Web Hosting Explained: Types, Costs, and How to Choose the Right Plan

Web hosting is where your website "lives." Your site's files (themes, images, code), database (WordPress posts/products/users), and email (if you use it) all run on a server that's connected to the internet 24/7. When someone visits your domain, their browser is loading your site from that server.

This comprehensive guide breaks down the main hosting types—shared, semi-dedicated, VPS, cloud, and dedicated—with realistic cost expectations, a decision checklist, practical sizing guidance, service tier breakdowns, and 10 essential questions to ask before switching providers. Whether you're launching your first site or upgrading from an undersized plan, this guide will help you choose confidently.

What "web hosting" really is (and what you're actually paying for)

At its simplest, hosting is a slice of a server (or an entire server) connected to the internet 24/7 so your website can be reached from anywhere. What you're paying for is the full system around that:

Server resources (the part that affects speed)

This is the "engine" of your site.

• CPU: how quickly work gets done (PHP processing, WordPress tasks, search, cart updates)
• RAM: your site's "working memory." Low RAM = slow admin, timeouts, random errors under load
• Storage: SSD/NVMe storage is dramatically faster than old spinning disks
• I/O (disk throughput): how quickly the server can read/write files and database data
• Network: affects download speed and consistency, especially for global traffic

What to watch out for: "Unlimited" usually means "unmetered until you're inconvenient." Providers rarely publish real CPU/RAM limits for shared hosting, which makes plans hard to compare.

Software stack and performance tuning

Hosting quality is not only about raw hardware—it's about configuration:

• Modern web server stack (e.g., LiteSpeed/NGINX-style caching)
• Up-to-date PHP versions (major WordPress performance gains come from newer PHP)
• Server-level caching and object caching options
• Database performance tuning
• Security hardening and isolation between accounts

A well-tuned modest server often beats a "bigger" server that's misconfigured.

SSL (HTTPS)

In 2026, SSL is not optional. It protects logins, forms, and checkout. It also prevents "Not Secure" warnings in browsers. Many hosts still sell "paid SSL" as an add-on, but in most cases you can use free, automated SSL certificates (commonly via Let's Encrypt). Avoid paying extra for SSL unless you have a specific compliance requirement.

Backups (the insurance policy)

Backups are only valuable if they are:

• Automatic
• Frequent enough (daily is typical; more often for stores)
• Restorable (you can actually recover quickly)
• Kept off-server (a backup stored on the same server isn't a real backup)

Email (optional, but common)

Many small businesses want email bundled with hosting: you@yourdomain.com. Email hosting can be perfectly fine inside your web hosting account, but it must be properly secured (SPF/DKIM/DMARC), monitored for abuse/blacklisting, and sized appropriately (mailboxes, attachments, retention). When traffic is heavy or deliverability is mission-critical, a dedicated email provider can reduce risk.

Support (the part most people underestimate)

Support is not "nice to have." It's how problems get solved. Ask yourself: Do you get real technical help or scripted replies? Can you reach support quickly when the site is down? Do they help with WordPress-specific issues (plugins, caching conflicts, errors)?

The 5 most common hosting types (in plain English)

Think of hosting like living spaces:

• Shared hosting = apartment building with lots of neighbors
• Semi-dedicated = smaller building with far fewer neighbors (more resources per unit)
• VPS = your own "virtual apartment" inside a building (more control, but virtualized)
• Cloud = multiple buildings working together (easy scaling, resilient)
• Dedicated = your own standalone house (max control and performance)

1) Shared hosting

Shared hosting puts many websites on one physical server, all sharing CPU/RAM/storage. It's the cheapest option because costs are spread across lots of customers.

Who it's for:

• New sites, portfolios, small business sites
• Blogs with light-to-moderate traffic
• Anyone who wants low cost and minimal server administration

Pros:

• Lowest cost
• Usually includes a control panel, email, backups (varies by host)
• Best "set it and forget it" starting point

Cons:

• Performance depends on how well the provider manages resources (and how well-behaved neighbors are)
• Limited ability to customize server-level settings

Realistic performance: A quality shared hosting plan can feel as fast as a semi-dedicated plan if the provider manages resources well. Poor shared hosting can feel painfully slow due to noisy neighbors. The difference is in provider discipline, not the concept itself.

2) Semi-dedicated hosting (high-performance shared)

Semi-dedicated is still shared hosting—but with far fewer accounts per server and higher resource limits. The point is simple: more CPU/RAM/I/O available per customer, while still retaining the ease of shared hosting. (Different hosts use the term differently, but the idea is "shared… without the crowd.")

