PickGlobe
Most websites need one of three kinds of hosting: shared, managed WordPress or cloud. They look similar on a pricing page, but they differ in who looks after the server, what the real limits are, and what the price becomes after the first term. This guide compares them in plain terms so you can pick the one that fits your site and budget.
Disclosure: this guide does not contain affiliate links yet. If we add partner links, we will mark each one and explain the commission arrangement next to it. We have not tested any host mentioned here, and nothing here is a ranking.
Quick answer
- A small blog, portfolio or brochure site on a tight budget: shared hosting is usually enough, if you accept its limits.
- A WordPress site you want maintained for you (updates, caching, backups, security, expert support): managed WordPress hosting, at a higher price.
- A growing site, a shop with traffic peaks, or several sites, and you want control over server size: cloud hosting, either managed by a provider or unmanaged if you can run a server.
Prices and plans change; check the provider's own page before you decide.
The three types compared
| Shared | Managed WordPress | Cloud | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Many sites share one server | A platform tuned for WordPress, run by the host | Servers you choose by size, often billed by the hour |
| Typical price | Lowest | Higher | Varies with the server size |
| Who maintains it | You maintain the site, the host maintains the server | The host handles most WordPress and server upkeep | A managed plan handles it; an unmanaged one is on you |
| Speed and traffic | Shared resources, so busy neighbours can slow you | Built-in caching, usually more consistent | Scales with the server size you pick |
| Backups | Often offered, sometimes at extra cost | Usually automatic, with restore tools | Depends on the plan |
| Support | Broad, general | Often WordPress-specific | Depends on the managed level |
| Limits | "Unlimited" plans have hidden fair-use limits | Caps on visits, storage or number of sites | Limits come from the server size you choose |
| Best for | Small, low-traffic sites | Business sites and blogs that matter | Growing sites, shops and agencies |
Price: look at the renewal, not the first month
Hosting is often sold with a low introductory price that rises when the first term ends.
- Find the renewal price on the pricing or checkout page, not just the headline number.
- Check the term. The lowest price may need a one- to three-year commitment paid up front.
- Count add-ons. Backups, a domain, email, SSL or a staging site may be extra.
- Do the three-year sum: first term plus renewals, divided by months. That is your real monthly cost.
- Read the refund terms. Many hosts offer a money-back window, but it may exclude domains and some fees.
"Unlimited" is not unlimited
Shared plans often advertise unlimited storage, bandwidth or sites. The terms usually limit things that matter in practice: how many files you can store, how much processor time a site may use, or how many visitors at once. Check the fair-use or acceptable-use policy, and look for stated limits on the plan page.
Speed, uptime and backups
- Uptime promises: 99.9% uptime still allows around nine hours of downtime a year. 99.99% allows under an hour. Check what the host offers if it misses its promise, usually a small credit.
- Caching and a content delivery network (CDN) help pages load quickly for visitors in different places. Check whether they are included.
- Data centre location: pick a region near most of your visitors.
- Backups: how often, how long they are kept, whether you can restore them yourself, and where they are stored. Do not rely only on a backup kept on the same server.
Migration: moving an existing site
- Ask whether the host offers free migration, and what it covers: files, databases, email.
- Plan the move for a quiet time, keep the old hosting until the new site is checked, and lower your domain's DNS time-to-live in advance so the switch takes effect quickly.
- Test the new site before pointing your domain at it, and check forms, logins and email afterwards.
Support
- Which channels are offered (chat, phone, tickets) and at what hours?
- Is the support WordPress-specific, or general?
- What is covered: server issues only, or problems with your own site too?
Read independent reviews of support, not just the host's own claims, and test with a pre-sale question.
What suits which site
| Your site | A sensible starting point |
|---|---|
| Personal blog or hobby site | Shared hosting, with backups you check |
| Photographer's portfolio | Shared or managed WordPress, with attention to image storage and speed |
| Small business brochure site | Managed WordPress or good shared hosting with email and backups |
| Small online shop | Managed WordPress or cloud, with reliable uptime and backups |
| Agency with several client sites | Managed WordPress or cloud with staging and per-site pricing |
| Online course or members' site | Cloud or managed hosting with room for traffic peaks |
Checklist before you buy
- What are the renewal price and the minimum term?
- What are the real limits (storage, visits, files, number of sites)?
- Are backups automatic, and can you restore them yourself?
- Is there a staging site for testing changes?
- Does the plan include SSL, a CDN and caching?
- Is migration free or paid, and what does it cover?
- What support is included and when is it available?
- What is the refund policy?
- Where are the servers, and does that suit your visitors?
- Who owns your domain? Register it in your own name so you can move hosting later.
For other buying checks, see our guides on choosing business software, software subscriptions and checking whether a store is legitimate.
The short version
Shared hosting is the cheapest and best for small sites, managed WordPress is for sites you want looked after, and cloud suits growing sites that need control over capacity. Whatever you choose, compare the renewal price, the real limits behind "unlimited", backups you can restore, migration help and the support you will actually use.
