What is Managed WordPress Hosting?

Key highlights

• Managed WordPress hosting optimizes performance, security and updates, providing a hassle-free, high-speed WordPress experience with expert support. 
• It offers automatic WordPress core updates, enhanced security, better site performance and expert-level support. 
• Managed hosting differs from shared, VPS and dedicated hosting by providing dedicated resources and hands-free maintenance. 
• Bluehost managed WordPress hosting stands out with free migration services, optimized infrastructure and dedicated WordPress assistance. 
• 24/7 expert WordPress support is available for troubleshooting, performance optimization and site management. 
• Investing in managed WordPress hosting provides a stress-free experience, improved website reliability and long-term growth potential, including free site migration options. 
• Bluehost simplifies WordPress hosting with free migration, expert support and a fully optimized hosting environment. 

Introduction 

Establishing an online presence by setting up your website is only the first step. The real challenge lies in ensuring that your website is accessible to a global audience, which requires selecting the right hosting solution.  

That’s where the confusion arises as a bunch of options are available that makes it difficult to select the most appropriate. To help you navigate this decision, we’ve created this guide that compares shared, managed, VPS and dedicated hosting to help you determine the best fit for your needs.  

Among these options, managed WordPress hosting stands out as an efficient solution for new WordPress users and businesses looking for a hassle-free hosting experience. It ensures automatic WordPress core updates, advanced security, privacy protection and expert support, allowing you to focus on content and growth rather than technical maintenance. 

In this guide, we’ll explore what is managed WordPress hosting, how it differs from other hosting types and how to choose a managed hosting company that provides the best level of support and performance for your website. 

What is managed WordPress hosting?  

Managed WordPress hosting is a specialized service where the managed host takes care of all the technical aspects of running a WordPress site. 

A managed host optimizes the entire hosting environment for WordPress performance, security and scalability. This includes automatic WordPress core updates, plugin and theme updates, server-level caching, built-in security protocols and expert support. 

If you’re unsure whether shared, VPS or dedicated hosting is the right fit, understanding what is managed WordPress hosting can help you make an informed decision.  

What is Bluehost Cloud hosting? 

Bluehost’s Cloud hosting offers a stress-free, high-performance solution for your website. It utilizes cloud technology for superior speed, reliability and scalability. It’s perfect for sites that experience sudden spikes in traffic, ensuring they remain online and run smoothly. 

With built-in security features, automated backups and expert support, particularly for WordPress users, Bluehost managed Cloud hosting ensures a secure and reliable hosting environment. It simplifies website management by handling technical tasks and optimization behind the scenes. 

What are the benefits of managed WordPress hosting?

If you already have a website on a shared hosting plan, you can upgrade to managed Cloud hosting. Here are some reasons why it can benefit your website: 

1. Reduces the need for technical expertise  

With managed Cloud hosting, you can bid farewell to the stress of needing extensive technical training. Hiring professional developers to manage your website is not always easy.  

But with Bluehost Cloud, you get a small team of WordPress experts to ensure your website is stable and fast. This allows you to focus on more important things, like creating and developing your website content.    

Also, managing a website can be a headache without the right tools. So, we’ve made management simple with organized integrations that update your website.    

Some of the top features offered by Bluehost Cloud include:    

• ManageWP: Manage and migrate multiple WordPress sites while backing up easily.  
• WordPress-centric controls: Manage WordPress on your server with a custom-designed control panel. 

2. Higher website speed   

Managed WordPress hosts are optimized for performance at the server level. Since Bluehost uses Cloud hosting for its infrastructure, it distributes workloads across multiple servers.  

As a result, traffic spikes won’t affect your website’s speed and you won’t need to spend time installing software and optimizing to achieve faster loading times. It also uses an increased CPU frequency so that you can process more requests in less time.   

Furthermore, Bluehost Cloud uses full-page caching or server-level caching. As a result, you won’t need caching plugins, which saves you the frustration of installing and managing them. Server-level caching is often more effective than plugins, especially during traffic surges.    

