How to manage WordPress on your VPS with RunCloud

What is RunCloud?

RunCloud is a server management panel that connects to your VPS and provides a web-based dashboard for managing web applications, particularly WordPress. Instead of using command line tools to configure Nginx, PHP, MySQL, and SSL certificates, you handle everything through RunCloud’s interface.

RunCloud doesn’t host your website - your VPS does. RunCloud provides the management layer that makes server administration accessible to people who don’t want to manage Linux servers manually.

Why use RunCloud instead of managing your server directly?

Managing a web server requires knowledge of:

• Linux system administration
• Nginx or Apache configuration
• PHP-FPM setup and optimization
• MySQL/MariaDB database management
• SSL certificate installation and renewal
• Security hardening and firewall rules
• Backup configuration

RunCloud handles all of this through its dashboard, letting you focus on your websites rather than server maintenance.

RunCloud pricing and plans

RunCloud offers several tiers:

Plan	Servers	Price/month	Key Features
Basic	1	~$8	Core features, community support
Pro	Unlimited	~$15	Priority support, staging
Business	Unlimited	~$45	Team features, advanced backups

Pricing may change - check RunCloud’s pricing page for current rates.

VPS requirements for RunCloud

Before connecting RunCloud to your VPS, ensure your server meets these requirements:

Requirement	Specification
Operating System	Ubuntu 20.04, 22.04, or 24.04 LTS
RAM	Minimum 1 GB (2 GB+ recommended)
Storage	At least 10 GB free
Access	Root SSH access
Fresh install	No existing web server software

RunCloud installs its own software stack, so start with a clean Ubuntu installation. All ServerPoint VPS plans include full root access and your choice of operating system.

How to connect your VPS to RunCloud

Step 1: Deploy a fresh Ubuntu VPS on ServerPoint’s ColossusCloud

Make sure you have a VPS ready and online on ServerPoint’s ColossusCloud platform. Log into ServerPoint’s Client Portal to deploy a new VPS:

1. Choose your preferred data center location - we have facilities in the US, Europe, and Asia-Pacific
2. Select Ubuntu 24.04 LTS as your operating system
3. Choose a plan with at least 1 GB RAM (2 GB recommended for WordPress)
4. Deploy the VPS - it will be ready in under a minute

Once your ColossusCloud VPS is online, note the IP address and root password from your Client Portal dashboard.

Step 2: Create a RunCloud account

Visit runcloud.io and create an account. They offer a free trial period.

Step 3: Add your server to RunCloud

In the RunCloud dashboard:

1. Click “Connect a new server”
2. Enter a name for your server
3. Choose your server provider (select “Other” for ServerPoint)
4. Enter your VPS IP address

RunCloud will generate an installation command.

Step 4: Run the installation command

SSH into your VPS:

ssh root@your-vps-ip-address

Paste and run the installation command provided by RunCloud. The installation takes 10-15 minutes. RunCloud will:

• Install Nginx
• Install PHP (multiple versions available)
• Install MariaDB
• Configure firewall rules
• Set up monitoring agents

Step 5: Verify the connection

Once installation completes, your server will appear as “Active” in the RunCloud dashboard.

How to install WordPress with RunCloud

After your server is connected:

Step 1: Create a web application

1. In RunCloud, go to your server
2. Click “Web Applications” → “Create Web Application”
3. Enter your domain name
4. Select “WordPress” as the application type
5. Choose your PHP version (8.2 or 8.3 recommended)
6. Click “Create”

Step 2: Configure your domain’s DNS

Point your domain to your VPS IP address:

• Add an A record pointing to your VPS IP
• Add a CNAME for www if needed

Step 3: Install SSL certificate

RunCloud integrates with Let’s Encrypt:

1. Go to your web application
2. Click “SSL/TLS”
3. Select “Let’s Encrypt”
4. Click “Install”

SSL certificates auto-renew before expiration.

Step 4: Complete WordPress setup

Visit your domain in a browser to complete the WordPress installation wizard.

Managing WordPress sites with RunCloud

Database management

RunCloud provides phpMyAdmin access and lets you create, modify, and delete databases through the dashboard.

PHP settings

Adjust PHP settings per site:

• Memory limits
• Upload limits
• Execution time
• PHP version

Staging environments

Pro plans and above include one-click staging:

1. Clone your live site to a staging subdomain
2. Make changes and test
3. Push changes back to production

Automatic backups

Configure automated backups to cloud storage:

• Local server backups
• Remote storage (AWS S3, DigitalOcean Spaces, etc.)
• Scheduled daily, weekly, or custom intervals

Security features in RunCloud

Firewall management

RunCloud configures UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) and lets you add custom rules through the dashboard.

Fail2ban integration

Automatic blocking of repeated failed login attempts.

Security hardening

• Hide PHP version
• Disable XML-RPC (common WordPress attack vector)
• Block bad bots
• Enable ModSecurity (WAF)

RunCloud vs managing your server yourself

Task	Self-managed	With RunCloud
Install WordPress	Manual LEMP setup, ~30 min	Click and deploy, ~2 min
SSL certificates	Certbot configuration	One-click install
PHP updates	Manual apt commands	Dashboard toggle
Database backups	Cron scripts	Scheduled in UI
Multiple PHP versions	Complex configuration	Simple dropdown

RunCloud costs money, but saves significant time if you’re managing multiple sites or prefer not to deal with command line administration.

When RunCloud might not be the right choice

Consider alternatives if you:

• Need maximum performance tuning: Direct server access allows more granular optimization
• Have a single simple site: The cost may not be justified
• Want full control: RunCloud manages your server stack, limiting what you can customize
• Run non-web applications: RunCloud focuses on web apps (PHP, Node.js, Python)

Securing your VPS with ServerPoint’s Cloud Firewall

One advantage of running RunCloud on ServerPoint’s ColossusCloud platform is our built-in Cloud Firewall. This network-level firewall operates outside your VPS, blocking malicious traffic before it even reaches your server - providing better protection than software firewalls alone.

Configure your firewall rules via ServerPoint’s Client Portal:

1. Navigate to your VPS → Firewall
2. Allow ports 22 (SSH), 80 (HTTP), 443 (HTTPS)
3. Block all other incoming traffic by default

Combined with RunCloud’s built-in security features, this dual-layer approach keeps your WordPress sites well protected.

Official resources

• RunCloud website - Official site with pricing and features
• RunCloud documentation - Setup guides and configuration reference
• RunCloud blog - Tutorials and best practices
• RunCloud YouTube channel - Video tutorials and walkthroughs
• RunCloud community forum - User discussions and support

Next steps

After setting up RunCloud on your ServerPoint VPS:

• Deploy your WordPress sites
• Configure automated backups through RunCloud
• Set up monitoring and alerts
• Enable ServerPoint’s VPS snapshot backup service for full server recovery

If you need to scale up, upgrading your ColossusCloud VPS takes just a few clicks in the Client Portal - no migration or downtime required.

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View VPS plans - RunCloud works with any of our Ubuntu VPS instances across all ServerPoint data centers.