Who it's for:

• Growing WordPress sites that need speed but don't need a custom server stack
• Ecommerce stores that need consistent performance
• Agencies hosting multiple client sites

Pros:

• Often faster and more stable than entry-level plans
• Still simple to manage (no sysadmin work)
• Great price/performance for many WordPress sites

Cons:

• Still shared at the OS level (you're not alone on the machine)
• Not the best fit when you need a very custom environment

Important note: Semi-dedicated often beats entry-level VPS on performance-per-dollar for WordPress workloads because it avoids virtualization overhead and typically offers more allocated resources at the same price.

3) VPS hosting (Virtual Private Server)

A VPS is a virtual machine (VM) on a physical server. Virtualization partitions one physical server into multiple isolated environments, each with its own allocated resources and OS-level control.

Who it's for:

• Sites/apps that need a specific custom environment (custom packages, special services, non-standard config)
• Developers who need root access or staging setups that mirror production
• Projects that outgrow shared hosting and require isolation

Pros:

• More isolation than shared
• More control (often root access, custom services)
• Predictable baseline resources (depending on plan)

Cons:

• Performance can vary widely between providers and plan tiers (overselling, "steal time," disk/network quality)
• More responsibility if unmanaged (updates, security, tuning)
• Not automatically faster than a well-managed semi-dedicated plan

VPS vs semi-dedicated: VPS is not inherently slower. But at the same budget, many entry-level VPS plans can underperform a high-quality semi-dedicated plan for typical WordPress workloads—because virtualization overhead plus lower per-VM CPU/I/O allocation (and sometimes overselling) can negate the benefits. If your main goal is WordPress speed and you don't need a custom environment, semi-dedicated often wins on performance-per-dollar. Use VPS when you specifically need the server-level flexibility.

4) Cloud hosting

Cloud hosting spreads your website across multiple servers (or pulls resources from a cluster). The big advantage is scalability and resilience: if one machine has trouble, workloads can move, and you can scale resources more easily.

Who it's for:

• Sites with variable or spiky traffic (campaigns, seasonal demand)
• SaaS apps, APIs, web apps that need flexible scaling
• Businesses that want high availability options

Pros:

• Easy to scale up/down
• Strong redundancy options
• Can be extremely fast when configured well

Cons:

• Can be more complex to understand and price
• "Cloud" doesn't automatically mean "fast" (configuration and provider matter)

5) Dedicated server

A dedicated server is a full physical machine reserved for you. No neighbors, no sharing—maximum consistency and control.

Who it's for:

• High-traffic sites, large ecommerce, busy communities
• Agencies or businesses running many sites and services
• Workloads requiring strict performance consistency or compliance

Pros:

• Best performance consistency
• Full control over hardware/software stack
• No noisy-neighbor risk

Cons:

• Highest cost
• More responsibility unless fully managed

Common hosting service tiers (what you should expect in each)

Below is a practical "tier map" you can use when comparing providers. Each tier represents different levels of responsibility: who manages what, and who helps when things break.

Bare server / cloud instance (IaaS VPS)

Best for: dev teams who want full control.

• You manage: operating system, web stack, database, app, backups (in most IaaS setups)
• Host manages: datacenter, physical hardware, core cloud infrastructure
• Watch-outs: it's easy to underestimate patching + monitoring work

Unmanaged VPS / Dedicated

Best for: sysadmins and teams that want a custom stack but can run it themselves.

• You manage: OS + everything above it
• Host manages: hardware/network uptime (and sometimes basic replacement/remote hands)
• Watch-outs: patching, monitoring, and incident response become your job

Standard shared hosting

Best for: small business sites, blogs, brochure sites, and early-stage stores.

• You manage: your app (WordPress/plugins/themes), content, and day-to-day site changes
• Host manages: server stack, platform maintenance, baseline security hardening
• Watch-outs: resource limits (CPU/RAM/IO/concurrency/inodes) can throttle performance if they're unclear

Managed WordPress hosting

Best for: WordPress sites that need speed + help without running servers.

• You manage: mostly content + plugins (depending on provider policy)
• Host manages: WordPress-focused performance tuning, backups, staging, update tooling, expert support
• Watch-outs: some managed hosts restrict certain plugins; check first

Semi-dedicated / high-resource shared

Best for: busy sites, WooCommerce, and agencies that need more headroom than typical shared hosting.

