Hosting Speed Comparison Across 18 Providers: Kinsta Is the Fastest [2025 Latest]
Hosting speed has a major impact on the success of your website. However, it is difficult to find accurate information about which hosting service is truly fast. While every company claims to be “fast,” the real performance differences are substantial.
In this article, we thoroughly measure 18 leading hosting services in Japan and overseas and present the truly fast options in ranking form. Based on actual measurements in a WordPress environment, we also explain which choices make the most sense for different use cases.
Find the hosting service that best fits your site and use it to move your business forward.
The critical impact hosting speed has on your business
The size of the impact that hosting speed has is not hard to imagine, but once you look at the research, you realize that
the effect can be devastating
.
What happens when people get frustrated? Almost half of consumers say they’ll try to refresh a page at least once when it takes 3 seconds to load. But 22% say they’ll close the tab, and 14% say they’ll visit a competitor’s site. If you count on 1000 daily visitors, that’s 360 potential customers gone. Yeesh.(When load time reaches 3 seconds, almost half of users try refreshing once. But 22% close the tab, and 14% move to a competitor. If you have 1,000 daily visitors, that can mean losing as many as 360 potential customers.)
Think Fast: The Page Speed Report, Stats & Trends for Marketers
Through a combination of browser caching, image optimization, and prioritizing content on the visible part of its mobile pages, Dakine cut the load time of its start page by 55%, of category pages by 48%, and of product pages by 65%. The impact on performance? Over the next year, Dakine saw mobile traffic increase by 31%, mobile revenue by 45%, and tablet sales by 4%.(By combining browser caching, image optimization, and prioritizing content in the mobile viewport, Dakine cut homepage load time by 55%, category pages by 48%, and product pages by 65%. As a result, mobile traffic increased 31%, mobile revenue rose 45%, and tablet sales grew 4% over the following year.)
Milliseconds earn millions: Why mobile speed can slow or grow your business
That is why the speed of the server underneath your site is extremely important.
Measured speed data from 18 hosting services
Why we chose this measurement environment and these tools
For every measurement, we used an official WordPress theme. We also installed WordPress unit test content on each demo site so that text volume, image size, and similar conditions would be aligned as closely as possible.
The measurement tool was
PageSpeed Insights
from Google. In particular, we placed strong emphasis on TTFB (Time to First Byte). If the page begins responding quickly, users are far less likely to feel that the site is slow.
Note: in a few cases, we confirmed results with developer tools rather than PageSpeed Insights.
The shocking results of our speed testing: the complete ranking of 18 hosting services
[No. 1] Kinsta: a world-class WordPress host built for speed
"
Kinsta
" is a top-tier hosting service with data centers in 37 locations around the world. In our measurements, it ranked No. 1. It is undeniably expensive, but if you want a server built entirely around comfort and performance, it is easy to recommend. Its chat support is available in Japanese as well.
30-day money-back guarantee
Server type | Managed dedicated server |
Speed (TTFB) | 30ms |
Recommended plan and term | Single35k |
Trial / money-back guarantee | 30-day money-back guarantee |
Monthly price (12-month contract) | 4,407 yen |
Initial setup fee | Free |
Free domain | None |
Support | 24/7 chat (Japanese support) |
Uptime | 99.9% |
Storage | 10GB |
Number of databases | 1 |
Security | malware scan、WAF、firewall、DDoS attack protection、Google Cloudfirewall |
SSL | Free custom SSL |
Backup | 14-day automatic backup |
Email accounts | None |
Email security | None |
Server / website migration service | Free |
WordPress preinstall | Yes |
CDN | Free (125GB) |
Data center | Johannesburg, South Africa, Changhua County, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Korea, Mumbai, India, Delhi, India, Jurong West, Singapore, Jakarta, Indonesia, Sydney, Australia, Melbourne, Australia, Warsaw, Poland, Hamina, Finland, Madrid, Spain, Saint-Ghislain, Belgium, London, UK, Frankfurt, Germany, Emden, Netherlands, Zurich, Switzerland, Milan, Italy, Paris, France, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Tel Aviv, Israel, Montreal, Canada, Toronto, Canada, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Santiago, Chile, Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States, Moncks Corner, South Carolina, United States, Ashburn, Virginia, United States, Columbus, Ohio, United States, Dallas, Texas, United States, The Dalles, Oregon, United States, Los Angeles, California, United States, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
Kinsta is a managed WordPress hosting service built on Google Cloud Platform's C2 machines. It achieved an average response time below 200 ms and lets you choose the most appropriate location from dozens of data centers around the world.
Technically, it uses PHP 8.3, MariaDB, Nginx, and LXD containers, giving you a fully isolated environment that is fundamentally different from conventional shared hosting. Its MyKinsta control panel also offers real-time performance monitoring.
Pricing starts at $35 per month, or $30 on annual billing, so it sits in the premium tier. For corporate sites and media sites with heavy traffic, however, the return on that investment can be more than sufficient.
In our own verification,
Kinsta
delivered the No. 1 speed result not only among domestic servers but across the entire set we tested worldwide. It recorded 30 ms in Time to First Byte. If you run a business website, an ecommerce store, or an affiliate site with meaningful revenue and speed is a real problem, it is one of the strongest answers available.
