Managed WordPress hosting: what is it and what are the best providers?

Managed WordPress hosting is a hosting type where the technical side is completely taken care of. No hassle with updates, backups or security - the hosting provider handles everything. Sound like a dream? For many WordPress users, it is. But what exactly do you get for your money? And is managed hosting right for you? In this article we dive into everything you need to know about managed WordPress hosting. ## What is managed WordPress hosting? With managed WordPress hosting, your hosting provider takes care of complete technical management of your WordPress website. Think automatic updates, daily backups, security scans and speed optimization. The difference with regular hosting is enormous. With standard [WordPress hosting](/en/wordpress/hosting), you have to arrange all technical matters yourself. With managed hosting, your provider does it for you. You can focus completely on your content and visitors. Most managed WordPress hosts run on specially optimized servers. WordPress loads quickly through built-in caching, CDN integration and powerful hardware. You often also get staging environments to safely test changes. ### What does a managed WordPress host do for you? **Automatic WordPress updates** - Core, themes and plugins are updated automatically. No more annoying update notifications in your dashboard. **Daily backups** - Your website is backed up every day. Something goes wrong? Then you restore your site with one click. **Security monitoring** - Continuous scanning for malware, DDoS protection and a firewall. Your website stays safe without you having to look at it. **Speed optimization** - Built-in caching, CDN and optimized server settings ensure lightning-fast loading times. **Expert support** - You get help from WordPress specialists. Not generic hosting support, but people who really know WordPress. ## Advantages of managed WordPress hosting **Time savings** - You don't have to spend time on technical maintenance. Updates, backups and security happen automatically. That saves several hours per month. **Better performance** - Managed hosts use WordPress-specific optimizations. Your website loads faster than on standard shared hosting. Speed is crucial for SEO and user experience. **More security** - Continuous monitoring and automatic security patches keep hackers out. In case of a hack, the support team often helps with cleanup for free. **Less stress** - No more panic when an update breaks your site. The host tests updates first and has backups ready. Something goes wrong? Then they roll back. **Scalable** - Your website can handle a traffic spike. Managed hosts often have autoscaling or generous resources to handle traffic spikes. **Staging environment** - Test new plugins, themes or changes first in a safe copy. Everything works? Then you push to live. Simple and safe. ## Disadvantages of managed WordPress hosting **Higher costs** - Managed hosting is more expensive than standard shared hosting. Where you can get shared hosting from €3 per month, you often pay €20-€50 per month for managed. **Less flexibility** - Some plugins are blocked because they harm performance. You're also often tied to the WordPress environment - you can't run other CMS systems on it. **Overkill for small sites** - Do you have a simple blog with 500 visitors per month? Then managed hosting is probably overkill. Standard [WordPress hosting](/en/best-wordpress-hosting) works fine. ## Best managed WordPress hosting providers compared | Provider | Price from | WordPress optimization | Support | Free SSL | Staging | |----------|------------|------------------------|---------|----------|---------| | **Kinsta** | €30/mo | Google Cloud, caching | 24/7 chat | Yes | Yes | | **WP Engine** | €25/mo | AWS, proprietary cache | 24/7 chat/phone | Yes | Yes | | **Flywheel** | €13/mo | Google Cloud | 24/7 chat | Yes | Yes | | **Cloudways** | €11/mo | Choice cloud (DO/AWS/GCP) | 24/7 chat | Yes | Yes | | **SiteGround** | €4.99/mo | Own tech, SG Optimizer | 24/7 chat/phone | Yes | No | ### Kinsta - premium but lightning fast Kinsta runs on Google Cloud Platform and is known for blazing fast websites. Automatic caching and edge servers ensure top speed worldwide. The dashboard is clear and you get detailed analytics. Downside: the price. For €30 per month you get one website with 25,000 visitors. Running more websites or more traffic? Then you quickly pay €60-€100 per month. ### WP Engine - the stable choice WP Engine is one of the largest managed WordPress hosts in the world. They have years of experience and a solid platform. You get the Genesis Framework and StudioPress themes for free. Support is excellent, but the price is high. For €25 per month you get one site with 25,000 visitors. Want more? Then it gets expensive quickly. ### Flywheel - focused on designers and agencies Flywheel makes it easy to build and manage websites for clients. The collaboration tools are handy when working with a team. Price-quality is good: from €13 per month for 5,000 visitors. The dashboard is visual and understandable. Perfect for people who don't like technical dashboards. ### Cloudways - flexible and affordable Cloudways is different from the rest. You choose your own cloud provider (DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud) and Cloudways manages it for you. This allows you to get managed WordPress hosting from €11 per month. You have to do slightly more yourself than with fully managed hosts, but you keep more control. A good middle ground between shared hosting and expensive managed solutions. ### SiteGround - affordable managed features SiteGround is not actually a pure managed WordPress host, but does offer many managed features. Automatic updates, free SSL, SG Optimizer plugin for caching and daily backups. For €4.99 per month (first year) you get a lot for your money. Downside: no staging environment on the basic plan and performance is not as good as the more expensive alternatives. ## Who is managed WordPress hosting suitable for? **Webshops and e-commerce** - With an online store, uptime is crucial. Every minute offline costs you revenue. Managed hosting ensures stability and speed. Especially with [WooCommerce](/en/hosting-for-webshops), managed hosting is a smart choice. **Business websites** - Does your business depend on your website? Then you can't afford for your site to crash or get hacked. Managed hosting gives you that security. **High-traffic sites** - Do you get thousands of visitors per day? Then you need the power and stability of managed hosting. Shared hosting often can't handle that traffic. **Agencies and developers** - Do you manage multiple client websites? Then staging tools and multisite management are essential. Many managed hosts have special agency plans. **Non-technical users** - Don't want to or don't have time to deal with technical matters? Then managed hosting is perfect. You don't have to look at anything. ## Alternatives to managed WordPress hosting **Shared WordPress hosting** - Cheaper but you have to do more yourself. Suitable for small websites and blogs with limited traffic. Check the [best WordPress hosting](/en/best-wordpress-hosting) options. **VPS hosting** - More control and power, but also more technical knowledge required. You have to manage the server yourself unless you choose managed VPS. **Cloud hosting** - Scalable and flexible, but more complex than managed WordPress hosting. For developers and larger projects. ## Tips when choosing managed WordPress hosting **Check resource limits** - How many visitors, websites and storage do you get? Some providers count visitors very strictly, others are more lenient. **Pay attention to the network** - Does the host run on a fast network? Do they use a CDN? Speed depends on infrastructure. **Test the support** - Ask a question via chat before signing up. Is support fast and competent? WordPress knowledge is essential. **Read reviews** - Check reviews from real users. Look for complaints about support, downtime or performance. **Use a trial** - Many managed hosts offer a money-back guarantee. Test your website first before switching permanently. **Check migration options** - Does the host migrate your website for free? That saves hassle when switching. ## Frequently asked questions **Is managed WordPress hosting worth it?** Absolutely for professional websites and webshops. The time savings, better performance and security outweigh the higher costs. For hobby blogs it's often too expensive. **Can I use plugins on managed WordPress hosting?** Yes, but some plugins are blocked. Often these are caching plugins (host has its own caching) or plugins that harm performance. Check your host's restricted plugins list. **What's the difference between managed hosting and regular hosting?** With regular hosting you have to arrange updates, backups and security yourself. Managed hosting does this automatically for you. You also get WordPress-specific optimizations and expert support.