7 Best WP Engine Alternatives (More Affordable and Reliable)

Lately, we’ve heard from more and more WordPress users who are thinking about switching from WP Engine.

Some are upset by the recent conflict with WordPress.org. Others are concerned about rising costs or support changes.

We’ve been testing and reviewing WordPress hosting companies for over 16 years. In that time, we’ve helped more than 2 million users choose the right hosting for their websites.

Our WP Engine review showed that their servers are fast and reliable. They also offer a solid set of developer tools and reliable performance.

But if you’re looking for something more affordable, flexible, or beginner-friendly, we’ve put together a list of the best WP Engine alternatives worth considering.

Quick Pick – The Best WP Engine Alternatives

If you are in a hurry, you can check out our pick of the best WP Engine alternatives in this quick comparison table:

Host	Starting From	Best For	Free Migration	Our Rating
	$30/mo	🥇 High-performance managed hosting	✅	A++
	$2.99/mo	🏆 Best overall WordPress hosting	✅	A++
	$10/mo (Business)	🏅Small businesses & personal sites	✅	A
	$29.99/mo	🏅 Agencies and high-traffic websites	✅	A
	$2.69/mo	🏅 Budget WordPress hosting	✅	A+
	$20/mo	🏅 High-traffic websites	✅	A
	$30/mo	🏅 Premium managed WordPress hosting	✅	A

How We Test and Review WP Engine Alternatives

We have already been using SiteGround on WPBeginner since early 2020, so we are very familiar with its setup, pros, and cons. We also host several websites on Hostinger, Bluehost, and Rocket.net.

For every other hosting provider on this list, we created an account to test out all the features. We made a sample WordPress site on the hosting platform with a default WordPress theme and some content so that it was similar to a real website.

Then, we used third-party tools like Pingdom, K6, and Bitcatcha to test real-time performance on that website.

When deciding which WordPress hosting companies to recommend, we focused on:

• Reliability – Performance and speed are the most important considerations for picking a hosting provider. Having a fast website helps your SEO rankings and can even boost conversions. This is why we ran such detailed tests.
• Price and Affordability – Some managed hosting companies are too expensive for small businesses. That’s why we have picked WP Engine alternatives that offer the best value at accessible prices.
• Support Response Time – There is nothing more frustrating than a non-responsive or inexperienced support team when you need help with your website. That’s why we have picked hosting providers that have top-of-the-class support and 24/7 availability.

1. Rocket.net

Quick info:🔹Starting from: $30/month 🔹Free Domain: No 🔹Free Migration: Yes 🔹Sites Allowed: 1 🔹Disk Space: 10GB

Rocket.net is one of the fastest managed WordPress hosting providers we’ve tested. We really liked how everything is built for speed, security, and ease of use — no technical hassle at all.

When we tested Rocket.net, we found it to be incredibly fast, even without caching plugins. That’s thanks to their edge-first infrastructure and optimized stack, which gave it a clear edge over many competitors.

We also appreciated their built-in CDN and enterprise-grade security. It’s all baked into the platform, so you don’t have to worry about setting things up manually.

Pros of Using Rocket.net:

• Built for performance with enterprise-grade CDN and edge-first approach
• 24/7 expert support with quick response times
• Automated updates, backups (14-day retention), and security monitoring
• Free migration is included with all plans

Cons of Using Rocket.net:

• Higher pricing compared to some other options
• Limited to one site on the starter plan

Best for:

• High-traffic websites
• Businesses needing reliable managed hosting
• Developers looking for advanced tools and performance optimizations

Our Experience: We’ve found Rocket.net to be an ideal choice for serious WordPress users who need top-notch performance and reliability. We loved how easy it was to set up and manage everything — even for large, high-traffic sites. (You can read our full Rocket.net review for more details.)

2. SiteGround

Quick info:🔹Starting from : $2.99/month 🔹Free Domain: Yes (1 year) 🔹Free Migration: Yes 🔹Sites Allowed: 1 🔹Disk Space: 10GB

SiteGround is one of the most reliable WordPress hosting companies we’ve worked with. We’ve been impressed by their speed, security, and support — all things that matter whether you’re just starting or running an established business.

We use SiteGround ourselves to host WPBeginner. It runs on their enterprise cloud platform, and we’ve had a great experience with performance and uptime. If you’re curious, you can read the full story about why we switched to SiteGround.

We also like that SiteGround’s infrastructure is built on Google Cloud, which helps with load times. You get free SSL, automatic updates, daily backups, and built-in caching, everything is taken care of behind the scenes.

