WordPress

Public Analytics Reports for WordPress: A Practical Way to Share Website Performance

Team Webnzee · September 30, 2026 · Leave a Comment

Website analytics are essential for understanding whether a website is attracting visitors, appearing in search results, and growing over time. However, sharing that information is not always straightforward. A website owner may have Google Analytics 4 and Google Search Console configured correctly, but a client, team member, potential buyer, or business partner may not want—or need—to log into those platforms.

Public Analytics Reports provides a WordPress-based presentation layer for selected Google Analytics 4 and Google Search Console data. It allows website performance information to be presented through a clean, shareable WordPress page while keeping the underlying Google credentials restricted to the website administrator.

GitHub repository:

https://github.com/SplendidDigital/Public-Analytics-Reports

What Is Public Analytics Reports?

Public Analytics Reports is a WordPress plugin that connects a WordPress installation with:

Google Analytics 4
Google Search Console

It then presents selected information in a simplified report designed to be viewed from a normal WordPress Page or Post.

The plugin includes reporting periods of 7, 14, 28, and 90 days, along with traffic, search, content and filtering capabilities. It can also manage reports for multiple websites from the same WordPress installation.

The important distinction is that the plugin does not replace Google Analytics or Search Console. Instead, it provides a convenient WordPress interface for presenting selected information from those services.

Why Is a Public Analytics Report Useful?

The biggest advantage is simple:

People can review selected website performance information without being given access to the underlying Google Analytics account.

This creates several practical applications.

1. Particularly Useful for Website Flipping

One of the most interesting applications is the website flipping and digital-asset marketplace business.

When a website is offered for sale, potential buyers commonly want to know:

How much traffic does the website receive?
Where do visitors come from?
Which countries generate traffic?
Which devices are used?
How much traffic comes from organic search?
How many Google Search impressions does the site receive?
Which search queries generate visibility?
Which pages attract visitors?

Traditionally, a seller might provide screenshots from Google Analytics or Search Console.

Another approach is to give the buyer temporary analytics access.

Both approaches have limitations.

Screenshots are static, while giving someone account access can introduce unnecessary access and security concerns.

Public Analytics Reports provides another option.

A seller can create a dedicated WordPress analytics page for the website and place the report URL alongside the website’s sales listing.

For example, a dedicated report can be generated using:

[public_analytics_report domain="example.com"]

The GitHub documentation specifically describes this use case for website sellers and digital-asset marketplaces.

This can make an analytics page part of a website’s sales presentation.

2. Live Analytics Instead of Screenshots

A screenshot represents a particular moment.

For example, a seller might take a screenshot showing:

June 30 – September 27

But as time passes, the screenshot becomes historical.

A WordPress analytics page can instead provide a continuously accessible report based on the configured reporting period.

This is useful when a website is being marketed for several weeks or months.

A potential buyer can revisit the report and see the currently available reporting data rather than relying exclusively on an old screenshot.

The plugin also provides a PDF download option, so both approaches can coexist:

Live report → ongoing inspection

PDF → convenient snapshot or documentation

The repository lists PDF downloading as one of the plugin’s features.

3. A Useful Tool for Website Brokers

Website brokers frequently need to communicate information between:

Seller → Broker → Potential Buyer

Analytics can become repetitive during this process.

Instead of repeatedly preparing screenshots, a broker can provide a dedicated analytics URL.

For example:

https://example.com/website-analytics/

with the WordPress page containing:

[public_analytics_report domain="example.com"]

The broker can then use the same report page when communicating with multiple prospective buyers.

This can make analytics presentation more standardized.

4. Useful for Website Portfolios

A company managing several websites can configure multiple properties within the plugin.

The repository describes a multi-site selector that displays websites alphabetically.

This creates a useful portfolio dashboard.

For example:

Calnzee.com
DigitalSplendid.com
Flipnzee.com
Progaiz.com
Statnzee.com
Webnzee.com
Wpnzee.com

Instead of creating completely separate analytics systems, an administrator can maintain multiple website listings within the same WordPress installation.

The general shortcode is:

[public_analytics_report]

An individual website can then have its own dedicated report:

[public_analytics_report domain="calnzee.com"]

The plugin’s repository documents both the general and domain-specific shortcode approaches.

5. Useful for Teams

Not everybody who needs website performance information needs access to Google Analytics.

Consider a small team consisting of:

Website owner
Content writer
SEO specialist
Marketing employee
Project manager
Developer

The website owner may be comfortable working inside Google Analytics.

The other members may simply need answers to questions such as:

Are visitors increasing?

Which channels are producing traffic?

Which countries are visiting the site?

Which pages are performing?

Is Google Search generating impressions?

