Managed WordPress hosting benefits

WordPress web hosting is a mixed bag. The extent to which a provider “manages” your WordPress installation varies quite a bit, and different hosts emphasize different feature sets in an effort to appeal to specific markets.

That being said, there are some fundamental benefits nearly all managed WordPress hosts deliver; they include:

Faster speeds: Servers configured for WordPress, whether private or shared, really can make your website faster. Nearly all WordPress hosting providers use server configurations that speed up load times. Some boost speed even further with built-in caching, so you don’t have to fiddle with caching plugins.
Enhanced security: Hosts scan your site periodically for malware and offer advanced security features that prevent hackers from accessing your site at all (these features vary among providers). In the event malware does weasel its way into your website, many hosts will remove it for no additional charge.
Comprehensive support: Customer support techs will know WordPress inside and out. You can ask them WordPress questions in addition to more general hosting-related questions.
Automatic updates: Most managed hosting providers test WordPress updates and implement them for you, so security updates become an afterthought.

As demand for managed WordPress hosting grows, many vendors augment these core features with functionality tailored to specific use cases. Let’s look at how several hosts in this space build hosting packages for WordPress users.