WP Engine alternatives
WP Engine's cheapest plan for one website, Essential – 1 site (sized for 25,000 visits a month), is $28 a month on a 12-month term, then renews at $35 (1.3×). Kept with renewals it costs $336 for 1 year, $1,176 over 3 years and $2,016 over 5. Of the 9 other hosts we price that sell managed WordPress, each on its cheapest plan sized for at least 25,000 visits a month, 8 cost less for 1 year, all 9 cost less over 3 years and all 9 cost less over 5 years. Over 3 years the cheapest is Hosting.com at $125.62 (WP Small, $1,050 less).
Worth knowing about WP Engine: WP Engine sells its Essential plans self-serve; larger plans are sold by its sales team. The first year on annual billing is discounted for new customers and renews at the regular annual price.
Every alternative against WP Engine, kept 1, 3 and 5 years
| Host | 1 year | 3 years | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| WP Engine Essential – 1 site | $336 $28.00 a month | $1,176 $32.67 a month | $2,016 $33.60 a month |
| Hosting.com WP Small Cheaper at every length | $53.87 $282.13 less | $125.62 $1,050 less | $485.26 $1,531 less |
| Liquid Web Essentials, 1 site, 50k visits Cheaper at every length | $97.20 $238.80 less | $291.60 $884.40 less | $486 $1,530 less |
| DreamHost DreamPress 1 Cheaper at every length | $179.88 $156.12 less | $431.64 $744.36 less | $1,043 $972.72 less |
| ChemiCloud Managed WordPress Tiny Cheaper at every length | $150 $186 less | $450 $726 less | $750 $1,266 less |
| HostPapa MWP Core Cheaper at every length | $179.40 $156.60 less | $538.20 $637.80 less | $897 $1,119 less |
| Pressable Signature 1 Cheaper at every length | $250 $86 less | $750 $426 less | $1,250 $766 less |
| Flywheel Starter Cheaper at every length | $300 $36 less | $900 $276 less | $1,500 $516 less |
| Rocket.net Starter Cheaper at every length | $300 $36 less | $900 $276 less | $1,500 $516 less |
| Kinsta Single 35k Cheaper from 2 years | $350 $14 more | $1,050 $126 less | $1,750 $266 less |
Each host's cheapest managed WordPress plan and term for one website sized for at least 25,000 visits a month, the traffic WP Engine's Essential – 1 site is sized for (plans with no stated visit limit count), all payments while you keep it: the first term up front, then renewals at the published renewal price. Under each total, the difference from WP Engine; the highlight marks a total below WP Engine's. A dash means the host publishes no renewal price for that long. Before tax, without a domain.
The year each alternative becomes cheaper than WP Engine
Every length from 1 to 5 years, compared in whole years kept. The cheapest plan and term can change with the length: a long term paid up front can cover more than the years kept, and that payment counts in full.
Cheaper than WP Engine at every length
- Hosting.com: $282.13 less for 1 year and $1,531 less over 5 years ($485.26 against $2,016).
- Liquid Web: $238.80 less for 1 year and $1,530 less over 5 years ($486 against $2,016).
- DreamHost: $156.12 less for 1 year and $972.72 less over 5 years ($1,043 against $2,016).
- ChemiCloud: $186 less for 1 year and $1,266 less over 5 years ($750 against $2,016).
- HostPapa: $156.60 less for 1 year and $1,119 less over 5 years ($897 against $2,016).
- Pressable: $86 less for 1 year and $766 less over 5 years ($1,250 against $2,016).
- Flywheel: $36 less for 1 year and $516 less over 5 years ($1,500 against $2,016).
- Rocket.net: $36 less for 1 year and $516 less over 5 years ($1,500 against $2,016).
Cheaper than WP Engine from a later year
- Kinsta becomes cheaper at 2 years: $700 against $756. For 1 year it costs $350 against $336.