A dedicated WordPress report can provide those answers without requiring every team member to learn the complete Google Analytics interface.

The repository identifies small-team website management, agency reporting, SEO progress reporting and content-performance monitoring among potential uses.

6. Client Reporting for Agencies

Agencies managing websites for clients often need to communicate performance regularly.

A conventional process might involve:

Open Google Analytics.
Select the website.
Select the date range.
Export information.
Prepare screenshots.
Create a report.
Send it to the client.

A dedicated analytics page can reduce some of this repetitive work.

The client can simply open the report page.

For example:

https://clientwebsite.com/analytics-report/

The agency can configure the page to show the relevant website’s data.

This makes the WordPress website itself a convenient reporting interface.

7. SEO Progress Monitoring

Google Search Console provides information that is particularly valuable for SEO.

Public Analytics Reports can present selected Search Console information alongside Google Analytics data.

This allows someone reviewing a website to consider both:

Search visibility

Impressions
Clicks
Search queries

Website traffic

Visitors
Sessions
Traffic channels
Locations
Devices
Content

This combination is useful because search visibility and website traffic answer different questions.

A website can receive search impressions without receiving many clicks. Likewise, traffic can come from channels other than organic search.

Looking at both sources gives a broader picture of website performance.

8. Filters Make the Report More Useful

A large analytics report can contain a lot of information.

Public Analytics Reports therefore provides filters for areas such as:

Traffic source/channel
Country
Device
Content/page
Search query

This allows the viewer to narrow the information rather than examining the entire report at once.

For example, someone evaluating an international website could examine country-level performance.

An SEO specialist could concentrate on search queries.

A content manager could investigate individual pages.

9. Multiple Reporting Periods

Different situations require different time periods.

The plugin supports:

7 days
14 days
28 days
90 days

This makes the report useful for both short-term monitoring and longer-term evaluation.

For example:

7 days
Useful for recent activity.

28 days
Useful for a monthly-style view.

90 days
Useful when evaluating a website’s broader recent performance.

10. Google Credentials Are Not Intended for Public Visitors

One of the important architectural characteristics of the plugin is that public visitors do not need to authenticate with Google Analytics.

The repository states that Google OAuth credentials remain on the WordPress installation rather than being exposed to public visitors.

This means the intended model is:

Administrator

→ connects Google Analytics/Search Console

→ configures the website

→ publishes selected analytics through WordPress

Visitor / Client / Buyer

→ opens the report page

→ views the selected information

This separation is particularly useful when analytics need to be shared without giving people access to the underlying Google account.

11. Particularly Interesting for Digital-Asset Marketplaces

The website-flipping use case can be extended into a broader digital-asset marketplace model.

A marketplace listing might contain:

Website information

Domain
Website description
Asking price
Technology
Monetization information

Analytics information

Visitors
Sessions
Traffic sources
Search impressions
Search clicks
Top queries
Top pages
Geographic information

The analytics report can therefore become another component of the marketplace listing.

This is especially useful when the marketplace wants prospective buyers to perform their own preliminary due diligence.

12. Public Report Does Not Mean Public Google Analytics Access

This distinction is important.

The purpose of the plugin is not to expose the Google Analytics account itself.

Instead, it provides a selected presentation of analytics information through WordPress.

That means the website owner controls:

Which website is reported
Which WordPress page contains the report
Which reporting periods are available
Which information is presented
Whether a dedicated report is created for an individual website

The underlying Google services remain the source of the data.

13. A Simple WordPress Implementation

A general analytics page can use:

[public_analytics_report]

For a specific website:

[public_analytics_report domain="calnzee.com"]

This makes it possible to create separate pages such as:

/calnzee-analytics/
/webnzee-analytics/
/wpnzee-analytics/
/progaiz-analytics/

Each page can contain a fixed website report.

The same plugin can therefore support both a portfolio-style analytics page and individual website analytics pages.

14. Who Can Benefit From It?

Public Analytics Reports can be useful for:

User	Possible use
Website flippers	Demonstrate traffic and search performance to buyers
Website brokers	Provide analytics to prospective buyers
Digital-asset marketplaces	Add analytics pages to listings
Agencies	Provide clients with accessible reporting
Website owners	Monitor their portfolio
SEO specialists	Review search performance
Content teams	Examine page and content performance
Small businesses	Share selected performance information
Project managers	Monitor website progress
Investors evaluating websites	Review selected traffic and search information

These use cases are consistent with the use cases documented in the project’s repository.

Conclusion

Public Analytics Reports addresses a relatively simple but practical problem: Google Analytics and Search Console contain valuable information, but not everyone who needs that information needs direct access to those platforms.

