If you’re in the market for web hosting, you may have come across providers offering managed WordPress support. This service is very popular, but the features you’ll get can vary from one hosting provider to another.
Managed WordPress hosting plans are designed to help you keep your site running in top shape, without you needing to do the maintenance work. Most managed WordPress support providers offer server and WordPress optimization, security monitoring, and quality-of-life features such as automatic backups.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at managed WordPress hosting and what features are included in these plans. We’ll also discuss the pros and cons of using managed plans. Let’s get to it!
What is managed WordPress hosting?
With regular hosting plans, the service provider doesn’t interfere when it comes to website maintenance tasks. They simply provide you with server space and resources. If your WordPress website is slow, using outdated plugins, or showing errors, you’ll need to take care of those issues on your own.
Managed plans offer a different approach to the usual hosting arrangement. The provider agrees to take care of some (or all) of the maintenance and management work for you. The tasks included in this managed WordPress support plan will vary from one hosting provider to another
Managed plans reduce the amount of maintenance work you have to do, thus enabling you to focus on other areas of your business. You won’t have to make manual site backups, ensure that software is always up-to-date, or troubleshoot the errors that tend to pop up over time. Your web host will do all of this (and more) for you.
Managed WordPress hosting plans are geared specifically to this content management system (CMS). That means they’re designed to help you manage WordPress-specific tasks, such as plugin and theme updates, updating the core software, troubleshooting errors unique to the CMS, and more.
There’s an entire industry built around managed WordPress hosting. Some businesses offer only managed hosting since it enables them to provide better services. Among those businesses, you have options such as Kinsta, SiteGround, and of course, Freshy.
What features are offered in managed WordPress plans?
Every WordPress hosting provider will have a unique selling point. For instance, some prioritize security and performance, while others provide managed WordPress support that’s affordable and accessible.
With any web host, you’ll want to check the specific features that they offer with their plans. Managed plans are all about providing a full hands-on service, so most tend to focus on reducing your workload and keeping your site safe.
Of course, the features you get with your managed WordPress plan will depend on the provider you choose. But here are some things to look for:
- Server maintenance and optimization. With managed plans, you typically don’t have direct access to the server. Instead, the provider will optimize it for you and make sure that the software is always up-to-date.
- WordPress optimization. Keeping WordPress running smoothly requires periodic performance testing and optimization. Your web host should take care of this for you.
- WordPress updates. Your site’s plugins and themes need to be updated frequently and you also need to keep an eye on WordPress core updates. With managed hosting, you don’t have to worry about this.
- Improved security. With managed hosting, your web host handles security for you. They may implement malware scanning, spam protection, and other security features.
- Developer-friendly functionality. Some developer-friendly managed plans offer advanced features such as staging functionality, WP-CLI support, choosing between server software options, and more.
- Dedicated support. One of the main perks of managed hosting is getting access to expert support. With managed plans, you should expect to work with WordPress experts.
- Backup management. Managed hosting plans tend to automate backups and storage for you. Ideally, they’ll store backups for a long period of time in a remote location.
That’s most of the maintenance work that WordPress websites require. The ideal managed WordPress hosting plan would include all of those features.
What are the pros and cons of managed WordPress hosting?
The pros far outweigh the cons when it comes to managed WordPress hosting. With the right plan and provider, you should be able to stop working on your site’s maintenance nearly altogether. This means you can spend more time on improving and growing the website.
Managed WordPress hosting also gives you access to support specialists who know how the CMS works. This can save you money since you won’t have to hire specialists to fix small issues or errors with your website.
Finally, sites that use managed hosting may be less prone to security vulnerabilities. This is no small deal since most WordPress websites have to deal with bots, unauthorized login attempts, and more.
Cost is perhaps the main downside of using managed hosting. Since these plans offer more in terms of features than services like shared hosting, they also tend to be more expensive. In fact, they’re mostly tailored to business owners or professionals who are too busy to handle site maintenance.
If you’re the kind of user who likes to have full access to the server and your WordPress installation, managed hosting might not be the right option for you. With most managed plans, you’ll have limited server access and the hosting provider will do most of the configuration.
Some managed hosting providers also limit what plugins you can use on your website. They mainly do this to prevent users from installing dangerous plugins that affect the site and the server.
Is managed WordPress support worth it?
If managed WordPress hosting plans are within your budget, they’re almost always the best option. That applies even if you’re an experienced WordPress user.
If you’re new to WordPress, using a managed hosting plan can save you a lot of work. You won’t have to fully master the CMS to create your website and keep it running smoothly.
Instead of having to troubleshoot errors manually or figure out why your site is suddenly loading slowly, your managed hosting provider will try to solve these problems for you. It also means that you won’t have to hire another party to look into these issues for you, so you’ll get to save money in the long run.
Even if you know how to use WordPress, using a managed plan can save you a lot of time. This is especially true if you have a large or complex website. You won’t need to spend hours backing up your content or updating several plugins. Instead, you can invest that time in optimizing or growing your business.
Individuals and small businesses aren’t the only ones who can benefit from using managed WordPress hosting. If you run a WordPress development agency, you can use managed hosting for your clients to provide a better service and also spend less time dealing with technical site issues.
For a WordPress business, using managed hosting may save you a lot of money on manpower. If your web host takes care of site maintenance and optimization, that’s one less aspect of the business to worry about.
Choose the right managed WordPress hosting provider
Now that you know what features to look for in managed WordPress support, it’s time to choose your provider.
At Freshy, we offer managed WordPress hosting services with custom plans:
We can discuss your needs and the kind of website you have (or want to create). Then, we’ll set up a plan according to that information.
In terms of features, Freshy offers optimized servers for WordPress that deliver ultra-fast speeds. We also handle updates and provide a custom security stack to keep your website safe.
With our managed hosting plans, we also take care of full site backups. At any point, you’ll have access to 90 days of backups, so you can restore your website to an earlier version if needed.
On top of all that, you’ll get access to a team of experts in various aspects of site management. We’re primarily a WordPress agency that provides design and development, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and maintenance services. Therefore, you’ll be working with developers, designers, and support specialists who can help you grow your website.
And if you’re already using a hosting plan, we can help you migrate your site to a more powerful server.
Conclusion
When you create a WordPress website, you’ll need to purchase a hosting plan. There are several options available, including managed WordPress hosting. Web hosts that offer this service will typically handle several maintenance tasks for you, like updates and backups.
If you want to focus on other aspects of running your business, such as growing your audience or creating new content, using a managed WordPress plan can be a smart option. However, keep in mind that managed plans tend to be more expensive due to all the perks they offer.
Freshy offers managed WordPress hosting plans that are tailored to your needs. Contact us today to learn more about our plans!
Featured image: Pexels
