Best Web Hosting with WordPress Multisite Support

WordPress multisite is an ideal solution for many organizations. It allows the easy management of multiple WordPress websites from one convenient dashboard. However, while many web hosts support this feature, not all are equally equipped to handle its unique demands.

Based on our years of experience with multiple hosting service providers, we’ll recommend some of the best web hosting for WordPress Multisite. While they may seem similar in some ways, remember that each can bring unique features to the table.

1. Cloudways

Website: https://www.cloudways.com/

Cloudways has increasingly become one of our top recommendations for many reasons. One of the foremost is the fantastic price-to-performance ratio that this managed cloud hosting service provider offers.

Why Choose Cloudways for WordPress Multisite?

The secret sauce to Cloudway’s success is the platform’s simplicity in deploying, managing, and scaling web applications, including WordPress. Its dedicated resources also provide the increased horsepower necessary for WordPress Multisite users.

Since it’s a fully managed platform, Cloudways is all-inclusive. That means it handles server maintenance, updates, and security, allowing you to focus on your business.  You can also choose from several infrastructure providers, including Google, AWS, and Digital Ocean.

Their stack includes NGINX, Varnish, and Redis, which are optimized for speed and performance. These optimizations and resources provide a crucial boost for WordPress multisite networks. 

The Unique Advantage: Cloudways Autonomous

Cloudways now has a special range of WordPress hosting plans specifically designed for high-traffic WordPress websites. Cloudways Autonomous offers automatic performance scaling, allowing you to cope with any level of traffic spikes.

2. Kinsta

Website: https://www.kinsta.com/

Kinsta is one of the earliest pure-play WordPress hosting service providers. It’s a premium brand that has built an entire business specializing in this platform. While somewhat pricey, its specialization does bring several notable advantages to WordPress users.

Why Choose Kinsta for WordPress Multisite

Beneath the simple surface of Kinsta lies the slumbering beast called Google. The platform is based on Google Cloud, which offers top-notch performance and security. The Kinsta interface simplifies Google’s complexity, allowing anyone to manage robust WordPress multisite networks.

Treasuring availability as well as performance, this host offers automatic daily backups. The system is vital for maintaining data integrity, which is even more critical given the multisite aspect we’re primarily considering here.

For those with specific needs, Kinsta is also highly dev-friendly and supports SSH access, WP-CLI, and Git. The only problem we see is the high cost resulting from using Google’s premium-tier networks at Kinsta.

The Unique Advantage: Kinsta Custom Dashboard

Kinsta’s custom dashboard allows you to manage all your sites from one place, simplifying administration. Their support team is well-versed in all aspects of WordPress, including multisite setups.

3. WP Engine

Website: https://www.wpengine.com/

WP Engine is similar to Kinsta in the sense that its entire business revolves around WordPress. The brand is also well-recognized in the industry, primarily for reliability, performance, and an extensive feature set. 

Why Choose WP Engine for WordPress Multisite

WP Engine offers robust security features, including daily backups, malware scanning, and a dedicated security team. Most of their staff have dedicated their careers to WordPress, allowing them to meet your every need.

WP Engine offers specific optimizations for WordPress Multisite users to ensure each site performs well. Their infrastructure can handle scaling seamlessly, which is crucial for multisite networks that may grow over time. 

This host also allows you to focus on business instead of technical issues. It covers all maintenance aspects, including WordPress core updates, plugin updates, and more. With an ace deployment, your multisite network will always run smoothly.

The Unique Advantage: WP Engine EverCache

WP Engine is known for its EverCache technology, one of the key elements that gives WordPress here a distinct performance advantage. The technology includes WordPress-centric rules that the company adaptively updates for top-of-the-line performance. 

4. LiquidWeb

Website: https://www.liquidweb.com/

LiquidWeb is another well-recognized brand in web hosting. Unlike Kinsta and WP Engine, it’s more of a generic web host known for high-performance solutions. Key reasons for this are its exceptional customer service and robust infrastructure. 

Why Choose LiquidWeb for WordPress Multisite

LiquidWeb offers a strong balance for those seeking reliable and scalable hosting solutions. These two elements are likely the main descriptions defining WordPress multisite networks. Much of this is due to LiquidWeb’s use of cutting-edge technology.

