Web hosting is a necessary thing for every online business. To have a business website, you need a web hosting plan. It’s as simple as that. However, choosing the right kind of web hosting package can be confusing.
Web hosting companies offer a variety of plans, each catering to different needs. If you’re new to web hosting, terms like shared hosting, VPS hosting, WordPress hosting, and dedicated server hosting can sound confusing. But don’t worry, we’re here to help you navigate these options.
You can get a general rundown of what they all mean and who they’re for in our guide to the different types of web hosting. But for this post, we’ll focus on two of the popular web host options for websites built on WordPress: WordPress hosting vs. shared hosting.
Shared Hosting vs WordPress Hosting: The Key Differences
The term web hosting refers to all forms of web hosting available. It’s an umbrella term that applies to any type of website hosting plan you can find. WordPress hosting is a specific subset of web hosting plans that emphasize the WordPress platform.
The category of WordPress web hosting overlaps with other types of hosting. Depending on which provider and plan type you choose, you could end up with shared WordPress hosting, VPS hosting, cloud WordPress hosting, or a dedicated WordPress server. As a category, WordPress hosting has less to do with the type of web server and more to do with additional features that come with the plan.
In summary:
Web hosting is a broad category that includes various types of hosting services.
WordPress hosting is a type of web hosting that’s specifically optimized for WordPress websites, offering features that improve performance, security, and ease of use.
What is WordPress Hosting?
WordPress hosting services are designed to provide an environment that supports the specific needs of WordPress websites. It’s like having a custom-tailored suit—everything is optimized to fit perfectly with WordPress.
The Advantages of WordPress Hosting
How about setting up a WordPress site? Smart choice! But before you dive in, let’s talk about why opting for a WordPress hosting plan can make all the difference compared to standard web hosting.
It’s incredibly fast. Every aspect of the server has been tweaked to cater to the way WordPress is set up, enabling quick loading times. This level of hosting can often drop page loading speed and response time by a second or more.
It’s more secure. Worried about security? We’ve got you covered. WordPress hosting providers build in security protocols designed to tackle WordPress-specific vulnerabilities head-on.
You can trust the team behind a managed WordPress hosting service to stay on top of any WordPress security issues as they arise and address them faster. And in the unlikely event you do get hacked, you’ll have a support team who has experience with WordPress-specific attacks and their fixes.
Your server is always up to date. The team who manages your hosting will ensure the server is always running the latest software, so your site performs as efficiently as possible. Their goal is to keep you happy and your website is working at top capacity at all times.
Dedicated to customer support. The support teams that run and manage WordPress hosting accounts are WordPress experts. That level of specialized knowledge pays off when you have a problem. They offer experienced support, troubleshooting, and hosting problem solutions whenever needed.
Increased uptime. Nobody likes downtime—neither do we. That’s why WordPress hosting plans are designed to maximize uptime. Between seamless integration with your server and content management system (CMS), and automatic updates that keep your website running in the best version of WordPress available, your site will stay accessible to visitors more often.
Are There Any Drawbacks to WordPress Hosting?
WordPress hosting is a more customized hosting solution, which means it’s not for everyone.
Higher Costs: The specialized nature of WordPress hosting often comes with a higher price tag compared to general shared hosting plans. This could be a drawback for small businesses or individuals with limited budgets.
Limited Flexibility: Some WordPress hosts restrict the use of certain plugins, especially those that may pose security risks or impact performance. This could limit the functionality of your site if you rely on specific plugins. (HostGator customers on our managed WordPress plan can find the full list of disallowed plugins here.)
WordPress Exclusivity: As the name suggests, WordPress hosting is specifically for WordPress sites. If you’re using another CMS or website builder, you’ll need a different type of hosting plan.
Who Needs WordPress Hosting?
For those running a WordPress site, WordPress hosting is like getting VIP treatment. Running a WordPress site? Then this hosting is tailored just for you. It’s optimized to make your site faster, more secure, and easier to manage. WordPress hosting provides:
Enhanced security and easier updates that involve less work and required knowledge on your part. Managed WordPress hosting means a team takes care of that stuff for you, and you don’t have to worry about it.
