Flywheel Review February 2023: Everything You Should Know About Managed WordPress Hosting

Are you searching for a high-quality Managed WordPress Hosting solution? Are you thinking about using Flywheel to host your WordPress site?

In this Flywheel review, I’ll look at its costs and features, as well as its performance and customer service, to see what it’s all about. Flywheel is a well-known managed WordPress hosting service.

Flywheel provides the fast speeds, reliable performance, and support that your WordPress site requires to work successfully. Furthermore, Flywheel’s free sample sites and one-click staging tools make it simple to create a website from the ground up.

Flywheel is designed on a solid network infrastructure that prioritizes speed, scalability, and security.

Their plans are packed with benefits, like free site migration, automatic backups, WordPress updates, built-in caching, CDN integration, SSL support, and much more.

They also provide a 30-day money-back guarantee. The cheapest managed WordPress hosting package from Flywheel is $23.00 per month.

Let’s take a deeper look at what FlyWheel WordPress Hosting has to offer and see what we can learn about it in this Flywheel review.

Flywheel Web Hosting Pros and cons

Flywheel Review Overview

We can say that Flywheel is one of the Best-Managed WordPress Hosting as it provides premium features and performance at a cost that is comparable to (or even cheaper than) that of many other managed WordPress hosting.

Flywheel has its headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska, and was founded in 2012. It was formed by Rick Knudtson, Tony Noecker, and Dusty Davidson.

Their goal is to make the lives of the millions of web designers and developers who use the WordPress platform to create their websites easier.

Despite not being as well-known as some of its competitors, Flywheel has swiftly established itself as a trustworthy managed WordPress hosting provider that many businesses trust and enjoy.

Flywheel is better than other managed WordPress hosting organizations as it provides some special tools that make the lives of web designers and developers easier. Not just this, but all these functions come along with an easy and user-friendly interface. 

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flywheel features

Flywheel is a great option for you if you are looking for a Managed WordPress Server. This is because it adds a slew of extras like automatic backups and staging sites and goes beyond the essentials to make things easy for you. Let’s have a look at all the primary features of Flywheel.

Convenience-based features Of Flywheel

• A well-designed custom hosting dashboard is available.
• Backups are made automatically every night.
• Sites that can be staged with a single click.
• “Blueprints” allow you to quickly establish a new site from a pre-made template of themes and plugins.
• Integrate with Local to deploy your local development site to Flywheel hosting automatically (either the live site or staging site).
• FTP is simple — you only need one login to access all of your sites.
• Add collaborators to your Flywheel account, each with varying levels of account access.
• Updates for plugins are controlled.

Performance-based features Of Flywheel

• Google Cloud provides cloud hosting infrastructure for Flywheel.
• For increased performance and scalability, use the Nginx server.
• There’s no need to utilize a caching plugin because there’s built-in server-level caching.
• Fastly-powered content delivery network (CDN) built-in.

Security-based features Of Flywheel

• To proactively stop risks and DDoS attacks, a web application firewall (WAF) is available.
• Let’s Encrypt provides free SSL certificates.
• If any malware gets through, it’s removed for free.

Some More features offered By Flywheel

• Billing transfer allows you to deliver web pages to a client’s billing account quickly and efficiently.
• The Genesis Framework and all StudioPress child themes are available for free.
• Growth Suite is a one-of-a-kind function that assists you in billing and managing your clientele.

Flywheel Cloud: Infrastructure for Hosting that Enhances Your Experience

Flywheel recently improved its hosting infrastructure and teamed with Google Cloud Platform to transform into a full cloud hosting provider.

One of the biggest advantages for Flywheel clients is that their websites’ resources may now increase nearly instantaneously and without limit, delivering in faster loading times and a more stable hosting environment.

Flywheel Cloud hosting connects several computers to create a single cloud environment and has various benefits including:

Numerous Resources- Because Flywheel Cloud uses the Google Cloud Platform which is one of the largest providers, your website’s resources are nearly limitless.

Loading Time Is Faster- Traditional hosting can cause performance concerns, such as poor loading times or periods of unavailability, as your website outgrows the physical server it’s hosted on.

However, with Flywheel cloud hosting, depending on how the platform is designed, the resources available to your website are scaled automatically or at the push of a button.

