What is WordPress hosting

We all know what WordPress is but what is WordPress hosting? Well here's the answer to that question.

Updated: 07 Nov, 23 by Susith Nonis 23 Min

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If you are thinking about building a website using WordPress, you have probably heard of WordPress hosting most of the time. Hosting plays one of the most significant roles in the initial development of any website. If you select the right web hosting, your website will load faster in the browser. 

At the same time, if you fail to choose an exemplary hosting service, your site will load slowly and might face downtime issues. Even many times, bad hosting providers neglect security parameters. It leads to some security threats on your website. 

However, choosing quality WordPress hosting can do the opposite of what we discussed above. You must choose WordPress hosting because WordPress hosting offers optimized performance, enhanced security, and expert support tailored specifically for WordPress websites, making it an ideal choice for easy installation, regular backups, and seamless updates. 

Your website will be responsive, load fast, and significantly improve your site's performance. It will help a lot if you learn what WordPress hosting is and what comes with WordPress hosting and its other forms. That's why we are sharing with you a complete guide on how WordPress hosting looks like and its types.

WordPress hosting is a hosting that's been optimized to run WordPress. One of the main reasons why people love WordPress hosting due to its robust performance and security features. It also usually provides one-click WordPress installs to make it hassle-free for non-technical users. We all agree that not everyone is technically blessed. 

That's why it becomes tedious for many people to choose the perfect hosting plan. An ideal hosting plan ensures additional WordPress features. At the same time, there are many types of web hosting: Shared, VPS, Dedicated, Managed, Free, and you can install WordPress on these hosting services as well.  

When it comes to hosting a WordPress website, the concept of WordPress hosting can be both intriguing and confusing. Many beginners wonder whether they really need WordPress hosting or if a regular hosting plan will suffice. The answer depends on your website's specific needs and your long-term goals.

While running a WordPress website on a regular web hosting plan is technically possible, opting for specialized WordPress hosting can offer numerous advantages. WordPress hosting is optimized specifically for the WordPress platform, which means it is tailored to meet the software's unique requirements. This optimization often results in faster loading times, smoother website performance, and an overall better user experience.

One of the significant benefits of choosing WordPress hosting is the enhanced security measures it provides. Regular hosting plans may lack the specific security features needed to safeguard a WordPress site effectively. WordPress hosting, on the other hand, typically includes robust security protocols, protecting your website from potential threats like malware and hacking attempts.

Another crucial aspect is the ease of use and convenience that WordPress hosting offers. WordPress hosting providers often offer one-click installations, making it simple even for beginners to set up a WordPress website quickly. Additionally, these hosting plans often come with automatic updates for both WordPress software and plugins, ensuring your site stays up-to-date and secure without any manual intervention.

WordPress hosting is an excellent choice for those who anticipate their website to grow over time. These hosting plans are designed to handle increased traffic and resource demands, offering scalability to accommodate your website's expansion without facing performance issues.

While you can technically run a WordPress website on regular hosting, opting for WordPress hosting can significantly enhance your website's performance, security, and ease of management. If you value convenience, want to ensure optimal performance, and prioritize your website's security, choosing specialized WordPress hosting is a prudent decision that can lead to a smoother and more successful WordPress website experience.

secure wordpress hosting

Shared Hosting

In the world of website hosting, shared web hosting is the king of all other servers. Due to its extremely affordable prices and smooth server, developers are always fascinated by this. Shared hosting is one of the most common web hosting services in many countries. We all know there are various types of hosting services on the internet, yet shared hosting is the most demanded one. 

Experienced WordPress developers always consider shared web hosting as the number one choice for building websites. It allows potential creators to run websites in minutes. It can be the perfect choice for getting WordPress on it. 

However, a shared web server hosts several other websites together in one place. Each sharing consists of the server's resources, and memory, and CPU. In this hosting, the only thing that is not shared with others is the hard disk space.

You must consider choosing the best hosting server if you have a large website. Shared web hosting can either be a great choice if you are a small business owner or can be a worse decision to select a better edge over this hosting. Shared web hosting is cheap as compared to other services, but security needs more than budget complexity.

Pros of Shared Hosting 

  • Shared hosting plans come much cheaper compared to dedicated and VPS hosting services. That's why many single website owners and small organizations tend to use shared web hosting.
  • You will don't need to handle technical issues that occur because the server's administration and maintenance are taken care of by themselves. 
  • Most important, you don't need to possess any technical knowledge in website and server administration as the hosting provider takes care of everything. 

