

Application Category: Web Hosting

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BigCommerce vs. WooCommerce & WordPress: Differences & Using Them Together

Nate Shivar Updated June 11, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

BigCommerce vs. WooCommerce & WordPress_ Differences & Using Them Together

BigCommerce and WooCommerce + WordPress are two of the most well-known ecommerce platforms. But if you’re considering BigCommerce vs. WooCommerce + WordPress, how do you decide which one is the best fit for you and your project?

BigCommerce

View Current Pricing

WooCommerce

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I’ve been able to consult with clients who use both BigCommerce and WooCommerce as well as running my own stores with both BigCommerce and WooCommerce. They are both excellent platforms with a full suite of options to run a successful online store.

However, they are both very different, and different businesses will certainly do better with one or the other.

I’ve written extensively on both, including a BigCommerce review, a WooCommerce setup guide, and a roundup of WooCommerce themes. But in this comparison, I’ll look at the core definitions of WooCommerce and BigCommerce, some of the differences in the areas of largest consideration for eCommerce owners, and how to use them together.

Additionally, this comparison will be very similar to my Shopify vs. WooCommerce + WordPress review. As hosted eCommerce platforms, Shopify and BigCommerce are direct competitors with each other and they both indirectly compete with WooCommerce. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the Definitions section – but it is something to keep in mind.

In most situations, it’s better to choose the type of platform you want before choosing the exact software. But since BigCommerce & WooCommerce are leading solutions – it’s just as helpful to look at them head to head (in addition to ways that you can use them together).

Make sense? Awesome.

If you want to jump right to a condensed recommendation, I’ll outline which one is likely a better fit for different types of eCommerce store owners in Next Steps.

Let’s dive into this comparison of BigCommerce vs. WooCommerce & WordPress.

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HostMonster Hosting Review: Pros, Cons & Comparisons

Nate Shivar Updated June 9, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

HostMonster Hosting Review_ Pros, Cons & Comparisons

HostMonster is a web hosting brand owned by Endurance International. They offer shared Linux hosting (what nearly all starter website owners need) in three plans in addition to VPS and Managed servers. Like most hosting companies, HostMonster also provides email, a website builder, and various complementary services to web hosting.

Their datacenter is located in Provo, Utah within (what appears to be) the same facilities as their sister brand Bluehost. In fact, a large part of their brand is a replica of Bluehost and JustHost.

See HostMonster’s Current Plans & Pricing

One of my oldest clients uses HostMonster, but until now I’ve never written anything about them. Here’s my HostMonster Hosting review – structured with pros & cons based on my experience both as a customer and consultant to a customer.

[Read more…] about HostMonster Hosting Review: Pros, Cons & Comparisons
HostMonster

HostMonster is a discount hosting providers owned by Endurance International. They offer shared, VPS and dedicated hosting plans. HostMonster is fine in many ways. They have a simple backend and alright performance. However, they are fairly expensive and don't have the performance of direct competitors or the investment of sister brands like Bluehost.

Operating System: All

Application Category: Web Hosting

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Hostinger Hosting Review: Pros, Cons, & Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated June 8, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Hostinger Hosting Review_ Pros, Cons, & Alternatives

Hostinger is an independent, European web hosting company who has grown rapidly in just over a decade. They are also the parent company of the 000Webhost, Niagahoster and Weblink brands. In 2017, Hostinger reported 29 million users.

Like most hosting companies, Hostinger also provides email, a website builder, and various complementary services with 24-hour support and a 30-day money back guarantee.

See Hostinger’s Current Plans & Pricing

I’ve had several readers email to ask my opinion about Hostinger, so I decided to give them a shot for a small project.

Here’s my Hostinger review — structured with pros & cons based on my experience as a customer.

[Read more…] about Hostinger Hosting Review: Pros, Cons, & Alternatives
Hostinger

Hostinger is a value-focused brand with very affordable pricing. However, they have heavy limitations and inconsistent performance & reputation.

Operating System: All

Application Category: Web Hosting

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Just Host Hosting Review: Pros, Cons & Comparisons

Nate Shivar Updated June 7, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Just Host Hosting Review_ Pros, Cons & Comparisons

Just Host is a web hosting brand owned by Endurance International. They offer a standard selection of Linux-based web hosting solutions from shared hosting to VPS to reseller servers, though they focus on marketing their shared hosting solution (which is what most website owners need/want).

