Tips for Choosing ExpressionEngine Hosting

May 28

MikeWeb Design , , 3 Comments

ExpressionEngine has become a popular choice when it comes to content management systems.  This flexible system is rich in features and can dynamically assemble websites with just a handful of PHP scripts.  While Drupal is our preferred CMS, we do work with ExpressionEngine quite a bit as it is a favorite for many of our clients.   After recommending a CMS to our clients, a frequently asked question is “how will it interact with our current hosting company?”  Some of our ExpressionEngine clients have experienced issues with ExpressionEngine hosting.

The server requirements for ExpressionEngine are fairly standard and revolve around Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP.   Most companies will run Linux based servers which are capable of ExpressionEngine hosting, but you should consider the following tips before choosing a hosting company for your ExpressionEngine website:

  • Don’t run ExpressionEngine on Windows.  Although possible, you can run into numerous issues and problems.  Running on Windows may save you money but you will most likely spend more money troubleshooting the configuration.
  • Cheap hosting, although very attractive should also be avoided.  Hosts such as GoDaddy and 1&1 offer very cheap ExpressionEngine hosting, but their packages tend to lack key tools and the support needed to manage your EE installation.
  • Ask any potential host to run the ExpressionEngine server wizard to establish if their product meets ExpressionEngine’s requirements.
  • If you want to manage multiple sites for clients consider how you will do this.  Some ExpressionEngine hosting packages offer up a master admin panel like cPanel where you can manage multiple sites and domains from one account.  Other companies prefer you to set up separate accounts.

To help you find the right ExpressionEngine hosting package for you here are a few choices to consider:

  • EngineHosting.com is our recommendation.  They are affiliated with Ellis Lab who created ExpressionEngine and offer hosting packages starting at just $10 per month for shared hosting.  They offer excellent support and will even install EE for you.  If you purchase ExpressionEngine at the same time as the hosting package you will receive a 20% discount.
  • MediaTemple.com has hosting packages from $20 per month and offers a user control panel which will allow you to configure sites on your account yourself.  Their support is good, although there is one disadvantage for those who wish to replace index.php in their URLs as this can be tricky with Media Temple servers.

Other ExpressionEngine hosting companies exist but be sure to do your research before embarking on a twelve month (or longer) hosting commitment.