Cons of Shared Hosting 

  • While the advantages are lovely, especially for the inexperienced, the disadvantageous are considerable:
  • The first drawback of shared hosting is its severely limited functionality. It means you don't have any control over useful features, such as caching.
  • The setup can host multiple websites on the same server, but shared hosting allows to host only one website per account. It slows down the server sometimes. 
  • There is no flexibility due to the web server and installed software are controlled by the web host.

Virtual private server (VPS) hosting

VPS hosting is another hosting that supplies more flexibility and comfort than shared web hosting. The concept of VPS hosting is very much like shared hosting. It implies that instead of having limited hard disk space on shared hosting, VPS lets you access a complete virtual machine with its natural operating system and user accounts. However, the simple meaning of VPS stands for a virtual private server. 

This virtual operating system lives within a parent server and uses virtual technology to supply dedicated resources to the virtual server. Put simply; dedicated VPS hosting is created on a host, either a computer or a network chain. This environment is called a "parent server." 

With VPS hosting, you have much more comfort and freedom to decide your configuration. The perfect time to choose when you should opt for this server depends on your capability to adopt the additional setup. Besides, it also comes with significant maintenance at the same time. 

So, therefore, the question becomes a firm choice between you and your needs. Generally, companies that command big servers always consider VPS hosting.

Types of VPS Hosting 

  • Unmanaged VPS server: You will have total control of the operating system.
  • Managed VPS server: In this server most cases, you will not have any root access. Still, you can access the shell and conduct general administrative tasks.

Pros of VPS Hosting

  • If you have no budget issues, VPS hosting can be the perfect deal for using WordPress hosting. It costs more than shared hosting due to the nature of giving its server. 
  • VPS hosting plans are customizable so that you can pay for your needs. You can easily configure the processing server options, such as RAM and HDD space. 
  • VPS hosting allocates bandwidth and storage for each instance, so other servers do not affect your performance. 
  • Another advantage over shared hosting with unmanaged VPS hosting is the root access on a virtual machine. It means you will have total control of the server. 
  • There is immense comfort in installing any software you want. So, it's fundamentally easy to add functionality and customization, e.g., installing the Apache module.

Cons of VPS Hosting

  • The main drawback of VPS hosting is that it is still in a shared environment. You have allocated resources, but web hosts may not assign their resources due to too many VMs on a server, as example. Another thing is that VPSs use their help at the top level. It might negatively affect the ability of your website. 
  • Another significant disadvantage of using VPS web hosts is that you will face limited support due to network issues. They are not ready to assist you with WordPress-related issues.

Managed hosting

Managed web hosting is simple to service. Here, the web host takes care of the operation of the server. In contrast, the perfect and straightforward definition of managed web hosting is a term that applies explicitly to dedicated hosting. It is yet one of the most prevalent uses of managed hosting. However, you can find managed services nowadays in other hosting solutions such as cloud hosting or VPS. 

The managed hosting servers usually offer busy website developers an elegant management-free solution for WordPress websites. There is currently more consideration toward cloud-based hosting, which comes as the managed server's source. To describe, the managed-to-host solution offers a WordPress website master template that enables you to access the WordPress dashboard. 

So, you won't be able to monitor WordPress instalment procedures. However, managed host providers will keep your WordPress version up-to-date. You will have the complete freedom to add and remove themes and plugins) yet this convenience brings more investment than other hostings like VPS or Shared. Still, many businesses value their liberation from ordinary administrative website tasks. It means they can use their time and attention to their websites' content and marketing.  

This question is mandatory when you want to launch your website. There should be great attention to the security layer of WordPress websites. The great thing is that cloud-based managed hosting providers give you reliable website storage completely free from all malicious activities. 

So it all boils down to determining whether it is convenient for your choice or not. You can decide according to the needs of your server. 

Pros of Managed Hosting

  • Managed hosting is sequentially composed for WordPress with all the main pages that load speed and provide customization benefits.
  • The packages of managed hosting generally offer a compelling bundle of perks. It provides caching systems, WordPress automatic updates, CDNs, frank rollbacks and backups, and security features. At the same time, others offer out-of-the-box support for framing websites. It enables users to preview website changes before publishing them on the website. 
  • Web hosts know how many visitors your website will get, and you are ready to pay for it. You don't need to be more concerned with running out of hardware resources. 

