For most small business websites, you do not need a dedicated IP address.
A dedicated IP means your site is the only one using that IP, while a shared IP address means many sites share the same IP on the hosting server. For normal WordPress sites, service business sites, and even most eCommerce sites, visitors will not notice a difference, and your day to day marketing results will not hinge on having your “own” IP.
The biggest myth we hear is that you need a dedicated IP for HTTPS. Modern browsers and servers support SNI (a standard that lets multiple sites use HTTPS on one IP), so SSL certificates work fine on shared IP hosting in almost every scenario. If you want the practical SEO side of this, read our FAQ on whether HTTPS affects SEO.
Another common myth is SEO. A dedicated IP does not boost rankings. What matters is uptime, page speed, clean technical setup, and content that matches what your customers search. If you want a plain-English breakdown, our FAQ on how site speed affects SEO ties hosting choices to real outcomes.
| Situation | Do you need a dedicated IP? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Typical business website (dental, law, home services, real estate) | No | Shared IP works the same for traffic and conversions. |
| Standard HTTPS (SSL) on your domain | No | SNI handles SSL on shared IPs for modern clients. |
| Running your own email server from the hosting box | Usually yes | Deliverability often depends on IP reputation and reverse DNS control. |
| Vendor requires IP allowlisting (bank feeds, EMR, private API) | Maybe | You need a stable outbound IP to put on their allowlist. |
| Legacy systems that cannot use SNI | Maybe | Rare today, but some old devices break on shared-IP SSL. |
In our Orlando client work, the times we recommend paying extra for a dedicated IP are narrow: you are self-hosting email, a third party contract requires IP allowlisting, or you have a legacy integration that fails on modern shared hosting patterns. If you are using Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 for email, your web host IP is not the thing deciding inbox placement.
If you want this handled without guesswork, our WordPress hosting setups focus on speed, security, backups, and clean DNS so you get the benefits people think a dedicated IP provides, without buying extras you do not need.
If your real goal is faster load times and a cleaner conversion path (which is what usually drives the “do I need a dedicated IP” question), our web design team can review your current setup and tell you what will move the needle first.
