Hosting Models
Managed Hosting
Hosting where the provider handles server administration, security patching, updates, and backups so you don't have to.
Managed hosting means the provider owns the boring, critical parts: OS patching, security hardening, backups, monitoring, and often application-level updates too. You get a running environment and support staff who actually know it, instead of a bare Linux box and a shrug.
Managed WordPress is the clearest example. Kinsta runs it on Google Cloud with a fast stack and support people who know the platform cold, at around $35/mo for a single site. WP Engine plays in the same space. Cloudways sits one layer down, managing servers you provision on DigitalOcean, Vultr, or Linode.
You pay a real premium for this, sometimes several times the raw infrastructure cost. It's worth it when the site makes money and an hour of your time fixing servers costs more than the markup.
Go deeper
- Managed vs Unmanaged Hosting: What You're Actually Paying ForThe real difference between a $5 VPS and a $25 managed instance running the same hardware.
- Managed Database vs Running Your Own: The Real MathA managed PostgreSQL costs 2-4x the raw server underneath. Whether that premium is worth it depends on exactly one question: what your untested backup is worth.