One of the best ways to lock down conversions is to invest in a platform that speeds up your website. The faster your website loads, the better your bottom line will be. Bluehost WordPress solutions are built on our revolutionary VPS platform, which includes:   

• VPS power 
• Advanced NGINX architecture 
• Custom PHP-FPM configuration 

Additionally, Bluehost provides VPS hosting and dedicated hosting plans. These plans offer NVMe SSD storage for faster data access and processing time. You also receive a dedicated IP and full root access, providing full control over your server and hosting environment. 

3. Offers scalability

Besides improving performance at the server level, the best managed WordPress hosting ensures your website stays functional and responsive during high traffic.    

High traffic can strain server resources, leading to downtime. On the plus side, Bluehost Cloud hosting provides multiple servers, so if one server fails, other servers can still function and avoid downtime.   

Furthermore, Bluehost has partnered with Cloudflare, a proxy between the server and your visitors. The proxy servers are located worldwide and your website’s cached content loads from the server closest to your visitors. This brings your website closer to your global visitors, reducing global latency.   

Off-site data centers around the globe will significantly boost your website’s uptime. Cloudflare’s CDN (content delivery network) and multilayered caching help keep up with the increase in server requests during high traffic.   

If you use Bluehost’s premium Cloud hosting plans, your website will be hosted on servers that use SSDs (solid-state drives), significantly reducing load times. Bluehost also provides tier 3 data centers, ensuring high availability and enhanced security for your website. Additionally, NVMe SSD storage in Bluehost’s VPS and dedicated servers improves scalability, speed and overall website reliability. 

4. Enhanced security features

Most managed WordPress hosting services have built-in security systems, such as firewalls, to assist in cases of cyber-attacks or malware issues. In addition to those features, Bluehost’s Cloud hosting also offers the following:

4.1 Spam protection and malware removal

A well-managed WordPress host should offer real-time malware scanning of WordPress installations, networks and hardware for worms, viruses or spyware.  

Your host should filter out harmful content before it reaches your website. With the right tools, WordPress security is easy. We use powerful SiteLock features, including:   

• SiteLock security 
• Advanced CDN 
• SiteLock WAF 

The support team can help you if your website gets hacked, but you’ll have to check if your host does it for free. Also, remember that a shared hosting provider does not protect you from server crashes if your website experiences a cyber-attack. 

4.2 DDoS protection

Many managed WordPress sites provide DDoS protection to defend against Distributed Denial of Service attacks. However, since security features vary, it’s always a good idea to verify what’s included in your specific plan.   

DDoS is a type of cyber-attack in which multiple compromised systems target a single system. It aims to make the website unavailable by overwhelming it with internet traffic.  

Bluehost Cloud’s comprehensive security measures ensure that your site remains accessible and runs smoothly, even in the face of attempts to overwhelm it with traffic from multiple sources. With DDoS protection, we help maintain your website’s availability and performance, providing a more secure and reliable hosting environment. 

Learn more: Is My Website Protected Against DDoS Attacks? 

4.3 Free SSL certificates

Some managed WordPress hosting providers, including Bluehost, partner with SSL certificate providers such as Let’s Encrypt. This makes adding a free SSL certificate to your website easy and the installation process only takes a few clicks.  

4.4 Automatic daily backups

Managed WordPress hosting ensures your website’s data is automatically backed up every day. This means you won’t lose your website content, even in an emergency.   

Bluehost Cloud includes free Jetpack daily automated backups on all WordPress websites. So, you can easily restore your website should something go wrong. It also adds an extra layer of security with its data center redundancy.  

If one data center has issues, your website automatically switches to a backup location. This keeps your site up and running smoothly, no matter what. 

4.5 Automatic updates

Regularly updating your plugins helps protect your website from hackers and other security issues.    

With Cloud hosting, you don’t have to worry about updating WordPress or your core software and plugins—it’s all done automatically and is always compatible. This keeps your site safe from hackers and fixes security gaps without you having to lift a finger.   

Bluehost also alerts you about upcoming WordPress updates to ensure you have enough time to prepare. With caching optimizers on managed hosting solutions, you can comfortably remove unnecessary plugins from your website.  

Fewer plugins are better for your website’s performance and Cloud hosting makes updating them much easier.   

It’s a hassle-free way to ensure your website is always running in the latest, safest version. 

4.6 2-factor authentication

Bluehost’s Cloud Hosting boosts your website’s security by offering a simple way to turn on 2-factor authentication (2FA). This means that to log in, you’ll need your password and a special code, usually sent to your phone. 

