WordPress has long ceased to be just a tool for blogging. Today it is a full-fledged ecosystem, on which both small sites and huge marketplaces operate. But any owner of a WP project sooner or later faces the question: which server to choose so that the site flies, and not crawls?
Virtual server (VPS) is the golden mean between traditional shared hosting and expensive dedicated-machines. It provides more power, flexibility and stability. But not every VPS can handle WordPress on 100%. Let's figure out what the ideal server for WP should have.
“WordPress loves speed. And speed means power, proper optimization, and the right choice of hosting.”
1. Performance
What to look for when choosing a VPS? Three key parameters are important:
CPU. The more powerful the processor, the faster the server will process PHP requests.
RAM. WordPress does not like a lack of RAM. The minimum is 2 GB, but for WooCommerce and busy sites, 4 GB is better.
Disk. SSD or NVMe - this is not discussed. Hard disk drives (HDD) slow down the site.
Good virtual servers also support optimized stacks: Nginx + FastCGI, MariaDB instead of MySQL, PHP 8+.
2. Caching - the fewer requests, the faster the site
WordPress can be quite capricious. The more content, plugins and traffic, the greater the load on the server. Caching solves the problem. Let's look at the main levels:
“Caching is like anticipating user requests. The faster the server responds, the higher the visitor’s satisfaction.”
Opcode Cache
PHP code is executed line by line on the server. Each time it is compiled anew - this takes a long time. Opcode Cache allows storing the compiled code in RAM, reducing the load.
Object Cache
WordPress makes dozens of SQL queries every time a page is opened. Object Cache stores the results in memory (RAM), which speeds up access. Powered by Redis or Memcached.
Full Page Cache
If your site is a blog or an online store, the content does not change every second. It makes sense to simply save the HTML version of the page and give it to users, bypassing PHP and MySQL.
HTTP Accelerators
Instead of writing the cache to disk, you can store it in RAM. Varnish or FastCGI handle this with flying colors.
3. Server location: the closer, the faster
Clients from Europe? Renting servers in Germany or the Netherlands will give you minimal ping. Working for the American market? It is better to take a VPS in the USA.
In addition to physical location, CDN support is important. Cloudflare, BunnyCDN or similar networks will deliver content closer to the user.
4. Security: SSL, firewall and backups
WordPress is a tasty morsel for hackers. A good VPS should support:
Automatic SSL Certificates
Firewalls (UFW, CSF)
DDoS protection
Regular backups
Additionally, you can install Fail2Ban to protect against brute force attacks and hide the standard paths of the administration panel.
5. Why VPS and not shared hosting?
Shared hosting is like living in a dorm: shared resources, constant problems with neighbors, lack of productivity. VPS is your own apartment. You choose the configuration, install software, manage resources yourself. Plus, if the project grows, you can easily scale up.
“Shared hosting is a compromise. VPS is freedom.”
VPS according to needs
The best VPS for WordPress is a server that suits your project’s needs. A small site will be fine with 2GB of RAM and an SSD, but a large store will need at least 4–8GB of RAM, a powerful processor, and advanced caching settings.
Look at reliability, support, geolocation, and additional features. And remember: site speed is not just convenience, but a ranking factor in Google. Fast site = more customers.
Just contact us and we will help you choose the best solution for you.
