WordPress Hosting Requirements: PHP, MySQL and What Else

WordPress's published requirements are modest: PHP version 7.4 or greater, MySQL 8.0 or greater (or MariaDB 10.5 or greater), HTTPS support, and a web server such as Nginx or Apache. These are read from WordPress.org's requirements page on September 10, 2026; verify against the current page, since minimums rise over time.

Every mainstream host meets them comfortably, so requirements are rarely a reason to reject a host — but knowing what they mean helps you spot an outdated setup and understand what actually affects your site's speed and reliability. Here is each requirement in plain English, and the practical limits that matter more than the minimums.

The official requirements, in plain English

WordPress needs a place to run its code (PHP) and a place to store your content (a database). WordPress.org lists PHP 7.4+ and MySQL 8.0+ or MariaDB 10.5+ as the minimums, plus HTTPS support for a secure connection. It recommends running the latest PHP for speed and security.

That is the whole technical requirement — no special hardware, no exotic software. Anything sold as “WordPress hosting” meets it by definition, and almost all generic shared hosting does too. The requirements exist mainly so you can confirm an old or unusual host is not stuck on a version WordPress no longer supports.

Why the PHP version matters

PHP is the engine WordPress runs on, and a newer version is meaningfully faster and safer. Moving from an old PHP release to a current one (PHP 8.x) can noticeably speed up a site at no cost, and older versions stop receiving security fixes.

Check your host's dashboard for the PHP version and choose the newest your themes and plugins support — usually the latest, since well-maintained plugins keep up. If a plugin breaks on a new PHP version, that is a sign the plugin is unmaintained and worth replacing, not a reason to stay on an old, insecure PHP release indefinitely.

Why the database matters

The database stores every post, page, comment and setting, so its version and health affect reliability and speed. MySQL 8.0+ or MariaDB 10.5+ meet the requirement; both are standard on modern hosts, and MariaDB is a drop-in MySQL alternative many use.

You rarely touch the database directly — WordPress and your host manage it — but a plan on a current database version with regular backups of it is what you want. If you ever see database-connection errors, it is usually a host resource limit or a corruption issue that backups and your host's support resolve, which is one more reason backups are non-negotiable.

Memory, storage and other practical limits

Beyond the official minimums, the practical limits are PHP memory and disk space. WordPress suggests a PHP memory limit of at least 64MB, and 128MB or 256MB is comfortable for sites with plugins; hosts set this, and better plans allow more.

Disk space depends on your media — a text blog needs little, an image-heavy site far more — and “unlimited” storage always carries a fair-use cap in the terms. These numbers, not the PHP or MySQL version, are what actually pinch on a growing site, so they are worth checking on the specific tier you are buying rather than assuming the headline plan is generous.

How to check what your host provides

You can see all of this in two places. WordPress's own Site Health tool (Tools → Site Health → Info) reports your PHP version, database version and memory limit; your host's dashboard lets you change the PHP version and often the memory limit.

If Site Health flags an outdated PHP or database, upgrading is usually a one-click change or a quick support request. If your current host cannot meet the recommended versions at all, that is a genuine reason to switch — compare the best affordable WordPress hosting, all of which run current PHP and MySQL. To make an older site feel faster once the versions are current, read how to speed up a WordPress site on shared hosting.

Recommended beats minimum — aim higher

Meet the minimum, but target the recommended versions. WordPress.org lists PHP 7.4+ as the floor yet recommends the latest PHP, and there is a real gap between the two: newer PHP is faster and keeps receiving security patches, while old versions are slower and eventually unsupported. Pick the newest PHP your plugins tolerate, which is usually the current release.

The same logic applies to the database and memory. A plan sitting exactly on the minimums will run WordPress but leaves no headroom; one on current versions with a comfortable memory limit handles plugins and traffic spikes more gracefully. Aiming above the floor costs nothing on a modern host and prevents avoidable slowness.

HTTPS and SSL are part of the requirements

HTTPS is now effectively required, not optional, and every good host makes it free. WordPress.org lists HTTPS support among its requirements, and browsers flag sites without it as “not secure.” The free SSL certificates hosts include (via Let's Encrypt) satisfy this at no cost, so there is no reason to run a modern WordPress site on plain HTTP.

You rarely need a paid SSL certificate for a standard site — the free one provides the same encryption and the same padlock. Paid certificates matter only for specific business validation needs. If a host tries to upsell you SSL for a basic blog, the free certificate it already offers is all you need.

The bottom line

WordPress asks for very little — PHP 7.4+, MySQL 8.0+ or MariaDB 10.5+, HTTPS — and every mainstream host clears the bar, so requirements rarely decide your choice. What matters in practice is running the recommended current versions for speed and security, having enough memory and storage headroom, and keeping backups. Check your figures in Site Health, upgrade the PHP version if it is old, and if your host cannot meet the recommended versions, switch to one of the affordable WordPress hosts we rank.