Intro price and renewal price
| Host and plan | Intro /mo | Renews at /mo | Renewal from |
|---|---|---|---|
| WP Engine Essential – 1 site 12 months, $336 up front | $28.00 | $35.00 1.3× intro | Year 2 |
| Hosting.com WP Small 3 years, $125.62 up front | $3.49 | $9.99 2.9× intro | Year 4 |
| Liquid Web Essentials, 1 site, 50k visits 12 months, $97.20 up front | $8.10 | $8.10 same | Year 2 |
| DreamHost DreamPress 1 3 years, $431.64 up front | $11.99 | $16.99 1.4× intro | Year 4 |
| ChemiCloud Managed WordPress Tiny 12 months, $150 up front | $12.50 | $12.50 same | Year 2 |
| HostPapa MWP Core Monthly | $14.95 | $14.95 same | Month 2 |
| Pressable Signature 1 12 months, $250 up front | $20.83 | $20.83 same | Year 2 |
| Flywheel Starter 12 months, $300 up front | $25.00 | $25.00 same | Year 2 |
| Rocket.net Starter 12 months, $300 up front | $25.00 | $25.00 same | Year 2 |
| Kinsta Single 35k 12 months, $350 up front | $30.00 | $30.00 same | Year 2 |
The lowest intro price on the plan each host's totals use, the term it needs, and what that term renews at, with how many times the intro price that is ("same" when it doesn't rise). Renewal from is when the first renewal is charged.
Leaving managed WordPress altogether
Hosting that isn't managed WordPress costs far less, and runs WordPress too. The cheapest for one website: for 1 year, IONOS Plus at $12 (against $336 on WP Engine); over 3 years, ChemiCloud Starter at $70.20 (against $1,176 on WP Engine); over 5 years, Hostinger Premium at $275.40 (against $2,016 on WP Engine). Those plans aren't sized by visits the way WP Engine's are, so they aren't counted above. Web hosting vs WordPress hosting has what each host sells under both names.
What each plan includes
- WP Engine Essential – 1 site: 1 website, 10 GB storage, sized for 25,000 visits a month; no free domain mentioned; no money-back terms recorded.
- Hosting.com WP Small: 1 website, 20 GB storage, sized for 30,000 visits a month; a free domain for a period it doesn't state; a .com renews at $21.99 a year with Hosting.com; a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Liquid Web Essentials, 1 site, 50k visits: 1 website, 15 GB storage, sized for 50,000 visits a month; no free domain mentioned; no money-back terms recorded.
- DreamHost DreamPress 1: 1 website, 15 GB storage, sized for 40,000 visits a month; a free domain for 1 year on terms of a year or more; a .com renews at $21.99 a year with DreamHost; a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- ChemiCloud Managed WordPress Tiny: 1 website, 10 GB storage, sized for 100,000 visits a month; a free domain for 1 year on terms of a year or more; a .com renews at $17.95 a year with ChemiCloud; a 45-day money-back guarantee.
- HostPapa MWP Core: 1 website, 30 GB storage, sized for 50,000 visits a month; no free domain mentioned; a .com renews at $24.19 a year with HostPapa; a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Pressable Signature 1: 1 website, 20 GB storage, sized for 30,000 visits a month; no free domain mentioned; a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Flywheel Starter: 1 website, 10 GB storage, sized for 25,000 visits a month; no free domain mentioned; a 60-day money-back guarantee.
- Rocket.net Starter: 1 website, 10 GB storage, no visit limit stated; no free domain mentioned; a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Kinsta Single 35k: 1 website, 10 GB storage, sized for 35,000 visits a month; no free domain mentioned; a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Renewal and money-back terms, in each host's words
- WP Engine: WP Engine's plan page says its first-year price “is not valid for upgrades, renewals or any other product purchase” and “Product renewal pricing subject to change.”
- Hosting.com: Hosting.com's service terms: “All Products, except for Domains, Servers and certain third-party supplier products*: 30 days.”
- Liquid Web: Liquid Web's terms: “We may increase Fees upon thirty (30) days’ notice, with such increase to take effect as of the first day of the next Renewal Term”.