When you need the final answer to a speed problem, that answer is Kinsta.
[No. 2] Hostinger: the true king of value for money
started in Lithuania and is used by more than 29 million people. Its backup system makes it easy to keep WordPress data safe, and because its overseas plans offer generous server capacity, it also fits somewhat larger sites well.
30-day money-back guarantee
Server type | Shared hosting |
Speed (TTFB) | 31ms |
Recommended plan and term | Premium Web Hosting 12months |
Trial / money-back guarantee | 30-day money-back guarantee |
Monthly price (12-month contract) | US$4.50 (438 yen) |
Initial setup fee | Free |
Free domain | 1 free in the first year |
Support | 24/7 chat |
Uptime | 99.9% |
Storage | 100GB |
Number of databases | 50 |
Security | DDoS attack protection、malware scan、firewall、Cloudflare protected nameserver、Secure Access Manager |
SSL | FreeSSL |
Backup | 7-day backup & 7-week backup |
Email accounts | 100 |
Email security | — |
Server / website migration service | None |
WordPress preinstall | None |
CDN | Free |
Data center | France, Lithuania, Netherlands, UK, India, Indonesia, Singapore, United States, Brazil |
Waiting for server response refers to TTFB.
Hostinger is an affordable overseas hosting service from Lithuania. Thanks to support for SSD storage, HTTP/2, and PHP 8.2, it delivers solid fundamentals at a low price. In our testing it came in at almost the same result as Kinsta, 30.55 ms, which is extraordinarily fast.
The "Single" plan gives you 50 GB of disk space, 100 GB of traffic, and WordPress optimization. Its in-house control panel, hPanel, also makes day-to-day site management straightforward even for beginners.
Pricing starts at $1.39 per month on annual billing, and you still get a 30-day money-back guarantee, free SSL, and 24-hour support.
Hostinger stood out for how thoughtful its support was and how easy its control panel was to use. When you factor in both speed and price, it is the true value champion.
[No. 2] XServer Business: outstanding stability for corporate sites
"
Xserver Business
" is the business-oriented platform from XServer Inc., the company behind Japan's No. 1 market-share hosting brand. It tied for No. 2 in our measurements. It is an especially strong candidate when migrating a corporate website, and server migration itself is free.
Through October 7, 2025: initial setup fees waived (normally 16,500 to 385,000 yen), plus free server migration support
Server type | Shared hosting / managed dedicated server (virtual type) / managed dedicated server (physical type) |
Speed (TTFB) | 40ms |
Recommended plan and term | Shared hosting Standard 12 months |
Trial / money-back guarantee | 10-day free trial |
Monthly price (12-month contract) | 2,926 yen |
Initial setup fee | 16,500 yen |
Free domain | 2 free forever |
Support | Phone and email (weekdays 10:00-18:00) |
Uptime | 99.99% guaranteed |
Storage | 700GB |
Number of databases | Unlimited |
Security measures | WAF / website tampering alerts / SECOM security diagnosis |
SSL | Free custom SSL / Cloud SSL / Speed Authentication SSL / Quick SSL Premium |
Backup / restore | 14-day automatic backup / free restore |
Email accounts | Unlimited |
Email security | Antivirus / spam filter / high-performance spam filter / POP over SSL / SMTP over SSL / IMAP over SSL / DKIM / DMARC |
Server / website migration service | fully managed free (first time only, up to 10 items) |
WordPress preinstall | Yes |
CDN | None |
XServer Business is a service focused on corporate use and guarantees 99.99% uptime. It uses third-generation AMD EPYC processors and 1 TB of NVMe SSD storage, providing roughly ten times the resources of standard XServer.
One distinctive feature is its configuration support service, which includes free assistance with server migration. Corporate essentials such as dedicated SSL certificates and website tampering detection also come standard.
Pricing starts at 3,762 yen per month on a 12-month contract, and phone support is available on weekdays from 10:00 to 18:00.
If you want the reassurance of a long-established domestic hosting company together with world-class speed, choose XServer Business. It is especially well suited to small and large businesses.
[No. 3] wpX Speed: remarkable performance built specifically for WordPress
"
wpX Speed
" is a cloud-based hosting service from ShinCloud. Its pay-as-you-go system starts at 2.2 yen per hour, so it is easy to begin with. Features such as reserved resources and automatic scale-up keep performance comfortable in a very cloud-like way.
14-day free trial
Server type | Shared hosting |
Speed (TTFB) | 40ms |
Recommended plan and term | W1 12 months |
Trial / money-back guarantee | 14 days |
Monthly price (12-month contract) | Hourly rate 2.2 yen*, up to 1,320 yen* |
Initial setup fee | Free |
Free domain | None |
Support | Phone and email (weekdays 10:00-18:00) |
Uptime | Undisclosed |
Storage | 200GB* |
Number of databases | Unlimited |
Security measures | WAF 、access restriction from foreign IP addresses、login attempt limits、bulk comment and trackback restriction、comment and trackback restriction from foreign IP addresses、 |
SSL | Free custom SSL L , custom SSL |
Backup / restore | 7-day automatic backup free, free restore |
Email accounts | Unlimited |
Email security | SMTP-AUTH、IMAP |
Server / website migration service | None |
WordPress preinstall | None |
CDN | None |
wpX Speed is a WordPress-only hosting service provided by XServer. Its acceleration stack combines all-SSD storage, HTTP/2, and FastCGI to deliver performance tuned specifically for WordPress.
