Which is better Cloud hosting or WordPress hosting?  

With so many different hosting types and service providers, out there, it becomes really hard for new users to know which will best suit your website’s needs. Two of the most popular hosting options are WordPress Hosting and Cloud Hosting. It’s indispensable to understand the differences between the two before making a decision and hosting a website. This comparison article will explore cloud hosting vs WordPress hosting to help you differentiate and decide which is suitable for your website.

What Is Cloud Hosting?

Cloud hosting is a type of web hosting that uses multiple virtual servers connected via a network to provide better performance than traditional shared or dedicated servers. Instead of relying on just one server, cloud hosting distributes resources across several servers, providing better reliability and availability. Therefore, if due to any reason if one server fails or has an issue, another can take its place with minimal downtime.

Another advantage of using cloud hosting is scalability – because it’s distributed over multiple servers, websites hosted in the cloud can access more resources when needed without purchasing additional hardware or upgrading their plans. This makes it ideal for businesses that experience high traffic levels during peak times with less downtime.

Examples of Cloud Hosting companies:

• Google Cloud (GCP) is a cloud computing platform by Google to provide services for hosting websites, applications, and storage. It offers a range of features and services to help businesses create and manage their websites.
• AWS: Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a cloud computing platform just like Google Cloud with various computing services. Those who want less complicated service, then try AWS LightSail.
• DigitalOcean is an easy-to-use cloud hosting provider that offers simple and affordable virtual private servers (VPS).
• CloudWays: It is another example of a managed Cloud provider that emphasizes performance and simplicity.
• Linode: Apart from regular Cloud service, it also offers an option to opt for services from other Cloud computing providers at different prices.
• And more…

What Is WordPress Hosting?

WordPress Hosting is specifically designed for websites powered by the WordPress Content Management System (CMS). It provides users with pre-configured environments optimized for running WordPress-based websites.

This eliminates some of the manual setup and configuration associated with other forms of web hosting by automatically installing important components like Apache Web Server and PHP server modules as well as setting up the database connection information used by WordPress to store data from posts, pages, comments, etc. You will also have a custom control panel to easily manage the WordPress settings.

The main benefit of using a managed WordPress host is improved security compared to other types of web hosts. Since specifically designed Wordpess hosting providers usually have sophisticated tools in place for safeguarding against malicious attacks or unauthorized access attempts and malware scans are typically run periodically behind the scenes by administrators instead of users having to check their sites themselves manually.

Examples of WordPress Hosting companies or service providers:

• WordPress.com: The developers behind the popular WordPress CMS also offer managed hosting services with high speed and security.
• GoDaddy: It offers simple and affordable shared WordPress hosting plans optimized for WordPress sites.
• Bluehost: Bluehost is one of the most popular Web hosts out there, offering simple and affordable shared hosting plans as well as VPS plans including WordPress hosting.
• WP Engine: WP Engine is a premium managed WordPress hosting solution to help businesses create and manage their websites.
• And more...

Checkout: Linux vs. Windows hosting: What is the core difference?

WordPress Hosting vs Cloud Hosting

Aspects	WordPress Hosting	Cloud Hosting
Server	Hardware resources of the WordPress hosting server will be shared across multiple websites.	A dedicated virtual server and its resource will be assigned for only the user’s website.
Optimization	Users will have an optimized server and services especially designed and created to give optimum WordPress performance	It is not optimized only for WordPress but instead, the service is configured to provide overall speed and performance for all types of applications installed over it.
File Access	Well, to make things simple, secure, and optimized, such hosting services won’t allow users to edit or access all server files.	On the other hand, Cloud hosting lets you access all the files even of OS installed on the VM from anywhere in the world via the Internet.
Cost	WordPress hosting is slightly costlier because of the backend services, tools, and security managed by the provider.	Compared to traditional web hosting it is flexible in terms of cost, the user only has to pay for what resources he is going to use, hence much more effective or productive in terms of cost.
Beginners friendly	Depending upon the service provider this hosting service is more friendly and easy to set up because of different features such as one-click WordPress setup, tools to check server usage and performance, easy migration, and more…	It is not for beginners who don’t have any technical knowledge because in cloud hosting most of the things users have to manage by themselves such as WordPress installation, Database management, security of the website, and more…
Security	WordPress websites are more secure running on this type of web hosting. As the provider is going to take care of security such as protection against DDOS attacks.	Here the user has an overall secure server environment but at the end of the day configuring security for WordPress and the server is all in the hands of the user. Also, sometimes adding extra security would add more bucks to the hosting cost.
Scalability	In it to handle a greater amount of traffic suddenly, the user needs to upgrade the hosting plan which is not only time-consuming but can increase the downtime.	It is quite flexible and can easily scale up and down without switching to plans. Hence, less downtime. That’s why larger-scale deployments generally look for Cloud hosting.
Maintenance	In WordPress hosting the backend provider will automatically update the server and install the patches. Therefore, no need to worry about that at all, making management and maintenance easy.	Most of the Cloud hosting virtual machine servers installed with Linux such as CentOS or Ubuntu need to be managed by the users. Therefore, timely updating and maintenance of the server is the responsibility of the Admin or anyone who is handling it.

