Joomla hosting is an excellent choice among businesses and developers because it allows extensive customization. It is a simple CMS that can handle a large number of requests and is a great solution for corporate intranets.
However, not all web hosts support Joomla. As a result, we conducted extensive research to identify the best Joomla service that will make your site more secure, faster, and easy to manage.
In this article, we will go into detail about the best Joomla managed hosting providers in 2024.
The 6 Top Joomla Managed Hosting Providers in 2024
- FastComet – Best Joomla Managed Hosting Provider Overall
- HostArmada – Best Optimized Joomla Managed Hosting Provider
- Kamatera – Best Scalable Joomla Managed Hosting Provider
- Hostinger – Best Affordable Joomla Hosting Provider
- A2 Hosting – Best Managed VPS Joomla Hosting Provider
- InterServer – Best Managed Dedicated Server Joomla Hosting Provider
The Best Joomla Managed Hosting Providers in 2024 (Bought and Tested)
FastComet is an excellent managed hosting provider for Joomla, offering exceptional speed, security, and support. Its FastCloud hosting platform provides superior performance, with up to 300% faster access to files and databases compared to non-SSD hosting providers.
FastComet offers a 45-day money-back guarantee for Cloud Shared Hosting and 7 days for VPS/DS Servers. FastComet’s fully managed Joomla VPS Cloud hosting solution is perfect for personal and small business websites as it provides raw power and a completely customizable environment with a dedicated CPU for resource-demanding tasks.
- Overall score – 5
- Pricing – 4.9
- Features – 5
- Performance – 5
- Support – 5
- User Friendly – 5
Pricing: FastComet offers three main pricing plans: Shared Hosting, Cloud VPS Hosting, and Dedicated Server Hosting. The Shared Hosting plans include three packages, and their prices range from $2.39 to $4.99 per month. The Cloud VPS Hosting plans range from $46.16 to $107.76 per month, and the Dedicated Server Hosting starts from $107.06 per month.
Features: FastComet shared hosting plans feature SSL certificates, website migration, web server caches, SSD storage, cPanel and daily backups for free. On the VPS plans, you get NVMe storage, DDoS protection, and unlimited website hosting
Performance: Increase the performance of your website with SSD architecture, PHP and server OS optimizations, and free CDN, which leads to faster loading speeds and improved user experience.
Support: FastComet’s Joomla experts are available 24/7 to help with any hosting-related issues. They ensure that your website is always up and running smoothly.
User Friendly: The Joomla managed hosting solutions are user-friendly, with a cPanel control panel and a drag-and-drop site builder that makes it easy to create and manage your website.
Additional parameter – One-Click Application Installer: FastComet offers a one-click application installer, which allows you to install popular applications like WordPress and Joomla with just one click.
Pros & Cons
- Affordable pricing
- Free CDN and integration
- Unlimited support
- Free SSL for every website
- Drag-and-drop site builder
- 45 days money-back guarantee
- No free domain
HostArmada offers specialized support and optimization for Joomla-based sites. Its hosting plans provide optimal loading speeds and everything needed for a successful web presence, including free SSL, website migration, and a 1-click Joomla installer.
HostArmada’s infrastructure, which includes SSD storage and a redundant cloud network, contributes to its fast and reliable hosting services and a 99.9% uptime.
- Overall score – 4.9
- Pricing – 4.9
- Features – 5
- Performance – 5
- Support – 5
- User Friendly – 4.9
Pricing: HostArmada offers four pricing plans: Shared & WordPress, Reseller Hosting, Virtual Servers (VPS), and Dedicated CPU hosting. The Shared & WordPress plan starts at $2.49 to $5.21 per month and can be paid on a triennial, biennial, annual, or monthly basis. Reseller Hosting accepts payments annually, semi-annually, and monthly.
Features: HostArmada’s optimized Joomla hosting offers free SSL for all websites, free website migration, and free web server caches. You can benefit from a free cPanel control panel for easy website management, daily backups for data security, and tight Joomla security measures to protect your websites from threats.
Performance: The Joomla hosting provider offers industry-standard cPanel for easy website management and control. It uses SSD cloud storage to ensure high-speed data access and integrity to prevent hardware failures. It also offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee.
Support: HostArmada’s Joomla hosting plans come with 24/7 technical support. It provides human-powered assistance for fast and secure website transfer, template or module installations, and any website-related issues. The support team is available through various channels, including a ticketing system, live chat, and phone support.
User Friendly: HostArmada’s intuitive and well-designed dashboard allows you to manage your domain’s DNS settings easily and efficiently.
