WP Engine
Best for WordPress-first teams
8.2/10
Overall score
From $28/mo · Visit-based billing
- Your team builds heavily with WordPress (plugins, themes, custom development)
- You want the lowest entry price ($28/mo vs $35/mo)
- Smart Plugin Manager's automated plugin testing is valuable for your workflow
- You already use Genesis Framework or WP Engine's premium theme library
- You need 30–60 day backup retention (vs Kinsta's 14 days)
Kinsta
Best for most buyers
8.6/10
Overall score
From $35/mo · Bandwidth-based billing
- Compliance documentation matters (SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001 required)
- You prefer Google Cloud Platform infrastructure
- You're running an agency and need white-label hosting
- You serve international audiences and want specific GCP region selection
- You need unlimited free site migrations
Quick Plan Picker
Find your entry plan based on site count and monthly traffic.
| Your Situation | Recommended Provider | Suggested Plan | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 site, under 25k visits/mo, budget-conscious | WP Engine | Essential | $28/mo |
| 1 site, up to 65k visits/mo, compliance important | Kinsta | Single 65k | $70/mo |
| 2 sites, small agency | WP Engine | Growth (up to 5 sites) | $77/mo |
| 5 sites, agency with compliance requirements | Kinsta | WP-5 | $145/mo |
| 10 sites, growing portfolio | WP Engine | Scale (up to 15 sites) | $193/mo |
| 20 sites, white-label required | Kinsta | Agency 20 | $340/mo |
| 30–50 sites, isolated environment, SLA | WP Engine | Core (contact for pricing) | Custom |
Migration Note
Both platforms assist with migrating your site from another host. Kinsta offers unlimited free migrations on all plans. WP Engine provides migration assistance — scope depends on your plan. Neither platform has long-term contracts; you can cancel monthly.
WPEngine Compare does not have affiliate relationships with WP Engine or Kinsta. We do not receive commission for referrals. Pricing shown is from publicly available plan pages and subject to change. Always verify current pricing directly.