In this article, we will address the confusion that seems to persist in the hosting world with the terms WordPress hosting and web hosting.
Using some form of web hosting is essential if you want your business to go online. Choosing the right web host can boost your site’s SEO, increase sales, and provide tools and packages to help your business. But what’s the difference between WordPress hosting and web hosting, and what’s the best option?
WordPress hosting and web hosting are two very different types of hosting and they are not to be confused. There are key differences between the two and each has its own benefits, plans, and suppliers. Here is a guide to WordPress hosting and web hosting and how to differentiate between the two.
What is WordPress hosting?
Basically, WordPress hosting is a form of web hosting that is optimized for running WordPress sites.
By using a WordPress host, you get many tools and services designed specifically for WordPress sites. These can vary depending on the WP hosting service you choose, but often include features like one-click installs, automatic software updates, and a dedicated WordPress support team to provide personalized assistance.
What is web hosting?
Web hosting is a much more general term and describes the process by which a person or organization buys a place online to make their website accessible on the internet.
A web hosting provider works by allocating space on a server to store files associated with your website and providing internet connectivity for your site. This allows your website to become active on the web and appear in search results.
Web hosting is an umbrella term and there are many different types of web hosting as well as different providers and features. If you are planning to create a website for your business, you will need to use some form of web hosting as you cannot bring your site online without a web host.
What’s the difference between web hosting and WordPress hosting?
The main difference between Web Hosting and WordPress Hosting is that Web Hosting is a much broader global service while WordPress Hosting refers to a specific niche focused on WordPress installations.
Web hosting is a more general service and refers to any hosting service that stores a site’s files on a server for the site to be active on the Internet. A host caters to a wide variety of site builders, and websites stored on one of their servers can run on thousands of different platforms.
WordPress hosting, on the other hand, is a web hosting specific niche. WordPress hosting can also use shared servers to host multiple websites at the same time, but unlike web hosting, every website on a shared server will be a WordPress site. A WordPress host specifically focuses on WordPress installations and provides customized solutions, services and support optimized for WordPress performance.
How to choose the best hosting option for your business
With over 338,561 web hosting service providers available worldwide, it can be difficult to choose the right one for your business, especially if you are still in doubt between WordPress hosting and web hosting.
Both options have their advantages and are available from a wide variety of providers in different plans. To choose the best option for your business, you need to consider the most important things a business needs in a web hosting service:
1. 24/7 dedicated customer service
2. Domain name management supported
3. Basic security features
4. Uptime Guarantee
5. Server accessibility
Advantages of WordPress hosting
- Improved security. WordPress hosts provide servers equipped against WordPress-specific threats, along with a dedicated team that closely monitors for security vulnerabilities and makes sure your site is safe.
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- Fast installation and performance. The website installation process is made incredibly fast using pre-configured web technologies and WordPress servers guarantee fast load times and fast uptime from the moment your site is live.
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- Better plugin function. You don’t need to use as many plugins with a managed WP hosting service as the host optimizes for performance, security, and caching. And for the plugins you want or need, WP Hosted Sites are optimized to work with the most popular ones, which can be updated automatically.
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- Easy to add SSL certificates. Most managed WordPress hosting plans allow you to add an SSL certificate to your site in a few clicks and at no additional cost.
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- Automatic Updates. Your website automatically gets updates and upgrades and security packages can be added to each website on one server at a time.
- Personalized support. When you use a WordPress hosting service, you get access to dedicated customer support services, and experts in resolving WordPress issues.
- Your server is always up to date. The team that manages your hosting makes sure that the server is always running the latest software so that your site runs as efficiently as possible. Their goal is to keep you happy and to keep your website running to the best of its ability at all times.
- Dedicated customer service. The support teams that manage managed WordPress hosting accounts are WordPress experts. That level of specialized knowledge pays off when you have a problem. They provide experienced support, troubleshooting, and hosting problem solutions when needed.
- Increased uptime. Between seamless integration with your server and content management system (CMS) and automatic updates that keep your website running on the best version of WordPress, your site stays accessible to visitors more often.
- Predictable server usage. This means your provider will better allocate resources and resolve technical issues faster.
- WordPress-specific server configuration. Your server will be customized for optimal WordPress performance and faster page load times. However, please note that this is not a guarantee and you may still experience problems with other websites.
- Improved security. Your provider will pay special attention to WordPress-specific threats.
- Easy installation. Preconfigured settings enable easy connections for tools like SSL certificates or content delivery networks (CDNs). You can still use them with standard web hosting, but it may require a few extra steps.
- Friendliness for beginners. WordPress hosting usually comes with the WordPress software pre-installed, automatic updates, and expert customer support. You can also get access to free themes.
Note that you can still use standard web hosting for your WordPress site if you prefer. Technically, you only need the latest versions of PHP and MySQL, typical features of any web server running on Linux.
However, you will have to perform many optimization and maintenance tasks yourself. For example, you should remember to regularly update your WordPress installation, which is an important security measure.
If you find these tasks overwhelming or don’t want to spend a lot of time on them, WordPress hosting may be worth the investment.
Are there any downsides to WordPress hosting?
WordPress hosting is a more personalized hosting solution, which means it’s not for everyone.
The specialized features it includes mean that it is generally more expensive than other web hosting options, especially shared hosting. For some small businesses or individual website owners, this makes selling more difficult than a standard shared hosting plan.
Additionally, there are limits to the amount of customization you can do on your site. Some WordPress hosts limit the plugins you can use, often for security reasons. If your site requires plugins that are on a host’s limited list, you may need to look for another hosting option or find an alternative plugin. (HostGator customers on our Managed WordPress plan can find the full list of disallowed plugins here.)
