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What We Look For in the Best WordPress Hosts for Agencies1. Hostinger – Value Option for Agencies With Many Smaller Sites2. IONOS – Best Starting Point for Newer Agencies3. Kinsta – Best WordPress Performance for High-End Clients4. ScalaHosting – Big Commissions for Every New Client5. Nexcess – Premium Managed WordPress Hosting With Lifetime Commissions6. InMotion Hosting – WHMCS, cPanel, and Generous Resources for ResellersWhat’s the Best WordPress Hosting Service for My Agency?FAQ
Short on Time? These Are the Best WordPress Hosts for Agencies in 2024
What We Look For in the Best WordPress Hosts for Agencies
In my analysis and testing, I focused on the following qualities – all of which are critical to your success as an agency providing hosting to your clients. Great performance and reliability. You could design a beautiful, responsive website for your client, but frequent downtime and slow loading speeds will ruin it for visitors. I only listed hosts that delivered good results in our performance tests. Easy WordPress management. Quality WordPress features will help keep your client sites running smoothly long-term, without the need for constant intervention from your team. This can be via hardware or software optimizations, smart plugin updates, or bespoke tools from your chosen hosting partner. Powerful development tools. Without development-specific tools and features, it’ll be a struggle to meet client demands. I’ve picked hosts with a variety of developer-friendly options, so you should be able to find one that suits your (or your dev team’s) style. Flexibility. Even if you’re building websites for a specific industry, the tech and resource requirements of each project will likely vary. I’ve leaned towards hosts that offer adequate resources to begin with, and the ability to scale up or down as necessary.We’ve found Hostinger to be one of the best-performing shared hosting providers out there – and its Agency plan prices are very low compared to most of the competition. If you serve clients looking for anything from landing pages, blogs, and business brochure sites to medium-sized e-commerce sites or high-quality professional portfolios, you’ll find good value here. These plans are powered by LiteSpeed Enterprise web server software and the LiteSpeed Cache for WordPress plugin, which thoroughly optimizes your clients’ WordPress sites for performance, right out of the box. The low prices mean that Hostinger doesn’t provide much in the way of billing or customer management tools, but you can micro-manage access to specific areas of the account and the control panel for your team or your clients. The least expensive Agency Starter plan allows you to host up to 100 WordPress sites with 200GB of total storage. That said, there is a recommended traffic volume limit of 100,000 visitors per month across all your sites. Hostinger claims that resources will scale to meet surges in traffic, but at these prices, you’ll want to keep the total visitor limits in mind.
A free domain name is included with some hosting plans from Hostinger
Features
- Easy-to-navigate control panel. Hostinger uses a proprietary control panel called hPanel, which is clean and responsive. Your team and your clients should have no trouble using it, and it offers a wide array of development features, like SSH access, WP-CLI, and Git integration.
- 24/7 server monitoring and auto-healing. All servers are monitored. If an issue is detected, automatic self-healing scripts will attempt to fix the issue, and support engineers will be notified.
- Automatic daily backups. Hostinger offers automatic daily backups with all plans. If a client breaks something on their website, you’ll be able to roll it back to a previous version.
- Priority support. You’ll receive priority support with Hostinger’s Agency plans, meaning you get access to Hostinger’s expert support faster than anyone else. Even better, your agency’s clients also get priority support.
Data Center Locations | 1 in the US, 3 in Europe, 2 in Asia, 1 in South America |
Types of WordPress Hosting | Shared, WooCommerce, agency hosting, VPS, cloud |
Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days |
Starting Price | $2.99 |
2. IONOS – Best Starting Point for Newer Agencies
1&1 IONOS offers big benefits to web development agencies – especially if you’re a new business that’s still looking to get a foothold in the industry. For example, you’ll get discounts on hosting products, allowing you to save money while you build your client list. Furthermore, IONOS lists partner agencies on its Partner Network for free, which allows you to be found by prospective clients. For these and other benefits, all you need to do is sign up for the IONOS Partner Program, which is completely free with the purchase of any hosting plan. This includes the shared plans, most of which allow for the hosting of an unlimited number of websites – within the reasonable limits of shared hosting, of course. If you have a handful of high-end clients with big websites and bigger expectations, I’d recommend the WP Pro Agency plan, which provides dedicated cloud hosting for up to ten websites on an NGINX-driven platform with advanced caching for all types of WordPress site content. IONOS Web Hosting
Plan NameStorageBandwidthFree SSLNumber of SitesPrice
More detailsA free domain name is included with some hosting plans from IONOS
Features
- Specialized partner portal. If you sign up for the IONOS Partner Program, you get access to a specialized dashboard that allows you to manage your clients’ web hosting, domains, email, and billing, all in one place.
- Scalable performance. You can add extra RAM, PHP processes per minute, and performance enhancements to IONOS shared hosting plans at any time.
