Blocs vs Hostpapa: Comprehensive comparison guide for 2024

Final verdict


Blocs and Hostpapa both offer unique advantages, but they cater to different user needs and preferences.


  • Blocs (Overall Grade: 5.8/10)

    is a powerful website builder designed specifically for Mac users. It excels in ease of use, design functionalities, and advanced marketing tools. Blocs is ideal for designers and developers looking for a versatile platform to create professional websites without coding. However, it lacks hosting services and has limited ecommerce capabilities, making it less suitable for users seeking an all-in-one solution.

  • Hostpapa (Overall Grade: 5.4/10)

    is a web hosting and website builder platform tailored for small businesses and individuals. It offers a wide variety of templates, user-friendly design tools, and comprehensive customer support. Hostpapa is a great choice for users who need a reliable hosting service with basic website building features. However, it falls short in design flexibility and advanced marketing tools compared to Blocs.

Best for ecommerce

7.0
6.6


Verdict

: Blocs and Hostpapa both offer ecommerce capabilities, but Blocs edges out Hostpapa with its more advanced features and flexibility through third-party integrations.


  • Blocs

    : Blocs is a powerful website builder for Mac users, offering a range of ecommerce integrations like Stripe, Snipcart, and Ecwid. It provides a flexible and visually appealing platform for creating online stores, though it may require some learning for beginners. Blocs scores 7.0 for ecommerce, making it a solid choice for those who need advanced features and customization.

  • Hostpapa

    : Hostpapa is designed for small businesses and individuals, offering an easy-to-use website builder with ecommerce capabilities available in its Enterprise plan. It includes features like unlimited product listings and multiple payment gateways. However, it lacks the design flexibility and advanced marketing tools found in Blocs. Hostpapa scores 6.6 for ecommerce, making it suitable for simpler ecommerce needs.

Best for informational & business websites

7.5
7.5


Verdict

: When it comes to creating informational and business websites, both Blocs and Hostpapa have their unique strengths. Blocs is ideal for Mac users who want a powerful, code-free design experience, while Hostpapa offers a more comprehensive package with hosting and a variety of templates.


  • Blocs

    : Blocs is a robust website builder designed specifically for Mac users. It allows users to create visually appealing websites without writing code, thanks to its intuitive visual interface and pre-designed blocks. With a score of 7.5, Blocs is well-suited for designers and developers who want to create professional websites with minimal effort. Its responsive design and integration with popular web standards make it a versatile choice for informational websites.

  • Hostpapa

    : Hostpapa, also scoring 7.5, is a web hosting and website builder platform tailored for small businesses and individuals. It offers an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, making it easy to design and customize websites without coding knowledge. Hostpapa provides a wide variety of templates and customization options, ensuring users can create unique, mobile-responsive websites. Additionally, it offers basic SEO tools and e-commerce capabilities, making it a well-rounded choice for those looking to enhance their online presence.

Detailed comparison

Design functionalities & templates

Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:

  • Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
  • Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
  • User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
  • Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
  • Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
7.5
8.2

🏆

Winner: Hostpapa.

With a higher Design Functionalities Templates score, Hostpapa offers a wider variety of templates and designs, greater customization flexibility, and more creative design possibilities.

Blocs offers a vast selection of design templates, boasting over 36 layouts for various website types. These templates are designed to be responsive, ensuring optimal display across different devices. Furthermore, the templates are available for purchase in packages, with pricing dependent on the number of websites intended for creation.


Blocs Themes

Blocsapp templates
Blocsapp template example

On the other hand, HostPapa offers a wide variety of templates and designs to cater to the diverse needs of its users. With hundreds of professionally designed templates available, users can easily find a style that perfectly matches their vision and brand identity. These templates are not only abundant in number but also highly customizable, allowing for a high degree of personalization. From sleek and modern designs to more traditional and classic looks, HostPapa’s extensive template library ensures that users can create a unique and appealing website with ease.

