Are you looking to compare the best VPS hosting services for WordPress?
Finding the best VPS hosting for WordPress can be overwhelming with so many different options in the market. Sometimes VPS isn’t even the best option for your needs. Just because your website has outgrown shared hosting doesn’t mean that you need a VPS.
Maybe you need managed WordPress hosting or even a dedicated server.
It’s extremely important to understand the Pros and Cons of VPS hosting, so you can make the right decision for your needs.
WPBeginner is the largest independent WordPress resource site that receives millions of pageviews per month. Having helped 100,000+ users and years of experience with WordPress hosting companies, we have created the most comprehensive guide that will help you understand everything you need to know about VPS hosting as well as compare the top VPS hosting companies, so you can choose the best VPS hosting service for WordPress.
What Is VPS Hosting?
VPS hosting stands for “Virtual Private Server Hosting.”
VPS is basically an independent partition of a physical server. Hosting companies often create multiple virtual partitions of one physical server, so each site and files can be kept completely separate.
VPS hosting combines the best of both shared and dedicated hosting: it gives you more control and independence at a lower cost than a real dedicated server.
When your WordPress website outgrows shared hosting, the best upgrade options are either VPS hosting or managed WordPress hosting.
VPS hosting gives you greater control and flexibility over your server. With that control also comes responsibility for setup and maintenance.
Managed WordPress hosting is like a concierge service where technical aspects like security, speed, WordPress updates, daily backups, website uptime, and scalability are all taken care of by your web hosting company.
Pros and Cons of VPS Hosting
VPS hosting is a step up from shared hosting. It offers a lot of the flexibility and features of a dedicated server, without the high cost.
But is it right for your website? Consider these benefits and drawbacks before shopping for a plan.
Advantages of VPS Hosting
- Flexibility and Control – Having your own virtual server gives you administrative access. This allows you to install and configure any software you want, customize your server configuration settings, and more.
- Create Multiple cPanel Accounts – You’ll be able to manage your VPS hosting account using both cPanel and WHM. WHM gives you the ability to create multiple cPanel accounts for different websites. This can be useful for security. It also makes it easy to manage large amount of files and sites. You could even create cPanel accounts for clients, friends, and family.
Disadvantages of VPS Hosting
- Cost – VPS hosting are more expensive than shared hosting. Many plans start at about $29 per month, while you can find shared hosting for as low as $3.95 per month.
- Technical Skill – Managing your own server, even a virtual one, will require more technical expertise than shared hosting. With all that control over your server comes complete responsibility for maintenance, software updates, security, and more.
If you’re interested in the flexibility of VPS hosting, but don’t want to manage all the technical and maintenance aspects, then you need to select what’s called managed VPS hosting.
All the hosting providers that we recommend offer managed VPS hosting. That means they’ll take care of all the technical details for you, such as software installation and updates.
When Do You Need VPS Hosting?
If you’re a beginner just starting a WordPress blog, then there’s no need to get VPS hosting. A shared hosting plan will provide all the resources you need to get started. Shared hosting plans are budget-friendly and don’t require a lot of technical skill to get started with.
But once your website starts growing, then you may need to upgrade your hosting.
Signs You’ve Outgrown Shared Hosting
- Slow website – If you’ve done all you can to speed up WordPress, and it’s still slow, then it may be time to upgrade your hosting. This is especially true if you notice your site is slower during peak traffic times.
- Errors – Does your site keep going down, or do you keep getting 500 internal server errors? If troubleshooting doesn’t solve the common WordPress errors, then it may be your web hosting.
- Security issues – As your website grows in popularity, it becomes a more popular target for hackers as well. If your website keeps coming under attack or getting hacked, upgrading your hosting can help to keep it more secure.
VPS Hosting vs Managed WordPress Hosting
VPS and managed WordPress hosting are comparable in cost, and both offer an upgrade from shared hosting.
VPS hosting may be the right choice for you if:
- You’re a more technically-inclined user and don’t mind managing your own server
- You want more freedom and flexibility to install your own software and configure your own settings
Managed WordPress hosting may be better for you if:
- You don’t have the time or inclination to bother with technical details – you just want to blog or manage your website.
- You don’t need to set up any special software or configure your server in a nonstandard way.
Now that you’ve read all about VPS hosting, it’s time for you to make a decision.
We run several sites that get millions of pageviews per month. We have tested and worked with all the top web hosting companies in the industry. After having helped 100,000+ users and years of experience, our founder Syed Balkhi has personally hand-picked some of the most well-reputed VPS hosting providers for you.
Each of these VPS hosting companies provide excellent service and support. We give each of them a perfect 5 out of 5 star rating. Check out the list of best VPS hosting providers.
Best VPS Hosting Providers for WordPress
SiteGround is one of the most popular and highest rated hosting provider in the WordPress community. They provide unique in-house WordPress speed and security solutions to make your site as fast and secure as possible. They are known for the best 24/7 support in the industry which is why they’re an official ‘WordPress’ recommended hosting provider. SiteGround features include automatic upgrades, built-in WP caching, CDN, one-click staging and GIT version control. They are also one of the few companies offering location specific hosting with 6 data centers in USA, Europe, Asia, and Australia. WPBeginner site is also hosted on SiteGround servers.
Started in 1997, Liquid Web has become the leader in managed VPS hosting, managed cloud hosting, and dedicated server hosting. They are famous for their fast and high quality support, known as 'Heroic Support'. All Liquid Web hosting servers are highly tuned for speed, performance, and security making it a completely hassle-free hosting solution. Their WordPress hosting option includes staging sites, automatic updates, and an intuitive dashboard to manage all your sites in one place. There's a reason why top companies like Motorola, Red Bull, ESPN, Audi, and FedEx use Liquid Web.
HostGator hosts over 8 million domains and is one of the most popular web hosts in the industry. With 1-click WordPress installation, 99.9% up time guarantee, and 24/7 support, it’s a smart choice for every website owner. We consider them the best web hosting for businesses. With HostGator VPS, you get the maximum features at the best price. WPBeginner users get 75% off all VPS plans.
One of the oldest web hosts started in 1996, Bluehost has become the largest brand name when it comes to WordPress hosting. They are an official ‘WordPress’ recommended hosting provider. With Bluehost, you never have to worry about your website being slow even when there is a lot of traffic. Their 24/7 expert support is always there to help when you need it by phone, email, or live chat. They are rated #1 in web hosting for small businesses. On top of that, they are offering WPBeginner users an exclusive 63% off discount.
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