Do you want to skip the read and get right to my pick in this Hostinger vs Siteground comparison? The better web hosting provider for most people is Hostinger.
Introduction:
Nowadays, with many businesses shifting from brick-and-mortar to the online marketplace, the primary challenge for many people is to create a reliable website that works well, stays resilient despite traffic surges or server outages, and offers a great deal of benefit to both potential or recurring customers.
In which case, a reliable hosting service is what many people look for. In this review, we pit Hostinger vs Siteground, two leading hosting services which have both developed quite a following over the past several years.
For this Hostinger vs Siteground review, we will be looking at how Hostinger Siteground stack up in terms of features, reliability, ecommerce functionality, and pricing.
Overview:
Before we get into brass tacks about each of our contenders – Hostinger Siteground – here's a brief look at the platforms:
Hostinger:
Founded in in 2004, the Lithuanian hosting service now boasts of more than 29 million users spread throughout 180 countries. Hostinger is considered a prime mover when it comes to innovation and is justly considered one of Europe’s leading technology service providers.
Siteground:
Siteground came onto the scene in the same year and has a reputation for being one of the easiest site hosting providers and site management solutions currently available. The “easy does it” approach it takes when it comes to site development and hosting is one of the main reasons why more than two million site owners are using it.
Ease of Use:
The first important criteria in this Hostinger vs Siteground review, which is easier to use, Hostinger or Siteground?
Hostinger:
Hostinger has always made innovation, particularly when it comes to making things easier for users, its chief priority. In which case, it has dispensed with the standard cPanel which has been used by many hosting services and site building platforms, replacing it with its own proprietary dashboard which makes site management easier as it is more engaging and intuitive. The UI is well laid-out and everything a site creator needs is within reach.
Siteground:
Like Hostinger Siteground has also done away with cPanel and offers its own administrative dashboard to users. Properly laid out with everything in place and it is easy enough to understand even for those who have absolutely no idea as to how hosting platforms and site builders work.
Winner – DRAW! This ‘Ease of use' phase of the Hostinger vs Siteguard match is a draw.
Features:
Who wins in terms of features – Hostinger or Siteground?
Domain Names:
Let's talk domain names – who offers better choices – Hostinger or Siteground?
Hostinger:
Hostinger is actually quite democratic when it comes to domain names: just one domain free with every subscription regardless of the plan you're on. However, if you've signed up for premium or business hosting, an additional $8.99 annually allows you to get additional domains or domain names.
Siteground:
Compared to Hostinger Siteground's most basic plan offers a single domain / domain name for its users, though those on higher-tier plans can have as many domain names as they need. The service also has its own domain registry should you require a special domain, though it will set you back by $17.99 annually.
Email Rating:
Which provides better email service – Hostinger or Siteground?
Hostinger:
Hostinger offers a single email address with its least expensive hosting plan, while those on premium or business subscriptions can create 100 addresses under their accounts.
Siteground:
Unlike Hostinger Siteground users can create as many email addresses as they deem necessary.
Databases:
Let's talk databases – which has the better deal, Hostinger or Siteground?
Hostinger:
On a basic plan, you may only have one MySQL database. On higher-values hosting plans, users may create an unlimited number for their sites.
Siteground:
Compared to Hostinger Siteground lets you create as many databases as necessary for your account regardless of your hosting plan.
Applications:
When it comes to interfacing third-party apps, who wins – Hostinger vs Siteground?
Hostinger:
Need an app? Get it in a click with a one-click installer: just click and you're on your way to adding extra value to your website. As standard, Hostinger's application marketplace offers a plethora of site builders, metrics and analytics monitors, and excommerce solutions.
Siteground:
Comparing Hostinger Siteground users have the option to install and use over 500 third-party applications – and this number keeps growing year on year as Siteground’s research and development team is always on the lookout for applications that will enhance user sites in terms of features, functionality, and aesthetic appeal. The current roster includes several third-party site builders, social media widgets, and ecommerce aides.
WordPress:
Both Hostinger Siteground offer easy installation of the WordPress site builder and, with it, the full range of add-ons offered, including ecommerce-specific plugin WooCommerce and the Jetpack migration tool.
Site Staging:
Hostinger:
The platform offers no provisions for the creation of test sites in its management dashboard. The only viable alternative here is, if you created your site with WordPress, to use the staging tool built into the application.
Siteground:
Staging is only available for mid-tier and premium subscribers, and even then the tool is dependent on what builder you used to create your site with. WordPress staging is the tool offered to those in the mid-tier – which means it's a no-go if you created your site with a different builder.
On the other hand, if you're on premium, the tool on offer is more inclusive, though it's also skewed more towards CMS-driven builders. You can use it to stage sites created with the likes of PrestaShop, Drupal, and Joomla.