- Free product trials. On top of the free credit and discounts, the Agency Partner Program also gives you access to free trials of various 1&1 IONOS products. You’ll also be able to test new products without charge before they are released to the wider customer base.
- Dedicated account manager. All of IONOS’ agency partners receive a dedicated account manager who will be your preferred point of contact for any queries.
Data Center Locations | 2 in the US, 4 in Europe |
Types of WordPress Hosting | Shared, WooCommerce, VPS, dedicated, cloud |
Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days |
Starting Price | $1.00 |
If you are working with client sites that require the very best performance, I recommend Kinsta. In our tests, Kinsta delivered impressively rapid loading speeds – some of the fastest we’ve ever seen from a WordPress host. In addition, there was never a single instance of downtime across several months of testing. Kinsta’s platform is hosted on Google Cloud’s state-of-the-art server network. To enhance performance further, Kinsta has applied its own rigorous WordPress optimization and performance enhancements, which include a custom implementation of the NGINX web server and multiple levels of content caching for fast page loading. Kinsta offers specialized plans for agencies, which come with perks such as unlimited hands-on migrations and free hosting for your agency’s website, not to mention Kinsta’s expert support team to help you with troubleshooting whenever you need it. The only downside? Premium features and top-tier infrastructure don’t come cheap – Kinsta is the most expensive option on this list.
Kinsta Web Hosting
Plan NameStorageFree SSLNumber of SitesPrice
More detailsFeatures
- Lots of data centers. Kinsta offers over 30 of Google Cloud’s data centers for your clients to choose from. This ensures that their sites will reside on servers near to their target audiences.
- Local WordPress dev tool. You’ll also have access to DevKinsta, a local WordPress development suite. This lets you work on client websites in your own work environment instead of on the server. When you’re ready, you can push any changes to the live site with a single click.
- Hack fix guarantee. If any of your client sites are ever compromised, Kinsta will restore them for free. Kinsta will also scan for and remove any malware on every site you migrate. This, in addition to a robust, wide-ranging security suite, ensures your clients’ sites remain 100% secure.
- 24/7 uptime monitoring. Kinsta monitors all sites on its platform for instances of downtime. Checks are performed every two minutes – if a site is experiencing issues, measures will be taken immediately to bring it back online.
Data Center Locations | 9 in the US, 2 in Canada, 10 in Europe, 2 in Australia, 1 in the Middle East, 9 in Asia, 2 in South America |
Types of WordPress Hosting | Managed WordPress and WooCommerce, WordPress agency hosting |
Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days |
Starting Price | $30.00 |
Some hosts offer commissions for every client you bring over to their services. While this tends to be a small percentage, ScalaHosting pays $300 for every new client – even if they buy the cheapest shared hosting plan. This is a great deal, especially for agencies that prioritize clients who only need basic websites. But ScalaHosting actually retains its overall value for high-end clients too. If your client purchases a premium solution that costs more than $300 in the first six months, you’ll instead get 100% of that initial six-month revenue. While ScalaHosting offers a few reseller plans with from 20 to 60 cPanel accounts each, you’ll get better value overall from the managed VPS plans if you don’t mind using the proprietary SPanel. Each of them come with low-latency NVMe SSD and unmetered bandwidth.
ScalaHosting VPS Hosting
Plan NameStorageBandwidthCPURAMPrice
More detailsA free domain name is included with some hosting plans from ScalaHosting
Features
- SShield security. The AI-driven SShield security suite automatically blocks 99.998% of web attacks and monitors each of your client sites 24/7 for malicious activity. If any intrusions are detected, you’ll receive a full report with advice on how to fix the underlying vulnerability.
- White labeling. ScalaHosting’s SPanel can be fully white-labeled – meaning that you can replace all existing branding with your own. In addition, you can set up your own private nameservers using a domain name of your choice.
- Fast setup. Upon purchasing a reseller plan, you’ll get access to your account in under a minute. Then, your clients’ WordPress sites can be migrated by ScalaHosting’s experts immediately.
- Domain reselling. ScalaHosting also allows you to resell domains, allowing you to get an extra stream of revenue. You can purchase domains in bulk for a discounted price.
Data Center Locations | 2 in the US, 1 in Europe |
Types of Hosting | Shared, WooCommerce, self-managed VPS, Managed VPS, reseller hosting |
Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days |
Starting Price | $20.00 |
5. Nexcess – Premium Managed WordPress Hosting With Lifetime Commissions
Nexcess offers commissions for every client you bring over, just like ScalaHosting. However, there’s a difference – Nexcess will pay ongoing commissions for the lifetime of each client account. Bringing a lot of clients to the Nexcess platform can become a major revenue stream. But there’s more to Nexcess than just an enticing commission offer. Nexcess specializes in managed WordPress hosting with useful premium features and plugins. These include daily automatic off-server backups, single-click site staging, a premium security suite, and a premium page builder plugin. These features, alongside Nexcess’ specialized NGINX-driven hosting platform, do incur higher-than-average fees. But these scalable WordPress plans are very well-suited to hosting client sites with variable traffic, as short-term traffic surges are included in the cost of the plan. Nexcess WordPress Hosting
Plan NameStorageBandwidthNumber of SitesBackupPriceFree Months
More detailsFeatures
- Smart automatic plugin management. All Nexcess plans offer an AI-driven plugin manager. Whenever there is an update for an active plugin, the AI will clone all of your client sites that use it in order to test the update for issues. Then, its effects on site performance will be monitored over time, and you’ll be provided with progress reports.
