9 WP Engine Alternatives And Competitors

WP Engine specializes in managed WordPress hosting. WP Engine plans start at $20/month and run on Google Cloud infrastructure. They offer advanced features like its proprietary EverCache, 1-click WordPress staging environments, site monitoring, premium WordPress themes and access to the Genesis Framework.

Alternatives to WP Engine refer to direct competitors that outperform it in areas such as pricing, multi-site support, developer control, email hosting, and global server coverage.

When choosing the best WP Engine alternatives, look for lower introductory pricing, more generous site limits, staging features on base plans, and broader server location choices including Asia and South America.

Hostinger, TMDHosting, and Kinsta are the best alternatives to WP Engine. Hostinger starts at $2.99/month and supports 100 WordPress sites on its base plan. TMDHosting starts at $9.52/month and includes stack-specific hosting and daily backups. Kinsta starts at $30/month and uses Google Cloud infrastructure for optimized WordPress hosting.

1. Hostinger

https://www.hostinger.com

Hostinger is a budget web host from Lithuania known for affordable WordPress hosting. They are also now officially recommended by WordPress.org. Like WP Engine, Hostinger supports 1 website on its entry-level plan. Hostinger includes a free domain, email, and AI website builder on all shared plans. WP Engine does not offer a builder or email hosting. Hostinger’s WordPress plans come pre-optimized with LiteSpeed servers and include a beginner-friendly 1-click WordPress installer. 

Hostinger offers Premium and Business WordPress plans. Each plan supports 1-click WordPress installations, LiteSpeed Cache, weekly backups, a WordPress vulnerabilities scanner and smart WordPress auto-updates. Optimization tools include built-in caching, object cache, and PHP version control. WP Engine includes more advanced tech like EverCache and daily site monitoring, which Hostinger lacks on its cheapest plans.

Hostinger operates 10 global data centers across the US, Europe, India, Brazil, and Southeast Asia. WP Engine operates 20, but does not include Brazil or Indonesia. Compare WP Engine and Hostinger directly in our writeup on WP Engine vs Hostinger.

2. TMDHosting

https://www.tmdhosting.com

TMDHosting is a US-based web host known for its fully-managed plans and stack-specific hosting. Its WordPress Toolkit on cPanel supports 1-click installations, automatic core updates, plugin management, and cloning tools for staging. 

TMDHosting’s WordPress plans include generous SSD storage, fully customizable WordPress installations, WordPress debugging tools,  staging tools, automatic WordPress version updates, and automated WordPress integrity checks. Their servers meet the official WordPress system requirements and they claim to have over 10 years of experience with WordPress websites. The Starter plan supports 1 WordPress site, while higher tiers offer unlimited sites. Optimization includes server-level caching and PHP acceleration. WP Engine’s EverCache is more powerful, but TMDHosting supports a wider range of software stacks including WooCommerce.

TMDHosting operates 6 data centers in the US, UK, Netherlands, Singapore, Japan, and Australia. WP Engine has 20, but most are clustered in North America and Europe. Read our full TMDHosting review for more details.

3. Kinsta

https://kinsta.com

Kinsta is a US-based managed WordPress host that leverages the premium tier of the Google Cloud Platform. Like WP Engine, Kinsta’s area of expertise is managed WordPress hosting. Its WordPress plans start at a higher $30/month and support 1 site. Kinsta delivers high-end performance tools not included with WP Engine’s lower-tier plans. WP Engine’s base plan also supports 1 site but lacks features like real-time scaling or container isolation.

Kinsta includes daily backups and a user-friendly interface. It also provides a powerful proprietary CDN to speed up WordPress content delivery. Optimization includes NGINX servers, PHP 8.1+, Redis support, and edge caching. Kinsta is fully containerized with each site running in its own LXD container, which boosts performance and site isolation for WordPress users.

Kinsta operates 35 data centers globally across Asia, Europe, and South America. This makes their global network larger than WP Engine. Compare WP Engine and Kinsta directly in our writeup on WP Engine vs Kinsta.

4. Cloudways

https://www.cloudways.com

Cloudways is a Malta-based host that specializes in managed cloud hosting only. Cloudways does not operate its own servers but instead lets customers choose from third-party cloud providers like DigitalOcean, Vultr, AWS, or Google Cloud. Its WordPress hosting starts at $11/month. All plans run on cloud servers and include free SSL, staging, firewalls, and automated backups. 

Cloudways customers manage everything from an user-friendly custom control panel. Cloudways supports vertical resource scaling, custom server settings, and multiple PHP versions. In contrast, WP Engine locks users into fixed tiers without the same granular control or per-hour billing. Cloudways’ use of NVME-based cloud servers ensures high-redundancy and fast speeds for your WordPress sites. It also includes built-in WordPress caching and support for WordPress multisites. 

Cloudways operates over 65 global data center locations via its infrastructure partners. WP Engine operates much fewer at 20. Compare WP Engine and Cloudways directly in our writeup on WP Engine vs Cloudways.

