Key takeaways
- Key features ensure optimal WordPress performance and functionality
- Look for hosting providers that guarantee at least 99.9% uptime
- Managed hosting reduces the technical burden on the user
- Built-in caching systems can improve load times
- Consider automatic updates, easy installation, and WordPress security features
Managed hosting
Managed hosting provides a WordPress-optimized environment with features like automatic updates and staging environments. A staging site allows you to test changes or updates safely before deploying them to the live site, reducing the risk of downtime. Dealing with staging can be a hassle because there are many different environments: development, testing, preproduction, and production. The site is built in the development environment. The staging environment is a copy of the live site to monitor its behavior. Engineers test code in the testing environment, and changes are deployed in the production environment, which is the live site.
Managed hosting also reduces the technical burden on the user. WordPress powers more than 43% of all websites worldwide, including many for blogs and small businesses, which often lack in-house technical expertise.
Performance optimization features
Built-in caching systems like NGINX improve load times, which is why they are a common denominator in feasible WordPress hosting plans. The use of caching eliminates repeated requests to the database. This can improve page load speeds by up to 80%, which is of paramount importance since 47% of users expect sites to load in under 2 seconds, and 40% abandon sites taking longer than 3 seconds. WP Super Cache is a popular plugin with over 2 million installations as of 2024.
Many hosts include integrated content delivery networks to improve global site performance. In addition, make sure the plan supports the latest stable PHP versions, as WordPress performance is tied to PHP.
Automatic updates
Keeping the WordPress core, plugins, and themes updated is crucial for security. Some hosting plans automate these updates, ensuring the site remains secure without manual intervention.
Ease of installation
Look for a hosting provider offering one-click WordPress installation or pre-installed WordPress. This saves time and avoids the need for manual setup.
WordPress-specific security features
Third-party plugins cause approximately 90% of WordPress vulnerabilities, highlighting the risks of outdated or poorly maintained add-ons. In 2023, more than 58% of vulnerabilities required no authentication for exploitation, making them particularly dangerous. Common types of malware on WordPress sites include SEO spam (52%) and backdoors (60%).
Your hosting plan of choice should include malware scanning and removal, DDoS protection, and WordPress firewalls. DDoS protection safeguards WordPress sites from distributed denial-of-service attacks, and web application firewalls are explicitly configured to mitigate WordPress vulnerabilities.
Scalability
Choose a plan that can accommodate traffic spikes. Look for features like on-demand resource upgrades or integration with services like Amazon AWS for high availability.
WordPress Support
Ensure the hosting provider offers WordPress-trained support specialists, as they can troubleshoot WordPress-specific issues more effectively. WordPress support specialists are a dedicated one-stop shop for users of the world’s most popular content management system. While general support staff might juggle between WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, and other platforms, WordPress staff offer highly specialized interventions. This focus not only translates to expert support but also high-quality design, development, migration, optimization, and emergency services in the same place.
Consider useful plugin availability
When choosing a hosting plan, be attentive to the availability of useful plugins, particularly for caching, SEO, and backups. Yoast SEO is a leader in the space, with over 450 million downloads. Elementor is a popular page builder with more than 5 million active installations and extensive customization capabilities.