Website Builder:
Which has the better website builder – Hostinger or Siteground?
Hostinger:
The Lithuanian tech team that created Hostinger is also the group behind stand-alone site building platform Zyro. It’s an easy-to-use and intuitive builder that allows users to create a website in just minutes. Zyro comes bundled in with Hostinger, so it gives users a viable alternative to WordPress.
Siteground:
Unlike Hostinger Siteground doesn’t have its own site builder, but the applications marketplace does allow you to download either WordPress or Weebly to create your website.
eCommerce and SSL certificate:
Which provider offers better eCommerce support and SSL, Hostinger or Siteground?
Hostinger:
The good thing about Hostinger is that it actually offers hosting plans that specifically cover the needs of ecommerce sites. These subscriptions come with an application suite with provisions for order taking, inventory management, domestic and foreign taxation, delivery, and logistics.
Likewise, an SSL certificate with basic coverage comes with all hosting plans, but those who need a more secure site that handles online transactions will find that paying for a Comodo SSL upgrade is a worthy investment.
Siteground:
Siteground allows users to create and put up sites using Magento and PrestaShop onto the platform, though you will need to use those platforms’ pre-installed tools or download third-party ware to enhance the functionality of your online store. As with its competitors, it also gives users SSL certificates with their hosting plans.
Security and Backups:
What about security and backups – do you root for Hostinger or Siteground?
Hostinger:
The platform’s main security feature is its two-factor authentication process which requires site owners or creators to use either or both their email and phone number to identify themselves in order to gain exclusive access to their accounts. Automated backups are done weekly.
Siteground:
Siteground assures users with its own site monitoring system as well as a web application firewall. The platform also has a number of redundancy measures for power and hardware in place as a resilience measure and updates are done on the regular. Automated backups are done daily, with those on premium tiers given the option to avail of backups-on-demand.
Winner – Hostinger! This round of the Hostinger vs Siteground battle goes to Hostinger.
Performance:
What platform has better performance, Hostinger or Siteground?
Server Locations:
Hostinger:
Servers are located in seven countries: its headquarters in Lithuania, the United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, the Netherlands, Singapore, and Indonesia.
Siteground:
Siteground servers are in the US, UK, the Netherlands, and Singapore.
Speed Results:
So – who wins in Hostinger vs Siteground speed tests?
Hostinger:
One of the fastest in the business as it clocks in at 345 milliseconds.
Siteground:
Sites hosted on the platform load in as fast as 2.67 seconds. Cloudflare CDN helps speed up loading time.
Average Uptime, Bandwidth, and Webspace limits/Storage:
Hostinger:
Fast doesn’t always mean reliable, as Hostinger’s uptime is only pegged at 99.91 per cent.
When it comes to bandwidth and storage, those on its basic plan are at a distinctive disadvantage. Premium and Business subscriptions offer unlimited amounts of both bandwidth and storage, but the most basic account only gives users 100GB of bandwidth and 10GB of storage.
Siteground:
Siteground meets the industry standard at 99.99 per cent. Bandwidth is unlimited, but storage size ranges between 10 and 40GB for managed hosting plans.
Winner- Hostinger! This was close to call, but we’re talking about reliability here, so we’re going with Hostinger in this ‘Performance' round of the Hostinger vs Siteground showdown.
Support and Resources:
If we're evaluating support and resources, which is better Hostinger vs Siteground?
Hostinger:
Multiple channel support is available 24/7 and it has the additional advantage of having a multilingual support team who can talk to users in their native language for clarity.
The platform’s knowledge base is also quite extensive and it is regularly updated.
Siteground:
Siteground users can avail of almost immediate 24/7 multichannel tech support via phone, email, and live-chat. If you want to deepen your knowledge regarding site creation and hosting, the resources at your disposal are extensive. The platform also offers online how-to guides and tutorials on a diverse range of topics. You can also get updates on fresh developments through its Geek 2 English podcasts.
Winner- Hostinger! Hostinger takes this ‘Support and Resrouces' round of the Hostinger vs Siteground debate.
Pricing:
Let's talk about pricing and value for money, which is better with Hostinger vs Siteground?
Plans:
What do Hostinger or Siteground plans cost?
Hostinger:
Standard price range for Hostinger's subscription plans per category are as follows:
- Shared web hosting: $0.99 – $3.99 per month.
- WordPress hosting: $2.15 – $14.95 per month.
- VPS hosting: $3.95 – $29.95 per month.
- Cloud hosting: $7.45 – $37 per month.
- Windows VPS hosting: $26 – $250 per month.
