What Is Managed WordPress Hosting: Do You Need It?
If you’re thinking of launching a website for your business, especially on WordPress, it’s either you want to manage it yourself or outsource it.
Whether you consider yourself tech-savvy, a geek, or not, managing your WordPress site is time-consuming.
That’s where managed WordPress hosting comes in.
Just as outsourcing some tasks enables you to function effectively, outsourcing the technical aspects of your web hosting management allows you to focus on the activities that generate leads and revenue for your business.
This is because the management and maintenance of your website are taken care of by experts who understand, to the core, how a WordPress site functions.
Here’s a powerful guide to help you understand what managed WordPress hosting is to decide if it’s the right hosting solution for your business website.
What is managed WordPress hosting?
Managed WordPress hosting is a specialized hosting service where the web hosting company is responsible for managing all the technical aspects of your website, including updates, security, backups, performance optimization, etc.
You can access managed WordPress hosting services in any WordPress hosting plan, whether shared, dedicated, or virtual private server (VPS) hosting, provided the web hosting company offers the service.
Running a website is a daunting task and requires specialized attention and expertise. This can be challenging, especially if you only want to manage your business’s web presence but don’t have the technical skills.
A managed WordPress hosting service lessens this burden, allowing you to focus on creating content, marketing your website, and directing your leads to take the necessary actions on your site.
You will find that many shared WordPress hosting service providers offer “managed services” and tag them as “managed WordPress hosting services.”
The most popular hosting for small businesses is shared hosting. Shared hosting is a web hosting service where multiple websites share the resources of a single physical server. You can maintain your website yourself on shared hosting, or you can opt for managed hosting, which the web hosting provider does for you.
Managed WordPress hosting vs shared hosting
If you manage your WordPress site on shared hosting by yourself, you must maintain your website, like site or plugin updates, backups, and security checks. In managed WordPress hosting, even if the server is shared, the hosting provider takes care of this for an extra fee.
Shared hosting is more affordable but does not offer the specialized support and performance optimization managed WordPress hosting provides.
There is not much difference in hosting performance or features, as both types offer your website a home, give visitors access to your content, and have the same uptime.
Though the extra services or features you get in managed WordPress hosting depend on the hosting provider, here are the most common offerings of a managed WordPress hosting solution:
- Performance optimization
- Enhanced security
- 24/7 expert support
- Staging environment
- Backups
- Updates, etc.
Do I need managed WordPress hosting?
You need managed WordPress hosting if you have a complex website or lack the time or the technical skills to manage your site.
Once your website is live on a hosting server, its management and maintenance are your responsibility. This involves many things, from performance optimization to assessing security status, backing up the database, and carrying out core and plugin updates.
As a business owner, you might not have the technical knowledge to carry out these key tasks. But with a fully managed WordPress hosting service, your hosting service provider takes care of your site management and maintenance, allowing you to focus on the things you know how to do best.
Also, if you have a complex website with high traffic, e-commerce functionality with WooCommerce, customizations, or multiple plugins, managed WordPress hosting will be a lifesaver.
It will provide you with specialized support and infrastructure to ensure optimal performance and security on your site.
You might also need managed WordPress hosting because of the other benefits it offers above regular hosting services, such as a staging environment to test all changes and updates on your site before going live.
Benefits of managed WordPress hosting for your business
Here are some of the benefits you can get from managed WordPress hosting:
1. Site setup
Setting up your business website might appear easy, especially when you’ve binge-watched several YouTube videos. You can, of course, do it, but it’s not as it seems, especially for someone who hasn’t done it before.
Whether trying to set up your site from scratch or migrate your existing content to a new platform, you may be scared of making a costly mistake.
You have nothing to bother with managed WordPress hosting, as your host provider might offer site setup services. They have experts who can launch your site or migrate your existing content to a new platform without you breaking a sweat.
2. Security
The security of your website is essential, not just for you but for your customers.
Should there be an attack on your website, either directly from hackers or maybe from malware issues, your website information and customer data can be stolen or tampered with.
This isn’t good for business.
Most managed WordPress hosting providers have advanced security systems such as firewalls, malware scanning, and intrusion detection systems to protect your site from attack.
By detecting potential attacks, your hosting provider ensures your site performs optimally and keeps your visitor’s contact and credit card information safe.
3. Backups
A simple plugin malfunction can cause you to lose your site’s database, losing valuable content, images, and videos on your site.
Regular site backup maintains a great user experience and customer satisfaction. No customer will stay on your site when all your site pages throw up “page not found” all the time.
With managed WordPress hosting, your site is regularly backed up to protect your content and other web assets.
4. Support
Downtime on your website is a loss of money for your business, as your site visitors will quickly move to the next competitor.
This downtime is something every business owner dreads happening, but does it happen? The possibility is always there.
If you’re on an unmanaged WordPress hosting and your site experiences downtime, it’s all on you to figure out the fault and address it. This can be difficult, especially when you can’t troubleshoot or figure out the problem.
With an extensively managed WordPress hosting service, you have a team of experts who can resolve your site’s issues. All you need to do is contact support, and they’ll spring to action. Even more, the chances of your site going down are low as these experts constantly monitor and update it.
5. Staging environment
When you make changes or updates to your website, you must test them before pushing them to your site visitors.
Many managed WordPress hosting providers offer staging sites where you can safely test changes and updates to your website before pushing them live. This helps you prevent potential downtimes and, of course, the loss of potential customers.
Drawbacks of Managed WordPress Hosting
Here are some drawbacks associated with managed WordPress hosting that you must be aware of:
1. Exclusive to WordPress sites
Managed WordPress hosting is exclusive to WordPress websites, meaning you can’t switch to another content management system (CMS) and still have access to it.