• You manage: similar to shared (your site/app and content)
• Host manages: tuned stack + higher resource allocation/isolation
• Watch-outs: "semi-dedicated" means different things—ask for the actual resource caps

Fully managed VPS / Dedicated

Best for: businesses that want dedicated resources without sysadmin workload.

• You manage: primarily your site/app
• Host manages: OS patching, stack tuning, monitoring, backups, and security response (scope varies)
• Watch-outs: confirm whether "managed" is OS-only or includes application help (e.g., WordPress debugging)

Enterprise / mission-critical

Best for: larger orgs, regulated workloads, and strict uptime requirements.

• Provider manages: SLA-backed operations, incident response, compliance options
• Watch-outs: SLAs often include exclusions and remedies are usually service credits

What's included in hosting vs what costs extra

Every host bundles features differently, but these are common patterns.

Usually included in a solid hosting plan

• SSL/TLS certificates (many providers use Let's Encrypt)
• Basic monitoring (uptime checks and internal alerts)
• Routine platform maintenance (scope varies by tier)
• Some form of backups (details matter)
• Support access (ticket/chat/phone depending on provider)

Common pricing traps: add-ons that inflate bills

Paid SSL (usually skippable)

Most sites can use free SSL certificates (and should). Paid certificates can make sense for certain enterprise requirements or specialized validation, but most small business sites don't need them.

Skip it unless: you have a compliance policy requiring a specific certificate type, or you need a custom warranty/validation model.

Backup upgrades (sometimes worth it)

A host may upsell "daily backups" or "30-day retention."

Worth it if:

• your site changes often (store, bookings, memberships)
• you can't tolerate data loss beyond 24 hours
• you need point-in-time restore options

Not worth it if: the base plan already includes frequent, off-server backups with easy restore.

Malware scanning / "security suite" (depends)

Some security upsells duplicate what you already have (server hardening + WordPress security plugins + WAF/CDN).

Worth it if:

• it includes real remediation (not just "we found malware")
• it includes a WAF or meaningful mitigation
• your industry has higher attack volume

Skip it if: it's a vague badge with no details and no cleanup.

Dedicated IP (usually unnecessary)

A dedicated IP used to matter more. Today, SNI allows many SSL sites to share an IP safely.

Worth it if:

• you have a very specific integration requiring a dedicated IP
• you run custom services that require it

Usually skip it for normal websites.

CDN upsells (sometimes helpful, sometimes overpriced)

A CDN can speed up global delivery and reduce load. But a basic CDN can be inexpensive or bundled in other ways.

Worth it if:

• your audience is international
• you serve lots of images/video
• you need DDoS protection

Skip it if: your audience is local and your site is already fast (or the CDN cost is inflated).

Premium DNS and site builder

Premium DNS can matter for uptime and speed, but many hosts sell it as a checkbox without explaining what improves. Site builders are fine for DIY pages, but often lock you in and don't help performance.

Rule of thumb: If an add-on is vague, it's usually not essential.

Priority support (read this carefully)

If you're paying extra to get real support, the base support is probably under-resourced.

Worth it if: the provider is transparent about support levels and you truly need dedicated response times.

We believe: reliable hosting should include competent support as standard.

Backups: the feature everyone claims… but rarely defines

Backups are where "included" can become meaningless. Ask for specifics:

• Frequency: daily? hourly? continuous?
• Retention: 7 days? 30 days? longer?
• Storage location: same server (risky), same datacenter, or offsite/geo-redundant?
• Restore method: self-serve restores vs. paid "restore service"
• Restore speed: minutes vs. days (especially for large sites)

If you want to be precise, use two disaster-recovery metrics:

• RPO (Recovery Point Objective): how much data loss is acceptable (e.g., "up to 4 hours of data")
• RTO (Recovery Time Objective): how much downtime is acceptable before you're back online

Uptime promises: "99.9%" can still be a lot of downtime

Many hosts advertise uptime numbers, but an uptime percentage isn't the same as a business guarantee.

• 99.9% uptime allows about 43 minutes 50 seconds of downtime per month
• Over a year, 99.9% allows about 8 hours 45 minutes of downtime

Also, a formal SLA often comes with:

• Conditions (configuration requirements, exclusions, maintenance windows)
• Remedies that are usually service credits, not refunds

How much does web hosting cost?

