The Pantheon Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Pantheon 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.
Pantheon
The Insider’s Guide
Managed WordPress, Drupal and Next.js hosting for teams
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among web hosts, read from Pantheon’s own pages.
Made by Pantheon · checked Nov 12, 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 Pantheon’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Pantheon’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 20 of the 54 other web hosts we grade
Pantheon hosts WordPress, Drupal and Next.js sites with built-in dev, staging and production environments, Git-based deployment and backups. Pricing has two parts: a workspace plan (Silver, Gold or custom Platinum and Diamond) and a site plan per live site, sized by monthly visitors.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Pantheon, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You pay for a workspace plus a site plan for each live site, and the free workspace only gives two sandbox sites that can't go live.
- 1
Best for WordPress and Drupal for teams
Pantheon hosts WordPress, Drupal and Next.js with dev, staging and production environments on every plan.
- 2
Paid plans start at $42 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $42 per month, billed annually ($55 billed monthly), for one live site.
- 3
There is a free plan
Silver workspace: $0 with two sandbox sites; a site plan is needed before going live or connecting a domain.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Dev, staging and production
Every plan includes separate development, staging and production environments with built-in version control and backups.
- 6
WordPress and Drupal
Sites run WordPress or Drupal, and the platform pages also describe Next.js hosting and a serverless CMS option.
- 7
Git-based pipeline and CLI
A Git-based CI/CD pipeline and a command line interface come with the free Silver workspace.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 20 of 54
That is against the other web hosts we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Pantheon 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.
Pantheon at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $42 per month, billed annually ($55 billed monthly), for one live site
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Pantheon
- Category
- Web Hosting
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for WordPress and Drupal for teams
Pantheon hosts WordPress, Drupal and Next.js with dev, staging and production environments on every plan. You pay for a workspace plus a site plan for each live site, and the free workspace only gives two sandbox sites that can't go live.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | $42 a month for one live site on annual billing, and the Gold workspace is another $500, so $542 for the useful parts. The category middle is $11. |
| Free plan and trial | C | The Silver workspace is $0 with 2 sandbox sites, but they can't use a domain, and you need a site plan to go live. |
| Features | B | Dev, staging and production environments, Git CI/CD, CLI, Multidev, CDN and WAF. The listing names no core gap, though Multidev and 24/7 support need Gold. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. There are workspaces, site plans and a Git pipeline to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only, with no integrations or API listed in the 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 Pantheon is for
- Fits if you run several WordPress or Drupal sites and want staging by default
- Works for teams that need an uptime SLA and SSO
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you want one live site: Gold plus a Basic site is $500 + $42 a month
- Skip it if you want a free site that goes live, since sandboxes can't use a domain
- Watch out: Basic's visitor allowance is 25k a month, or 35k on annual billing
- Watch out: Multidev, automated updates and 24/7 support need Gold, and SSO and an SLA need Platinum or Diamond
Good to know
Good for
- Agencies and teams running several WordPress or Drupal sites
- Developers who want dev, staging and production environments by default
- Teams that need an uptime SLA and SSO at the higher tiers
Worth knowing
- Cost is workspace plus one site plan per live site: Gold with a Basic site is $500 + $42 a month on annual billing.
- Sandbox sites on the free Silver workspace cannot go live or connect a domain without a site plan.
- Annual billing raises the visitor allowance by 40%, for example 35k instead of 25k on Basic.
- Multidev, automated updates and 24/7 support need Gold; SSO, multi-zone failover and an SLA need Platinum or Diamond.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$42
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Pantheon has a free plan. Paid plans start at $42 per month, billed annually ($55 billed monthly), for one live site.
Silver workspace
$0
per month, plus a site plan to go live
Two sandbox sites, Git-based CI/CD, a command line interface and basic chat support. Sandbox sites cannot use a domain.
Gold workspace
$500
per month, billed annually ($600 billed monthly)
Everything in Silver plus on-demand environments (Multidev), automated updates, visual regression testing and 24/7 support.
Basic site plan
$42
per month, billed annually ($55 billed monthly)
For small, low-traffic sites: 35k monthly visitors on annual billing (25k monthly), 1 app container and 5 custom domains.
Performance Small site plan
$160
per month, billed annually ($200 billed monthly)
35k visitors on annual billing (25k monthly), 1 app container and 10 custom domains. Medium is $275 ($350 monthly).
Performance Large site plan
$550
per month, billed annually ($700 billed monthly)
210k visitors on annual billing (150k monthly) and 3 app containers. XL is $917 ($1,150 monthly) for 420k visitors.
Platinum and Diamond
Custom
Sold through sales for up to 100M visitors: multi-zone failover, SSO, an uptime SLA for elite sites and an advanced CDN with WAF.
The free plan
Silver workspace: $0 with two sandbox sites; a site plan is needed before going live or connecting a domain.
