When launching a website, choosing the right hosting plan affects whether your site loads in 2 seconds or 10. That difference can cost you 40% of your visitors. It affects everything from your site’s speed and security to how much time you’ll spend on maintenance.
Two of the most popular choices for beginners are Shared Hosting and WordPress Hosting. While they sound similar, each one offers unique advantages depending on your goals, technical skills, and budget.
In this article, we’ll explore the key differences between the two types of hosting, including pros, cons, costs, and real-world examples to help you make the right choice.
What is Shared Hosting?
Shared Hosting is the most affordable type of web hosting. With this setup, your website shares space and resources on a single physical server with dozens, or sometimes hundreds, of other websites.
That means shared memory, bandwidth, and processing power. However, it also means shared costs, making it affordable. It is ideal for personal sites, blogs, small businesses, or any site with modest traffic needs.
Shared hosting costs around $15 per month, depending on the provider and resources offered. With seasonal incentives, you can often get started for as low as $1.95 monthly.
Pros of Shared Hosting | Cons of Shared Hosting |
Low cost: Plans often start under $15/month, with promotional pricing as low as $1.99. | Limited Resources: If another site on your server gets a traffic spike, it can slow down yours. You also have access to limited storage space and bandwidth. |
Beginner-friendly: Most come with an intuitive control panel for easy site, email, and file management. | Shared security: Vulnerabilities in other accounts on the same server could impact your site. |
Managed services: Things like server maintenance, security updates, and technical support are handled by the provider. | Restricted control: Server-level changes and advanced configurations are usually restricted. |
Note: Quality providers like hosting.com take steps to mitigate performance dips and security risks with resource balancing and regular server maintenance.
Shared Hosting is often the first choice of many users. It’s cheap, with many features, and wholly managed by the provider. All users have to do is upload or create a site and set up the DNS. Simple as that.
What is WordPress Hosting?
On the other hand, you have WordPress hosting. It is a type of specialized hosting environment (shared or otherwise) that is tailored for WordPress websites.
Such an environment is pre-tuned for speed, security, and convenience. As a result, your website will perform better than on a non-Wordpress-specific server.
There are typically two types of WordPress hosting:
Shared WordPress Hosting: Also known as just “WordPress Hosting,” this is an affordable option that is still optimized for the CMS. However, you do not benefit from automation or other such hands-off features.
Managed WordPress Hosting: The premium environment out of the two. It’s still tailored for WordPress websites. However, the provider manages all backend tasks (updates, backups, performance improvements, etc.), so users can focus on their content.
At hosting.com, our Managed WordPress Hosting plans are powered by Rocket.net. That means customers get enterprise-grade performance and security with the simplicity of a fully managed service. It’s the same technology trusted by major brands across the globe.
Nonetheless, both environments will make your WordPress website very happy. The specially designed tools, features and resources will ensure it runs smoothly and effortlessly. However, if you want to truly focus on your work, a managed solution is your option.
Pros of WordPress Hosting | Cons of WordPress Hosting |
WordPress pre-installed: No need to install WordPress. It is configured and ready to go the moment you purchase the plan. | Higher cost: A WordPress-specific (managed or not) plan typically costs more than a Shared Hosting one. |
Better performance: Resources, features, and configurations are all optimized for WordPress. Plans also have WordPress-specific protections. | WordPress Only: These environments are exclusively for WordPress. Other CMSs won’t work. |
Auto-updates and backups: Automatic updates to the WordPress core, plugins, and themes. The provider also generates backups regularly. | Less flexibility: Limited server access and fewer customization options for developers. |
Managed WP Hosting (Rocket.net): Enterprise-grade speed with Cloudflare Enterprise CDN, built-in security, and expert management. | Plugin restrictions: Some plugins may be disallowed to ensure stability and security - however we see this as more of a pro. |
As you can see, a WordPress hosting plan is much more specialized than the more general Shared Hosting. And with Rocket.net powering our Managed plans, you get the best possible environment for a WordPress site to thrive.
Shared Hosting vs. WordPress Hosting: key differences explained
WordPress and Shared web hosting are both reliable and affordable options for anyone with limited technical skills or time. Both will help you to launch your website with ease. The main differences come down to performance and choice of platform.
With a Shared Hosting plan you can build a website any way you want: a website builder, a Content Management System, or coding it from scratch. However, due to its general, catch-all nature, a Shared Hosting environment does not boast the same performance as a more specialized one would.
That is where WordPress Hosting comes in. Because it focuses on a single CMS, it offers superior speed, security, and ease of management. However, it also means all you can use is WordPress. Regardless of how tempting these improvements are, using a different CMS is simply not possible.
This table perfectly illustrates the differences between the two hosting types, plus an extra column for our Managed WordPress Hosting solution.