Prices vary by provider, location, and "managed vs unmanaged," but typical monthly ranges look like this:

• Shared hosting: often a few dollars to a few tens of dollars/month
• Semi-dedicated: typically $15–$50/month depending on resources and management level
• VPS hosting: commonly starts around $10/month and can go much higher depending on CPU/RAM/NVMe and whether it's managed
• Cloud hosting: ranges widely and can scale upward quickly
• Dedicated servers: often tens to hundreds (or more) per month depending on hardware and management level

Two pricing "gotchas" to watch

1. Intro pricing vs renewal pricing (many hosts raise renewal rates significantly after year one—always check the renewal price upfront)
2. Managed vs unmanaged (managed usually costs more but can save you time and risk)

Tip: Don't compare hosts on the headline price. Compare on the total monthly cost to run your site the way you actually need to run it.

Decision checklist: how to choose the right plan

Use this checklist as your short list of "must-haves." If a host can't answer these clearly, keep shopping.

1) Speed and resources

What to look for:

• Fast storage (NVMe is common now)
• Modern server stack and caching support (especially for WordPress)
• Clear CPU/RAM limits (or transparent "accounts per server" on semi-dedicated)

Quick test question: "What happens to my performance if another customer spikes traffic on the same machine?"

2) Uptime and resilience

What to look for:

• Track record and transparency
• Monitoring and rapid response processes
• For mission-critical sites: consider cloud or dedicated (or a host with strong redundancy practices)

3) Support quality (it matters more than most people think)

What to look for:

• How fast you reach a human
• Whether support can solve WordPress/plugin/database issues (not just "server is up")
• Clear escalation path for urgent issues

Quick test: Ask one pre-sales technical question and see if they give a real answer or a script.

4) Backups and restore options

What to look for:

• Automatic daily backups (or more frequent for ecommerce)
• Easy restores (restore points, not "file a ticket and wait")
• Off-server backup storage (ideal)

5) Security basics

What to look for:

• SSL support (included, not upsold)
• Malware scanning / WAF options (varies)
• Isolation controls (especially on shared)
• Updates/patching policy (especially if managed)

6) Pricing clarity

What to look for:

• Renewal price shown upfront (not just intro rate)
• Add-ons explained with real benefits (not vague labels)
• Easy to upgrade/downgrade without penalties

7) WordPress expertise (if applicable)

What to look for:

• Do they know WordPress caching, plugins, database optimization?
• Do they offer staging environments?
• Do they help with WordPress-specific issues?

Quick sizing guide (pick a plan without overthinking)

Exact sizing depends on theme/plugins, caching, and traffic quality—but these rules get most small businesses into the right tier.

Start with shared hosting if:

• 1 website, brochure site, portfolio, or blog
• Low-to-moderate traffic
• You want email included and simple management

Example: "Local plumber site + contact form + a few pages"

Choose semi-dedicated if:

• Your site is growing and speed matters
• WordPress ecommerce (WooCommerce) or a busy content site
• You want performance improvements without managing a server

Examples:

• "Online store with 200–2,000 products"
• "Agency hosting multiple client sites that all need to feel fast"

Choose VPS if you need a custom environment:

• You need special server software, custom services, or specific OS-level config
• You're running more than a typical WordPress stack (workers, custom APIs, background jobs)
• You want root access and know how to maintain it (or you pay for managed VPS)

Examples:

• "Node/Python service + WordPress headless + custom cron workers"
• "You must install system packages not allowed on shared"

Reminder: For pure WordPress speed, a strong semi-dedicated plan often beats a cheap VPS at the same monthly price.

Choose cloud hosting if:

• Traffic spikes are unpredictable (PR hits, ads, seasonal surges)
• You want easier scaling and strong availability options

Examples:

• "Course launch site that gets slammed for 48 hours"
• "SaaS dashboard + API that grows month to month"

Choose dedicated if:

• You need consistent high performance at all times
• You've outgrown everything else (or you run many sites/services)
• You require strict isolation / compliance considerations

Examples:

• "Large ecommerce store doing heavy daily order volume"
• "Membership/community site with constant logged-in traffic"

Recommended hosting setups by site type

Below are practical setups by site type. These are not theory—this is how you avoid paying for the wrong thing.

Portfolio / brochure site (low traffic, high expectations)

Examples: personal site, photographer portfolio, one-page business site, landing pages.

You need:

• fast server + caching
• SSL
• weekly or daily backups
• basic email (optional)
• solid support (because you don't want to debug server issues)

You can skip:

• dedicated IP
• expensive security bundles
• "premium" add-ons unless you have a specific reason

Small business site (steady traffic, lead forms, local SEO)

Examples: service businesses, clinics, restaurants, consultants, local shops.

