Updated on July 11th, 2025
As some of you know, I have switched my blog to self-hosted, and I wanted to share my experience with going self-hosted as well as the theme and plugins I use.
*This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through my links, but there is no extra cost to you.
Why Did I Go Self-Hosted?
I have been blogging for over 7 years now. I had the Premium WordPress plan, which is $8 per month if there is no discount. My plan was ending at the end of August, and since I have been doing regular sponsored posts as well as earning some money from ads, I figured it was time to go self-hosted. I also wanted more control over my blog because I could only make limited changes with the WordPress plan. I could only choose themes from WordPress, and I could not use any plugins. Also, I could only use WordAds as an advertising network, and I wanted to try out others.
Why Did I Choose Lyrical Host?
I have looked into going self-hosted for a while now, but I never made the jump because I did not know what host to go with. I first looked at Bluehost since it seemed like a lot of bloggers and website owners were using it, and the price was cheap for the basic plan ($3 a month for a 12 month plan or $5 a month for a 36 month plan), but when the plan ended they would charge you the full price of $11 per month. Also, I have heard they try to upsell their services, and they do not have the best customer service especially if you have bigger problems such as your blog being down.
I then looked into SiteGround, but again the first year would be cheap ($3.99 a month), but then the price would increase to $14.99 a month. And again, I have read a lot of issues with SiteGround with a more recent issue being that Google cannot crawl sites hosted by SiteGround and pages are being deindexed. After reading more about Bluehost and SiteGround, I put off going self-hosted.
Then I started hearing about Lyrical Host from bloggers. Lyrical Host has affordable pricing, and they never increase the price once you buy a plan. Lyrical Host also has free migration for all websites and they have a blogging resource library and monthly stock photos, which I thought was a nice benefit. A great thing they also do is they will plant a tree on your Lyrical Host anniversary to offset carbon emissions. On Trustpilot, Lyrical Host does not have a ton of reviews, but all of the reviews are positive. Compared to Bluehost, more than half of the reviews on the first page are negative.
I ended up choosing Lyrical Host because they do all the technical stuff for you so you can focus on blogging. They will do the migration, install themes, do automatic daily backups, renew the SLL certificate, update WordPress, do malware scans and cleaning, do a speed analysis, and more. You can also purchase 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years plans. With the Tiny plan, you can host one WordPress website, and the 1 month plan is the most expensive whereas you save 10-15% with the other plans. I do like having those options because you do not feel like you have to go with a 2-year plan to save the most money. I went with the 6 months plan to start, but I know I will be renewing my plan.
Here is the cost breakdown for the plans with the Tiny plan:
- 1 month: £13.99 / $19.28
- 6 months: £75.50 / $104.05 (£12.58 / $17.34 per month)
- 1 year: £142.69 / $196.66 (£11.89 / $16.38 per month)
- 2 years: £285.39 / $393.25 (£11.90 / $16.38 per month)
You can also use the discount code TALES10 to save 10% on any of their plans, which would bring the cost down to $14.75 a month for the 1-year and 2-year plans.
How was the Migration?
I have read dreaded migration stories, but I was determined to finally switch to being self-hosted. I booked my free migration for Friday, August 20th at 1 PM. Beforehand, I followed the steps of sending a support ticket to confirm my migration with my website URL, current host, and login details. I received a reply back right away to confirm my time and also some information on how the process will go.
On August 20th right at 1 PM, I received an email, and I had to create a new admin account and share the login details. Afterward, I was asked to share the verification code so they can log in. They then asked about my theme since the Penscratch 2 theme I was using was not available on the version of WordPress.org so I went with Penscratch. If I had purchased or picked a different theme, they would have installed it for me instead. They then confirmed if I was happy to begin the migration, and I confirmed. It took about 20 minutes of back and forth to set everything up for the migration.
There was no downtime with my blog, and I could still access everything, but I did not make any changes or work on any posts as those would not transfer over. At 9 PM, I asked for an update, and I was given an estimate that the migration was 65% done. I went to bed, and they sent me a message for a verification code, but it was expired by the time I woke up, so I sent them a new verification code, but there was a bug with them logging in, so they would try later. On Sunday, they finished importing all the content, and they were working on the theme customization and widgets.
