Thinking of a change or Flywheel alternatives? While it’s a popular choice for managed WordPress hosting, especially for developers and agencies, its high price tag and some key limitations might have you looking for other options.
You’re right to be cautious. Flywheel’s a decent service, but it’s not perfect. For one, it lacks a solid uptime guarantee backed by an SLA, which means you have little recourse if your site goes down unexpectedly. Plus, with a limited number of data centres, your audience might experience slower load times if they’re not located near one of their servers in North America, Europe, or Australia.
The good news is, the market is full of fantastic alternatives. I’ve tested dozens of them to find hosts that are either more affordable without sacrificing reliability, or offer a premium experience with better features for a similar price.
Let’s dive in and find the perfect host for you.
TL, DR
- FlyWP is the top choice for developers who want a modern and cost-effective solution for managing their own cloud servers without the complexity.
- For premium performance and features, consider Kinsta or WP Engine.
- For budget-friendly options, consider Hostinger or FastComet.
- For ultimate control and flexibility, other great options for developers are Cloudways, Kamatera, and InterServer.
8+ Best Flywheel Alternatives
When looking for the perfect hosting solution, it’s not just about finding a replacement for Flywheel-it’s about finding a platform that truly elevates your workflow.
We’re going to dive into what makes a hosting alternative truly great, and in doing so, we’ll highlight some of the innovative features offered by FlyWP, a powerful cloud server management platform that’s built for developers and agencies.
Here’s a look at the criteria I used to evaluate the best alternatives:
- Managed WordPress Features: A great managed host should handle the tedious tasks for you. I looked for services that automate core, theme, and plugin updates and provide seamless backups.
- Performance Optimization: Server-side caching, modern web servers like NGINX or LiteSpeed, and built-in CDNs are crucial for speed. The hosts on this list excel in performance, with some even offering advanced caching mechanisms like Redis.
- Global Reach & Scalability: The closer your server is to your audience, the faster your site. I prioritized providers with a wide network of data centers. Additionally, the ability to easily scale resources up or down is a must.
- Uptime Guarantees: Beyond promises, I looked for hosts that back their uptime claims with a Service Level Agreement (SLA), offering compensation if your site experiences excessive downtime.
- Developer-Friendly Tools: This is where some providers, including FlyWP, truly shine. I looked for features like:
- Git Deployment: The ability to automatically deploy code from a Git repository, streamlining the development workflow.
- SSH and WP-CLI Access: Full control over your server and the ability to manage your WordPress sites from the command line.
- Staging Environments: Effortless creation of staging sites to test changes before they go live, without risking your production site.
- Bring Your Own Server (BYOS): Platforms that allow you to connect and manage sites on your own cloud servers from providers like DigitalOcean or AWS, giving you ultimate flexibility and control.
1. FlyWP: The Modern Cloud Server Control Panel for Developers
FlyWP takes a completely different approach to hosting. It isn’t a traditional managed host like Flywheel; instead, it’s a powerful and flexible cloud server management platform. FlyWP lets you connect and manage your own cloud servers from providers like DigitalOcean, AWS, and Google Cloud, giving you the best of both worlds: the performance and scalability of top-tier cloud infrastructure, with a powerful, developer-friendly dashboard to manage it all.
What Makes FlyWP a Top Choice?
- Bring Your Own Server (BYOS): FlyWP’s most significant advantage is its “Bring Your Own Server” model. You get to choose your cloud provider and server specifications, giving you ultimate control over your budget and performance. This also means no arbitrary limits on websites or visits—your only limit is your server’s capacity.
- Built for Developers: FlyWP is a developer-centric tool from the ground up. It offers one-click Git deployment, SSH and WP-CLI access, and staging environments that are built for an efficient workflow. For agencies, its granular team management features allow you to control access and permissions for every team member.
- Performance and Scalability: FlyWP provides a full-featured caching stack, including support for Redis and NGINX, ensuring your sites are blazingly fast. Since you’re on a powerful cloud server, you can easily scale up resources to handle traffic spikes, giving you the power of a custom solution without the complexity.
