We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It never changes a score or a ranking. How we make money
Most buyers should pick Flywheel.
Flywheel is the better fit for freelancers and agencies that want published USD pricing, free migrations, client billing transfer, and plans with clear site and visit limits. WP Engine fits teams that need publishing approvals and permissions, store-focused tools, or its listed 99.99% uptime SLA. Its pricing page shows euro prices for some plans but no USD prices, so budget comparisons require a quote or currency conversion. Neither is presented as self-hosted software.
01Side by side
| Flywheel | WP Engine | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | USD monthly rates; site and visit tiers | Annual billing shown; USD prices not listed |
| Free tier | No free plan; free migrations | No free plan |
| CLI and docs | Help docs and dashboard; CLI not named | Publishing tools highlighted; CLI not named |
| Integrations | WordPress and WooCommerce named | Google Cloud named as case-study infrastructure |
| Deployment model | Managed WordPress hosting | Managed WordPress hosting |
| Platforms | Web | Web |
| Limits and scaling | Site, visit, storage, and bandwidth tiers | Visit, storage, and bandwidth ranges by plan |
| Lock-in and data export | Free migrations; outbound export details not listed | Migration and export details not listed |
Flywheel Choose Flywheel if
- Choose Flywheel if you manage client sites and need free migrations.
- Choose Flywheel if published USD prices help you budget.
- Choose Flywheel if client billing transfer and collaboration fit your workflow.
WP Engine Choose WP Engine if
- Choose WP Engine if publishing approvals and permissions are requirements.
- Choose WP Engine if you need its listed 99.99% uptime SLA.
- Choose WP Engine if its store growth tools fit your commerce stack.
02Pricing at real usage
Neither service lists a free hosting plan; Flywheel's free migrations are not free hosting. Flywheel's Starter plan is $25 per month for one site, 25,000 monthly visits, 10GB storage, and 50GB bandwidth. Freelance is listed at $95.83 per month with annual billing or $96 monthly; Agency is $241.67 annually billed or $242 monthly. The page says annual payment includes two months free, though its listed totals do not reflect that discount.
Flywheel charges $1 per 1,000 visits above plan limits and $1 per extra GB of storage. Additional sites cost $20 monthly or $200 yearly. WP Engine's pricing page lists Essential at €25.60 per month and Business at €370.92 per month, billed annually; it does not show USD prices. Its plans scale by visits, storage, and bandwidth, while overage amounts are not shown.
03API, SDKs and integration
Flywheel is a managed WordPress host with a dashboard for site management, nightly backups, SSL, DNS, team collaboration, and transferring a site's bill to a client. Its published pages name WordPress and WooCommerce, but do not describe a public API, SDKs, language bindings, or a CLI. The homepage links to Help docs and a dashboard tour.
WP Engine also provides managed WordPress hosting. Its homepage highlights an agency partner program, store tools for checkout and search, and publishing controls such as approvals, permissions, and governance. It names Google Cloud as infrastructure in a customer case study, not as a listed integration. The homepage does not name public APIs, SDKs, language bindings, or a CLI. For either platform, developers should confirm required automation hooks and integration support with the vendor before designing workflows around them.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
Flywheel and WP Engine are described as managed WordPress hosting services, not software to install on your own infrastructure. Their published pages do not specify an open-source license or self-hosting option. If those are requirements, ask both vendors directly before committing.
Flywheel offers free migrations and says its team will move customer sites at no cost. That helps with onboarding, but does not establish how easy it is to leave or what export formats are available. Its dashboard also lets customers transfer a site's bill to a client. WP Engine's homepage does not detail migration assistance, data export, or exit procedures. Before choosing either host, ask how to export files and databases, handle DNS changes, and preserve backups, redirects, and site behavior after a move.
Questions people ask
Is Flywheel cheaper than WP Engine?
Flywheel publishes USD prices starting at $25 per month, with higher tiers for more sites and visits. WP Engine's page lists Essential at €25.60 per month and Business at €370.92 per month, billed annually, but does not show USD prices. Compare quotes in the same currency and include overages.
Which host is better for agencies?
Flywheel is a practical fit for agencies managing client sites: its plans specify site and visit allowances, and it offers free migrations, team collaboration, and client billing transfer. WP Engine also targets agencies, with a partner program and 24/7 support. Choose based on the workflows and limits your team needs.
Do Flywheel and WP Engine include free hosting plans?
Neither service lists a free hosting plan. Flywheel advertises free site migrations, which means its team will move customer sites at no cost; that is separate from hosting fees. Check each plan's visit, storage, and bandwidth allowances before estimating the monthly bill.
Can I self-host Flywheel or WP Engine?
Both vendors describe managed WordPress hosting. Their published pages do not specify self-hosting options or open-source licenses. If you need to run the hosting stack on your own infrastructure, or require a particular software license, ask the vendors before selecting either service.