See Just Host’s Current Plans & Pricing

Their datacenter is located in Provo, Utah within (what appears to be) the same facilities as their sister brand Bluehost. Like most shared hosting companies, Just Host also provides email and various complementary services to web hosting.

I have a marketing client who uses Just Host, and I also gave them a try myself while shopping for a discount home for a WordPress-based side project.

Here’s my Just Host Hosting review – structured with pros & cons based on my experience as a customer (and consultant to a customer of Just Host).

[Read more…] about Just Host Hosting Review: Pros, Cons & Comparisons
Just Host

Just Host is a web hosting provider owned by Endurance International. Just Host has pricey plans, mediocre performance and appears to be underinvested compared to its sister brands. It's fine to use, but there are better alternatives.

Operating System: All

Application Category: Web Hosting

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Shopify vs. WooCommerce + WordPress: Differences & Using Them Together

Nate Shivar Updated June 3, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Shopify vs. WooCommerce & WordPress_ Differences & Using Them Together

Shopify and WooCommerce + WordPress are two of the most well-known online store platforms. But if you’re considering Shopify vs. WooCommerce + WordPress, how do you decide which one is the best fit for you and your project?

Shopify

View Current Pricing

WooCommerce

View Current Pricing

I’ve been able to consult with clients who use both Shopify and WooCommerce as well as running my own stores with both Shopify and WooCommerce. They are both excellent platforms with a full suite of options to run a successful store.

However, they are both very different, and different businesses will certainly do better with one or the other.

I’ve written extensively on both, including a Shopify review, a WooCommerce setup guide, and a roundup of WooCommerce themes. But in this comparison, I’ll look at the core definitions of WooCommerce and Shopify, some of the differences in the areas of largest consideration for eCommerce owners, and how to use them together.

And lastly, in Next Steps, I’ll outline which one is likely a better fit for different types of eCommerce store owners.

Let’s dive into this comparison of Shopify vs. WooCommerce & WordPress.

[Read more…] about Shopify vs. WooCommerce + WordPress: Differences & Using Them Together

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What’s The Best WordPress Hosting for Your Website?

Nate Shivar Updated June 1, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Best WordPress Hosting

Choosing the best WordPress hosting for your website is a tough and often all too confusing process. It’s tough to make a simple comparison because there is no such thing as an absolute “best WordPress hosting”. There is only the hosting that is right for you considering all the tradeoffs.

[Read more…] about What’s The Best WordPress Hosting for Your Website?

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DreamHost Hosting Review: Pros, Cons & Comparisons

Nate Shivar Updated May 31, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

DreamHost Hosting Review_ Pros, Cons & Comparisons

DreamHost is one of the largest and most established hosting companies online. They have been operating since 1997 (positively ancient by digital standards) and have grown to serve more than 1.5 million websites and 400,000 customers across the globe.

See DreamHost’s Current Plans & Pricing

They are independent and employee owned (ie, they aren’t another Endurance International or GoDaddy brand). They are also one of the longest supporters of open source and community built software (ie, WordPress, etc).

DreamHost offers a full-spectrum of hosting solutions from Shared (most common) to VPS to Cloud – and even a specialized WordPress offering along with complementary services like email and domain management.

But older and employee-owned doesn’t mean they are a best fit for everyone. While moving one of my side projects off an old HostGator VPS, I took the opportunity to give DreamHost’s shared hosting plan a try.

Here’s my DreamHost Hosting review – structured with the pros, cons and direct comparisons to competitors based on my experience as a customer.

[Read more…] about DreamHost Hosting Review: Pros, Cons & Comparisons
DreamHost

DreamHost is an established, respected independent hosting company founded in 1997. DreamHost has good performance, and solid value for pricing and great customer support.

Price: 2.59

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Web Hosting

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Shopify vs. Squarespace: Online Store Options Compared

Nate Shivar Updated May 27, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Shopify vs. Squarespace_ Online Store Options Compared

Shopify vs. Squarespace – they are two of the most well-known brands in the online store + website builder industry. I’ve written a Shopify review here and Squarespace review here. But how do they compare directly to each other?

Shopify

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Squarespace

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First, a bit of background. Over the past few years, online store software costs have plummeted, and the technology to get a website from idea to reality has blossomed.