Improved Redundancy- This is another advantage of Flywheel cloud hosting. Because your website is housed on a network of servers, even if one goes down, the cloud network will continue to work.

Traditional hosting, on the other hand, means that if the server where your website is hosted goes down, your website will go down with it.

Does Flywheel Give Free demo sites?

While some hosting companies provide money-back guarantees and free trials, Flywheel offers free demo sites to people who want to see if managed WordPress hosting is right for them.

You can use the demo service to construct many test sites and try out the various capabilities that Flywheel provides. 

Moreover, you won’t be obliged to join up for a premium plan later if you don’t provide billing information. Web developers and designers will like the sample site feature. It enables users to build websites and fine-tune the design before launching them.

No payments will be incurred because the demo sites are not billed until they become live. When you or your client is satisfied with the website, you can decide to purchase a hosting package from Flywheel to launch it and remove the password protection.

You may rapidly produce a link from within the Flywheel dashboard that gets delivered via email to your client, allowing them to choose a plan and sign up with Flywheel, to assist in speeding the process of acquiring a hosting plan.

You might earn a commission for each of your clients who join Flywheel thanks to the referral program. Alternatively, as part of the service you provide to your clients, you might purchase a hosting plan for the site. 

Because of the sample site feature, there’s no need to move the website to a different server once it’s finished. To make the site publicly accessible, simply alter the domain DNS settings and disable the password protection.

If you are looking for an alternative to Flywheel then you can explore the Bluehost trial offer.

Flywheel’s Build-in caching ability Reduces Loading Time

The ability to speed up website load times is one of the key reasons for looking for the finest hosting provider. Flywheel has a built-in caching system that was created specifically for this purpose.

Because the caching method improves server performance and decreases download times, your website will run smoothly with lightning-fast load speeds without the need for additional caching services or plugins. Load times of 3 to 6 seconds have been reported by certain Flywheel users.

In addition to three comprehensive hosting plans with varying amounts of bandwidth and disc space, as well as CDN, SSL, and Multisite support, Flywheel also offers custom configurations that allow you to tailor your plan’s features to your site’s requirements.

Custom Configure Your Flywheel Hosting

You may do everything from modifying cache setups to installing your content delivery network and SSL certificate or purchasing them from Flywheel, using the provided custom tools.

So, with Flywheel’s bespoke plan, you may obtain exactly what you want to host and administer your website.

Flywheel Managed hosting

In this Flywheel Review, we can say, Flywheel has the ideal WordPress Managed Hosting service for your business if you aren’t a highly skilled website owner and are looking for a great host. You won’t have to worry about WordPress updates you don’t understand or hire professional help because Flywheel will take care of everything for you.

The company employs a staff of WordPress professionals who upgrade each client’s site to guarantee that it is up to date and working smoothly.

Before evaluating whether or not this is the ideal host for you, here are some technical considerations to consider:

• Caching for websites: Varnish caching for WordPress sites.
• PHP 7.2: It is the default on all new Flywheel WordPress sites. There is no way to alter the PHP version manually.
• HTTP 2.0: It is there on all Flywheel-hosted sites that use an SSL certificate.
• Content Delivery Network (CDN): The Fastly CDN is now included in all tiers at no additional cost.
• SFTP: Secure ‘reimagined’ FTP access to your webspace, allowing you to upload and modify files using your preferred client (learn more).
• Access to database: A custom database manager provides web-based access to the site’s MySQL database.
• SSL Certificate: Let’s Encrypt offers a free SSL certificate, or you can use your own.
• No Email service: None of the Flywheel WordPress Hosting plans provides email; G Suite and comparable services are recommended.
• No file manager: There is no online file manager for the server, only FTP access to the server space.
• Restrictions on plugins: Some plugins that potentially influence website performance, like backup, cache, security, and related articles plugins, are not allowed.
• Security procedures: This includes proactive scanning for security threats and malware and hacking attempts being blocked.
• WordPress website administration: WordPress core software updates are installed automatically after they’ve been tested, with the option to opt-out of major version updates and the ability to roll back an update if necessary. As a paid add-on, you can get automatic plugin updates.
• Sites are hosted in one of five data centers across the world: the United States, Australia, Canada, the European Union, and the United Kingdom.
• Clean-up services after a hack: If your site gets hacked while it is hosted by Flywheel, they will fix it for free.
• Staging: All plans now include access to a staging site that can be easily deployed to the live site.
• Visitor Analytics: From your Flywheel Hosting account dashboard, you may get information about your website’s traffic.
• Website Migration: It is free on all Flywheel plans, and each account can have several free migrations. Expedited migrations are available for $49 and take eight working hours to complete.
• Uptime checks: Flywheel does not check the status of your site, however, this can be added as a paid upgrade to your plan.

