How cPanel Hosting is different from Managed WordPress Hosting

WP Performance Hosting offers different hosting options for different customer needs.

cPanel Hosting and Managed WordPress Hosting are not the same service. They both provide hosting, but they are designed for different types of customers and different levels of management.

Main difference

cPanel Hosting is general-purpose hosting with cPanel access.

Managed WordPress Hosting is WordPress-focused hosting where WP Performance Hosting manages more of the hosting setup and WordPress hosting environment.

Choose cPanel Hosting when you want more direct hosting account control.

Choose Managed WordPress Hosting when your site is a WordPress website and you want a more supported WordPress hosting path.

What cPanel Hosting is for

cPanel Hosting is suitable for customers who need standard hosting access and are comfortable managing more of the setup themselves.

cPanel Hosting may suit customers who need:

• General website hosting

• cPanel access

• File Manager access

• FTP access where available

• Database access

• Email mailbox management

• DNS-related hosting tools

• Redirects

• Subdomains

• Cron jobs where available

• Standard hosting account control

cPanel Hosting is a more flexible hosting option, but it also means the customer is responsible for more of the website-level management.

What Managed WordPress Hosting is for

Managed WordPress Hosting is designed for WordPress websites that need a more supported hosting path.

Managed WordPress Hosting may suit customers who have:

• A business WordPress website

• A service-based website

• A brochure website

• A lead generation website

• A WordPress site where they do not want to manage every hosting detail

• A website that should be hosted in a WordPress-focused environment

Managed WordPress Hosting focuses on the WordPress hosting experience rather than giving broad hosting account access.

cPanel access

cPanel Hosting normally provides more direct access to the hosting account.

This may include tools such as:

• File Manager

• Email accounts

• Databases

• Subdomains

• Redirects

• FTP where available

• Backup tools where available

• General hosting settings

Managed WordPress Hosting may provide limited cPanel access, restricted access or no direct cPanel access depending on the plan and setup.

This is intentional. Managed WordPress Hosting is designed to reduce the need for customers to manage the hosting account directly.

Website responsibility

With cPanel Hosting, the customer is generally responsible for managing the website, files, applications, scripts, plugins, themes, updates and website-level issues unless a separate care plan or paid support task is active.

With Managed WordPress Hosting, WP Performance Hosting provides a more WordPress-focused hosting service, but this does not mean unlimited website edits, plugin troubleshooting, content changes or development work are included.

Website-level maintenance and support may still require a WordPress Care Plan, paid support task or separate quote.

WordPress updates

Managed WordPress Hosting does not automatically mean every WordPress update, plugin update or theme update is included as ongoing maintenance.

For ongoing WordPress maintenance, a WordPress Care Plan may be required.

WordPress Care Plans may help with:

• WordPress core updates

• Plugin updates

• Theme updates

• Backup checks

• Security checks

• Website health checks

• Smaller website support tasks on higher tiers

Hosting and care plans are separate services.

Email differences

cPanel Hosting may include cPanel email mailboxes depending on the selected plan.

Managed WordPress Hosting may also include email mailbox allowances depending on the selected plan.

Email limits, mailbox availability and storage limits depend on the current plan details.

Extra Email Mailboxes may be available where the plan allows it.

Manual Email Setup may be available when hands-on mailbox or hosting-side email DNS setup is required.

Support differences

cPanel Hosting support is focused on the hosting account and hosting service.

This may include help with:

• Hosting account access

• cPanel-related hosting questions

• Basic hosting service issues

• Hosting package questions

• Service availability

• Basic email hosting questions where included

Managed WordPress Hosting support is focused on the managed WordPress hosting service.

This may include help with:

• WordPress hosting setup

• Hosting service access

• Hosting-side WordPress environment questions

• SSL and hosting configuration where included

• Hosting-related WordPress service issues

Neither service automatically includes unlimited website work, custom development, major troubleshooting, redesigns, malware cleanup or ongoing maintenance unless separately included in a care plan or written agreement.

Choose cPanel Hosting when

cPanel Hosting may be the better option when:

• You want more direct hosting control

• You are comfortable using cPanel

• You need general hosting tools

• You need to manage files, databases or email yourself

• You are not looking for a managed WordPress service

• You have technical support available internally or through your own developer

• You understand that website-level management is mostly your responsibility

Choose Managed WordPress Hosting when

Managed WordPress Hosting may be the better option when:

• Your website uses WordPress

• You want a WordPress-focused hosting path

• You do not want to manage every hosting detail yourself

• You prefer WP Performance Hosting to manage more of the hosting setup

• You want a more guided hosting experience

• You may also want to add a WordPress Care Plan for ongoing maintenance

What about Self-Managed WordPress Hosting?

Self-Managed WordPress Hosting is different again.

It is for WordPress customers who want WordPress hosting but are comfortable managing more of the WordPress website themselves.

Self-Managed WordPress Hosting is still WordPress-focused, but the support boundary is different from Managed WordPress Hosting.

It is not the same as general cPanel Hosting.

Quick comparison

Use this as a general guide:

• cPanel Hosting: best for customers who want general hosting control and can manage more themselves.

• Managed WordPress Hosting: best for WordPress business websites that need a more supported hosting path.

• Self-Managed WordPress Hosting: best for WordPress users who want WordPress hosting but less hands-on management from WP Performance Hosting.

• WordPress Care Plans: best for customers who want ongoing WordPress updates, checks and support tasks.

Need help choosing?

When you are unsure which option is right, contact WP Performance Hosting before ordering.

Include:

• Your website address, if you already have one

• Whether the site uses WordPress

• Whether you need cPanel access

• Whether you need email mailboxes

• Whether you want ongoing WordPress maintenance

• Whether you already have a developer or technical person helping you

• Whether you need migration help

This helps WP Performance Hosting recommend the most suitable hosting path.