- Free auto-scaling. All Nexcess plans include 24 hours of free auto-scaling per month. Server resources are automatically increased to deal with short-lived traffic surges, and you don’t pay any extra for this.
- Great WooCommerce support. Nexcess also offers managed WooCommerce plans with features specific to the platform. Most notably, you’ll be able to provide your clients with in-depth sales performance analytics, cart abandonment prevention options, and various conversion optimization tools.
- Exclusive agency directory. If you start earning more than $12,001 annually from commissions, you’ll be included on Nexcess’ Partner Directory, bringing additional leads and prestige to your agency.
Data Center Locations | 4 in the US, 3 in Europe, 1 in Australia |
Types of WordPress Hosting | Managed WordPress and managed WooCommerce |
Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days |
Starting Price | $21.00 |
6. InMotion Hosting – WHMCS, cPanel, and Generous Resources for Resellers
All of the above vendors tend to use their own control panels and client management solutions, and while they are all good in their own right, they may take some time to learn. If you’d rather just stick with the standard WHMCS and cPanel, InMotion Hosting could be your best bet. The cheapest reseller plan comes with 25 cPanel licenses, with up to 80 in the top shared reseller plan. There is also a VPS-based reseller plan which starts with five cPanel licenses, and you’re expected to pay for each new one as you require it. This may be preferable if you’re hosting a smaller number of more complex or resource-heavy sites. InMotion Hosting’s reseller plans also come with generous bandwidth and storage allocations, along with unlimited email accounts for you and for your clients. The servers are managed, but WordPress itself isn’t, so you may be putting in a little more work configuring and maintaining your clients’ sites. InMotion Hosting Reseller Hosting
Plan NameStorageBandwidthPrice
More detailsFeatures
- Managed VPS with root access. You have the option to host your clients on a managed VPS, which provides significantly more reliable performance. Our team can handle server configuration for you, while still granting you root access should you wish to assume control or implement customizations.
- Softaculous auto-installer. Softaculous is included with all cPanel installations. This gives you (and your clients, if you wish) access to 400+ apps, scripts, and development tools – all of which can be installed with a single click.
- 100% white-labeled. You can replace all branding in cPanel with your own. InMotion Hosting also lets you set up your own private nameservers using a custom domain name.
- Long 90-day money-back guarantee. If you purchase a six-month or longer plan, you’ll have 90 days to test whether InMotion Hosting is right for your business. If it isn’t, you can get a full refund, no questions asked.
Data Center Locations | 2 in the US |
Types of WordPress Hosting | Shared, WooCommerce, reseller hosting, VPS, cloud hosting, dedicated servers |
Money-Back Guarantee | 90 days |
Starting Price | $19.99 |
What’s the Best WordPress Hosting Service for My Agency?
Each of the mentioned WordPress hosting providers can give agency-friendly service and high performance for your clients’ websites. But, they might not all be a good fit for your specific business. If you’re uncertain about which one to pick, here are my suggestions.
If you’re an agency that works with many smaller or low-traffic sites, Hostinger is your best value option. It offers the fastest shared WordPress hosting on this list, along with plenty of resources and support for lots of sites.
If you’re the new agency on the block, try IONOS. You can take advantage of various perks in its free Agency Partner Program, and it frequently offers very generous discounts to new customers.
If you work with high-end clients, go with Kinsta. It offers the best performance and reliability on the list by a significant margin, and its agency-friendly approach will benefit your team and your clients.
Still unsure? Take a look at the table below for a side-by-side comparison.
Standout Feature | Commissions? | Agency Directory? | Starting Price | ||
Hostinger | Best shared WordPress performance with generous resources | ✘ | ✘ | $2.99 | |
IONOS | Great discounts, and Partner Program | ✘ | ✔ | $1.00 | |
Kinsta | Best performance and reliability overall | ✘ | ✔ | $30.00 | |
ScalaHosting | Biggest flat commissions for new clients | ✔ | ✘ | $20.00 | |
Nexcess | Best potential for long-term commission revenue and premium WordPress features | ✔ | ✔ | $21.00 | |
InMotion Hosting | Best value WordPress host with WHMCS & cPanel | ✘ | ✘ | $19.99 |