Running a WordPress site involves multiple tasks such as creating content, marketing, site design, and social media management. It is crucial that your WordPress site runs well and that you get good services from your WordPress hosting provider. Doing all this is not easy.
Web hosting has become very affordable, costing you less than $5 for an account with a shared hosting provider. That would work for you if you are just getting started, but when you grow bigger, managed WordPress hosting is more suitable.
Managed hosting has become very popular in the recent past. It was initiated by WordPress.com VIP, but now there are other top hosting providers such as WPEngine, SiteGround and Flywheel.
WPEngine is a balanced service that provides you with a little bit of everything and at a fair price. It is a convenient option if you want to scale and maintain top-quality professional support. You also don’t lose user-friendly tools by scaling.
SiteGround’s setup is very straightforward, and it makes a perfect option for WordPress beginners. They have excellent support, and their prices are relatively affordable. The support team will answer your questions within 15 minutes.
FlyWheel is especially convenient for bloggers, agencies and small businesses. Some of their remarkable features include billing transfer and demo site. The service also features blueprint, a tool that you can use to choose default themes and plugin configurations to create your Singapore websites.
Even though managed hosting costs more than shared hosting, it provides faster loading times, better security, and professional WordPress support.
What is managed WordPress hosting?
Managed WordPress hosting provides professional support with the technical aspects of WordPress, such as site updates, site speed and up-time, so that you can focus on content creation and sharing. Hosting companies usually use their own CDN and server-level caching, which is appropriate for people who lack the technical skills or time to manage servers.
Pros
- Security – service providers offer top server security so the risk of hacking, DoS attacks or malware is reduced to a minimum level.
- Expert support – They provide professional support with WordPress performance, site functionality, WordPress errors, and other issues. Their support is superior compared to shared hosting providers.
- Speed – managed hosting providers enable content caching at the server level, and you won’t have to use external caching plugins. Site speed is therefore significantly boosted.
- Daily backups and restore feature – they provide a daily backup of your content, data themes and plugins. They also have a restore feature that you can use to restore your site to a previously working version with just a click. You can download your backup from the dashboard. This can be cost effective.
- Automatic updates – updates are automatically applied to your WordPress core files, and you don’t pay anything for it.
- No downtime – your site will never go down irrespective of how much traffic it gets.
Cons
- Costly – managed hosting costs much more compared to shared hosting. Managed hosting could cost $30 or more while shared hosting can cost less than $4.
- Limitations –Providers don’t allow plugins that are resource consuming. There are also many disallowed cache plugins such as W3 Total Cache and WP Super Cache.
- cPanel – the user portal provided by managed hosting providers is very different compared to the shared hosting portal.
Top Managed WordPress Hosting Providers
Let us look at some of the best WordPress managed hosting providers.
WPEngine
WPEngine is one of the top-rated managed hosting services in the industry. The costs are higher compared to other providers, but the company is committed to providing greater support, higher speeds, and better security. WPEngine loads under 0.26s and has fantastic support. Their team of professionals will deliver fast and secure services, and it is no surprise that WPEgine is one of the most popular managed hosting companies. In fact,they host top brands including HTC, Foursquare, and Soundcloud. The service starts at $35.
Features
- Staging area – When you want to test new themes and plugins, WPEngine provides you with a replica of your live site so that you can view and decide whether to apply the changes to your live site.
- One-Click restore point – In the event of a problem with your site, theme or plugins, WPEngine provides a one-click restore feature that set things back to how they were before things went wrong.
- Cache plugins are not needed – The service applies custom-built Ever Cache technology that provides fast WordPress delivery for Google. This technology does this even at large scale.
- Hacking scans – WPEngine scans and monitors for any hacking attempts and in case of a hack, the company fixes it free of charge.
