Plan support on 29 October 2026
| Host | Multisite available on | Network setup | Staging and copy caveats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kinsta | Single 65k visits, Single 40GB bandwidth, Build plan or above; Single 35k, Single 20GB, Launch and Launch Plus must upgrade | Enable the multisite option when creating the site in MyKinsta; choose subdirectory or subdomain. Switching type later requires Support | Subdirectory networks work with staging; subdomain and domain-mapped networks may work depending on configuration |
| WP Engine | Included with Premium plans; product extension on shared Growth and above; not available on Lite or Startup; Essential plans only with 3 or more sites | User Portal: Advanced, Utilities, Convert to Multisite, choose type, Convert Environment | Copy Environment rewrites subsite custom domains as subdomains; a single subsite cannot be copied with Copy Environment |
| SiteGround | No plan requirement stated in the setup article; StartUp hosts one website, GrowBig and GoGeek unlimited | Add WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE to wp-config.php, run Tools, Network Setup; subdomain networks need wildcard subdomains enabled in Site Tools | Staging tool not compatible with Multisite; the subdomain or subfolder choice cannot be changed afterwards |
| Liquid Web | No plan-level statement found | Help article walks through the standard WordPress network setup | Not verified; ask before buying |
Subsite limits at WP Engine
WP Engine's performance and stability guidelines cap subsites per plan, counting Production, Staging and Development together: Professional 35, Growth and Scale 40, then from 100 on P0 up to 1,000 on P10. Startup does not support Multisite.
Note the inconsistency: the guidelines list a cap for Professional, while the Multisite article says the extension can be bought on Growth and above. Ask sales which applies to your plan before you build around it. Because staging and development subsites count toward the same total, a 20-course network with full copies in staging and development already uses 60 subsite slots.
Domain mapping and SSL
WordPress core can map a custom domain to a subsite: in Network Admin, Sites, edit the subsite and change its address. The host then has to route that domain and issue a certificate for it, and that is where hosts differ.
At Kinsta you add each subsite domain under Domains in MyKinsta, verify it and point DNS. Adding a root domain also adds a wildcard subdomain unless you deselect it, and Kinsta's Cloudflare integration issues free SSL for verified domains. Kinsta warns that if you force HTTPS only to the primary domain, every request redirects there and subsites become unreachable; choose the option for all live domains.
At WP Engine the environment must be converted to Multisite in the User Portal or routing and SSL will not work correctly. You add each subsite domain in the portal, point DNS, then map it in WordPress, after which WP Engine says the domain routes to the subsite and is secured with SSL. Subsite domains are only supported on Advanced Network.
At SiteGround the SSL Manager article documents free Let's Encrypt certificates per domain, renewed automatically, and a paid Premium Wildcard certificate valid for 12 months. For a subdomain network, confirm with SiteGround how new subdomains will be covered before launch.
When separate installs are safer
| Factor | Multisite network | Separate installs |
|---|---|---|
| Backups and restores | Host backups cover the whole install; rolling back one course affects all of them unless you restore selectively | Each site restores on its own schedule |
| Moving one brand to another host | Extract a subsite; SiteGround Migrator moves separate blogs but not full networks | Move the site as a normal migration |
| Selling one course brand | Requires separating data and users from the network | Hand over the install |
| Plugin licensing | Check whether each premium plugin counts subsites or subdomains as separate activations | One activation per site, easy to count |
| Staging | SiteGround staging unavailable; Kinsta and WP Engine have caveats for mapped domains | Standard staging on every site |
| Shared updates | One update applies everywhere at once | Updates repeated per site, or managed with a dashboard tool |
Worked example: three course brands
A creator runs three courses on three domains, shares one theme, and uses the same LMS on each. Multisite is attractive because updates happen once. On Kinsta the cheapest plan that allows Multisite is Single 65k at $50 per month, compared with $35 for Single 35k, which does not.
Now add the facts that usually decide it: one course has a co-owner who will want a separate exit; one uses a different payment account; all three need staging before each cohort. Those points favour three installs, because a single network makes the co-owned brand hard to separate and staging harder on some hosts. If all three courses share an owner, payment account and release schedule, Multisite becomes the simpler option.
Before you convert an existing site
- Take and test a full backup; Kinsta recommends an experienced developer for converting an established site.
- Choose subdirectory or subdomain deliberately; SiteGround says the choice cannot be changed later, and Kinsta requires Support to switch.
- List every premium plugin and confirm its network licensing.
- Confirm your host's staging and migration tools support the network type you choose.
- Plan DNS and SSL for each mapped domain before launch day.
Questions before you decide
Can the SiteGround Migrator move my whole Multisite network?
No. The plugin page says it does not migrate full Multisite networks, although separate blogs from a network can be migrated.
Can I switch a network from subdirectories to subdomains later?
SiteGround's article says the choice cannot be changed after setup. Kinsta says switching from subdomain to subdirectory requires contacting Support.
Do WP Engine staging subsites count toward the subsite limit?
Yes. The guidelines count subsites across Production, Staging and Development environments.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Kinsta: Multisite network Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Kinsta: Pricing Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- WP Engine: Configure Multisite for WordPress Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- WP Engine: Performance and stability guidelines Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- SiteGround: How can I install WordPress Multisite? Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- SiteGround: Staging and WordPress Multisite Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- SiteGround: Manage SSL certificates in Site Tools Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- SiteGround: WordPress hosting plans Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- SiteGround Migrator plugin Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Liquid Web: Setting up WordPress Multisite Accessed 29 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.