And as you probably guessed, you can only use WordPress hosting if you have a WordPress site. If you’ve chosen another CMS or website builder to build your website, WordPress hosting isn’t an option.
Limitations of WordPress hosting
WordPress hosting makes sense for many websites, but it isn’t necessary for all.
• This is for WordPress websites only. The most obvious limitation of WordPress hosting is that it is only useful for WordPress-based websites. If you’ve used a website builder or any other CMS, this doesn’t make sense to you.
• Costs more than standard shared hosting plans. WordPress hosting, especially managed WordPress hosting plans, typically cost more than standard shared web hosting plans. If your needs are simple and you just want the most affordable web hosting option, this is not for you.
• Not all WordPress hosting plans are created equal. The benefits we’ve listed above are included with many WordPress hosting plans, but not all. Don’t assume that just because something is called “WordPress hosting” doesn’t mean you have all of its features and services. Take a look at any plan you are considering to find out what it offers.
Who Should Use WordPress Hosting?
If you have built your website with WordPress, you will benefit greatly from using WordPress hosting. WP hosting integrates seamlessly with WordPress-based websites and improves the performance and security of your site and offers automatic updates. You don’t need to use WordPress hosting if you have a WordPress website, but the combination of the two creates the ultimate package.
Those looking for a managed hosting plan would also benefit from WordPress hosting. WordPress hosts often offer managed services, where your site is managed and maintained by WP experts. It’s a great option for those with little time or experience running a website.
Web Hosting and WordPress Hosting Plans
Whether you choose WordPress hosting or web hosting, you will need to choose a hosting plan. Shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated server hosting, and cloud hosting are popular services offered by WordPress hosts and web hosts.
WordPress hosts also offer additional managed hosting services that can help you manage your site.
Here are six of the most popular hosting plans available:
• Shared hosting: When you use a shared hosting plan, your website shares a server with other customers. This is a cheaper and easier to set up option, making it ideal for those setting up an initial website or who don’t have a lot of site traffic.
• Virtual Private Servers: A VPS subscription is comparable to shared hosting; you will share your server with other users, but you will be more isolated and have your own space allocated. This plan is ideal for those who work on a tight budget and want a higher level of control and customization.
• Dedicated Server: If you have a high traffic website and need optimized performance and fast loading speeds, a dedicated server is a good option. Dedicated servers offer you complete customization, greater reliability and the ability to scale your business; but they are a high investment option.
• Cloud Hosting: This is a relatively new type of hosting, where your website is hosted on a cloud infrastructure rather than a physical server. This hosting plan has a lot to offer for those looking for scalability and stability at a lower price, but the prices aren’t always fixed, so if your site gets more traffic, you may see an unexpected increase in costs. .
• Managed WordPress Hosting: Many WordPress hosting providers offer a managed service, where the host manages and manages all the technical aspects of your WordPress site for you. Managed hosting plans can run with any of the hosting plans listed above and offer the best security, performance and configuration.
• Optimized WordPress Hosting: If you are looking for a hosting plan with pre-installed features and technologies to optimize your site, optimized WordPress hosting is a good option. Optimized WordPress hosting is a complete package and comes with pre-installed WordPress hosting, optimized WordPress servers, built-in WordPress security, and expert WordPress support.
The plan you choose will depend on your budget, the amount of traffic your site receives, and the help you expect from your web host to run your site.
WordPress Hosting vs Web Hosting:
Choosing the right type of accommodation depends on your needs and level of experience. You can also review your hosting plan details and determine if the additional WordPress features are useful to you.
For example, you might ask yourself the following questions:
• First, are you building your site with WordPress? Otherwise, WordPress hosting is not applicable.
• What is your budget? Standard shared plans are cheaper, while managed WordPress hosting is more expensive.
• Are you worried about safety? WordPress hosting is generally more secure due to its better protection against common threats.
• Do you prefer your server maintenance to be done behind the scenes? If so, you’ll appreciate WordPress automatic updates.
• Are you familiar with WordPress or do you need help? Less experienced users will benefit from dedicated WordPress customer support.
• What kind of content do you plan for your website? Let’s say you expect to download vast photo or video galleries. In this case, easy access to features like caching or a CDN can come in handy.
Finally, how much traffic do you expect? Will a shared plan be enough for your needs? If you are expecting a lot of visitors right after launch, you might want to consider other types of hosting.
Web Hosting vs WordPress Hosting: The Verdict
All in all, if you answered yes to most of the questions above, you should opt for WordPress hosting. It is a great solution for beginners and web developers as it can save you a lot of time.
While WordPress hosting doesn’t necessarily guarantee faster page load times, it does give you an edge over regular web hosting. On the other hand, standard web hosting gives you more control over all aspects of your website, which can be a key factor for more experienced users.
This type of hosting is also generally less expensive, although the price difference may not be significant for shared plans. Many companies offer the same membership fee for all shared hosting plans, so be sure to check out the features to see what you’re getting.
Finally, regardless of the type of hosting you choose, make sure your provider meets the following criteria:
• Excellent reputation
• High safety standards
• Update flexibility as your website grows
• Access to high quality customer support or user documentation
There are many reputable providers that offer WordPress-specific hosting. Some great options are:
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Choosing the right web host can often make or break your website’s success. There’s nothing wrong with launching your WordPress site with standard web hosting if that’s your preference. However, WordPress-specific features can save you a lot of trouble in the long run.
In short, WordPress hosting means that your server resources are specially configured to meet the platform’s unique requirements. As a result, you benefit from increased safety and improved overall performance. WordPress hosting also often includes automated maintenance tasks and dedicated customer support, making it a better option for beginners.
If you’ve decided that WordPress hosting meets your needs, check out our roundup of the best WordPress hosting providers.