So, even if someone gets your password, they can’t access your account without that code. This extra step makes your website much safer from hackers, giving you extra peace of mind that your site and its data are well-protected. 

5. Provides dedicated customer support  

Bluehost Cloud provides specialized customer support, ensuring that you have immediate access to experts familiar with WordPress-specific challenges if you encounter any issues with your WordPress site.  

This expert assistance means quick and effective solutions, minimizing website downtime and running operations smoothly.   

With Bluehost, you can be sure the support team fully understands WordPress. In addition, our 24/7 chat support ensures our team is available to assist customers. They will answer questions about your WordPress website’s performance, uptime and dashboard features.

Managed WordPress hosting vs. other hosting types 

It is essential to pick the right hosting solution as it is crucial for your website’s performance, security and scalability. Whether you are starting a new blog, running an online store or managing a high-traffic business site, understanding different hosting types can help you select the best managed WordPress hosting providers for your needs.  

Web hosting options generally fall into four categories: 

• Shared hosting – Budget-friendly but limited in resources.
• VPS hosting – Offers more control but requires technical expertise.
• Dedicated hosting – Provides full server access but is expensive. 
• Managed WordPress hosting – Specifically optimized for WordPress hosting performance and security, offering a hassle-free experience. 

The table below provides a quick comparison of shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated hosting and managed WordPress hosting, helping you understand how they stack up against each other. 

Feature	Shared hosting	VPS hosting	Dedicated hosting	Managed WordPress hosting
Cost	Low	Moderate	High	Moderate to High
Performance	Limited	Moderate	High	Optimized for WordPress
Resource allocation	Shared	Dedicated (within a shared server)	Fully dedicated	Dedicated for WordPress
Ease of use	Easy	Requires technical knowledge	Requires advanced skills	Fully managed
Security	Basic	Moderate	High	Advanced (WordPress-optimized)
Scalability	Limited	Scalable (manual adjustments)	High but complex	Automatic scaling
Best for	Small blogs, personal sites	Developers, growing businesses	Enterprises, high-traffic websites	Business websites, eCommerce, high-traffic WordPress sites

Now, let’s take a closer look at how managed WordPress hosting compares to other hosting types. 

Managed WordPress hosting vs shared hosting 

A shared hosting plan is one of the most common solutions for new websites and small businesses. Shared hosting involves hosting many websites on a single server, where all sites share the server’s processing power, memory and disk space. However, people who prefer sharing hosting to create a new website are likely on a tight budget. 

If you’re new to online business, the affordable pricing of shared hosting might be tempting. However, it’s important to note that shared hosting doesn’t always work well if your website receives high traffic quickly. This understanding can steer you towards managed WordPress hosting. Here’s why: 

• Since a shared plan is usually budget-friendly, the hosting provider depends on volume to make a profit. 
• Your website is sharing server resources with hundreds of other websites. As such, you’re more likely to encounter security and performance issues. 
• You’ll experience problems if a website on the server gets hacked or sees a sudden increase in traffic. 

The best managed WordPress hosting solves the problem of shared server resources in shared hosting. 

The managed WordPress servers are configured and optimized for WordPress websites, so your website can handle any spikes in traffic and is less likely to experience downtime. 

Managed WordPress hosting vs VPS hosting 

VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting allocates dedicated resources within a shared server, providing greater flexibility and customization than shared hosting. It’s best for users who need more control over their hosting environment but have the technical knowledge to manage it. 

Key features of VPS hosting: 

• Better resource allocation – Offers more CPU, RAM and storage than shared hosting. 
• Customization – Users have control over their server configuration, security settings and software installations. 
• Scalability – VPS plans can be upgraded, but resource adjustments must be done manually. 

If you need VPS-level performance but want to avoid the hassle of server upkeep, managed WordPress hosting provides a good mix of speed, safety and simplicity. 

Managed WordPress hosting vs dedicated hosting 

Dedicated hosting offers complete control over a physical server, making it perfect for large businesses, enterprises and high-traffic websites. 

Key features of dedicated hosting: 

• Exclusive server resources – No resource sharing; all CPU, RAM and storage are dedicated to a single website. 
• Customization & flexibility – Users can fully configure the server based on their needs. 
• Best for high-traffic websites – Handles large amounts of traffic without slowing down. 

