Standard website hosting services provide sites with the server space and resources required to deliver content online. There are four main types of hosting: shared, dedicated, VPS and cloud.

However, since WordPress is the most popular CMS in the world, there’s an entire category (and industry) of hosting services designed explicitly for websites built using the WordPress CMS.

Plans for hosting websites built on WordPress software should work seamlessly with all of the WordPress core software and other essential tools like plugins and themes. For example, a WordPress host may offer seamless installation of the CMS via a one-click installation process. It might also guide you through a WordPress-specific setup wizard and install specific plugins and tools.

Additionally, with this type of hosting, the servers are usually optimised for peak WordPress performance. The support team should also be particularly knowledgeable about this CMS.

Anyone building a website using WordPress software should use a WordPress host. While a ‘regular’ or ‘generic’ web host can technically run your site, it’s not the best approach.
You’ll probably have to handle everything yourself manually, beginning with the initial installation and setup. If you want highly optimised performance or advanced features, you’ll need a dedicated hosting platform for websites built on WordPress.

In addition, basic hosting packages aren’t designed with performance optimisation and security in mind. This can have a negative effect on your site’s speed and protection against threats. If something goes wrong, the support team may also lack the specialised expertise needed to resolve complex issues quickly.

Put simply: if you’re planning to build a professional website, choosing a managed hosting optionis the smarter option. Otherwise, maintaining and optimising your site can be difficult, particularly for beginners. Even for experienced users, relying on standard web hosting is likely to result in a less optimised—or even substandard—website experience.

There are some essential WordPress security risks you should be aware of. The most common include:

• Outdated software. Running outdated software can pose a serious risk to your website. Security updates fix critical vulnerabilities, so an out-of-date site can become an easy target for hackers. For example, attackers may exploit weaknesses to inject malware into a site’s database—a tactic known as an ‘SQL injection’.
• Weak login credentials. Using simple usernames and passwords can put your site at risk, particularly if you have multiple users. The more user accounts you manage, the greater the potential threat. One of the most common in this situation is a ‘brute force attack’, where hackers repeatedly try different username and password combinations until they gain access.
• Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. A DDoS attack occurs when cyber criminals try to disrupt a website’s normal operation by flooding it with a sudden spike in traffic. The aim is to overwhelm the site’s resources and infrastructure, causing it to slow down or crash. Security measures such as firewalls can help reduce the risk of these attacks.

The good news is that most security threats aren’t particularly complex and can be significantly reduced by following best practices, such as keeping software up to date, using a firewall and enforcing strong passwords. However, as your site grows and the number of users increases, managing security can quickly become overwhelming—even for technically confident users.

If your website processes payments or collects user data, you’ll also need to comply with certain regulations. For example, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) includes 12 requirements that make security measures like firewalls and data encryption mandatory for many businesses.
While you don’t need to be a security expert, having a basic understanding of common WordPress security considerations is essential. This knowledge will help you choose a hosting service that can effectively protect your website, users and data.

There are many factors to weigh up when choosing a hosting provider for your website built on WordPress software. However, since security is paramount, it’s worth focusing on some essential security features you should expect:

• Web Application Firewalls (WAFs). These help protect your site by blocking malicious traffic and are your first line of defence against DDoS attacks.
• Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) / Transport Layer Security (TLS) certificates. With one of these certificates in place, your site runs on HTTPS rather than HTTP. This means data is encrypted, making connections far more difficult to intercept or tamper with.
• Automatic backups. If your host handles backups for you, you’ll always have a recent and complete copy of your site available in case something goes wrong.

It’s important to note that these features represent the minimum standard for website security. Ideally, your hosting provider should offer enterprise-grade protection, including additional measures such as automatic updates, vulnerability scanning, and robust database and file system security.

Safeguarding your online presence with a secure website host is a smart move. At WP Engine, for example, we block more than 26 billion attacks each year through continuous monitoring, automated updates, proactive threat detection and edge protection.