By bringing selected GA4 and Search Console data into a WordPress report, the plugin creates a convenient middle layer between the underlying analytics services and the people who need to see the results.

For ordinary website owners, it can provide a straightforward progress dashboard.

For agencies, it can simplify client reporting.

For teams, it can make website performance easier to monitor.

And for website flipping, website brokerage and digital-asset marketplaces, it can provide something particularly useful: a dedicated analytics page that can be shared with prospective buyers as part of a website listing.

The project is available as open-source code on GitHub:

https://github.com/SplendidDigital/Public-Analytics-Reports

The repository currently describes the project as a WordPress plugin that turns selected Google Analytics and Search Console data into a simple, shareable report.

When a Routine WordPress Error Uncovered a Real Malware Infection: Lessons from Recovering a Website on IONOS Web Hosting

Rajeev Bagra · July 29, 2026 · Leave a Comment

Website owners often assume hackers only target high-traffic websites, ecommerce stores, or organizations with valuable customer data. The reality is very different.

A recent incident involving a WordPress website hosted on IONOS demonstrated how automated attacks can compromise even a small business website—and why every WordPress installation deserves a proper security strategy.

It Started With a Simple Critical Error

The website suddenly displayed the familiar WordPress message:

“There has been a critical error on this website.”

At first glance, it looked like an ordinary plugin conflict or a failed update.

The debugging process began by enabling WordPress debug logging, which immediately revealed an unusual fatal error:

Cannot redeclare function get_page()

The error pointed toward a file that should never exist inside a standard WordPress installation:

wp-includes/update-extensions.php

That was the first indication that the issue wasn’t an ordinary WordPress bug.

Discovering the Backdoor

Opening the file immediately changed the direction of the investigation.

Instead of WordPress core code, the file contained a sophisticated PHP backdoor capable of:

Uploading and downloading files
Editing files directly on the server
Browsing the entire hosting account
Reading wp-config.php
Extracting database credentials
Searching for additional WordPress installations
Creating additional malicious PHP files

This wasn’t simply malware—it was effectively a remote administration toolkit for an attacker.

A Second Hidden Backdoor

The investigation continued.

Another suspicious file appeared in the WordPress root:

wp-cron.phpwp-update.php

Again, this filename does not belong to WordPress.

Its contents confirmed it was another backdoor related to the same infection.

At this point it became clear that the website had not merely experienced a software bug—it had been compromised.

Restoring WordPress Core

Rather than attempting to edit infected files individually, the recovery followed a safer approach.

The following actions were performed:

Deleted the malicious update-extensions.php
Deleted the malicious wp-cron.phpwp-update.php
Replaced the entire wp-admin directory
Replaced the entire wp-includes directory

The replacement was performed using clean WordPress 7.0.2 files uploaded through SFTP using FileZilla.

Importantly:

wp-content remained untouched
Themes remained intact
Plugins remained installed
Uploads remained untouched
The database remained untouched

Within minutes the website was operational again.

Wordfence Revealed One More Surprise

After restoring WordPress, Wordfence Security was installed and a full malware scan was performed.

The scan reported one critical issue.

Interestingly, it wasn’t another hidden file.

Instead, Wordfence discovered that the Akismet plugin itself had been modified.

Inside one of Akismet’s files, malware had inserted code similar to:

include_once('../../../wp-includes/update-extensions.php');

This meant the attacker had modified a legitimate plugin so that every time Akismet executed, it attempted to load the hidden backdoor.

Deleting the compromised Akismet plugin completely was safer than trying to edit the modified file.

After removal, only routine security recommendations remained.

Wordfence’s ability to compare WordPress core, themes, and plugins against known clean versions is one of its strongest features, making it particularly useful after an incident like this. (Wordfence)

Why Would Anyone Hack a Small Website?

Many website owners ask the same question:

“Why would someone target my website?”

In most cases, they probably didn’t.

Today’s attacks are largely automated.

Bots continuously scan the internet searching for vulnerable WordPress websites.

Once access is obtained, compromised websites may be abused for purposes such as:

Sending spam
Hosting phishing pages
Serving malware
Creating hidden administrator accounts
Installing persistent backdoors
Scanning for additional websites on the same hosting account

Small websites become victims simply because they are accessible—not because they are personally valuable.

A Lesson About Standard Web Hosting

This experience also highlighted an important distinction between standard shared web hosting and managed WordPress hosting.

The website was hosted on an IONOS Web Hosting package rather than an IONOS Managed WordPress plan.

IONOS Web Hosting offers excellent value with features such as SSL certificates, SFTP access, one-click WordPress installation, and solid performance. However, responsibility for WordPress maintenance and security remains largely with the site owner. Managed WordPress plans, by contrast, include automatic WordPress core updates as part of the service. (IONOS)

That doesn’t make standard hosting insecure. It simply means website owners should add their own security layer.

