Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess) vs Rocket.net
Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess)
Expect more expertise from your host
Publishers using it: —
Rocket.net
AI-native managed CMS hosting optimized for high-performance content delivery.
Publishers using it: —
Last verified Nov 11, 2026
At a glance
- Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess) scores 2.7/5 and Rocket.net scores 3.1/5 in Benchmark Grid's independent hosting benchmark, both assessed on the same 6 criteria.
- The widest gaps are security & compliance (Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess) 4.1, Rocket.net 2.2) and uptime sla & remedies (Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess) 2.0, Rocket.net 3.0); they are within 0.3 on 1 of 6 criteria.
- Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess) is built for small, mid-market and enterprise publishers; Rocket.net for mid-market and enterprise.
- On total cost of ownership Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess) scores 2.9 and Rocket.net 3.5 (higher means better value, not a lower price).
- Scores last verified 11 Nov 2026. Vendors cannot pay for a score or a position.
Where they differ
Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess) is stronger on security & compliance (4.1 vs 2.2).
Rocket.net is stronger on uptime SLA & remedies (3.0 vs 2.0), performance & delivery (4.6 vs 3.8) and support & migration (4.0 vs 3.2).
Which one fits
Choose Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess) if…
- You publish at small, mid-market and enterprise scale.
- You weight security & compliance and platform & developer workflow heavily — Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess) leads on those in this benchmark.
Choose Rocket.net if…
- You publish at mid-market and enterprise scale.
- You weight uptime SLA & remedies, performance & delivery and support & migration heavily — Rocket.net leads on those in this benchmark.
Also weighing these
The nearest-scored tools to Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess) and Rocket.net in this benchmark, listed A to Z.
- 3.5Amazon Web ServicesGlobal hyper-scale infrastructure for bespoke digital publishing stacks.Read review
- 3.2CloudwaysFlexible managed cloud hosting where you pick the provider and control the cost.Read review
- 2.9Hostzop CloudRegional managed infrastructure and Tier 3 data center services.Read review
- 2.9PressableEnterprise-grade managed CMS hosting backed by industry-leading infrastructure.Read review
All 12 scored tools are in Best Hosting for Media Publishers.
Head to head
| Criterion | Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess) | Rocket.net |
|---|---|---|
| Performance & delivery22% of capability | 3.8 | 4.6 |
| Scale & traffic-spike resilience20% of capability | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Platform & developer workflow17% of capability | 3.6 | 3.2 |
| Security & compliance17% of capability | 4.1 | 2.2 |
| Uptime SLA & remedies14% of capability | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| Support & migration10% of capability | 3.2 | 4.0 |
| Capability45% of composite | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| Publisher fit40% of composite | 1.5 | 2.5 |
| Total cost of ownership15% of composite | 2.9 | 3.5 |
Cost of ownership
| Sub-score | Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess) | Rocket.net |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | 1.5 | 3.5 |
| Entry cost | 4.5 | 3.5 |
| Implementation cost | 3.0 | 4.5 |
| Hidden-fee risk | 2.0 | 2.5 |
| Ongoing cost | 3.5 | 3.5 |
Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess) pricing
Managed WordPress and WooCommerce from $9/mo; Managed Magento from $37.74/mo; higher tiers priced by configurator.
Rocket.net pricing
Starter $30/mo ($25/mo billed annually), $1 first month; Enterprise $649–$2,599/mo.
What users say
Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess)
3 positive · 6 neutral · 6 negative
Rocket.net
6 positive · 17 neutral · 3 negative
Mentions we could not tie to a real user, and those flagged as promotional, are excluded. Sentiment is opinion, and is independent of the verified publisher adoptions above.
Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess) scores 2.7 and Rocket.net scores 3.1 in Benchmark Grid's independent Best Hosting for Media Publishers benchmark (benchmarkgrid.com/vs/nexcess/rocket-net, verified Nov 11, 2026)
Common questions
How do Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess) and Rocket.net differ?
Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess) is stronger on security & compliance (4.1 vs 2.2). Rocket.net is stronger on uptime SLA & remedies (3.0 vs 2.0), performance & delivery (4.6 vs 3.8) and support & migration (4.0 vs 3.2). Neither is better in the abstract — which one suits you depends on which of those dimensions carries the most weight in your operation.
Which is cheaper, Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess) or Rocket.net?
On total cost of ownership — pricing transparency, entry cost, implementation, hidden-fee risk and ongoing cost — Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess) scores 2.9/5 and Rocket.net scores 3.5/5. A higher score means better value, not a lower sticker price.
How are these scores calculated?
Each tool is assessed against its category's published criteria (6 in this benchmark), which make up Capability (45% of the composite), Publisher fit (40%) and Total cost of ownership (15%). Assessment is carried out by SODP's editorial team against a published methodology. Vendors cannot pay for inclusion, scores or positions.
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Both tools are scored in Best Hosting for Media Publishers. See alternatives to Liquid Web Managed WordPress (formerly Nexcess) or alternatives to Rocket.net.
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Where to next
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