The Flywheel Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Flywheel in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Flywheel
The Insider’s Guide
Managed WordPress hosting for designers, freelancers and agencies
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among web hosts, read from Flywheel’s own pages.
Made by WP Engine · checked Oct 17, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Flywheel’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Flywheel’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 17, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 7 of the 21 other web hosts we grade
Flywheel is a managed WordPress host owned by WP Engine, which bought it in 2019. Plans are priced by sites, monthly visits and storage, and include nightly backups, staging, a Fastly CDN, free SSL and free migrations. Its tools lean toward people who build sites for clients: reusable Blueprints, billing transfer to a client and the free Local app for building sites offline.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Flywheel, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Free migrations help, and building in Local first is handy, but it's still a WordPress host with plans and limits to learn.
- 1
Best for designers building WordPress sites for clients
Backups, staging, a CDN and malware cleanup are all included.
- 2
Paid plans start at $25 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $25 per month for 1 site, billed annually ($30 billed monthly).
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Nightly backups and staging
Every site is backed up each night and the copies are kept for 30 days, with one-click restores. Staging sites let changes be tested before they go live.
- 5
Caching and CDN
FlyCache handles caching at the server with exclusions for common plugins, and a CDN run by Fastly is included on every plan.
- 6
Security and malware cleanup
Malware and hacking attempts are scanned for and blocked at the server, hacked sites are cleaned free, and plugin security alerts flag vulnerable plugins.
- 7
A 2.0 GPA, above 7 of 21
That is against the other web hosts we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace Flywheel you would be making servers kept running, patched and backed up for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Flywheel at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid, from $25 per month for 1 site, billed annually ($30 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- WP Engine
- Category
- Web Hosting
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for designers building WordPress sites for clients
Flywheel is managed WordPress for people who build sites for clients: Blueprints to reuse a setup, billing you can hand to the client, and the free Local app for building offline. Backups, staging, a CDN and malware cleanup are all included. It doesn't do email, though, and managed plugin updates cost $8 a month per site.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Graded against the other managed WordPress hosts. Starter is $300 a year for one site, so two years cost $600, about $25 a month, the middle of that group. Extra sites are $20 a month, and visits over 25,000 are $1 per 1,000. |
| Free plan and trial | F | No free plan and no trial. There's a 60-day money-back guarantee, longer than most, but it isn't a trial, and Agency plans aren't covered by it. |
| Features | B | Nightly backups kept 30 days, staging, FlyCache with a Fastly CDN, free malware cleanup, Blueprints and billing transfer. Managed plugin updates are an $8 add-on and there's no email, but the managed WordPress job is covered. |
| Ease of use | C | No app store rating to go on. Free migrations help, and building in Local first is handy, but it's still a WordPress host with plans and limits to learn. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | A web dashboard plus the free Local app on your computer, which builds sites offline and pushes them to Flywheel. Fastly, Genesis and Google Analytics are named too, but no API is on record. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Flywheel is for
- Great if you design WordPress sites for clients and hand them over
- Handy when you'd like the client to take over billing for their site
- A treat if you build sites on your own computer in Local first
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you want email with your hosting, as Flywheel doesn't host it
- Pricey if traffic grows, at $1 per 1,000 visits over the plan
- Skip it if you need anything but WordPress, as that's all it hosts
Good to know
Good for
- Designers and freelancers who build WordPress sites for clients
- Agencies that hand billing for each site over to the client
- Single WordPress sites that want backups and staging handled for them
Worth knowing
- Flywheel does not host email; its pricing page sends you to a separate email provider such as Google.
- Traffic over the plan's limit is billed at $1 per 1,000 visits and storage at $1 per GB, rather than the site being throttled.
- Extra sites cost $20 a month each, and the Agency and Custom plans are excluded from the 60-day money-back guarantee.
- It hosts WordPress sites only, and the page notes that prices may vary by server location.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$25
A month to start
Flywheel is a paid product, starting at $25 per month for 1 site, billed annually ($30 billed monthly).
Graded against the other managed WordPress hosts.
Starter
$25
per month for up to 25,000 visits, billed annually ($30 monthly)
1 site, 10 GB storage and 50 GB bandwidth. Billed at $300 a year. Extra visits cost $1 per 1,000 a month.
Freelance
$96
per month for up to 100,000 visits, billed annually ($115 monthly)
Up to 10 sites, 20 GB storage and 200 GB bandwidth. Billed at $1,150 a year.
Agency
$242
per month for up to 400,000 visits, billed annually ($290 monthly)
Up to 30 sites, 50 GB storage and 500 GB bandwidth. Billed at $2,900 a year. Not covered by the 60-day money-back guarantee.
Custom
Custom
Built with sales for more than 30 sites or high-traffic projects, with dedicated clusters and an account manager.