For many WordPress websites, that additional layer includes:

Wordfence Security
Regular plugin updates
Routine malware scans
Frequent backups
Strong administrator passwords
Two-factor authentication

Why Wordfence Is Worth Installing

The free edition of Wordfence includes:

Malware scanning
File integrity monitoring
WordPress firewall
Login protection
Two-factor authentication
Detection of modified WordPress core, plugins, and themes

It also allows website owners to detect unexpected file changes long before visitors notice something is wrong. (Wordfence)

Recovery Checklist

Following the cleanup, these additional steps were completed:

Deleted all identified backdoors
Restored clean WordPress core files
Removed the modified plugin
Installed Wordfence
Performed a full malware scan
Changed administrative credentials
Planned security scans for all other WordPress installations hosted on the same account

Final Thoughts

Perhaps the biggest lesson from this incident is that website security isn’t only about large businesses.

Even relatively small WordPress websites can become targets of automated attacks.

Fortunately, recovery doesn’t always require starting from scratch.

A combination of:

clean WordPress core files,
careful investigation,
proper backups,
SFTP access,
and a trusted security plugin

can restore a compromised website while preserving its content and functionality.

For anyone running WordPress on a standard hosting plan, investing a small amount of time in proactive security is far easier than responding to a compromise later.

Recommended Resources

IONOS Web Hosting (Affiliate): https://aklam.io/itqJTmJk
Wordfence Free
Wordfence Documentation
IONOS Web Hosting

WordPress Auction Plugins in 2026: Current Landscape, Digital Asset Marketplaces, and the Emergence of Specialized Solutions

Team Webnzee · July 15, 2026 · Leave a Comment

The WordPress ecosystem has evolved into one of the largest platforms for building eCommerce and marketplace websites. Auction functionality is no exception. Over the years, several mature auction plugins have been developed, allowing businesses and individuals to create online auction platforms for products, collectibles, vehicles, artwork, and numerous other categories.

At the same time, the buying and selling of websites, domain names, SaaS applications, newsletters, and digital businesses has become an increasingly active market. These transactions differ considerably from traditional product auctions and often require workflows extending well beyond simply accepting the highest bid.

This article explores the current WordPress auction plugin landscape, examines several well-known digital asset marketplaces, and discusses how newer open-source projects such as Flipnzee Auctions and Flipnzee Analytics are approaching this specialized niche.

The Current WordPress Auction Plugin Landscape

Several mature auction plugins are already available for WordPress users.

Each serves a slightly different audience and business model.

YITH WooCommerce Auctions

Website

https://yithemes.com/themes/plugins/yith-woocommerce-auctions

YITH WooCommerce Auctions is one of the most established premium auction plugins available for WordPress.

Features include:

Standard auctions
Reserve prices
Buy Now pricing
Proxy bidding
Automatic bid increments
Anti-sniping
WooCommerce checkout integration
Email notifications

The plugin is designed primarily for WooCommerce stores selling physical products.

Ultimate Auction

Website

Home

Ultimate Auction has been available for many years and offers both free and premium editions.

Key features include:

Auction scheduling
Proxy bidding
Reverse auctions
Vendor support
WooCommerce integration
Payment gateway support

The plugin targets a broad range of auction websites rather than a specific niche.

WooCommerce Simple Auctions

Website

https://woocommerce.com/products/simple-auctions

Simple Auctions extends WooCommerce by introducing auction products alongside standard WooCommerce products.

Its functionality includes:

Reserve prices
Buy Now
Automatic bid increments
Watchlists
Scheduled auction processing
WooCommerce payment workflow

WP Auctions

Website

https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-auctions

WP Auctions provides a lightweight standalone auction solution without requiring WooCommerce.

Typical features include:

Basic bidding
Anonymous bidding
Watchlists
PayPal integration
Simple administration

It is often used for smaller auction websites, charity auctions, and community projects.

Observations from Existing Plugins

A review of existing auction plugins reveals a clear trend.

Most have been designed primarily around auctions involving:

Physical products
Artwork
Antiques
Vehicles
Collectibles
General eCommerce

These remain important and well-supported use cases.

However, comparatively fewer solutions focus specifically on digital assets such as:

Websites
Domain names
WordPress businesses
SaaS products
Content websites
Online businesses

Selling digital assets introduces additional requirements that are not commonly encountered when selling physical goods.

Website Auctions Are Different

Unlike traditional product auctions, selling a website usually involves several stages after the winning bid has been accepted.

