Do I Need cPanel with WordPress Managed Hosting?

One of the most widely-used website control panels is cPanel. It is quite popular among bloggers and content creators, as it provides them with plenty of advanced features that are very useful in their line of work. But is it really necessary for them to have cPanel, or are there alternatives that provide similar features and have fewer disadvantages? Let’s dive in and find out. 

What is cPanel?

The most basic difference between cPanel and other website control panels is that cPanel is a full-featured web hosting administration console. In other words, it provides you with all the features that you need to manage your website hosting tasks, from installation to configuration to troubleshooting. In comparison, most of the alternatives only provide you with a skeleton which you have to build yourself. This can be a real disadvantage, especially if you are a power user who needs all the features that cPanel has to offer. So cPanel is a bit more than just a web hosting control panel, it is a complete web hosting management platform with a lot of flexibility and power, which you can’t find in most of the other solutions.

Why Should I Avoid Directly Install WordPress On My Server?

Using a managed WordPress hosting service is the best option for new and experienced bloggers who want to keep their sites lightweight and fast. This is because the hosting service takes care of the heavy lifting of configuring, installing, and maintaining WordPress on your behalf. This saves you from having to worry about the technical side of things which you could end up causing problems instead of solving. Sometimes even the most basic tasks such as changing the name of your site or uploading a new logo can be a real pain to do directly on your web server. Not to mention all the security issues that you have to be careful about when installing software on your server.

What Is The Main Disadvantage Of Using Directly Installed WordPress On My Server?

One of the main disadvantages of using directly installed WordPress on your server is that it lacks the flexibility that comes with a managed hosting service. For example, if you want to switch to a different web host to continue providing your site with faster speed and higher storage, you won’t be able to do so easily, as you have to move your entire website content over to the new host. This can be a real pain if you are not prepared for it, so make sure that you have backups of your site in case anything goes wrong.

Is There A Difference In The Prices Of Managed And Directly-Installed WordPress Hosting?

There is a noticeable price difference between managed and directly-installed WordPress hosting, especially when you compare the two cheapest packages offered by the two companies. The key difference is in the level of service that is provided. While the cheapest managed plan just provides you with a basic web hosting account and a free domain, the cheapest direct-installation plan from Bluehost includes all the advanced features that you could want, along with a free domain. So if you are going for a free domain, make sure that you get the proper service level, as the cheaper the package, the more limited the service. This is something to keep in mind.

Is There A Difference In The Features Of Managed And Directly-Installed WordPress Hosting?

While the above answer may seem obvious, let’s discuss the features of managed and directly-installed WordPress hosting briefly. Most hosting providers offer a combination of the two, allowing you to create a site with the basic features that you need for content publishing but with the added security and performance of a managed WordPress installation. So in general, yes, there is a difference in the features between the two and you should pick the one which offers the most suitable features for your needs.

Are There Any Other Differences Between The Two?

There are also several other differences between the two. For example, the free domain which comes with the cheapest managed service is a temporary one that will expire after 12 months. In comparison, the free domain which comes with the cheapest direct-installation plan from Bluehost is a permanent one which will stay with your site forever, as long as you continue using the service. In addition, the managed service provides you with a free backup and restores, while the direct-installation plan from Bluehost offers a paid backup and restores. Furthermore, the managed hosting service provides you with a free DDoS protection which the direct-installation plan from Bluehost does not. So in general, you should go for the managed service if you want all the features, otherwise, you should opt for the direct-installation plan from Bluehost.

In summary, cPanel provides you with a lot of useful features, allowing you to quickly and easily manage your web hosting tasks. In comparison, WordPress itself is a very flexible content management system which can be easily modified to fit any needs. So if you are a beginner who just wants to create a simple blog, go with the managed hosting service, and if you are a power user who needs all the features that cPanel has to offer, go with the direct-installation plan from Bluehost.