Shared Hosting | WordPress Hosting | Managed WordPress Hosting (Powered by Rocket.net) | |
Platform Support | Compatible with any CMS, such as WordPress, Joomla, Magento, or a custom site. | Supports only WordPress. | Exclusively WordPress, optimized to enterprise standards. |
Performance | Offers acceptable speeds for small or low-traffic sites. | Optimized for WordPress with better load times. | Edge-optimized with Cloudflare Enterprise CDN for blazing global speed. |
Security | Includes basic firewalls and protections, but additional security is the user’s responsibility. | Adds targeted WordPress defenses and basic WAF, malware scanning, and DDoS protection. | Advanced security with malware scanning, patching, and proactive monitoring. |
Ease of Management | The user is responsible for installing application updates, configuring plugins, and performing optimizations. | Many tasks are automated, but still require oversight. | Fully managed: updates, backups, caching, and staging handled for you. |
Cost | Cheapest option, often under $2/month. | Mid-range pricing. | Premium pricing, but includes enterprise features and expert support. |
As you can see, it ultimately comes down to what you need, your budget, and your technical expertise. Continue reading to find out what users each hosting plan is best suited for.
Which one should you choose?
But which hosting is best for you? Out of the two, which one is best suited for your website and your needs? It is actually very simple.
WordPress Hosting is ideal for users who want a hassle-free, high-performance and secure website. The tailored environment will ensure your site has the most optimal conditions to thrive in.
You should choose WordPress Hosting if you are any of these:
WordPress user: If you already have a WordPress website, then such hosting is a natural fit. It works seamlessly with your website, offering features specific to the CMS.
Seeking simplified management: Even unmanaged WordPress Hosting plans make website management easier, offloading some technical aspects to the provider. Perfect for those with limited technical experience.
Prioritizing security and performance: Due to the WordPress-specific optimizations, your site will experience a notable improvement in its speed and security.
Small business or blogger: Because WordPress is so easy to use, many small businesses, entrepreneurs and bloggers rely on it for their online presence. Take advantage of WordPress Hosting and make it even better.
On the other hand, you have Shared Hosting. Now that you know what WordPress hosting is good for, it is easy to see what users would benefit from Shared Hosting instead.
Using a different CMS: If you are using a CMS other than WordPress (or have a custom-coded website), then a Shared Hosting account will be a good fit for you.
Budget-conscious users: The affordability of Shared Hosting makes it accessible to anyone looking to create a website with minimal upfront costs. Whether you are a tiny business, blogger, or have any other type of website with low traffic, Shared Hosting is a great way to start your online journey.
Personal projects: A Shared Hosting plan is also perfect for those who have small, personal websites or portfolios that do not garner much traffic.
A Shared Hosting environment offers a balance between affordability and optimization. Conversely, WordPress Hosting plans are pre-configured exclusively for the CMS with security enhancements and better performance. If you have a WordPress website, we suggest that you always choose WordPress Hosting. Otherwise, Shared Hosting might be just what you need.
Finally, if you want to take your WordPress site to the next level our Managed WordPress Hosting powered by Rocket.net gives you the fastest, most secure environment without the hassle of self-management. Regardless if you’re running an online store, a growing business, or a high-traffic blog, it’s the best home for your website.
Choose a plan that fits your site and skills
Choosing between Shared Hosting and WordPress Hosting isn’t just about budget. It’s about finding the right fit for your goals, experience level, and future growth.
If you're just starting out, want flexibility, and don’t mind doing a bit of setup, Shared Hosting offers a cost-effective way to get online quickly. It’s a great choice for small personal projects, early-stage businesses, and users who may want to experiment with different platforms.
On the other hand, if you're building your site on WordPress and want speed, security, and less hands-on maintenance, WordPress Hosting is worth the investment. It takes care of the technical heavy lifting so you can focus on content, design, and growth.
And if you’re serious about growth, performance, and uptime, our Managed WordPress Hosting powered by Rocket.net gives you enterprise-grade performance, advanced security, and zero technical headaches.
Each of these types of hosting can power a successful website. The key is choosing the one that aligns with your technical comfort level and long-term vision.
FAQ
Can I install WordPress on Shared Hosting?
Yes! Most shared hosting plans include one-click installers like Softaculous, making it easy to install WordPress without technical knowledge.
Is WordPress Hosting faster than Shared Hosting?
Generally, yes. WordPress hosting is optimized for WordPress performance, with built-in caching, faster PHP execution, and better database handling.
Can I use plugins on WordPress Hosting?
Absolutely. WordPress hosting supports all standard WordPress plugins. Some managed plans may restrict performance-heavy or insecure plugins to maintain server health.
Is managed WordPress Hosting the same as WordPress Hosting?
Not quite. Our Managed WordPress Hosting, powered by Rocket.net, takes things further with enterprise-grade speed, built-in Cloudflare Enterprise CDN, advanced security, and fully automated management. It’s WordPress Hosting taken to the next level.
Which is better for beginners: Shared or WordPress Hosting?
WordPress Hosting is easier if you're building a WordPress site and want less technical work. But if you're experimenting or on a tight budget, Shared Hosting is a good place to start.
Is WordPress Hosting worth the extra cost?
If you value speed, security, and convenience, or are running a business site, it’s usually worth the extra investment. Shared Hosting plans cost $2-$5/month, while WordPress hosting usually starts around $9-$14/month.
However, the higher price is more than justified. Studies show that even a one-second delay in page load time can reduce conversions by 7% and that 40% of users abandon a website that takes more than 3 seconds to load. If that was not enough, WordPress accounted for 94% of infected CMS sites in 2022 due to poor hosting or outdated plugins.
A dedicated WordPress host should have (we certainly do!) everything in place to not only boost your site’s speed to ensure maximum engagement, but also keep it up to date and secure.
