Sector 01 - The Mission
Why is this so expensive compared to GoDaddy?
Because you are comparing a bus ticket to a private pilot. Commodity hosts profit by packing thousands of sites onto one server. SmartBirb profits by ensuring your specific site never fails. You are paying for isolation, oversight, and the absence of the problem you haven't had yet.
Are you just a hosting company?
No. We are Web Ops. Hosting is just the metal box your site lives on. We are the crew that keeps the engine running, patches the holes, and navigates the storm. We control the full SmartBirb Cloud infrastructure so we can guarantee the outcome - not just the uptime.
Do you work with agencies?
We typically work directly with the site owner. However, we often partner with design agencies who want to hand off the technical operation after launch. If you are an agency, we become the invisible ops layer - you take the credit, we handle everything underneath.
What if my site goes down at 3 AM?
Infrastructure is monitored at 10-second intervals. Automated failover routes traffic to the replica data centre before most humans could respond. In a genuine incident, the Captain is alerted immediately. But the architecture is designed so the usual answer is: it did not go down - the replica activated before you noticed.
Sector 02 - The Engine Room
Do I get cPanel or root access?
No. That is the point. You are chartering the flight - you do not need to sit in the cockpit. Server configuration, caching rules, PHP settings, and database optimisation are handled entirely. If you need something changed at the infrastructure level, you ask and it gets done.
Can I install plugins from wp-admin?
Direct installs via wp-admin are intentionally blocked - this is the Sealed Deck. It protects the deployment architecture from unreviewed changes entering the live stack. When you need a plugin, raise it with the Captain. It gets evaluated, added to the deployment manifest, and ships in the next scheduled refit - or an accelerated deploy if urgent. Nothing enters unreviewed. This is a feature, not a restriction.
Do you handle email?
Yes, on both fronts. A professional inbox on your domain is included - provisioned via Titan Email or Mailhostbox by default. If you prefer Gmail Workspace, Microsoft 365, Hey, or another provider, we configure and manage all the DNS routing, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records at no charge - you pay that service directly. Transactional email (form confirmations, order receipts, password resets) is handled separately via Postmark and SendGrid. Full details on The Provisions.
What happens if I get a traffic spike?
We pop the champagne. The SmartBirb Cloud bursts automatically - additional CPU and PHP workers are allocated instantly when utilisation exceeds the base threshold. Sites on this infrastructure handle 15M+ visitors per month. Your launch does not become an outage. There are no overage fees for success.
How are my backups handled?
Multiple layers. Automated file and database backups run on a scheduled basis on the replica server - zero load on your live site. Your site also has a live redundant copy at a geographically separate data centre, synchronised continuously. UpdraftPlus Premium is included if you want exports to your own cloud storage. Or just email us - we send you the full backup directly. Full breakdown on The Provisions.
What about my domain - do I own it?
Always. One .com domain is included - registered and renewed free of charge for the duration of your engagement. If you ever leave, it transfers to you in full, no conditions, no ransom. It is your domain. We just manage it.
Sector 03 - The Architecture
What is a Refit, and will my site go down during one?
A Refit is a full deployment: every layer of the stack - WordPress core, plugins, themes - is replaced with fresh artifacts from clean sources. It happens on a weekly schedule, and within 24–48 hours of any critical security patch. Sites do not go down during a refit. The process deploys to staging first, validates, then hot-swaps the live environment. Your visitors see no interruption.
Why can't I update plugins from wp-admin? What is the Sealed Deck?
The Sealed Deck is a custom mu-plugin deployed on every managed site that blocks manual plugin and theme installs, updates, and auto-updates - enforced server-side. It exists to ensure the deployment pipeline is the single authorised point of entry for all software changes. If wp-admin is left open for manual installs, a single compromised admin account can inject unreviewed code directly into the live environment, bypassing the entire architecture. The Sealed Deck closes that gap. Full explanation at The Dry Dock Stack.
What happens if my site gets compromised or infected with malware?
The architecture handles it automatically. Even if a plugin is compromised and the intrusion goes undetected, the next scheduled Refit replaces every file from clean artifacts. The maximum lifespan of any intrusion in the Dry Dock Stack is 7 days - the standard refit window. In a traditional WordPress installation, malware can survive for years. Here, it has an architectural expiry date.
Is there a staging environment?
Yes - always available as a standard part of the stack, not an upgrade. Every update is staged and validated before it touches the live site. You can also use staging to test a new plugin, review a design change, or validate a migration - without any risk to the live environment.
Sector 04 - Logistics
Is there a long-term contract?
It depends on the plan. The Sovereign is month-to-month - no commitment required. The Guardian can also run monthly, but an annual commitment earns a 5% discount on the engagement fee. Either way, if you ever wish to leave, we help you migrate to your new host and hand over everything - domain, backups, credentials. We do not take hostages.
How does a migration work if I'm already live somewhere else?
Silent and hands-off. We clone your site to the SmartBirb Cloud, optimise it, and provision the full stack. You review the staged result before anything is touched. Only when it passes do we switch the DNS - zero downtime, old host untouched until you confirm the move is clean. Migration is included in the charter.
Why is there no price listed for The Guardian plan?
The Guardian is in a founding phase. Rather than publishing a fixed number before we have the portfolio and scope patterns to calibrate it properly, the investment is set through direct conversation - matched to your specific stage and situation. It is not free; it is flexible. Once we have documented outcomes from several engagements, a public price returns. The Sovereign plan at $2,895/mo is visible as a reference point for scope.
What is the difference between The Guardian and The Sovereign?
Scale, mandate, and infrastructure headroom. Both plans run on the same SmartBirb Cloud - the same architecture, security layers, and deployment model. The key operational difference: The Sovereign has traffic bursting and real-time auto-scaling active. When a traffic spike hits, PHP workers scale instantly to absorb it. The Guardian operates on a stable, optimised allocation suited to a focused, high-stakes single presence - it handles serious traffic, but does not have the same burst ceiling. The Sovereign is also for operators running multiple properties or requiring a broader operational mandate. See The Flight Plan for the full breakdown.
"Any other questions can be put directly to the Captain."
Request Your Charter