While dedicated hosting offers maximum performance, it also comes with higher costs and requires advanced server management skills. 

For businesses and website owners looking for high-speed hosting without the complexity of managing a server, managed WordPress hosting offers a perfect balance of cost, convenience and performance. 

Limitations of managed WordPress hosting  

By now, you know what managed WordPress hosting is and its benefits. However, you must also be aware of the limitations of managed hosting before choosing a hosting provider. 

Only deals with WordPress websites  

Managed WordPress hosting is perfect for those committed to using WordPress. This type of hosting is designed to make WordPress sites work well, offering great performance and security specifically for WordPress.  

However, you can explore other hosting plans such as VPS and dedicated servers. These plans offer NVMe SSD storage, dedicated IP and full root access. They are best for users needing more control and performance. Thanks to their tier 3 data centers, they ensure 99% network uptime. 

Some companies don’t offer domain names or email  

Most managed hosting options require you to buy a domain name or sign up for an email service for your business separately. But the good news is that if you’re using Bluehost Cloud, we offer a free 30-day trial of Microsoft email when you purchase a plan. 

Costs more 

A traditional shared hosting option is generally more affordable than managed WordPress hosting, which can cost three or four times more.  

On the bright side, your in-house IT infrastructure and maintenance costs are reduced as your hosting provider takes care of the physical hardware and its upkeep. While the costs may be higher, depending on your hosting needs, it may offer more value. 

Who should use managed WordPress hosting?  

Choosing the right hosting solution depends on the nature of your website and your technical expertise. 

1. Businesses & entrepreneurs 

For businesses, a website serves as the digital storefront that must be fast, reliable and secure. Downtime or slow load times can drive potential customers away, affecting credibility and revenue. 

How managed WordPress hosting helps: 

• Enhanced reliability – High uptime ensures customers can always access your site. 
• Faster page speeds – Optimized infrastructure for speed optimization prevents slow loading times, improving user experience and SEO rankings. 
• Automated maintenance – Updates, security patches and backups are handled by the hosting provider, eliminating the need for in-house IT support. 
• Scalability – If your business grows or experiences a surge in traffic, resources adjust automatically without downtime. 

With managed WordPress hosting, businesses can focus on growth and customer engagement rather than worrying about website performance and security. 

2. Bloggers & content creators 

For content creators, consistency, engagement and design flexibility are key to building a loyal audience. The right hosting solution ensures that content loads quickly, remains secure and is easy to manage. 

How managed WordPress hosting helps: 

• Automatic updates – No need to manually update WordPress core, themes or plugins. 
• Optimized for performance – Faster site speeds improve engagement and reduce bounce rates. 
• Security and backups – Malware protection and daily backups safeguard years of content and effort. 
• Seamless content management – An intuitive dashboard and powerful design tools make content publishing easier. 

If you’re a content creator or blogger looking for a comprehensive solution, we offer our Bluehost WordPress Content Creator Solution.  It is designed to enhance engagement, streamline content creation and simplify site management. With the Bluehost WordPress Content Creator Solution, you get: 

• Staging environments – Experiment with new layouts, themes or plugins before making them live. 
• WonderBlocks – Drag-and-drop page builders to create professional designs with ease. 
• AI-powered onboarding – Personalized guidance to set up and optimize your site quickly. 
• Built-in monetization tools – Easily add premium content, memberships or paid courses to grow revenue. 

With these features, content creators can focus on crafting engaging content while Bluehost handles the technical side. 

3. eCommerce websites 

Online stores demand high uptime, security and scalability, as even a few minutes of downtime can result in lost sales. Managing payments, customer data and inventory efficiently is crucial. 

How managed WordPress hosting helps: 

• Handles high traffic loads – Ensures smooth shopping experiences, even during peak sales. 
• Robust security – Protects sensitive customer data and prevents cyber threats. 
• Optimized checkout process – Fast-loading product pages and cart checkout improve conversions. 
• Reliable backups – Ensures no data loss in case of unexpected issues. 

With managed WordPress hosting, eCommerce businesses can focus on selling while their website remains secure, fast and fully optimized. 