Pros
- You can add a CDN to your site with an easy one-click step
- They offer incredible WordPress support
- Their servers are high-speed and highly secure
- Their custom-built EverCache ensures that you don’t need external caching plugins
- Getting hacked is highly improbable
Cons
- It is more expensive than other managed hosting services
- There is not much flexibility with the choice of plugins
SiteGround
SiteGround is a relatively affordable managed hosting service. Their WordPress security and speed solutions are reliable and unique. It offers some free features such as WordPress installation, domain name, support, WordPress migration, and email accounts. SiteGround loads under .4s and their support team respond to client questions in about 15 minutes. With prices starting at $7.95 a month, this is a really excellent service.
However, note that their startup plan does not have priority support, premium caching and one-click staging. Their GoGeek plan offers all these features.
Features
- Unique WordPress Autoinstaller – This feature makes WordPress setup straightforward.
- Autoupdater – any updates are automatically applied to your site’s core files.
- WordPress SuperCacher – This feature improves site performance.
- WordPress staging – a feature for testing new site settings before launching then live.
- HHVM – it loads at higher speeds compared to PHP thus improving site speed. It is only available on cloud hosting.
- Pre-installed WP-CLI – with this feature, updates and multisite management can be accessed using the command line route
Pros
- Offers excellent services and at affordable prices
- Features pre-installed Git and WP-CLI
- WordPress migration service at no extra cost
- Top-notch security
Cons
- It is only available with Cloudflare. Using MaxCDN would require you to use W3 Total Cache plugin, WP Total Cache plugin, or some other third-party plugin.
Flywheel
Flywheel offers managed hosting services made explicitly with designers and creatives in mind. It focuses on making the workflow of web designers more efficient. Some of the top features include easy collaboration, billing transfers, and site staging. With Flywheel, you get to manage multiple sites from one dashboard. It loads under 1 second, and it has many happy customers.
The Flywheel support team is comprised of experienced and professional designers who understand exactly what your site needs. The prices are quite affordable starting at $15 per month for a pay-per-site plan. There are also bulk plans for larger developers that begin at $100 per month. Flywheel also offers custom plans.
Features
- High speed – takes into account all factors that can slow down the sites and designs solutions for all of them.
- Nightly backups – a backup of your site is done each night for your peace of mind.
- Tight cybersecurity – hacking attempts and malware are always monitored to keep your sites secure. Any problems found are fixed at no extra cost.
- More intuitive SFTP – with this feature it is now very convenient to collaborate with other designers and work on client sites.
Pros
- High –speed sites
- Easy to scale
- Unlimited choice of plugins
- Professional staff that have vast knowledge of all your concerns
Cons
- Still not as much of a household name as WPEngine
- It is costlier than shared hosting
- You have to learn how to use a new dashboard.
Bluehost WP Hosting
This service delivers high speeds and cybersecurity at a reasonable price. The most basic plan includes 2GB RAM, 30GB storage and 30GB backup storage. This plan allows 100 million site visits a month. It also features an improved cPanel, and you get round-the-clock support from WordPress experts. It also comes with a SiteLock CDN and SiteLock Pro and up to 5 ManageWP sites. It loads in under 2 seconds, and prices start at $2.95 for the first month and $24.99/month for the following months.
Features
- Built of a VPS platform- Bluehost is VPS-based, which ensures excellent performance and high site speeds.
- Includes ManageWP – one hosting plan allows you to manage and migrate a number of WordPress sites.
- High security – it features SiteLock and SiteLock WAF for extra protection.
- Professional support – the hosting plans feature round-the-clock support by WordPress experts.
- Enhanced cPanel – switching from shared to managed hosting can be done easily because the managed interface is familiar.
Pros
- The service is quite affordable
- Convenient to use
- Robust security
- The interface is straightforward and looks like the shared one
- 24/7 professional support
Cons
- It costs more than some of the other managed hosting services
- Scaling up is capped
- Does not have as many features as some of the other plans
Kinsta
Kinsta, which is powered by the Google Cloud Platform, offers fast and efficient managed WordPress solution. Its incredible feature is that all its plans offer unlimited visitors and unlimited page views. Therefore once your site’s traffic grows, you won’t have to switch hosting plans. The customer support is professional, and they are always available to sort you out. Kinsta’s team has professional developers that have a deep understating of WordPress.
