WordPress Hosting Requirements: PHP, MySQL, RAM and More | UncoverWP

By Muhammad Adeel Baig · Updated November 7, 2026

WordPress hosting requirements are the server software versions and resources a host must provide for WordPress to run safely and fast. The core list is short: a supported PHP version, a MySQL or MariaDB database, HTTPS, and a web server such as Apache, Nginx, or LiteSpeed.

The minimum versions only tell you what WordPress will start on. A fast, secure site needs the recommended versions plus enough memory and PHP workers for your traffic. This guide covers both, then shows how to check what your current host gives you.

Test your current host first. Run your site through the free UncoverWP WordPress Speed Test. A slow server response score is the clearest sign your hosting is the bottleneck.

Minimum vs Recommended Requirements

WordPress runs on PHP 7.4 and MySQL or MariaDB 5.5.5 at minimum, but these old versions no longer get security fixes. For a new site, use PHP 8.3 or newer, MySQL 8.4 or MariaDB 10.11 or newer, and HTTPS.

These numbers change with each WordPress release. The official WordPress requirements page and the hosting team’s compatibility tables list the current values.

PHP Extensions WordPress Needs

PHP extensions are add-on modules that give PHP extra features. WordPress needs a few to work and uses others for images, security, and speed. Good hosts enable all of these by default.

WordPress shows missing extensions under Tools > Site Health > Status, so you do not need server access to check them.

How Much RAM and CPU Does WordPress Need?

WordPress itself is light, but plugins, page builders, and WooCommerce are not. A useful starting point is a PHP memory limit of 256 MB and enough PHP workers to handle visitors who arrive at the same moment.

PHP workers decide how many uncached requests your server can process at the same time. Cached pages barely use them, but logged-in users, carts, checkout, and search pages do. When every worker is busy, new visitors wait in a queue, and TTFB climbs.

To raise the WordPress memory limit, add this line to wp-config.php above the line that says “That’s all, stop editing”. Your host’s PHP limit must be at least this high, or the line has no effect.

define( ‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’ );

Server Features That Matter More Than Specs

Two hosts with the same PHP version can perform very differently. These features have the biggest effect on speed and safety:

• Server-level page caching: LiteSpeed Cache on LiteSpeed servers or a built-in Nginx cache serves pages without running PHP.
• Object caching: Redis or Memcached speeds up logged-in pages and WooCommerce.
• NVMe or SSD storage: faster database reads than older hard drives.
• HTTP/2 or HTTP/3: loads many small files over one connection.
• Free SSL with auto-renewal: Let’s Encrypt certificates that renew without your help.
• Automatic daily backups: stored off the server, with one-click restore.
• Staging sites: test updates before they touch the live site.
• A data center near your visitors: distance adds delay to every request.
• Easy PHP version switching: lets you move to new PHP versions without a support ticket.

How to Check What Your Host Provides

1. Go to Tools > Site Health > Info in your WordPress dashboard.
2. Open the Server section to see the PHP version, memory limit, max execution time, and upload size.
3. Open the Database section to see whether you run MySQL or MariaDB and which version.
4. Check the Status tab for critical issues such as an outdated PHP version or missing extensions.
5. Run a speed test on a cached page and an uncached page, such as search results, to see how the server performs under real load.

If Site Health shows an old PHP version, most hosts let you switch it in the control panel under a name like PHP Configuration or Select PHP Version. Test on a staging copy first.

Shared, VPS, or Managed WordPress Hosting?

The right hosting type depends on traffic and how much of your site is uncached, not on how many pages you have.

Start on good shared or cloud hosting with LiteSpeed or Nginx caching, then move up when uncached pages stay slow or your host warns about resource limits.

Frequently Asked Questions