Cons of Managed hosting

  • There have been many cases, and you may not be allowed to install some plugins. Thus, you will have to find an alternative. 
  • The biggest drawback is that it depends on the vendor, so you may face restrictive-at-time issues, especially when you have a large website.

Dedicated server hosting

Dedicated hosting is another hosting like VPS or Shared hosting, but it has different features. In this hosting, the physical server is dedicated to a single business client. Dedicated hosting plans are the perfect choice for WordPress websites with significant visitors. 

Many WordPress hosting providers offered dedicated hosting plans, VPS, and shared hosting packages. In shared hosting, for example, a website shares a computer with many other websites. In VPS hosting plans, the website shares a machine but no other resources to the computer, just like shared hosting. 

However, a website rants a whole server with its natural resources on dedicated hosting. Web hosting companies around the globe offer different packages of dedicated hosting plans.

In this case, the preliminary decision depends upon whether having all the necessary resources for your server is worth the massive input. It means it requires much settlement for both setup and ongoing maintenance. It is the most significant for large businesses. Another factor to notice while deciding is that a dedicated server might be the perfect deal if you want to customize the server environment.

Pros of Dedicated Hosting 

In dedicated hosting, you manage everything by yourself. From the OS onwards, you will have the complete freedom to set up your commands and configure them to replicate specifications.

  • High Performance and Security - You can maximize the uptime for your website through the help of dedicated hosting providers. A dedicated hosting server brings immense reliability and stability over other hosting services, such as shared hosting. It makes you accountable for not sharing your space with any other malicious software.
  • Flexibility - A dedicated server brings much flexibility. You can quickly customize your server per your client's disk space, RAM, CPU, and software requirements. 
  • Full Control - One of the most popular benefits of dedicated hosting is, that you will have full control of your server. You can decide to add your ideal management tool and application. 

Cons of Dedicated Hosting

  • Lack of specialized WordPress support - You will get no support for WordPress-related issues. 
  • High-cost setup - There are so many brags about the high-cost association with dedicated hosting. 

Are you going to launch a website and look for a hosting provider to handle traffic on your website effectively? WordPress has come up with the best hosting services for its users. It provides several hosting plans and features to make the user's website smoother.

WordPress hosting commands technical requirements support for installing WordPress. These include WordPress MySQL 5.0.15 or PHP 5.2.4 or higher. However, it would be best if you did not consider running WordPress on any hosting services. 

WordPress hosting will give you essential features that help your website load faster and save time. It is also straightforward to install as it provides a one-click install feature.

Fast Speed

One of the primary benefits of WordPress hosting is its ability to provide blazing-fast speed for your website. These hosting solutions are specifically optimized to run WordPress sites efficiently, resulting in quicker loading times and better overall performance. By utilizing advanced caching techniques, content delivery networks (CDNs), and server configurations tailored for WordPress, users experience a seamless browsing experience, reducing bounce rates and improving search engine rankings.

High Level of Security

WordPress hosting services prioritize the security of your website. They implement robust security measures and regularly update their systems to protect against potential vulnerabilities and security threats. With features like malware scanning, firewalls, DDoS protection, and automatic backups, WordPress hosting significantly reduces the risk of data breaches and cyberattacks. This level of security provides website owners with peace of mind, knowing their valuable data and visitors' information are safeguarded.

Up-to-Date Software

Keeping your WordPress software, themes, and plugins up-to-date is crucial for website performance and security. WordPress hosting providers take care of these updates automatically, ensuring that your website runs on the latest stable versions. Regular updates prevent compatibility issues, optimize performance, and patch security vulnerabilities without requiring manual intervention from the website owner.

Full Control

Despite being managed hosting solutions, WordPress hosting often offers users high control over their websites. Users can customize their WordPress installations, themes, and plugins according to their preferences. Access to advanced features and server configurations allows developers and experienced users to fine-tune their websites for maximum performance.