4. Agencies & developers 

Agencies and developers manage multiple websites and need hosting that supports efficient workflows and development processes, collaboration and troubleshooting. 

How managed WordPress hosting helps: 

• Staging environments – Develop and test changes before applying them to live sites. 
• Multi-site management – Easily handle multiple client websites from a single dashboard. 
• Automatic updates & security – Reduces manual maintenance effort, allowing developers to focus on customization. 
• Expert support – Access to WordPress specialists for troubleshooting and technical assistance. 

By using managed WordPress hosting, agencies and developers can streamline website management, improve client satisfaction and reduce technical overhead. 

How to choose the right managed WordPress hosting provider? 

To keep your WordPress website running well, secure and able to handle growth, picking the appropriate managed hosting service is key. With various options available, it’s important to compare features and understand how to choose a managed WordPress hosting plan that meets your needs. Here are key factors to consider: 

1. Performance and reliability 

A reliable host should offer at least 99.9% uptime and use server-side caching, SSD storage and a CDN to enhance WordPress hosting performance and security. Faster sites improve user experience and boost SEO rankings. 

2. Security and backups 

Look for providers offering free SSL certificates, automatic malware scanning, DDoS protection and daily backups. Managed WordPress hosting ensures proactive security to protect your data and visitors. 

3. Scalability and traffic management 

As your website grows, your hosting should scale seamlessly. The best providers adjust resources dynamically to handle traffic spikes, ensuring uninterrupted performance. 

4. Expert WordPress support 

Unlike managed WordPress hosting vs shared hosting, managed hosting includes 24/7 support from WordPress experts who can assist with performance optimization, troubleshooting and plugin compatibility. 

5. WordPress-specific features 

A quality provider offers automatic updates, staging environments and an intuitive dashboard to simplify site management. These features help streamline workflows for businesses, bloggers and developers. 

6. Pricing and value for money 

While managed hosting costs more than shared hosting, it provides better value with performance enhancements, security features and expert support. Compare pricing based on features like free domain registration, email hosting and migration services. 

By evaluating these factors, you can confidently choose from the best managed WordPress hosting providers that align with your website goals. 

Why choose Bluehost’s managed WordPress hosting? 

Bluehost is a WordPress-recommended hosting provider offering high-speed, secure and scalable managed WordPress hosting. Designed for bloggers, businesses and developers, Bluehost provides an all-in-one solution for hassle-free website management including a free domain for the first year. 

1. Optimized WordPress performance 

Bluehost’s hosting is fine-tuned for WordPress, featuring server-side caching, SSD storage and a global CDN to deliver fast loading speeds and improve WordPress hosting performance and security. 

2. Advanced security and automated backups 

Security is a priority, with free SSL certificates, malware scanning, DDoS protection and daily backups included. Unlike shared hosting, Bluehost’s managed hosting ensures real-time security monitoring for added protection and enhances search engine optimization efforts. 

3. Automatic WordPress updates 

Stay worry-free with automatic WordPress core, plugin and theme updates, keeping your site secure and up to date. 

4. Staging environments for safe testing 

With one-click staging sites, you can test new designs, plugins or updates before making them live—perfect for developers and content creators. 

5. Seamless scalability 

Whether you’re running a small website or an online store, Bluehost offers flexible plans that grow with your business, ensuring smooth traffic handling without downtime. 

6. Expert WordPress support 

Bluehost provides 24/7 access to WordPress-trained specialists to assist with technical issues, optimization and site management. 

For those looking for the best managed WordPress hosting providers, Bluehost offers a complete solution for performance, security and expert support. 

Final thoughts 

You’ve spent hours designing your website, choosing the perfect theme and crafting engaging content. But without the right hosting, none of that matters. Throughout this guide, we’ve explored what is managed WordPress hosting, how it differs from other hosting options like shared, VPS and dedicated hosting. 

Managed WordPress hosting isn’t just about hosting—it’s about elevating your entire online presence with privacy protection, expert support and hands-free website management. 

If you’re ready to elevate your website with hosting that’s designed for WordPress, it’s time to make the switch. Bluehost’s managed WordPress hosting offers top-tier performance, security and expert-level support, so you never have to worry about the technical side again. 

Make the switch today and let Bluehost handle the rest! 

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