You should compare performance, reliability, support, security, backups, and total cost before leaving your current host, because a host switch can change your site speed, email delivery, and lead flow overnight.
We usually start by writing down what is broken today (slow admin, random downtime, poor support, surprise renewal pricing, limited backups) and what you want instead (faster pages, stable uptime, quick help, clean migrations, predictable billing). Then we compare hosts on the items below, using facts you can verify in your account, in a support chat, or with simple monitoring.
What to compare before you move
| What to compare | What to check | Red flags |
|---|---|---|
| Speed and caching | Time to first byte, page load on mobile, built-in server caching, CDN option, image optimization support | “Fast” claims with no caching controls, slow WordPress admin, no staging |
| Uptime and incident handling | Status page history, how outages are communicated, credits policy, monitoring tools | No public status page, vague outage answers, repeated short drops |
| Support quality | 24/7 availability, response times, whether support handles WordPress issues or only server basics | Ticket only, copy paste replies, upsell as the only fix |
| Backups and restores | Backup frequency, retention, offsite storage, one-click restore, restore testing process | Backups cost extra, restores are manual, backups stored on the same server |
| Security | Free SSL, WAF or firewall options, malware cleanup policy, patching approach, login protection | Paid SSL, malware cleanup is “best effort,” unclear responsibility lines |
| Limits that hit growth | CPU and memory caps, inode limits, visit limits, throttling policy, “unlimited” fine print | Sudden slowdowns during traffic spikes, surprise overage bills |
| Developer workflow | Staging, SSH, WP-CLI, Git support, PHP version control, object cache support (Redis) | No staging, old PHP versions, limited access for your developer |
| Email hosting and deliverability | Where email is hosted now, SPF/DKIM/DMARC support, SMTP relay options, mailbox migration help | Email bundled with weak spam protection, no help moving mailboxes |
| Data center and recovery | Region options, redundancy, backup location, disaster recovery plan | Single point of failure, unclear recovery plan |
| Billing and contract terms | Intro vs renewal pricing, add-on fees, cancellation policy, domain and SSL renewals | Low intro price that triples, paid add-ons for basics like backups |
In Orlando and Central Florida, we also look closely at how a host handles regional disruptions. Storm season tends to expose weak communication, weak recovery plans, and backups that are not truly offsite.
Fast self-check before you decide
- Baseline your current host: run a couple speed tests on a normal day, check your Core Web Vitals in Google Search Console, and set simple uptime monitoring for a week.
- Confirm control: you should control your domain DNS, your SSL, and your backups, even if someone else manages them.
- List what must not break: forms, booking, payments, call tracking, and email. Email is the most common surprise during migrations.
- Ask one direct support question: “If my site gets hacked, what will you do and what will it cost?” The answer tells you a lot.
If you want a host change that feels boring, the safest path is a planned migration with a staging copy, a tested restore point, and a DNS cutover during a low-traffic window. That is exactly what we handle inside our WordPress hosting service, including backup and rollback planning so you are not guessing during launch.
If your main reason for leaving is speed, it helps to separate hosting issues from site issues, since themes, plugins, and heavy images can slow even a strong server. Our FAQ on what causes a website to load slowly is a quick way to spot what is really driving the lag.
If you are weighing “stay and fix” vs “move and reset,” remember that speed affects both conversions and visibility. Our FAQ on how site speed affects SEO explains what matters most, so you can judge whether a host change will move the needle.
If you tell us your CMS (WordPress, Shopify, custom), your rough monthly traffic, and whether email is tied to your host, we can usually narrow the comparison down to the handful of items that actually change your day to day.