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  1. WordPress-specific Optimization: The hosting should be specifically optimized to run WordPress websites efficiently, ensuring faster loading times and optimal performance.
  2. High Uptime and Reliability: A good WordPress hosting should guarantee high uptime, minimizing downtime and ensuring your website is accessible to visitors consistently.
  3. Enhanced Security: The hosting should provide robust security measures, including malware scanning, firewalls, DDoS protection, and regular backups, to safeguard your website from potential threats.
  4. Automatic Updates: The hosting provider should automatically handle regular updates for WordPress core, themes, and plugins to ensure your website stays secure and up-to-date.
  5. Scalability: The hosting should be able to handle website growth, allowing you to easily upgrade resources as your website's traffic and requirements increase.
  6. Expert Support: A knowledgeable support team that understands WordPress and can assist with technical issues is essential for a smooth website operation.
  7. User-Friendly Interface: An intuitive control panel or dashboard that allows easy management of your website, domains, databases, and settings is beneficial for website owners of all levels of expertise.
  8. Content Delivery Network (CDN) Integration: CDN integration can significantly improve website speed by caching and distributing content across multiple servers worldwide.
  9. Backup and Restore: Regular backups of your website data should be included, making it easy to restore your website in case of data loss or unexpected issues.
  10. Staging Environment: A staging environment allows you to test changes and updates to your website before making them live, preventing potential errors or disruptions.
  11. SSL Certificate: The hosting should provide a free SSL certificate to secure data transmission between your website and its visitors.
  12. Website Migration Assistance: A good hosting service may offer website migration assistance, helping you seamlessly transfer your existing WordPress site to their servers.

In the world of web hosting, WordPress hosting is the priority among many developers. At the same time, WordPress hosting is just another form of hosting dedicated to providing a WordPress content management system. In some of the most common WordPress hosting documents, you'll find our shared web hosting and managed web hosting. Yet, there are many options available for choosing the right WordPress server. 

We showed you four major hosting types. From the above, a shared WordPress hosting service is also considered classical WordPress hosting. The great thing about this hosting is its ability to get in at a lower cost. Afterwards, you will have a WordPress-optimized hosting platform to share with other users. 

However, each user you share will have their own allocated server environment to help you get the most out of WordPress. Besides, a dedicated WordPress team will help you manage and optimize your site and server environment. 

Positively now have a complete understanding of what is WordPress web hosting. You can now decide whether to consider it or not. Now, you can search for the best-managed WordPress hosting or dedicated WordPress hosting according to your needs and budget ability.

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Do I need WordPress hosting?

If you want to create a WordPress website, you will need WordPress hosting. While it is possible to run WordPress on regular web hosting, specialized WordPress hosting offers optimized performance, security, and support tailored specifically for WordPress websites, making it the preferred choice for most users.

How do you choose quality WordPress hosting?

When selecting quality WordPress hosting, consider the following factors:

  • Speed and Performance: Look for hosting providers that offer fast servers and utilize caching technology to ensure quicker loading times.
  • Security Features: Choose a hosting service with robust security measures, including malware scanning, firewalls, and regular backups.
  • Uptime Guarantee: Ensure the hosting provider offers a high uptime guarantee to keep your website accessible to visitors consistently.
  • Customer Support: Opt for a hosting service with reliable customer support that can assist you with WordPress-related technical issues.
  • Scalability: Check if the hosting plan can handle your website's potential growth in terms of traffic and resource requirements.
  • User-Friendly Control Panel: A user-friendly interface will make managing your website and settings easier.

How do web hosting and WordPress hosting differ?

Web hosting refers to a general hosting service that supports various types of websites, including WordPress sites. It provides server space and resources to host your website's files and data. On the other hand, WordPress hosting is specifically optimized to run WordPress websites efficiently. It includes features like one-click WordPress installations, automatic updates, and specialized support, tailored to meet the unique needs of WordPress sites.

Can I use WordPress without hosting?

No, you cannot use WordPress without hosting. WordPress is a content management system that requires a server to host your website's files and database. Whether you choose regular web hosting or specialized WordPress hosting, you need a hosting service to run your WordPress website.

What is the domain for WordPress?

WordPress itself does not provide domains. You can purchase a domain name from a domain registrar or through your chosen hosting provider. A domain name is the address that users type in their browsers to access your WordPress website. Once you have a domain, you can set it up to point to your WordPress hosting server and make your website accessible online.

Susith Nonis

Susith Nonis

I'm fascinated by the IT world and how the 1's and 0's work. While I venture into the world of Technology, I try to share what I know in the simplest way with you. Not a fan of coffee, a travel addict, and a self-accredited 'master chef'.