- DreamHost: DreamHost's plan cards list a “30-Day Money-Back Guarantee”, and its terms say a customer who cancels “within thirty (30) days of initial signup” can do so “for any reason”.
- ChemiCloud: ChemiCloud's terms: “Promotional prices apply only to the first term of the Service; renewals are at the then-current standard rate unless the promotional terms expressly say otherwise.” ChemiCloud's terms: “45-Day Money-Back Guarantee applies exclusively to: Shared Web Hosting, Reseller Hosting, WordPress Hosting, Email Hosting, Python Hosting, and Managed WordPress Hosting.”
- HostPapa: HostPapa's checkout: “All plans are prepaid and will renew for the same term at regular rates automatically”. HostPapa's plan page: “Risk-Free 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee”.
- Pressable: Pressable's yearly checkout for Signature 1 lists “Recurring Fee (Every Year) $250.00”, the same as the first payment. Pressable: “Sign up risk-free with our 30-day money-back guarantee.”
- Flywheel: Flywheel's terms, which are WP Engine's, say fees for a renewal term “will be at our then-current rates”. Flywheel: “we offer a 60-day money-back guarantee.” “However, all Agency and Custom plans are excluded from this guarantee. This guarantee does not apply to upgrades or renewals.”
- Rocket.net: Rocket.net's pricing page: “Unlike our competition, we’ll never do price hikes on renewals.” Rocket.net: “We offer a 30-day money back guarantee on all of our services except for our Enterprise hosting plans.”
- Kinsta: Kinsta: “You can try Kinsta risk-free with a first month free on select plans for new customers. After any free period, all plans are covered by our 30-day money-back guarantee.”
Charges on top of the plan
- WP Engine: WP Engine's overage page charges “$2 per 1,000 extra monthly visitors” on the plans it names, which don't include Essential; its plan builder prices “Additional Sites” at “$240.00 / per year per site”.
- Pressable: Pressable: “Usage above your plan’s included visits and storage is billed at $1.20 per 1,000 visits and $1.00 per GB of storage.”
- Flywheel: Flywheel's pricing FAQ: “The overage cost is $1 per 1,000 extra monthly visitors*.” Its help doc says “The overage cost is $2 per 1,000 extra monthly visitors.” Another site: “An additional site is $20/month or $200/year (giving you two months free)!”
- Rocket.net: Rocket.net: “You can upgrade to the next plan or we bill disk space overages at $2/GB and Bandwidth overages at $0.08/GB.”
- Kinsta: Kinsta's overage docs: going over a plan's visits will “charge you an overage fee ($0.50/1,000 visits)”, and extra disk space is “prorated at a rate of $2 per GB per month”; its pricing page sells “+ 1 additional site / $30 USD / month”.
WP Engine alternatives: quick answers
Is there a cheaper alternative to WP Engine?
Yes: for 1 year 8 of the 9 cost less than WP Engine's $336, the cheapest Hosting.com at $53.87 (WP Small, 12 months), $282.13 less; over 3 years all 9 cost less than WP Engine's $1,176, the cheapest Hosting.com at $125.62 (WP Small, 3 years), $1,050 less; over 5 years all 9 cost less than WP Engine's $2,016, the cheapest Hosting.com at $485.26 (WP Small, 3 years, paid through year 6), $1,531 less. Each total is the host's cheapest managed WordPress plan for one website sized for at least 25,000 visits a month, renewals included.
What are the best WP Engine alternatives?
On price alone: Hosting.com, Liquid Web, DreamHost, ChemiCloud, HostPapa, Pressable, Flywheel and Rocket.net are cheaper than WP Engine at every length from 1 to 5 years; Kinsta from 2 years becomes cheaper later. The cheapest alternative for 1 year is Hosting.com at $53.87, against $336 on WP Engine; over 3 years, Hosting.com at $125.62, against $1,176 on WP Engine; over 5 years, Hosting.com at $485.26, against $2,016 on WP Engine. This ranks hosts by what they cost with renewals and nothing else; speed, support and uptime aren't measured here.