One standout feature is its reverse proxy, which automatically caches static content and significantly reduces server load. It also has an auto-scaling function that expands resources automatically when traffic surges.
Pricing starts at 1,320 yen per month on a 12-month contract, and free SSL plus automatic backups are included by default.
I recommend wpX Speed for business homepages run by sole proprietors and small offices, as well as for affiliate sites. At this speed and this price, the value is outstanding.
[No. 4] Lolipop!: a fast host with outstanding value
"
LOLIPOP
" is a long-established and widely used hosting service available at a low price. Even with its 99.99% uptime, the Light plan that supports WordPress starts from a very low monthly cost, and every plan offers excellent value for money.
For corporations established less than one year ago through December 21: 12 months of the High-Speed plan free, one domain free forever on contracts of 12 months or longer, plus a 10-day free trial
Server type | Shared hosting |
Speed (TTFB) | 80ms |
Recommended plan and term | Light 12 months |
Trial / money-back guarantee | 10-day free trial |
Monthly price (12-month contract) | 495 yen |
Initial setup fee | Free |
Free domain | 1 free forever |
Support | chat, Email (weekdays 10:00-18:00) |
Uptime | 99.99% |
Storage | 350GB |
Number of databases | 50 |
Security measures | overseas attack guard, WAF, virus check |
SSL | Free custom SSL, custom SSL（Pro） |
Backup / restore | Backup none (Standard plan and below), 7-generation backup (paid) |
Email accounts | Unlimited |
Email security | POP/POP over SSL、IMAP/IMAP over SSL、SMTP/SMTP over SSL、spam filter |
Server / website migration service | 33,000 yen |
WordPress preinstall | Yes |
CDN | None |
Lolipop! is a long-established hosting service run by GMO Pepabo. Its renewed High-Speed plan introduced LiteSpeed Web Server and achieved roughly three times the speed of the previous environment.
On the technical side, integration with the LiteSpeed Cache plugin can greatly improve WordPress display speed. By using PHP in module mode, it can also process requests roughly ten times faster than the older CGI-based approach.
Pricing starts at 550 yen per month on a 36-month contract, making it highly approachable for personal blogs and small business sites.
Because Lolipop! is both inexpensive and fast, it is ideal if you want to launch a site at low cost, especially a personal blog. I myself started my very first WordPress blog on Lolipop!.
[No. 5] Star Rental Server: a high-performing hidden gem
"
Star Rental Server
" is a tremendous value host from Netowl that even lets you start for free. Despite being free, it is impressively fast and feature-rich. Its paid Light plan is also inexpensive, so it is easy to recommend to people focused on value.
10-day free trial for paid plans
Server type | Shared hosting |
Speed (TTFB) | 90ms |
Recommended plan and term | Free |
Trial / money-back guarantee | None |
Monthly price (12-month contract) | Free |
Initial setup fee | Free |
Free domain | None |
Support | None |
Uptime | Undisclosed |
Storage | 3GB |
Number of databases | 5 |
Security measures | WAF、login attempt limits、access restriction from foreign IP addresses、bulk comment and trackback restriction、comment and trackback restriction from foreign IP addresses |
SSL | Free custom SSL , optional custom SSL |
Backup / restore | None |
Email accounts | None |
Email security | Antivirus, spam filter, POP over SSL, SMTP over SSL, IMAP over SSL, DKIM, DMARC |
Server / website migration service | None ※WordPress migration tool available |
WordPress preinstall | Yes |
CDN | None |
Star Rental Server is operated by Netowl. Its high-speed plan combines nginx plus Apache, all-SSD storage, and HTTP/2 to achieve strong performance.
Its own acceleration feature automatically optimizes settings such as compression, browser caching, and Keep-Alive. The WordPress easy-install function also makes site creation straightforward for beginners.
Pricing starts at 550 yen per month on a 12-month contract, and free dedicated SSL plus automatic backups are available.
Star Rental Server is a free host, yet it produced results better than some paid high-speed hosts. It almost feels like price destruction.
[No. 6] Rakko Server: an optimized host built by an SEO company
"
Rakko Server
" is a hosting service that makes selling a site smooth and one-stop. If you think all the way through to the eventual end of a site, it is one of the easiest and most capable domestic services. It is inexpensive, easy for getting started with WordPress, and especially attractive for individual users.
30-day free trial
Server type | Shared hosting |
Speed (TTFB) | 120ms |
Recommended plan and term | RK1 12 months |
Trial / money-back guarantee | 30-day free trial |
Monthly price (12-month contract) | 440 yen |
Initial setup fee | Free |
Free domain | 1 free in the first year |
Support | Email (weekdays 10:00-19:00) |
Uptime | Undisclosed |
Storage | 100GB |
Number of databases | Unlimited |
Security measures | WAF、IPS/IDS |
SSL | Free custom SSL , custom SSL |
Backup / restore | 30-day automatic backup free, free restore |
Email accounts | Unlimited |
Email security | Email encryption, POP/POPS, SMTP/SMTPS, IMAP/IMAPS, virus check, spam filter, custom filter |
Server / website migration service | 16,500 yen |
WordPress preinstall | Yes |
CDN | None |
Rakko Server is offered by Rakko Inc., a company well known for SEO tools. Its combination of RapidSSL, LiteSpeed, and all-SSD storage helps build fast sites that are favorable from an SEO perspective.