2. More expensive
The major disadvantage of managed WordPress hosting is that it costs more than regular WordPress hosting. This is understandable because you get extra features that guarantee your website continues to perform optimally as long as the plan lasts.
You might have to reconsider the need if you can handle your site’s technical issues yourself or have a low-traffic website that doesn’t require regular maintenance.
3. Dependency on the hosting provider
Using a managed WordPress hosting service means you rely on the hosting provider and entrust them with managing your website’s infrastructure. Your website could be affected if the hosting provider experiences downtime, security breaches, or other issues.
How to find the right managed WordPress hosting for your business site
Finding the right managed WordPress hosting for your business website can be tricky, as there are no specific features you can expect from a hosting provider. However, here’s a simple guide to help you make an informed decision:
1. Assess your needs
Assess your website’s needs before subscribing to a managed WordPress hosting service. Determine its potential traffic volume, storage space, security needs, and any other features or integrations your site may need.
A shared hosting plan might be better if you want a simple website with low or moderate traffic. Most shared hosting providers also offer managed services to their subscribers. So, you don’t have to specifically request the extra features with managed WordPress hosting, as they’re already embedded in the plan.
However, the problem is there’s no dedicated attention on your website, only on all the sites on the shared server.
On the other hand, if you want a site that performs at the top level, can handle any traffic volume, has sophisticated security, etc., then managed WordPress hosting on a dedicated or VPS hosting plan would be ideal.
2. Research hosting providers
Once you know your needs, research the hosting providers that offer them. Your focus here should be on the extra features these providers offer.
Some managed WordPress hosting providers offer top-level site management and maintenance by providing enhanced security, automatic and regular backups, speed optimization, and expert support. Some hosting providers also offer WordPress builders.
The level of service you get depends on the hosting provider you work with. Therefore, you must compare different hosting providers to pick the one that meets your needs. Also, check reviews and testimonials from other users to understand how much effort the different hosting providers put into satisfying their customers.
3. Consider your budget
Besides knowing your needs and researching hosting providers, you must also consider your budget.
Managed WordPress hosting comes with an additional cost from regular hosting. You must pay for the hosting provider’s extra features and special services. This will even cost you more if you’re on a dedicated VPS or cloud hosting plan.
Therefore, you must understand your budget and go for web hosting providers within that range. Remember that while some providers may offer lower introductory rates, their renewal prices may be higher.
4. Make a choice
Choose the managed WordPress hosting plan that aligns with your needs and budget, and stick to it. Provided the web hosting company guarantees high uptime and optimal performance for your site, you have nothing much to worry about.
Is managed WordPress hosting worth It?
If you value convenience, security, reliability, and expert support and are willing to pay a premium for these services, then managed WordPress hosting may be worth it for your business.
However, if you’re on a tight budget or prefer more control and flexibility over your hosting environment, you may want to go for other hosting solutions.
Top managed WordPress hosting companies in 2024
Here are the top ten companies that offer the best-managed WordPress hosting services and are known for their excellent performance, reliability, security, support, and WordPress-specific features:
Kinsta Managed Hosting
Based on my experience, Kinsta is my top recommendation for managed hosting. You’ll get reliable performance and 24/7 support, their daily backups and free migrations are incredibly helpful. You’ll notice the difference it makes, especially during high-traffic periods.
Plus, I’ve tested their caching technology-it really speeds up your site. Trust me, I’ve seen my clients reap the benefits.
SiteGround Managed Hosting
SiteGround ‘s Ultrafast Managed WordPress Hosting is a powerful hosting plan allowing you to manage your site easily. It provides you with free auto-updates, staging environments, and backups. You also get an automated setup and migration and 24/7 expert support.
The hosting plan includes the extended version of Speed Optimizer and other features to give your site a comprehensive WordPress performance solution.
Related:
GoDaddy Managed Hosting
GoDaddy offers well-managed WordPress hosting plans. It handles your website updates, including plugins, extensions, and PHP versions. It also makes your website 2X faster than the competition through Cloudflare CDN.
One thing you’d like about GoDaddy’s managed WordPress hosting is its AI-based onboarding service. You only need to answer a few questions, and the GoDaddy AI engine creates an amazing site design that you can fine-tune yourself.
Related: Siteground vs GoDaddy
Bluehost Managed Hosting
Bluehost offers managed WordPress hosting plans that let you easily build your site and start promoting your business in no time. Your site will get automatic daily backups, updates, free SSL certificates, spam protection, and malware removal.
There’s also a staging environment where you can experiment with your updates before they go live. The dedicated customer support is another amazing thing about Bluehost you’d find amazing, especially when you’re stuck and need immediate help.
Related: Siteground vs Bluehost
Is managed WordPress hosting free?
Managed WordPress hosting costs much more than regular hosting services as the technical aspect of your website management is taken care of for you, leaving you to focus on creating content and marketing your site.
How much does managed WordPress hosting cost?
Managed WordPress hosting costs range from $10 to $500 per month, depending on the level of service you want.
A managed WordPress hosting service on a shared hosting plan will cost you way less than you’d pay for the same services on a dedicated, VPS or cloud hosting plan.
Here are some indicative prices of managed hosting from the top hosting providers.
Ready to choose a managed WordPress hosting solution?
An efficiently managed WordPress hosting service is a great asset for your business. It enables your site to function effectively and gives you the freedom and peace of mind to focus on the core activities that attract leads and sales to your business.
With a managed WordPress hosting service, you’re not worried that your site may crash in the middle of a launch, and even if it happens, you’re sure there’s a team of experts who will jump in to restore your site to normalcy.
Originally published at https://weignitegrowth.com.