Whether you’re using a text editor and uploading to the Amazon cloud, hosting your own site powered by WordPress + WooCommerce or using a drag and drop website builder, there’s never been an easier time to create an online store. It’s no longer 2002 where every store owner had to know PHP, HTML, CSS and a bit of Javascript.

All-inclusive eCommerce builders have been particularly interesting. Companies like Squarespace, Weebly, Wix, Shopify, and BigCommerce – not to mention platforms like Etsy, eBay, and Amazon – have brought eCommerce to everyone regardless of their coding skills.

On the wide spectrum of eCommerce store building solutions, they all live on the end that is all-inclusive and provides everything you need to get started and grow your website.

[Read more…] about Shopify vs. Squarespace: Online Store Options Compared

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10 Select WordPress Themes for Local Small Businesses

Nate Shivar Updated May 27, 2019 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

WordPress Themes for Local Small Businesses

Many local business owners, entrepreneurs, and independent contractors benefit from having their own website by being able to provide contact forms and maps integration, display photo galleries and portfolios, offer online stores with eCommerce, and more.

While there are many ways to build different websites with templates, you are likely here looking specifically for WordPress themes that cater to local businesses.

Themes are one of the “killer” features of using WordPress to power your website. Unlike drag and drop website builders , you start with a defined, beautiful template with built-in features. While some themes come with feature overkill (or a blank slate), there is a whole universe of themes customized for every type of website imaginable.

WordPress themes are (supposed to be) open-source & GPL licensed so you gain access to a wide community of resources and help…which means you’ll never be left high and dry by a design firm. Some require a learning curve, and some are super-simple, but all have the versatility for a firm that wants an active online presence.

Here are the 10+ Best WordPress Themes for Local Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, and Independent Contractors curated from marketplaces and theme sellers around the Internet.

[Read more…] about 10 Select WordPress Themes for Local Small Businesses

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Themes, Apps & Templates

Shopify vs. BigCommerce: Tradeoffs, Comparisons & More

Nate Shivar Updated May 14, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Shopify vs. BigCommerce_ Tradeoffs, Comparisons & More

Shopify and BigCommerce are two of the fastest growing and most well-known hosted eCommerce platforms.

Shopify

View Current Pricing

BigCommerce

View Current Pricing

Ecommerce options exist on a spectrum of convenience and control. Both Shopify and BigCommerce are right in the middle of the spectrum because they bundle all the technical parts of an online store – hosting, speed, security, inventory, shopping cart and payment processing – and bundle it into a single monthly price. This contrasts with solutions like WordPress + Woocommerce where you buy, operate and maintain each piece of the store but also have true 100% control over your website.

But like a self-hosted eCommerce website, Shopify and BigCommerce also bundle as part of your website on your domain where you have full control of product, pricing and customer experience. So unlike running a store on Etsy, eBay or Amazon – you control the build, design, and content of your store.

Ecommerce Real Estate Tradeoffs

Even though this part of the spectrum has plenty of tradeoffs – services like Shopify and BigCommerce are an excellent option for many store owners. So the question becomes – Shopify vs. BigCommerce?

I’ve reviewed Shopify here and BigCommerce here. I’ve used both as a customer and as a consultant to customers of both.

They are both excellent companies with an excellent product. And like all my other eCommerce and hosting reviews, there is no such thing as an absolute “best” – there’s only the best option for you based on your situation, goals, and resources.

Here’s how Shopify compares to BigCommerce across 6 different variables that most customers look at – and what you should consider with Shopify vs. BigCommerce.

Skip to the conclusion here.

Aside – I built a Buzzfeed style quiz for eCommerce platforms that grades the factors with your goals. You can check out the quiz here.

[Read more…] about Shopify vs. BigCommerce: Tradeoffs, Comparisons & More

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Ecommerce Comparisons

13+ Recommended WordPress Themes for Banks & Accountants

Nate Shivar Updated May 13, 2019 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

WordPress Themes for Banks & Accountants

Many banks, accountants, and financial consultants benefit from having their own website by being able to provide online payment options, display functional charts and graphs, integrate maps and social media, and more. Being able to organize and display information for clients can offer excellent exposure to your work.

While there many ways to build different websites with templates, you are likely here looking specifically for WordPress themes that specifically cater to banks and other financial institutions.

Themes are one of the “killer” features of using WordPress to power your website. Unlike drag and drop website builders , you start with a defined, beautiful template with built-in features. While some themes come with feature overkill (or a blank slate), there is a whole universe of themes customized for every type of website imaginable.