It also offers WordPress auto-optimization, which can automatically handle image compression, CSS and JavaScript optimization, and cache configuration. Easy SSL setup makes certificate configuration possible with a single click.
Pricing starts at 385 yen per month on a 12-month contract, and integration with SEO tools such as Rakko Keyword is also available.
Rakko Server is already well known in the M&A world because the company is strong in website sales, but it is still relatively minor in hosting. Even so, it is unquestionably fast.
[No. 7] XServer: the proven performance behind Japan's largest market share
"
Xserver
" is a long-established high-speed host with the largest market share in Japan. It is popular with both individuals and businesses. It has very few real weaknesses, while offering stability, features, and support at a high level. With cashback, the effective monthly cost can be very attractive.
50% cashback through September 34, 2025, plus a 10-day free trial
Server type | Shared hosting |
Speed (TTFB) | 130ms |
Recommended plan and term | Standard 12 months |
Trial / money-back guarantee | 10-day free trial |
Monthly price (12-month contract) | 880 yen |
Initial setup fee | Free |
Free domain | 2 free forever |
Support | Phone, email, and chat (weekdays 10:00-18:00) |
Uptime | 99.99% |
Storage | 500GB |
Number of databases | Unlimited |
Security measures | website tampering alerts、SECOM security diagnosis、WAF , access restriction from foreign IP addresses, bulk comment and trackback restriction, comment and trackback restriction from foreign IP addresses, antivirus, spam filter, high-performance spam filter, |
SSL | Free custom SSL, optional custom SSL |
Backup / restore | 14-day automatic backup free, free restore |
Email accounts | Unlimited |
Email security | POP over SSL、SMTP over SSL、IMAP over SSL、DKIM、DMARC |
Server / website migration service | 33,000 yen |
WordPress preinstall | Yes |
CDN | None |
XServer is a long-established service that holds the No. 1 share of Japan's hosting market. With AMD EPYC processors, all-SSD storage, and HTTP/2 support, it delivers a stable and fast environment.
Its X10 plan gives you 300 GB of disk space, unlimited traffic, and unlimited MySQL. Features such as easy WordPress installation, automatic backup, and a web application firewall are also included as standard.
Pricing starts at 1,100 yen per month on a 12-month contract, and phone and email support are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
XServer is high quality in every respect, including speed. If you care about more than speed alone, XServer is an excellent choice.
[No. 8] mixhost: a next-generation host powered by overseas technologies
"
mixhost
" is a high-speed cloud hosting service from AzPocket. Because it also offers overseas server locations, it is especially appealing to individuals who want to publish to audiences abroad. WordPress is preinstalled when you sign up, so it is easy to get started.
Up to 55% off on the first contract, an additional 25% discount, and a 30-day money-back guarantee
Server type | Shared hosting / dedicated cloud server |
Speed (TTFB) | 150ms |
Recommended plan and term | Shared hosting Light 12 months |
Trial / money-back guarantee | 30-day money-back guarantee |
Monthly price (12-month contract) | 594 yen |
Initial setup fee | Free |
Free domain | 1 free forever |
Support | |
Uptime | 99.99% guaranteed |
Storage | 100GB |
Number of databases | Unlimited |
Security measures | WAF / DDoS attack protection / malware detection and removal |
SSL | Free custom SSL |
Backup / restore | Standard plan and above have 14-day automatic backup |
Email accounts | Unlimited |
Email security | — |
WordPress preinstall | Yes |
Server / website migration service | 10,890 yen |
CDN | None |
Data center | San Jose, U.S. West Coast |
mixhost is a next-generation hosting service that takes advantage of cloud server technology. By combining LiteSpeed Web Server, HTTP/3, and all-NVMe SSD storage, it can outperform many traditional shared hosting environments.
Technically, it uses CloudLinux to isolate resources completely so that you are not affected by other users. Integration with Cloudflare CDN also helps deliver fast access from around the world.
Pricing starts at 1,078 yen per month on a 12-month contract, and a 30-day money-back guarantee, free SSL, and automatic backups are included.
mixhost offers affordable cloud storage to hosting customers. On the other hand, its email functionality is relatively weak, such as limits on outgoing mail. For that reason, it is especially suitable for lean small businesses that want to move forward with digital transformation.
[No. 9] ConoHa WING: high speed backed by GMO's technical strength
"
ConoHa WING
" is a fast host from GMO Internet Group whose number of users continues to grow rapidly, and we use it ourselves. Because WordPress is preinstalled at the time of signup, anyone can start easily. The balance between cost and performance is good, and it is a service we actively use.