Additional parameter – Web Application Firewall (WAF): The WAF features an advanced machine-learning ruleset that updates itself regularly. WAF also provides a multi-layered defense against various types of malicious traffic. It shields websites from DDoS attacks, brute-force attacks, and aggressive port scan scripts.
Pros & Cons
- Proactive security
- 24/7 technical support
- Unlimited bandwidth
- One-click installation
- Web server cache
- Renewal rates are high
Known for its scalable cloud infrastructure and excellent services, Kamatera allows you to start with a small server and scale up as you grow. With data centers across the globe, Kamatera’s cloud-based VPS-style hosting makes cloud hosting accessible and affordable.
Kamatera is suitable for developers who value performance and scalability, and it is one of the most reliable Joomla hosting companies.
- Overall score – 4.9
- Pricing – 4.9
- Features – 4.9
- Performance – 4.9
- Support – 4.9
- User Friendly – 4.8
Pricing: Kamatera plans start at $4 per month and $0.005 per hour. The pricing is scalable and allows you to customize server configurations based on your specific needs, so you don’t have to pay for unused resources. It also offers extended daily backup and fully managed services, which can affect the pricing based on the selected features.
Features: Kamatera offers a powerful enterprise-class cloud infrastructure with 17 data centers. The platform provides a cloud firewall for enhanced security. Kamatera also features simplified installation, setup, and upgrades for you to manage your cloud hosting.
Performance: Kamatera’s cloud hosting services offer fast response times and a 99.95% uptime guarantee. It uses cutting-edge hardware, such as Ice Lake Processors and NVMe SSD, to ensure optimal performance.
Support: It provides 24/7 support through chat, phone, or email. Kmatera’s technical support team is knowledgeable, friendly, and provides timely assistance to customers. There are available sales and account managers in North America, Europe, and Asia, who are available during business hours to assist customers with their inquiries.
User Friendly: Kamatera’s user-friendly features include unlimited scaling which allows you to easily adjust server configurations as your needs grow.
Additional Parameter – Cloud Block: Kamatera’s cloud block is a cutting-edge data storage solution with a centralized design free from failure. It functions similarly to a virtual private hard drive for cloud servers. The data is broken up into blocks, and before storage, each block will get distinct identification (metadata). This solution enables ultra-low latency and optimal performance.
Pros & Cons
- Scalable servers
- Flexible pricing
- 24/7 support
- SSD-accelerated disk drives
- 99.95% uptime
- Global server locations
- No money-back guarantee
Hostinger offers a wide range of hosting solutions (like VPS and cloud servers) that support Joomla. We recommend its Managed WordPress Hosting plans for people looking for managed Joomla hosting. These plans have optimized servers and managed service to ensure the best performance.
The Hostinger Managed WordPress hosting plans come with pre-installed WordPress. You can install Joomla side by side with WordPress or remove the WordPress CMS.
- Overall score – 4.7
- Pricing – 4.8
- Features – 4.9
- Performance – 4.5
- Support – 4.5
- User Friendly – 4.8
Pricing: Hostinger’s Managed WordPress lowest-tier plan starts at $2.99/mo and includes hosting for 100 websites, 100GB SSD, and weekly backups. The mid-tier plan starts at $3.99/mo and includes 100 websites, 200GB NVMe, daily backups, and CDN. The top-tier plan starts at $8.99/mo and offers hosting for 300 websites, 200GB NVMe, daily backups, CDN, and a dedicated IP address.
Features: All Hostinger managed plans offer daily/weekly backup, free email, SSL certificates, and unlimited bandwidth. You get a free domain and CDN on the mid and top-tier plans. A dedicated IP address and priority support are exclusive to the top-tier plan. Other features include enhanced DDoS protection, global data centers, and 99.9% uptime.
Performance: Hostinger Managed WordPress plans offer fast load times. This means your visitors will get a good browsing experience, and your website will have a higher search engine ranking. Other performance features include LiteSpeed web servers and the LSCWP Cache plugin, code minification, data center rerouting, and automatic image optimization.
Support: All customers get 24/7 customer support via live chat and email. The support team speaks multiple languages and is always eager to provide support. There is a standard response time of 3 minutes. Get the top-tier Managed hosting plan if you want priority support for faster response times.
User-Friendly: Hostinger makes their Managed WordPress plan easy to use via intuitive control panels. The default panel is the web host’s proprietary hPanel. However, they allow you to choose from panels like cPanel and CyberPanel. In addition, they offer automatic website migration.
Additional Parameter – Affordability: When we say affordability, we mean Hostinger plans offer the most features at the lowest plan. For instance, their mid-tier plan begins at $3.99/mo and allows you to host up to 200 websites. You also get a free domain, CDN, and 200GB storage.
