At Workhorse, we don’t just host your website, we take full responsibility for its security, stability, and performance. Unlike traditional or even “managed” hosting providers that focus only on infrastructure, our hosting is more of a “Website-as-a-Service (WaaS)” approach, designed to be a turnkey experience.
That means we maintain not only the servers your site runs on, but also the application itself. From uptime monitoring to security controls, we ensure your website remains reliable, secure, and compliant—so you can focus on your business instead of troubleshooting technical issues.
And because Workhorse is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant, you can trust that the same rigorous security and operational controls used to safeguard enterprise environments are applied directly to your website.
However, this approach often leads to some questions.
Why can’t I install plugins or access my hosting account?
Our goal is simple: keep your website stable, secure, and online. To achieve that, Workhorse enforces security and compliance measures that go beyond what you’d expect from a typical host. Depending on your setup, you may notice some restrictions that are designed to protect your business and your customers:
- Database protection: We restrict direct database access to reduce risks of data exposure or tampering.
- Plugin governance: Only vetted plugins are allowed, reducing vulnerabilities that often come from third-party add-ons.
- Theme integrity: Direct modifications or theme installations are limited, ensuring code remains stable and secure.
- Controlled developer access: Only developers who meet our compliance standards are granted access to your site’s codebase.
- Account security: Two-factor authentication is enforced for all user accounts.
These measures aren’t limitations, they’re safeguards. By controlling access points and standardizing tools, we significantly reduce downtime risks, plugin conflicts, and security breaches.
What if I need a plugin installed?
While we restrict this by default (even for our own administrative users), we know that you need flexibility to meet changing marketing and business requirements. To that end we are always quickly able to help get a plugin installed or find a solution for your business challenge:
How Does Workhorse Evaluate plugin Installation Requests?
Workhorse takes great care before installing third-party code on any site we manage. We ask a number of questions that can help us determine what the best solution is for the business requirement:
- Is the plugin from a reliable vendor?
- What are the security implications of installing it?
- What are the plugin ratings?
- How is the plugin support?
- Can we maintain it over time easily or is potentially complex to keep updated?
- Will it negatively impact page performance?
- Will it negatively affect website accessibility?
- Is there an existing feature on the website that offers the same or similar functionality? Often, clients just might not know a feature is already available
- How difficult would it be to replicate the required feature with custom coding, how long would that take, and what are the pros and cons of custom coding vs. using a plugin?
- Do we already have a plugin that we are comfortable with that offers the same functionality? We have a number of premium licenses and go-to plugins that have proven themselves over the years, that we trust.
Flexibility Without Compromise
We know some clients require advanced integrations or third-party access. In those cases, Workhorse may provide secure alternatives or, when necessary, apply a technology fee to support the additional oversight required. This ensures your website remains compliant and resilient, even when adding functionality.
Our policies evolve as technology changes, but our commitment remains the same: delivering a secure, high-performing website you never have to worry about.
Why This Matters for You
When you partner with Workhorse, you’re not just renting server space. You’re getting a dedicated team that actively manages, monitors, and protects your website as a mission-critical asset.
By combining Website-as-a-Service delivery with SOC 2 Type 2 compliance, we give you confidence that your website meets the highest standards of security, availability, and integrity.