Up to 53% off server fees through August 5, 2025, two domains free forever, and the first month free
Server type | Shared hosting |
Speed (TTFB) | 160ms |
Recommended plan and term | Basic 12 months |
Trial / money-back guarantee | First month free |
Monthly price (12-month contract) | 971 yen |
Initial setup fee | Free |
Free domain | 2 free forever |
Support | Phone, email, and chat (weekdays 10:00-18:00) |
Uptime | 99.99% guaranteed |
Storage | 300GB |
Number of databases | Unlimited |
Security measures | WAF / directory access restriction / IP access restriction / vulnerability assessment (Net de Diagnosis) / spam comment and trackback restriction / overseas comment and trackback restriction / overseas access restriction |
SSL | Free SSL / Alpha SSL / Quick Authentication SSL / Organization Validation SSL / EV SSL |
Backup / restore | 14-day automatic backup / free restore |
Email accounts | Unlimited |
Email security | virus check / spam email filter |
Server / website migration service | WordPress migration service from 7,678 yen migration tool available free |
WordPress preinstall | Yes |
CDN | None |
ConoHa WING is a hosting service provided by GMO Internet Group. Its proprietary WEXAL technology is designed to improve page display speed, and the service markets itself as the fastest in Japan.
The Basic plan offers 300 GB of SSD storage, unlimited traffic, and free SSL. Its own control panel also makes server operations intuitive.
Pricing starts at 1,089 yen per month on a 12-month contract, and WordPress migration support plus automatic backups are included by default.
ConoHa WING offers a rich set of AI tools. It can make it easier for beginners to continue blogging and to turn their sites into a source of revenue.
[No. 10] ColorfulBox: speed improved through regional optimization
"
ColorfulBox
" is a reassuring hosting service known for its strong regional backup system. With eight plans available, you can choose the right level of performance without waste. It is also one of the few hosts that offers 24-hour support.
Up to 50% off server fees through August 31, 2025, up to 10,000 yen in Amazon gift cards, and a 30-day free trial
Server type | Shared hosting |
Key feature | Many plans |
Speed (TTFB) | 190ms |
Recommended plan and term | BOX1 12 months |
Trial / money-back guarantee | 30-day money-back guarantee |
Monthly price (12-month contract) | 638 yen |
Initial setup fee | Free |
Free domain | None |
Support | Business hours: weekdays 09:30-12:00, 13:00-17:30 Phone（24-hour reception） , callback (BOX7 and above), chat, LINE, Email |
Uptime | Undisclosed |
Storage | 200GB |
Number of databases | Unlimited |
Security measures | WAF, IPS, IDS, virus scan, SiteLock (paid) |
SSL | Free SSL, custom SSL, shared SSL |
Backup / restore | 14-day region-based automatic backup free, free restore |
Email accounts | Unlimited |
Email security | Email encryption, POP/POPS / SMTP/SMTPS, IMAP/IMAPS, virus check, spam filter, custom filter |
WordPress preinstall | Yes |
Server / website migration service | Free |
CDN | 440 yen~ |
ColorfulBox operates data centers in both the Kansai and Kanto regions. With LiteSpeed Web Server, HTTP/3, and all-NVMe SSD storage, it is designed for high speed.
One of its distinctive features is regional optimization, which serves content from the most appropriate data center based on the visitor's location. Its automatic backup system keeps 14 days of data and makes recovery straightforward.
Pricing starts at 638 yen per month on a 12-month contract, and a 30-day money-back guarantee, free SSL, and phone support are available.
With ColorfulBox, you can choose whether your region is Tokyo or Osaka. That makes it particularly appealing for local blogs and other sites whose visitors are concentrated in a specific area.
[No. 11] Shin Rental Server: XServer's new brand
"
Shin Rental Server
" is a fast hosting service from ShinCloud. Its approachable pricing works well even for individuals, and it also runs regular campaigns, so signup timing can matter.
50% cashback through August 6, 2025, plus a 10-day free trial
Server type | Shared hosting |
Speed (TTFB) | 200ms |
Recommended plan and term | Basic 12 months |
Trial / free period | 10-day free trial |
Monthly price (12-month contract) | 880 yen |
Initial setup fee | Free |
Free domain | 1 free forever |
Support | Phone and email (weekdays 10:00-18:00) |
Uptime | Undisclosed |
Storage | 700GB |
Number of databases | Unlimited |
Security measures | SECOM security diagnosis, WAF, ads.txt, login attempt limits, access restriction from foreign IP addresses, bulk comment and trackback restriction, comment and trackback restriction from foreign IP addresses, antivirus, spam filter, |
SSL | Free custom SSL, optional custom SSL |
Backup / restore | 14-day automatic backup free, free restore |
Email accounts | Unlimited |
Email security | POP over SSL、SMTP over SSL、IMAP over SSL、DKIM、DMARC |
Server / website migration service | None |
WordPress preinstall | Yes |
CDN | None |
Shin Rental Server is a new brand launched by XServer. With AMD EPYC processors, all-NVMe SSD storage, and HTTP/2 support, it delivers a fast environment with especially strong cost performance.
Its Basic plan offers 300 GB of disk space, unlimited traffic, and unlimited MySQL. It combines the operational know-how of XServer with pricing that reflects its status as a newer service.
Pricing starts at 770 yen per month on a 12-month contract, and free SSL, automatic backup, and easy WordPress installation are included by default.
[No. 12] Little Server: a lightweight host for small websites
"
Little Server
" is a budget hosting service. Excluding free hosts, it is one of the cheapest options for individuals, and it still uses NVMe SSD storage to pursue better speed.