You need:

• strong uptime and responsive support
• caching and performance tuning (Core Web Vitals matter)
• reliable backups (daily)
• email and deliverability basics (SPF/DKIM/DMARC)
• staging (nice to have) or at least safe update workflow

You can skip:

• overpriced CDN if 95% of your visitors are local (unless you need security/DDoS)
• "SEO add-ons" sold as hosting features (most are fluff)

High-traffic store or busy WordPress site (performance + stability under load)

Examples: WooCommerce stores, membership sites, high-traffic content sites, agencies hosting client sites with spikes.

You need:

• more predictable CPU/RAM
• fast database performance
• advanced caching strategy (page cache, object cache where appropriate)
• backups with higher frequency and tested restores
• proactive monitoring and a clear incident response path

You can't ignore:

• checkout and login performance
• plugin quality (bad plugins can melt good hosting)
• PCI scope and payment handling decisions (offloaded checkout can reduce compliance burden)

Red flags when evaluating web hosting services

Watch out for these common patterns:

• Unclear resource limits: CPU, RAM, IO, concurrent processes/entry processes, inodes
• Vague "uptime guarantees" without clear measurement and remedies
• Backups mentioned, but no retention/offsite/restore details
• "Unlimited" claims with no published fair-use policy or technical caps
• Support that's only scripted (no escalation path to real engineers)
• Cheap intro pricing + huge renewals, or critical features gated behind add-ons
• No clear migration plan, especially if you run email + site + DNS together
• Security sold as a buzzword without specifics (patching scope, WAF, DDoS, cleanup options)

The 10 questions to ask before you switch hosting providers

Use this exact list on sales chats. If a provider answers clearly, that's a good sign. Their answers should be specific—not marketing fluff.

1. What's included in the base plan? Monitoring, patching, backups, migrations, hands-on help?
2. What are the hard limits on my plan? CPU, RAM, IO, concurrency/entry processes, disk/inodes—not "unlimited."
3. Who patches what? Host OS, web stack, database, WordPress core/plugins/themes—clearly defined responsibility.
4. What's your backup policy? Frequency, retention, offsite location, restore steps, and is restore self-serve?
5. What are your restore targets (RPO/RTO)? Or at least "how much data could I lose" and "how long to get back online?"
6. How does migration work? What's included, what's excluded, and what downtime should I expect?
7. What's your security scope? WAF/DDoS mitigation, malware scanning, and cleanup options.
8. How do you handle performance? Caching layers, supported versions, database tuning, CDN support.
9. What does support look like? Hours, channels, escalation path, and who actually answers (not just ticket numbers).
10. What will my bill look like in 12 months? Renewal pricing, add-ons, and the upgrade path.

When it's time to upgrade (clear warning signs)

If you see 2–3 of these repeatedly, you've likely outgrown your current plan:

• Your site gets slow "randomly" during parts of the day (resource contention)
• Admin dashboard becomes sluggish (database/CPU pressure)
• Checkout/cart pages slow down (dynamic requests struggling)
• You're adding more plugins/features and performance drops each month
• Traffic is increasing and your host suggests "optimize" but can't show server-side limits
• You're constantly hitting backup or file limits

A smart upgrade path for many WordPress sites: Shared → Semi-dedicated → (Cloud or Dedicated)

Use VPS mainly when your environment requirements demand it—not just as a default "upgrade."

Fast glossary (so hosting jargon stops being annoying)

For complete definitions of all hosting terms, visit our full glossary.

• CPU/RAM: processing power and short-term memory for running your site
• I/O: disk input/output; affects database speed and page generation
• NVMe: modern fast storage that can significantly improve performance
• Virtualization/Hypervisor: software that runs multiple VPS instances on one physical server
• Managed hosting: provider handles updates, security, tuning (scope varies)
• RPO (Recovery Point Objective): how much data loss is acceptable
• RTO (Recovery Time Objective): how long downtime is acceptable during recovery
• SLA (Service Level Agreement): formal uptime/performance guarantee (usually with exclusions)
• WAF (Web Application Firewall): security tool that filters malicious traffic before it hits your site
• CDN (Content Delivery Network): distributes content across geographically dispersed servers for faster delivery

FAQ

Is "cloud hosting" always better?

Not automatically. Cloud is great for scaling and resilience, but performance depends on configuration, resource allocation, and the provider. A well-tuned shared plan can feel faster than misconfigured cloud infrastructure.