WordPress themes are (supposed to be) open-source & GPL licensed so you gain access to a wide community of resources and help…which means you’ll never be left high and dry by a design firm. Some require a learning curve, and some are super-simple, but all have the versatility for a firm that wants an active online presence.

Here are the 13+ Best WordPress Themes for Banks, Accountants, and Financial Consultants curated from marketplaces and theme sellers around the Internet.

[Read more…] about 13+ Recommended WordPress Themes for Banks & Accountants

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Themes, Apps & Templates

FastComet Hosting Review: Pros and Cons of Using FastComet

Nate Shivar Updated May 13, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

FastComet Hosting

FastComet is a 9 year old independent web hosting company headquartered in San Francisco, USA. Their team and services span the entire globe. They focus on shared & cloud hosting services with a focus on predictable pricing & fast customer support.

See FastComet’s Current Plans & Pricing

FastComet has been in the hosting business for over 9 years, first providing professional services to private and business clients before launching their own public cloud hosting service in 2013. Their core offering is an SSD Cloud Hosting solution that is “one of the most accessible and affordable on the Web Hosting Market”, and are backed by a 24/7 support team of real people.

Due to their pricing and rapid growth, I’ve had a few readers asking what I thought of them, so while shopping for a new budget host for a side project, I decided to sign up and give them a try.

Here’s my FastComet Hosting review – structured with pros & cons based on my experience as a customer.

[Read more…] about FastComet Hosting Review: Pros and Cons of Using FastComet
FastComet

Good host that seems to still be establishing its business-model. Good for price-conscious, ex-US customers, and short-term projects. Others may want to look elsewhere.

Operating System: All

Application Category: Web Hosting

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Hosting Reviews

What’s The Best VPS Hosting Provider for Your Project?

Nate Shivar Updated May 2, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Best VPS Hosting

Choosing the best hosting for your website is a tough and often all too confusing process in general. It’s even tougher considering that when you are evaluating a VPS hosting provider. The fact that you are looking for VPS means that you’re already working with much higher traffic & data than most website owners. You likely know that there is no such thing as an absolute “best VPS hosting company” – there is only the hosting that is right for you considering all the tradeoffs – speed, bandwidth, service, customer support and of course – price.

[Read more…] about What’s The Best VPS Hosting Provider for Your Project?

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Hosting Rankings

Web.com Hosting Review: Pros, Cons & Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated April 28, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Web.com Hosting Review_ Pros, Cons & Alternatives

Web.com is a web hosting & website builder brand owned by the Web.com Group. They are one of the largest and oldest brands in the industry. The Web.com Group also owns brands like Network Solutions, Register.com and 1ShoppingCart.

Along with Bluehost and GoDaddy, they have some of the highest brand recognition in the general public due to their huge investment TV, radio, billboard and traditional advertising. In Atlanta, I’m pretty sure they’ve bought a significant portion of the bus stop ads. They also sponsor the 2nd tier professional golf league in America.

Web.com Homepage

That kind of offline advertising plays to their core marketing message as the one place to get your website, online marketing and everything to go with it. Though technically speaking, Web.com offers only entry-level hosting & a DIY website builder application with upsell marketing services.

You can check out Web.com’s plans and pricing here.

Due to my skepticism from their offline ads, I’ve never previously tried Web.com. But after a friend asked about them, I decided to give them a try with a small trial website.

Here’s my Web.com Hosting review – structured with pros & cons based on my recent experience as a customer.

[Read more…] about Web.com Hosting Review: Pros, Cons & Alternatives
Web.com

Web.com is one of the most recognized brands in the website building industry with lots of offline advertising. Web.com does not live up to the marketing and messaging. Their pricing, features and support make them a very poor long-term choice for a website builder or hosting company.

Operating System: All

Application Category: Web Hosting

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Hosting Reviews

Top 8+ WordPress Themes for All Things Travel

Nate Shivar Updated April 8, 2019 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

WordPress Themes for All Things Travel

Many travel bloggers, tour operators, and travel agencies benefit from having their own website by being able to display their photo and video galleries, facilitate social media interaction, maintain review systems, and more. Being able to organize and display information for clients and fellow adventurers can offer excellent exposure to your work.

While there many ways to build different websites with templates, you are likely here looking specifically for WordPress themes that specifically cater to travelers.

