WordPress Hosting Pros and Cons

Web hosting companies, mindful that WordPress accounts for about 20% of the websites online, have continued to cater to that audience by providing hosting plans especially tailored for WP. In addition to WP Engine, considered by many the standard for managed WordPress hosting, the past several months have seen new offerings from DreamHost, GoDaddy, iPage, and most recently 1&1 Hosting.

Besides differences in price, these WordPress hosting plans also provide different levels and types of features designed to benefit WP. We’ve previously featured articles about each plan. But here for quick reference is a concise rundown of the advantages and possible disadvantages of these WordPress hosting packages. These listings should give you a good starting point on deciding which plan is the best option for your WordPress website or group of websites.

WP Engine

Pros:
  • EverCache Technology for Faster Loading
  • Backup and Restore Options Included
  • One-Click Restore Points
  • Expert WordPress Support Staff
  • Upscale Plans Available for Multiple Site Owners
  • Managed Upgrades
  • Staging Area for Development Testing
Cons:
  • Expensive
  • Not All Plugins Allowed
  • Curated Themes

iPage WP Essential

Pros:

  • Site Speeds up to 60% Faster
  • SSD Infrastructure
  • Reconfigured Servers
  • Enhanced Security Removes Threats
  • Free Domain Registration
  • Specially Trained WP Essential Support Staff
  • Unlimited Space and Bandwidth
  • Anytime Money Back Guarantee
  • Unlimited Email Accounts
  • Customized Control Panel

Cons:
  • Single Site Plan
  • Themes and Plugins Pre-Selected

DreamPress by DreamHost

Pros:

  • Use Any Theme or Plugin
  • 97 Day Money Back Guarantee
  • Managed VPS Web Servers
  • Expert WordPress Support
  • One-Click WordPress Installation
  • WordPress Auto-Upgrades
  • No Long Term Commitment Needed

Cons:
  • Price on the High Side
  • Extra Cost for Each WordPress Site Hosted
  • Must Also Have a DreamHost Web Hosting Plan

GoDaddy

Pros:

  • Free Domain
  • One-Click Migration Tool
  • Malware Scanning and DDoS Protection
  • Automatic WordPress Updates
  • Secure FTP Connection
  • Nightly Backups
  • 99.9% Uptime Guarantee
  • Lower Cost Option

Cons:
  • Limits on Storage (except for Pro Plan)

1&1 WordPress Hosting

Pros:

  • Dual Mode WordPress Installation
  • Expert WP Support
  • Automatic Updates
  • Content Delivery Network
  • SiteLock Website Security

Cons:
  • Single Site Plans
  • Not as Customized Toward WordPress as Other Plans
Michael James

Michael James is the Founder and Editor of WebHostingCat.com. After spending 15 years in the IT industry, he now publishes multiple websites to help business owners and bloggers.