Initial setup fee waived through September 30, 2025, 20% off the Little plan, and a 20-day free trial
Server type | Shared hosting |
Speed (TTFB) | 200ms |
Recommended plan and term | Mini 12 months |
Trial / money-back guarantee | 20-day free trial |
Monthly price (12-month contract) | 165 yen |
Initial setup fee | 920 yen |
Free domain | None |
Support | Email（Business hoursUndisclosed） |
Uptime | Undisclosed |
Storage | 20GB |
Number of databases | 3 |
Security measures | IMP |
SSL | Free SSL, custom SSL (Little plan and above) |
Backup / restore | 7-day automatic backup free, free restore |
Email accounts | Unlimited |
Email security | spam filter |
Server / website migration service | None |
WordPress preinstall | Yes |
CDN | None |
Little Server is a hosting service specialized for small websites. With SSD storage, HTTP/2, and PHP 8.2 support, it offers a lightweight but still fast environment.
Its WordPress plan applies WordPress-specific optimization so plugins run smoothly as well. The easy-install feature also lowers the barrier for beginners.
Pricing starts at 250 yen per month on a 12-month contract, making it ideal for personal blogs and hobby sites.
[No. 13] Core Server: a balanced choice focused on value
"
Core Server
" is a fast host run by GMO Digirock. It offers the affordable V1 plans for individual users as well as the more comfort-oriented V2 plans, so it is easier to find a fit across a wide range of needs.
Through August 31, 2025: one free co.jp domain plus 12 months of V2 server fees free, no initial fee, and a 30-day free trial
Server type | Shared hosting |
Speed (TTFB) | 210ms |
Recommended plan and term | CORE-MINI 12-month contract |
Trial / money-back guarantee | 30-day free trial |
Monthly price (12-month contract) | 264 yen |
Initial setup fee | Free |
Free domain | None |
Support | Business hours: 10:00-12:00,13:00-17:00 Phone callback (CORE-B, CORE-C, CORE-Z), Email, chat |
Uptime | Undisclosed |
Storage | 250GB |
Number of databases | 10 |
Security measures | WAF、IPS/IDS |
SSL | FreeSSL |
Backup / restore | 15-generation backup free, free restore |
Email accounts | 200 |
Email security | POP/POPS, SMTP/SMTPS, IMAP/IMAPS, virus check, spam filter, DKIM/DMARC |
WordPress preinstall | None |
Server / website migration service | None |
CDN | None |
Core Server is a hosting service operated by GMO Digirock. With SSD storage, HTTP/2, and PHP 8.2 support, it offers balanced performance.
The CORE-A plan provides 200 GB of disk space, unlimited traffic, and unlimited MySQL. Easy WordPress installation and automatic backup are included as standard features.
Pricing starts at 528 yen per month on a 12-month contract, and free SSL plus phone support are available.
[No. 14] DreamHost: the steady reliability of a long-established overseas brand
“
DreamHost
” is a hosting company based in Los Angeles. One of its strongest attractions is its exceptionally long 97-day money-back guarantee. For an overseas host, that long trial window offers a great deal of reassurance, and pricing remains approachable as well.
97-day money-back guarantee
Server type | Shared hosting |
Speed (TTFB) | 400ms |
Recommended plan and term | WordPress Starter 1 year |
Trial / money-back guarantee | 97-day money-back guarantee |
Monthly price (12-month contract) | US$2.95 (432 yen) |
Initial setup fee | Free |
Free domain | 1 free for 3 months |
Support | 24/7 chat、Email、Phone callback |
Uptime | 100% |
Storage | 50GB |
Number of databases | 6 |
SSL | FreeSSL |
Backup | Available |
Email accounts | None |
Email security | None |
Server / website migration service | None |
WordPress preinstall | None |
CDN | None |
Data center | Ashburn, Virginia, United States, Hillsboro, Oregon, United States |
DreamHost is a long-established U.S. hosting service founded in 1997. With SSD storage, HTTP/2, and PHP 8.2 support, it offers good performance for an overseas provider.
Its Shared Starter plan gives you 50 GB of disk space, unlimited traffic, and WordPress optimization. As an officially recommended WordPress.com server, it also works especially well with WordPress.
Pricing starts at $2.59 per month on annual billing, and you get a 97-day money-back guarantee, free SSL, and 24-hour support.
[No. 15] Bluehost: the officially recommended WordPress host
“
Bluehost
” is a globally recognized hosting company headquartered in Florida. It is trusted as one of the services officially recommended by WordPress, and despite its quality, pricing remains accessible.
30-day money-back guarantee
Server type | Shared hosting |
Speed (TTFB) | 420ms |
Recommended plan and term | Basic 12 months |
Trial / money-back guarantee | 30-day money-back guarantee |
Monthly price (12-month contract) | US$2.95 (432 yen) |
Initial setup fee | Free |
Free domain | 1 free in the first year |
Support | 24/7 chat |
Uptime | 100% |
Storage | 10GB |
Number of databases | 10 |
Security measures | malware scan、SiteLock |
SSL | Free custom SSL |
Backup / restore | None |
Email accounts | None |
Email security | None |
Server / website migration service | None |
WordPress preinstall | None |
CDN | Free |
Data center | Utah, United States, Orem, United States, London, UK, Shanghai, China, Hong Kong, Mumbai, India |
Bluehost is an officially recommended hosting service on WordPress.org. With SSD storage, HTTP/2, and PHP 8.2 support, it offers performance optimized for WordPress.