- Cost-Effective: By separating the server cost from the management panel, FlyWP can be significantly more cost-effective. You pay for the raw resources you need from your cloud provider and a small, fixed monthly fee to FlyWP, which can be much cheaper than a bundled managed hosting plan.
- Centralized Management: From a single, intuitive dashboard, you can manage all your sites, servers, backups, and security settings. It’s a clean and efficient way to handle a large number of client sites without juggling multiple accounts and logins.
2. Kinsta: The Gold Standard for Premium WordPress Hosting
Kinsta has earned its reputation as a premier managed WordPress host, and it’s easy to see why. It offers a powerful blend of top-notch performance, a beautifully designed user interface, and a rich set of features that cater to both developers and agencies. If you’re looking for a direct, high-quality alternative to Flywheel that delivers on speed and reliability, Kinsta is the perfect fit.
What Makes Kinsta a Top Choice?
- Unrivaled Performance: Built on the Google Cloud Platform, Kinsta is known for its incredible speed. It uses enterprise-grade servers and a global CDN powered by Cloudflare, ensuring your site loads lightning-fast for visitors all over the world. Kinsta’s Application Performance Monitoring (APM) tool also helps you pinpoint and fix performance bottlenecks.
- Extensive Global Network: While Flywheel has a limited number of data centers, Kinsta boasts over 30 locations worldwide. This gives you the flexibility to host your site closer to your target audience, reducing latency and improving user experience.
- Robust Backups and Staging: Kinsta provides automatic daily backups with up to 30 days of retention, depending on your plan. Their easy-to-use staging sites are a major highlight, and they even support conditional staging deployments, a feature that was previously a major point of difference with Flywheel.
- Enterprise-Grade Security: With a powerful Cloudflare Enterprise integration, Kinsta provides a web application firewall (WAF), DDoS protection, and a free hack-fix guarantee. This means you can rest easy knowing your site is protected.
- Dev-Friendly Workflow: Kinsta understands the needs of developers. It offers a local development tool called DevKinsta, a fantastic alternative to Flywheel’s Local, that simplifies your workflow. You also get full SSH and WP-CLI access, giving you granular control over your sites.
Quick Comparison Between Kinsta and Flywheel
| Feature | Kinsta | Flywheel |
| Data Centers | 37+ locations globally | A handful of locations in North America, Europe, and Australia. |
| Pricing & Plans | More variety of plans, making it easier to scale. | Limited plan options, with a very small “Tiny” plan. |
| Performance Tools | Built-in APM tool for detailed performance insights. | Basic performance insights are available. |
| Storage Overage | Charges a higher overage fee ($2/GB). | Charges a lower overage fee ($1/GB). |
| Support | 24/7 live chat support from WordPress experts. No phone support. | 24/7 live chat support with phone support on higher-tier plans. |
| Developer Tools | DevKinsta for local development, SSH, WP-CLI. | Local by Flywheel for local development, SSH gateway. |
While Kinsta’s starting price is identical to Flywheel’s Starter plan, its lack of a low-cost entry-level plan might be a consideration for those with very small projects. However, for a serious professional, the added features, superior performance, and global network make Kinsta the clear winner.
3. Liquid Web: The Uptime Champion with No Visitor Limits
Liquid Web’s managed WordPress hosting is a compelling alternative to Flywheel, especially if you’re looking for a platform that prioritizes reliability and value. It’s often more affordable than Flywheel, yet it includes a host of features that are either an extra cost or simply not available with its competitor.
What Makes Liquid Web a Top Choice?
- Guaranteed 100% Uptime: This is a major selling point. Unlike Flywheel’s promise of 99.9% uptime, Liquid Web backs its claim with an official Service Level Agreement (SLA). If your website goes down, you’re eligible for compensation worth ten times the amount of downtime, providing a level of confidence and security that’s hard to beat.
- No Overage Fees: One of the biggest advantages of Liquid Web is that it doesn’t impose hard caps on monthly visits. Flywheel’s plans come with visitor limits, and you’re charged extra if you exceed them. Liquid Web’s free auto-scaling ensures your site handles traffic spikes smoothly, with no surprise bills.