Read from getflywheel.com on Oct 17, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Two months free with yearly billing
Paying yearly includes two months free: Starter is $300 a year instead of $30 a month, and an extra site is $200 a year instead of $20 a month.
Stated on getflywheel.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Managed WordPress hosting for designers, freelancers and agencies. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: malware protection, managed WordPress.
A web dashboard plus the free Local app on your computer, which builds sites offline and pushes them to Flywheel.
- Nightly backups and staging
- Every site is backed up each night and the copies are kept for 30 days, with one-click restores. Staging sites let changes be tested before they go live.
- Caching and CDN
- FlyCache handles caching at the server with exclusions for common plugins, and a CDN run by Fastly is included on every plan.
- Security and malware cleanup
- Malware and hacking attempts are scanned for and blocked at the server, hacked sites are cleaned free, and plugin security alerts flag vulnerable plugins.
- Tools for client work
- Blueprints save a theme and plugin set for reuse, Organizations share sites with a team, and billing for a site can be handed to the client.
- Local development app
- Local, a free app from the same company, builds WordPress sites on your own computer and pushes them to Flywheel when they are ready.
- Paid add-ons
- Managed Plugin Updates ($8 a month per site) uses AI visual regression checks, Performance Insights sends monthly reports, and White Label lets agencies resell hosting.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- WordPress
- WooCommerce
- Local
- Genesis Framework
- StudioPress
- Fastly
- Google Analytics
Flywheel is made by WP Engine.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
7/21
Other web hosts it is graded above
Flywheel's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 7 of the 21 other web hosts we grade, and level with 7.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 12 of 21) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $25 a month, against a middle price of $10.99 for the category: 13 of the 16 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 22 web hosts we grade, cut by the letter each got. Flywheel’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 1 of 21
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 21
- BFeaturesAbove 11 of 21
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 21
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 12 of 21
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 17 web hosts. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Flywheel is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Flywheel you would be making servers kept running, patched and backed up for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $300 a year.
What you could not
- Servers kept running, patched and backed up for you.
- An engine that recognises new malware as it appears.
- It plugs into other products, WordPress, WooCommerce and Local among them.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Flywheel’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
WP Engine, Kinsta, Pressable, Rocket.net and WPX
The 5 tools Flywheel is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 1.6GPA
WP Engine
From $35/mo
Managed WordPress hosting sized by sites and monthly visits.
- Flywheel also covers malware protection.
- 2.2GPA
Kinsta
Free trial · from $30/mo
- 2.2GPA
Pressable
From $20.83/mo
Managed WordPress hosting from Automattic, built on its WP Cloud.
- 2.0GPA
Rocket.net
From $25/mo
Managed WordPress hosting served through Cloudflare Enterprise.
- 1.8GPA
WPX
From $11.99/mo
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Flywheel free?
No. Flywheel is a paid product, starting at $25 per month for 1 site, billed annually ($30 billed monthly).
How much does Flywheel cost?
Flywheel lists 4 plans. Starter: $25 per month for up to 25,000 visits, billed annually ($30 monthly).
What platforms does Flywheel work on?
Flywheel is available on Web.
Does Flywheel offer any discounts?
Flywheel publicly lists the following: Two months free with yearly billing.
Does Flywheel have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Flywheel is listed for Web.
Does Flywheel have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Flywheel is listed for Web.
Is Flywheel open source?
Flywheel is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
What does Flywheel integrate with?
Flywheel's listing names WordPress, WooCommerce, Local, Genesis Framework, StudioPress, Fastly and Google Analytics.
Who makes Flywheel?
Flywheel is made by WP Engine.
What are the alternatives to Flywheel?
The closest alternatives to Flywheel in our directory are WP Engine, Kinsta, Pressable, Rocket.net and WPX.
How does Flywheel compare with other web hosts?
Flywheel's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 7 of the 21 other web hosts we grade, and level with 7.
Is Flywheel good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Flywheel C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $25 a month, against a middle price of $10.99 for the category: 13 of the 16 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Flywheel?
To replace Flywheel you would be making servers kept running, patched and backed up for you.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Flywheel’s own pages on Oct 17, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 17, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Flywheel's own pages on 17 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by WP Engine. Prices change, so check getflywheel.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
1,880
Tools graded, in 47 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
1,880
tools graded
47
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Flywheel, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/flywheel
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Flywheel: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 17, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/flywheel
Know someone choosing between web hosts?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/flywheel/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded web hosts after Flywheel, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Web Hosting Insider's GuideEvery one of the 22 web hosts we grade, compared
- ChemiCloud Insider's GuideShared cPanel hosting and managed WordPress on LiteSpeed servers2.2 GPA
- DreamHost Insider's GuideIndependent shared and WordPress host with monthly or multi-year terms2.2 GPA
- FastComet Insider's GuidecPanel shared and WordPress hosting with first-term discounts2.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Flywheel’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. Flywheel is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by WP Engine. Prices and plans change: check getflywheel.com before you buy.