Examples include:

Website file delivery
Database migration
Domain transfer
Buyer verification
Seller confirmation
Administrative tracking
Ownership transfer
Payment verification

These activities form part of the transaction itself and often require dedicated workflow management.

Beyond Plugins: Established Digital Asset Marketplaces

Auction plugins represent only one part of the broader digital asset ecosystem.

Several established online marketplaces demonstrate the continuing demand for buying and selling websites, domain names, and online businesses.

Some notable examples include:

Flippa

https://flippa.com

Flippa is one of the world’s largest digital asset marketplaces.

Listings commonly include:

Websites
Domain names
SaaS businesses
Mobile applications
E-commerce stores
Newsletters
Digital services

The platform supports auctions, fixed-price listings, and broker-assisted sales.

Empire Flippers

https://empireflippers.com

Empire Flippers focuses on established online businesses.

Unlike open marketplaces, listings generally undergo screening and verification before being published.

Businesses commonly listed include:

Content websites
Amazon FBA businesses
SaaS companies
Agencies
E-commerce businesses

The platform also provides brokerage services throughout the acquisition process.

GoDaddy Auctions

https://auctions.godaddy.com

GoDaddy Auctions specializes primarily in domain names.

Its marketplace includes:

Expired domains
Premium domains
Investor-owned domains
Closeout domains

The platform is widely used by domain investors worldwide.

Marketplace Success Involves Much More Than Software

The success of digital asset marketplaces such as Flippa, Empire Flippers, and GoDaddy Auctions illustrates an important point.

Auction software is only one component of a successful marketplace.

Long-term success typically depends upon a combination of:

Reliable marketplace software
Buyer and seller trust
Escrow and payment workflows
Verification procedures
Transfer management
Strong search engine visibility
Paid marketing
Community building
Customer support
Brand recognition
Continuous product development

Software provides the foundation, but sustainable marketplaces are built through long-term investment in both technology and community.

Flipnzee Auctions

GitHub Repository

https://github.com/SplendidDigital/flipnzee-auctions

Flipnzee Auctions is an open-source WordPress auction plugin currently under active development.

Rather than attempting to become another general-purpose WooCommerce auction plugin, the project focuses specifically on digital assets such as websites and domains.

Current functionality includes:

Feature	Status
Auction creation	✅
Website bidding	✅
Automatic winner determination	✅
Automatic auction closing	✅
Transaction management	✅
Transfer workflow	✅
Buyer dashboard	✅
Watchlists	✅
Activity logging	✅
Scheduled auction lifecycle	✅
Manual payment workflow	✅
Payment gateway automation	🚧
Email notifications	🚧
Escrow integration	🚧

Although development continues, the plugin is already capable of managing complete auction lifecycles. Some post-auction activities, particularly payment processing, currently rely on administrator intervention while additional automation is being implemented.

Flipnzee Analytics

GitHub Repository

https://github.com/SplendidDigital/revisedflipnzee

Alongside Flipnzee Auctions, another open-source project named Flipnzee Analytics focuses on website performance reporting.

The plugin integrates with services such as:

Google Analytics
Google Search Console

Current reporting includes:

Active users
Sessions
Page views
Average session duration
Organic clicks
Search impressions
Search queries
Geographic visitor data
Website engagement metrics

These metrics can provide valuable context when evaluating websites offered for sale.

How Both Projects Complement Each Other

Although both plugins can operate independently, they are designed to address different aspects of the website acquisition process.

A typical workflow could resemble the following:

Website Listed
        │
        ▼
Performance Metrics
(Flipnzee Analytics)
        │
        ▼
Auction Listing
(Flipnzee Auctions)
        │
        ▼
Competitive Bidding
        │
        ▼
Winner Determination
        │
        ▼
Transaction Creation
        │
        ▼
Transfer Workflow
        │
        ▼
Website Ownership Transfer

In this workflow:

Flipnzee Analytics provides prospective buyers with website performance insights before bidding.
Flipnzee Auctions manages the auction lifecycle, transaction creation, and post-sale transfer process.

Together, they address both the evaluation and transaction phases of acquiring digital assets.

Open-Source Development

Both projects are available publicly on GitHub.

Developers, agencies, researchers, and WordPress users may review the source code, report issues, suggest improvements, or contribute to future development.

Repositories

Flipnzee Auctions
https://github.com/SplendidDigital/flipnzee-auctions
Flipnzee Analytics
https://github.com/SplendidDigital/revisedflipnzee

Open development allows architectural decisions, implementation details, and feature progression to be examined transparently over time.

Looking Ahead

The market for websites, domain names, SaaS applications, newsletters, and other digital businesses continues to expand.

As this market grows, there is increasing demand for software specifically designed around digital asset transactions rather than traditional retail auctions.

