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WP Engine Review 2024: Is WPengine Worth the Money? (Expert Opinion)

September 9, 2024

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So you’re looking for a managed WordPress host that delivers speed, reliability and peace of mind? You’ve probably found a WP Engine review. But is it really worth the hype – and the cost? In this WP Engine review we’ll go through everything you need to know about this premium host, from WP Engine’s features and performance scores to help you decide if it’s right for your site.

What is WP Engine?

Let’s be real – not all WordPress hosts are created equal. WP Engine is like the Rolls-Royce of managed WordPress hosting for those who value performance, security and hands on support. This isn’t your run of the mill bargain basement shared hosting. WP Engine only hosts WordPress websites, so they know their stuff when it comes to optimising your site’s speed and security. WP Engine is for WordPress users, with features like automated updates and dedicated support to make managing and scaling websites easier. WP Engine’s managed WordPress hosting delivers unparalleled performance, security and customer support – it’s the top choice for serious WordPress users.

What is Managed WordPress Hosting?

Managed WordPress hosting is a special type of hosting service for WordPress sites. Unlike traditional hosting, managed WordPress hosting takes care of the technical side of running a site so you can focus on creating content and growing your online presence. With managed WordPress hosting you get better performance, enhanced security and easier management.

WP Engine is a leading managed WordPress host. By choosing WP Engine you get access to a whole host of features to optimise your WordPress site. WP Engine’s offerings include automated updates, daily backups, robust security and fast server response times. So your site runs smoothly and securely, with faster loading times, higher uptime and expert support when you need it. For WordPress users looking for a hassle free hosting experience WP Engine is the choice.

WP Engine’s Managed WordPress Hosting Plans

WP Engine offers a range of managed WordPress hosting plans designed to meet the needs of different users. Whether you’re a small business owner, a growing enterprise, or an individual looking to host multiple WordPress sites, WP Engine has a plan for you.

Startup Plan ($30/month): Ideal for small businesses and individuals who want to host a single WordPress site. This plan includes 25,000 monthly visitors, 50GB of monthly data transfers, and 10GB of storage. It’s perfect for those new to managed WordPress hosting, offering a robust introduction to WP Engine’s high-quality services.
Professional Plan ($59/month): Suitable for growing businesses and individuals who need to host multiple WordPress sites. This plan includes 75,000 monthly visitors, 125GB of monthly data transfers, and 15GB of storage. It provides more resources and flexibility, making it easier to manage and scale your online presence.
Growth Plan ($115/month): Designed for large businesses and individuals with high-traffic WordPress sites. This plan includes 100,000 monthly visitors, 200GB of monthly data transfers, and 20GB of storage. It’s ideal for those looking to increase traffic and content without compromising on performance.
Scale Plan ($290/month): Perfect for enterprise-level businesses and individuals with high traffic and large storage needs. This plan includes 400,000 monthly visitors, 500GB of monthly data transfers, and 50GB of storage. It offers enterprise-level resources to ensure your site runs smoothly even under heavy load.

All plans include access to WP Engine’s high-quality hosting infrastructure, free premium themes and tools, site backups, and managed plugin updates. With these plans, WP Engine ensures that your WordPress site is fast, secure, and always up-to-date.

Why WP Engine?

WP Engine is for anyone who’s sick of the hassle of traditional hosting. If you’re running a business, multiple sites or just want a smooth, fast and secure experience without messing with technical details WP Engine has you covered. WP Engine’s performance metrics – server response time, security, uptime and customer support – have been tested and proven in real world testing and reviews.

WP Engine Features

WP Engine isn’t just about pretty dashboards (although it has those too). It’s about a complete hosting experience that makes your WordPress site thrive. WP Engine’s features are optimised for WordPress sites, to speed up and improve site functionality. Here’s what sets WP Engine apart:

Lightning Fast Performance: In the world of hosting speed is everything. WP Engine uses advanced caching, a global CDN and cutting edge server technology to make your site load faster than ever. With data centers in multiple locations around the world WP Engine’s infrastructure is optimised to deliver fast performance no matter where your audience is.
Simple Dashboard and Setup: Not a tech guru? No problem. WP Engine’s dashboard is designed to be simple to use so you can manage your sites, plugins and backups without a steep learning curve. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or a WordPress newbie you’ll find the interface easy to use.
Global Data Centers & CDN Coverage: One of WP Engine’s standout features is its global network. With data centers in multiple continents and integrated CDN services your site will get lightning fast load times and improved user experience and SEO.
Daily Automatic Backups: Imagine losing your entire site due to a technical glitch or hack – nightmare! WP Engine does daily backups stored offsite on Amazon S3 so your data is safe and recoverable with a few clicks.
Managed Plugin Updates: Keeping plugins up to date is crucial but can also be a minefield. WP Engine updates plugins with visual regression testing which checks that nothing on your site breaks after an update. A lifesaver for anyone who’s ever had their site crash from a bad plugin update.
Access to Premium Themes: No need to spend hundreds on premium WordPress themes. WP Engine includes access to a collection of premium themes that are not only beautiful but optimised for performance.
24/7 Expert Support: Nothing beats having access to real experts when something goes wrong. The WP Engine support team is available 24/7 via live chat to help with anything from minor tweaks to major issues.
Powered by Top Tier Infrastructure: Hosting built on the Google Cloud Platform and Amazon Web Services means WP Engine has a solid foundation that’s scalable and reliable.

WP Engine Plans and Pricing

WP Engine has plans to suit different needs and budgets. The plans include:

Startup Plan ($30/month): For small sites and startups. 1 WordPress install, 25,000 monthly visitors, 50GB monthly data transfers, 10GB storage. Great for those new to managed WordPress hosting.
Professional Plan ($59/month): For growing businesses. 3 WordPress sites, 75,000 monthly visitors, 15GB storage, 125GB monthly data transfers. More resources and flexibility for growing sites.
Growth Plan ($115/month): For scaling businesses. 10 WordPress installs, 100,000 monthly visits, 20GB storage, 200GB data transfers per month. For increasing traffic and content.
Scale Plan ($290/month): For large businesses with high traffic. 30 WordPress sites, 400,000 visits per month, 50GB storage, 500GB monthly data transfers. Enterprise level resources.

WP Engine also has Atlas hosting plans starting at $49/month for the Startup plan and $399 for the Scale plan. WP Engine also has Advanced Solutions which include DDoS protection, priority support and scalable dynamic traffic starting at $600/month. These plans are for businesses that require advanced security and performance features.

High-Quality Hosting Infrastructure

WP Engine’s hosting infrastructure is designed to provide fast and reliable performance for WordPress sites. By leveraging the power of the Google Cloud Platform and Amazon Web Services, WP Engine ensures that your site is hosted on a solid foundation optimized for WordPress installations.

Fast Servers: WP Engine’s servers are optimized for speed and performance, ensuring that your WordPress site loads quickly and efficiently. This is crucial for providing a great user experience and improving your site’s SEO.
Content Delivery Network (CDN): WP Engine’s integrated CDN helps to distribute your content across different geographic locations, reducing latency and improving page load times. This means your site will load quickly for users no matter where they are in the world.
Load Balancing: WP Engine’s load balancing technology distributes traffic across multiple servers, ensuring that your WordPress site can handle high traffic volumes without slowing down. This is especially important during traffic spikes, such as during sales or promotions.
Server Locations: With server locations in multiple regions, including North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, WP Engine helps to reduce latency and improve performance. This global reach ensures that your site is fast and reliable for users around the world.

Free Premium Themes and Tools

WP Engine offers a range of free premium themes and tools to help users create and manage their WordPress sites. These resources are designed to make it easier for you to build a professional-looking site without needing extensive design or coding skills.

Premium WordPress Themes: WP Engine provides access to a collection of premium WordPress themes that are not only beautiful but also optimized for performance. These themes are designed to be fast, secure, and easy to use, helping you create a stunning site that performs well.
Page Builder: WP Engine’s page builder tool allows you to create custom pages and layouts without needing to write code. This drag-and-drop tool makes it easy to design your site exactly how you want it, even if you have no technical experience.
SEO Optimization: WP Engine’s SEO optimization tool helps you to optimize your WordPress site for search engines, improving visibility and driving more traffic. This tool provides actionable insights and recommendations to help you improve your site’s SEO performance.

Site Backups and Managed Plugin Updates

WP Engine offers daily site backups and managed plugin updates to help users protect their WordPress sites and keep them up-to-date. These features are designed to provide peace of mind and ensure that your site is always running smoothly.