Our dedicated security team also closely monitors risk and compliance requirements to ensure your site remains protected at all times. WP Engine is SOC 2 compliant and meets the Trust Services Criteria for Security and Availability.
In addition, we’re ISO 27001:2022 certified and provide multiple layers of defence, including a managed Web Application Firewall (WAF), advanced DDoS mitigation, Cloudflare CDN and SSL. If your current host isn’t SOC 2 compliant, it may be time to consider switching to a more secure hosting provider.

There are some key differences between these popular hosting options. Generally, ‘regular’ hosting for websites built on WordPress software refers to unmanaged hosting on a shared server.

Shared servers can host hundreds of websites at the same time, so their resources are divided among many clients. As mentioned earlier, this can result in slower website performance and harm your site.

You can also choose unmanaged VPS, cloud or dedicated hosting plans for websites built on WordPress software. These provide better resources and performance but require more technical knowledge and time. You’ll need to handle ongoing maintenance yourself and be fully responsible for optimising your site.

When you sign up for a regular hosting plan for websites built on WordPress software, you usually get access to a limited set of WordPress-specific features. For example, a host might make tasks like installation easier. However, you won’t receive any additional support beyond the basics.

With a regular host, you are mostly on your own when it comes to security and maintenance. This involves various tasks you might need to learn about. We’ll cover this in more detail shortly, but some examples include:

• Creating backups
• Applying updates
• Managing form and comment spam
• Troubleshooting performance issues
• Resolving unexpected errors

A managed WordPress host can take care of these essential back-end tasks for you. A quality managed host will also provide optimisation services to help ensure your website performs at its best at all times.

Regardless of your plan, managed WordPress hosting offers more support from your provider. It keeps your site running smoothly and frees up time so you can focus on what you do best.

Whether you’re scaling a startup or managing an enterprise, managed hosting bridges the gap between technical complexity and business growth. Here’s how your site benefits from a managed hosting partner:

Expert support that works like an extension of your team. Managed hosting is more than a help desk—it’s a partnership. You get 24/7 access to award-winning experts who handle both reactive troubleshooting and proactive monitoring. Whether you’re a developer needing a second pair of eyes or a business owner seeking guidance, our team spots issues before they affect your site, giving you the confidence that you’re never building alone.

Automated safety nets and security. Stop worrying about losing progress. Daily backups are automated and stored securely, so you can restore your site with a single click if a coding error or security incident happens. Beyond backups, we manage security patching and plugin updates proactively, eliminating the risk of worst-case scenarios without you having to lift a finger.

Infrastructure built specifically for WordPress. Generic hosts spread resources across multiple platforms like Drupal or Joomla, often leading to average performance. Our infrastructure is designed exclusively for websites built on WordPress software. With proprietary caching (EverCache®) and global CDNs, sites migrated to us can see up to a 40% increase in speed. This optimised environment ensures your site can handle traffic spikes without crashing, keeping visitors engaged.

Freedom to focus on ROI, not IT. One of the biggest advantages of managed hosting is time. By automating updates, security and optimisation, we take the technical burden off your plate. This lets you focus on what matters most: creating content, generating leads and driving revenue. You build the business, we run the engine.

Yes. WP Engine is well suited to Australian audiences, offering global CDN coverage, local data centre options, fast load times and enterprise-grade security. All of this ensures reliability and efficient performance for website visitors across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.

WP Engine understands that data sovereignty is a key concern for national security and business compliance with many companies. That’s why, if you’re based in Australia and you migrate your website built on WordPress software to WP Engine, it can be hosted in nearby data centres, including Sydney and the Asia-Pacific region. This also helps reduce latency and improve site speed for local users.

Yes, WP Engine provides 24/7 support for Australian customers, 365 days a year, via chat and phone—including support from our locally based Australian team of highly trained WordPress experts during Australian business hours. This means assistance is available for Australian customers regardless of time zone, including during local business hours and outside of standard working times.

Yes, Australian customers can access localised WP Engine plans that are priced and billed in Australian dollars. This makes it easier to predict costs and plan your budget accordingly.

Absolutely. WP Engine is an excellent choice for Australian agencies and growing businesses, offering scalable hosting, local support, an Agency Partner Program, developer-friendly tools and reliable performance to support high-traffic sites and client portfolios.