000Webhost vs Domain.com: guide for 2024

Final verdict

Looking over 000webhost vs. domaincom, both hosting providers cater to different user needs and have unique strengths worth considering.

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  domaincom (Overall grade: 6.5)
  
  
  offers a robust suite of security features and services, including diverse SSL options and SiteLock security with malware protection and automatic removal. Its operational measures extend to PCI compliance scanning and round-the-clock support from security experts. The ease-of-use of its custom control panel, Google Workspace integration, and AI-powered website builder simplify the user experience. Although it provides reliable customer support and domain management capabilities, some users report issues with responsiveness and hidden costs.
  
• 
  000webhost (Overall grade: 6.4)
  
  
  shines with a free hosting plan for beginners, making it ideal for testing and small projects. It offers comprehensive WordPress features, multiple PHP versions, and GIT access. Despite its 99.05% uptime and moderate page load times, it’s known for better performance and uptime than domaincom. The service includes free email hosting for premium plans and advanced ecommerce features. While lacking in broader framework support and having some speed restrictions, 000webhost provides a reliable and versatile hosting option with good value for money, especially for those just starting out.
  

Hosting types offered

Both platforms provide a variety of hosting types, each designed to meet the different needs of users.

Although both offer a variety of hosting plans tailored to different needs, in
certain cases, one platform may prove to be more suitable.

Detailed comparison

🏆 Winner
000webhost: Offers free hosting with relatively better uptime and availability.

000webhost provides a 99% uptime guarantee and achieves an actual uptime of 99.05%. With an average server response time of 1.87 seconds and a page load time of 1.7 seconds, it performs moderately well for a free service. Its US-based server locations can impact international speeds, but it is still a viable option for less demanding projects.

Domain.com claims a 99.99% uptime guarantee but falls short with actual uptime at around 99.11%. Response times are noticeably slower, with TechRadar noting an average of 2.97 seconds, and even longer under load at 1.591 seconds. Although it promises high uptime, it underperforms in real-world tests, making it less reliable.

🏆 Winner 000Webhost: Offers a better feature set for both free and premium users.

When comparing general performance, 000Webhost takes the lead with a 99.9% uptime guarantee and multiple global data centers. Its use of SSD storage enhances hosting speed, and built-in plugins like cache management and GIT access further optimize performance. In contrast, Domain.com offers a 99% uptime guarantee with limited emphasis on SSD quality or built-in optimization plugins. 000Webhost also includes a free CDN with its premium plans, while Domain.com does not offer a CDN.

Website Speed

000Webhost provides better website speed, leveraging SSD storage, PHP versions, and SSH access to ensure efficient server performance. Adding to this, its built-in cache management and WordPress acceleration via LiteSpeed further quicken load times. Domain.com, on the other hand, lacks such speed-enhancing features, making it less capable of maintaining high PageSpeed scores.

Scalability

000Webhost offers more scalable options, including multiple premium plans that provide up to 100 GB SSD and unlimited bandwidth. It allows for automatic upgrades and includes managed WordPress features, although there’s no mention of dedicated servers. Domain.com requires upgrades to higher-tier plans for scaling and doesn’t specify whether this is automatic. Pricing for further scaling is not detailed for either provider, so the cost remains unclear.

🏆 Winner
Domain.com: Offers a robust suite of security features and services.

Both 000Webhost and Domain.com, have notable differences in their approaches to technical and operational
security, as well as in their compliance with regulations.

Technical security measures:

000Webhost and Domain.com both provide essential technical security features but with varying degrees of comprehensiveness. 000Webhost includes multiple PHP versions, SSL certificates for subdomains, and advanced firewalls with DDoS protection. Domain.com, on the other hand, also offers SSL certificates but with encryption authentication and different levels of protection, including Domain Validated, Organization Validated, E-commerce, and Wildcard SSL. Additionally, Domain.com includes SiteLock security featuring malware protection, automatic malware removal, and database scanning. Domain.com’s diverse SSL options and enhanced malware protection give it an edge.

Operational security measures:

Operationally, 000Webhost uses GDPR compliance measures, secure data storage, regular server monitoring, and other security protocols like malware scanning and Cloudflare protected nameservers. Domain.com provides similar GDPR compliance, PCI compliance scanning, as well as Domain Privacy + Protection services. It also guarantees 24/7 support by security experts to address any concerns immediately. Both providers ensure data protection and privacy; however, the inclusion of round-the-clock expert support and SiteLock’s extensive security measures makes Domain.com a more comprehensive operational security choice.

Compliance and certifications:

000Webhost adheres to GDPR guidelines and processes personal data accordingly. It also follows ICANN rules and ensures PCI compliance by using third-party payment processors. Domain.com is compliant with GDPR, PCI regulations, and protects EU domain name registrants by not publishing their data in the WHOIS database. Both meet essential regulatory requirements, but Domain.com’s explicit mention of WHOIS data protection for GDPR compliance demonstrates a more thorough adherence to privacy standards.

🏆 Winner
000webhost: 000webhost emerges as the preferred choice with a compelling range of features and value-for-money plans.

Both 000webhost and Domain.com offer a variety of features catering to diverse user needs. 000webhost provides a free hosting plan for one year, making it an attractive option for beginners and small projects. It includes useful tools like a website builder with hundreds of templates, GIT access, multiple PHP versions, and comprehensive WordPress features. On the other hand, Domain.com emphasizes ease-of-use with its drag-and-drop builder, providing a streamlined experience for users looking to create basic websites with minimal hassle. Both providers offer free SSL certificates, though Domain.com only includes it for the first year, which could mean additional costs later. The free domain offer from Domain.com is also limited to the first year with the use of a promo code.

