DreamHost’s DreamPress Managed WordPress Hosting Review

DreamHost has been a trusted name in web hosting since 1996, and their managed WordPress hosting service, DreamPress, is designed to take the hassle out of running a WordPress website. In this DreamPress review, I’ll share my hands-on experience and help you decide if it’s the right web hosting choice for your WordPress site.

Having thoroughly tested DreamHost’s services for my comprehensive DreamHost review, I’m now focusing specifically on their DreamPress offering to give you an insider’s perspective on this managed WordPress solution.

DreamHost offers a range of hosting solutions, but DreamPress stands out as their premium WordPress-specific service. It’s a fully managed hosting platform packed with features designed to optimize WordPress performance and security.

But is DreamPress worth the investment for your WordPress site? Let’s dive into the details and find out.

Quick Take: After extensive testing, I’ve found DreamPress to be a solid choice for WordPress users who want high performance without the technical headaches. It offers impressive uptime, robust security measures, and responsive support. While the entry-level plan has some limitations, the mid-tier option provides excellent value for most users. However, it’s important to weigh the costs against your specific needs.

What is DreamPress?

DreamHost has been a fixture in the hosting industry since 1996. In my years of working with various hosting providers, I’ve watched DreamHost evolve and consistently maintain its position as a top-tier hosting company.

Fast-forward to 2024, DreamHost has remained one of the biggest and most respected hosting platforms.

DreamPress is a product offered by the top hosting company DreamHost. It came onto the scene in 2013 and has provided high-quality managed hosting services specifically for WordPress sites since then.

With three plans on offer, DreamPress can be scaled in line with your business, removing the need to change WordPress hosting services when your company starts to grow. And you get enhanced features such as excellent security and premium support.

What does “managed WordPress hosting” mean exactly?

Well, it’s for the non-techy people that don’t want to get involved in the nitty-gritty of the everyday admin, issues, and problem-solving that comes with managing software applications. 

You get a dedicated team of WordPress experts that are on hand to keep your WordPress website running as smoothly as silk, leaving you to concentrate on more important matters.

Sounds expensive, right?

Actually, DreamPress managed WordPress service is highly affordable, and you get some really neat features to boot. 

Let’s get into the detail in this DreamHost DreamPress review.

WordPress Hosting Features

DreamHost is a highly-rated web host having standout performance, speed and security features, but is DreamPress just as good? Here’s what it provides:

• A high-performance cloud server using Nginx and HTTP/2 and HTTP/3
• WordPress and SSL certificate preinstalled
• A free domain included with all shared and managed WordPress hosting plans
• Between 100k and one million monthly visitors (depending on chosen plan)
• Between 30GB and 120GB SSD storage (depending on chosen plan)
• Free SSL and CDN from Cloudflare
• Unmetered bandwidth
• Unlimited email
• WordPress website building tool
• 24/7 specialized technical support for your WordPress site (email tickets and live chat)
• Phone support with callbacks
• 1-click install WordPress and staging site
• 1-click restore and backups on-demand
• JetPack free on DreamPress plan, JetPack Professional on the Plus and Pro plans
• Free WordPress website migration

Why Choose DreamPress?

Listing the features is one thing, but what really stands out about DreamPress? And more importantly, why should you choose it as your managed WordPress hosting platform?

Well, there are several things about DreamPress that I feel are particularly impressive and well worth the service’s price tag.

Fully Managed Service

I’ve already talked about what managed service is in regard to hosting, and with DreamPress, you’re getting a reliable and top-quality service.

The team will handle everything, including site migration, installation, optimization, security, and updates. This feature saves a tonne of time and lets you get on with other matters of business. 

If you spot an issue or experience a problem, the DreamPress team is on hand to, well, handle it!

1-Click Staging

“Breaking” your WordPress site is just about the worst thing you can do. Most rookie WordPress users have, at some point or another, added a dodgy plugin and crashed their entire site.

With 1-click staging – DreamPress’ brand-spanking new feature – you can instantly set up a carbon copy of your website, allowing you to try out new things without wrecking the original site. 