On Monday morning, the migration was completely finished. I double-checked the layout, and the sidebar was missing my social media icons and there were a ton of lines, so they made these changes and my site was published. At this point, I got a privacy error on my blog, but that was just because the SSL certificate was being activated, and shortly after I was able to access my blog with no issues. There were a few hiccups along the way and it did take a while for my blog to be migrated, but I did not have to deal with the technical side of the migration, which was a relief for me.
How is Lyrical Host’s Customer Service?
One thing I love about Lyrical Host is that their customer service is quick to help. I received help from both Joseph and Gareth, and they were kind, professional, and supportive. After the migration was finished on Monday, I noticed the next day that many of the images in my posts were missing and showing a broken image icon. I sent a support ticket, and it was quickly resolved and my images were back.
Another issue I had was when I first published a new post on my self-hosted blog, it did not show up on mobile devices. I could find the post by searching for it on my phone, but it would not show up on my home page even after I cleared the browser cache. I sent a ticket, and they quickly replied that I needed to clear my blog’s cache on StackCache so mobile devices would be forced to get a new copy of my blog. The solution worked perfectly, and since then, I have only had this issue happen one other time, but luckily I knew what to do. I have not had any issues with my blog since then, but it is great knowing that if I encounter any problems, Lyrical Host is there to help.
What Theme Do I Use?
I have been using the free Penscratch theme since I started my blog in 2016, and then I used Penscratch 2, which is an updated version. I thought it would be nice to have a new theme for my blog, but I did not have a theme picked out when my migration was scheduled. Shortly afterward, I found one from 17th Avenue. 17th Avenue has premium and simple WordPress themes, and the simple themes were more within my budget, and I went with the Willow Theme, which is $49. The theme was easy for me to install using the theme documentation on 17th Avenue including installing the Genesis Framework, installing the Willow child theme, customizing the theme, and installing plugins, but Lyrical Host can install themes for you if would like.
When you purchase a theme from 17th Avenue, you will receive the Genesis Framework and the child theme. Also, all the themes come with lifetime support, so if you ever have any issues or questions about your theme, you can contact their support center. I had a question about the social media icons used for the theme, and they quickly answered my question. It is good knowing that if I ever encounter any issues or I have any more questions about the theme, they can help.
What Plugins Do I Use?
When I started looking into going self-hosted, I kept a list of plugins that I saw other bloggers using. When my blog was migrated to Lyrical Host, I tried out a variety of plugins, and these are the ones I currently use. Also, all the plugins I currently use are free versions.
- Akismet Anti-Spam – this plugin filters comments and prevents spam comments from being posted
- Jetpack – this plugin was used to transfer my followers from WordPress.com to WordPress.org. I currently use Jetpack for my contact form and to show the social sharing icons and related posts at the end of my posts
- Link Whisper – it is recommended to add 1-3 internal links in each post you write, and this plugin shows suggested posts to link to based on phrases in your post. You then you can copy the link and add it if it is a good fit
- Recipe Card Blocks – I occasionally share recipes on my blog, and I wanted an easy plugin to use that would allow my recipes to be shared and printed
- Site Kit by Google – I first used this plugin because I wanted to try out Google Adsense and it would be easier to integrate the ads. I have since stopped using Google Adsense, but it is beneficial to see the analytics on my blog without being overwhelmed by all the information on Google Analytics
- Smush – this plugin improves site speed by compressing images without affecting the image quality. With the free version, you can bulk-compress 50 images at a time, which is fine with me
- StackCache – this plugin is used by Lyrical Host to cache my blog and improve performance
- Wordfence Security – even though Lyrical Host does monitor my blog and identifies any malware issues, I thought it would be good to have a security plugin on my end. The plugin does security scans and prevents login break-ins
- Yoast SEO – I think this plugin was the one I was most excited to use. Yoast SEO makes it easier to integrate SEO into your posts by making sure you have a keyword and use the keyword throughout your post, and you have headings, internal and outbound links, and a meta description for your post. The plugin also comes with a Readability checker which checks for long paragraphs, subheadings, consecutive sentences, and more
I would love to go self-hosted. I’m going to bookmark this post. I’m scared to migrate my site though.
Don’t be scared! With Lyrical Host, they handle the migration for you so you don’t have to worry about it. Then the only issue I had (pictures missing after migration) was quickly fixed by them.
