DreamHost’s DreamPress Plan Review

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DreamHost is a web hosting provider with a managed WordPress hosting service called DreamPress. In this article, we’ll review DreamPress and see if it’s a good fit for your WordPress website.

From $16.95/month

Hassle-free, high-performance WordPress hosting

In my DreamHost review, I have covered the key features and pros and cons of this secure and affordable web hosting service. Here, I will zoom in on their DreamPress plan.

DreamHost's DreamPress Managed WordPress Hosting

Hassle-free, high-performance managed WordPress hosting to grow your business.

  • Extreme Speed with Built-in Caching
  • Free Domain and Website Builder
  • Powerful Tools like Email, Staging & Backups
  • Free Priority Site Migration (usually $199)
  • 24/7 Expert WordPress Support

The platform offers a decent range of hosting plans for all sorts of different needs, including solutions for WordPress sites. DreamPress is its offering for fans of WordPress and is a fully managed WordPress hosting service that crams in a bunch of extra features.

Reddit is a great place to learn more about DreamHost. Here are a few Reddit posts that I think you’ll find interesting. Check them out and join the discussion!

How does it stack up, though? And is it worth the cost? Let’s discover what DreamPress is all about in this detailed review.

TL;DR: DreamPress is an excellent option for anyone with WordPress hosting needs. It offers a robust platform with 100% uptime, enhanced security, and killer support. However, its cheapest plan is lacking, and you’ll get the best deal if you upgrade to its mid-tier plan.

What is DreamPress?

dreamhost dreampress wordpress hosting

DreamHost has been around since the dawn of the internet – 1996 in fact – so while I was busy with my teenage angst and trying hard to be cool, DreamHost was hard at work establishing itself as a main player in the hosting world.

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.

DEAL

Hassle-free, high-performance WordPress hosting

From $16.95/month

WordPress Hosting Features

dreamhost dreampress managed wordpress hosting

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?

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

fully managed wordpress hosting plans

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

1 click wordpress staging environments

“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

automated daily backups and restore

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.

DEAL

Hassle-free, high-performance WordPress hosting

From $16.95/month

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

dreampress technical 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
DEAL

Hassle-free, high-performance WordPress hosting

From $16.95/month

Plans & Pricing

dreampress pricing plans

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
PlanMonthly costMonthly cost paid annuallyFeatures
DreamPress$19.95$16.95100k monthly visitors, 30 GB SSD
DreamPress Plus$29.95$24.95300k monthly visitors, 60 GB SSD
DreamPress Pro$79.95$71.951 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.

Questions & Answers

What is the difference between DreamHost and DreamPress?

DreamHost is a business and brand that offers website hosting solutions for individuals and businesses. DreamPress is one of DreamHost’s products designed specifically for WordPress sites. Therefore, you purchase DreamPress from DreamHost.

Is DreamPress shared hosting?

DreamPress uses high-performance cloud vps servers with isolated resources, meaning your data ISN’T stored on the same servers with other sites. However, DreamHost does offer solutions for those who require virtual private server (VPS) hosting and dedicated server hosting for their data.

How reliable is DreamHost?

DreamHost is very reliable. It has enhanced security features such as multi-factor authentication and auto-enabled sFTP. The platform also guarantees 100% uptime and fast loading speeds.

What is the difference between DreamPress and DreamPress Plus?

DreamPress is the cheapest WordPress hosting plan at $19.95/mo, while DreamPress Plus has enhanced features, higher plan limits, and costs $29.95/mo. Find out more about the different pricing options DreamHost offers here.

Is WordPress free with DreamPress?

DreamPress comes with WordPress pre-installed and ready to use. Therefore, you do not have to purchase it separately, and you can opt for free domain privacy.

Our Verdict ⭐

I’ve long been a fan of DreamHost, so it will always be one of my top recommendations for a hosting service. It’s fast, secure, has an expert support team, and has an unbeatable 100% uptime, so it ticks all the boxes.

DreamHost's DreamPress Managed WordPress Hosting

Hassle-free, high-performance managed WordPress hosting to grow your business.

  • Extreme Speed with Built-in Caching
  • Free Domain and Website Builder
  • Powerful Tools like Email, Staging & Backups
  • Free Priority Site Migration (usually $199)
  • 24/7 Expert WordPress Support

However, I find the cheapest DreamPress plan a little disappointing and not really worth it if you want everything that Jetpack pro offers.

If you pay ten bucks more and upgrade to DreamPress Plus, you get more generous plan limits (more than double the cheap plan), plus Jetpack Pro is included, which would usually cost $30/mo. 

See for yourself, check out the different plans here. Plus, you can take advantage of the 97-day money-back guarantee to try out DreamPress risk-free.

DEAL

Hassle-free, high-performance WordPress hosting

From $16.95/month

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 March 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.

Mathias Ahlgren is the CEO and founder of Website Rating, steering a global team of editors and writers. He holds a master's in information science and management. His career pivoted to SEO after early web development experiences during university. With over 15 years in SEO, digital marketing, and web developmens. His focus also includes website security, evidenced by a certificate in Cyber Security. This diverse expertise underpins his leadership at Website Rating.

The "WSR Team" is the collective group of expert editors and writers specializing in technology, internet security, digital marketing, and web development. Passionate about the digital realm, they produce well-researched, insightful, and accessible content. Their commitment to accuracy and clarity makes Website Rating a trusted resource for staying informed in the dynamic digital world.

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