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Ease of use

Ease of useReflects the platform’s overall user-friendliness.Score
Components:

  • Learning curve (40%): Quickness and ease of getting started.
  • Interface design (30%): Simplicity and intuitiveness of layout.
  • User guidance (20%): Quality of tutorials and support.
  • Flexibility (10%): Adaptability to various user skills.
8.7
7.8


🏆 Winner: Blocs

. Scoring 8.7, Blocs is highly regarded for its user-friendliness and versatility, particularly among Mac users. It offers a robust platform for both novices and professional coders, with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface and a wide range of features. Hostpapa, with a score of 7.8, offers a user-friendly interface but with limitations in customization and features depending on the plan.


Learning Resources


🏆 Winner: Blocs

. Blocs offers a comprehensive suite of learning resources for web design, catering to both beginners and advanced users. Hostpapa also offers a range of learning resources, but lacks a large user community.

For ecommerce

EcommerceMeasures the platform’s effectiveness in supporting online business activities.Score Components:

  • Ecommerce themes and templates (20%): Variety and design of templates.
  • Product management (25%): Ease of managing and organizing products.
  • Payment options (25%): Variety and convenience of payment methods.
  • Ecommerce features (20%): Features for managing an ecommerce store.
  • Integration (10%): Compatibility with external e-commerce tools and services.
7.0
6.6

Blocs and Hostpapa both offer ecommerce capabilities, but their approaches and offerings differ significantly. Blocs, primarily a visual design tool, supports ecommerce through integration with leading service providers like Ecwid, Stripe, Snipcart, Paddle, and Gumroad. This allows for features such as buy buttons, checkouts, and complete storefronts. However, it might present a learning curve for complete beginners or those looking for simpler, more intuitive ecommerce solutions.

HostPapa, on the other hand, offers an easy-to-use platform with ecommerce capabilities exclusively available in its Enterprise plan. This includes unlimited product listings and a selection of payment gateways. The platform is user-friendly but has limitations in terms of design flexibility and customization, especially for ecommerce sites. It provides basic SEO tools and lacks advanced marketing features.

Blocs Logo
Hostpapa Logo

Ecommerce themes and templates

7.8

5.5

Product page customization

6.5

6.0

Payment processing and commissions

7.0

7.0

POS capabilities

0.0

0.0

Payment gateways

7.5

7.5

Product numbers

6.0

5.0

Additional ecommerce features

7.2

4.5

Blocs ecommerce features:

  • Stripe integration
  • Snipcart shopping cart integration
  • Gumroad integration
  • Ecwid integration

Hostpapa ecommerce features:

  • Payment Gateways integration
  • Inventory management
  • Ecommerce specific templates

Ecommerce themes & templates

Blocs provides a range of ecommerce-specific templates, allowing users to quickly launch optimized online stores or business platforms. These premium templates are designed to be fast, visually appealing, and SEO-friendly, ensuring websites look great on all devices and load quickly.

HostPapa offers a user-friendly website builder with over 230 templates, catering to individuals and small businesses seeking to establish an online presence. E-commerce capabilities are available only with the Enterprise plan, which includes features like unlimited product listings and support for over 45 payment gateways.

Product page customization

Blocs primarily offers ecommerce features through third-party ecommerce platforms such as Ecwid, so the product page customization possibilities vary depending on which platform is integrated.

The HostPapa Website Builder provides a suite of product page customization features for online stores. Users can tailor product offerings by adding various options such as size and color, set product availability, and manage inventory with detailed controls.

Payment processing

The Blocs website builder supports ecommerce through integrations with third-party ecommerce providers, suggesting flexibility in the use of various payment gateways without directly listing them. Blocs does not charge transaction fees or commissions, however such fees may be charged by the payment gateways or e-commerce platforms themselves.

The HostPapa Website Builder supports a variety of payment gateways, including popular services like PayPal, Square, and Stripe, catering to both online and offline payment methods for businesses. The platform does not charge transaction fees itself, the fees primarily depend on the chosen payment gateway.

