Managed WordPress hosting companies offer a user-friendly dashboard that simplifies common tasks such as setting up new websites, updating the WordPress core and WordPress themes and plugins, and making backups. While beginners will love this approach to hosting, those of you who are used to using web hosting control panels such as cPanel will feel frustrated by the dumbing down of the hosting control panel.
I have tried managed WordPress hosting and was extremely frustrated by the lack of control that was available to me via the hosting dashboard. Beginners will appreciate this minimal approach to hosting, but I found it incredibly annoying as simple tasks that should have taken me a minute to modify would take hours because I had to raise a support ticket and ask someone else to do it.
Managed WordPress hosting companies can also be very restrictive. In order to ensure a certain level of performance, certain WordPress plugins are prohibited. This can place a website owner in a difficult situation if they rely on the functionality that particular plugin offers.
Managed WordPress Hosting
Managed WordPress hosting services normally cost around three to five times the cost of shared hosting and VPS hosting equivalents.
The question you need to ask is “Is that premium worth it?”.
For me, no.
I do not consider myself a hosting expert, but I do not have sufficient knowledge about hosting control panels to make modifications myself. I therefore find hosting solutions that limit the options available to me frustrating.
Clearly, managed WordPress hosting is aimed towards people who do not want any control over how their websites are set up and just want someone else to handle it.
However, due to the popularity of WordPress, all hosting companies have a good working knowledge of the platform. Whilst they may not promote themselves as WordPress experts, the majority of hosting companies will help you with WordPress related issues. The argument goes that the additional premium being charged is in respect of the support that is offered, though in my experience, support from shared and VPS hosting companies is just as good, and sometimes much better.
I do appreciate the added security and performance benefits that a managed WordPress hosting service can provide. I also realise that many website owners would rather pay a little extra money to their hosting company in order for menial tasks to be handled.
If you are someone who just wants your hosting company to handle everything for you and ensure your website remains online, the premium that managed WordPress hosting companies will be worth it.
If you want a little more control over your hosting space, or if you simply want to pay much less for your hosting plan, I would recommend opting for a different hosting solution.