Managed hosting is easier to use, more secure, and better for beginners. Unmanaged hosting is cheaper, gives the user independence, and is better for simple sites.
Pluses and minuses of managed hosting for CMS platforms
In 2024, 68.7% of websites use publicly known content management systems. There are around 900 CMSs, but WordPress, Wix, and Shopify control 72.8% of the market.
With managed hosting, the host manages your setup for you. They tweak your website's settings to improve security and speed and take care of updates. Generally speaking, they handle all the technical aspects of your website.
The main plus of managed hosting for CMS platforms is ease of use. Even the industry standard, cPanel, can be confusing and it can take time to learn. Most providers of managed hosting plans offer access to a custom user panel, which tends to be intuitive. They provide quick access to the most common and popular features. However, the scope of custom panels is usually more limited than cPanel's scope.
Managed hosting is more secure because the setup is of higher quality. The host uses a Web Application Firewall for higher security or DDoS mechanisms to ward off attacks at the network and app levels.
Providers of managed hosting for CMS platforms keep their services updated with the latest security patches.
If you don't have a technical background in website hosting, choosing managed hosting is highly recommended. The host takes care of the backend, and you can use your time to focus on website design, content creation, etc.
Managed hosting is more expensive and does not always come with email support. If you're leaning toward it, check about this in advance. If you want to keep a custom email address, you will need to find another service to host your inbox.
WordPress is the most popular CMS, with 835 million sites using it in 2024. Most managed WordPress hosting plans support a single website, so you might run into problems if you have more than one.
About 500,000 live websites used Drupal in mid-2023. They are usually corporate or government websites. Drupal's functions and features, especially security, make it a top choice among large websites, but it also works for blogs and smaller sites in general. The best Drupal hosting providers offer fast and scalable services, daily backups, and preinstalled Drupal utilities.
Pros and cons of unmanaged hosting for CMS platforms
Apart from the lower price, users have the advantage of full control over the server environment. They can install any software or modules you need without restrictions. If you have the know-how, you can fine-tune the server to maximize your CMS' performance, potentially achieving better results than with a managed hosting solution.
Unmanaged hosting often provides more scalable solutions since you can configure and add resources as needed, especially with cloud-based services.
However, you need a solid understanding of server management, including security, updates, backups, and troubleshooting. Mistakes in configuration or management can lead to downtime, data loss, or security breaches.
Dealing with an unmanaged server can be time-consuming. Regular maintenance tasks like updates, patches, and backups require ongoing attention.
FAQ
When should I choose managed hosting for WordPress?
If you're unhappy with your current host's performance, support, or reliability, you should switch to managed hosting. It will also serve you well if your WordPress site often undergoes developments and changes. Ordinarily cumbersome tasks like making staging sites can be completed in just a few clicks.
If you have an ecommerce platform, managed hosting is the better option. Managed hosting is suitable for fluctuating traffic. Support teams respond relatively quickly.
When should I get unmanaged hosting?
If you have a simple website with low or moderate traffic, managed hosting is unnecessarily expensive. You can take care of your updates and use a plugin for security checks and backups. You need experience managing a website if you opt for an unmanaged plan, though.