Website Editors

Website EditorsEvaluates the platforms’ website building and editing capabilities.Score Components:

  • Customization tools (40%): Range and power of editing features.
  • Editor usability (30%): User experience within the editor.
  • Design flexibility (20%): Freedom in layout and design changes.
  • Update and maintenance ease (10%): Simplicity of updating and maintaining the site.
7.5
6.8

🏆

Winner: Blocs

. Blocs, with a score of 7.5, is a powerful and user-friendly website builder designed specifically for Mac users. It allows users to create beautiful, modern websites without the need to write code, thanks to its intuitive visual interface and pre-designed blocks. Blocs offers a wide range of features including responsive design, pre-made templates, and integration with popular web standards and tools.

Blocsapp editor

Hostpapa, scoring 6.8, is a web hosting and website builder platform designed for small businesses and individuals looking to create a professional online presence. It offers an intuitive drag-and-drop website builder that makes it easy for users to design and customize their websites without needing any coding knowledge. However, it lacks in-depth marketing tools and advanced SEO capabilities.

Mobile editor/app

8.5
0

🏆

Winner: Blocs

. Blocs offers a dedicated mobile editor app specifically designed for the iPad, providing a touch-first interface that includes all the essential features needed to create various types of websites. This app offers a flexible and efficient solution for building professional and beautiful websites on an iPad, making it a strong choice for users who prefer mobile editing.

Hostpapa, on the other hand, does not have a dedicated mobile editor app, which limits its mobile editing capabilities. This lack of a mobile editor app is reflected in its score.

In summary, Blocs stands out with its dedicated mobile editor app for the iPad, offering a robust and user-friendly mobile editing experience, while Hostpapa falls short in this category.

Product testing options

Product Testing OptionsAssesses the options for trying out platform features before commitment.Score Components:

  • Trial quality (40%): Extent and usefulness of the trial or free version.
  • Feature accessibility (30%): How many features are available to test.
  • Trial duration (20%): Length of the trial period.
  • Ease of transition (10%): Smoothness of moving from trial to paid plans.
7.0
0.5


Overall Result

:

Blocs wins

. Blocs scores 7.0 in product testing options, significantly higher than Hostpapa’s 0.5. Blocs offers a trial version and allows users to test some premium features during the trial and within a 14-day refundable period. Hostpapa, on the other hand, does not offer a trial version or the possibility to test premium features before purchasing a plan.

Blocs Logo
Hostpapa Logo

Free Plan
No No

Trial Duration
Yes No

Testing Premium Features
Possible with free trial Not possible

Money Back Guarantee
14-day money back guarantee 30-day money back guarantee

Price

PriceLooks at the cost-effectiveness and value for money of each platform.Score Components:

  • Plan value (40%): What each pricing tier offers.
  • Transparency and clarity (30%): Clearness of pricing structures.
  • Flexibility of plans (20%): Range of options to suit different budgets.
  • Hidden costs (10%): Additional expenses not included in the plan.
9.0
7.9


Blocs offers better value for money with a one-time payment plan, while Hostpapa offers monthly plans with no discounts.

Blocs Logo


Offerings

Hostpapa Logo


Offerings


$0-$10
No offering at this amount.

Starter ($3.99/month):

Free domain registration, Up to 2 pages, Mobile-friendly, responsive design templates. This plan allows to manage 1 website.

Value for Price:


4.0


$10-$20
No offering at this amount.

Business ($10.99/month):

Free domain registration, Up to 1000 pages, Mobile-friendly, responsive design templates. This plan allows to manage 1 website.

Value for Price:


6.5


$20-$30
No offering at this amount.

Premium ($20.99/month):

Free domain registration, Up to 1000 pages, Mobile-friendly, responsive design templates, Advanced HTML & CSS editing, Header/footer code injection. This plan allows to manage 1 website.

Value for Price:


7.5


$40-$50

Blocs Plus (+$49.99):

An add-on to the Blocs 5 plan, providing additional features such as the ability to build custom WordPress themes without writing code, extract typography, assets, and color schemes from any website, a productivity-boosting image editor, a class styles library manager, and an SEO helper.