5. WPX

https://wpx.net

WPX is a WordPress-only host based in Bulgaria. It stands out for its fast customer support and a “Fix-For-You” guarantee that resolves site issues directly. Unlike WP Engine, WPX includes free email, CDN access, and multi-site support on all plans. WP Engine limits email and bundles CDN only on higher tiers.

WPX plans start with the Business tier, which supports 5 websites and includes 15 GB SSD storage and 200 GB bandwidth. All plans use LiteSpeed servers and WPX’s custom-built CDN (XDN) with 37 global edge locations. WP Engine relies on NGINX and EverCache but cannot match WPX’s edge delivery speeds. WPX optimizes every plan for WordPress performance. Features include 1-click installs, daily malware scans, on-demand backups, and WordPress staging. WPX also offers WooCommerce specific plans. 

WPX operates 3 data centers in Chicago, London, and Sydney. WP Engine runs more, but WPX makes up for it with its high-speed proprietary CDN integration. Read our full WPX review for more details.

6. SiteGround

https://www.siteground.com

SiteGround is a Bulgarian host that offers managed WordPress hosting. Most SiteGround plans include unlimited email, daily backups and support for multiple WordPress sites. SiteGround’s managed WordPress plans include auto-installation, automatic updates, and a free migration tool. They bundle custom Speed and Security Optimizer plugins to boost performance and protect sites. All plans support WP-CLI, SSH, and WooCommerce for flexible development and eCommerce integration. SiteGround’s WordPress plans leverage off Google Cloud infrastructure, which increases reliability and speed. SiteGround provides 24/7 support via phone, live chat, and tickets. Its support is faster and more responsive than WP Engine’s email-based ticketing for entry plans. 

SiteGround operates 11 global data centers across the US, Europe, and Asia. This is fewer than WP Engine’s network of 20 data centers. Compare WP Engine and SiteGround directly in our writeup on WP Engine vs SiteGround.

7. InMotion Hosting

https://www.inmotionhosting.com

InMotion Hosting is a US-based host focused on developer tools and business-friendly features. Its WordPress plans offer generous fast NVMe SSD Storage, with most plans offering unlimited storage and unlimited Bandwidth. InMotion Hosting also supports NGINX and multiple PHP versions to ensure your WordPress site remains fast. Compared to WP Engine, even InMotion Hosting’s entry-level WordPress hosting plans support multiple websites. They also include automatic WordPress updates and security patches, free SSL, automated backups, and email hosting. 

InMotion Hosting operates a total of 3 data centers across the US and Amsterdam. WP Engine has broader data center coverage by also offering servers in Asia/Pacific and the Middle East. Read our full InMotion Hosting review for more details. Compare WP Engine and InMotion directly in our article on WP Engine vs InMotion Hosting.

8. DreamHost

https://www.dreamhost.com

DreamHost is a US-based host with WordPress plans.  It offers greater simplicity and affordability than WP Engine which targets high-performance users. DreamHost’s entry plan supports 1 website, which matches WP Engine’s site limit but costs much less. This plan includes managed WordPress services, daily backups, and the Jetpack plugin for added WordPress functionality. DreamHost optimizes hosting using SSD storage, HTTP/2, and server-side caching. It also includes pre-installed WordPress, a built-in WP site builder, and hundreds of templates. This makes DreamHost well suited for beginners launching their first WordPress site. 

DreamHost operates 2 data centers that are both located in the US. WP Engine runs 20 globally, which makes it better for websites targeting audiences beyond the Americas. DreamHost suits users who want low-cost WordPress hosting with simple tools and US-focused infrastructure. Read our full DreamHost review for more details. Compare WP Engine and DreamHost directly in our article on WP Engine vs DreamHost.

9. Bluehost

https://www.bluehost.com/

Bluehost is a US-based hosting provider officially endorsed by WordPress.org. It targets beginners by offering 1-click WordPress installation, Managed WordPress updates, AI site building tools and cPanel integration. It also offers WordPress staging tools, a free domain, free SSL, and 24/7 support. BlueHost ensures your WordPress site is fast by including SSD storage, Cloudflare CDN, and resource protection. However, WP Engine provides more specialized performance tools.

Bluehost has only one data center in the US. WP Engine operates 20 across multiple continents, making it a much better choice for customers targeting audiences outside the US. Read our full Bluehost review for more details. Compare WP Engine and Bluehost directly in our article on WP Engine vs Bluehost.

Who Are the WP Engine Alternatives for Different Hosting Needs?

WP Engine’s alternatives for different hosting needs include Hostinger, TMDHosting, WPX, InMotion Hosting and Kinsta. Each offers an edge over WP Engine in specific areas like pricing, multi-site support, staging features and enterprise-level WordPress hosting. 

Which WordPress Hosts Are Cheaper Than WP Engine?

These are the web hosts that are cheaper than WP Engine.

Which WordPress Hosts Allow More Hosted WordPress Sites Than WP Engine?

These are the web hosts that allow more hosted WordPress sites than WP Engine.

What Are the WP Engine Alternatives for Staging WordPress Sites?

These are the WP Engine alternatives for staging WordPress sites.

What Are the WP Engine Alternatives With Enterprise WordPress Hosting?

These are the WP Engine alternatives with enterprise WordPress hosting.