Is VPS always faster than shared hosting?

Often, but not guaranteed. A high-quality semi-dedicated plan can outperform an entry-level VPS for WordPress because the semi-dedicated plan may offer more raw resources per account and less virtualization overhead at the same price point.

What hosting type is best for ecommerce?

For most small-to-mid ecommerce: semi-dedicated or well-configured cloud. For high-volume stores: cloud with redundancy or dedicated. The key is reliable backups and fast checkout performance.

Is shared hosting always bad?

No. Shared hosting is fine when it's properly managed, not oversold, and paired with good caching and support. It becomes a problem when resource limits are hidden and too many accounts fight for the same CPU/RAM.

Do I need "managed WordPress hosting"?

If WordPress is your business site, managed hosting usually pays for itself through faster fixes, fewer plugin conflicts, better performance tuning, and safer updates. If you're just experimenting, standard shared hosting is fine.

Should I buy email with hosting?

It depends. Many businesses do fine with bundled email. If deliverability is critical or your site is high-traffic, separating email can reduce risk.

What's the single most important feature?

Backups you can restore quickly—and support that can solve problems when it counts.

How much traffic can a shared hosting plan handle?

It varies wildly depending on the provider, caching, and site efficiency. A portfolio site with optimized caching might handle 100,000+ monthly visitors on shared hosting. A poorly optimized ecommerce site might struggle at 10,000. The question isn't about traffic numbers—it's about whether your host has properly isolated resources.

How to spot good hosting in 60 seconds

When you're comparing hosts, ignore marketing adjectives and look for proof:

1. Do they explain resource limits clearly? If everything is "unlimited," you're buying uncertainty.
2. Do they include SSL and backups without games? If basic security and recovery are upsells, expect more surprises later.
3. Do they have expert support that can fix real problems? Support should be a safety net, not a call center maze.
4. Do renewals and add-ons make sense? The cheapest first year is often the most expensive long-term.

Maiahost: managed WordPress hosting with actual support

Maiahost is built around a simple idea: hosting should come with real help—not long wait times or outsourced scripts.

We offer several tiers to match your needs:

• Maia Single: for 1 website (fast, stable hosting with expert support)
• Maia Multiple: for up to 6 websites on one account (great for owners with multiple brands or agencies managing several sites)
• Semi-Dedicated: for bigger sites, WooCommerce stores, and agencies that need more headroom than typical shared hosting
• Plus custom VPS/Cloud/Dedicated options when you truly need a special environment

What makes our hosting different:

• Experienced developers on the support side (not just tier-1 scripts)
• A reliability-first approach (no "race to the bottom" overselling)
• Clear guidance on the right tier so you don't overpay—or outgrow your plan unexpectedly

Related articles you might find helpful:

• Cheap Web Hosting Checklist — what actually matters on a tight budget
• Web Hosting Cost 2026 — detailed pricing breakdown by type and use case
• Shared Hosting 2026 — deep dive into what makes shared hosting work (or not)
• Best WordPress Hosting: 12 Tests — performance and management tests
• Dedicated Server Hosting — when and why to move beyond shared hosting
• Domain Hosting vs Domain Registration — clarifying the difference

Sources

• AWS: Shared Responsibility Model — https://aws.amazon.com/compliance/shared-responsibility-model/
• Let's Encrypt (ISRG): About Let's Encrypt — https://letsencrypt.org/
• Uptime.is: SLA/Uptime calculator — https://uptime.is/
• Google Cloud: Compute Engine Service Level Agreement (SLA) — https://cloud.google.com/compute/sla
• Microsoft Learn: RPO and RTO (business continuity concepts) — https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/reliability/concept-business-continuity-high-availability-disaster-recovery
• CloudLinux Docs: Resource limits / LVE — https://docs.cloudlinux.com/cloudlinuxos/limits/
• Namecheap KB: Resource limits (LVE) explainer — https://www.namecheap.com/support/knowledgebase/article.aspx/1127/103/a-handy-guide-to-resource-limits-or-what-is-lve/
• Cloudflare: DDoS protection overview — https://developers.cloudflare.com/ddos-protection/
• Cloudflare Learning: What is a WAF? — https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/ddos/glossary/web-application-firewall-waf/
• WP Engine: Managed WordPress hosting overview — https://wpengine.com/managed-wordpress-hosting/
• cPanel: Pricing & licensing — https://www.cpanel.net/pricing/