Areas likely to see continued innovation include:

Escrow integration
Automated payment workflows
Website verification
Analytics-based valuation
Buyer due diligence
Domain transfer management
Website migration tracking
Transaction automation
Marketplace analytics

These capabilities extend beyond conventional product auctions and reflect the unique requirements of buying and selling digital businesses.

Conclusion

The WordPress ecosystem already offers several capable auction plugins for general-purpose marketplaces and WooCommerce stores. At the same time, established platforms such as Flippa, Empire Flippers, and GoDaddy Auctions demonstrate that digital asset marketplaces require much more than an auction engine alone.

Successful marketplaces combine reliable software with verification, payment workflows, transfer management, community building, marketing, and long-term operational investment.

Open-source projects such as Flipnzee Auctions and Flipnzee Analytics illustrate one possible direction for specialized website and domain marketplaces by combining auction management with website performance insights and post-sale transfer workflows. While both projects remain under active development, they demonstrate how software can evolve to address the unique lifecycle of buying and selling digital assets rather than simply replicating traditional product auctions.

Why I Chose IONOS Web Hosting Plus for Hosting Multiple WordPress Websites (And Why It May Be One of the Best Hosting Deals Right Now)

Team Webnzee · July 13, 2026 · Leave a Comment

Managing multiple WordPress websites doesn’t necessarily require expensive VPS hosting or dedicated servers. In many cases, a well-configured shared hosting plan can comfortably host several websites while keeping costs low.

Recently, I migrated several of my WordPress websites to IONOS Web Hosting Plus, and after spending time setting up domains, databases, WordPress installations, backups, and migrations, I wanted to share my experience.

This is not a sponsored review. Rather, it is a practical account of why I decided to move my projects to IONOS and what I’ve learned during the migration process.

Why I Chose IONOS Web Hosting Plus

One of the biggest reasons was the current promotional pricing.

At the time of writing, IONOS Web Hosting Plus is available for approximately USD 12 for the first year, making it one of the most affordable hosting plans available from a well-established hosting provider.

If you’re interested in checking the current offer, you can do so here:

👉 IONOS Web Hosting Plus (Affiliate Link)
https://aklam.io/44vYUIE8?ems_dl=767311959_fBIYJFGTJP_459869_4104000_1_2000007

For developers, bloggers, agencies, and small businesses looking to host multiple WordPress websites, this promotion offers exceptional value.

The Free Domain Alone Can Almost Justify the First-Year Cost

One feature that immediately caught my attention was that the current promotion includes one free domain registration for the first year.

A quality .com domain often costs between USD 10–15 per year, depending on the registrar.

Since the promotional hosting price itself is around USD 12 for the first year, the included free domain can almost offset the entire first-year hosting cost if you were already planning to register a new domain.

In practical terms, you receive:

One free domain for the first year
SSD web hosting
Multiple MariaDB databases
Free SSL certificates
Business email support
PHP support
Multiple website hosting
File Manager
Database management tools

For someone launching a new project, this makes the current promotion particularly attractive.

Migrating My WordPress Websites

Rather than starting new websites from scratch, I migrated existing WordPress websites.

My workflow was straightforward:

Create a new webspace folder.
Upload WordPress.
Connect the domain to the webspace.
Create a new MariaDB database.
Complete the WordPress installation.
Install the WPvivid Backup & Migration plugin.
Restore the backup from the previous hosting provider.

The migration process was smooth once the fresh WordPress installation was complete.

WPvivid Made Migration Surprisingly Easy

One of the biggest pleasant surprises during this migration was WPvivid Backup & Migration.

Instead of manually exporting databases, editing configuration files, or using FTP to copy every file individually, I simply:

Created a backup on the source website.
Installed WPvivid on the new WordPress installation.
Uploaded the backup files.
Restored the website.

Within a short time, the website—including plugins, themes, uploads, and database—was restored on the new hosting environment.

For WordPress users who frequently migrate websites, WPvivid significantly simplifies the process.

Hosting Multiple Websites

One advantage of the Web Hosting Plus plan is that it allows hosting multiple independent WordPress websites under a single hosting account.

Instead of purchasing separate hosting plans for every website, I simply:

Created a separate webspace directory.
Connected another domain.
Created another database.
Installed WordPress.
Restored the website backup.

Each website remains independent while sharing the same hosting account.

For developers managing client websites or entrepreneurs operating multiple niche sites, this can lead to substantial cost savings.

The Real Limitation Isn’t Storage

Many people focus on SSD storage capacity when choosing hosting.

However, after using the platform, I found that the more important metric is actually the number of files (inodes).