Daily Site Backups: WP Engine creates daily backups of your WordPress site, which can be easily restored in case of a disaster or data loss. This means you can quickly recover your site if something goes wrong, minimizing downtime and disruption.
Managed Plugin Updates: WP Engine’s managed plugin updates feature helps to keep your WordPress site up-to-date with the latest plugins and themes. This reduces the risk of security vulnerabilities and ensures that your site is always running the latest and most secure versions of your plugins.

Performance and Uptime: Why Speed Matters

With WP Engine speed isn’t a luxury—it’s a given. In a competitive landscape where every millisecond counts WP Engine’s 292ms average load time is impressive, many of its competitors can’t match that. But it’s not just about speed; uptime is just as important and WP Engine’s 99.95% guarantee means your site will be up when your customers need it. WP Engine’s hosting is fast and up, that’s why it’s a reliable choice. WP Engine’s performance metrics, server response time and security features set it apart from the competition.

Performance Boosting Tech WP Engine uses load balancing, custom caching and an integrated CDN to make sure your site performs at its best even during traffic surges.

Web Hosting Performance Tests: WP Engine vs Competitors

When tested WP Engine’s performance metrics score high. Sites on WP Engine load fast and handle traffic with ease, it’s the top choice for business critical sites. WP Engine can also handle multiple WordPress sites.

Real-World Performance

Independent testing shows WP Engine’s platform loads pages fast and is stable under stress, outperforms many other managed WordPress hosts. WP Engine’s server response time, security features, uptime and customer service are highly rated in real-world performance metrics.

For a full review check out a WP Engine review that covers real-world testing, customer experiences and performance metrics.

Migration and Setup

Migrating your site to WP Engine is easy with their migration tools and resources. WP Engine’s migration tool makes the process simple, you can transfer your WordPress site to their platform in minutes. If you run into any issues during the migration WP Engine’s support team is there to help you through the process.

Once you’re migrated you can use all of WP Engine’s features. WP Engine’s managed WordPress hosting has fast server response time, robust security features and 99.95% uptime. The WP Engine dashboard is easy to use to manage and monitor your site and analytics. WP Engine also has premium WordPress themes that can be installed and customized to make a professional looking site without requiring design skills.

Security and Protection

WP Engine takes security and protection seriously and offers the following:

Free SSL Certificate: Every hosting subscription comes with a free SSL certificate to encrypt connections and increase your site’s security and trust.
Daily Malware Scans and Firewall: WP Engine scans for malware daily and updates the firewall daily to block the latest threats.
Real-time Threat Detection: WP Engine’s security team monitors your site in real-time and responds to potential threats as they happen. This is continuous protection for your site 24/7.
Enterprise-grade Firewalls and Free Hacking Remediation: WP Engine uses enterprise-grade firewalls and offers an additional layer of protection against advanced attacks. If your site gets hacked WP Engine’s security team will fix it for free.
Automated Daily Site Backups and Plugin Updates: WP Engine does automated daily backups so your data is safe and restorable with a few clicks. They also update plugins with visual regression testing which checks that nothing breaks on your site after an update.
LargeFS Software: WP Engine’s own LargeFS software allows for large file transfers and storage so your site can handle lots of content without performance issues.
Content Delivery Network (CDN): Integrated CDN services deliver content from servers closest to your users for faster page loads and better user experience.
Staging Environments: WP Engine has staging environments for testing and development. You can make changes and test new features without affecting your live site so deployment is smooth and error free.

WP Engine’s security is designed to give WordPress users peace of mind and their support team is available 24/7 for security issues. With these measures in place WP Engine will keep your WordPress site safe, secure and reliable.

Security

When it comes to securing your WordPress site WP Engine leaves no stone unturned. WP Engine’s security features are designed to protect your site from threats and vulnerabilities.

Daily Malware Scans: WP Engine scans for malware daily to detect and eliminate any malicious code that may have got in to your site. This is proactive so your site stays clean and secure.
Firewall: The firewall is updated daily to block the latest threats.
Real-time Threat Detection: WP Engine’s security team monitors your site in real-time and responds to potential threats as they happen. This is continuous protection for your site 24/7.
Enterprise-grade Firewalls: WP Engine uses enterprise-grade firewalls to add an extra layer of protection against advanced attacks.
Free Hacking Remediation: If your site gets hacked WP Engine’s security team will fix it for free.