Value for Price:


8.5


Enterprise ($40.99/month):

Free domain registration, Up to 1000 pages, Mobile-friendly, responsive design templates, Advanced HTML & CSS editing, Header/footer code injection, eCommerce enabled, 45+ payment gateways, No additional transaction fees, Digital goods functionality, Inventory tracking, Sell on Facebook. This plan allows to manage 1 website.

Value for Price:


9.0


$90+

Blocs 5 ($99.99):

This plan offers a native Mac app with no subscription required. It allows building unlimited websites, works offline, includes animations & scroll FX, powerful interactions, no page limit, font manager, writer mode, auto backup, all V5 updates, and email support. A Blocs license can be used on one Mac and all future Blocs V5 updates come for free.

Value for Price:


8.0

No offering at this amount.
In some cases companies have different prices based on various components like a
location. As a result in rare cases the prices displayed here can differ from the ones you see on their
websites.

Hosting quality

Hosting
quality
Examines the reliability and performance of the hosting solutions.Score Components:

  • Uptime (40%): Consistency and reliability of website availability.
  • Speed (30%): Loading times and performance.
  • Bandwidth and storage (20%): Sufficiency of resources provided.
  • Data centers (10%): Quality and distribution of hosting infrastructure.
0
7.5

🏆

Winner: Hostpapa

Hostpapa offers shared hosting with a 99.9% uptime guarantee and data centers in the US, Canada, and the Netherlands. Blocs, on the other hand, does not offer hosting services, which significantly impacts its hosting quality score.

Blocs Logo
Hostpapa Logo

Do they offer hosting?

No

Yes

Data Centers:

Not applicable

3: California (US), Burlington (Ontario, Canada), and the Netherlands

Type of hosting:

Not applicable

Shared Hosting

Uptime:

Not applicable

99.9%

Uptime Guarantee:

Not applicable

Yes, 99.9%

Website Speed Optimization

Website Speed OptimizationEvaluates optimization of website loading timesScore Components:

  • PageSpeed Score (30%): Google’s score indicating performance optimization.
  • Loading Time (30%): The average time until a website is fully interactive.
  • Mobile Optimization (15%): Optimization effectiveness for mobile devices.
  • Resource Optimization (15%): Optimizing images, scripts, and other heavy resources.
  • CDN Usage (10%): Use of CDN to enhance speed across geolocations.
5.2
6.6


🏆 Winner: Hostpapa

Both Blocs and Hostpapa prioritize website performance and page speed, but Hostpapa has a slightly higher Website Speed Optimization score.

Blocs Logo
Hostpapa Logo

Focus

WebP Generation

Image optimization, Caching, HTTP requests minimization

Performance Tools

Not specified

Not specified

Key Strategies

WebP Generation

Image optimization, Caching, HTTP requests minimization

Load Times

Varies depending on optimization and website complexity

Varies depending on optimization and website complexity

Page Speed Scores Range

Not specified

Not specified

Core Web Vitals Improvement

Not disclosed

Implementing various performance optimization techniques

Blocs, a website builder designed specifically for Mac users, focuses on WebP Generation for speed optimization. However, it does not disclose any specific information about its load times, PageSpeed score ranges, or Core Web Vital improvements.

On the other hand, Hostpapa, a web hosting and website builder platform, implements various strategies for speed optimization, including image optimization, caching, and minimization of HTTP requests. It also focuses on implementing various performance optimization techniques for improving Core Web Vitals. However, like Blocs, it does not provide specific information about its load times or PageSpeed score ranges. Despite this, Hostpapa has a slightly higher Website Speed Optimization score, making it the winner in this category.

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Plugins and integrations

Plugins and integrationsMeasures the range and effectiveness of additional plugins and integrations.Score Components:

  • Variety of options (40%): Range of available add-ons.
  • Integration smoothness (30%): Ease of integrating plugins into the site.
  • Quality of plugins (20%): Functionality and reliability of the options.
  • Custom integration capabilities (10%): Support for custom or third-party integrations.
6.8
5.0


🏆 Winner: Blocs.

