Why hosting plans look the same on paper
Hosting comparison tables tend to list the same things: storage, bandwidth, number of websites and a free SSL certificate. On that basis a plan costing a few pounds a month looks just as good as one costing several times more.
The differences that matter to a business, such as how fast pages load under real traffic, how quickly a problem is fixed and whether a working backup exists, rarely appear on the table at all.
What cheap shared hosting really means
- Your site shares server resources with a large number of others, so a busy neighbour can slow you down.
- Server settings are generic rather than tuned for WordPress.
- Backups may be weekly, stored on the same server, or charged extra to restore.
- Support is a ticket queue that can help with the server but not with WordPress itself.
- Security of the WordPress installation is left to you.
What managed WordPress hosting adds
- Servers configured specifically for WordPress, with server-level caching and a content delivery network.
- Daily off-server backups with straightforward restores.
- Firewall and malware protection, plus monitoring that spots problems early.
- Uptime monitoring with alerts to someone who can act on them.
- Staging copies for testing changes safely before they go live.
- Support from people who understand WordPress, not just servers.
The real cost comparison
The price difference between budget and managed hosting is usually small compared with the cost of a site being down, hacked or slow for a few days. For a business that relies on its website for enquiries or sales, one avoided incident can pay for years of better hosting.
Speed also has a commercial value. Faster pages support Google rankings through Core Web Vitals and keep more visitors on the site long enough to get in touch.
Questions to ask any hosting provider
- Where are the servers, and are they in the UK?
- How often are backups taken, where are they stored and how do I restore one?
- Who updates WordPress and plugins, and who fixes things if an update breaks the site?
- What happens if the site is hacked?
- Can I speak to someone who knows WordPress?
Hosting with the people who built your site
Our managed WordPress hosting runs on UK infrastructure and is looked after by the same team that builds and supports the sites on it. There are no ticket queues and no being passed between companies. Combined with a maintenance plan, the server, the software and the site are all covered. Ask us about moving your site; we handle the migration.