Read from pantheon.io on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Annual billing lowers the monthly rate
Site plans are cheaper per month when billed annually, for example Basic at $42 instead of $55, and annual billing also adds about 40% more visitors.
Stated on pantheon.io
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, Drupal and Next.js hosting for teams. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: managed WordPress, page speed.
Dev, staging and production environments, Git CI/CD, CLI, Multidev, CDN and WAF.
- Dev, staging and production
- Every plan includes separate development, staging and production environments with built-in version control and backups.
- WordPress and Drupal
- Sites run WordPress or Drupal, and the platform pages also describe Next.js hosting and a serverless CMS option.
- Git-based pipeline and CLI
- A Git-based CI/CD pipeline and a command line interface come with the free Silver workspace.
- Multidev environments
- On-demand environments for testing changes in parallel are part of the Gold workspace and above.
- Autopilot updates
- The Gold workspace adds automated updates and visual regression testing for plugin and core updates.
- Global CDN and WAF
- The platform lists a global CDN with a web application firewall, and Platinum adds an advanced CDN with WAF.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Pantheon is made by Pantheon.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
20/54
Other web hosts it is graded above
Pantheon's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 20 of the 54 other web hosts we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on features (B, above 29 of 54) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $42 a month, against a middle price of $9 for the category: 50 of the 52 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 12 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 55 web hosts we grade, cut by the letter each got. Pantheon’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 54
- CFree plan and trialAbove 42 of 54
- BFeaturesAbove 29 of 54
- CEase of useAbove 9 of 54
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 54
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 53 web hosts. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Pantheon 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 Pantheon 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 $504 a year.
What you could not
- Servers kept running, patched and backed up for you.
- Speed tests run from real browsers on a schedule.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Pantheon’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, Flywheel, Pressable and Rocket.net
The 5 tools Pantheon 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.
- Pantheon has a free plan. WP Engine does not.
- Pantheon also covers page speed.
- 2.2GPA
Kinsta
Free trial · from $30/mo
Managed WordPress hosting priced by sites, visits or bandwidth.
- Pantheon has a free plan. Kinsta does not, though it has a free trial.
- Pantheon also covers page speed.
- Kinsta also covers malware protection.
- 2.0GPA
Flywheel
From $25/mo
Managed WordPress hosting for designers, freelancers and agencies.
- Pantheon has a free plan. Flywheel does not.
- Pantheon also covers page speed.
- Flywheel also covers malware protection.
- 2.2GPA
Pressable
From $20.83/mo
Managed WordPress hosting from Automattic, built on its WP Cloud.
- Pantheon has a free plan. Pressable does not.
- Pantheon also covers page speed.
- Pressable also covers malware protection.
- 2.0GPA
Rocket.net
From $25/mo
Managed WordPress hosting served through Cloudflare Enterprise.
- Pantheon has a free plan. Rocket.net does not.
- Pantheon also covers page speed.
- Rocket.net also covers malware protection.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
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 Pantheon free?
Pantheon has a free plan. Silver workspace: $0 with two sandbox sites; a site plan is needed before going live or connecting a domain.
How much does Pantheon cost?
Pantheon lists 6 plans. Silver workspace: $0 per month, plus a site plan to go live.
What platforms does Pantheon work on?
Pantheon is available on Web.
Does Pantheon offer any discounts?
Pantheon publicly lists the following: Annual billing lowers the monthly rate.
Does Pantheon have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Pantheon is listed for Web.
Does Pantheon have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Pantheon is listed for Web.
Is Pantheon open source?
Pantheon is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Who makes Pantheon?
Pantheon is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Pantheon?
The closest alternatives to Pantheon in our directory are WP Engine, Kinsta, Flywheel, Pressable and Rocket.net.
How does Pantheon compare with other web hosts?
Pantheon's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 20 of the 54 other web hosts we grade, and level with 10.
Is Pantheon good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Pantheon D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $42 a month, against a middle price of $9 for the category: 50 of the 52 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Pantheon?
To replace Pantheon 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 Pantheon’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Pantheon's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. The pricing page showed no figures to our page reader, so the prices stand on the listing.
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 Pantheon. Prices change, so check pantheon.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 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.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Pantheon, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/pantheon
- 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, "Pantheon: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/pantheon
Know someone choosing between web hosts?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/pantheon/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded web hosts after Pantheon, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Web Hosting Insider's GuideEvery one of the 55 web hosts we grade, compared
- Cloudflare Pages Insider's GuideGit-based hosting for static sites and full-stack apps2.8 GPA
- Netlify Insider's GuideGit-based hosting for sites and web apps, priced by monthly credits2.8 GPA
- Northflank Insider's GuideContainer platform for services, jobs, databases and GPUs2.6 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 Pantheon’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. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Pantheon is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Pantheon. Prices and plans change: check pantheon.io before you buy.