With a score of 6.8, Blocs leads over Hostpapa, which has a score of 5.0. Blocs offers a variety of custom-made add-ons and extensions that enhance web design capabilities, facilitating a richer web development experience. On the other hand, HostPapa’s website builder allows for some integrations, like Google Maps and social media icons, but has limitations when it comes to content element arrangement and site migration to other platforms. It’s more suited for basic business websites, portfolios, or blogs rather than sites requiring unique layouts or advanced content elements.

Blocs Applications

Blocs extensions

Marketing Features

Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:

  • Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
  • Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
  • User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
  • Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
  • Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
6.9
3.0

🏆

Overall Winner: Blocs

. Blocs stands out for its more advanced marketing tools, especially in SEO, email marketing, and analytics. Hostpapa is basic in most areas and lacks email marketing and ads and promotions features.

Blocs Logo
Hostpapa Logo

SEO Tools


âś“



âś“ (Basic)


Email Marketing


âś“ (Mailchimp integration)



âś—


Blogging


âś“



âś“ (Basic)


Social Media Integration


âś“



âś“ (Limited)


Analytics and Reporting


âś“ (Google Analytics integration)



âś“ (Basic with Google Analytics integration)


Ads and Promotions


âś—



âś—

Customer Support

Customer supportEvaluates the quality and availability of support options.Score Components:

  • Response time (40%): Speed of support responses.
  • Support quality (30%): Effectiveness and helpfulness of the support.
  • Availability (20%): Range of support channels (phone, chat, email).
  • Resource richness (10%): Quality of self-help and educational materials.
5.1
8.0


🏆 Winner: Hostpapa

. In the Blocs vs Hostpapa comparison, Hostpapa takes the lead with its robust customer support system. Hostpapa offers 24/7/365 support through phone, email, and live chat, ensuring users can get help whenever they need it. The PapaSquad Support Team is highly praised for its responsiveness and expertise. Additionally, Hostpapa provides unique 30-minute one-on-one video training sessions, which can be incredibly beneficial for users requiring extra assistance.

On the other hand, Blocs primarily relies on self-service support through articles and a community forum. While this can be sufficient for some users, it may leave others feeling unsupported, especially when facing complex issues that require direct, personalized help. This limited support approach is reflected in its lower customer support score.

Security

SecurityLooks at the platforms’ security measures and data protection.Score Components:

  • Data protection (40%): Safeguards for user and customer data.
  • SSL and encryption (30%): Implementation of secure connections.
  • Compliance (20%): Adherence to industry security standards.
  • Regular updates (10%): Frequency of security updates and patches.
0.0
8.2

🏆

Winner: HostPapa

. HostPapa offers a comprehensive suite of security measures, including automatic SSL certification, server firewalls and monitoring, DDoS attack prevention, and the Protection Power Security Software. It also provides an Automated Website Backup service for easy recovery and management of website data.

On the other hand, Blocs does not disclose any information about their private data storage and protection measures. As Blocs is primarily an offline website builder and does not offer hosting, security measures vary widely depending on the hosting provider users choose. This lack of transparency and dependence on third-party hosting providers for security measures puts Blocs at a disadvantage compared to HostPapa.

AI Capabilities

AI capabilitiesMeasures the effectiveness of AI-driven features and tools.Score Components:

  • Automation efficiency (40%): Impact of AI on streamlining processes.
  • Personalization (30%): AI-driven customization for users or customers.
  • AI-Assisted design (20%): Role of AI in website design and functionality.
  • Data analysis (10%): Use of AI in interpreting user data and analytics.
5.4
0
Blocs Logo
Hostpapa Logo

AI Builder

Blocs does not have an AI builder

Hostpapa does not have an AI builder

AI Ecommerce features

Blocs does not have any AI ecommerce features

Hostpapa does not have any AI ecommerce features

AI content generation

Blocs incorporates an innovative AI Assistant for content generation and editing

Hostpapa does not have any AI content generation features

Additional AI features

Blocs AI Assistant introduces advanced AI capabilities to the design environment

Hostpapa lacks any AI features


🏆 Winner: Blocs

. Despite not having an AI builder or AI ecommerce features, Blocs stands out with its innovative AI Assistant that enhances the user experience by allowing for the generation and editing of content directly within a Blocs project. This feature offers seamless integration and significantly enhances the assistant’s accuracy and functionality. On the other hand, Hostpapa does not have any AI capabilities.