Themes are one of the “killer” features of using WordPress to power your website. Unlike drag and drop website builders , you start with a defined, beautiful template with built-in features. While some themes come with feature overkill (or a blank slate), there is a whole universe of themes customized for every type of website imaginable.

WordPress themes are (supposed to be) open-source & GPL licensed so you gain access to a wide community of resources and help…which means you’ll never be left high and dry by a design firm. Some require a learning curve, and some are super-simple, but all have the versatility for a firm that wants an active online presence.

Here are the 8+ Best WordPress Themes for Travel Bloggers, Tour Operators, and Travel Agencies curated from marketplaces and theme sellers around the Internet.

[Read more…] about Top 8+ WordPress Themes for All Things Travel

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Themes, Apps & Templates

BigCommerce Review: Pros & Cons of Using BigCommerce For Online Stores

Nate Shivar Updated April 2, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

BigCommerce Review_ Pros & Cons of Using BigCommerce For Online Stores

There are a lot of options for running an online store – BigCommerce is an all-in-one ecommerce solution that I’ve worked on for several clients’ online stores since 2012. Here’s my BigCommerce review – with pros and cons of using BigCommerce for your online store.

See BigCommerce’s Current Plans & Pricing

What Is BigCommerce?

There are a lot of considerations that go into an choosing the best online store platform. There are also a ton of options, and your choice of platform can have just as big of an impact on your online business as choosing a physical location for your physical business.

It can greatly expand or hurt your business long-term and in the short term it can certainly add/take away a lot of headaches.

That said, just like choosing a physical location, there is no such thing as an absolute “best” or “top” choice. There’s only the right choice relative to your goals, experience, and circumstances.

There are a lot of BigCommerce reviews online – usually with user-generated reviews based on anecdotes and personal experience. That’s fine but I take a different approach – looking at not only pros & cons but also it’s place in the overall marketplace.

On the wide spectrum of eCommerce solutions, BigCommerce lives on the end that is all-inclusive and provides everything you need to get started and grow your online store. It stands in contrast to solutions where you buy, install, and manage all the “pieces” of your store separately.

Ecommerce Real Estate Tradeoffs

Using BigCommerce is sort of like leasing and customizing a storefront in a development instead of building your own store. You’re still in control of design, merchandising, and everything business-wise – but you leave the store construction, plumbing, security, and infrastructure to the property owner.

Again, there are pros and cons to this, but know that BigCommerce competes as a “hosted platform” directly with Shopify (see their site here and my Shopify review here) and Volusion (see their site here and my Volusion review here) as all-inclusive options.

Those options as a group compete with non-turn-key options like WordPress + WooCommerce, Magento, and others.

Now, the last bit about BigCommerce to clarify is that they have two variants – Essentials and Enterprise.

BigCommerce Essentials

Enterprise competes with Shopify Plus and has a very different market. BigCommerce Essentials appeals to most of my readers, so we’ll focus mainly on Essentials.

Make sense?

[Read more…] about BigCommerce Review: Pros & Cons of Using BigCommerce For Online Stores
BigCommerce

BigCommerce is a leading company in the ecommerce as a service business. A few flaws including inventory management, but overall a great hosted solution for ecommerce and building an online store.

Price: 29.95

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Ecommerce Hosting

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Ecommerce Reviews

What’s The Best Domain Name Registrar For Your Websites?

Nate Shivar Updated April 1, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Best Domain Registrar

Choosing the best domain name hosting / registrar is a tough and often all too confusing process. It’s tough to make a simple comparison because there is no such thing as an absolute “best domain name provider” There is only the domain name hosting that is right for you considering all the tradeoffs.

[Read more…] about What’s The Best Domain Name Registrar For Your Websites?

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Domain Registrar Rankings

15+ Best WordPress Themes for Teachers & Professors

Nate Shivar Updated March 31, 2019 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

WordPress Themes for Teachers & Professors

Many teachers, professors, and educators benefit from having their own website by being able to display their professional portfolio, facilitate student discussion, post video tutorials, and more. Being able to organize and display information for your students and clients can make for a very useful teaching tool.

While there many ways to build different websites with templates, you are likely here looking specifically for WordPress teaching theme that specifically caters to educators and faculty.

Themes are one of the “killer” features of using WordPress to power your website. Unlike drag and drop website builders , you start with a defined, beautiful template with built-in features. While some themes come with feature overkill (or a blank slate), there is a whole universe of themes customized for every type of website imaginable.