Cloud hosting Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Users can easily scale the hosting service without upgrading their plans.
• Cloud hosting is less prone to outages than other forms of hosting.
• Efficient Disaster recovery
• Offers enhanced security against malicious attacks and unauthorized access attempts. And the availability of multiple tools to prevent Security breaches
• Cost friendly- Pay as you go, which means you only need to pay for what you use.
• High Flexibility, means a user can increase or decrease resources such as CPU cores, RAM, or Storage. 
• Access to all files
• Can host whatever kind of website a user wants

Cons:

• It can be expensive compared to other forms of hosting, especially for low-budget websites or beginners.
• Complexity – Setting up a cloud environment can be complex and require technical knowledge.
• WordPress website or any other hosted app security is in the hand of users.
• If your data is lost accidentally, recovery is not possible because you have to manage the Database on your own.

WordPress hosting Pros and Cons

Here are some advantages and disadvantages of using WordPress hosting service.

Pros:

• Optimized to run WordPress CMS
• Provide inbuilt tools such as Cpanel to manage WordPress-related settings
• Easy to configure using the graphical user interface
• Beginners friendly 
• Provides high security
• Automatic 1-Click WordPress Install
• Users can opt for Automatic Backups service with some additional payment
• Server Maintenance is the headache of the service provider. 
   

Cons:

• Not meant for advanced users who want completed control of files
• Cannot install any other website than WordPress
• Some WordPress hosting services don’t allow third-party plugin installation.
• Low flexibility
  

So Which Option Is Better?

Ultimately, it depends on what type of website you are trying to build or manage and what level of control you want over your environment and server configurations.

If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution that allows you to deploy a website quickly without having to manually configure settings yourself then managed WordPress hosting may be the way to go – particularly if you don’t have any experience managing web servers but want something secure enough for more demanding applications such as e-commerce sites or large corporate intranets where maximum uptime is essential.

For larger-scale deployments where availability and scalability are most important then cloud hosting could be preferred due to its distributed nature which allows easy expansion as traffic grows without ever needing to add extra hardware.

In conclusion, both cloud hosting and WordPress hosting have their advantages and disadvantages. It is up to the user to decide which type of hosting best suits their needs.

FAQs

What is WordPress Hosting?

WordPress hosting, as you may have guessed, is exclusively for WordPress websites.

What is the best WordPress hosting?

Managed WordPress hosting is the full package and is best for beginners to host websites such as WP-Engine or Wordpess.com…

What are the benefits of managed WordPress hosting?

All your basic needs are fulfilled, plus you get guaranteed automated updates, better security, and faster loading speeds.

What is cloud hosting?

Cloud hosting is where your website is ‘virtually’ hosted across several servers.

What are the benefits of cloud hosting?

The key advantages of Cloud hosting are full control of the data, flexibility, and scalability because the cloud resources are almost limitless, so if your website experiences a sudden surge in traffic, you don’t need to worry about your site crashing.

How much does Google Cloud hosting cost?

Once your free trial ends, you can continue to host your website starting at around $12.71/month with WordPress on Google Cloud.