Updated: Oct 20
Managed hosting is a type of web hosting in which the provider looks after the technical side of running a website on your behalf. It is also called fully managed hosting.
It suits site owners and teams who don't have the time, resources or skills to run their own servers, since they can focus on the site itself while the provider keeps it online.
Wix hosting keeps your website running smoothly and securely from day one. With reliable performance, strong security and built-in tools for SEO, analytics and marketing, your site is ready to grow. Plus 24/7 support means help is always just a click away.
TL;DR: what is managed hosting
Managed hosting is web hosting in which the provider sets up, secures, updates, backs up and monitors the machines that run your pages, so you don't have to. It trades some server-level control for less upkeep, and many website builders include it by default.
You'll learn:
What a managed plan covers
The main benefits, from security to scaling
How it compares with unmanaged, shared, dedicated, cloud and colocation hosting
How managed hosting works for website builders and headless projects
What does managed hosting include?
Managed hosting means the provider takes care of the technical environment your website runs on. The exact services vary by provider and plan, but they typically cover the setup and ongoing management of the hosting infrastructure, rather than leaving you to configure and maintain it yourself.
Hosting setup and configuration: Setting up the server environment, operating system, networking and software required to run your website.
Server administration: Managing server settings, resources and other infrastructure-level configurations.
Security maintenance: Handling tasks such as security patches, firewall rules and access controls. Some plans also include malware scanning and security monitoring.
Backups and restoration: Creating automatic backups of website files, databases or other data and providing ways to restore them when needed.
Software updates: Updating the operating system and other software that is part of the hosting environment.
Infrastructure monitoring: Monitoring servers, storage, memory, network connections and other infrastructure for technical issues.
Deployment and scaling: Managing parts of the deployment process and adjusting hosting resources as website requirements change.
Technical support: Providing help with hosting configuration, server issues, deployments, connectivity and other infrastructure-related problems.
The exact responsibilities depend on the provider and hosting plan, so it’s worth checking what is included before choosing a managed hosting service.
Benefits of managed hosting
Managed hosting takes care of many of the technical jobs involved in running a website, so you don’t have to manage the hosting environment yourself. The main benefit is that you can focus on your website and business instead of maintaining the infrastructure behind it.
Less technical maintenance
With managed hosting, the hosting provider handles much of the setup and ongoing maintenance for you. You typically don’t need to configure servers, apply routine updates or troubleshoot infrastructure issues yourself.
This can be especially helpful if you’re a small business owner, designer or creator who doesn’t have a dedicated technical team.
Better performance and reliability
A managed hosting provider can monitor and maintain the infrastructure your website runs on, helping it stay available and perform consistently. It can also handle resources as your site needs change, which is useful if you start getting more visitors or your website becomes more complex.
Security handled for you
Security is another important part of managed hosting. Providers can manage infrastructure-level protections such as firewalls, access controls, security updates and monitoring.
This reduces the amount of server security work you need to handle yourself, although it doesn’t mean you can ignore security settings within your own website or application.
Easier scaling
A website may need more computing resources as traffic grows. With managed hosting, the provider can handle much of the infrastructure work involved in scaling, rather than requiring you to move to a different server or configure everything manually.
The exact approach depends on the hosting provider and the type of hosting you choose.
Support when something goes wrong
When your website has a hosting-related problem, managed hosting gives you a provider to turn to for technical support. Instead of figuring out server errors, infrastructure problems or configuration issues on your own, you can get help from a team that manages the hosting environment.
Here's a summary of the main benefits of managed hosting:
Automatic updates and maintenance
Virus and spam controls
24/7 support and secure monitoring
Network management
Auto backups
Server-side security, including web application firewalls, SSL protocols, VPN, PCI compliance, DDoS protections
Managed hosting with Wix
When you create a website with Wix, hosting is included and managed for you. Free and managed hosting means Wix handles the underlying hosting infrastructure, so you don’t need to rent a server, configure it or maintain the hosting environment yourself.
Managed hosting is also available from cloud providers such as AWS and Google Cloud. These platforms can offer more control over infrastructure, but that can also mean more configuration and ongoing management.
Managed hosting isn’t limited to websites built with a traditional website builder. It can also be used for custom-coded and headless projects.