Its Basic plan includes 50 GB of disk space, unlimited traffic, and easy WordPress installation. Bluehost’s own WordPress dashboard also makes site management simple for beginners.
Pricing starts at $2.95 per month on annual billing, and a 30-day money-back guarantee, free SSL, and 24-hour support are included.
[No. 16] Sakura Rental Server: trusted stability from a long-standing brand
"
Sakura Rental Server
" is a long-established service with more than 480,000 active accounts. It used to have a reputation for being slow, but recent server renewals have made it faster, while its affordable pricing has remained unchanged.
14-day free trial
Server type | Shared hosting |
Speed (TTFB) | 440ms |
Recommended plan and term | Standard 12 months |
Trial / money-back guarantee | 14-day free trial |
Monthly price (12-month contract) | 550 yen |
Initial setup fee | Free |
Free domain | None |
Support | Business hours: 10:00-18:00 Phone callback booking, chat, Email (reply on the same day or by the next business day) |
Uptime | 99.99% |
Storage | 300GB |
Number of databases | Unlimited |
Security measures | website tampering alerts (paid), WAF, foreign IP address filtering, anti-relay measures, encryption, |
SSL | Free shared SSL, custom SSL |
Backup / restore | 8-generation backups free, free restore |
Email accounts | Unlimited |
Email security | POP3, IMAP4, virus check, basic spam email filter, high-accuracy spam email filter |
WordPress preinstall | None |
Server / website migration service | None |
CDN | 100GB per month free |
Sakura Rental Server is a long-established host founded in 1996. With SSD storage, HTTP/2, and PHP 8.2 support, it provides stable performance.
Its Standard plan includes 300 GB of disk space, unlimited traffic, and 50 MySQL databases. Sakura's own control panel also gives you detailed control over server settings.
Pricing starts at 524 yen per month on annual billing, and you get a two-week free trial, free SSL, and phone support.
[No. 17] Namecheap: an affordable host from a domain specialist
“
Namecheap
” is a domain registrar based in Phoenix, Arizona, and it also provides hosting. As the name suggests, pricing is low, and for WordPress hosting it has built a separate EasyWP brand aimed at providing comfort beyond the price point.
30-day free trial
Server type | Shared hosting |
Speed (TTFB) | 440ms |
Recommended plan and term | EasyWP Starter 1 year |
Trial / money-back guarantee | 30-day money-back guarantee |
Monthly price (12-month contract) | US$2.98 (437 yen) |
Initial setup fee | Free |
Free domain | None |
Support | 24/7 chat |
Uptime | 99.9% |
Storage | 10GB |
Number of databases | 1 |
SSL | FreeSSL |
Backup | Yes |
Email accounts | None |
Email security | None |
Server / website migration service | None |
WordPress preinstall | None |
CDN | Free |
Data center | Phoenix Arizona United States、Timisoara Midlands UK、Amsterdam Netherlands |
Namecheap is a hosting service offered by a U.S. company famous for domain registration. With SSD storage, HTTP/2, and PHP 8.2 support, it delivers solid baseline performance.
Its Stellar plan includes 20 GB of disk space, unlimited traffic, and WordPress optimization. Integration with its domain registration business also makes centralized management easy.
Pricing starts at $1.58 per month on annual billing, and a 30-day money-back guarantee, free SSL, and 24-hour support are available.
Important points you must not overlook besides speed
The truth about server stability and uptime
A hosting service's uptime is a critical metric directly connected to business continuity. Many providers advertise “99.9% uptime,” but actual measured results still vary.
An uptime of 99.9% means 8.76 hours of downtime per year, while 99.99% means 52.56 minutes. For ecommerce sites, even one hour of downtime can mean tens or hundreds of thousands of yen in lost sales, so a difference of 0.09% still matters.
★
A Beginner's Guide to Understanding Rental Server Uptime and SLAs
Support quality
You can confirm support coverage by checking whether phone, email, or chat support is available and at what times. But the actual quality of support only becomes clear once you use the service.
Personally, I found the support from Kinsta, ColorfulBox, Namecheap, and Hostinger especially courteous and quick.
How complete the security measures really are
Website security is a crucial element that directly affects business reliability. We evaluated each server's security capabilities from the following viewpoints:
Main security checkpoints:
Whether a web application firewall (WAF) is provided
How DDoS protection is implemented
How often automatic backups run and how long they are stored
What type of SSL certificates are supported and how easy they are to configure
What firewall configuration options are available
With attacks on WordPress increasing in recent years, it is also an important evaluation point to see how each service responds to those threats.