- Minecraft hosting: $8.95 – $29.95 per month.
>> Check for our latest Hostinger discount code pricing plans <<
Siteground:
Siteground’s standard web, managed WordPress, and WooCommerce subscription plans will set you back by $4.99 to $14.99 monthly.
Their cloud hosting plans are certainly more expensive, but we recommend these for corporate sites or ecommerce hubs that are scaling up their operations. On average, the monthly cost for Siteground cloud hosting will set you back between $100 and $400 per month.
>> Check for our latest Siteground discount code pricing plans <<
Free trial, refund policy, and money-back guarantee:
Hostinger:
No free trials here, but it does have a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can ask for a refund within the first 30 days if you aren't satisfied with the service.
Siteground:
Again, no trial periods here. But there is a 30-day money back guarantee that will allow you to collect a full refund if you cancel your subscription within the first month of service.
Winner- Draw! This ‘Pricing' phase of Hostinger vs Siteground is a draw. Both platforms offer excellent value for your money.
Comparison Winner: Hostinger or Siteground?
All things considered, we declare Hostinger as Comparison Winner! We believe Hostinger offers more bang for users’ bucks. Still, this is the option that works for our particular needs. You should always take into account what your website requires to arrive at the best decision for you.
Conclusion and Recommendations:
Now, to wrap up things – who wins between Hostinger or Siteground?
What is Hostinger best for?
Hostinger is an excellent choice for site creators on a tight budget, but it also offers a scalable platform that grows along with the site and/or the business.
What is Siteground best for?
Siteground is recommended for those who want to build everything from basic websites to scalable ecommerce hubs.
Alternatives:
Ranking | Key Features | Price (Basic Plan) | My View |
---|---|---|---|
1. Bluehost | 50GB storage, unmetered bandwidth, free domain 1st year, free SSL certificate | $2.95/month Check Pricing | Best for beginners and WordPress websites |
2. SiteGround | 10GB Web Space, ~10,000 Visits Monthly, Unmetered Traffic, Free WP Installation, Free WP Migrator, Free SSL, Free Email, Daily Backup, Free CDN, Managed WordPress, Unlimited Databases, 100% renewable energy match | $3.99/month Check Pricing | Best for WordPress websites and features excellent customer support |
3. DreamHost | Fast SSD storage, free domain, automatic WordPress updates, free SSL certificate | $2.49/month Check Pricing | Best for non-profits as it offers a free plan for them |
4. A2 Hosting | Unlimited SSD Space & Transfer, Free & Easy Site Migration, Free Automatic Backups, Anytime Money Back Guarantee | $2.99/month Check Pricing | Best for speed with their turbo servers |
5. HostGator | Unmetered bandwidth & disk space, free domain, free SSL certificate | $2.75/month Check Pricing | Best for small businesses and startups |
6. WPX Hosting | High-speed, custom CDN, unlimited site migrations, unlimited SSLs, 24/7 fast-response support | $20.83/month Check Pricing | Best for those seeking high-speed hosting and excellent customer support |
7. Kinsta | Google Cloud Platform, 24 global locations, next-generation infrastructure, free migrations, 24/7 support | $30/month Check Pricing | Best for those wanting Google Cloud hosting and multiple global locations |
8. Nexcess | Auto-scaling, automatic plugin updates, automatic backups, 24/7 support | $19/month Check Pricing | Best for eCommerce with its auto-scaling feature |
9. LiquidWeb | Fully managed, dedicated IP, DDoS protection, 24/7 support | $19/month Check Pricing | Best for fully-managed hosting and those needing a dedicated IP |
10. Scala Hosting | Free domain, SSD powered, free website migration, 24/7 support | $3.95/month Check Pricing | Best for those looking for a free domain and SSD powered hosting |
Final word:
Hostinger may have come away the winner in our comparison between it and Hostinger, but we recommend that you shop around for a viable hosting service that is in sync with your specific needs.
Check for the best Hostinger pricing
FAQs:
What platforms can I use with Siteground?
You may use Siteground to host sites built with WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, and osCommerce.
Do either platforms Hostinger Siteground offer a staging feature?
Both platforms offer the WordPress staging tool for sites built with that platform, but Siteground offers a tool for premium users that allows them to stage sites created with other CMS-heavy platforms.
I don’t want to use WordPress; do Hostinger vs Siteground have their own site builders?
If you want to use a more intuitive site builder, you can give Hostinger’s partner app Zyro a shot; it’s easy enough to use and has the additional advantage of helping you create a site in minutes.
If you've read our Hostinger Siteground comparison review up to here, we are grateful. Remember always to keep abreast of the latest developments on website builders, eCommerce, and other articles, such as the ones below;
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