Features
- Migrations are free – site migrations are done at no extra charge and with no interruptions. You just send a request via the dashboard and everything else is taken care of. You can monitor and manage migrations, even using mobile devices, using the wholly transparent dashboard.
- Top-notch infrastructure – Powered by Google Cloud Platform, Kinsta features automatic scaling, LXD containers, SSH access, PHP 7, WP-CLI automation and Git. Kinsta also features a robust caching solution that ensures higher speeds than other WordPress caching plugins.
- Robust security – multi-layer protocols on the back-end ensures the security of your site. Round-the-clock monitoring is done to make sure that everything is running smoothly.
Pros
- The Google Cloud Platform gives your site a competitive edge
- Round-the-clock support by WordPress experts
- 24/7 website monitoring for security purposes
- No extra cost for increased site traffic
Cons
- Kinsta is expensive with plans starting at $100 per month
Pagely Hosting
Pagely is the perfect managed hosting for large businesses. It is known for robust security and high speeds. Some of its main features include automatic WordPress core updates, plugin updates, and daily backups. It also features a PressARMOR CUSTOME WordPress security configuration for extra security. Pagely allows you to use any plugin or app. For 30 sites, 200GB of bandwidth including all the core features you pay $499 per month. It loads under 0.09 seconds.
Features
- Convenient updates – WordPress core upgrades are automatic while plugin updates require minimal effort.
- Varnish caching – this makes the service extremely fast
- Free choice for plugins – you are free to use any plugin or theme you prefer.
- Complete site scans – malware scanning and removal are done in real-time and unnecessary firewalls Are removed.Your site will have DDoS protection.
- PRESSCDN – the company offers this service from $9 a month.
Pros
- Offers a variety of features
- Robust security
- Provides free choice to plugins and themes
Cons
- It is expensive compared to other hosting services.
Pressable
This service was formerly known as ZippyKid, and it is highly rated for customer satisfaction. Its services use custom RackSpace hardware. The basic package goes for $25/month and can handle 15,000 shared page views in a month.
Features
- Rackspace Hybrid cloud – these are some of the best servers for your site.
- Daily backups – daily automated backup for your content.
- Secure File Transfer Protocol – SFTP ensures safety for your data while it is being transferred.
- SSL access – this will keep your customers secure.
- Cybersecurity – round-the-clock malware scanning and removal will keep hackers off your site.
Pros
- Highly reliable
- High-quality services
- Robust cybersecurity
- Very convenient
Cons
- It is quite expensive relative to some of the other providers
- Might not be appropriate for huge companies
WebSynthesis
This service applies NGINX architecture to double the traffic while consuming an eighth of the resources. It was started by CobyBlogger Media, who also produced some widely sought WordPress products such as the Genesis theme framework and ScribeSEO. With the use of MediaTemple dedicated servers, you are guaranteed a great hosting service.
Features
- Top-quality servers – your site will have high speeds
- SEO – the company also provides keyword and help with social media
- Strong cybersecurity – the risks of a cyber attack are greatly minimized
- Content marketing – the company also offers content and website optimization tools
- Site Sensor uptime monitoring – your site’s uptime is monitored 24/7
Pros
- NGINX architecture delivers fast loading
- Has SEO and Content marketing tools
- Robust cybersecurity
Cons
- The service is expensive compared with some of the competitor services
- Might not be appropriate for companies with a conservative budget
WordPress.com VIP
WordPress.com VIP provides state-of-the-art services for clients looking for enterprise level solutions. Starting at $5000 per month, you are guaranteed high speeds even with high traffic. The service is in use by high-traffic companies such as Time, GigaOM, MSNBC and TechCrunch.
Features
- SaaS – The Turnkey infrastructure in use by the service provides a confident way to develop your site
- CDN – The service is security focused ensuring that your site will not be cyber attacked.
