What is hosting? Hosting is a server(s) or super-powerful computer(s) that connect websites to the internet. Choosing the right hosting is essential for you website.
What are the things you need to look for?
- Speed
- Uptime
- Customer Support
- Free SSL certificate
- Automatic daily backups
- Automatic WordPress updates
- Easy staging sites
- Bandwidth and storage
- Ability to grow
Let’s take a look at the difference between Managed WordPress and Shared Hosting.
| Managed WordPress | Shared Hosting | |
| Host unlimited websites | No | Yes |
| Fees | Higher monthly fees | Lower monthly fees |
| Shares resources with other sites on the same server. | Specific WordPress server / or Hosted on Google cloud | Yes |
| Loading speed | Faster | Can be slower |
| Automatic updates | Yes | No |
| Automatic backup | Yes | No |
| Simple WP install | Yes | No |
| Staging sites | Yes | No |
| WordPress Specific Server | Yes | No |
| Security | Enhanced security | SSL certificates |
| Visitor limits | Yes | No |
Let’s take a look at the best WordPress hosting companies and their features.
Bluehost is great for small businesses, and bloggers and is recommended by WordPress. Their plans include WordPress Dashboards, 1-click installation, free domain, SSL Certificate, 24/7 support.
SiteGround is also recommended by WordPress, and is very popular with in the WordPress community. SiteGround features include one-click install, managed updates, staging, git integration, SLL certificate, unlimited websites, 25,000 monthly visits, 24/7 support, and migrations.
WP Engine is a premium managed WordPress hosting provider. They offer automatic security updates, daily backups, one-click restore, automatic caching, SSL certificates, one-click staging area, support 24/7, free migrations, Genesis Framework, 35 themes, and more.
Flywheel is the choice of many creatives such as web designers and agencies. They also offer tons of features like 24/7 chat support, Free migration tools, staging environments, site cloning, PHP 7.2 ready, plugin updates, fly cache, SSL certificate, and more.
Kinsta is also among our premium choices. They provide SSL certificate, free migrations, backups, staging environment, a dashboard for easy management of your WordPress website, 24/7 support, hosted on Google Cloud Platform, and more.
Conclusion:
Shared hosting maybe your best option if you are starting or have a modest or limited budget. Start small and grow over time.
If you want to grow, or have an e-commerce or membership website, you may want to look into managed WordPress for speed, auto-updates, automatic backups, and increased server security.
I know this is a lot to consider. I hope this information is helpful, please leave a comment below, let us know your thoughts.