WordPress themes are (supposed to be) open-source & GPL licensed so you gain access to a wide community of resources and help…which means you’ll never be left high and dry by a design firm. Some require a learning curve, and some are super-simple, but all have the versatility for a firm that wants an active online presence.

Here are the 15+ Best WordPress Themes for Teachers, Professors, and Educators curated from marketplaces and theme sellers around the Internet.

[Read more…] about 15+ Best WordPress Themes for Teachers & Professors

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Themes, Apps & Templates

9+ Recommended WordPress Themes for Directories & Databases

Nate Shivar Updated March 30, 2019 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

WordPress Themes for Directories & Databases

There are a million and one reasons to build out a directory, listing, or database website. From industry associations to realtors to local business owners, being able to organize and display information for your customers and users can make for a very useful website.

[Read more…] about 9+ Recommended WordPress Themes for Directories & Databases

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Themes, Apps & Templates

22+ Quality WordPress Premium Theme Providers

Nate Shivar Updated March 28, 2019 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

22+ Quality WordPress Premium Theme Providers(1)

Before we dive into the best premium WordPress theme providers, here’s a quick reminder of what Themes are in WordPress.

Themes in WordPress control how your website looks and contributes some (but not all) toward the functionality of your website. For a more detailed description, check out this Introduction to Themes.

While technically it is possible to build you own theme, the fastest and easiest way to create a stunning, beautiful, functional site is to get a pre-built theme. The longer route would mean building one with the assistance of a Theme Framework (check out some great providers here) or writing your own code.

There are literally thousands of free WordPress themes – and thousands of paid, or “premium” themes on the Internet. Some of them are amazing…but most are, plainly speaking, horrible. (Is that too harsh?)

The fact is, a theme isn’t just a template. It can introduce security issues, bugs or just create nuisances into your site (like lack of updates or compatibility with other services). Additionally, the WordPress license requires that you use a theme whose PHP code is licensed under the GPL.

In other words, not all theme providers are the same – and it certainly pays to find a quality theme to build your site around. So, here is a list of reputable, high-quality premium WordPress themes that qualify as “best” in my opinion.

Some have free themes; most have a selection of paid themes – but they all have coding, design & security standards that you won’t find from any random theme provider. Read on! [Read more…] about 22+ Quality WordPress Premium Theme Providers

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Themes, Apps & Templates

12+ Impressive WordPress Themes for Events & Clubs

Nate Shivar Updated March 24, 2019 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Impressive WordPress Themes for Events & Clubs

There are a million and one reasons why events, clubs, and social groups need their own website – event information, ticketing, merchandise sales, directions, and registration – the list goes on. It could be a site geared toward your event marketing, attendees, artists, or all the above.

While there many ways to build an event website with templates, you are likely here looking specifically for WordPress themes for events.

[Read more…] about 12+ Impressive WordPress Themes for Events & Clubs

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Themes, Apps & Templates

InMotion’s BoldGrid Website Creator Review: Pros, Cons & Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated March 13, 2019 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Website Creator Review

Website Creator (also called BoldGrid) is a stand-alone website builder product built & sold by InMotion Hosting, one of the largest independent web hosting companies in the world.

See BoldGrid / Website Creator Current Plans & Pricing

InMotion Hosting has been in the web hosting business since 2001. Unlike many hosting companies, they remain staunchly independent and focused primarily on website products for small businesses. They have an emphasis on customer support and raw performance.

While they still have a range of hosting products (my InMotion Hosting Review), they have also been quick to respond to changes in customer demand. Website Creator came out of that effort.

The big demand of the past 5 years has been for easy to use, bundled, drag and drop website builders. But popular website builders pose some risks for business owners investing in a long-term project.

Website Creator was created for small business owners who need to easily DIY their own website, but also are thinking seriously about how to best build their website for scalability, versatility, and long-term success.

Since I’ve been a user of InMotion’s hosting products for quite some time, I recently decided to give their new website builder, Website Creator, a try for a small, quick project.

Before I dive into pros and cons, let’s talk about some basics.

[Read more…] about InMotion’s BoldGrid Website Creator Review: Pros, Cons & Alternatives
InMotion BoldGrid Website Creator

Website Creator is a website builder that combines the benefits of self-hosted WordPress with the ease of use and drag & drop abilities of traditional website builders.

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Reviews

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