WordPress Managed Hosting Comparison

We’ll assume you’re reading this because you’re interested in learning more about hosting a website. You’re in the right place. We’re going to discuss the differences between various types of managed wordpress hosting plans and which one you should choose based on your needs.

Traditional Web Hosting Versus Managed Hosting

Traditional Web Hosting entails you renting out servers from companies like GoDaddy or Bluehost. These are the basic, entry-level hosting packages which come with one free domain. You have to manage and configure the servers yourself, which means investing lots of time in learning how to do this. Not only is it frustrating and tiring to have to learn something new every time you set up a new website, but you also have to figure out all the technicalities of server administration on your own. This can be both daunting and frustrating. Especially since you’ll inevitably mess up something and end up having to call someone for help. Traditional web hosting provides a static website without any kind of ongoing management, which makes it perfect for bloggers who want to keep their websites up and running without having to worry about the maintenance and upkeep. As you’d expect, traditional web hosting is very affordable. It typically only costs you around $2.95 per month, plus whatever domain fees you pay to register your domain with the company you choose.

Managed Hosting is, in comparison, a lot more streamlined and convenient. With this type of hosting, you delegate the task of managing and maintaining your server to the experts. The companies tasked with providing this service will take care of everything for you so that you can simply focus on what’s important to you—building and growing your business.

The biggest benefit of managed wordpress hosting is that you don’t have to worry about a thing. The company will take care of updating the server with the latest security patches, handling all the backups for you, and setting up all the services you need (like WordPress and an SSL certificate) so that your site can operate smoothly. You simply have to log in once a week to make sure everything is running smoothly and then—voila!—you can get back to focusing on building your business.

Features

The features you get will vary based on the type of host you choose. However, most managed wordpress hosting plans include these basic features:

• Free backups
• Free domain privacy
• Free security patches
• Free support (via live chat or phone)

These are all important factors to consider, especially if you’re planning on charging customers to visit your site or sell your products via an online store. In most cases, the companies offering managed wordpress hosting will provide you with enough storage space to comfortably accommodate all of your website’s content. Additionally, they’ll set up your site with a free domain forwarding function, which helps provide visitors with a seamless experience when they visit your site. If you go this route, make sure you notify your web host of any special DNS requirements (e.g., for the domain name you choose, or if you have a particular CMS you need to use).

Cost

This is one of the most important considerations when choosing a managed wordpress hosting plan. Naturally, you want to find a provider which offers great value for money, but you also want to make sure you’re not being cheated. In most cases, you won’t find a cheaper option for the features you get—but it’s always nice to get a good deal, right?—so be sure to check out the price of the various plans before committing. Most companies will give you a special deal if you’re signing up for their yearly plan. For example, Squarespace provides a special discount if you sign up for their annual plan. And since we mentioned Squarespace earlier, let’s take a look at their pricing:

The base plan comes with free hosting for one year and the standard features we mentioned earlier. The only additional cost you’ll incur is for their popular Plus plan, which provides you with additional features. This plan comes with all the essentials and then some, including a free dedicated IP which provides you with the ability to set up multiple websites on a single IP address. You also get a free domain privacy setup, free backups, and free content delivery networks (CDNs), which help speed up your site’s load time.

The next plan up is the Plus+ plan, which is basically the same as the Squarespace Plus plan and costs you $5 per month, plus domain fees. Additionally, you’ll need to contact Squarespace to set up the dedicated IP. This plan also provides you with a free SSL certificate, which helps secure your site’s transactions and ensures that your customers know they are communicating with a trusted source. This plan is what I’d recommend for a blog or a small business site which needs a bit of an upgrade from a basic WordPress installation.

Bandwidth

This refers to the amount of data you can transfer to or from your website per hour. The faster your bandwidth, the faster your site will load for your visitors. Naturally, you want to find a host which provides you with sufficient bandwidth so that you can always host your site without worrying about running out of space. The good news is that most providers will give you a significant chunk of free bandwidth which you can use indefinitely. So there’s no need to worry about running out of space. The bad news is this will likely increase your site’s load time. If you’re planning to host videos on your site, or use some of the many free video content creators available online, your load time could increase significantly.

Uptime

This refers to the amount of time you can expect your site to be up and running without any problems. When it comes to hosting companies, the more reliable the better. When you get an unreliable host, even if they offer great value for money, it’s still not worth it. Naturally, you don’t want to go this route because it’ll undermine the purpose of having a site in the first place. An unreliable host will cause you a great deal of stress and anxiety when it comes down to running your business. So if you can, ensure the hosting company you choose offers some level of reliability and that their service is available 24/7/365.

Maintainability

This is a measure of how efficient and easy it is to update your site’s content. If you’re planning on creating and editing content yourself, you’ll need a host which is easily maintainable. The more efficiently and easily you can update your site’s content, the less stress you’ll experience and the more time you’ll have to devote to growing your business. Naturally, this will vary based on your expertise. If you’re a beginner, you might want to go for a simpler option which is more easily managed. But as you become more experienced, you might want to consider a more complex option with more features. It’s all about what you need for the task at hand.

There are many benefits to hosting a website. Having a presence online is vital in today’s world. Whether you’re a business seeking to promote your products or an individual wanting to share your thoughts and opinions, the world is your oyster when it comes to making the most of the online medium.

If you’re looking for a simple, no-fuss option which offers great value for money, I’d recommend checking out shared hosting from Bluehost or GoDaddy. These are the two biggest, most popular hosting providers in the world and are perfect for beginners. Additionally, they’re both quite affordable. You’ll want to look for a company which maintains a high reputation and offers a money-back guarantee if you’re not completely satisfied. Having a trustworthy company like this behind you is a great advantage as you start out. It’ll ease the stress of getting your site online and functioning properly.