Introduction
“The state of WordPress management today is all about integration and efficiency. Agencies and developers are seeking platforms that not only handle updates and security but also streamline client communication, reporting, and team collaboration into one unified dashboard. The demand is for comprehensive solutions that can adapt to the evolving needs of WordPress professionals, helping them save time and enhance productivity.”
– Phil Storey, Founder of Glow
Let’s dig in.
Why use a WordPress management tool
At Glow, our software manages hundreds of WordPress websites, and we speak to WordPress agency owners every day. The top 3 reasons we see agencies investing in WordPress management are:
- Keeping on top of WordPress updates – Many agencies and teams still handle WordPress updates manually, logging in and out of each website to run updates.
- Handling support requests from clients – Many agencies still use email for handling support requests from clients, which is far from an ideal solution for a team of developers.
- Business growth – Agencies are increasingly realising how they can grow the care plan side of their business through the use of modern WordPress management platforms.
If we had to pick one word to summarise the value these platforms provide, it would be efficiency. The way we have seen successful agency owners grow their businesses is by improving efficiency and leveraging technology and automation.
InfiniteWP vs WP Umbrella
When it comes to managing multiple WordPress sites, InfiniteWP and WP Umbrella are two popular solutions that agencies consider. Both tools offer a range of features designed to simplify site management, but they have their unique strengths and weaknesses.
InfiniteWP
InfiniteWP is a self-hosted WordPress management tool that allows you to control multiple sites from a single dashboard installed on your own server.
- Pros:
- One-click updates for WordPress core, themes, and plugins.
- Self-hosted solution, giving you full control over your data.
- Offers scheduled backups and site cloning.
- Extensive add-ons for enhanced functionality.
- Cons:
- Self-hosting requires technical expertise to set up and maintain.
- No ability to handle client support requests.
- User interface can be less intuitive for beginners.
- Additional costs for premium add-ons.
WP Umbrella
WP Umbrella is a cloud-based WordPress management platform focused on simplifying site maintenance and monitoring.
- Pros:
- Easy-to-use, intuitive dashboard.
- Real-time uptime and performance monitoring.
- Automated backups and updates.
- Customisable client reports.
- Cons:
- No ability to handle client support requests.
- Limited integration options with other tools.
- Some advanced features may be lacking compared to competitors.
- Relies on a third-party service for data management.
Which is right for you?
When evaluating WordPress management tools, ensure you consider everything you need – both today and in the future.
Many of the tools tend to be somewhat similar when it comes to common features and functionality, such as:
- WordPress updates
- Backups
- Uptime monitoring
- Security vulnerability monitoring
- Performance monitoring
Where you tend to find more differences are behind the scenes, so be sure to ask about:
- Client reporting – Are they well designed, automated and customisable?
- Integrations – Does the tool play nicely with other business apps your team use in their day-to-day?
- Secure access – Can it provide secure access to client sites for your team?
- Complete solution – Does the product include support, maintenance and reporting without requiring multiple plugins?
- Pricing – Is pricing flexible and granular enough to grow with your business?
- Whitelabelling – If agencies outsource their website management and maintenance to you, do they properly cater for this?
- Deployment – Is it SaaS (like Glow, WP Umbrella and ManageWP) or a self-hosted solution (like MainWP and InfiniteWP) that you have to manually set up on your own server?
More about Glow
Almost all agencies need the same core set of tools to efficiently manage multiple WordPress sites: a support system, a maintenance system, client reporting, team collaboration and time tracking. And with traditional WordPress management software, you can get some of those tools, but not all.
“We used to have time tracking, tickets & reporting across different tools. Glow centralises all this into one easy to use dashboard.”
– Rick Makin, Head of Web Design, 21 Degrees Digital
Glow is the only product in the market that offers the ability to handle your entire WordPress care plan/support and maintenance service from ONE dashboard. Here are five reasons why Glow stands out as a top alternative:
- Fast, always-human support: Whenever you need us, it’s us you’ll chat to. Not AI. Not a chatbot. Actual humans.
- Maintenance and support ticketing in a single platform: Streamline your workflow by managing everything in one place.
- Flexible pricing: All features are included in every plan, with the option to extend your existing plan by adding more websites on a pay-as-you-go basis, making it cost-effective for agencies of all sizes.
- Leading industry reporting: Provide your clients with detailed and professional reports effortlessly, helping you to consistently prove the value of your service.
- Free white glove migration service: Transition to Glow smoothly with expert onboarding assistance at no extra cost.
Click here to download our free website report template and see what Glow can do for you.
