The 9 Best WordPress Hosting Providers for Security

January 8, 2026 by Staff Writer

A hacked WordPress site can cost you weeks of recovery time, lost customer trust, and in some cases, your entire business. The hosting provider you choose determines how well protected your site is against brute-force attacks, malware injection, and unauthorized access attempts.

Some hosts treat security as an afterthought while others build it into every layer of their infrastructure.

Provider	Real-Time Malware Scanning	DDoS Protection	Web Application Firewall	Free SSL	Automatic Backups	Malware Cleanup
GreenGeeks	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes (Daily)	Yes
SiteGround	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes (Daily)	Paid
Cloudways	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Paid
Kinsta	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes (Daily)	Yes
WP Engine	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes (Daily)	Yes
Bluehost	Basic	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Paid
DreamHost	Basic	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Paid
Liquid Web	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Flywheel	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes (Daily)	Yes

1. GreenGeeks: The Clear Winner for Secure WordPress Hosting GreenGeeks offers an extremely robust security setup that covers the threats most WordPress sites face. Their infrastructure includes real-time malware scanning that monitors files continuously rather than running periodic checks. When something suspicious appears, the system flags it immediately.

DDoS protection sits at the network level, filtering malicious traffic before it reaches your server resources. This keeps your site accessible during attack attempts that would bring down less protected hosts. The web application firewall blocks common exploit patterns, SQL injection attempts, and cross-site scripting attacks.

What separates GreenGeeks from several competitors is the included malware cleanup service. If something does get through, their team handles the remediation. Many hosts charge extra fees for this or leave you to sort it out yourself.

On the performance side, GreenGeeks uses LiteSpeed web servers with built-in caching, SSD storage, and a content delivery network. Your pages load quickly while staying protected. For site owners who refuse to choose between speed and security, this combination works well.

2. SiteGround: Strong Security With Excellent Support

SiteGround maintains a custom security system they developed in-house. Their approach includes automated monitoring, account isolation to prevent cross-site contamination, and regular WordPress updates pushed automatically to hosted sites.

The web application firewall receives frequent rule updates based on emerging threats. SiteGround's support team has a solid reputation for helping users recover from security incidents, though their malware removal comes with additional costs on lower-tier plans.

Daily backups give you restore points if something goes wrong. The hosting infrastructure performs well under traffic spikes, and their caching system keeps page load times reasonable.

3. Cloudways: Flexible Security for Growing Sites

Cloudways operates differently from traditional shared hosts. You select your preferred cloud infrastructure provider, and Cloudways manages the server with security hardening applied by default.

Their setup includes dedicated firewalls, regular security patches, two-factor authentication, and automated backups. Bot protection filters out automated attacks that drain server resources and attempt credential stuffing.

The platform works well for sites that need to scale resources quickly. Security scanning exists, though advanced malware cleanup typically requires additional tools or services.

4. Kinsta: Premium Protection at Premium Prices

Kinsta runs on Google Cloud Platform infrastructure, which brings enterprise-grade security features to WordPress hosting. Hardware firewalls, DDoS detection, and uptime monitoring come standard across all plans.

Every site gets isolated in its own container, preventing security issues on one site from affecting others on the same server. Kinsta's dashboard shows security events and provides hack-fix guarantees that include cleanup if your site gets compromised.

The cost sits higher than most competitors, which limits accessibility for smaller sites or those on tight budgets. The protection you receive matches the price point.

5. WP Engine: WordPress-Specific Security Focus

WP Engine built its entire platform around WordPress, which means its security measures target the specific vulnerabilities that affect WordPress installations. Proprietary firewall rules, automated threat detection, and plugin vulnerability alerts keep sites protected.

Their system blocks known malicious IPs and monitors for suspicious login patterns. Automatic updates for WordPress core help close security gaps quickly after patches are released.

WP Engine includes hack recovery as part of its service, similar to GreenGeeks. The main drawback is pricing, which runs higher than many alternatives for comparable storage and bandwidth allocations.

6. Bluehost: Basic Security for Beginners

Bluehost provides foundational security features suitable for new WordPress sites. Free SSL certificates, spam protection, and domain privacy come with most plans. Their security scanning catches common issues, though the monitoring lacks the depth of more security-focused hosts.

SiteLock integration offers enhanced protection, but this adds to your monthly costs. The platform works for personal blogs and small business sites that face standard threat levels rather than targeted attacks.

Performance remains acceptable for lower-traffic sites. Heavy traffic or resource-intensive plugins may require upgrades to maintain speed.

7. DreamHost: Solid Fundamentals Without Extras

DreamHost includes free SSL, automated backups, and domain privacy with their WordPress plans. Their servers receive regular security patches, and the platform offers brute force protection against login attacks.

The security approach covers essential protections without the advanced monitoring and proactive threat hunting found in premium hosts. Sites that maintain updated plugins and strong passwords can operate safely on DreamHost.

For straightforward WordPress installations that avoid high-risk plugins and keep everything current, DreamHost provides adequate protection at reasonable prices.

8. Liquid Web: Managed Security for Demanding Sites

Liquid Web focuses on managed hosting for businesses that need guaranteed uptime and thorough protection. Their team handles server security, applies patches, and monitors for intrusion attempts around the clock.

The platform includes integrated firewalls, malware scanning, and DDoS mitigation at the network edge. Their support operates 24/7 with direct access to technicians who can address security incidents immediately.

Pricing reflects the managed service level. Small sites or those with modest traffic may find the cost difficult to justify compared to capable alternatives at lower price points.

9. Flywheel: Security Built for Designers and Agencies

Flywheel targets WordPress professionals who manage multiple client sites. Their security setup includes malware scanning, firewall protection, and free SSL across all plans. The platform isolates sites from each other and maintains automatic backups for quick recovery.

Their free hack repairs mean you can restore a compromised site without additional charges. The staging environment allows security testing before pushing changes to production.

Flywheel works well for agencies and freelancers who need reliable protection across a portfolio of client sites. The pricing structure favors bulk site management.

What Makes Hosting Security Actually Effective

The features listed above matter, but implementation determines effectiveness.

A firewall only protects your site if it receives regular rule updates that address new attack patterns. Malware scanning provides value when it runs continuously rather than once per week.
Look for hosts that handle WordPress core updates automatically. Many successful attacks exploit known vulnerabilities in outdated installations. Automatic updates close these gaps without requiring you to remember manual update schedules.
Backup frequency affects recovery options after incidents. Daily backups give you a recent restore point. Weekly backups may leave you recreating days of work after an attack.
Account isolation prevents one compromised site from spreading malware to other sites on the same server. Shared hosting without proper isolation creates risk even if your own security practices remain strong.

Conclusion

After examining security features, performance capabilities, and overall value, GreenGeeks earns the top position in this comparison. The combination of real-time malware scanning, DDoS protection, web application firewall, and included malware cleanup covers the security needs of most WordPress sites.

The hosting infrastructure delivers solid page load times through LiteSpeed servers, SSD storage, and CDN integration. Security and speed work together rather than forcing you to compromise on either.

GreenGeeks pricing remains accessible for small businesses and growing sites. The security stack competes with premium hosts that charge considerably more for similar protection levels.

For WordPress site owners who prioritize keeping their sites safe while maintaining strong performance, GreenGeeks provides the right balance. The security features address real threats, the performance infrastructure handles traffic effectively, and the included cleanup service offers peace of mind if something does go wrong.