This was such an informative post. I’ve been thinking about upgrading to the WordPress Business plan in order to get more control and access to plugins. But now I’m wondering if it is better to go self-hosted. Lyrical Host sounds like the way to go if I go that route because I am not great at the technical stuff either. What to do, what to do?
Love your theme by the way.
Thank you! As I said in a reply on Twitter, the business plan is almost $10 more expensive a month plus you’re still resticted on what plugins you can use! Whereas if you’re self-hosted, you’re free to do whatever you want & Lyrical Host takes over all the technical stuff so you don’t have to worry about it
I recently moved away from Yoast and use Rank Math instead! Also jet pack was slowing my site down so I got rid of that too and just use GA for my stats!
Corinne x
I’ve heard about Rank Math so I’ll have to give it a try!
Yes I know there was a problem with Jetpack slowing down sites. I already use GA, but what plugin do you use for the social media sharing buttons? Also can people still follow your blog if you don’t have Jetpack?
I am in WordPress business plan since I wanted to be able to add whatever plugging I needed and actually did not have much time to look into it deeper. This was definitely an interesting read and something to have in mind for the future. Thank you!
No problem! I had the premium plan for a while, and it was not that great since I couldn’t do much. The business plan is better than the other plans, but it’s $25 a month whereas self-hosting is a lot cheaper & you have full control over your blog. I do recommend thinking about going self-hosted in the future.
Really helpful post! I’m using the WordPress business plan. It’s expensive but it was the ways cop-out! I use mostly all the same plugins as you, Smush is very handy! And I love Yoast too for keeping me on track with the basics of SEO 🙂 xx
Thank you! The business plan is expensive & going self-hosted is much cheaper plus I feel like I have full control over my blog.
Yes I agree about Smush & Yoast!
This is something I have wanted to do, but am waiting until I can afford to. But going self-hosted is something I would love to do!
Thank you for sharing.
Lauren
No problem! I do recommend waiting since it is a bit pricey, but I hope you can go self-hosted sometime in the future!
£13.99 a month is surprisingly expensive for a blog. I’m not sure I’d be willing to pay that much when there are free plugins that will do a lot of what you’re paying for. How come you stopped using Google AdSense?
Yes it is a bit expensive, but luckily that’s only if you go for 1 month & they have sales & discount codes. Going self-hosted is not for everyone, but I think it’s worth it
I felt like there were way too many ads even when I limited them. There would be several in my post & sidebar, tons in the comment section, etc. Even with all the ads, I stuck with it for a little over 2 months & I made less than $3. When I had Word Ads with the premium WordPress plan, I made around $10, sometimes less than that, a month.
Thank you for sharing your experience with self-hosting. I went with BH because it seemed as though every blogger was recommending them. I’ve had a lot of troubles along the way regarding my site being down at random times. I’m glad I’m aware of LH I’ll definitely have to make the switch in the future!
You’re welcome! I’m sorry to hear you’ve been having a lot of problems with BH. I feel like a lot of bloggers are recommending BH because they have a good referall program, but when you actually read about people’s experiences, they’re not that good. I definitely recommend LH since they are catered to bloggers & I haven’t had any issues because the small ones I mentioned
When I do finally make the move to go self hosted Lyrical Host will be the host I go with. Glad to read a great positive review!
Will also bookmark this page for the recommended plug ins!
Olivia | http://www.lustforlifeliv.wordpress.com
That’s great to hear you’ll go with Lyrical Host! Their customer service is so helpful & I love all their blogging resources
I have my migration booked for tonight and I’m really happy I read this post because I had no idea what to expect and now I have a better idea. I’ve also gone with lyrical host because they seem to make it so simple, I’m very new to blogging so every day is a learning day for me! Thank you for sharing your experience!
That’s exciting you booked your migration for tonight! That’s also great you went with LH! They do make everything so simple & if you have any questions or issues, their customer service is amazing!
Okay I’m saving this because it is so helpful. This has been something I need to do for soooo long, one day I’ll make the switch but I suppose it’s the knowing what and when to do it that has stopped me. What a fab post xx
Thank you! I didn’t know when the right time was either so I just kept putting it off until now. Plus I was a bit nervous with the whole migration, but it went pretty well!