More customization options. Because WordPress hosting plans are specifically configured for the CMS, more experienced WordPress developers can potentially extend the content management system’s functionality and do more with it.
Security on your mind? WordPress hosting has you covered with built-in defenses and often includes some handy security plugins right out of the box. It’s perfect for those who want peace of mind without the hassle.
And for the benefits we’ve described in this section, you specifically want to find managed WordPress hosting. Most plans you see advertised as WordPress hosting plans will fall into this category but double-check so you know what you’re getting into.
Do You Need WordPress Hosting for a WordPress Site?
Not necessarily! Just because you use WordPress doesn’t mean you’re required to use a WordPress hosting plan. Any web hosting plan can work with WordPress, but WordPress hosting offers more features specifically designed for WordPress sites.
What is Shared Hosting?
For new website owners, the most common alternative to WordPress hosting is shared hosting. Shared web hosting is when a web hosting provider uses one web server to host a number of different websites. Most websites don’t get enough traffic or use enough space to need their own website server. All of them save money by renting space on a server they share with others.
In shared hosting, multiple websites share the resources of a single server. This setup allows hosting providers to offer plans at a lower cost, making it an attractive option for beginners and small businesses.
Why Would I Use Shared Web Hosting?
Shared web hosting is the most basic type of web hosting plan available, and therefore the most affordable for general web hosting. The foremost reasons to choose shared web hosting are:
Cost-Effective: Shared hosting is the most budget-friendly hosting option, making it perfect for small websites and those just getting started online.
Easy to Use: Shared hosting plans usually come with user-friendly control panels like cPanel, which simplify website management tasks.
Scalable: While starting with shared hosting, as your website grows, most hosting providers offer easy upgrade paths to more powerful hosting solutions like VPS hosting or cloud hosting.
For reference, HostGator’s managed WordPress plan is cloud hosting, rather than shared hosting.
Who Needs Shared Hosting?
Starting small? Shared hosting is perfect for personal blogs, portfolio sites, or small business pages where you’re not expecting a massive crowd right away. But if your website will be large and complex, or if you’re expecting to get a lot of traffic from the jump, a shared web hosting plan won’t make sense.
Got a simple website and a tight budget? Shared hosting is calling your name. It’s easy to manage, doesn’t require a ton of technical know-how, and it’s a great starting point. Just keep in mind that as your site grows, you might need to upgrade.
If your website starts taking up more than its share of space and bandwidth on the server, the web hosting provider may push you toward a different option (probably a cloud or VPS plan as the next step up), so your website’s popularity doesn’t throttle the website performance of the other websites on the server.
Shared web hosting is a valuable option for new and small websites, since it creates a lower barrier to entry than more expensive choices. It provides all the basics you need without frills and makes it easier for anyone hesitant to start a website for budgetary reasons to do so. It’s not for everyone, but if it’s what you need, it will serve your purposes.
How to Choose Between Shared Hosting vs. WordPress Hosting
Stuck between shared hosting and WordPress hosting? Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. Let’s break it down and figure out what works best for you, shall we?
First things first: What kind of website are you building?
Is it a WordPress website? If yes, then WordPress hosting might be your new best friend. It’s tailor-made for WordPress, so your site runs smoother than butter on toast. If WordPress isn’t your jam, shared hosting is your go-to—think of it as the all-purpose flour of hosting options.
How do you feel about website maintenance?
Not really your thing? No problem! Managed WordPress hosting has got your back. It handles all those nitty-gritty updates, backups, and security stuff so you can focus on, well, anything else.
Are you a security pro, or do you sleep better knowing someone else is?
Security giving you the heebie-jeebies? Go with WordPress hosting—it comes with built-in defenses against those pesky WordPress-specific threats. Plus, some plans even toss in security plugins, like a bouncer for your website. But if you’ve got a handle on security and enjoy taking charge, shared hosting is perfectly fine too—just follow a few good practices, and you’ll be golden.
Let’s talk money: Is the budget a big deal?
