Top 7 WP Engine Alternatives to Consider

WP Engine is one of the leading managed WordPress hosting platforms known for its speed, performance, and top-notch security. It provides a range of premium features such as built-in caching, daily backups, and seamless scalability, making it a go-to choice for many WordPress users.

However, the recent headlines about WordPress banning WP Engine from their recommended hosting providers list made waves in the tech community. This decision has caused many WordPress site owners to reconsider their hosting options.

While WP Engine is still a strong contender in the market, some users may want to explore alternatives due to this significant change, pricing concerns, or simply to find a host that better suits their needs.

Why Should You Consider WP Engine Alternatives?

The conflict between WordPress.org and WP Engine goes beyond a business issue—it directly affects the security and functionality of websites hosted on WP Engine.

As of September 25, 2024, WP Engine-hosted sites no longer receive critical updates, such as security patches, plugin improvements, or new WordPress features. This leaves websites vulnerable and at risk.

Switching providers ensure your site stays updated, secure, and high-performing. Next, we’ll explore top alternatives and why they’re ideal for businesses seeking a reliable hosting partner.

Top 7 WP Engine Alternatives

1. WordPress.com

Owned and operated by Automattic, the company behind WordPress.org, WordPress.com offers a fully managed hosting service that integrates seamlessly with the WordPress ecosystem. Here’s why it stands out:

• Full Access to Updates: Since WordPress.com is a part of the core WordPress environment, users benefit from automatic updates for plugins, themes, and the WordPress core itself. This ensures that your website stays secure and up to date without manual intervention.

• Scalability and Performance: WordPress.com is built to handle high-traffic sites, making it an ideal solution for businesses focused on growth. The platform’s robust infrastructure ensures that performance issues are minimized, even during traffic spikes.

• Ease of Use: WordPress.com’s interface is user-friendly, offering a range of customization options without needing extensive technical skills. It’s a great option for businesses looking for simplicity without sacrificing functionality.

2. Pressable

Another great alternative, Pressable, is also owned by Automattic. It’s known for its deep integration with WordPress and offers many of the same benefits as WordPress.com, with a particular emphasis on performance and customer support.

• Complete WordPress Integration: Like WordPress.com, Pressable gives you access to automatic updates, security patches, and all WordPress core features. This means your site is always running the latest and most secure versions.

• Focus on Security: Pressable puts a strong emphasis on security, offering features such as malware scanning, automated backups, and built-in firewalls to protect your site from potential threats.

• High Performance: Pressable’s infrastructure is optimized for WordPress, providing excellent speed and scalability. Their managed WordPress hosting includes a content delivery network (CDN) to improve page load times for users globally.

3. Kinsta

Kinsta is a premium managed WordPress hosting provider known for its powerful infrastructure and top-tier customer support. Built on the Google Cloud Platform, Kinsta offers unmatched performance, scalability, and security.

• Automatic Updates and Backups: Kinsta ensures that your WordPress website stays up to date with automatic updates for plugins, themes, and the WordPress core. It also provides daily automatic backups, so you never lose valuable data.
• Affordable Plans: Known for its cost-effective hosting plans, Bluehost is an excellent option for small to mid-sized businesses.
• Managed WordPress Hosting: Includes automatic updates, security patches, and backups, making site management straightforward.

4. Bluehost

Bluehost is one of the most popular hosting providers for WordPress users, offering a solid balance of affordability, features, and ease of use.

• Official WordPress Recommendation: Bluehost is officially recommended by WordPress.org, ensuring seamless compatibility.
• Affordable Plans: Known for its cost-effective hosting plans, Bluehost is an excellent option for small to mid-sized businesses.
• Managed WordPress Hosting: Includes automatic updates, security patches, and backups, making site management straightforward.

5. Hostinger

Hostinger offers affordable managed WordPress hosting with a focus on speed and ease of use, making it a good alternative for WP Engine.

• Cost-Effective: Hostinger is known for offering some of the most affordable WordPress hosting plans without compromising on performance.
• Managed Hosting: Automatic updates and built-in caching ensure your website remains fast and secure.
• User-Friendly Interface: Hostinger provides an easy-to-use control panel for managing websites, backups, and updates.