Pros of Using SiteGround:

• Fast and reliable hosting built on Google Cloud
• 24/7 customer support with quick response times
• Free SSL and automatic updates
• Free automated site migration included

Cons of Using SiteGround:

• Higher renewal prices after the initial term
• Limited storage on lower-tier plans
• Expert site migration costs an extra $30

Best for:

• Best overall WordPress hosting
• Small businesses and personal websites
• Users looking for excellent customer support

Our Experience: We’ve hosted WPBeginner on SiteGround for years, and it’s handled our high traffic with ease. Their support team has always been responsive when we needed them, and the backend tools are simple enough for non-tech users. (You can also check out our full SiteGround review for more details.)

3. WordPress.com

Quick info:🔹Starting from: $12 /mo (Business) 🔹Free Domain: Yes 🔹Free Migration: Yes 🔹Sites Allowed: 1 🔹Disk Space: 50GB (Business plan)

WordPress.com is a popular all-in-one platform that lets you build and run a website without worrying about hosting or maintenance. We like how beginner-friendly it is, especially for small businesses that don’t want to deal with updates and backups themselves.

That said, we recommend starting with at least the Business plan ($12/month) if you’re coming from WP Engine. The lower-tier plans don’t let you install plugins, so they’ll feel limiting if you’re used to the flexibility of self-hosted WordPress.

We found the performance impressive thanks to their global edge caching and high-burst capacity. There’s no limit on traffic either, which makes it great for sites that are growing quickly.

For security, we liked that WordPress.com includes a built-in firewall and CDN. You also get daily backups, one-click restores, and malware protection — all managed for you.

Pros of Using WordPress.com:

• Unrestricted traffic
• Automatic updates and built-in security
• Easy-to-use site management
• WP Engine customers are offered free website migration

Cons of Using WordPress.com:

• Limited flexibility compared to self-hosted WordPress.org
• Customizations and plugins are only available on higher-tier plans
• No free migration services (outside of the WP Engine offer)

Best for:

• High-traffic websites
• Small to medium-sized businesses and agencies

Our Experience: We think WordPress.com is a solid choice for businesses that want a hands-off experience. It’s fast, secure, and easy to use. For more details, see our complete WordPress.com review. But if you prefer more flexibility and control over your plugins and code, we still recommend going with a self-hosted setup using WordPress.org. (Check out our explainer on the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org)

4. Bluehost Cloud

Quick info:🔹Starting from: $49.99/month 🔹Free Domain: No 🔹Free Migration: Yes 🔹Sites Allowed: 1 🔹Disk Space: 10GB

Bluehost, a WordPress.org officially recommended hosting provider, has partnered with some of the creators of WordPress, to provide a managed WordPress hosting platform called Bluehost Cloud. It is built for lightning-fast page load times and designed specifically for optimal WordPress site performance.  

Unlike other Bluehost hosting options, we’ve found that Bluehost Cloud comes with automatic updates and security enhancements. It’s an ideal platform for your site, if you get around 200k to 23 million visitors per month.

The best part is that you can directly contact a technical support agent specially trained in all things WordPress. They’re technically inclined enough to answer your questions in one contact and assist you with any resources you may need.

Pros of using Bluehost Cloud:

• Automatic WordPress core and plugin updates
• You get unrestricted bandwidth
• Access to the Yoast Premium plugin

Cons of using Bluehost Cloud:

• Higher pricing compared to some other options
• Higher renewal prices after the initial term

Best for:

• Agencies and developers
• Websites with high traffic volume

Our experience:

Bluehost Cloud’s primary advantages are speed and reliability, which make it a good choice for high-traffic WordPress sites. It’s also an officially recommended hosting provider by WordPress.org, so you can rest assured that your website is in good hands. For a detailed analysis, see our Bluehost review. Plus, get a huge discount on Bluehost using our Bluehost coupon code.

5. Hostinger

Quick info:🔹Starting from: $2.69/month 🔹Free Domain: Yes (1 year) 🔹Free Migration: Yes 🔹Sites Allowed: 1 🔹Disk Space: 100GB

Hostinger is one of the best budget-friendly hosting providers we’ve tested. We were honestly surprised by how much value it offers for such a low monthly price — especially for small businesses and personal websites.

Several of our team members actually host their personal sites with Hostinger. In our hosting tests, it consistently performed well in terms of speed and reliability. We especially liked how responsive their support team was — quick answers, helpful reps, and 24/7 availability.