- Managed Plugin Updates: Liquid Web takes the hassle out of plugin management. Every day, it creates a clone of your site to test new plugin versions, and if everything works, the tech team updates them for you. This proactive approach prevents conflicts and keeps your site secure.
- Valuable Freebies: All Liquid Web plans include email hosting and premium plugins like iThemes Sync and iThemes Security Pro for free. These are significant value-adds that would cost you extra with other providers.
- Optimized for Performance: Liquid Web’s servers are optimized with NGINX and the latest PHP versions, ensuring fast loading speeds. While it might not be quite as fast as Kinsta, it’s a top performer that offers excellent value for the price.
Liquid Web vs. Flywheel: A Quick Look
| Feature | Liquid Web | Flywheel |
| Pricing | Often more affordable with more resources. | Higher priced, with a steeper entry point for many users. |
| Uptime Guarantee | 100% with a strong SLA and compensation. | 99.9% promise, but no formal SLA or compensation. |
| Visitor Limits | No hard caps on monthly visits; includes auto-scaling. | Strict visitor caps with overage fees for excess traffic. |
| Plugin Management | Managed plugin updates with daily testing on a cloned site. | Managed core updates only; plugin updates are manual or require a separate service. |
| Included Features | Email hosting, premium plugins, and more included for free. | Email hosting and premium plugins are not included. |
Liquid Web’s commitment to reliability, transparent pricing, and comprehensive features makes it a fantastic choice for agencies and businesses that need a robust, worry-free hosting solution.
4. Hostinger: The Best Value for Budget-Conscious Users
If the high cost of Flywheel is your main concern, Hostinger presents an irresistible alternative. It delivers reliable and surprisingly fast WordPress hosting at a price point that’s nearly unmatched in the industry. While it may not have the premium, enterprise-level features of Kinsta or Liquid Web, it provides more than enough power and functionality for most small to medium-sized websites, blogs, and portfolios.
What Makes Hostinger a Top Choice?
- Unbeatable Pricing: Hostinger’s plans are a fraction of the cost of Flywheel’s, making it the most affordable option on this list. This is a game-changer for freelancers, bloggers, or small businesses who need a professional online presence without a hefty monthly expense.
- Excellent Performance for the Price: Despite being a budget host, Hostinger’s performance is impressive. It utilizes the modern LiteSpeed web server, which is optimized for WordPress and significantly faster than older technologies. It also includes built-in caching and a free CDN on higher-tier plans to ensure your site is always speedy.
- User-Friendly Dashboard: Hostinger’s custom hPanel is designed with simplicity in mind. It’s clean, intuitive, and easy to navigate, even for complete beginners. The one-click WordPress installer gets your site up and running in minutes.
- Automatic Updates and Backups: Hostinger automates the essentials, including core WordPress and security updates. It also offers automatic weekly or daily backups, so you can focus on creating content without worrying about the technical side of things.
- Global Data Centers: Hostinger has a wider global network of data centers than Flywheel, with locations in the U.S., Brazil, several European countries, Singapore, and Indonesia. This allows you to choose a server closer to your audience for better load times.
Hostinger vs. Flywheel: A Quick Look
| Feature | Hostinger | Flywheel |
| Pricing | Extremely affordable, with plans starting at a fraction of Flywheel’s cost. | Expensive, with a higher barrier to entry for many users. |
| Server Technology | LiteSpeed web servers optimized for performance. | NGINX, a fast but slightly older technology. |
| Managed Features | Manages core and plugin updates. | Managed core updates, but plugin updates are manual. |
| Dashboard | Custom hPanel, praised for its user-friendliness. | Custom dashboard, but some find hPanel more intuitive. |
| Target User | Ideal for small websites, personal blogs, and startups. | Primarily targets developers and agencies with larger budgets. |
Hostinger is the perfect choice for anyone who needs a powerful, reliable WordPress host without the premium price tag. While it might lack some of the enterprise-level features of more expensive hosts, its performance and user-friendliness make it the best value for money on the market.
5. WP Engine: A tool With Enhanced Features
WP Engine is more than just an alternative; it’s the parent company of Flywheel. While this might seem counterintuitive, the two platforms remain distinct, each with its own dashboard, features, and target audience. For users who appreciate Flywheel’s managed environment but need more advanced tools, WP Engine is a natural and powerful next step.