Is Flywheel WordPress Hosting’s dashboard user-friendly?

Because Flywheel hosting is geared toward designers and developers, as well as anyone searching for reliable WordPress hosting, it’s no surprise that their dashboard is sleek and modern.

When it comes to interface design and user experience, it’s safe to say that Flywheel takes things to the next level.

Although appearances aren’t everything, if you’re familiar with low-cost budget hosting that uses the cPanel software, or if you’ve used any other expensive managed WordPress web providers, you’ll know that an inconvenient account administration experience may rapidly lead to irritation.

Flywheel makes chores like setting up new WordPress websites and managing accounts a breeze. Simply join up for a free Flywheel account and then select Create a New Site from the drop-down menu.

You can input a site name and choose a temporary domain name on the single-screen setup page, as well as assign an owner to the site. 

You may also utilize the Blueprint functionality to apply a predefined website configuration to your new site, as we discussed earlier. This is, however, optional; you can just as easily start from scratch with a new WordPress installation.

Everything is beautifully laid out with a sleek design that looks amazing while remaining user-friendly, as you can see.

The payment section, where you may choose a hosting plan and make a payment, is the final step in building a new WordPress website with Flywheel.

You can also proceed in demo site mode and postpone submitting your payment information and making your site online.

You can also add the site to one of your current Flywheel hosting plans if there are free slots available on your account, and you can choose the data center where your site will be housed.

Your new WordPress website will be generated once you’ve input all of the needed information.

Flywheel hosting pricing

Flywheel’s hosting options and price details have recently been simplified, and there are now three primary plans plus a custom option to choose from. Let’s have a look at the annual costs for customers.

Starter Hosting Plan ($25/mo)

This is for 25 USD a month. It includes one WordPress installation and 5 GB of disc space. It also includes 25,000 monthly visits and 50 GB of bandwidth.

Freelance Hosting Plan ($96/mo)

This is Recommended Plan for Professionals that is for USD 96 per month and includes ten WordPress installations, 100,000 monthly visits, 20 GB of disc space, and 200 GB of bandwidth.

Agency Hosting Plan($242/mo)

This Plan is the Best Managed WordPress Hosting Plan suited for the Agency and for USD 242 per month for 30 WordPress installations, 500,000 monthly visits, 50 GB of storage, and 500 GB of bandwidth.

All plans now include staging and CDN access as part of the transition to the Google Cloud Platform.

If you exceed your plan’s data limits, you’ll be charged overage costs as follows:

• Extra monthly visitors: USD 1 per thousand (sites hosted in the Australian data center are charged USD 1.50 per thousand extra monthly visitors).
• For every GB beyond your limit, you’ll be charged USD 1.

What makes FlyWheel Hosting special

Flywheel Has Excellent Performance and uptime

Though Flywheel does not provide an uptime guarantee as other providers do, its performance is among the best in that business.

According to various users and reviews who have used trustworthy tools such as Load Impact to assess Flywheel’s performance and uptime, the company’s lifetime uptime score falls between 99.99 and 100%, while its performance stays unaffected even while under extreme loads.

Dedicated 24/7 help and support facility

Flywheel has a dedicated support team that can be reached by phone, email, live chat, or support requests. When you need assistance, you can even send a tweet. As a result, you can contact the customer service team at any time, even at unusual hours.

Flywheel also has a wealth of resources where you can learn everything from how to start a business to how to make your WordPress website load faster.

Collaboration function Offered By Flywheel

Unless you run a DIY website, you’ll like Flywheel’s collaboration feature, which we highlighted briefly in the Dashboard section. It makes it simple to share your webpage with anyone who needs it.

