The amount of choices you need to make with WordPress can be incredibly overwhelming. Dot com vs dot org WordPress, which theme, what secure username + now I’m adding in different types of hosting? The good news is knowing the difference between managed and shared hosting for WordPress is straight forward. So is picking which one is the right choice for your business.
With dozens + dozens of hosting companies in the world, it’s better to know if you want managed or shared hosting before you start your search. That way you can focus on companies that offer the type of hosting that you’re looking for, which will cut the number of choices in half.
Don’t worry about it getting too nerdy. I’ll explain what you need to know + what the jargon means. I’ll also break down the two types in the least boring way possible.
What’s in a name? The difference is right there.
Whoever named these two hosting options had your best interest in mind. That’s because when we look at the names, these options give a lot away from the start.
Shared WordPress hosting
Shared hosting is what it’s called when your site shares a server with dozens, if not hundreds, of other websites. This type of hosting is most easily identified by a plan that allows you to have unlimited websites. The hosting company is not concerned with how many copies of WordPress you install on your portion of the server because one of your digital neighbors is likely doing the exact same thing.
Managed WordPress hosting
Managed hosting means your site is cared for by a team that isn’t you. Though you can be part of the team. It’s also given space to call its own on the server. I like to describe this type of hosting as being more closely managed than the shared option. It can be confusing because both types of hosting technically have a support team you can reach out to. If you’ve ever used managed hosting you know the difference. Instead of feeling like you’re shouting into the ether, your questions are answered by a real human + tech troubles are often caught before you even know about them.
In the most simple terms, shared hosting is a lot of sites in a small amount of server space. While managed hosting is the opposite. The differences between managed and shared hosting don’t stop there.
The cost differences between shared and managed hosting
This difference is often the biggest deciding factor for small business owners. Budgets matter + when it comes to a recurring cost, it’s a serious decision. Plus, shared WordPress hosting can be significantly cheaper* than managed. When you’re not paying for enough space for your site to grow, a team to monitor how your site is doing + the other services that come with a managed server, you can save a lot of cash each month.
I’ve seen shared hosting for as little as $3.99 per month with coupon codes. That rate only lasts for a short while, but it’s still hard to beat when managed WordPress hosting starts at $30 a month for the basics + goes up from there. That 6x monthly cost may be enough to say you towards sharing server space with dozens + dozens of other sites.
*The monthly cost isn’t the only expense to consider, though.
Many managed hosting companies include services that shared hosting companies will charge separately for. Which means they offer you a $4/month plan for the first year. But then don’t give you any of the things you need to run your business online.
The most common one that I see is SSLs. That is the thing that puts an s in the https:// before your site URL. An SSL encrypts the data that is entered on your site, or in other words… an SSL protects the important info that is typed on your site (usernames + passwords, emails, credit card info, etc). Some shared hosting companies claim that SSLs should be handled by the company you bought the domain from while every managed WordPress hosting company I know tosses out SSLs like Tootsie Rolls at a holiday parade.
Other services that you might end up paying extra for would be site updates, basic security + site backups. To me, backups are a non-negotiable. If you’re going to have a website online, you need a domain, an SSL + off site backups. When you add up those line item costs to have a WordPress site, that $4/month fee quickly adds up. But the higher cost also puts the managed hosting cost in range. Not to mention, you’re sharing server space with a mountain of other business owners who might not care as much about security as you do.
Security differences between shared and managed hosting
The biggest reason I recommend managed WordPress hosting for solopreneurs is that the cost of being hacked will blow your annual hosting budget out of the water. It’s common to spend $1,000 getting your WordPress site unhacked. When you consider that our managed hosting clients get a hack-free guarantee, that alone pays for itself vs the cheapest shared plan you can find.
How are managed WordPress hosting companies able to have hack-free guarantees?
- When you’re not sharing a server with countless other websites, you’re not putting your business at risk dozens of times over. You’re only secure as the weakest link on your server. Which means you have zero control over how secure your site really is when you’re on a shared hosting plan.
- Managed WordPress hosting companies typically run daily backups of all of your site files. Those backups aren’t stored on the same server as your website. Shared hosting companies may offer backups, but they charge extra for it. And those backups may be stored in the same folder your website is. Which means that if a hacker gets in, they can delete your backups along with damaging your site.
- Shared hosting companies react to problems + managed hosting companies are proactive in the work they do to keep hackers away. That might look like daily scans for malware + viruses (bad stuff that can break your site). It may also mean forcing strong passwords for all users, maintenance to the equipment your site uses + updating plugins on your behalf.
Shared and managed hosting speed differences
Because of everything above, solopreneurs that use a managed WordPress hosting company (like WP Engine) are much faster than anyone using shared hosting. In fact, our hosting clients see an increase in site speed of 40%. And that’s simply by ditching the shared hosting plan they were on + joining a managed plan. When you add in the work that we do to improve their site performance, it’s often closer to 65% faster.
This speed increase can be attributed to not having to share resources with dozens of additional websites. Imagine a traffic jam on the highway + how speedy your trip feels when you are bumper to bumper with other folks. But if the road is open + the playlist is good, you’re much happier driving to your destination.
On top of resources being spread too thin, shared hosting companies promote the use of caching plugins to speed up websites. They certainly can help, but they also make it your responsibility to know the right tools + settings to make magic happen. Managed hosting companies use caching on the server so that your site doesn’t need yet another plugin + you don’t have to fret over what settings are right for your WordPress site.
Ready to switch to managed WordPress hosting?
If you want to learn more about managed WordPress hosting, we have a breakdown of the details for you + are available to chat.