What Makes WP Engine a Top Choice?
- Advanced Staging & Development: WP Engine’s staging environment is a significant upgrade. It provides a more robust, multi-environment staging tool with options for conditional deployments, giving developers more control and flexibility when testing changes.
- Superior WooCommerce Hosting: For e-commerce sites, WP Engine’s dedicated WooCommerce hosting plans are a game-changer. They come with powerful, built-in features like a customized cache for WooCommerce (EverCache), AI-powered search (ElasticPress), and dynamic plugin loading. This is a crucial advantage for busy online stores that need top-tier performance and functionality.
- Proactive Security: Like Flywheel, WP Engine offers proactive security with firewalls and malware scans. The platforms are also backed by WP Engine’s world-class security team, providing peace of mind.
- Performance Enhancements: WP Engine’s hosting is built for speed. It uses a combination of Varnish and Memcached for server-level caching and a global CDN to ensure your site loads quickly and efficiently.
- Free Genesis Framework & Themes: All WP Engine plans include free access to the Genesis Framework and a library of StudioPress themes. This is a valuable bonus for developers and designers who rely on these high-quality, lightweight themes.
WP Engine vs. Flywheel: A Quick Look
| Feature | WP Engine | Flywheel |
| Parent Company | Owns Flywheel | Owned by WP Engine |
| Visit Overage Fees | $2 per 1,000 extra visits. | $1 per 1,000 extra visits. |
| Staging Environment | Multiple staging environments with advanced deployment options. | A single staging environment. |
| WooCommerce | Dedicated WooCommerce plans with enhanced features (e.g., ElasticPress). | Standard plans, with a focus on simplicity. |
| Plugin Updates | Automated plugin updates with visual regression testing for a lower per-site fee. | Automated plugin updates available for a higher per-site fee. |
While they are under the same corporate umbrella, WP Engine is the more feature-rich and developer-centric of the two. It’s the ideal choice for those who are outgrowing Flywheel’s simpler platform and need a more powerful, scalable solution, especially for e-commerce sites and complex projects.
6. Cloudways: The Most Flexible Cloud Platform
Cloudways is a unique and powerful alternative to Flywheel, designed for users who want the flexibility of a cloud provider with the simplicity of a managed platform. Instead of owning its own infrastructure, Cloudways acts as a middleman, allowing you to choose from five top-tier cloud providers—DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud. This “bring your own server” approach gives you an incredible amount of control and customization.
What Makes Cloudways a Top Choice?
- Unmatched Flexibility and Choice: This is Cloudways’ greatest strength. You can select your preferred cloud provider and data center location from a massive global network, ensuring your site is always hosted close to your audience. This level of choice is something Flywheel’s single-infrastructure model cannot match.
- Pay-as-You-Go Pricing: Cloudways offers a transparent, hourly billing model, which means you only pay for the resources you use. This is a significant advantage over Flywheel’s tiered plans and strict overage fees, allowing you to handle traffic spikes without worrying about a surprise bill.
- High-Performance Stack: Cloudways provides a pre-configured server stack with a hybrid Apache/NGINX setup, server-level caching (Varnish and Memcached), and an optimized caching plugin called Breeze. This ensures your sites run quickly and efficiently right out of the box.
- Scalability on Demand: With just a few clicks, you can instantly scale your server’s resources up or down to handle changes in traffic. This makes Cloudways an ideal solution for growing businesses that need a platform that can evolve with their needs.
- Developer-Friendly: Cloudways is built for power users. It offers seamless Git integration for streamlined deployments, easy-to-use staging environments, and a dedicated control panel for server management.
