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WordPress isn’t just for indie blogs. A part of growing your business comes down to your managed WordPress hosting provider. Choosing the wrong one can lead to lost sales and a scrambling, stressed-out team.
In today’s article, BluEnt brings you a rundown of some of the best managed WordPress hosting providers so your business can get the recognition it deserves.
Table of Contents:
What is Managed WordPress Hosting?
Managed WordPress hosting is a descriptive term for the service you will receive. Most hosting plans will still leave the bulk of the site work to your team. However, managed hosting involves your provider taking care of some of these responsibilities, such as updating your site.
Most hosting is unmanaged. This means that after you purchase space on a server, the job of maintaining the site falls to you. Your hosting provider may provide you some helpful tools, but that’s all the help you’ll get.
There are various types of hosting plans, which can be unmanaged or managed. Let’s take a look at them.
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Types of WordPress Hosting Plans
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Shared hosting: Many customers split the use of one server. This type is ideal for beginners who are launching their first site.
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Cloud hosting: This type is relatively new in the hosting world. It offers VPS’. However, every individual machine is distributed through various servers. It is a good all-round type.
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Virtual private servers: As with shared hosting, you will be sharing hardware with other customers. However, you will receive a “virtual space” to yourself. VPS’ are best suited to sites with a medium amount of traffic.
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Dedicated servers: You have a physical server to yourself. Customization, scalability, and more robust hardware are just some of the benefits. It is suited to sites with high traffic, but can be expensive
Top Managed WordPress Hosting Providers (And Their Clients)
Here is a rundown of the pros and cons of managed WordPress hosting providers. You’ll get a feel of everything from the WordPress migration to implementation.
1. WP Engine (SoundCloud, HTC, FourSquare, Balsamiq)
Price: 20 USD, 86.25 USD, 217.50 USD/month; custom pricing available for larger setups
WP engine offers solutions that fall between being beginner-friendly and developer-friendly.
Pros
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Virtually hacker-proof websites
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In-house performance optimization
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Content delivery network (CDN)
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Robust, fast servers
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Excellent customer service
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Automatic security updates & caching
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One-click restore points and staging area
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Daily backups
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No need for your team to deal with technical aspects of running a blog
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Free 36+ premium StudioPress themes
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Free Genesis framework
Cons
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High costs
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Expensive add-ons such as geotargeting
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Difficult to move to another host, since WP Engine modifies native WordPress code
2. SiteGround (Yoast, Impress.org)
Price: 4.99 USD, 7.99 USD, 14.99 USD/month
SiteGround luckily does not include the restrictions that tend to come with traditional managed WordPress hosting providers.
Pros
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Fast servers
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Excellent security
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Some of the most cost-friendly managed WordPress plans
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CDN
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Free backups and restore features
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Automatic updates
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Transparency
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24/7 WP support, including on phone
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Version control
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One-click staging
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SSD drives
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Multiple websites on single account
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Free Let’s Encrypt SSL for all plans
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Free PCI compliance for eCommerce
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Advanced features such as Git integration
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Multiple data centers in the US, Europe, Australia and Asia
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Caters to non-technical people, bloggers and developers
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Officially recommended by WordPress
Cons
Not ideal for high-traffic sites
3. DreamHost (UCLA, McKinley Marketing Partners)
Price: 16.95 USD, 29.95 USD, 79.95 USD/month
DreamHost comes with a wide range of affordable plans.
Pros
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Easy web hosting
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Unlimited space
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Unlimited bandwidth
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Custom dashboard
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Automatic WP updates
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1-click WordPress installation
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Free SSDs
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Officially recommended by WordPress
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WPBeginner users get a 72% off, a free domain, and free SSL certificate
Cons
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Site transfers not free
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No 24/7 support
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Difficult custom control panel rather than cPanel or Plesk
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Not ideal for websites that serve visitors outside Asia or the US
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No option for server locations outside the US
4. Bluehost (PCI Group, NexInfo Solutions, Inc)
Price: 19.95 USD, 29.95 USD, 49.95 USD/month; 2.75 USD/month with 36-month plan
Bluehost is a popular hosting service among many small business owners and bloggers who use WordPress.
Pros
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User-friendly
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Cost-friendly introductory prices
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Good value for money
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Free SSL
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Large database of WordPress tutorials
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24/7 fast, reliable live customer support
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30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
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No free site migration with cheapest plan
5. LiquidWeb (Audi, FedEx, Motorola, Red Bull, ESPN)
Price: 19 USD to 999 USD/month
LiquidWeb is suitable for larger enterprises or individuals who require hosting for several websites.
Pros
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Intuitive dashboard
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Automatic updates
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24/7 fast, reliable customer support through phone, chat and email
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Staging sites
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Development tools including SSH and Git
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Hassle-free since hosting servers are tuned for performance, security and speed
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Caters to online professionals and agencies with multiple websites
Cons
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Downtime issues
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No managed hosting for small companies with fewer sites
6. HostGator (Nedesign, Cartel Systems)
Price: 5.95 USD, 7.95 USD, 9.95 USD/month
HostGator is one of the most popular web hosting providers, with over 10 million domains. Furthermore, if you’re looking for cheap managed WordPress hosting, HostGator is one of your best options.
Pros
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Best option for high-traffic websites
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Fast loading times, especially for mobile
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All plans come with unlimited bandwidth, email accounts and storage
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Free site migration
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24/7 fast, reliable customer support through phone and live chat
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45-day money-back guarantee
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Caters to small business sites and bloggers
Cons
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Higher renewal fees (9.95 USD/month)
Conclusion
Picking the best managed WordPress hosting provider for your business will help determine your site’s performance. It is crucial to understand the options available in the market and to determine which one fits your needs.
Note that information such as pricing or security may change. It is always best to thoroughly check the hosting provider’s website before making your decision.
However, you can save yourself the trouble with BluEnt’s WordPress development services. We take care of everything for you, including WordPress migration, integration with third-party software and payment gateways, theme installation, theme development, and more.
Ready to grow your business with WordPress implementation and management? Contact us now!
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