WP Engine, WordPress Hosting Review
Written by Erick Olivares
WP Engine provides the accessibility, speed, and security to host dynamic WordPress websites which are prone to volatile internet uncertainty.
The Austin based company provides unparalleled hosting which only a few others come close too. In this article, we will review a couple of key points that make WP Engine a truly special platform to migrate or host your new website.
User Interface
The user interface is beautifully designed and enables users to navigate through WP Engine’s tools. The left-hand nav allows users to jump through the most of the most popular WP Engine features.
Security
WordPress is heavily targeted by hackers and is prone to malicious activity on the internet. To combat this, WPE comes with strict file permissions, daily backups, free SSL and banned plugins.
WP Engine allows users to install “Let’s Encrypt” security certificates for free. SSL / HTTPS is important for users to verify that your site is secured and it will give visitors a boost of confidence while browsing your site.
In the event of a hack or user mistake, WPE creates daily backups of your entire website’s files and database to fall back on. This backup feature is very robust, reliable and conveniently prevents you from trying to figure out which backup plugin you should install.
If you were to install a plugin which had been pre-determined to be a security vulnerability, the WPE team would send you an email to delete it from your system.
Quick Page Loads
WP Engine load websites hosted on their platform very quickly! The caching on the server end will accelerate the speed of your website. This comes in very handy if you’re loading large images or storing big files in your WordPress database.
Godaddy’s WordPress hosting and MediaTemple both have caching built into their systems, but you have to click “Flush Cache” nearly everytime you make an edit to the website. This can become redundant and outright annoying for developers and content managers alike. WP Engine’s cache will update when you make ordinary edits to the website.
Customer Service
24/7 chat support! WP Engine has an amazing staff working around the clock to ensure you always have someone to fall back and help you with your website. This support team will help dissect your problem and work proactively with you and your team.
Pricing
WP Engine has a new pricing plan. (updated on 02/27/18)
Optimized WordPress hosting comes in at a relatively higher price compared to other hosting options. A startup plan, the most basic tier is $35/month— limited to a single website per month. The growth and scale plans allow for more than one website valued at approximately $20 per website for one month. The number of websites and perks scale as the tier escalates proportionally.
WP Engine might be the complete WordPress hosting package for your needs. Turn7 will be reviewing other hosting platforms which might be a better fit if you’re looking for a bargain.