We also found the LiteSpeed-powered servers and built-in caching really helpful for boosting performance. Their control panel is clean and beginner-friendly — perfect if you’re not super technical but still want control over your site.

Pros of Using Hostinger:

• Affordable pricing starting at $2.69/month
• Free domain and SSL certificate included
• 24/7 support and fast page load speeds
• Free site migration services

Cons of Using Hostinger:

• Limited resources on lower-tier plans

Best for:

• Small businesses and personal websites
• Beginners on a budget

Our Experience: We’ve had a great experience with Hostinger when it comes to speed, uptime, and support. It’s an easy pick for users who want reliable hosting without spending a fortune. (Check out our full Hostinger review for more details.) Plus, you can get up to 78% off with our Hostinger coupon code.

6. Liquid Web

Quick info:🔹Starting from: $20/month 🔹Free Domain: No 🔹Free Migration: Yes 🔹Sites Allowed: 1 🔹Disk Space: 40GB

Liquid Web is a hosting provider we usually recommend when someone needs serious performance and flexibility. We’ve worked with it on several high-traffic projects and were really impressed by how smooth and reliable it was.

When we tested Liquid Web, we appreciated its fast servers, excellent uptime, and the level of control it gives developers and agencies. It’s not your average shared host — this is a premium option made for sites that need power under the hood.

We also liked the advanced features you get with every plan: built-in security, automatic updates, and fully managed support. Their team really knows their stuff, and they’re available 24/7 if anything goes wrong.

Pros of Using Liquid Web:

• High-performance VPS and dedicated hosting options
• 24/7 support from highly trained professionals
• Advanced security features and automatic updates
• Free site migration services included

Cons of Using Liquid Web:

• Higher price point compared to shared hosting providers
• No free domain with hosting plans

Best for:

• Businesses with high-traffic websites
• Resource-intensive applications and eCommerce stores
• Developers and agencies

Our Experience: We’ve had a great experience using Liquid Web for resource-heavy websites that needed reliable uptime and advanced configurations. It’s a solid pick for developers or businesses who need more than just basic hosting. (Read the full Liquid Web review for more details.)

7. Kinsta

Quick info:🔹Starting from : $30/month 🔹Free Domain: No 🔹Free Migration: Yes 🔹Sites Allowed: 1 🔹Disk Space: 10GB

Kinsta is one of the premium hosting providers we’ve worked with, and we’ve always been impressed by their speed and reliability. It’s built on Google Cloud’s premium tier network, which gives it an edge when it comes to performance and uptime.

We’ve used Kinsta for hosting high-traffic WordPress sites and found their platform to be rock solid. From staging environments to automatic daily backups, everything is designed to simplify your workflow and boost your site’s speed.

Their dashboard is clean and intuitive, and their support team has been quick and helpful whenever we reached out. It’s the kind of hosting you choose when you don’t want to worry about technical issues holding your site back.

Pros of Using Kinsta:

• Built on Google Cloud’s premium tier network for optimal performance
• 24/7 customer support with fast response times
• Free CDN, SSL, and daily backups included
• Easy-to-use dashboard and staging environments

Cons of Using Kinsta:

• Higher pricing compared to many other hosting providers
• No email hosting is included with the plans

Best for:

• High-traffic WordPress websites
• Businesses looking for premium managed hosting
• Developers and agencies

Our Experience: We’ve had a great experience with Kinsta, especially for projects that need top-tier performance and reliability. The combination of cloud infrastructure, built-in security, and expert support makes it a dependable choice for scaling WordPress websites.

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Our Verdict: Which Is the Best WP Engine Alternative?

We’ve tested all the top WordPress hosting providers, and honestly, the best WP Engine alternative depends on what matters most to you.

To be honest, you can’t go wrong with any of these WP Engine alternatives. We’ve worked with all of them and found them reliable, beginner-friendly, and backed by helpful support teams.

How to Safely Move Your Website Away From WP Engine

Moving your site from one host to another can feel intimidating, especially when you’re worried about losing data or breaking something.

But don’t worry — most of the alternatives we’ve shared above offer free migrations. We’ve used this service ourselves, and in many cases, their support teams handled everything for us without any downtime.

If you’d rather do it yourself, then Duplicator is the plugin we recommend. It’s a powerful tool for backing up, cloning, and moving WordPress sites.

You can follow our beginner-friendly guide on how to move WordPress to a new host without downtime to walk through the steps.

We hope this article helped you find the best alternative to WP Engine for your hosting needs. You may also want to see our guide on when you should change your WordPress hosting or take a look at our pick of the fastest WordPress hosting companies.

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