At the time of writing, my hosting account is using:

111,185 files used
262,144 files available

Interestingly, storage usage remains relatively low.

This suggests that WordPress websites generally consume many more files than disk space.

Plugins, themes, cache files, backups, image thumbnails, and log files all contribute to inode usage.

If you plan to host numerous WordPress websites, monitoring file count periodically is advisable.

My Current Hosting Setup

At the time of writing, I am hosting five independent WordPress websites on this IONOS Web Hosting Plus account.

These websites serve different purposes, including:

WordPress plugin development
Digital business projects
Website marketplace
Educational content
Technical blogging

So far, performance has been stable, and the centralized management has made maintaining multiple projects much easier.

Things I Like About IONOS

After using the platform, these are some of the features I appreciate most:

Affordable first-year promotional pricing
Free domain included for the first year
Ability to host multiple websites
Simple webspace management
Integrated file manager
Easy database creation
Free SSL certificates
Support for PHP and MariaDB
Straightforward domain management
Easy integration with WordPress

Things to Keep in Mind

No hosting platform is perfect.

Before choosing this plan, keep in mind:

Monitor inode (file) usage rather than only storage.
Large backup archives should ideally be stored externally after restoration.
Cache plugins and image optimization can reduce unnecessary file growth.
Keep regular backups even when using reliable hosting.

Final Thoughts

After migrating multiple WordPress websites, I have been impressed with the overall value offered by IONOS Web Hosting Plus.

The combination of:

low promotional pricing,
a free domain for the first year,
support for multiple websites,
straightforward WordPress deployment,
and compatibility with migration tools such as WPvivid makes it a compelling option for developers, freelancers, agencies, bloggers, and entrepreneurs.

While every hosting provider has limitations, my experience suggests that, for many WordPress users, the practical limit is more likely to be file count (inodes) than storage space.

If you’re planning to consolidate multiple websites under one hosting account or start several new projects without spending a fortune, I believe the current IONOS Web Hosting Plus promotion is well worth considering.

Interested in Trying IONOS?

If you’d like to explore the current promotional offer for IONOS Web Hosting Plus, you can use the following link:

👉 IONOS Web Hosting Plus (Affiliate Link)
https://aklam.io/44vYUIE8?ems_dl=767311959_fBIYJFGTJP_459869_4104000_1_2000007

Disclosure: This article contains an affiliate link. If you purchase through this link, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products and services that I personally use or believe provide genuine value.

Why I Moved My WordPress Websites from AWS Lightsail to IONOS Web Hosting

Rajeev Bagra · June 24, 2026 · Leave a Comment

Important Note on IONOS Web Hosting: Understanding the Real-World Limits
IONOS advertises unlimited hosting, but in practice, the number of WordPress websites you can comfortably host depends on the resources available under your plan. In my experience, I currently host five WordPress websites on a single IONOS Web Hosting plan, using approximately 164,688 of the 262,144 available files. Although the plan supports up to 5,000 databases, database capacity is unlikely to be the main limitation for most small website portfolios. The file limit is a more important consideration because WordPress core files, themes, plugins, uploads, backups, caches, and other generated files all contribute to usage. The plan also includes six SSL certificates, so anyone planning to host more domains should check the certificate allowance and the cost of additional certificates before expanding. Based on my current usage, I would recommend treating this plan as a practical option for approximately five to six small WordPress websites, provided their resource requirements are modest. Hosting more sites may be possible, but the actual limit will depend on file usage, traffic, storage, performance, and SSL requirements. Therefore, “unlimited hosting” should not automatically be interpreted as unlimited capacity for WordPress websites; always check the technical limits and monitor your account usage before adding more sites.

For several years, AWS Lightsail was my preferred platform for hosting WordPress websites. It provided an affordable entry point into the AWS ecosystem and made it easy to deploy WordPress using the Bitnami stack.

However, after running multiple websites on AWS Lightsail and recently migrating one of them to IONOS Web Hosting, I began questioning whether cloud hosting was still the most economical solution for my use case.

This article shares my experience migrating a WordPress website from AWS Lightsail Bitnami to IONOS Web Hosting and explains why I am considering moving additional websites as well.

My AWS Lightsail Setup

Over time, I accumulated several WordPress websites hosted on separate AWS Lightsail instances.

Most of these websites used the Bitnami WordPress stack because it offered:

Easy WordPress deployment
Good performance
Automated SSL management
Stable configuration
Simplified server administration

The sites generally performed well and required very little maintenance.

The Cost Problem

The primary reason for exploring alternatives was hosting cost.

Each AWS Lightsail instance was costing approximately:

With multiple websites running, the monthly hosting bill grew significantly.

