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When building a website, one of the first decisions you’ll face is choosing the right web hosting service. Hosting allows your website to be accessible on the internet by providing the necessary technology and server space. When it comes to creating a WordPress website, you have two options: WordPress hosting and shared hosting.
WordPress hosting is specifically for sites made with WordPress. On the other hand, shared hosting is a more general solution where multiple websites share the same server resources.
But how do these hosting types compare? Which one do the WordPress development services choose? And when? That’s what we aim to cover in this blog. Let’s begin.
What is WordPress Hosting?
WordPress hosting is a type of web hosting service specifically designed for websites built with WordPress. It is designed to enhance the performance, security, and overall functionality of sites built on the WordPress platform. Here’s what makes WordPress hosting providers special:
- Optimized for WordPress: Servers are configured to run WordPress efficiently, which means your website will load faster.
- Pre-installed WordPress: Often, WordPress is already installed and ready to use, saving you time and effort.
- Automatic updates: Some plans keep updating WordPress and its plugins automatically, so you don’t have to worry about security vulnerabilities.
- Enhanced security: WordPress hosting providers may offer additional security features to protect your website from attacks.
- Specialized support: The support team is familiar with WordPress and can help you with troubleshooting issues specific to the platform.
WordPress hosting can be a shared hosting environment tailored for WordPress. It can also be a more robust solution such as managed WordPress hosting. The professional WordPress developers prefer WordPress hosting to keep your site secure and robust.
What is Shared Hosting?
Shared hosting is a type of web hosting where multiple websites share the same server and resources, such as CPU, RAM, and space. It is a popular and cost-effective hosting solution, especially for beginners, small businesses, and personal websites. Here are some benefits it offers:
- Cost-effective: By dividing the server costs among multiple users, shared hosting becomes very affordable. This makes it a great option for beginners or those on a tight budget.
- Easy to use: Shared hosting providers typically offer user-friendly interfaces and tools to manage your website, even if you have no technical knowledge.
- Managed by the provider: The hosting company takes care of server maintenance, security updates, and other technical aspects, freeing you to focus on your website content.
Shared hosting is a good choice if you have a website with low or moderate traffic. But if you expect high traffic on your website, consider getting service from a dedicated web hosting provider.
Comparison Table of WordPress Hosting vs Shared Hosting
WordPress hosting, as the name clearly suggests, is specifically for WordPress websites. On the other hand, shared hosting is a type of hosting plan that hosting providers offer. They have their pros and cons accordingly. Here is comparison table to make the difference more clear:
| Aspect/Feature | WordPress Hosting | Shared Hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Focuses on | Optimizing specifically for WordPress sites | General hosting for various types of websites |
| Ease of Use | Pre-installed WordPress, user-friendly setup | User-friendly, but WordPress installation required |
| Performance | High performance with WordPress-specific caching, CDN | Variable performance, can be affected by other sites |
| Security | Enhanced security with malware scanning, firewalls | Basic security measures; potential cross-site risks |
| Support | Expert support for WordPress-related issues | General support for various platforms |
| Scalability | Easily scalable to handle traffic growth | Limited scalability; may need to upgrade plans |
| Backup | Regular automatic backups | Backups vary by provider; often not automatic |
| Staging Environment | Often includes staging environments for testing | Rarely includes staging environments |
| Cost | Generally higher due to specialized features | More affordable; cost shared among multiple users |
| Resource Allocation | Dedicated resources for better performance | Shared resources can lead to variable performance |
| Control Panel | Usually includes a WordPress-specific control panel | Standard control panel like cPanel or Plesk |
| Target Users | Ideal for WordPress users seeking optimal performance | Suitable for beginners, small sites, and budget users |
Shared hosting or managed hosting? Get our expert WordPress assistance.
Comprehensive Difference Between WordPress Hosting vs Shared Hosting
WordPress hosting and shared hosting offer variable options for hosting websites. Here is a detailed difference between the two:
Website Management Tools
WordPress hosting includes essential WordPress management tools specifically designed for your website. That can include:
- Automatic updates for WordPress core, themes, and plugins.
- Easy one-click backups and restore functionality.
- WordPress staging for testing changes before making them live on your site.
- A WordPress-specific control panel that simplifies common tasks.
On the other hand, shared hosting provides general-purpose website management tools, such as cPanel or Plesk. Plus, you may need to:
- Manually update the website themes and plugins.
- Utilize plugins for backups and potentially pay extra for additional storage space.