Support

WP Engine’s support is top-notch with multiple channels to help you whenever you need it. WP Engine’s support is famous for its support features so you get the best support.

Phone Support: 24/7 phone support so you can get help right away for urgent issues.
Live Chat Support: For quick and easy help WP Engine’s live chat support is available 24/7 so you can get help in real-time.
Email Support: If you prefer you can email WP Engine’s support team and expect a response within a few hours.
Knowledge Base: WP Engine’s knowledge base is a treasure trove of tutorials, guides and FAQs. Whether you’re setting up your site or troubleshooting an issue the knowledge base is a must have.

WP Engine’s Community and Resources

WP Engine has a large and active community of users, developers, and partners who contribute to the company’s ecosystem. The company offers a range of resources and tools to help users get the most out of their WordPress sites.

Knowledge Base: WP Engine’s knowledge base includes a wealth of articles, tutorials, and guides on how to use WordPress and WP Engine’s services. Whether you’re setting up your site or troubleshooting an issue, the knowledge base is an invaluable resource.
Community Forum: WP Engine’s community forum is a place where users can ask questions, share knowledge, and get help from other users and WP Engine’s support team. This collaborative environment fosters learning and problem-solving.
Webinars and Training: WP Engine offers regular webinars and training sessions on how to use WordPress and WP Engine’s services, as well as best practices for creating and managing WordPress sites. These sessions are a great way to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and techniques.
Partnerships: WP Engine has partnerships with a range of companies and organizations in the WordPress ecosystem, including theme and plugin developers, agencies, and hosting providers. These partnerships help to enhance the services and resources available to WP Engine users.

By leveraging these community resources, WP Engine users can gain valuable insights, learn new skills, and get the support they need to succeed with their WordPress sites.

User Interface

WP Engine’s user interface is designed to be simple and easy to use so anyone can manage their WordPress site. WP Engine’s features are built to enhance usability and performance.

WP Engine Dashboard: The dashboard is clean and easy to navigate and gives you a clear view of your site’s performance and security status. Even if you’re new to WordPress you’ll find it easy to use.
Copy Site: Need to test changes or develop a new feature? WP Engine’s copy site feature allows you to duplicate your site in seconds so testing and development is a breeze.
FTP Access: If you need to upload and manage files directly WP Engine provides FTP access so you have full control over your site’s files.
Google Cloud Platform: WP Engine uses the Google Cloud Platform so your site gets a fast, reliable and scalable infrastructure. This means your site can handle traffic spikes and deliver a smooth user experience.

Scalability and Flexibility

One of WP Engine’s best features is its scalability and flexibility. Whether you’re starting small or running a large operation WP Engine’s hosting plans can be customised to your needs. WP Engine’s scalable features mean you can upgrade or downgrade your plan as your site grows so you always have the resources you need without downtime.

WP Engine’s integration with the Google Cloud Platform makes it even more scalable. This powerful infrastructure means your site can handle traffic spikes with ease and provides a flexible hosting solution. For businesses and organisations that need a hosting service that can adapt to their changing needs WP Engine is the way to go.

Pricing and Value: Is WP Engine worth it?

WP Engine isn’t the cheapest but you get what you pay for. Starting at $30 per month WP Engine includes managed features like daily backups, automatic updates and premium support which justifies the extra cost compared to standard shared hosting plans.

WP Engine’s server response time, security and uptime are among the best in the industry so you get a reliable and secure hosting experience. Plus WP Engine’s managed WordPress hosting has many benefits so it’s the top choice for performance and peace of mind.

Add-ons – Need more? WP Engine has paid add-ons like advanced security and priority support so you can customise your hosting environment to your exact needs.

E-commerce and Email Marketing

WP Engine has integrations to help you grow your online business especially in e-commerce and email marketing. WP Engine’s e-commerce and email marketing integrations have robust solutions for online businesses.

WooCommerce: Optimised for WooCommerce WP Engine makes it easy to set up and manage an online store. WooCommerce is one of the most popular e-commerce plugins for WordPress and WP Engine makes sure it runs smoothly on their platform.
Email Marketing Tools: WP Engine integrates with various email marketing tools including Drip, DirectIQ and Mailflow. These integrations make it easy to manage your email campaigns and grow your subscriber list.
One-click Store Creation: Setting up an online store is a breeze with WP Engine’s one-click store creation. This makes it easy to get started selling products.
Optimised Store Themes: WP Engine has a range of optimised store themes to enhance user experience and conversions. These themes are not only looking good but also performance optimised.