Having a good, reliable customer service is the biggest bonus.
I completely agree! You want to be helped with any issue you have & that’s how Lyrical Host is!
I’ve been with LH for 3 months now and I love being self-hosted so much! The freedom! Their customer service is out of this world, Joseph and Gareth are tech-wizards, aren’t they? Thanks for sharing your experience 🙂
That’s awesome you’re self-hosted with Lyrical Host too! I love having full control over my blog & yes they’re tech-wizards!
Yay, welcome to the LH family, they are amazing! The support is incredible, I swear they never sleep. Your theme looks lovely too – I will have to head over to 17th Avenue, I’ve heard really good things about their themes too. Glad your migration journey was a success 🙂
Thank you! I agree LH is amazing & I love the 17th Avenue themes!
Lovely theme! I migrated a few years back but have used LyricalHost more recently for a domain change and they were super helpful, definitely a good service to invest in.
Thank you! That’s great they were able to help you with a domain change!
I’ve heard of Lyrical host before too, but I ended up going with Dreamhost. I’ve been really happy with them so far. After my initial research, I would suggest anyone who wants to go self-hosted stay away from Bluehost, they seem to have more negative opinions. But congrats for taking the leap!
That’s great you’re happy with Dreamhost & I completetly agree with staying away Bluehost!
Thanks!
If I was to migrate over to WordPress, I would definitely go down the route of Lyrical Host as I have heard incredible things about them! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Lyrical Host is great especially since they are geared towards bloggers & includes resources to help!
This is such a educational and interesting post! I’m not brilliant with things like this, I literally use WordPress but after reading this I’m defiantly going to look into going self-hosted! Thank you so much for sharing Xo
Elle – ellegracedeveson.com
Thank you! I recommend going self-hosted if you want more control over your blog & being able to use plugins is great. Also, I saw that you’ve been blogging for about as long as me so I would consider looking into it.
We are with Lyrical Host too and we cannot agree more to everything you said here Karalee! They are brilliant indeed x
That’s awesome you’re with Lyrical Host too! They are great!
I self host with Lyrical Host and I completely agree their customer service is amazing and very quick! Thank you for sharing the plug-ins you use, I currently use the Yoast and Jetpack will look into the others too. Thank you!
That’s great you self host with Lyrical Host too! You’re welcome! I hope you’ll find the plug-ins useful
My only issue with Lyrical Host is the inability to easily leave comments. It’s not impossible but they make readers jump through hoops to find the comment button on WP reader. I have to click around until I find it. I just wanted to bring that to your attention!
I only know that there is a way around this because so many times I have given up leaving comments on blogs that use Lyrical Host, and after clicking on a million things I was able to find the comment feature at last.
I didn’t know there was an issue with leaving comments in the WP Reader, so thank you for bringing that to my attention. I checked the Reader in the app, and there is the banner at the bottom that has the comment button, but not on desktop.
I can leave comments from my phone but it’s not easy, and half the time it doesn’t let me. I still can’t seem to add comments from my desktop.
Out of curiosity, I wonder if this will affect the stats on your blog, regarding engagement levels and whatnot 🤔
That’s weird & yea I looked at the Reader on desktop & there are a lot of blogs I follow that don’t have the comment button.
After your first comment, I checked Google Analytics & only 3% of my views come from the Reader so I don’t think it’ll have that big of an impact. I know when I first started my blog, the Reader was my main source for views & engagement, but now most of my views are from search engines & social media.
I do appreciate you leaving a comment on my blog even with the extra challenges!
That makes sense! Wow, only 3% comes from the reader?! That’s crazy! I think 98% of my views come from my reader. I always wondered how successful bloggers got traffic. It makes sense that they are getting traffic from lots of different places. I’m still new and rely so heavily on the reader.
I guess there’s no way to avoid social media, eh? All of these years I’ve been trying to avoid it but I’m starting to think that there’s no way around it if a blog is going to grow.
The reader is great when you’re starting out, but it’s good to get traffic from other sources. I relied only on the reader in the beginning & after a while, my traffic was at a standstill. I then starting using Twitter & Instagram (I don’t recommend Instagram anymore for promoting your blog) but Twitter is great! Also Pinterest takes some getting used to, but now it’s my best social media platform for views.