Recommended by use case: the right server for you
For corporate websites and business sites
For corporate sites, stability and reliability matter most. Because downtime can damage a company's credibility, you should choose a server that satisfies the following conditions:
Recommended services:
XServer Business: business-oriented features and a 99.99% uptime guarantee
Kinsta: overwhelming enterprise-grade performance
Sakura Rental Server: the stability and strong support of a major domestic provider
Key selection criteria:
A guaranteed uptime of 99.99% or higher
Reliable and courteous support
Automatic backup functionality (at least once per day)
Free dedicated SSL certificates
A strong business email feature set
For personal blogs and affiliate sites
For personal blogs, cost performance and WordPress speed matter most. Taking SEO into account as well, the following services are especially suitable:
Recommended services:
Lolipop!: the strongest value for money
ConoHa WING: AI-focused optimization features
XServer: high performance at a reasonable price
Key selection criteria:
A monthly price range of roughly 500 to 1,000 yen
Easy WordPress installation
Support for LiteSpeed Web Server
Free dedicated SSL certificates
Unlimited traffic
For ecommerce sites and online stores
For ecommerce sites, speed and safety connect directly to revenue. Stable payment processing is also a major factor:
Recommended services:
Kinsta: top-level security and speed performance
XServer Business: business-focused security features and comfortable speed
wpX Speed: consistently ultra-fast and stable with automatic scaling
Key selection criteria:
SSL certificates, ideally including EV SSL
Security aligned with PCI DSS requirements
Fast database processing
Automatic backups that run multiple times per day
24-hour monitoring systems
For media sites with high traffic
Media sites that handle large numbers of visits require scalability and stability above all:
Recommended services:
XServer Business: strong backbone infrastructure and excellent tolerance for high traffic
wpX Speed: automatic scaling for traffic spikes
mixhost: the flexibility of a cloud-based server
Key selection criteria:
Unlimited traffic
CDN functionality included as standard
Automatic scaling features
High-performance CPUs and memory
Reverse proxy caching
The seven rules for choosing hosting without regret in 2025
1. Clarify your purpose before choosing. The required features differ greatly depending on whether you are building a personal blog, a corporate site, or an ecommerce business. Too much performance becomes wasted cost, while too little may force migration later.
2. Compare annual cost rather than initial fees. Many providers run campaigns that waive setup fees, but what matters is the total yearly cost. Be sure to factor in discounts based on contract length as well.
3. Always make use of the free trial period. Most hosts offer a free trial of around two weeks to 30 days. It is important to actually build a site and confirm the usability of the control panel and the real speed.
4. Check how complete the support system is. When technical problems occur, quick support matters. Confirm in advance whether phone support exists, what the hours are, and how strong the Japanese-language support really is.
5. Automatic backups are essential. Manual backups are easy to forget, and that can become critical when problems occur. Choose a server with automatic backups and make sure you understand the recovery process.
6. Think about future expansion. As your site grows, you may need to move to a higher plan. Confirm whether expansion is possible within the same service and how easy migration is.
7. Check support for the latest technologies. Support for HTTP/3, PHP 8.3, LiteSpeed Web Server, and other modern technologies affects long-term performance. It also matters whether the provider updates its platform regularly.
Practical tricks for making your site even faster
How to make your site dramatically faster with a CDN
A CDN (Content Delivery Network) places servers around the world and serves content from the server closest to the user. With correct configuration, it can improve display speed by 30% to 50%.
Major CDN services:
Cloudflare (free plan available)
AWS CloudFront (pay-as-you-go pricing)
Google Cloud CDN (for Google Cloud users)
In practice, setup mainly involves changing your DNS to the CDN provider and optimizing cache settings. In particular, setting long cache lifetimes for image files and CSS/JavaScript files can create major speed gains.
★
What Is a CDN? Improve Speed and Performance with a Network of Servers
Modern image optimization techniques
Optimizing image files, which often account for the largest share of a website's weight, is one of the most important parts of improving speed.
Effective optimization methods:
Use WebP format: reduce file size by roughly 25% to 35% compared with JPEG
Use responsive images: deliver the most appropriate image size for the visitor's device
Enable lazy loading: delay loading images that are outside the initial viewport
Optimize compression levels: balance image quality and file size
In WordPress, plugins such as "EWWW Image Optimizer" and "Smush" can automate much of this optimization work.
★
Five WordPress Plugins for Dramatic Speed Gains and Additional Performance Improvements
Best practices for caching
If cache settings are configured properly, server load can be reduced significantly and display speed can improve substantially.
Types of cache and configuration points:
Browser cache: temporarily stores files in the visitor's browser, often configured in .htaccess
Server cache: caches dynamic content on the server side
Database cache: temporarily stores database query results
Object cache: temporarily stores WordPress objects in memory
With LiteSpeed Web Server or Nginx, even more advanced caching is possible, and correct configuration can produce speed improvements of 50% to 80%.
★
What Is Cache? Use Temporary Data Storage to Speed Up Websites
Summary: the final conclusion on truly fast hosting
As a result of this verification, we confirmed that the fastest hosting service in 2025 is
Kinsta
. Its overwhelming performance, with an average response time below 200 ms and an LCP value below 1.5 seconds, can easily justify the investment for corporate sites and high-traffic sites.
That said, if you take value for money and ease of use into account, Hostinger is the service I recommend most.
Key selection standard: what matters most in choosing a hosting service is selecting one that supports both your current needs and future growth. Look beyond low initial fees and evaluate support quality, security features, and scalability in a balanced way.
The 2025 trend: Core Web Vitals will matter even more, and support for new technologies such as HTTP/3, WebP images, and LiteSpeed Web Server will become essential. Take the long view and choose a hosting service that can keep up with technological change.