Shared vs. Managed WordPress Hosting

What is Shared Hosting?

Shared hosting is a traditional type of hosting that requires a physical server where the server rack is split into different shared accounts.Think of it like an apartment building, where each account is an apartment. Therefore, users share all resources like bandwidth, RAM, I/O, etc., similar to AC units and water in an apartment building. If a water pipe breaks or something goes wrong, it affects multiple tenants in the building.Hosting plans usually have a control panel (such as cPanel) that lets you fine-tune your website’s DNS, PHP version, manage your files, and much more. Allowing for certain levels of modification to better fit your website needs. 

With traditional hosting plans, you can also host other types of CMS such as Drupal, Joomla, or Moodle sites. Shared hosting is fairly affordable, though, and a great place to start if you launch your site for the first time as a small business or blogger. You can easily gauge your viewers, resources, and more with a shared hosting plan. 

What is Shared WordPress Hosting? 

Shared WordPress hosting is regular Shared hosting optimized for WordPress websites. This includes access to optimization tools such as NGINX or the inclusion of premium plugins with your plan. Users can still change settings on the control panel and often have methods to make WordPress easier to manage. From one-click installations to easy ways to create Backups and restorations. WordPress shared hosting plans are a great way to start your WordPress journey with an optimized traditional shared environment that is affordable and 

What is Managed WordPress Hosting?

Managed WordPress Hosting can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. It is the next level for hosting a WordPress site that evolved from Shared WordPress plans and VPS WordPress Plans. Managed WordPress hosting takes place in an isolated environment created specifically for hosting WordPress websites. As you hosting provider takes care of handling server settings such as updates, PHP versions, NGINX, and more, which we previously discussed, you don’t have to worry about tweaking those for WordPress.This may come in the form of an easy-to-use interface with all features centered around WordPress. For example, easy access to plugins, backups, theme management, caching, and more without having to access your WordPress dashboard. 

Other Features from Managed WordPress Hosting

Aside from server settings, Managed WordPress Hosting will have further features that make managing your WordPress sites easier.

• Teams – One of the most important aspects of WordPress is collaboration, with features that let you add team members to your projects easily and modify their level of administration. 
• Playgrounds (Exclusive Feature) – Updating or making changes to your live WordPress site can be stressful. With Playgrounds, you can be sure the changes you make will suit your site and that updates will not cause any issues. 
• Snaps (Exclusive Feature) – Snaps is an InMotion Hosting solution for creating WordPress websites easily with all the plugins you need. When choosing a Snap, it will seamlessly launch a new installation with the theme and all plugins you chose. 
• Site Health Status – Easily monitor your website’s health, viewers, and more from a simple-to-read interface.  

Where does Cloud WordPress Fit Into the Mix?

Cloud Hosting, unlike traditional hosting, hosts a virtual VPS on multiple remote servers instead of a single physical server. Your website will therefore not go down if one server has any issues.This type of plan also has the advantage of scalability, which means you can easily increase your resources as your website needs change. InMotion Hosting’s Managed WordPress plans use highly-available cloud VPSs that provide 100% dedicated resources for your projects. You will never have to live in fear of your client’s site going down due to server issues. 

Shared vs. Managed WordPress Hosting

While this might explain the difference between managed and traditional WordPress hosting, how can you know what works best for you?

• Company Size – your needs will vary depending on whether you are a small business or a large corporation.
• Budget – similar to your company size, your hosting plan options can change with the finances allotted. If you currently have a small budget, we recommend shared hosting, which is usually on the lower end.
• Level of Management – as discussed above, Managed WordPress Hosting will have the hands-off experience of the two. Shared hosting has some management level due to being in a contained environment, but it might not be as fine-tuned for WordPress and needs more management. 
• Audience – viewers need resources, so a hosting plan that caters to a demanding audience is important. 

If you are a small business or just starting, and your budget or company size is smaller, Shared WordPress hosting is a great place to test your website and its capabilities.If you already have a WordPress website you are looking to transfer from Shared Hosting, are planning on managing multiple WordPress sites, or are a freelancer with multiple clients, Managed WordPress Hosting will help take the stress of server management so you can better concentrate on your business.

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Final Thoughts

In simplified terms, Shared vs. Managed WordPress Hosting comes down to levels of management, resources, and optimization of your WordPress website. Shared WordPress hosting plans have a slight level of management, your website will be hosted on a shared server with other users that has been optimized for WordPress installations. It is usually the cheapest option, which is great for first-time users, bloggers, or small businesses. Managed WordPress hosting, hosted on a highly-available VPS with dedicated resources, offers a user-friendly interface exclusively focused on WordPress websites while ensuring full optimization.Managed WordPress plans, offering a premium experience, suit best for users who manage multiple WordPress websites, freelancers and agencies, or businesses that require dedicated resources for their projects.In conclusion, by researching plans specifically crafted for the best WordPress hosting experience, you are taking the right step to find the optimal way to host your WordPress websites.