Managed WordPress hosting refers to WordPress web hosting services that include built-in management services. This provides an optimized, secure, and hassle-free hosting environment for any type of WordPress website.
The 6 benefits of managed WordPress hosting are higher speed, enhanced security, automatic daily backups, expert WordPress support, higher user-friendliness, and the provision of local WordPress development suites. The 3 drawbacks of managed WordPress hosting are higher prices, less server control, and compatibility with the WordPress platform only.
Managed WordPress hosting is commonly compared to regular shared hosting. Shared hosting is a popular type of hosting where multiple websites share the same server resources (CPU, RAM, and bandwidth). This same infrastructure is utilized by cheaper forms of Managed WordPress hosting. However, managed WordPress hosting and shared hosting differ in 7 key areas: cost, performance, user-friendliness, flexibility, maintenance, security, and support.
Shared hosting is cheaper than managed WordPress hosting but includes fewer features. Managed WordPress hosting provides optimized performance and higher user-friendliness. Neither offers root access but managed WordPress offers even less flexibility since certain web hosts restrict plugins. The maintenance process in managed WordPress hosting is simplified and more convenient. It also offers stronger security and much more comprehensive support from specialized WordPress experts. Choose managed WordPress hosting if you prioritize convenience and performance for your business, agency, or high-traffic website. Choose shared hosting if you prioritize affordability for your small to medium website.
What Is Managed WordPress Hosting?
Managed WordPress hosting refers to WordPress hosting that includes convenient managed services in its plans. WordPress hosting is a type of web hosting that is optimized for sites built using the WordPress Content Management System (CMS).
Managed WordPress hosting works by offloading complex server maintenance and performance optimizations tasks to the web host. This includes providing automated updates like WordPress core and plugin updates, and automated site backups. Managed services therefore reduce technical workload for users and allow them to focus on creating content and business growth.
The lower-priced managed WordPress hosting plans utilize shared server hosting environments. Like regular shared hosting, these plans divide a server’s resources and costs between multiple users. The higher-end options of managed WordPress hosting utilize VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting or cloud hosting infrastructure.
What Are the Benefits of Managed WordPress Hosting?
The benefits of Managed WordPress hosting refer to the advantages that customers of this hosting type receive. There are 6 benefits of managed WordPress hosting:
- Improves WordPress website speed
- Strengthens WordPress site security
- Automates daily backups
- Provides expert WordPress support
- Enhances user-friendliness
- Streamlines development with Local WordPress Development Suite
1. Improves WordPress Website Speed
Using managed WordPress hosting improves the speed of your WordPress website. Servers are optimized specifically for WordPress’s requirements and this reduces website page load times for your visitors. 3 common speed-enhancing features used are caching, content delivery networks (CDNs), and fast SSD (Solid State Drive) storage. Caching involves storing frequently accessed WordPress data to reduce load times. Opcode caching assists faster PHP execution and object caching assists quicker database queries. Server-side caching also means there’s no need to use WordPress caching plugins. A CDN (Content Delivery Network) caches WordPress static files on global servers so that your website is fast for international visitors. SSD or NVMe SSD storage further improves website speed.
2. Strengthens WordPress Site Security
Using managed WordPress hosting helps secure your WordPress site. 4 common security features provided are malware scanning, firewalls, DDoS protection, and automatic security patches. Malware scanning detects and removes malicious code that targets WordPress themes, plugins, and core files, preventing site compromise. A firewall filters malicious traffic to protect WordPress login pages and databases from attacks. DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service) protection mitigates large-scale traffic floods. Automatic security patches help protect against common WordPress vulnerabilities like SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS).
3. Automates Daily Backups
Managed WordPress hosting protects your site by including automated daily backups and easy restore options. This keeps your WordPress website and database files safe in the event of error or security incidents.
4. Provides Expert WordPress Support
Managed WordPress hosting provides specialized expert WordPress support. Customers have fast access to high-level WordPress technicians around the clock. These experts have experience in troubleshooting common WordPress issues and server maintenance.
5. Enhances User-Friendliness
Managed WordPress hosting makes WordPress hosting more user-friendly by including an intuitive dashboard for managing WordPress installations, updates, and settings. Most hosts provide a convenient 1-click WordPress install feature.
6. Streamlines development with local WordPress Development Suite
Certain managed WordPress hosting plans include local development tools. Local development suites refer to a set of software tools that allow you to create, test and deploy WordPress websites on your own computer. This helps WordPress developers and agencies deploy WordPress sites more efficiently.
What Are the Drawbacks of Managed WordPress Hosting?
There are 3 drawbacks of managed WordPress hosting: decreases affordability, restricts control over WordPress site, and limits compatibility to the WordPress CMS only.
1. Decreases Plan Affordability
Managed WordPress hosting decreases plan affordability because it includes premium features and a higher level of involvement from the web host. This higher cost makes it less accessible to beginners on a budget, even though they’d benefit most from its user-friendliness and support.