6. DreamHost

DreamHost is another WordPress.org-recommended hosting provider, known for its reliable performance, user-friendly interface, and a variety of hosting plans tailored to different needs. With strong security features, automatic updates, and 24/7 customer support, DreamHost ensures a smooth and secure experience for WordPress users.

• Fully Managed WordPress Hosting: Automatic updates, strong security measures, and daily backups ensure your site is well-maintained.
• Free Domain and SSL: DreamHost offers a free domain and SSL certificate, helping businesses get started quickly.
• Scalable Solutions: From small blogs to large e-commerce sites, DreamHost offers scalable hosting to meet your business’s growth needs.

Best for?

Businesses looking for a trusted and scalable WordPress hosting solution with top-tier support.

7. SiteGround

SiteGround is a popular choice for managed WordPress hosting, known for its outstanding speed and performance, powered by the Google Cloud platform. In addition to its robust security features, it offers daily backups, automatic updates, and a user-friendly dashboard.

• Automatic Updates: WordPress core, plugin, and theme updates are managed automatically, reducing the manual burden on website owners.
• Security Features: SiteGround offers firewalls, daily backups, and real-time monitoring to ensure your site is secure.
• Optimized Performance: With built-in caching and a global CDN, SiteGround ensures fast load times and scalability.

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Hosting Alternative

Choosing the right hosting provider is a critical decision for your business, especially in light of the recent WP Engine ban.

Your website’s performance, security, and overall functionality will depend heavily on the quality of your hosting provider. To help you make the best choice, here are the key factors to consider when evaluating WP Engine alternatives:

1. Performance & Scalability

• Page Speed: Considering today’s fast-paced digital environment, a slow website can drive visitors away and hurt your SEO rankings. Look for a hosting provider that prioritizes performance, using technologies like solid-state drives (SSDs), built-in caching, and content delivery networks (CDNs) to ensure fast load times.
• Scalability: As your business grows, your website will need to handle increased traffic without sacrificing performance. Make sure your chosen provider offers scalable plans, allowing you to easily upgrade your resources as needed.

Key Tip:
Providers like Kinsta and Cloudways excel in handling high traffic volumes and offer scalable hosting solutions to accommodate your business’s growth.

2. Security

• Automatic Updates: Keeping your WordPress core, themes, and plugins updated is crucial to prevent security breaches. Managed hosting providers like WordPress.com, Pressable, and DreamHost offer automatic updates, which help keep your site secure.
• Backup Solutions: Frequent backups are a must for website recovery in case of hacks or data loss. Many providers, such as Kinsta and SiteGround, offer daily backups, while others like A2 Hosting offer on-demand backups as well.
• Additional Security Features: Look for hosts that provide additional security measures like malware scanning, DDoS protection, and firewalls. Providers such as WPX Hosting and Flywheel are known for offering excellent security packages.

Key Tip: Ensure that your hosting provider offers a combination of automatic updates, daily backups, and built-in security tools to minimize risks.

3. Support & Maintenance

• Responsive Support: Whether you’re a small business owner or managing multiple websites, responsive and knowledgeable customer support is crucial. Opt for providers that offer 24/7 support via chat, email, or phone. WPX Hosting, Kinsta, and Bluehost are known for their exceptional customer support.
• Managed Hosting vs. Unmanaged: Managed WordPress hosting providers take care of all the technical aspects, including updates, security, and backups, so you can focus on your business. Unmanaged hosting, on the other hand, requires more hands-on management. If you don’t have an in-house technical team, managed hosting is often the better choice.

Key Tip: Choose a hosting provider that offers 24/7 support and specializes in WordPress to ensure quick resolutions to any issues that may arise.

4. Ease of Migration

• Migration Assistance: Moving your site from WP Engine to a new host shouldn’t be complicated. Many hosts, including SiteGround, Kinsta, and Bluehost, offer free or low-cost migration services to ensure a smooth transition with minimal downtime.
• Downtime Prevention: Ensure the hosting provider has a migration plan that minimizes downtime and prevents data loss. Providers like Flywheel and WPX Hosting excel in seamless migrations, often with zero downtime.

Key Tip: If you’re not tech-savvy, look for hosting providers that offer free migration services and have a reputation for seamless transitions.