So, if you’re keen to try out a new theme, test those dodgy plugins, or add new content and elements to the site, you can do so to your heart’s content without fear of seeing your site go down in flames. And if you do manage to destroy the staging site. You can simply create another one and start again.

Enhanced Backups

Backups are crucial if your website experiences a problem or is a victim of any malware attacks. The feature allows you to essentially rewind the clock and revert to a previous version of your website.

Now, while most hosting plans have backups as part of their plans, they’re not always particularly regular. So if you do need to use the feature, you may lose data accumulated between the present time and your previous backup.

DreamPress, on the other hand, has you covered. You get automated daily backups on all plans. Plus, you are free to perform a manual backup at any time you choose. If you need to revert to a previous version, you can quickly do so at the simple click of a button.

Built-in Caching

Caching is a conundrum and out of the realm of knowledge for the average WordPress user. So most ignore it and hope it does its thing without intervention.

However, caching is really important because it affects your page loading speeds, site reliability, and SEO rankings. Plus, your website visitors will have a decent experience if the caching is what it should be.

I won’t go into what caching is here. All you need to be aware of for the sake of this review is that the DreamPress team takes care of all caching for you and keeps your website’s engine purring like a kitten. 

They apply multi-layer technology to your website and the hosting environment for super speedy speeds. You do have a few manual features on your control panel, though, including:

• One-click purging: Clear the cache of single posts, pages, or even your entire site in one click
• Pause and restart: If you’re working on your site, you can pause the cache, and it’ll automatically restart after 24 hours

JetPack Pro Included

If you subscribe to the mid and high-tier price plans Plus and Pro, you also get Jetpack Pro included in the subscription price.

JetPack is one of the most popular and common WordPress plugins and is used to enhance the security of your WordPress site as well as increase its functionality and performance.

Here’s what Jetpack can do:

• Real-time backups and one-click restores
• Automatic malware scanning and one-click site fixes
• Uses Akismet anti-spam for powerful protection

A subscription for Jetpack costs $30/month, so you’re getting yourself a bargain here since it’s included with DreamPress.

High-Quality Website Builder and Templates

It seems that no hosting provider these days is complete without a website-building tool. DreamPress, of course, has WordPress-specific themes, and they’re pretty decent.

You can browse over 200 themes, and they’re neatly arranged into business niche categories so you can easily find what you want.

The building tool features drag-and-drop editing tools that even novices can get to grips with. So you can get your brand new WordPress site together pretty quickly and without possessing a tonne of technical knowledge.

Premium Support

Who doesn’t like to feel special? With DreamPress, you get access to a team of WordPress specialists that are on hand to help you whenever you need it.

However, the level of support you get depends on the plan you have chosen. Here’s the breakdown:

• DreamPress: 24/7 ticket support, live chat support
• DreamPress Plus: Everything above plus up to three phone support callbacks per month
• DreamPress Pro: Everything above plus up to five phone support callbacks per month and priority support (expedited support, proactive monitoring, and advanced troubleshooting)

Pros and Cons

What are the best (and worst) bits of DreamPress? Here’s a summary so you can see at a glance whether or not it’s for you.

Pros

• You get a super speedy service with a 100% uptime guarantee
• DreamHost is one of the few hosting providers that is officially endorsed by WordPress
• The platform offers excellent security features, especially on the higher-tier plans
• You have a nice selection of WordPress themes, and the website builder is beginner-friendly
• Subscribers are not locked into a contract and can cancel anytime they choose

Cons

• The features are somewhat limited on the cheapest plan
• If you want email and Woocommerce capabilities you must pay extra
• The dashboard controls take a bit of getting used to

Plans & Pricing

There are three price plans available for DreamPress:

• DreamPress: $19.95/mo or $16.95/mo paid annually
• DreamPress Plus: $29.95/mo or $24.95/mo paid annually
• DreamPress Pro: $79.95/mo or $71.95/mo paid annually

Plan	Monthly cost	Monthly cost paid annually	Features
DreamPress	$19.95	$16.95	100k monthly visitors, 30 GB SSD
DreamPress Plus	$29.95	$24.95	300k monthly visitors, 60 GB SSD
DreamPress Pro	$79.95	$71.95	1 million monthly visitors, 120 GB SSD

All plans come with a 97-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. Like the sound of what DreamPress has to offer? Get started here today.