Pros & Cons
- Affordable pricing
- 24/7 customer support
- 99.9% uptime guarantee
- Global server locations
- Multiple control panel options
- No managed VPS plan
A2 Hosting is an excellent choice for managed VPS hosting. Their plans include lightning-fast servers, generous features, and fully managed service. You can also install various platforms, including Joomla, on your server.
We recommend A2 Hosting for anyone seeking top performance over everything else. The web host’s VPS plans are optimized for speed and performance. You can even take things a notch higher by signing up for their Mach plans. If you want a cheaper alternative, see their managed WordPress plans.
- Overall score – 4.5
- Pricing – 4
- Features – 4.5
- Performance – 5
- Support – 4.5
- User Friendly – 4.5
Pricing: A2 Hosting offers two kinds of managed VPS plans: Lift and Mach. The Lift plans begin at $24.99/mo and go up to $44.99/mo. They offer 4-16GB RAM, 150-450GB SSD, 2-4TB transfer, and 2-8 cores. The Mach plans (with Turbo servers) cost $54.99/mo-$74.99/mo. They offer 8-32GB RAM, 150-450GB SSD, 2-4TB transfer, and 2-8 cores.
Features: All managed VPS plans offer SSL certificates, Imunify360 security suite, CloudLinux OS, cPanel control panel, and free website migration. You also get daily automatic updates, managed installs, and regular patches. In the Mach plans, you get LiteSpeed web servers and NVMe drives.
Performance: A2 Hosting is popular for its high-performance servers. You get top-tier loading speeds, particularly if you use the Mach plans. The support team will also help you optimize your server environment to prevent lags and resolve performance issues. As a backup, you get a 99.9% uptime guarantee.
Support: A2 Hosting offers round-the-clock phone, live chat, and email support. There is also a comprehensive knowledge base on Joomla hosting and other related topics. However, you may not need these since the web host handles most server management tasks.
User Friendly: A2 Hosting makes their managed plans as simple as possible. They keep all the complicated parts on their end, so you don’t tinker with the settings. This is generally fine for most people. However, developers who want to install their own OS, control panel, and additional features should consider the unmanaged options.
Additional Parameter – Performance: A2 Hosting does generally well in terms of pricing, ease of use, and support. However, its star feature is its server performance. The optimized and pre-configured servers offer top loading speeds to all locations. You can get an extra 20% loading speed boost using its Turbo server plans.
Pros & Cons
- Pre-configured servers
- 24/7 support
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Global data centers
- Beginner-friendly managed plans
- Higher renewal prices
InterServer is a web host with straightforward hosting plans. Their products lack the frills that are common with most hosting providers. Instead, you have simple plans with minimal features at affordable prices.
We recommend their dedicated server for people looking to host Joomla websites on powerful infrastructure. These servers are affordable, powerful, and reliable. They also include free managed service. Their VPS plans also include managed service if you purchase four slices or more.
- Overall score – 4.4
- Pricing – 4.5
- Features – 4.5
- Performance – 4.5
- Support – 4.5
- User-Friendly – 4
Pricing: InterServer dedicated server costs $55/mo for the lowest plan. This plan (E3 1270V2 SALEE3-1270v2) offers 32GB RAM, 2 x 2TB SSD, 1GBPS unmetered bandwidth, and 1 IP. The low-tier VPS plan costs $6/mo and offers 1 core, 2GB memory, 30GB SSD, and 2TB transfer.
Features: All InterServer dedicated server plans offer DDoS protection, 1GB or 10GB port connection, remote reboots, and managed support. Other features include 15TB transfer, uptime monitoring, remote KVM, floating IPs, IPMI or iLo access, and remote OS reinstall.
Performance: InterServer delivers on performance thanks to its streamlined hosting servers. Although its servers are located in the US, the loading speeds are an average of 1 second, with less than 1 second speed from multiple locations. InterServer also offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee.
Support: InterServer offers managed support to all dedicated servers and VPS clients who purchase 4 slices or more. The managed support includes diagnosing failed services, helping with control panel issues, and regular security patches. It also offers 24/7 regular customer support via phone, email, and a ticket system.
User-Friendly: InterServer offers a developer-friendly setup on its dedicated servers and VPS plans. These plans give you complete control, so you can choose your control panel and OS. Considering the lack of fully managed service, beginners might find these plans too technical.
Additional Parameter – Custom Servers: InterServer allows you to configure your server specs to meet your hosting requirements. To do so, click the configure button in the product description. You can configure memory, hard drive, bandwidth, operating system, and control panel.