- Lack of a dedicated staging environment, requiring additional tools for testing.
- Use a general-purpose control panel, which may require more technical knowledge to navigate.
Verdict: WordPress hosting offers a clear advantage with user-friendly and built-in tools. But if you want general hosting tools, shared hosting is a good choice, too.
Performance
WordPress hosting gets fine-tuned for WordPress sites, often resulting in smoother overall performance. This can be achieved through:
- Caching mechanisms specifically designed for WordPress.
- Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) to deliver content from geographically distributed servers closer to your visitors.
- Resource allocation optimized for WordPress applications.
Shared hosting offers basic server optimization, but this may not be as good as WordPress. Performance can be impacted by:
- Resource limitations are shared with other websites on the server.
- Lack of specialized caching or CDN integration.
- Potential for slower loading times if other websites experience high traffic.
Verdict: WordPress hosting offers more consistent and higher performance for WordPress sites.
Optimization
WordPress hosting complete environment is optimized for WordPress, including:
- Server software versions are compatible with the latest WordPress releases.
- Database configurations tailored for WordPress performance.
- Security measures focused on known WordPress vulnerabilities.
Shared hosting, on the contrary, requires more self-management for optimization like:
- You may need to ensure compatibility between your site and the server software.
- Database configuration might not be ideal for websites.
- Security optimization may need to be worked on additionally.
Verdict: WordPress hosting offers built-in optimization for a smooth WordPress experience. Using shared hosting requires more technical knowledge for fine-tuning.
Security
WordPress hosting provides enhanced security since WordPress is a popular target for hackers. It offers features security like:
- Malware scanning and automatic removal.
- Protection against DDos attacks.
- Firewalls are specifically configured to protect against common WordPress vulnerabilities.
- Free SSL certificates and regular security audits.
Shared hosting provides basic security measures like firewalls but may have some limitations like:
- Shared hosting security might not be as robust or tailored to WordPress.
- Reliance on generic security measures might leave vulnerabilities.
Verdict: WordPress hosting offers better and specific security for WordPress sites. On the other hand, shared hosting offers basic and general security options only.
Storage
WordPress hosting storage options are often optimized for the needs of WordPress users. It includes SSD storage for faster data retrieval and more space to store large media libraries. Managed WordPress hosting plans also offer scalable storage solutions to grow your website.
Shared hosting provides standard storage options, which may include both HDD and SSD storage. Storage limits can vary widely for shared hosting plans. But generally offers enough space for hosting small to medium-sized websites. If you need to host a larger site, then you may opt for a dedicated hosting service instead.
Verdict: WordPress hosting offers a more flexible storage solution than shared hosting plans.
Customer Support
WordPress hosting has customer support teams that are well-versed in WordPress-specific issues. This can include help with plugin and theme issues, performance optimization, and security concerns. Support is often available 24/7 via multiple channels, including live chat, email, and phone.
Shared hosting offers general customer support that covers a wide range of hosting-related issues. The support teams can assist with basic hosting questions but may not have specific knowledge of your development framework. Support availability and quality can vary by provider.
Verdict: WordPress hosting offers WordPress-specific support, and shared hosting provides general hosting service support.
Final Verdict
WordPress hosting is ideal for users familiar with WordPress and need an effective and scalable platform for hosting. It offers optimized performance, specialized tools, and support tailored for WordPress. Shared hosting on the other hand, is a more general-purpose hosting solution suitable for all types of websites. It provides only the basic hosting support.
The choice between WordPress hosting and shared hosting ultimately depends on your specific needs and preferences.
If you want to build the best WordPress website with the most suitable hosting option, consult with our WordPress development company.
FAQs About WordPress Hosting vs Shared Hosting
Conclusion
WordPress hosting is an ideal choice for hosting a WordPress website. On the other hand, shared hosting is a cost-effective way to host various websites. The best choice for you depends on your specific needs and priorities. Here is what you can choose accordingly:
Choose WordPress Hosting if:
- You’re building a website with WordPress.
- You anticipate high website traffic.
- You prioritize optimal performance, security, and ease of use for managing your WordPress site.
- You’re willing to pay a bit more for a specialized service.
Choose Shared Hosting if:
- You’re on a tight budget and have a low-traffic website.
- You’re comfortable with a more basic setup, managing updates and backups yourself.
- You don’t plan on using WordPress or might be unsure yet.
Both options are equally great for web hosting as per your needs. If you need help building robust sites that work seamlessly and are scalable, hire WordPress developers.