Tight on cash? Shared hosting is a budget-friendly choice. It’s like getting all the essentials without breaking the bank. But if you’ve got a bit of wiggle room in your wallet, splurging on managed WordPress hosting might be worth it. You get peace of mind, knowing everything’s optimized for WordPress, and your site will be running like a dream.
How well do you know WordPress?
Still learning the ropes? No worries—WordPress hosting offers all the handholding you need, with professional support and easy management. But if you’re already a WordPress wizard, shared hosting might give you the freedom to flex those tech muscles while saving a few bucks.
The Bottom Line?
Think about what you need and what makes your life easier. Whether you’re a hands-on website owner or someone who likes the convenience of letting others handle the heavy lifting, there’s a hosting plan out there that fits just right. And onHostGator, we’ve got the perfect WordPress hosting plans to match your choice and needs, no matter which path you take.
By the end of that list of questions, you probably have a decent idea of which direction to go in. But if you’re still not sure, HostGator has staff available 24/7/365 (366 on leap years) that can help talk you through your options and answer any questions you have.
Is WordPress or Shared Hosting Right for You?
You can use WordPress on a shared web hosting plan with no problem. But you will be responsible for a little more management of the environment than if you go with an optimized WordPress hosting package.
In the case of HostGator’s plans, the cost difference between a starter shared hosting plan and our most affordable WordPress hosting plan is minimal—just $2.75 a month vs. $5.95 a month. Plus, our WordPress plans use cloud hosting, meaning they can handle more traffic and deliver higher speeds. If those benefits sound appealing, WordPress hosting might be worth a few extra bucks. If saving money is your priority, starting with shared hosting and upgrading later is always an option.
FAQs: WordPress hosting vs Shared Hosting
WordPress hosting is a good option when you are 100% sure about using WordPress. It’s no longer as expensive as a shared hosting plan and you also get access to WordPress’s automatic maintenance. There are instances where you could want to choose another type of hosting even if you’re using WordPress.
Web hosting is a general term that covers all types of hosting services available for any website, regardless of the platform. WordPress hosting, on the other hand, is specifically optimized for WordPress sites, offering features like faster load times, enhanced security, and specialized support designed for WordPress.
Yes! WordPress hosting is designed to be user-friendly, with WordPress specific features like one-click installs and automatic updates, making it easier to manage your site than on shared hosting.
Yes, you can use custom themes and plugins with WordPress hosting. However, some managed WordPress hosts might restrict certain plugins to keep your site secure.
I’m Priyanka Jain, a content writer at HostGator with four years of experience across various topics. I am passionate about turning complex ideas into simple, engaging content. Friendly and curious, I enjoy exploring new things and connecting with others.
Where can I find the restricted list of WordPress Plugins?
Hi Simon,
You can find the full list of disallowed plugins for HostGator’s managed WordPress here: http://support.hostgator.com/articles/pre-sales-policies/optimized-wordpress-disallowed-plugins
I’ve also updated the article since a few of you have asked the same question. Thank you!
What is the restricted list of plugins from Hostgator Optimized WordPress?
tks
Hi Rob,
Thanks for reading! You can find the full list of disallowed plugins here: http://support.hostgator.com/articles/pre-sales-policies/optimized-wordpress-disallowed-plugins
A client of mine uses Hostgator WordPress Hosting and has had numerous issues with plugins that are on the banned list. With no access to phpAdmin, there is no access to databases that are used in conjunction with related applications (such as mailing lists, surveys, etc.).
The client found that, without having the ability to grant unfettered access the the “back end”, issues with themes or plugins could not be properly debugged by vendors of those products.
Hi JE,
Thanks for sharing your feedback! The benefit from using our managed WordPress plan is the level of management we invest in maintaining a list of plugins that will have a detrimental effect on your site. Developers with experience with WordPress are likely familiar with the havoc an untested plugin can cause. For customers interested in having more control of the backend, a dedicated server or one of our cloud hosting plans could be preferable options.
I hope this is helpful. Please have your client reach out to our support team if they have more questions. Thank you!
