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What is Managed WordPress Hosting?
In this article, we will explain what managed WordPress hosting is, and what makes it different from other hosting options.
We will tell you why we think it’s the best option for most WordPress users. Lastly, we will recommend what we believe is the best WordPress managed hosting currently on the market. Let’s go!
Why Is WordPress Managed Hosting Good?
To understand what WordPress managed hosting is, you just need to learn what “managed” part means.
WordPress is great because it lets even the non-tech-savvy user set up and use a great looking website. How? Through themes and plugins. Themes give your site a visual identity, while plugins are an easy way to expand its features.
Common WordPress Update Issues
However, because WordPress is open-source, which lets anyone create themes and plugins for it, there are thousands of contributors worldwide that work on their software non-stop. These contributors work to release new plugin or theme updates often. Also, to keep up with frequent WordPress core updates, and to fix bugs updates are always needed.
While updating your site only takes two or three clicks, people often forget and fail to do so. Failing to get updates will not only mean you won’t get the latest features, but it opens the door for hackers who will try to exploit security holes. Most updates have security measures too and failing to get the latest puts you at risk.
Also, if you don’t update your site regularly, you will find things breaking down because of incompatibility. Your website will start showing errors, and if you neglect it for too long, you will look unprofessional to your potential clients. They may not be able to reach you at all because the site is down.
But it is not only about forgetting to update. Sometimes when you do upgrade, the latest version of your theme or plugin isn’t good. The newest version of the core makes old plugins incompatible, or something similar happens all leading to one thing – a broken website. You know the feeling when you have to start Googling and trying to find a solution for those random errors. These are the kinds of things managed hosting can solve.
How Does Managed Hosting Solve All The Issues From Above?
Managed WordPress hosting is a solution for everything we mentioned above. This is because your hosting provider takes care of the site maintenance for you.
With managed hosting plans, you don’t have to worry about core, theme and plugin updates. They are taken care of automatically, at the server level. That means that your site will always have the latest updates to keep it safe.
It also means that your host is responsible for any plugin or theme incompatibility issues with the core version. That will mean fewer errors most of the time. However, if something does happen, the hosting support will be there to fix it. There will be no more wasted hours of watching “how to fix WordPress error” tutorials.
Is Managed WordPress Hosting A Good Option For You?
Managed WordPress hosting plans are the best solution for about 90% of WordPress users.
Managed hosting is excellent. It is especially good for static websites that are not doing major updates all the time. It allows you to focus on your business, not worrying about your site all the time. You will know that your website is taken care of by pros, giving you peace of mind. If you are a busy business person, these plans are an excellent option for you.
Also, if you do run a blog and post frequently, but you are not very technical, the managed plan is also a great option.
The only people who shouldn’t get this type of hosting are those of you who have the time and the knowledge to keep your site updated, and to solve occasional errors yourself. I would say that I somewhat fall into this category, but even I use managed WP hosting. The benefits and ease of use outweigh the negatives. If that is the case, a regular, shared hosting plan is all you need.
Shared Hosting vs. Managed WordPress Hosting
Managed WordPress plans are still hosted on a shared server. And yes, you can install WordPress for free on any type of server.
However, regular shared hosting means that you are in charge of everything. This includes WordPress core, plugin, and theme updates, as explained in the text above.
Managed WordPress Hosting vs. VPS
Most Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting plans are managed. This means that your hosting provider takes care of the site maintenance for you, like with managed WordPress.
The similarities pretty much end there. VPS is much more powerful than any shared plan. It guarantees you resources, meaning that your site always has the firepower to withstand any sudden traffic spikes. VPS “virtualizes” a dedicated server on a shared server. Managed WordPress hosting is an upgraded regular shared hosting plan.
So why would you choose managed WordPress if VPS is more powerful? Because VPS is too much for most websites. In most cases it would be a complete waste of money, as it is far more expensive than managed WordPress hosting.
Our Recommendation For Best WordPress Managed Hosting
As you can see, we like managed hosting plans very much. We especially like it considering that it is similar in price to regular shared hosting.
Many hosting companies are introducing managed WordPress hosting, as it is getting more popular. The two that we like the most are SiteGround and HostPapa. If you want to learn more about them check out our full SiteGround and HostPapa reviews.
SiteGround managed WordPress hosting plans are amazing. I currently use their plan to run this site. I chose them after comparing over 20 different companies. Many of them are covered in my WordPress hosting comparison post.
What separates SiteGround from other managed hosting options is their support. They have the best support within the industry as far as I’m concerned. Additionally, they offer affordable plans to start out, and very fast servers. They are worth checking out.
HostPapa managed WordPress hosting plans are affordable as well. They give you a lot for the money paid. First, their servers are WordPress-optimized, and they have a dedicated team of staff dedicated to managed WP plans. These guys really know their stuff. You can expect your issues resolved in no time at all. They’re also worth taking a look at.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many reasons to choose managed WordPress hosting plans. Simply put, they take care of your basic site maintenance, so one less thing to worry about in your day-to-day.
Yes, you can do it on your own, but if your schedule is packed, it is so easy to ignore those annoying update notifications. Considering that managed WordPress hosting plans are not that expensive, we think this is a small investment well worth making.