Which WP Engine alternatives stay cheaper after the first year?
Kept 2 to 5 years, 9 cost less than WP Engine at every length: Hosting.com ($485.26 over 5 years), Liquid Web ($486 over 5 years), DreamHost ($1,043 over 5 years), ChemiCloud ($750 over 5 years), HostPapa ($897 over 5 years), Pressable ($1,250 over 5 years), Flywheel ($1,500 over 5 years), Rocket.net ($1,500 over 5 years) and Kinsta ($1,750 over 5 years), against $2,016 on WP Engine. For the first year alone, 8 cost less than WP Engine's $336.
Which WP Engine alternative renews cheapest?
WP Engine's Essential – 1 site renews at $35 a month at the least, on its 12-month term or paying monthly. The lowest renewals on the alternatives' plans for one website sized for at least 25,000 visits a month: Liquid Web Essentials, 1 site, 50k visits at $8.10 a month (on its 12-month term), Hosting.com WP Small at $9.99 a month (on its 12-month, 2-year or 3-year terms or paying monthly), ChemiCloud Managed WordPress Tiny at $12.50 a month (on its 12-month term) and HostPapa MWP Core at $14.95 a month (on its 12-month, 2-year or 3-year terms or paying monthly). 9 of the 9 with a published renewal price renew below WP Engine's $35. WP Engine's plan page says its first-year price “is not valid for upgrades, renewals or any other product purchase” and “Product renewal pricing subject to change.”
Is shared hosting a cheaper alternative to WP Engine?
On price, yes. The cheapest hosting for one website that isn't managed WordPress: for 1 year, IONOS Plus at $12 (against $336 on WP Engine); over 3 years, ChemiCloud Starter at $70.20 (against $1,176 on WP Engine); over 5 years, Hostinger Premium at $275.40 (against $2,016 on WP Engine). Those plans aren't sized by visits the way WP Engine's are, so they aren't in the managed WordPress tables above.
Which WP Engine alternatives include a free domain?
WP Engine doesn't mention a free domain with Essential – 1 site. 3 of the 9 alternatives include one on the plan their totals use: for a period it doesn't state with Hosting.com; for 1 year on terms of a year or more with DreamHost and ChemiCloud. A .com then renews at $17.95 to $21.99 a year with them. Liquid Web, HostPapa, Pressable, Flywheel, Rocket.net and Kinsta include none or don't say.
Can I pay monthly with a WP Engine alternative?
Paid monthly, a first year on WP Engine Essential – 1 site costs $420 ($35 a month), against $336 paid up front. 9 of the 9 alternatives bill monthly; the cheapest first years paid that way are Liquid Web Essentials, 1 site, 50k visits at $108 ($9 a month), Hosting.com WP Small at $119.88 ($9.99 a month) and ChemiCloud Managed WordPress Tiny at $166 ($1 for the first month, then $15 a month). 9 of them cost less than WP Engine paid monthly.
Which WP Engine alternatives have a money-back guarantee?
We recorded no money-back terms for WP Engine. Among the alternatives: 60 days at Flywheel; 45 days at ChemiCloud; 30 days at Hosting.com, DreamHost, HostPapa, Pressable, Rocket.net and Kinsta; none recorded for Liquid Web. ChemiCloud's terms: “45-Day Money-Back Guarantee applies exclusively to: Shared Web Hosting, Reseller Hosting, WordPress Hosting, Email Hosting, Python Hosting, and Managed WordPress Hosting.” Flywheel: “we offer a 60-day money-back guarantee.” “However, all Agency and Custom plans are excluded from this guarantee. This guarantee does not apply to upgrades or renewals.”
WP Engine renewal price: every plan and term. Try your own numbers for more websites, storage or traffic, or see every comparison.
Head to head with WP Engine: Kinsta vs WP Engine, SiteGround vs WP Engine, WP Engine vs Hostinger, Flywheel vs WP Engine, Rocket.net vs WP Engine, Liquid Web vs WP Engine.
Prices checked against each host's own pages on , in US dollars before tax.