Choosing the right server or cloud parameters for WordPress isn’t just about the CMS itself—it’s about your traffic, plugins, themes, and, most critically, your security setup. BotBlocker can dramatically change real requirements by blocking bots and attacks before they consume your resources. Below: practical recommendations for WordPress hosting at various audience levels and an analysis of how BotBlocker optimizes resource use.
Minimum Server Requirements for WordPress: The Official Baseline
PHP: 8.1 or higher
MySQL/MariaDB: MySQL 5.7+ or MariaDB 10.4+
HTTPS: Required
RAM: At least 512 MB for basic sites (not production)
CPU: 1 core, any modern CPU
Practical Minimums by Audience Size
Traffic (visits/day)
RAM
CPU Cores
SSD
Recommended Hosting Type
Up to 1,000
512 MB–1 GB
1
Yes
Shared or entry-level VPS
1,000–5,000
1–2 GB
1–2
Yes
VPS, Cloud, Managed WP Hosting
5,000–20,000
2–4 GB
2–4
Yes
VPS, Cloud, Dedicated
20,000+
4–8+ GB
4+
Yes
High-performance VPS/Cloud/Cluster
Notes:
Always choose SSD/NVMe storage for performance.
CPU is less important than RAM for most WordPress sites.
WooCommerce, heavy plugins, or large media libraries may require more RAM and CPU.
Server location and quality of network/peering matter for global sites.
WordPress Bottlenecks: What Consumes Resources?
Processing each page load (especially with many plugins)
Database queries, especially on dynamic or e-commerce sites
PHP execution for every uncached visit
How BotBlocker Changes the Resource Equation
1. Blocking at the Earliest Stage (Early/MU Plugin Mode)
Early Mode: BotBlocker loads even before WordPress core initializes.
Effect: Malicious bots, brute force, scrapers, fake crawlers, and many spam requests are rejected before PHP loads the theme, plugins, or even the WordPress core.
Result: These “junk” visits do not consume PHP, MySQL, or plugin/theme resources.
2. Standard Mode (Before Plugins and Themes)
Standard Mode: BotBlocker runs at the very beginning of the WordPress execution cycle—before any plugins or the theme.
Effect: Most harmful and unwanted traffic is filtered out before it can impact performance.
3. Real-World Impact on Hosting Requirements
Sites with BotBlocker: Require significantly less RAM and CPU compared to unprotected sites with the same visitor numbers.
On basic VPS hosting: You can serve double or even triple the number of real visitors versus an unprotected site (less load, fewer database queries, faster PHP).
Shared hosting: Less risk of account suspension due to resource abuse by bots.
E-commerce and membership sites: Fewer fake registrations, less brute force, lower risk of slowdowns during “attack” waves.
Sample Scenarios: With and Without BotBlocker
Without BotBlocker
A sudden spike of bot visits (scraping, brute force) can push a small VPS into swap or make the site slow/unresponsive.
Even with caching, every bot visit still initializes PHP and the database before being rejected.
Real users experience delays, host may limit/suspend account for “overuse”.
With BotBlocker (Early Mode)
Bot requests filtered at the very beginning—often without loading WordPress at all.
Database, theme, and plugin resources are not used at all by bad actors.
Server stays responsive for real visitors, even during attacks.
Can safely run a medium-traffic site on minimal hardware, with better user experience.
For heavy WooCommerce, membership, or multilingual:
Add at least 1–2 GB RAM above “normal” minimums
With BotBlocker (any mode):
Reduce recommended specs by up to 30–50% versus a site with no protection, especially during spikes.
Always:
Enable PHP Opcache
Use the latest PHP version
Keep MySQL/MariaDB tuned and updated
Enable HTTP/2 for SSL sites
FAQ
Does BotBlocker work on any hosting? Yes—MU/early mode works with most hosting types that allow custom plugins or MU plugins.
Can BotBlocker replace a CDN or caching plugin? No, but it reduces backend load so cache/CDN works more efficiently.
Is early blocking safe for all sites? Yes, if properly configured. Always test after enabling “early” or MU mode.
Can BotBlocker save money on cloud/server bills? Yes—by blocking non-human load, you can choose a cheaper hosting plan or handle higher loads with the same resources.