For example:

After accounting for storage, backups, and occasional upgrades, the total infrastructure cost could approach:

For hobby projects, content websites, and small business sites, those costs become difficult to justify.

AWS Credits Delayed the Problem

One reason the costs were not immediately noticeable was that the AWS account benefited from various credits.

These included:

Initial AWS promotional credits
AWS startup and promotional programs
AWS coupon codes
AWS credits received through participation in AWS Customer Council surveys

Because of these credits, hosting costs were effectively subsidized for a long period.

However, cloud credits eventually expire.

Once that happened, the real monthly hosting cost became much more visible.

Bitnami Deprecation Changed the Equation

Another factor influencing the migration was the recent deprecation of Bitnami WordPress images on AWS Lightsail.

For many users, Bitnami was one of the biggest advantages of Lightsail.

The Bitnami stack offered:

Excellent documentation
Predictable configuration
Stable performance
Simple SSL management

The newer Amazon-provided WordPress instances are functional, but my experience has not been as positive.

Bitnami Performed Better Than Amazon WordPress Instances

In my testing, Bitnami-based WordPress installations appeared significantly more stable than the newer Amazon WordPress alternatives.

Using similar instance sizes and configurations:

Bitnami sites remained responsive
Resource usage remained predictable
Websites handled normal traffic comfortably

By comparison, some Amazon WordPress instances appeared less tolerant of traffic spikes and resource fluctuations.

Even relatively small amounts of traffic occasionally caused performance degradation that was not observed on equivalent Bitnami installations.

This experience may vary by workload, but it contributed to my decision to explore alternatives.

Discovering IONOS Web Hosting

While researching lower-cost hosting options, I came across IONOS Web Hosting Plus.

The pricing immediately caught my attention.

At the time of writing, the introductory offer included:

Approximately $1 per month during the first year
Free domain registration for the first year
Unlimited websites
Unlimited storage
Unlimited databases
SSL certificates
Daily backups
Email hosting
SSH and SFTP access

You can check the latest offer here:

https://aklam.io/44vYUIE8?ems_dl=767311959_fBIYJFGTJP_459869_4104000_1_2000007

Comparing the Numbers

Consider the difference.

AWS Lightsail

IONOS Web Hosting Plus (Introductory Pricing)

Even after promotional pricing expires, the savings can still be substantial depending on the number of websites being consolidated onto a single hosting account.

For website owners managing multiple low-to-medium traffic WordPress websites, the economics become very compelling.

The Migration Process

The migration itself was surprisingly straightforward.

Step 1: Create a Backup

A complete backup was created using the WPvivid Backup plugin.

This included:

Database
Themes
Plugins
Media uploads
WordPress settings

Step 2: Install WordPress on IONOS

A fresh WordPress installation was uploaded to the IONOS webspace.

A new MySQL database was created and configured.

Step 3: Restore the Backup

WPvivid Backup was installed on the new server.

The backup files were uploaded and restored.

After restoration:

Posts appeared correctly
Pages loaded normally
Plugins worked
Media files were restored

Step 4: Connect the Domain

The domain was connected to the appropriate IONOS webspace directory.

DNS records were updated.

Step 5: Fix WordPress URLs

Initially the website loaded without CSS styling.

The cause was that WordPress still referenced the temporary migration URL.

Updating:

to the correct domain fixed the issue immediately.

Results

The migrated website now runs successfully on IONOS.

The migration preserved:

Content
Images
Plugins
Themes
URLs
SEO settings

Most importantly, the website now operates on significantly lower hosting costs.

Would I Recommend the Move?

AWS Lightsail remains an excellent platform.

For developers, SaaS applications, custom stacks, APIs, and scalable workloads, AWS is still difficult to beat.

However, for WordPress users running multiple websites, the economics can be very different.

If your primary goal is publishing content rather than managing servers, a traditional hosting platform may offer a better balance between cost and convenience.

For my particular use case, moving WordPress websites from AWS Lightsail to IONOS substantially reduced hosting costs while simplifying website management.

If you’re considering a similar move, you can explore the current IONOS Web Hosting offers here:

https://aklam.io/44vYUIE8?ems_dl=767311959_fBIYJFGTJP_459869_4104000_1_2000007

Final Thoughts

AWS Lightsail served me well for many years, particularly when combined with the excellent Bitnami WordPress stack.

But with Bitnami no longer being the default path on Lightsail, promotional AWS credits expiring, and hosting costs becoming more noticeable, the value proposition changed.

For WordPress users operating multiple websites, consolidating those sites onto a hosting platform such as IONOS can dramatically reduce costs while maintaining the functionality needed for content-driven websites.

Sometimes the best infrastructure decision is not about gaining new features—it’s about achieving the same result at a fraction of the cost.