Care plans still require manual work every month.
WP Engine manages the infrastructure — but producing a care plan report, documenting what was updated, and sending it to the client? That's still manual. An hour per client, every month, at scale.
Stack2 vs WP Engine
WP Engine alternative for Australian agencies.
WP Engine alternative for Australian agencies.
Australian-owned. No plugin bans. AutoCare available.
WP Engine has a Sydney data center and an Australian support team — but it's a US-owned company with US-dollar pricing and a banned plugin list that includes tools many agencies depend on. Stack2 is Australian-owned and built specifically for agencies, with AutoCare, no plugin bans, and AUD pricing.
Australian-owned
·
No banned plugins
·
AutoCare available
Trusted by
Side by side
Stack2 vs WP Engine at a glance.
| Feature | Stack2 | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Australian-Owned Company | ||
| AU Data Residency | ✓ Sydney option | |
| AutoCare — Automated Care Plans | ||
| WordPress Management Dashboard | ||
| White-label Client Reports | ||
| No Banned Plugins | ||
| Local AU Support | ✓ Brisbane office | |
| Agency Operations — Tasks, Docs & Passwords | ||
| Starting Price | Free to start | ~$35 USD/mo |
The difference
Why agencies are moving from WP Engine to Stack2.
AutoCare does the care plan work for you.
Updates applied on schedule, white-label report generated and emailed to the client automatically. You keep charging $50+/month per care plan without spending hours delivering it.
Expensive, and the costs compound as you grow.
WP Engine is a premium-priced US product. Add-ons, overages, and plan requirements for features agencies actually need push costs well above what Australian agencies typically budget for hosting.
Australian-owned, AUD pricing, no hidden add-ons.
Stack2 is priced in AUD, owned and operated in Australia, with AutoCare for care plan delivery and no add-on fatigue from a US dollar subscription.
Not available on WP Engine
AutoCare — white-label care plan delivery WP Engine can't match.
AutoCare automates the delivery of WordPress care plans. Updates are applied on your schedule, a white-label report is generated with what was done, and it's emailed directly to your client — automatically. No manual screenshots. No copying update logs. No monthly admin grind.
Agencies using AutoCare deliver better care plans to more clients, without adding hours. Bill $50/month per site, pay Stack2's hosting cost, keep the rest — with zero manual effort on delivery.
Learn about AutoCare Questions
Switching from WP Engine — answered.
The main reasons are WP Engine's plugin restrictions (UpdraftPlus and W3 Total Cache are banned), the absorption of Flywheel into WP Engine, high costs relative to Australian alternatives, and US-only data residency. Stack2 is Australian-owned, has no plugin bans, and includes AutoCare — automated care plan delivery with white-label reports sent directly to clients, which WP Engine doesn't offer.
No. Stack2 does not maintain a banned plugin list. You can install and run UpdraftPlus, W3 Total Cache, or any other plugin your workflow depends on. We only recommend against plugins with known security vulnerabilities, and we'll alert you if one is detected.
Yes. Stack2 offers free migration assistance. Contact us and we'll help you move your WordPress sites from WP Engine — including DNS cutover planning and testing in staging before you go live. Most migrations are completed within a few business days.
Generally faster for Australian visitors. WP Engine's infrastructure is US-based, meaning every request crosses the Pacific. Stack2 hosts on Australian infrastructure — lower latency for local visitors, and no geographic round-trip adding to your page load times.
Testimonials
What our clients say.
A few of the people who trust us with their IT and hosting.
Stack2 are not just a web host, for our Marketing Agency they are a dedicated partner. Working together for close to 10 years now, Stack2 not only manage your agency’s IT infrastructure and cyber security, they also power hundreds of websites we have built for clients. The team are responsive, proactive and extremely knowledgeable. I cant imagine our agency without them.
Mary-Anne Amies, Founder & CEO at Wise Up Marketing
We've been working with Leigh and the team at Stack2 for several years, and they've become our go-to provider for all things web and email hosting. Having a local Australian team has been a real advantage, and their service has been consistently exceptional. Knowing our hosting is in safe hands gives our team complete peace of mind!
Christian Andrée, Managing Partner at Made Somewhere
I’ve worked with Leigh at Stack2 since 2020 across 4 different businesses, and I honestly wouldn’t recommend anyone else. Leigh has a way of making even the most overwhelming tech issues feel manageable, always explains things in plain English, responds incredibly quickly, and never makes me feel silly for asking questions. I trust him completely with my IT and web hosting, and he is the first person I recommend whenever a client needs reliable IT support.
Cheryl East, Founder at Complete Bookkeeping & Admin Support
I’ve worked with Leigh and the Stack2 team for close to eight years now, and I’ve never viewed their work as an expense, they’re genuinely an asset to my digital marketing agency. They’ve supported me at every stage, and whenever I’ve scaled up, they’ve scaled with me. Their customer service is exceptional; no question is ever too big or too small and nothing is ignored. Leigh takes the time to understand your needs and will work with you to find the right IT solution for your business. Before moving across to Stack2 in 2018, I had tried several other business technology providers. I’ve never once considered leaving Stack2. The consistency, reliability, and local support make all the difference.
Julia Makin, Founder & Executive Director at Sink or Swim Marketing
We've trusted Stack2 to host not only our own website but also many of our clients' websites for years, and they've consistently delivered exceptional service. They are always quick to respond, and they resolve any questions or technical issues promptly and efficiently. A special mention goes to Leigh, who we work with most often. His technical knowledge is outstanding, and he's always friendly, approachable, and easy to communicate with. His attention to detail and ability to quickly troubleshoot even complex issues gives us confidence that our websites, and those of our clients, are in good hands. While Stack2 may not be the cheapest hosting provider on the market, we've found the level of expertise, reliability and efficiency they provide more than justifies the investment. Their service has been a big reason we've remained a loyal customer over the long term. We also really value that they're Australian-based. Having local support available during our business hours means we can get help when we need it most, without worrying about time zone delays. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend Stack2 to anyone looking for dependable hosting backed by knowledgeable, responsive support.
Nadia Kerr, Founder at Hatchling Web
More comparisons
See how Stack2 compares to others.
Ready to move off WP Engine?
Choose a Stack2 plan for your sites. Free migration assistance included when you're ready to switch.