2. Restricts Control Over WordPress Site
Managed WordPress hosting restricts how much control customers have over their WordPress site because it prioritizes giving them convenience. Hosts provide a pre-configured hosting environment and restrict access to the server’s configurations. This is limiting for any WordPress developers who need root access to perform advanced customization.
3. Limits compatibility to the WordPress CMS only
Managed WordPress hosting only supports sites built using the WordPress CMS. It is therefore not suitable for users running Joomla, Drupal, or custom-built websites that require different hosting environments.
Managed WordPress Hosting vs Shared Hosting: What’s the Difference?
Managed WordPress hosting is commonly compared to general shared hosting, which is a popular type of hosting where multiple websites share the same server resources (CPU, RAM, and bandwidth). Managed WordPress hosting and shared hosting differ in 7 key areas: cost, performance, user-friendliness, flexibility, maintenance, security, and support.
Managed WordPress hosting costs more than shared hosting since it includes premium features. Managed WordPress hosting delivers better site performance with optimized servers and built-in caching. Managed WordPress hosting is more user-friendly since the provider handles updates and maintenance. Both types offer limited flexibility since they restrict server modifications. Maintenance in managed WordPress hosting is minimal with automated backups and security patches. Security is also stronger with malware scanning and firewalls. Managed WordPress hosting offers very comprehensive support, while shared hosting offers slower and less technical support.
Cost
Managed WordPress hosting costs more because it typically includes more generous resources, features, and maintenance services. The cost of managed WordPress hosting ranges from $5 – $50 per month while shared hosting costs between $2 – $15 a month. However, managed WordPress hosting has many features built-in. Shared hosting is cheaper upfront but often requires paid add-ons for customers wanting backups and premium customer support.
Performance
Managed WordPress hosting outperforms shared hosting by offering optimized servers, advanced caching, and content delivery networks (CDNs). Shared hosting users must install performance plugins manually.
Cheaper Managed WordPress plans utilize the same shared hosting infrastructure as shared hosting, wherein a server’s resources are divided between multiple websites. This limits performance since traffic spikes on one site slow down the other sites. Higher-tier managed WordPress plans use VPS or cloud servers for better performance. VPS managed WordPress hosting provides generous dedicated resources, while cloud hosting scales dynamically across multiple servers. Both deliver faster speeds and higher uptime than regular shared hosting.
User-Friendliness
Managed WordPress hosting is more user-friendly than shared hosting because it automates complex maintenance tasks. Providers include a simplified dashboard, 1-click WordPress installation, and 1-click staging. Shared hosting requires manual setup and users are responsible for troubleshooting when technical problems arise. Shared hosts provide user-friendly control panels like cPanel but technical knowledge is still required for advanced configurations.
Flexibility
Managed WordPress hosting is less flexible than shared hosting. Managed WordPress hosts often restrict certain WordPress plugins to avoid security risks or compatibility issues. They also restrict users from modifying server configurations or installing non-WordPress software. Shared hosting allows more flexibility in terms of CMS choice. However, shared hosting users are still limited to pre-configured environments and don’t get root access.
Maintenance
Managed WordPress hosting simplifies maintenance by automating software, security, and backup updates. The host ensures WordPress core, themes, and plugins stay updated. Shared hosting pushes maintenance responsibilities onto the user. Site owners need to update their CMS version, plugins, and themes manually on a regular basis.
Security
Managed WordPress hosting offers advanced security features like malware scanning, WordPress-specific firewalls, automatic backups, monitoring, and DDoS protection. Shared hosting includes basic security, but users need to install security plugins and manage risks themselves.
Security also depends on the server architecture used. Shared hosting and shared managed WordPress hosting are vulnerable since multiple sites share a server. Managed WordPress hosting on a VPS is more secure because each site runs in an isolated environment, reducing the risk of cross-site infections and unauthorized access.
Support
Managed WordPress hosting offers much more comprehensive support than shared hosting. Customers get access to a team of high-level WordPress experts with experience in WordPress-specific troubleshooting and optimization. Shared hosting provides general customer support, but agents don’t necessarily specialize in WordPress. Customer support on shared hosting is also generally slower or restricted to certain communication channels.
How Do I Choose Between Managed WordPress Hosting and Shared Hosting?
Choose managed WordPress hosting if you run a business, agency, or high-traffic website and need reliable performance, security, and support for your WordPress site. Choose shared hosting if you are launching a personal blog, portfolio, or small website with low traffic and need an affordable hosting solution. Whichever your choice, ensure you opt for a reliable hosting provider that excels in that type of hosting.
What Makes a Good Managed WordPress Hosting Provider?
A good managed WordPress hosting provider ensures optimized performance, strong security, and fast expert support from WordPress experts. Explore your options with the best managed WordPress hosting providers.
What Makes a Good Shared Hosting Provider?
A good shared hosting provider balances affordability, ease of use, and reliability. Explore your options with the best shared hosting providers.