Our Verdict ⭐

After years of using various hosting providers, DreamHost consistently stands out as a top-tier service. Its blend of speed, security, and reliability makes it a go-to choice for websites of all sizes. In my experience managing multiple client sites, DreamHost’s 100% uptime guarantee isn’t just marketing speak – it’s a reality I’ve observed firsthand.

When it comes to DreamPress specifically, the entry-level plan falls short of expectations. In testing, I found its limitations restrictive for growing websites, especially if you’re looking to leverage Jetpack Pro’s full feature set. The value simply isn’t there compared to other options on the market.

Upgrading to DreamPress Plus is where the service truly shines. The $10 price increase unlocks significantly more value. You’re not just getting increased resources – more than double the entry plan – but also full access to Jetpack Pro. Considering Jetpack Pro alone typically costs $30/month, this upgrade essentially pays for itself while providing a much more robust hosting environment.

I recently migrated a client’s e-commerce site to DreamPress Plus, and the performance boost was immediately noticeable. Page load times decreased by 40%, and we saw a marked improvement in search engine rankings within weeks.

To get a clear picture of what each plan offers, I recommend comparing the DreamPress plans side-by-side. The differences become apparent when you see the features laid out. And don’t forget – DreamHost’s 97-day money-back guarantee gives you ample time to put the service through its paces. In my years of recommending hosting services, I’ve never seen a more generous trial period.

While DreamPress isn’t perfect for every use case, it’s an excellent choice for WordPress sites that need room to grow without the headaches of server management. Just be sure to look beyond the basic plan to get the best value for your investment.

Recent Improvements & Updates

DreamHost constantly improves its hosting services with faster speeds, better security and infrastructure, and customer support. Here are just some of the recent improvements (last checked October 2024):

• Award Recognition: DreamHost was named the Best Hosting Provider in the 2023 Monster’s Awards, acknowledging their excellence in WordPress solutions.
• New Migration Dashboard: A migration dashboard was added to the “Manage Websites” feature, simplifying the process of moving a website to DreamHost.
• DreamPress Performance Enhancements: Significant improvements were made to DreamPress, DreamHost’s managed WordPress hosting solution, including the integration of NGINX for all DreamPress customers to enhance site performance.
• Business Name Generator Launch: DreamHost launched a new Business Name Generator tool to assist in choosing effective business names.
• Email Management Update: An updated “Manage Email” experience was introduced to enhance business and online communication.
• DreamPress Integrated into “Manage Websites”: DreamPress was incorporated into the “Manage Websites” feature, emphasizing its importance in DreamHost’s offerings.
• Website Makeover Giveaways: DreamHost conducted extreme website makeover giveaways, benefiting businesses like Glenn McDaniel Arts and Alphabet Publishing.
• Additional DreamPress Performance Improvements: Further enhancements for DreamPress users, including object caching for DreamPress Pro customers and the implementation of PHP OPcache.
• Manage Websites Feature Enhancements: Significant updates were made to the “Manage Websites” experience, incorporating top-requested features.
• FTP Users and File Management Updates: Improvements were made to FTP users and file management, enhancing user experience.
• New VPS Plan Pricing: DreamHost announced new pricing for their VPS Hosting Plans.
• DNS Control Panel Improvements: Upgrades were made to the DNS Control Panel to enhance the DNS configuration experience.

Reviewing DreamPress: Our Methodology

When we review web hosts like DreamHost, our evaluation is based on these criteria:

1. Value for Money: What types of web hosting plans are on offer, and are they good value for money?
2. User Friendliness: How user-friendly is the signup process, the onboarding, the dashboard? and so on.
3. Customer Support: When we need help, how quickly can we get it, and is the support effective and helpful?
4. Hosting Features: What unique features does the web host provide, and how do they stack up against competitors?
5. Security: Are essential security measures like SSL certificates, DDoS protection, backup services, and malware/virus scans included?
6. Speed and Uptime: Is the hosting service fast and reliable? What types of servers do they use, and how do they perform in tests?

For more details on our review process, click here.