Blocs AI assistant

User Management

User ManagementAssesses the platforms’ capabilities in managing user roles, permissions, and accessibility.Score Components:

  • Role Customization (40%): Flexibility in creating and defining user roles and
    permissions.
  • Ease of Management (30%): User interface and tools for managing users.
  • Access Control (20%): Effectiveness of access control measures for different user
    levels.
  • Scalability (10%): Ability to manage a growing number of users efficiently.
1.4
2.2


🏆 Winner: Hostpapa

. Both Blocs and Hostpapa have limited user management capabilities.

  • Blocs allows only one user to build and edit a website.
  • Hostpapa does not mention support of multiple users, however it is possible that the website builder does support multiple users.

Given the limited information, Hostpapa scores slightly higher in user management. However, both platforms could benefit from more robust user management features.

Additional Features

Blocs Logo
Hostpapa Logo

SSL Certificate







Custom Domain







Free Custom Domain Included







International Domains







Mobile Responsive







Page Speed







Website Builder Mobile App







Convert a Website To An App







Website Analytics







Multilingual Sites







Multiple Users


User Feedback

Blocs
15 reviews
4.8 out of 5 stars
Hostpapa
0 reviews
0 out of 5 stars

Blocs website builder is praised for its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, making it accessible to users with varying levels of web development expertise. Its extensive library of templates and customization options, including the ability to add custom CSS and JavaScript, facilitates the rapid creation of diverse and visually appealing websites. However, users report encountering bugs and express a desire for more sophisticated customization features, indicating room for improvement. Overall, Blocs is valued for significantly streamlining the web design process, supported by a strong community and educational resources, despite its learning curve and occasional technical glitches.

Hostpapa website builder does not have any reviews on G2 platform, making it challenging to gauge user satisfaction and feedback. However, its intuitive drag-and-drop website builder, variety of templates, and basic SEO tools are designed to help small businesses and individuals create professional, mobile-responsive websites without needing coding knowledge. This makes it a viable option for those looking to establish an online presence with minimal effort.

The making of this blog

We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.

FAQ

Which platform is better for Mac users, Blocs or Hostpapa?

Blocs is specifically designed for Mac users, offering a tailored experience with a focus on design and usability on macOS systems. Hostpapa, while versatile, does not specifically cater to Mac users and is more general in its approach.

Can I use both Blocs and Hostpapa for ecommerce?

Yes, both platforms can support ecommerce. Blocs integrates with third-party services like Ecwid and Stripe for ecommerce functionality, which might be more suitable for users looking for flexibility. Hostpapa offers built-in ecommerce features in its Enterprise plan, which is more straightforward but less customizable.

How do Blocs and Hostpapa differ in terms of website customization?

Blocs provides a robust design-focused platform with a variety of pre-designed blocks and the ability to integrate custom code, making it ideal for users who want detailed control over their site’s design. Hostpapa offers a wide range of templates and some customization options, but it may not offer the same level of design flexibility as Blocs.

What are the major differences in pricing between Blocs and Hostpapa?

Blocs offers a one-time purchase for its software, which might appeal to users who prefer not to have recurring fees. Hostpapa operates on a subscription model with different tiers, potentially offering more features but requiring ongoing payments.

Which platform offers better customer support, Blocs or Hostpapa?

Hostpapa generally provides more comprehensive customer support, including 24/7 access via multiple channels. Blocs offers support primarily through its community and online resources, which might require more self-service from the user’s side.

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