Pros & Cons
- Affordable pricing
- Free managed support
- Fast servers
- Developer-friendly options
- Custom server configuration
- Managed support is not comprehensive
Ranking comparison between the Top Providers
Best Joomla Hosting Provider: Final Recommendations
Our top recommendation for managed Joomla hosting is FastComet. The web host offers exceptional speed, security, and fully managed servers. With the shared hosting plans, you can start hosting for as low as $2.39 monthly. Another great option is HostArmada cloud hosting, whose plans feature specialized support and optimization for Joomla-based sites and free SSL. The plans start at $2.49. Kamatera is our recommendation for advanced cloud hosting (VPS and dedicated servers). It features scalable cloud hosting plans starting at $4 per month.
Other great options are Hostinger, A2 Hosting, and InterServer. Hostinger stands out for its affordability, managed service, and optimized servers. We recommend their Managed WordPress plans starting from $2.99/mo. A2 Hosting is optimized for speed, especially when you use their managed VPS plans. These plans start from $24.99/mo. Our final recommendation is InterServer, which offers simple hosting plans with affordable and reliable dedicated servers for as low as $55/mo.
Types of Joomla Hosting and Which One Is Right for You?
The performance of your Joomla website depends on the hosting service you choose. Here are the different Joomla hosting options and their use cases:
- Shared Hosting: Shared hosting means sharing server resources with other users. The cost is usually low since the total cost is distributed among all the users. We only recommend shared hosting for small-scale projects and small/medium businesses. If you are building an online store or resource-hungry applications, consider VPS.
- Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting: VPS means you have a virtual server to yourself. The virtual server is created as a partition on a single physical server. Each partition has its resources, such as CPU, RAM, and storage. VPS is our recommendation for growing websites, e-commerce websites, web applications, and all users who can afford it. However, if you are a beginner to VPS hosting, we recommend using a managed option.
- Dedicated Server Hosting: Dedicated server hosting allocates a single server’s resources to one user. This means you can customize the server and install as many websites as possible. That said, dedicated servers can be expensive because the web host places the cost of the entire server on one user. As such, we only recommend it for users who are building powerful web applications or international e-commerce sites. Otherwise, choose a suitable VPS or cloud server plan.
- Cloud Hosting: Cloud hosting means your hosting solution is hosted on a cluster of cloud servers. If one server goes down, another one takes up its function. This setup can be the underlying structure for a hosting plan (shared hosting or VPS) or a standalone hosting package. Regardless of the setup, cloud hosting allows users to increase their hosting resources on demand. It also allows more flexible payment options than shared hosting and VPS plans. We recommend the standalone cloud server plan for websites with flexibility and scalability needs.
- Managed Hosting: With managed service, the web host will manage server setup, optimization, and management. It also offers more support and ease of use than regular (unmanaged) hosting plans. We recommend it because it allows Joomla users to focus on content creation without server maintenance worries. Other benefits include reduced operating costs, automated backups, disaster recovery, and expert configuration.
- Reseller Hosting: Reseller hosting is a hosting package designed for entrepreneurs. It allows clients to break hosting solutions into smaller units and sell them to other clients. This option is excellent for entrepreneurs who want to get into the web hosting business but do not have the hosting infrastructure. It is also ideal for developers and agencies who have to manage several websites. With this hosting type, they can manage all the websites under one plan, with different cPanels for each plan.
Managed vs. Unmanaged Joomla Hosting Solution: Which Is Right for You?
In this article, we discussed the best-managed Joomla hosting providers. Many of them also offer unmanaged solutions. As you may have noticed, unmanaged solutions are typically cheaper than managed solutions. So which one do you choose? Let’s review the key features of each option and provide some guidelines.
Managed Joomla Hosting
Managed Joomla hosting means the hosting provider will handle server setup, maintenance, and optimization. It typically includes priority customer support and is excellent for those with limited technical skills. The web host will handle security measures, including updates and monitoring. We recommend it for individuals or businesses with limited technical expertise. It is also great for advanced users who prioritize convenience over server control or want support for server-related issues.
However, managed hosting is not perfect. Since the web host is responsible for site management, it typically will limit your access to key server settings. This is done for your protection but can be a significant issue for users who want highly customizable setups. Furthermore, the web host may not support some custom extensions or scripts you want to run on your server. Lastly, managed hosting costs extra since the hosting provider will charge you monthly for the managed service.
