Launching a new website for your business will be a tipping point in your brand success, whether you’re a large enterprise, ecommerce brand, or small business.
However, when you look at your budget, business goals, and available web hosting plans, you might not be able to decide on a hosting package.
Several articles address two of the most popular hosting options — shared hosting vs. WordPress hosting.
We’ve simplified this guide to give you an understanding of what these hosting plans mean, their features, and whether to choose shared hosting vs. WordPress hosting for your business.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- Why You Need To Host Your Website
- Factors To Consider When Choosing Shared Hosting vs. WordPress Hosting
- What Is Shared Hosting?
- Advantages and Disadvantages of Shared Hosting
- What Is WordPress Hosting?
- Managed WordPress Hosting
- Non-Managed WordPress Hosting
- Advantages and Disadvantages of WordPress Hosting
- Should I Use WordPress Hosting or Shared Hosting?
Why You Need To Host Your Website
One of the easiest and most reliable ways to establish your online presence is to create a business website.
However, you need a web hosting service so your customers can find your website.
Whether your website is brand new or you’re looking to migrate your website to a better hosting service, your business deserves the best choice.
While shared hosting vs. WordPress hosting plans are both great choices, let’s walk you through what each of these types of web hosting entails.
Factors To Consider When Choosing Shared Hosting vs. WordPress Hosting
Choosing a hosting plan requires careful analysis so you can make the most suitable choice for your business.
Whether you want to choose shared hosting vs. WordPress hosting, there are some things you have to consider, such as:
- Your business needs and budget.
- The specific features that come with each hosting option.
- The security level that shared hosting vs. WordPress hosting provides.
What Is Shared Hosting?
As the name suggests, shared web hosting is a hosting service in which multiple website owners share resources on the same server provided by the host.
Essentially, to save cost, shared hosting providers allow:
- Several business owners to host their websites on a shared server.
- A business owner to host multiple websites on the same server.
Shared hosting is a more general version of web hosting vs. WordPress hosting.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Shared Hosting
Using shared hosting packages offers a range of benefits and drawbacks for businesses.
Advantages:
Here are the advantages of choosing shared hosting vs. WordPress hosting:
- It’s usually more affordable than other hosting options.
- You can host more than one website for a single price.
- It’s not limited to hosting WordPress-developed websites.
Disadvantages:
The disadvantages of having a shared hosting account include:
- Since multiple websites share one server, there can be overcrowding on resources leading to slow website load times.
- High traffic could make your website suffer frequent downtime.
- Your files might become vulnerable to malware as your website won’t receive automatic updates and backups.
- You’ll have limited access to perform certain tasks, like installing different software from that of the hosting company.
- You might lose access to standard website performance, specific plugins, and security functions.
What Is WordPress Hosting?
A WordPress hosting plan is the best hosting service for a website developed using WordPress. Using a WordPress host gives you access to features and services customized for WordPress sites.
While your website functionality depends on the WordPress hosting service and package you choose, you still get access to valuable features like:
- One-click WordPress installation.
- Automatic backups and software updates.
- Help from a WordPress expert support team.
WordPress is a popular content management system (CMS) that empowers easy creation, customization, and management of full-blown business websites, blogs, and ecommerce stores. Therefore, many hosting companies specialize in hosting for WordPress websites.
When it comes to WordPress hosting, there are two options available:
- Managed WordPress hosting.
- Non-managed WordPress hosting.
Managed WordPress Hosting
A managed WordPress host runs a WordPress website on a server while handling all the technical processes of the website.
Your WordPress hosting provider manages and cleans up your website. They are responsible for your WordPress update, as well as:
- Scalability.
- Uptime.
- Security.
- Backups.
A managed WordPress hosting package enables you to run your website smoothly without worrying about the technical side of things, so you can focus on the business aspects that interest you.
Non-Managed WordPress Hosting
What makes non-managed WordPress hosting different from the managed version is that the hosting company won’t manage your WordPress site.
However, you’ll still have a suite of website features that come with the best WordPress hosting plans.
Advantages and Disadvantages of WordPress Hosting
WordPress hosting packages offer several benefits for WordPress users, although there are some disadvantages.
Advantages:
Here are the advantages of using WordPress hosting vs. shared hosting:
- Your website will be faster, have better performance, and have consistent uptime.
- You’ll get dedicated customer support from a WordPress expert support team.
- You’ll have automatic WordPress software updates and backups.
- You’ll have tighter website security due to prompt scanning for vulnerabilities.
- You won’t need any technical expertise with managed WordPress hosting as the host will manage your website.
Disadvantages:
Here are the disadvantages of using WordPress hosting vs. shared hosting plans:
- This hosting option only runs on WordPress websites.
- WordPress hosting plans cost more compared to a shared hosting alternative.
Should I Use WordPress Hosting or Shared Hosting?
If you consider the benefits of shared hosting vs. WordPress hosting, you’ll see that the advantages of using a WordPress hosting package far outweigh shared hosting.
However, we recommend that you select your preferred hosting package by evaluating your business needs and budget.
Shared hosting is a better option for small businesses, hobby bloggers, and freelancers looking for a low-cost alternative.
You should consider a WordPress hosting solution if you’re looking to host your website on dedicated servers with better optimization and security features.
Looking to build a WordPress website with enhanced functionality and maintenance? Try Nexcess’s Fully Managed WordPress hosting today.