Cloudways vs. Flywheel: A Quick Look
| Feature | Cloudways | Flywheel |
| Hosting Infrastructure | Choose from 5 top cloud providers (DigitalOcean, Vultr, AWS, Google Cloud, Linode). | Uses Google Cloud Platform exclusively. |
| Pricing Model | Transparent, pay-as-you-go hourly billing. | Fixed monthly plans with overage fees. |
| Limits | No arbitrary limits on websites or visits; limited only by server resources. | Strict limits on websites, visits, and storage on each plan. |
| Ease of Use | More complex than a traditional managed host; requires some technical knowledge. | Extremely user-friendly, designed for beginners and creatives. |
| Support | 24/7 live chat support is limited to platform-specific issues. | 24/7 live chat support with a broader scope, including some WordPress-specific issues. |
Cloudways is the perfect solution for users who want ultimate control and a more flexible, cost-effective hosting model. While it has a slightly steeper learning curve than a true managed host like Flywheel, the freedom to choose your own cloud provider and scale resources on demand makes it a powerful and logical step up for growing agencies and tech-savvy users.
7. Kamatera: The Developer’s Dream for Customization
For WordPress developers who find Flywheel’s managed environment too restrictive, Kamatera offers a completely different, yet highly compelling, hosting experience. It’s not a traditional managed WordPress host but a fully-customizable cloud server platform. This means you get full root access, the ability to tailor your server to exact specifications, and a level of control that Flywheel simply can’t provide.
What Makes Kamatera a Top Choice?
- Ultimate Control and Customization: With Kamatera, you are in the driver’s seat. You can choose your operating system, select the exact amount of CPU, RAM, and storage you need, and even add or remove resources on the fly. This flexibility is perfect for developers who need to fine-tune their environment for specific projects.
- Developer-Friendly Environment: Unlike Flywheel, Kamatera gives you full root access to your server. This means you can customize core files like
wp-config.php, install your own software, and manage your sites from the command line using tools like WP-CLI. - Affordable High-Performance: Kamatera’s cloud servers are surprisingly affordable. For the cost of Flywheel’s cheapest plan, you can get a powerful virtual machine with ample resources. It’s a cost-effective way to get enterprise-grade hardware without the premium price tag.
- Global Data Centers with Unique Locations: Kamatera has a truly global footprint, with 19 unique data center locations across the world. This includes locations in the Middle East, a region often unserved by other hosting providers, making it an excellent choice for businesses with an audience there.
- Free Trial: Kamatera offers a generous 30-day free trial, giving you a risk-free way to test its platform and explore all its features before committing to a paid plan.
Kamatera vs. Flywheel: A Quick Look
| Feature | Kamatera | Flywheel |
| Hosting Type | Self-managed cloud servers | Fully-managed WordPress hosting |
| Control | Full root access and complete control over the server environment. | Managed and restrictive, with limited access to server files. |
| Cost | Highly affordable, with a pay-as-you-go model. | Higher cost, with fixed plans and visitor limits. |
| Target User | Experienced developers, sysadmins, and tech-savvy users. | Beginners, designers, and agencies who prefer a hands-off approach. |
| Data Centers | Extensive global network, including locations in the Middle East. | Limited global network. |
Kamatera is not for everyone. Its self-managed nature means you’re responsible for provisioning and maintaining your server. However, for the experienced WordPress developer or agency that wants unparalleled control, flexibility, and affordability, Kamatera is a powerful and empowering alternative to Flywheel’s more rigid platform.
8. InterServer: The Affordable and Flexible VPS Host
InterServer stands out as an excellent, budget-friendly alternative to Flywheel, particularly for those who need more control than a typical shared hosting environment provides. It’s a great middle ground between a fully managed host and a completely self-managed server, offering the power of a Virtual Private Server (VPS) with some pre-configured convenience.
What Makes InterServer a Top Choice?
- Affordable VPS Hosting: InterServer’s VPS plans are incredibly cost-effective, offering dedicated resources like CPU and RAM for a price that’s only slightly higher than its shared hosting. This gives you better performance and stability without breaking the bank.
- Control and Flexibility: Unlike Flywheel, InterServer gives you full root access to your VPS. This is a game-changer for developers who need to install custom software, configure server settings, or have a deeper level of control over their hosting environment.
- Pre-Configured for Ease of Use: While it’s a VPS solution, InterServer makes it surprisingly easy to get started. Its VPS plans come preconfigured with an operating system, a web server (like NGINX), a control panel (like Webuzo), and a one-click WordPress installer. This saves you from the complex setup process of a truly self-managed server.
- Unlimited Resources on Shared Plans: For smaller websites, InterServer’s standard shared hosting plan is a compelling option. It includes unlimited storage, bandwidth, and email hosting, providing an incredible value for the price.
- Price Lock Guarantee: InterServer’s pricing is straightforward, with a “price lock” guarantee. The price you sign up for is the price you’ll pay for the life of your account, so you won’t have to worry about unexpected price hikes on renewal.
InterServer vs. Flywheel: A Quick Look
| Feature | InterServer | Flywheel |
| Pricing | Very affordable VPS plans starting at a low price point. | More expensive managed plans with fixed prices. |
| Control | Full root access to the server, giving you complete control. | No root access; platform is managed and more restrictive. |
| Managed Features | Pre-configured environment, but updates and maintenance are largely your responsibility. | Fully managed, handling all updates, security, and maintenance. |
| Data Centers | Primarily U.S.-based. | A more distributed global network. |
| Target User | Developers and tech-savvy users who want flexibility and control. | Beginners, designers, and agencies who prefer a hands-off approach. |
InterServer is a great choice for those who are ready to move beyond the limitations of shared hosting but don’t want the full responsibility and complexity of a completely self-managed server. It offers the power of a VPS with enough pre-configuration to make it accessible to advanced users, all at a highly competitive price.
9. InstaWP: The Cloud-Based Development and Staging Solution
InstaWP is a game-changer that redefines the traditional local development workflow. While Local by Flywheel is a desktop application, InstaWP operates entirely in the cloud. This makes it a perfect alternative for developers and agencies who need a lightweight, instantly accessible, and collaborative platform for building, testing, and managing WordPress sites.
What Makes InstaWP a Top Choice?
- Instant, Cloud-Based Environments: InstaWP allows you to spin up a fully functional WordPress site in a matter of seconds. Because it’s cloud-based, you don’t need to download and install large software packages, and you can access your work from any device with an internet connection.
- Simplified Collaboration: Collaboration is at the heart of InstaWP. You can easily share a temporary or permanent site with clients or team members via a simple URL, making the review and feedback process seamless.
- Versatile Use Cases: InstaWP goes beyond a simple development environment. It’s a comprehensive tool for a wide range of scenarios, including:
- Plugin and theme testing in isolated sandbox environments.
- Creating staging environments for live sites with one click.
- Building client presentation platforms for easy review.
- Centralized project management for agencies with multiple clients.
- The Best of Both Worlds with Local Mount: InstaWP’s unique Local Mount feature bridges the gap between local and cloud development. It allows you to access and edit a cloud-hosted InstaWP site directly from your local machine, giving you the speed and familiarity of a local setup without the resource drain or setup complexities.
- Performance and Efficiency: Unlike Local, which can be resource-heavy on your local machine, InstaWP leverages enterprise-grade cloud hosting, ensuring your development and staging sites run with optimal performance and speed.
InstaWP vs. Local by Flywheel: A Quick Look
| Feature | InstaWP | Local by Flywheel |
| Platform Type | Cloud-based | Desktop application |
| Accessibility | Accessible from any device, anywhere | Desktop-only; tied to a single machine |
| Resource Usage | Lightweight; doesn’t consume local resources | Can be resource-heavy and slow down your computer |
| Setup Time | Instant setup in seconds | Requires a software download and configuration |
| Collaboration | Easy sharing and real-time collaboration with unique URLs | Limited collaboration features with “Live Links” for viewing only |
While Local by Flywheel is a fantastic tool for traditional local development, InstaWP is a revolutionary cloud-based platform that addresses the modern developer’s need for speed, flexibility, and collaboration. It’s the ideal choice for developers and agencies who want to streamline their workflow and work from anywhere without the limitations of a desktop application.
Ending Notes…
We’ve explored a variety of powerful Flywheel alternatives, from premium options like Kinsta and WP Engine to budget-friendly solutions like Hostinger and FastComet. For those seeking ultimate control, platforms like FlyWP, Kamatera, and Cloudways offer a more flexible, developer-focused approach. The best choice for you will depend on your specific needs, whether that’s superior performance, a lower price, or greater control. The good news is, the market has an excellent solution for every type of user.