Unmanaged Joomla Hosting
Unmanaged Joomla hosting means the web host has no role in managing your server. This allows you to customize your server and install third-party extensions from any source. It is perfect for people who want to choose their control panel, OS, and even CMS. It can be more secure than managed hosting, depending on your technical level. After all, you can harden your server defense using tools and solutions you trust. Lastly, it is a lot cheaper than managed hosting. We recommend unmanaged hosting for anyone who wants complete control over their servers.
On the downside, you need technical expertise to manage server tasks, updates, and security. If you don’t have the basic knowledge, you could expose your server to vulnerabilities. Unmanaged hosting offers limited support, especially when the web host has managed plans. And even with the basic knowledge, you still need to invest valuable time in server management and monitoring. You can use tools and system alerts to automate some tasks, but setting up those tools requires technical knowledge. Lastly, unmanaged hosting is only cheaper on paper. When you calculate the time and resources required to manage the server, you may realize you are spending more in the long run.
Factors to consider when choosing a Managed Joomla hosting plan
You have chosen managed Joomla hosting. That is the first step. The next step is to choose a hosting plan. Here are some criteria to consider. You can sign up for a plan to test these key areas first. If the plan doesn’t meet up, you can cancel and get a refund. (Note that providers like InterServer do not offer refunds.)
- Performance and Scalability: Review the performance that you get from the plan. In most cases, you can predict performance from the server setup. Providers that offer lightning-fast servers, SSD drives, CDN, LiteSpeed web servers, and advanced caching typically perform better. You should also ensure the web host can guarantee optimal performance during periods when your hosting needs increase.
- Security Features: Managed plans generally are secure. However, this security varies among providers. Look for robust security measures, like firewalls, malware scanning, and SSL certificates. Other features include 2-factor authentication (2FA), multi-user access management, and DDoS protection.
- Support and Uptime Guarantees: 24/7 support via live chat and ticketing systems have become the standard. However, read the fine print to know what the managed support includes. It is best to choose a web host that offers Joomla-specific support. You should also check the uptime guarantee to ensure it is at least 99.9%.
- User-Friendliness: If you are new to Joomla hosting, you need a web host that offers a user-friendly environment. This will be in the form of fast and helpful support agents, a comprehensive database, and free migration. As an advanced user, you should look for familiar control panels, flexibility, and developer tools.
- Cost: Lastly, check the price tag. When doing this, look for the renewal price, which is often higher than the starting price. Also, consider the cost of any additional service you will need, such as extra backup and managed service.
How Do We Rank, and How Should You Choose Your Joomla VPS Hosting?
- Features20%
- Uptime, Speed, and Performance25%
- Ease of Use and Customer Support15%
- Price Value Ratio10%
- Reputation30%
Here are the key parameters we use to rank the best Managed Joomla hosting providers.
- Features (20%): The key features we consider are bandwidth, RAM, storage size, and storage type. For VPS and dedicated servers, we look at the number and specification of the CPUs included in each plan. Generally speaking, the lowest-tier plan from each recommended provider must be sufficient to host a small Joomla website. Other features include automatic backups, control panel options, OS choices, and the number of websites you can host on each plan.
- Uptime, Speed, and Performance (25%): Dedicated servers offer the best performance, followed by cloud servers and VPS plans. However, we also ensure that the recommended providers offer high-performance shared hosting plans. This ensures all customers can get quality Joomla hosting regardless of budget or expertise. Other performance features are uptime, malware scanners, and DDoS protection. We recommend a minimum of 99.9% uptime guarantee. (Note that the uptime guarantee only states that if the uptime drops below that, the web host will compensate you. It doesn’t mean that is the average uptime of the provider.)
- Ease of Use and Customer Support (15%): Managed Joomla hosting offers the most support and ease of use. However, we review the support included in each plan to ascertain its depth. For instance, FastComet offers more comprehensive managed support compared to InterServer.
- Price Value Ratio (10%): When reviewing prices, we look at the features included in each plan. We then compare the price to plans from other competitors that offer the same features. This helps us to determine how cheap or expensive a plan is. Other areas include the cost of add-ons (such as managed service) and renewal prices.
- Reputation (30%): Lastly, we check the brand reputation to see how well they have delivered over time. We review customer reviews and the number of awards they receive from reputable third-party reviewers.
What Is Managed Joomla Hosting, and Who Is It For?
Managed Joomla hosting is a managed plan that you can use to host a Joomla website. The plan can be a shared hosting, cloud server, VPS plan, or dedicated server. The critical requirement is that the web host offers managed service.
Managed Joomla hosting is for:
- Small business owners without dedicated IT staff
- Individuals with limited technical expertise
- Startups with limited resources
- Non-profit organizations
- E-commerce businesses