WordPress website owners who are new to building a website thing might not be familiar with the website hosting types. This article will explain the major differences, pros and cons, and other features of managed vs shared WordPress hosting.

Buying a domain and then hosting it on a server are two different aspects that need to be handled carefully to build a successfully running website.

Getting a domain alone won’t help you out much. It is just like pre-booking. The real part involves selecting the right hosting server that could handle your website’s security and functionality.

However, selecting the right hosting type is not an easy task. With so many options out there and given you have just entered the web development world, it can become a headache for you.

When it comes to WordPress hosting, there are mainly two types – Managed Hosting and Shared Hosting.

But how do you choose the right one? After all, each one of these has its own purpose and is meant to be used in certain circumstances only.

To make things easier for you, let’s compare both managed and shared hosting types. With both hosting types’ pros and cons outlined, you will eventually have a good idea of choosing the right hosting type for your site.

What is Shared WordPress Hosting?

As the name goes, multiple WordPress websites can be hosted on shared hosting. What’s more is that all the websites (within this shared hosting) share the same resources that the hosting server has to offer, whether they belong to the same owner or different owners.

As server resources are distributed among different websites, the server costs are also distributed, which makes it an affordable option. Despite its cost-effectiveness, the shared nature of this hosting type has some major disadvantages.

One of them is the neighbor effect, which means when multiple websites are hosted on the same server, they can potentially experience occasional downtimes and slowdowns due to an influx of high traffic on one of them.

What Exactly is Managed WordPress Hosting?

A special and exclusive hosting plan for a certain WordPress site(s) is what denotes managed hosting.

The hosting providing company takes full responsibility for the hosting management and other aspects of the WordPress site, thus allowing the website owners to focus on content creation and running their business.

The environment of managed hosting is specifically optimized for WordPress, thus providing faster loading times, better performance, and improved security.

Automatic backups, regular updates, and other security measures are also offered in this hosting plan to make sure that the website is free from potential threats.

The expert support that is provided with managed hosting is what makes it so popular and a must-choose plan. Any kind of technical issue is manageable and troubleshooted with the help of a hosting provider’s team of professionals.

For users who do not have a knack for back-end technicalities, this support can be immensely valuable as it offloads them from complex website management aspects.

What is the Main Difference between Managed vs Shared WordPress Hosting?

The level of performance, customization options, and the type of support offered are the major differences that set apart managed and shared hosting.

A premium experience on offer is managed hosting, where dedicated server resources specifically tailored to enhance a website’s performance are allotted. To further make the website secure, smooth running, and up-to-date, comprehensive management solutions and support services are offered by the hosting providing company.

Although shared hosting is cost-effective, it runs on a shared server environment, which makes it hard to perform up to its true potential. Also, the scarcity of resources during peak periods makes things sluggish and, at times, worse.

Pros and Cons of Managed WordPress Hosting

Along with a secure environment, high performance is one of the key benefits of managed hosting, which makes it a good option for those who are looking for a hassle-free hosting experience.

However, having multiple benefits of a certain thing does not mean that it never has any limitations, which in the case of managed hosting is true.

Pros

1.    Superior Performance in the USP of Managed Hosting

Hosting-providing companies that offer managed hosting fine-tune the servers that are exclusively used to it, which results in faster loading times and smooth performance of the website.

To ensure that websites are able to handle high volumes of traffic, dedicated resources, and advanced caching mechanisms are provided in managed hosting plans.

2.    It Offers Automatic Updates and Backups

Managed hosting has one other thing superior, which is the regular updates that it allows so as to enhance the security and functionality of the site. The hosting company itself takes care of the updates that might include theme updation along with plugins and core WordPress updates.

3.    Scalability is Easy with Managed Hosting

When a website grows and attracts increased amounts of traffic, it also requires a higher amount of server-side resources to handle things smoothly. In this case, managed hosting gets the job done like no other by providing abundant server-side resources and allowing you to even scale them if things go sideways.

4.    It Allows Development in Staging Environments

Staging environments, which are separate copies of the website, are the mainstay in managed hosting.

They are helpful when you want to create dummy websites, test changes, implement recurring updates, and experiment with various designs. Without disrupting the live website, you can experiment with the improvements no matter how many they are.

Cons

1.    It Costs Higher

Higher expenses are generally associated with managed hosting because of the premium features and dedicated support it has to offer. Also, the dedicated server-side resources make it expensive and less budget-friendly for some users who are just getting started with building a website.

2.    Managed Hosting Gives Limited Customizability

Performance and security are some facets that are more prioritized when it comes to managed hosting. Due to this reason, the focus on customizations is less, which might not be a good thing for advanced users who may want to modify server settings, install specific software, etc.

3.    The Plugin are Limited

Due to security concerns, managed hosting may not allow or put a cap on the usage of certain plugins that might be considered a threat to the overall hosting environment. While this is for a good reason, it can be a limitation for developers who rely heavily on plugins to make things easier.

4.    Restricted Resource Allocation

The predefined resource allocation can be a problem when it comes to managed hosting plans, as it might not be sufficient for some websites during unexpected spikes in traffic. These restrictions in server-side resources might lead to temporary performance issues and ruin the user experience.

Why Opt for Managed WordPress?

If cost considerations are not an issue and the priority is convenience, performance, and security, managed hosting is the way to go.

Whether it is about running a business site, an online e-commerce store, or a high-traffic blog, managed hosting is the best bet to handle it all. That ultimately will save you time and effort as well.

Plus, if you are interested in more technicalities and flexible server configurations, a managed plan can provide that to you, along with a robust environment to build a great website.

Pros and Cons of Shared Hosting

Pros

1.    It is Cost-Effective

Shared hosting’s USP is its budget-friendliness, as the overall cost of the server resources is also shared among the stakeholders. Thus, a shared plan is a great option for those who are either beginners, small businesses, or want to work on personal projects at a low cost.

2.    Shared Hosting is User-Friendly

There are no complications and high-end features involved in shared hosting. Rather, it provides an intuitive experience that is user-friendly via the control panels and makes the whole website management task simple to handle.

3.    It Provides Hassle-Free Maintenance

There is no need to handle any server-side maintenance, implement updates, or apply security patches as the hosting providing company itself handles these things.

This approach makes it easy for website owners to handle the aspects of their websites more instead of worrying about the hosting environment itself.

4.    Scalability is Possible

However, shared hosting has a limited amount of server resources as they already get distributed among the multiple websites on the server. But still, you can increase these resources by upgrading to higher-tier plans once your website starts to grow and attracts more traffic.

5.    It has a Supportive Community

The communities of shared hosting are often more active and provide extensive support as well. In case of any technical error, help can be taken from these forum communities, knowledge bases, and directly from customer support teams that are available 24/7.

Cons

1.    It has Performance Concerns.

Due to the fact that the resources are shared in a shared hosting plan, the reduced performance of the websites may be witnessed on a regular basis.

It happens when the influx of high traffic happens on a single page, due to which the speed of the other websites also gets affected as the server itself is reeling to handle everything at once.

2.    Shared Hosting Provides Limited Resource

As the resources are shared between multiple websites on the same server, their ultimate availability is very limited, which can lead to bigger problems down the road.

3.    Security Considerations are a Problem

Among multiple websites on a single server, if one website faces a vulnerability, then other websites might also potentially face security breaches.

No matter how much the hosting providing company tries to steer clear of these vulnerabilities, the websites are still susceptible to these security concerns.

4.    It also has Customization Restrictions

Customizing various aspects may not be allowed in shared hosting, whether it is a certain plugin installation, software installation, or any other thing. It is done to make sure that the server is secure and stable for all the users involved.

5.    It Offers Limited Control

Shared hosting is solely managed and controlled by the hosting company itself, which makes it nearly impossible for users to control server configurations and other advanced settings.

Why Opt for Shared Hosting?

A shared hosting plan can be beneficial for users who are just getting started in website building or have small sites with lower budgets. Some other reasons why shared hosting can be used are:

1.    Due to Cost Constraints

When on a limited budget or testing things up, shared hosting is an affordable option that won’t cost you much and, at the same time, will get things done.

2.    If You Use Personal Projects

Personal projects such as small hobby websites, portfolio sites, and personal blogs do not need high-budget or premium hosting solutions. Instead, a shared hosting plan having limited yet efficient features would be enough for them.

3.    You Own Entry-Level Businesses

Local ventures, startups, and small businesses attract moderate amounts of traffic, which can easily be handled by shared hosting. Unless the traffic is very high on the website and things are feeling a bit sluggish, stick with a shared hosting plan.

4.    Best for Non-Technical Users

Users who are just getting started with website building and do not have any technical knowledge can go for shared hosting, as it takes care of the technicalities while you can test the waters.

Key Differences between Managed and Shared WordPress Hosting

1.    Performance and Resource Allocation Differ

The most significant difference between these hosting types lies in their performance and resource allocation. In Shared WordPress Hosting, as mentioned earlier, many websites use the same resources on a server.

Consequently, if a website witnesses a high spike in traffic, it can impact the website’s performance on the server. It might lead to slower loading times and occasional downtime during peak traffic periods.

On the other hand, Managed Hosting offers a more optimized and dedicated environment for WordPress sites. The server resources are tailored to enhance WordPress’s performance, ensuring faster loading speeds and improved site responsiveness.

2.    Security Measures are Not Same

Security is a critical concern for any website owner. In Shared WordPress Hosting, the security measures are more generalized to protect all websites on the shared server.

Managed hosting, however, places a strong emphasis on website security. Managed hosts usually conduct regular security audits and provide automatic backups, ensuring your site data is safe and restorable in case of unforeseen events.

3.    Technical Support is Also Way Different

The level of technical support offered is another crucial aspect to consider. Shared WordPress Hosting typically provides general customer support for server-related issues.

But if you run into problems and need help fixing them, the support you can get may be limited. In these situations, you might have to ask for help in a community group or from a third-party website.

Managed hosting, on the other hand, gives really expert help. Support staff at hosting companies are familiar with WordPress and can quickly answer any questions or concerns that customers may have.

4.    Scalability and Customization Options are Not Same

When it comes to creating a website, customizing things and then scaling them is what is essential. A successfully running website is one that seamlessly steers its way through downtimes and makes use of the available resources efficiently.

In shared hosting, scalability has always been an issue, as the amount of resources available is much less and may not be sufficient to run things smoothly. It would become highly essential for websites with high traffic to upgrade to a better hosting plan for better functioning and runtime.

When scalability and customization come into the mix, managed hosting is an excellent option, which offers a CMS that changes the whole game for website owners.

Increased website loading speed, advanced customization options, and more resource allocation are some of the things that prove to be beneficial for website owners who opt for managed hosting.

A Comparative Analysis of Shared and Managed Hosting

Shared hosting is a generic option that might be suitable for website owners who build their sites on platforms other than WordPress. As the plans of shared hosting are affordable, it has become an attractive choice for small site owners and beginners who are just into website building.

For tailored solutions and a more custom approach, managed hosting is the one to place a bet upon. With dedicated resources, enhanced security, high performance, and 24/7 support managed hosting plans are a perfect fit for bigger business websites and other complex projects.

In Conclusion

You need to dig far more than you think to find the right hosting plan for your website. Not just the type of website but things such as performance, scalability, budget, and technical expertise will decide which option will suit you best.

So, thoroughly assess the needs, carefully weigh in on the various advantages and disadvantages discussed above, and ultimately reflect on the requirements and objectives of your website to make the right choice.

After doing all that, start finding the best hosting-providing companies out there by researching their customer reviews, ratings, and things their existing customers are saying on support forums.

All this will help you find the right hosting company from the beginning so that you won’t have to face any problems in the future.