WP Engine Pros and Cons

Pros:

Lightning Fast Load Times: Better user experience and SEO.
High Uptime: Reliable service with minimal downtime.
User Friendly Dashboard: Easy to use.
Robust Backup: Daily automated backups of your data.
Automatic Plugin Management: Worry free updates with visual testing.
Global Reach: CDN and data centres for fast access worldwide.
Top Notch Support: 24/7 support. 24/7 live chat on the entry level Startup plan and phone support on higher tier plans.
WP Engine’s Performance: WP Engine’s managed WordPress hosting has fast server response time, advanced security and great customer support so it’s the top choice for businesses.

Cons:

More Expensive: More than basic hosting.
Extra Cost: Some premium features require extra payment.
No Phone Support: No phone support for entry level plans.

WP Engine Alternatives

While WP Engine is the top choice for managed WordPress hosting it’s always good to have options. WP Engine has fast server response time, robust security, high uptime and great customer support so it’s a strong contender in the managed WordPress hosting space. Here are some other managed WordPress hosting options:

HostGator: Affordable and has multiple hosting plans. Managed WordPress hosting with free site migrations and user friendly control panel.
SiteGround: Popular choice. Managed WordPress hosting with great customer support, free daily backups and robust security features.
Kinsta: Performance and security focused. Managed WordPress hosting with auto scaling, daily backups and user friendly dashboard.
Liquid Web: Managed WordPress hosting with high performance and reliability. Auto updates, daily backups and dedicated support team.
WPX Hosting: Fast and reliable managed WordPress hosting with great customer support, free site migrations and high speed. Perfect for bloggers, businesses and online stores looking for hassle free hosting. Check out our WPX review.

Each of these has its own strengths so it’s worth comparing them to see what’s best for you.

Is WP Engine for You?

WP Engine is for businesses, agencies and developers who need a reliable high performance hosting. With its managed WordPress hosting features and great performance WP Engine hosting is a premium option. WP Engine’s server response time, security features, uptime and customer support are often highlighted in real world testing and reviews so you can see the benefits of using WP Engine’s managed WordPress hosting. If you’ve outgrown your current host and are ready to invest in a managed service so you can focus on what you do best – creating content and growing your business – WP Engine might be the one for you.

But if budget is your biggest concern or you’re just starting and don’t need all the extras WP Engine might be too expensive.

Conclusion: Should You Choose WP Engine?

WP Engine is not just a web host – it’s a managed WordPress hosting platform that provides speed, security and support. Our WP Engine hosting review shows you WP Engine’s features like server response time, security features, uptime and expert support that makes it a great option for anyone serious about their WordPress site even if the price is higher.

Ready to Try it Out? If WP Engine is for you then go ahead and make the switch. Upgrade your WordPress hosting today with WP Engine and give your site the speed it deserves. Click here to get started with WP Engine now.

FAQs

Q: What is WP Engine used for? A: WP Engine is a managed WordPress hosting service that provides fast, secure and reliable hosting for WordPress sites. It takes care of technical tasks like updates, backups and security scans so you can focus on your content and business. WP Engine’s performance metrics like server response time and uptime are among the best in the industry so it’s a top choice for serious WordPress users.

Q: Why WP Engine? A: WP Engine has many benefits – performance, security, ease of management. It’s for businesses and organizations that need a reliable and flexible hosting solution so your WordPress site runs smoothly and efficiently.

Q: What’s the difference between WP Engine and HostGator? A: WP Engine is a managed WordPress hosting service, HostGator is a shared host. WP Engine has better performance, more security and specialized WordPress features that are not available with HostGator so it’s better for WordPress users.

Q: How do I move my site to WP Engine? A: WP Engine has tools and resources to help with the migration. Their migration tool allows you to transfer your WordPress site to the WP Engine platform and their support team is available to help with any issues that may arise during the process.

Q: What kind of support does WP Engine offer? A: 24/7 support via phone, email and live chat. Their expert support team is always available to help with any issues and provide guidance and advice so you can get the most out of WP Engine.

Q: Is WP Engine worth it? A: Yes WP Engine is more expensive than others but it has many benefits – performance, security and ease of management. For businesses and organizations that need a reliable and flexible hosting solution WP Engine is worth it.