WordPress VPS Hosting
What is WordPress VPS Hosting?
VPS stands for for a Virtual Private Server. A VPS stores multiple accounts, but each account gets its own dedicated disc space and bandwidth.
WordPress VPS Hosting is more secure and stable solution than shared hosting. It is usually chosen by website owners who have medium-level traffic that exceeds the limits of shared hosting plans but still don’t need the resources of a server.
Compare WordPress VPS Providers
DreamHost offers 4 WordPress VPS plans. Each plan includes unlimited websites and bandwidth, a free SSL certificate, and unlimited 24/7 support. Additional features also include:
- 100% Uptime Guarantee
- US-Based VPS
- Expandable RAM & Storage
- Free SSD – 20x faster than standard SATA disk drives
- Choice of Apache or NGINX
- OPcache
InMotion Hosting offers 4 WordPress VPS plans on Platform i, with a central dashboard for site management. Additional features include:
- 24/7/365 U.S. Based Chat & Ticket Support
- Free SSL & Dedicated IP
- Brotli Compression, NGINX, PHP-FPM, Apache, and REDIS Available
- Root Access
- 40x Faster I/O Speeds
- 99.99% Server Uptime
RamNode offers 18 VPS plans on an OpenStack cloud platform, all with 24/7 support. Services are billed hourly. Additional options include:
- Data Centers in the U.S. and the Netherlands
- Use any OS you want – choose from ours or upload your own!
- Memory Options: 512MB – 16GB
- CPU: 1 – 4 Cores
- Hardware Options: SSD, NVMe, HDD
- Bandwidth Range: 1000GB – 15000GB
Advantages of a VPS
Additional Flexibility and Control
You will have root access to your server to add any software you want, configure your server the way you want, and get more customization options not available with standard shared WordPress hosting plans.
Increased Speed
With shared hosting accounts your website could slow down if another website on the same server is experiencing increased traffic. With VPS hosting your space is your own, and you will not be affected by the performance of other websites on the same server.
Disadvantages of a VPS
Increased Cost
Additional features means additional costs. Shared hosting plans can be as low as $4 a month, whereas a VPS is closer to $30 a month, depending on your hosting provider of choice.
Technical Expertise Needed
Since you are in control of your server, you will need the knowledge to configure it correctly and troubleshoot if issues arise. If you have outgrown shared hosting, but the idea of being responsible for your entire server is overwhelming, you may want to consider Managed WordPress Hosting.
Hardware
Hardware configuration can impact your performance, and not all VPS are created equal. It’s easy to see how better hardware would equal better performance, but sometimes it can be confusing what each plan includes.
If you’re serious about your VPS hardware, you may want to start off by learning more about the processors / cores that are used with each VPS plan. For example, if Xeon cores are used, which models? Different models are going to have different clock speeds, which will affect your performance.
Cores / CPUs
What does a Core mean in terms of VPS Hosting?
The term Cores refers to the number of processor cores that are available on a VPS. Generally, the higher the number of cores, more likely will the VPS be able to handle its operations. For simple websites a single core VPS should suffice, but more resource intensive sites should consider a higher number of cores. The more cores you have, the faster your website will be, but the price can increase rapidly.
Better hardware generally equals better performance, but the exact details can be tricky to pin down as 2 cores from a 5th generation processor are not the same as 2 cores from a 2nd generation processor.
Clock Speed
The clock speed measures the number of cycles your CPU executes per second, measured in GHz (gigahertz). So a CPU with a clock speed of 3.2 GHz executes 3.2 billion cycles per second. Keep in mind a CPU with a higher clock speed from years ago might be outperformed by a new CPU with a lower clock speed as the newer CPUs function more efficiently, so it’s important to compare processors from the same brand and generation.
| Processor / Model | Clock Speed |
|---|---|
| Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5-2670 v3 | 2.30 GHz |
| Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5-2620 v2 | 2.10 GHz |
Managed VPS vs Unmanaged VPS
Managed VPS
With a Managed VPS, the hosting provider handles all the technical aspects of the server. You’ll have peace of mind knowing security and updates are performed in a timely fashion by professionals – you don’t have to worry you hired the wrong IT person. The web host will research and invest in the latest technology so you won’t have to. Features such as backups, CDN, and caching are usually pre-configured.
However, this means you will pay more for the VPS, and possibly have less options about what hardware or software your VPS uses.
Unmanaged VPS
If you choose Unmanaged VPS hosting, you are responsible for setting up and maintaining all aspects of your VPS, including security and software updates. This means you will have more control over your server, including root access. The price will be less than fully Managed VPS hosting, but you will need an IT professional on your staff.
Remember, you are 100% responsible for the VPS. You will need to run and store backups, configure security settings, and optimize website loading times yourself.
Shared Hosting vs VPS
Shared hosting is the cheapest hosting option because you share server resources with other websites. Think of it like an apartment complex with many units, in which you rent one of them. If you have a small website this is the best choice.
VPS hosting, on the other hand, gives you more freedom and performance but it is a bit more expensive. VPS hosting is like a set of adjacent town-homes. You have more room than the shared hosting apartment, but you’re still attached to other homes (other websites).
WordPress VPS FAQs
Is a VPS for me?
If you are just getting started with your WordPress website, there usually isn’t a need to jump right to a VPS. We recommend starting with Shared Hosting to get your website up and running. When your website starts to gain increased traffic, or you have outgrown shared hosting in other ways, then you should look into other hosting options.
Alan Thompson says:
I noticed A2 offers “VPS Hosting” and “Managed VPS Hosting” (look in their footer). I’m having a hard time telling the difference, can you help?
Jesse C. Owens says:
Hi Alan-
The biggest difference is that the Managed VPS is already set up for WordPress Hosting and includes cPanel and WHM for server administration. An unmanaged VPS requires you to configure the server and only includes Command Line access out-of-the-box. Check out this page that goes over the main differences.
Sarah Smith says:
> VPS is closer to $30 a month
I’ve been seeing vps much cheaper. Any tips on a $15 vps?
Jesse C. Owens says:
Hi Sarah-
VPS hosting is often a case of “you get what you pay for.” There are very affordable options out there, but beware that often times these won’t have any kind of management interface, or come with very limited resources. If you’re an experienced system administrator, these types of VPS plans might be just right for you. Here are a couple things I’d want to double-check before I purchased a $15/month VPS.