- Regular backups – backups are done on an hourly basis to make sure that you never lose any site data.
- Round-the-clock support – their 24/7 customer support ensures that your queries will be answered promptly and at all times.
- No extra costs on top of the monthly rate – for a flat monthly price, you get unlimited traffic, bandwidth, and storage.
Pros
- High-speed service
- Robust security
- Regular backups
- Unlimited package once you pay the monthly rate
- 24/ customer support
Cons
- Designed for customers with a relatively high budget
- The service is not appropriate for beginner sites due to the cost
Do You Really Need Managed WordPress Hosting
The answer to whether you require managed WordPress hosting mostly depends on what you need for your website. There is a wide variety of managed website hosting services that are fit for clients with different budgets. The services can be appropriate for small business owners, medium websites and even high-traffic websites. If you are a blogger or a developer, we would recommend using SiteGround. It is the best solution for you because it is affordable relative to other services and their customer support is top-notch.
In choosing whether to use a managed WordPress service, you will need to make quite a few considerations. Some of the factors that you should consider include what you want to achieve with your website, your top priorities , and your anticipated site traffic. If you are aiming for high achievements and heavy traffic, then going with a managed hosting service would be a great idea, because it will provide you with much needed tools for your success. However, if you are only getting started with WordPress and are unsure of what you want to achieve, you probably don’t have to pay for managed hosting.
Another factor that needs consideration is the level of support and customization you need. Shared hosting usually offers one-click non-customized installations. This one-type-fits-all approach can leave you with settings you don’t need, and without settings you would so much use. On the other hand, managed hosting provides you with control over the installation process, so you get the advantage of customizing the installation according to your preferences. All in all, you have to consider your hosting needs and make a decision on whether to go with shared hosting or with managed hosting.
Our Top Picks
We have carefully reviewed each of these hosting providers, and have identified some of the best providers. Here, we will look at their features and why I think they offer the best hosting solutions.
SiteGround – This service offers features such as Git integration, a staging area, and SSL support. The prices are very affordable, and the service is appropriate for developers and bloggers. The company offers free migration, and their customer support is efficient. Within one to two hours, your support question will be answered. Their live chat support is not very knowledgeable on technical issues, and you might need to use their ticket support system to get your technical questions answered.
Flywheel – The service is easy to use and is particularly convenient for designers, small business owners, bloggers and others who aren’t developers. The service does not contain any technical jargon, and their dashboard is very user-friendly. If you can configure WordPress sites, but you are not a developer, Flywheel is your perfect fit.
Pagely – If you are a developer and you have quite a flexible budget, then Pagely might be your choice of service. Their servers are hosted by Amazon, and since last year, they have pioneered high-quality service delivery for small blogs, membership sites, global corporate sites, and Saas solutions. Their service features HHVM, automated daily backups, real-time cybersecurity monitoring, built-in redundancy, and developer-friendly tools. They have easy-to-use tools such as SSH, GIT, WP-CLI, PressCDN nad Press Armour.
WPEngine or Kinsta – These two options are for people who want a little bit of everything. If you want to scale, maintain high-quality support , keep user-friendly tools and stay within budget, these two services are the best fit. I have never had any problems with WPEngine, and I have used their service for quite some time.
To conclude, there are many options of managed WordPress hosting to choose from. The best way to do it is by first defining your needs, then compare what is available in the market with these requirements. Managed hosting is generally a better service than shared hosting. However, If you figure out that you do not need managed hosting, shared hosting is also a good option. This article will prove to be a great guide for your WordPress hosting decision.
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Author Bio
Tom Koh is widely recognised as a leading SEO consultant in Asia who has worked to transform the online visibility of the leading organisations such as SingTel, Capitaland, Maybank, P&G, WWF, etc. Recently he was instrumental in consulting for a New York-based US$30B fund in an US$4Bn acquisition. Tom is a Computational Science graduate of the National University of Singapore. In his free time he performs pro-bono community work and traveling.
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