5. Cost

• Budget-Friendly Options: While premium hosts like Kinsta and Flywheel offer top-tier performance and support, there are also budget-friendly options like Bluehost, Hostinger, and DreamHost that provide a good balance between affordability and features.
• Long-Term Value: While price is an important factor, focus on the long-term value. Some low-cost providers may charge extra for essential features like backups, security tools, or customer support. Consider how these additional costs can impact your overall budget.

Key Tip: Evaluate both the short-term costs and the long-term value when choosing a provider. Providers like Bluehost and Hostinger are known for their affordable plans, while Kinsta and WPX Hosting are excellent for businesses seeking premium services with more comprehensive features.

Migration Tips for Businesses Moving Away from WP Engine

Switching from WP Engine to a new hosting provider can seem daunting at first, but with the right approach, you can ensure a smooth transition while avoiding downtime and data loss. Here are some practical tips to help businesses migrate successfully:

1. Back Up Your Website

Before initiating the migration process, it’s important to create a complete backup of your website. This includes all your content, databases, themes, plugins, and other essential files.

• Use a WordPress Backup Plugin: Plugins like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy make it easy to create full backups of your WordPress site. These tools allow you to store backups in various locations such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or local storage.
• Manual Backups: For added security, you can also perform a manual backup through your website’s hosting control panel or FTP. This ensures you have an extra copy in case something goes wrong during the migration process.

Pro Tip: Make sure to back up not only your website files but also your database, which contains all your content, settings, and user data.

2. Choose the Right Time for Migration

Timing is everything when migrating your website. You want to minimize the impact on your site visitors and business operations, so choose a time when website traffic is low.

• Off-Peak Hours: Identify the times when your website experiences the least traffic (late nights or weekends are often ideal). Scheduling the migration during off-peak hours reduces the risk of disrupting users’ experiences.
• Notify Stakeholders: Let your team and any key stakeholders know about the planned migration to prevent conflicts and ensure everyone is aligned with the timing.

Pro Tip: Many hosting providers offer a staging environment, allowing you to perform a test migration before going live to minimize downtime.

3. Use Hosting Provider’s Migration Tools

Many hosting providers offer free or low-cost WordPress migration services, making it easier for you to transfer your site with minimal hassle.

• Free Migration Services: Providers like SiteGround, Kinsta, and DreamHost offer free migration services where their support team handles the process for you.
• Migration Plugins: Some hosts provide custom migration plugins. For example, Flywheel offers a free tool called Flywheel Migrations, which simplifies the process for WordPress users.
• Third-Party Tools: If your new hosting provider doesn’t offer a built-in migration service, tools like Duplicator or All-in-One WP Migration can help facilitate the transfer.

Pro Tip: Always ensure that the migration is done correctly by checking with your new host’s support team or using a migration plugin that has strong reviews and is regularly updated.

4. Minimize Downtime

Minimizing downtime during the migration process is essential to ensure that your business operations and website traffic aren’t negatively impacted.

• Use a Staging Environment: Most premium hosting providers offer staging environments where you can test your site’s functionality before going live. This helps you identify and resolve any issues prior to the full migration.
• DNS Propagation: After migrating your site, you will need to update your domain’s DNS settings to point to your new hosting provider. DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours, but often it happens much faster. To reduce downtime, lower the Time-To-Live (TTL) settings on your domain before making the switch.

Pro Tip: Use a plugin like “Under Construction” or “Coming Soon” during the migration process to notify visitors that your site is temporarily unavailable.

5. Test Your Site Post-Migration

Once the migration is complete, thoroughly test your website to ensure everything is functioning as expected.

• Check All Functionality: Test all core functionalities, such as forms, payment gateways, user logins, and navigation, to ensure they are working smoothly.
• Inspect Performance: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTMetrix to monitor your website’s speed and performance post-migration. Make sure the new hosting provider is delivering the expected improvements.
• Review Security Settings: Ensure your SSL certificate is properly installed and that all security features, such as firewalls and malware protection, are active.

Pro Tip: Regularly monitor your site’s performance and security over the first few weeks after migration to catch any lingering issues early.

6. Seek Expert Help If Needed

If the migration process seems overwhelming or if your website is complex, consider hiring a professional service or agency like cmsMinds to handle the migration for you.

• Expert Assistance: Web agencies like cmsMinds specialize in seamless migrations and can ensure that your site transitions smoothly to a new hosting provider without downtime or data loss.
• Ongoing Support: After migration, expert services can also help you with continuous maintenance, security monitoring, and performance optimization to ensure your website remains in top condition.

