Tired of WordPress Restrictions? 6 Hosting Options That Give You Your Code Back

You have an HTML and CSS background. You are writing real code.

And WordPress.com keeps putting walls between you and your own layout, container width restrictions. 

Plugins are locked behind a more expensive plan. Custom code that works in some places and breaks in others.

That is not your problem. That is a WordPress problem.

The platform is built for people who do not code. The moment you want to use your own code, you need something else.

Here are 6 hosting options. Each one is described in plain language so you can scan, pick your situation, and move on.

Quick: Which One Matches You

Already know WordPress, just want full plugin access	Option 1: Self-hosted WordPress on Truehost
Mainly want to blog and grow an email list	Option 2: Ghost
Want design freedom with zero server work	Option 3: Webflow
You write plain HTML/CSS/JS and want free hosting	Option 4: Netlify + Formspree
Want everything managed, no code involved	Option 5: Squarespace
Need full server-side code freedom	Option 6: Truehost Managed VPS

1) Self-Hosted WordPress on Truehost: Full Plugin Access, Zero Paywalls

Best for: Anyone escaping WordPress.com restrictions

Same WordPress you already know but different rules.

On WordPress.com, you pay to unlock features that are completely free the moment you self-host.

Every plugin in the directory, every theme, your own HTML and CSS, running without a container boxing you in.

One-click install from cPanel. Peso billing. No WordPress.com between you and your own site.

What you get:

• One-click WordPress install from cPanel
• Every WordPress plugin is free to install, contact forms, email collection, SEO, all of it
• Full custom HTML, CSS, and JavaScript without theme container restrictions
• LiteSpeed servers for fast page loads even on image-heavy sites
• Automatic daily backups with free one-click restore
• Free SSL certificate included
• Professional email on your domain
• 24/7 English support with local peso billing

Pricing: Competitive peso-denominated rates.

Pros:

• Everything WordPress.com Business charges USD 25/month for is free here. 
• Full code control. 
• Scales to VPS under the same Truehost account.

Cons: 

• You manage WordPress updates and plugin choices yourself
• Less hand-holding than WordPress.com.

2) Ghost: Blog and Email Newsletter Without a Single Plugin

Best for: Writers whose main goal is publishing and growing an email list

Ghost was built for one thing: to get words to readers. Blog editor, email newsletters, and membership subscriptions are built in. 

There is no plugin hunting or plugin conflicts. Just write, publish, and your subscribers get it in their inbox automatically.

What you get:

• Clean, distraction-free editor built for writing
• Email newsletters sent directly from the platform
• Built-in membership and paid subscription support
• Faster than WordPress on equivalent hardware
• There isn’t a plugin ecosystem to maintain or update
• SEO tools built in

Pricing: Ghost Pro from USD 9/month.

Pros:

• Zero plugin maintenance. 
• Fast and lightweight.
• Email newsletters built in, no Mailchimp setup needed.

Cons: 

• Not suited for e-commerce or complex custom functionality. 
• Smaller theme and extension ecosystem than WordPress.

3) Webflow: Build With Real Code Without Touching a Server

Best for: Developers who want design freedom with zero server work

Webflow generates clean HTML and CSS from a visual editor. Drop your own custom code anywhere via embed blocks.

Blog CMS, contact forms, and Mailchimp integration all work inside the platform. Hosting is built in. You never log into a server.

What you get:

• Visual editor that outputs clean, production-ready HTML and CSS
• Custom HTML, CSS, and JavaScript embeds anywhere on the page
• Built-in CMS for blog posts and dynamic content
• Contact forms with email notifications included
• Native Mailchimp and ConvertKit integrations
• Hosting, SSL, and CDN all managed for you

Pricing: CMS plan from USD 23/month billed annually.

Pros:

• Full design freedom without server management. 
• Clean code output. 
• No theme restrictions.

Cons:

• More expensive than self-hosted WordPress. 
• No server-side PHP or Node.js for backend logic.

4) Netlify + Formspree: Free Hosting for Sites You Build From Scratch

Best for: Developers who write their own HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

Your static site lives on Netlify’s global CDN for free. 

Formspree handles your contact form submissions and forwards them to your email without any server-side code.

Add a Mailchimp embed for email collection. This combination costs nothing until you grow past the free tier limits.

What you get:

• Free static site hosting with global CDN and HTTPS
• Deploy by dragging your files or connecting a GitHub repo
• Formspree processes contact form submissions and emails them to you
• Free tier covers 50 form submissions per month
• Works with any Mailchimp or ConvertKit signup embed
• Instant deploys every time you push to GitHub

Pricing: Netlify’s free tier covers most personal sites. Formspree free tier covers 50 submissions/month. Paid Formspree from USD 8/month.

Pros:

• Free for most personal sites. 
• No server maintenance. 
• Works with code you already wrote.

Cons: 

• Static only with no PHP or server-side logic.
• Contact forms and email collection need third-party services.

5) Squarespace: Everything Managed, Nothing to Configure

Best for: People who want it to just work with no technical involvement

Squarespace handles hosting, updates, backups, SSL, and security. 

You log in, drag things around, write blog posts, and that is it. 

Contact forms, email collection via Squarespace Email Campaigns, and blogging are all included. You never think about a server.

What you get:

• Drag-and-drop editor with no coding required
• Blog with full formatting tools built in
• Contact forms with email notifications
• Squarespace Email Campaigns for newsletters
• Hosting, SSL, updates, and backups all managed
• Mobile-responsive templates included

Pricing: Basic plan from USD 16/month billed annually. Business plan from USD 23/month for full features.

Pros:

• Zero maintenance.
• Everything in one platform. 
• Looks polished with minimal effort.

Cons:

• Limited custom code freedom. 
• Expensive compared to self-hosted options. 
• It’s hard to migrate content out if you change platforms later.

6)Truehost Managed VPS: Full Server Access When Shared Hosting Is Not Enough

Best for: Developers whose projects have outgrown shared hosting limits

When your code needs to run real server-side processes, shared hosting starts saying no.

A managed VPS gives you root access to run any stack you want, while we handle security patches, monitoring, and server maintenance.

You deploy your code. The server stays healthy without you babysitting it.

What you get:

• Full root access, run Node.js, PHP, Python, or any stack
• Managed security updates and server monitoring
• SSD storage with scalable RAM and CPU
• SSH access for deployment pipelines
• Free SSL included
• Upgrade path from shared hosting with no platform migration
• Peso billing with 24/7 English support

Pricing: Competitive peso-denominated VPS rates. See the plans here.

Pros: 

• No server admin burden. 
• Full code freedom. 
• Scales with your project under the same Truehost account.

Cons: 

• More expensive than shared hosting. 
• More setup than a managed platform like Webflow or Squarespace.

WordPress.com vs Self-Hosted WordPress

This confuses a lot of people. Here it is in two sentences: 

• WordPress.com is a hosted service that charges you to unlock features. 
• Self-hosted WordPress is the same free software installed on your own hosting account, with nothing locked.

Feature	WordPress.com Business	Self-Hosted on Truehost
Monthly cost	~USD 25/month	Peso rates, fraction of the cost
Plugin access	Included on Business plan	All plugins free, always
Custom code	Limited	Full access
Theme/container restrictions	Yes	None
Email on your domain	Extra cost	Included in plan
Daily backups + free restore	Basic	Yes, one-click from cPanel
You control the hosting	No	Yes

Start With the Right Platform Today

If you are escaping WordPress.com, start with Truehost WordPress hosting in the Philippines. It gives you full plugin access, no container restrictions, and billing in pesos from day one. See our plans here.