And, unlike most people, you won’t have to share your password or make several logins! Simply use the collaboration feature to add a list of coworkers and you’re ready to start.

The newly added individuals will have full ability to manage the site, upload files, and perform any other management-related tasks as needed. Once they’ve completed their task, you can revoke access and return your website to being solely available to you.

Higher Disk space Compared to competitor hosting

The quantity of files you can upload is limited by the amount of disc space available in Flywheel’s plans. The most expensive plans provide the largest storage space.

The best solution for you is determined by the requirements of your website. If you have a lot of pages or a lot of large photos, audio clips, or video files, you’ll want to go with the higher storage space option.

Performance Review: Is FlyWheel Managed WordPress Hosting Fast

Flywheel takes performance as a managed WordPress web server very seriously. When you look at the tools they provide, it’s clear:

• Flywheel has fine-tuned its servers for WordPress because they only host WordPress sites.

• They provide a custom caching solution designed just for WordPress users.

• Flywheel now has access to a free Content Delivery Network (CDN) thanks to a partnership with MaxCDN.

• Flywheel also teamed with the Google Cloud platform for high-performance infrastructure.

Flywheel loading time test: Fastest Hosting Service?

Because speed is a key factor to consider when assessing a web host, we’ve included the findings of our performance monitoring of two test WordPress websites in this section of our Flywheel review.

Using the Pingdom service, the speed of the two sites was measured every 30 minutes for seven days to determine the average loading time for each.

One test site used a lightweight WordPress theme, while the other used a more feature-rich theme to get a good overall impression.

The test reveals that Flywheel isn’t the fastest host we’ve ever tested, but it’s not bad either.  However, because no two WordPress websites are alike, you may wish to conduct your testing if you find Flywheel’s remarkable features attractive.

On their website, Flywheel also has some good information regarding site speed and testing that is worth reading.

Great Uptime test results

Although there are some precautions in place if your website is inaccessible for extended periods, Flywheel does not offer an uptime guarantee.

Our two test websites hosted by Flywheel, on the other hand, did not encounter any downtime during the seven days of Pingdom monitoring.

Comparison with another service

It always helps in choosing the better one when we compare two similar things. So, here we are providing a short comparison between WP Engine and Flywheel. WP Engine is one of the most well-known managed WordPress hosting providers, with a focus on larger websites. Its services are excellent, and the price reflects this.

Flywheel is a good, more economical starting point for a small business that doesn’t require as much as WP Engine but still wants the benefits of managed WordPress hosting.

You’ll get pretty much everything that comes with a managed WordPress plan, but at a cheaper price point and with fewer resources.

Customer Reviews and Testimonials

Hers is what users say

Flywheel Social media Profile

Marketers who use the flywheel recognize that they already have assets such as inbound marketing, SEO, social media engagement, and loyal customers.

Facebook Profile

Flywheel is an enticing WordPress hosting and management platform designed specifically for designers and agencies. It has 29,969 followers on Facebook.

Twitter Profile

Flywheel assists creatives in producing their best work by providing a suite of well-designed products and resources, including managed WordPress hosting. It has 15.8K Tweets and 15.6K Followers on Twitter.

Linkedin Profile

Flywheel has 8095 LinkedIn followers. Wonderful managed WordPress hosting designed to assist agencies, freelancers, and creatives in producing their best work!

Final Thoughts On Flywheel Review

The flywheel may not be as fast as WP Engine and Kinsta in our tests, but their loading times are still extremely respectable.

Furthermore, the Flywheel entry-level Starter plan (23 USD) is less priced than the corresponding hosts’ entry-level plans (35 USD and 30 USD).

Furthermore, as the results of the Load Impact test reveal, sites hosted by Flywheel should be just as capable of handling huge numbers of users and traffic surges. It’s also worth noting that we had a perfect uptime of 100 percent.

Flywheel’s decision to migrate to the Google Cloud Platform and update its hosting infrastructure appears to have paid off handsomely. Flywheel is a wonderful alternative if you’re searching for dependable managed WordPress cloud hosting for less than 30 USD per month.

Above all, Flywheel has done an outstanding job of providing a user-friendly web hosting experience with a variety of quite useful features.

Frequently Asked Questions