Best Dedicated Web Hosting for Complex Websites in 2026

Dianna Gunn built her first WordPress website in 2008. Since then, she's poured thousands of hours into understanding how websites and online businesses work. She's shared what she's learned on blogs like ThemeIsle, BloggingPro and DomainWheel. She now works for CNET as a Web Hosting Expert, creating in-depth guides on web hosting and reviewing the top web hosting companies to help folks preparing to build a website for the first time.

In managed dedicated hosting, you pay a little more to have the web hosting company perform server configuration and maintenance for you. In unmanaged dedicated hosting, you pay less but have to manage the server yourself or hire an expert to do it for you.

Managed hosting providers will have SSL certification and firewall protection set up for you. Some unmanaged hosts also set these security protocols up for you, while others require you to set ...