Pro Tip: Many hosting providers offer migration support as part of their managed hosting packages. Leverage this support to ensure a hassle-free migration.

How Can cmsMinds Help?

Navigating the complexities of a hosting migration, especially in the wake of the WP Engine ban, can be challenging. Whether you’re transitioning to a new host or needing continued website support, cmsMinds is here to assist you at every step of the way. As web strategists and developers, we offer a wide range of services to ensure your website remains secure, functional, and optimized post-migration.

1. Seamless Website Migration

Moving your site from WP Engine to a new hosting provider requires careful planning and execution. At cmsMinds, we handle the entire migration process, ensuring that your website is transferred smoothly, with minimal downtime and no data loss.

• Expert Migration Services: Our team will manage every aspect of the migration, from backups to DNS changes, ensuring the process is handled without disrupting your site’s operations.
• Zero Downtime Guarantee: We use best-in-class tools and staging environments to perform the migration without affecting your site’s live functionality, keeping your business running smoothly.
• Comprehensive Testing: After migration, we thoroughly test your website to ensure everything from functionality to performance is working optimally on your new host.

2. Website Audits & Security Enhancements

Post-migration, keeping your site secure and updated is another essential element, especially in light of WP Engine’s ban and the vulnerabilities it introduced for businesses still relying on their platform.

• Security Audits: Our team will conduct a full security audit to identify and address vulnerabilities in your website’s plugins, themes, and core infrastructure.
• Ongoing Maintenance: We provide continuous monitoring, ensuring that your website stays up-to-date with security patches and performance enhancements.
• Backup Solutions: We set up automated, reliable backup systems, ensuring that you have a safety net in place in case of any future issues.

3. Hosting Recommendations & Setup

Choosing the right hosting provider is key to ensuring your website’s long-term success. At cmsMinds, we help businesses evaluate the best hosting solutions tailored to their specific needs.

• Hosting Consultations: Whether you need a budget-friendly solution or a premium hosting platform, we provide expert advice on which provider will best meet your business goals.
• Migration Planning: We help plan your migration to providers like Kinsta, Bluehost, or SiteGround, ensuring your new hosting environment is set up for maximum performance and security.
• Server Optimization: After migration, we work to optimize your website’s speed and scalability, ensuring it performs at peak levels regardless of traffic surges.

4. Ongoing Website Support

Beyond migration, cmsMinds offers ongoing support services to keep your site running smoothly and efficiently. From regular updates to security monitoring and performance tuning, we’ve got your back.

• Performance Monitoring: We provide continuous performance monitoring and optimization to ensure that your website remains fast, stable, and responsive.
• Technical Support: Our team is always available to troubleshoot issues, answer questions, and provide ongoing technical support for your website.
• Growth Strategies: As your business grows, we work alongside you to ensure that your website’s infrastructure can handle increased traffic, new features, and evolving business needs.

5. Customized Solutions

Every business is unique, and so are your website’s hosting and development needs. At cmsMinds, we offer customized web solutions to fit your specific requirements, ensuring your website remains a powerful asset for your business.

• Tailored Services: Whether you’re looking for a full-scale migration or ongoing maintenance, we can customize our services to align with your goals and resources.
• Scalability Focus: We help businesses prepare for growth, ensuring that your hosting environment can scale with your website’s demands, all while maintaining top-tier performance.

Conclusion

The recent WP Engine ban has left many businesses needing to find reliable and secure hosting alternatives. It’s essential to choose a provider that guarantees updates, strong security, and optimal performance to protect your online presence.

There are several excellent alternatives, including managed hosting options like WordPress.com, Kinsta, Pressable, and SiteGround, along with budget-friendly choices such as Bluehost and Hostinger. The key is to evaluate your business’s needs—whether it’s performance, security, scalability, or cost—and find a hosting provider that aligns with your goals.

While migrating may seem overwhelming, planning ahead by backing up your site, choosing the right time, and utilizing migration services can minimize disruption.

At cmsMinds, we specialize in seamless migrations and website optimization. Whether you need help selecting a host, handling the migration, or ensuring ongoing maintenance and security, we’re here to assist.

Secure your website’s future—reach out to cmsMinds for expert support today.