The host also takes a customer-centric approach by offering fully managed services. That means you won’t have to worry about server maintenance, updates, or security. Even if there are issues, their expert support team is available 24/7.

The only downside is that, as a generic service provider, LiquidWeb doesn’t really trumpet its WordPress handling abilities. This is a pity since the powerful hosting it offers makes it ideal for handling the stressful demands of a multisite WordPress setup.

The Unique Advantage: Pure Power Play

To understand the LiquidWeb advantage, you have to know how resource-hungry WordPress multisite can be. LiquidWeb offers robust hosting solutions, so almost any plan can easily tackle these demands. 

5. Hostinger

Website: https://www.hostinger.com/

Hostinger is an essential final addition to our list of best WordPress multisite hosting providers. So far, we’ve covered the best of the best, and this host brings a new element to the table: extreme affordability. While some may scoff at the idea, it does fill an essential gap.

Why Choose Hostinger for WordPress Multisite

Known for its affordable and user-friendly web hosting solutions, Hostinger is a global brand focusing on prices and localization. That makes it adaptable enough to meet a broad range of needs, regardless of where you are.

Thanks to these elements, Hostinger is particularly suited for the needs of smaller businesses that can have disproportionately complex needs. Yet despite the reasonable pricing, don’t mistake Hostinger for a “budget” host with poor performance.

Their custom control panel is easy to use, making site management straightforward. This is coupled with solid performance thanks to the strategic use of technologies like LiteSpeed servers and optimized caching. It’s a delicate balancing act.

The Unique Advantage: Affordability

For WordPress Multisite, Hostinger’s affordable plans make it one of the most budget-friendly solutions on the market. While it may not cope with massive traffic spikes, running a network of multiple smaller sites here can be an economic godsend.

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How to Choose: Key Considerations for WordPress Multisite Hosting

While the primary considerations for hosting WordPress are similar, hosting a multisite network can require additional thought. After all, WordPress multisite does increase the demands on your hosting server.

Areas to note when choosing your host include:

Multisite Compatibility

The first and foremost consideration is ensuring the hosting provider supports WordPress Multisite. For those who do, ensure it’s available specifically for the plan you are considering. Often, the lowest-tier plans will not include multisite support.

Centralized Management Tools

Managing a multisite network can be simple, but some shots take this further by offering more effective administrative tools. Look for hosts with a custom control panel or a centralized management interface designed explicitly for multisite networks. 

Resource Allocation and Scalability

Remember that WordPress multisite networks spread resources such as CPU and RAM across all sites. While it’s possible to do this on robust shared hosting options, you should consider VPS or Cloud hosting for better reliability and performance. 

Multisite-Specific Support

Most hosts offer support teams that can assist with issues that customers face. However, some service providers like Kinsta are WordPress experts and can provide a competitive edge in WordPress multisite support.

Flexible Domain Mapping

If you’re getting domain names from your host, ensure that the provider allows flexible domain mapping. Without this, assigning custom domains to each site will be challenging. This feature is essential for variations in branding and services within the multisite network.

What’s Next? How to Setup Your First WordPress Multisite

To set up WordPress Multisite, follow these steps:

1. Enable Multisite
   • Edit the wp-config.php file to include the following line:
     define(‘WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE’, true);
   • Save and refresh your WordPress dashboard.
2. Network Setup
   • Go to Tools > Network Setup in the WordPress dashboard.
   • Choose between subdomains (site1.example.com) or subdirectories (example.com/site1) for your network structure.
   • Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
3. Configure the Network
   • Edit the wp-config.php and .htaccess files as instructed during the setup.
   • Access the new Network Admin dashboard to manage your sites.
4. Add Sites
   • From the Network Admin dashboard, go to Sites > Add New to create new sites within the network.
   • Fill in the required details such as site address, title, and admin email.

Final Thoughts

Our priorities are pretty obvious, as you can tell from the order of WordPress multisite hosts we’ve recommended: performance, ease of use, and flexibility – in that specific order. However, for those with lower requirements, Hostinger does provide a more budget-friendly solution.

Among the list, our primary preference is for Cloudways. We’ve used the platform for many years and are impressed with the cost-to-performance ratio available here. It’s an excellent pick, even for those with lower budgets, and can be easily scaled up as your network traffic grows.

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