With over 455 million websites running on WordPress, choosing the right hosting platform is critical for performance, security, and scalability.
Many users start with basic shared hosting plans. But as site traffic and complexity grows, VPS (virtual private server) hosting becomes an increasingly appealing option.
For WordPress users that have outgrown their shared hosting environment, here are 8 compelling benefits of moving to VPS hosting for your site:
1. Predictable High Performance
Shared hosting resources like CPU, memory, and bandwidth are shared by many user accounts on the server.
This can result in inconsistent speed and sporadic slowdowns. With VPS hosting, guaranteed resources are allocated to your account, minimizing performance variability.
2. Ability to Scale Vertically
Need more power for a growing WordPress site? With shared hosting you’re limited to available server resources.
VPS plans can be upgraded vertically to add more RAM, faster processors, and increased storage as required.
3. Customization and Control
VPS environments provide full root access, allowing extensive customization of server configurations, security rules, supporting software like caches and CDNs, and other optimizations specifically tailored for WordPress.
4. High Uptime and Stability
Noisy neighbors and activity spikes on a shared server risk outages and downtime. With a VPS, your site runs in an isolated environment unaffected by other users. Resources are dedicated to you for maximum stability.
5. Security and Compliance
VPS accounts are inherently more secure than shared servers due to their isolated nature. You can implement strict firewall policies, disable unnecessary services, and control access. VPS infrastructure also adapts well to compliance requirements.
6. Developer Friendly Environment
Developers love VPS hosting for its flexibility, root access, and ability to completely control the LAMP or LEMP technology stack. Optimizing WordPress for speed on a VPS is also easier.
7. Better Support for High Traffic Sites
Large media libraries and high visitor volumes can tax shared hosting accounts. The computational resources of VPS plans easily handle hundreds of concurrent users. Caching and CDNs also improve performance for busy sites.
8. Ready for Growth and Future Needs
The flexible VPS model provides headroom to accommodate uncertain future growth in traffic, storage needs, functionality extensions, etc. Shared hosting boxes you into limited server resources.
The advanced functionality and elastic scalability of VPS hosting makes it an ideal choice as your WordPress site’s needs evolve beyond basic shared hosting capacities.
With a managed VPS tailored to WordPress, you can offload performance and infrastructure management while gaining flexibility.
Key Considerations
When evaluating a switch to managed VPS WordPress hosting, keep the following in mind:
Cost – Managed VPS plans often cost more than basic shared hosting. But the performance and resource gains justify the premium for professional sites.
Complexity – VPS environments do add more complexity in terms of infrastructure decisions and server management. Managed VPS eases this burden.
Migrations – Migrating a WordPress site from shared hosting to a VPS follows a standard process but needs planning.
Backups – Developing a remote backup process is critical for VPS environments to avoid data loss.
For site owners who have outgrown their initial shared hosting and want greater performance, control, and scalability, VPS hosting is the logical next step.
A quality managed VPS WordPress host can help you maximize these benefits while reducing infrastructure headaches.