If I use a managed WordPress plan would I still get unlimited email accounts, forwarders, etc? that I normally have in Cpanel?
Hi Andrew,
Yes, unlimited email accounts are included with our managed WordPress plans. Thanks for reading!
If I use HostGator Web Hosting plan or WordPress Hosting plan, do I still need to edit .htaccess for WordPress security as mentioned in https://premium.wpmudev.org/blog/htaccess/
Thanks for the question! Our shared hosting and Optimized WordPress packages do come with a serious level of security, however the customizations mentioned in this article would not be added to the .htaccess file by default. These changes would need to be added after WordPress is installed using the steps mentioned in the article.
If you have any questions on those steps, please give us a call at 1.866.96.GATOR or start a live chat at https://chat.hostgator.com and we’ll be happy to help.
how will hostgator help me on my daily tasks ?? and what will be my security ??
Hi Billy,
HostGator provides a number of security measures to protect our servers and prevent your account from being compromised via the server itself. You can read more about HostGator’s security measures here. One of the added benefits of our managed WordPress hosting plan is that it includes Automatic Malware Removal – you can learn more here.
Hi Amelia!
Without SFTP access on WordPress hosting, do I have to use CPanel to edit .htaccess?
Also, how would I version control (git) the site?
Hi Steven!
Although SFTP access is not available on managed WordPress packages, we do still include FTP access. These packages also include automatic updates, as well as daily backups via CodeGuard which can be used if reversions are needed.
can i use wp super cache plugin in hostagator’s managed wordpress hosting?
Hi Edo,
You can see the list of disallowed plugins for our Managed WordPress plans here. Good news – it doesn’t look like Super Cache is on the list!
Thanks for reading,
Amelia
Trying to decide on Cloud Hosting vs. WebPress Cloud Hosting. I am only going to have WebPress sites. If WebPress Cloud Hosting is a little better / Faster, and the only downside is some plug-ins are disallowed because they cause issues, then that seems like a good thing. For example, I saw one of the plug-ins was related to creating Google XML sitemaps. But there are a half dozen or more plug-ins for XML sitemap generation, so even though one is blacklisted, there are still other options. That is likely the case with any plug-in on the disallowed list. One thing that I do not understand no matter which way I go is the best way to convert my existing Google Sites website to WebPress. So I think I should go with HostGator WebPress Cloud Hosting. I think maybe the best way is for me make the transition is to download WordPress to my PC, and duplicate my Google Sites website in an offline WordPress site (with the same Primary URL). Then when I am ready to make the switch, get a HostGator WebPress Cloud Hosting account, and upload my WebPress Site to the new HostGator WebPress Cloud Hosting, while simultaneously changing my domain DNS Name Servers to point to HostGator instead of Google Sites. What kind of support does HostGator provide if I am moving an Offline WebPress website to Hostgator? Or is it possible for me to go ahead and host the exact same Primary URL on a HostGator hosting account simultaneously? My Google Sites site would be the one indexed and running on the web. The duplicate site on HostGator would not be indexed until it was ready, at that point, I would change my domain DNS Name servers from Google Sites to HostGator. Would that work? I prefer the latter method but just need to know if it would work, and if not would my offline method work as described?
Hi David,
Thanks so much for the questions! Instead of installing and modifying WordPress on your local computer, we would recommend setting up an account using the domain name(s) you intend to use, then updating your hosts file. Using this method, the current sites will stay live while allowing you a chance to work on the new sites without re-pointing the domain names. Once you are satisfied with the new sites, you can change back your hosts file, then point the domain names to your new hosting account.
Regarding which type of package would work best for you, typically we recommend Optimized WordPress accounts for customers who only need access to the WordPress dashboard, and would like automated updates for their WordPress and plugins. The benefits to Cloud Hosting include access to both the WordPress dashboard and to cPanel, as well as scalability and automatic failover. More information can be found on these pages:
http://support.hostgator.com/articles/pre-sales-policies/cloud-sites
http://support.hostgator.com/articles/hosting-guide/hosting-plan-comparison/hosting-comparison-chart