With managed hosting for headless projects, Wix can handle infrastructure tasks such as the build pipeline, deployments, scaling and security while you keep control of the frontend code you built.
This can be useful if you want to build a custom frontend with the technologies and tools you prefer without having to manage the underlying hosting and deployment infrastructure yourself.
The differences between managed and unmanaged hosting
The main difference between managed and unmanaged hosting is the level of control that customers have over their website operations. With managed hosting, all aspects of website operations are managed by the provider, while with unmanaged hosting customers are responsible for managing every aspect of their website.
Managed hosting offers a range of features and services that are not always available with unmanaged hosting. These include managed firewalls, access control policies and managing software applications. Managed hosting also provides scalability and support options such as auto backups and database management.
In comparison, unmanaged hosting requires customers to have some degree of technical expertise in order to manage the various aspects of their website.
This makes managed hosting a great solution for those who want to focus on running their business while relying on hosting services to manage website hosting and applications.
The similarities between managed and unmanaged hosting
Despite their differences, managed and unmanaged hosting both provide a reliable platform for website operations. In both cases, customers are able to access their websites from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.
Both managed and unmanaged hosting also provide customers with managed security protocols such as SSL certificates and server monitoring.
Managed hosting vs shared hosting
Managed hosting is similar to shared hosting in terms of the underlying technology and infrastructure. Both are hosted on shared servers managed by a web host provider. The main difference is that managed hosting provides customers with additional managed services such as firewalls, software applications and backups.
Managed hosting vs dedicated hosting
Managed hosting offers users a fully managed service, from software applications and security, to backup and more, none of which the website owner needs to worry about.
Dedicated hosting, on the other hand, provides customers with complete control over their server environment. With full root access, they’ll need some technical understanding of hosting to install and manage these aspects on their own.
Managed hosting vs cloud hosting
The main benefit of cloud hosting is that it enables customers to scale their website operations on demand in order to accommodate changes and growth. This demand could come from website traffic and increased sales on an online store, or increased global pressure on a server.
Cloud hosting services are typically managed hosting solutions and Wix’s cloud hosting is an example of this.
If your site is already built in code, you don't need to set up a server to put it online. With Wix, for example, you can drag and drop your site files to deploy on managed cloud hosting, with a secure connection and fast loading worldwide included.
Managed hosting vs colocation
Managed hosting and colocation differ in how the infrastructure and services are handled. With managed hosting, the hosting provider takes care of everything, including server maintenance, software updates, and backups.
In contrast, colocation involves renting physical space in a data center for your own servers, which you are responsible for managing. Colocation offers more control but requires technical expertise and resources to maintain the servers independently.
Read also: Web hosting costs, Domain hosting vs web hosting
Managed hosting FAQ
Is managed hosting worth the extra cost?
For many businesses, yes. You pay more than for unmanaged hosting, but you save time and reduce risk by handing server maintenance, security and updates to experts. It is especially worthwhile if you lack in-house technical staff or your site drives revenue.
Do I need technical skills to use managed hosting?
Not really, which is much of the point. The provider handles the server-level work, so you can focus on your site and business. Basic familiarity with your dashboard helps, but you do not need to be a systems administrator.
Is Wix a form of managed hosting?
In effect, yes. With Wix the hosting, security, updates and maintenance are handled for you automatically, which is the core idea behind managed hosting. You get the benefits without choosing or configuring a server.
Can I move to managed hosting without downtime?
Usually the migration can be planned to keep downtime minimal or near zero. Good providers help you transfer files, test the new environment, then switch over during a quiet period so visitors barely notice the change.
What is typically not covered by managed hosting?
Managed hosting generally covers the server and infrastructure, not the content, design or custom code you add. Things like building your pages, third-party app issues or your own application bugs usually remain your responsibility.
Does Wix Headless include managed hosting?
Yes. Wix Headless includes a managed hosting option for projects built with the Wix CLI. Wix takes care of hosting, automatic scaling, a global CDN, SSL and infrastructure maintenance, so you can focus on building your frontend. If you'd rather manage your own hosting, Wix Headless also supports self-managed deployments using platforms like Vercel, Netlify or AWS.
Read more about Wix Headless:
