What is the best web hosting for beginners?
The short answer
Hostinger is the best choice for most beginners, with dirt-cheap entry, a control panel that explains itself, and everything your first site needs included. DreamHost is the WordPress-recommended alternative with a $2.89 first year, and IONOS adds a personal assistant.
In detail
As a beginner you want three things: not to overpay, nothing to puzzle over, and somewhere to turn with questions. Hostinger scores on all three. For about $3 a month (promo, prepaid) you get hosting with free SSL, email, and a WordPress install in a few clicks, behind the friendliest control panel we know. Know that renewal is about $11 a month. That is the going rate in this market.
DreamHost pairs a $2.89 first year covering 25 websites with an official WordPress.org recommendation, and it prints the renewal rate ($10.99 a month) right on the plan card. That renewal is market rate rather than a bargain these days, so judge it on the product and the first year.
IONOS is interesting if you like having a fixed point of contact. Every plan comes with a personal assistant you can call or email at no charge. The $1-a-month first year is also the lowest entry of all, with a reasonable $8 renewal. Whoever you pick, skip the upsell checkboxes at checkout. You can always add later what you actually need.