Hosting: where a website lives, and shared vs managed hosting

If the domain is your address, hosting is the building. It’s a computer that’s always on, stores your site’s files and sends pages to visitors.

You’ll mainly see two kinds for WordPress sites.

Shared hosting puts many sites on one server, all using the same resources. It’s usually the cheapest way to start, and it’s fine for many small sites. But you handle more upkeep yourself, and a busy neighbour can sometimes affect your speed.

Managed WordPress hosting is set up specifically for WordPress. The host typically takes care of things like backups, updates and caching. It usually costs more, and you’re paying for the time and worry it saves you.

Compare hosts on what you’ll actually use: backups, support, security and whether you can easily leave. Check the renewal price too, because the first-year rate is often lower.

WordPress.com vs self-hosted: WordPress.com includes hosting in its service. With self-hosted WordPress, you choose a host yourself.

Go deeper: WordPress hosting requirements