Overview of WP Engine hosting services
Welcome , your source for launching your website successfully. Today, we’re delving into the world of WP Engine, a renowned expert in WordPress hosting. However, is WP Engine the right fit for every WordPress website? That might not be the case!
At the outset, it’s important to note that we at WebsiteToolTester.com are WP Engine users ourselves. This Austin-based hosting provider has become a cornerstone of our business operations, providing a stable solution to accommodate our ever-growing number of visitors. But the real question is whether WP Engine aligns with your hosting needs. Let’s explore this together.
A primary observation is that WP Engine‘s pricing falls on the higher end of the spectrum. Their entry-level plan, Startup, mirrors the mid to high-tier prices of other providers such as SiteGround and A2 Hosting. The cost only increases from there.
Growth Plan – Monthly – $115.00
Retail Price: $1,150.00
You Save: $1,035.00
The Startup plan caters to a single site, accommodating up to 25,000 monthly visitors, offering 10GB of storage, and 50GB of bandwidth. Progressing to the Growth plan grants you the ability to host up to 10 websites, welcoming 100,000 monthly visitors, and providing 20GB of storage and 200GB of bandwidth. If your requirements are even more robust, the Scale plan allows for up to 30 websites, supports 400,000 monthly visitors, and comes with 50GB of storage and 500GB of bandwidth. Exceeding these limits would incur additional charges, approximately around $2 per thousand extra visits.
WP Engine’s user portal, known as the backend, is designed for seamless navigation, featuring an intuitive left-panel menu. Key sections include Sites, which provides a quick overview of storage, bandwidth, and user visits for each site. The Users section enables user management, role assignment, and an activity log to track site modifications. This user-friendly backend minimizes the learning curve for new team members.
In the realm of backups, WP Engine generates nightly automatic backups stored for around 30 days. The restoration process is user-friendly, allowing you to restore your site with just a few clicks. You can also save backups as ZIP files on your computer. Notably, our experience has shown that WP Engine’s backup system is remarkably reliable.
WP Engine’s specialization in WordPress brings certain advantages, such as the capability to create staging and live environments for your site. This feature enables you to work on draft versions and test changes before deploying them live, ensuring a seamless transition. Additional benefits include a built-in caching system and a Content Delivery Network (CDN) for faster content delivery across global locations. Moreover, you can select themes from their StudioPress Themes collection, often valued at $100 to $150. If you’re looking to migrate an existing site to WP Engine, their free plugin streamlines the process.
When it comes to security, WP Engine excels. They offer built-in firewalls, disk writing protection, secure FTP, SSH access, and a stringent plugin policy to ensure security without compromising flexibility. SSL certificates are included, and WP Engine supports the latest versions of PHP and MySQL. Multi-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security, requiring confirmation of login attempts via your phone.
Turning our attention to performance, WP Engine shines. Our independent speed and uptime tests have ranked it among the top performers. Over a 12-month test period, WP Engine showcased almost 100% uptime, closely aligning with the 99.95% uptime guarantee they provide. Additionally, sites hosted on WP Engine exhibited rapid loading times, averaging 2.17 seconds—well under Google’s recommended 3 seconds for optimal SEO results.
Customer support with WP Engine is impressive, particularly for higher-tier plans. Accessible 24/7 via live chat, their knowledgeable team delivers on-point solutions. The wealth of quality online resources is equally commendable, with Google searches often yielding relevant answers promptly.
In summary, here are the pros and cons of WP Engine:
Pros:
- Exceptional performance and reliability.
- Backups and staging environments for testing.
- High-quality customer support.
- Advanced features for developers.
Cons:
- Visitor limits can be restricting.
- Pricing might be steep for some.
- Domain names and professional email addresses need to be purchased separately.
While WP Engine offers unparalleled performance and innovative features, it’s crucial to assess whether its pricing and limitations align with your website’s needs. To learn more, check out our in-depth review by following the link in the description. There, you’ll find additional pros and cons, as well as a list of recommended alternatives.
Thank you for joining us . Remember, a well-informed choice ensures the success of your website endeavor.
