Frequently asked
questions.

StageForge is a WordPress staging service that creates isolated Docker containers from your live site's backup. Test plugin updates, theme changes, and core upgrades without risking production.

Most hosting staging is a subdirectory clone on the same server, sharing resources with your live site. StageForge creates a completely isolated Docker container with its own WordPress + database stack. It cannot affect your live site.

No. Install the plugin, click Connect, click Launch. StageForge handles the rest — backup, container provisioning, URL rewriting, TLS.

Any WordPress installation works. We've tested on WP Engine, Kinsta, SiteGround, Cloudways, DigitalOcean, shared hosts — if it runs WordPress 5.8+, it works.

72 hours by default. You can extend by 48 hours at a time for $7 per extension — unlimited stacking.

The container is destroyed. Files, database, TLS certs — all wiped. Your associated backup is retained for 24 more hours as a grace period, then cryptographically erased.

Not by default. Every staging ships with a web-based WP admin and database admin. SSH access is available on request for the Volume tier.

Technically yes — stack enough $7 extensions and it will run forever. In practice, if you need something longer-lived you probably want a persistent environment, not staging.

No. StageForge is pay-per-use. $12 per staging launch, $7 per 48-hour extension. You pay nothing when you're not actively testing.

Volume pricing is coming soon — automatic discounts for high-volume usage. Stay tuned.

There's nothing to cancel. You pay as you launch. Stop launching, stop paying.

If a staging fails to provision due to our error, you're refunded automatically. For user-error refunds, contact support within 7 days.

Every backup is encrypted in transit (TLS 1.3) and at rest (AES-256-GCM). Presigned upload URLs mean credentials never touch WordPress. Stored backups are cryptographically erased 24 hours after staging destruction.

Only you. Staging URLs are unguessable and optionally HTTP-basic-auth gated. We never index, crawl, or share them.

All data is stored in the EU (Helsinki). No cross-region replication without explicit opt-in.