When it comes to handling advanced functionalities, 000webhost stands out. Their premium and business plans offer unlimited websites, bandwidth, and email accounts, along with enhanced security features and marketing integrations. The ability to manage DNS and perform Cron jobs adds flexibility for more technical users. In contrast, Domain.com provides unlimited FTP accounts but lacks specifics on SSH access, which might be necessary for developers. Domain.com’s hosting also includes scalable bandwidth and different hosting options like shared and dedicated hosting, catering to growing businesses with more complex needs. The 99% uptime guarantee, slightly lower than 000webhost’s, might be a deciding factor for users prioritizing reliability.

Both providers support a range of users from beginners to experts with user-friendly website builders and WordPress staging areas. However, in terms of developer tools, both 000webhost and Domain.com offer robust options including SSH access, support for multiple PHP versions, and Git for version control, thus appealing to developers looking for advanced capabilities.

Email services:

000webhost provides free email accounts with their premium and business plans, allowing users to set up their own email campaigns and manage emails effectively. In contrast, Domain.com does not specify its email hosting capabilities directly. It may require users to leverage third-party services for a comprehensive email solution or transactional email capabilities. This difference could significantly influence the user experience, particularly for businesses needing robust email functionalities.

🏆 Winner Hostinger: Hostinger scores slightly higher overall, mainly due to the robust features included in their plans and the transparency of what’s included.

Evaluating the pricing of plans among various hosting providers can be complex due to their differing pricing and renewal strategies. Additionally, certain plans require annual commitments, which adds to the difficulty of making comparisons. The prices listed are based on monthly commitments; plans requiring annual commitments are indicated. Additionally, although some providers offer identical plans for WordPress and shared hosting, we have created separate tables for each to enhance clarity.

When comparing Hostinger and Domain.com, Hostinger offers a spectrum of plans with rich features and promotional pricing, including a free tier. Hostinger’s plans start at $1.99/month, with features such as unlimited visitors, free SSL, and a managed WordPress environment. Domain.com, with a consistent pricing model of $3.75/month across its shared and WordPress hosting plans, includes benefits like a free domain and SSL for the first year but lacks some advanced features like dedicated IP addresses and WooCommerce support. Hostinger’s more diverse offerings and extensive feature set provide a better overall value.

Enterprise plans

For enterprise-level hosting, Hostinger stands out with its Business Web Hosting plan at $8.99/month, offering increased performance, 200 GB NVMe storage, and advanced security features. Domain.com lacks a distinct enterprise-tier plan, using the same $3.75 pricing for all business needs. Hostinger’s higher capacity and enhanced performance make it a more suitable choice for enterprises.

🏆 Winner
Domain.com: An easy-to-use platform offering AI-powered website builders and 24/7 live chat support.

Domain.com utilizes a custom control panel designed for accessibility and ease of use. This panel includes various features like Google Workspace Integration and an AI-powered website builder. It caters to both technical and non-technical users by simplifying complex processes such as website creation and management. Users benefit from a streamlined experience, which includes easily navigable options and user-friendly design elements that make managing domains and hosting plans straightforward. The 24/7 live chat support integrated within the control panel ensures immediate assistance for any emerging issues.

000Webhost offers a more traditional setup process but provides multiple website creation tools, including FTP uploads and a website builder aimed at users with no prior coding experience. The members’ area is straightforward, featuring login and password reset options. Its accessibility is further enhanced through a comprehensive knowledge base covering account management, file uploads, and website building questions. While it provides a solid suite of tools for beginners, some users might find the interface less intuitive compared to Domain.com’s more modern approach.

Domain.com provides tools for site migration; these services may involve a fee, especially if professional help is required. The provider integrates Google Workspace, making transferring business email smooth. By contrast, 000Webhost offers a manual method of site migration through its detailed knowledge base but lacks more automated solutions. This might be seen as a limitation for those seeking a quicker, more simplified migration process.

000Webhost’s help center features a variety of articles on topics such as file uploads, PHP, and MySQL questions. Users can also leverage a web hosting forum and WordPress tutorials. Conversely, Domain.com’s help center stands out due to 24/7 live chat and articles on domain hosting, website building, and online security. Their blog is an added resource for contemporary insights. Both providers ensure users have access to extensive, valuable support resources, but Domain.com’s live chat offers a distinct advantage for real-time problem-solving.

🏆 Winner Domain.com: A hosting provider with comprehensive user role management features.

When evaluating the user management capabilities of 000Webhost and Domain.com, it becomes clear that Domain.com provides more structured and extensive user roles and permissions, especially within WordPress. Domain.com delineates specific roles such as Administrator, Editor, Author, Contributor, and Subscriber, each with distinct permissions allowing granular control over user activities. In contrast, 000Webhost’s lack of detailed information on user roles and permissions severely limits its flexibility and potential for granular user management. This disparity in provided roles and permissions makes Domain.com more adaptive to different user needs.

Looking at the user interfaces and tools for managing users, Domain.com offers a straightforward and accessible method through the WordPress Dashboard. Users can easily create new accounts, assign roles, and manage permissions with just a few clicks. Given that there is no detailed user interface information provided for 000Webhost, evaluating its usability in this area is challenging. Based on available details, Domain.com appears to have a more user-friendly and comprehensive management interface.

When it comes to managing access control and the efficiency of handling a growing number of users, Domain.com shows a structured approach. The predefined roles help to ensure that users have the appropriate permissions without overstepping their boundaries, which is particularly useful for growing teams. With 000Webhost’s underspecified details on this front, it’s hard to ascertain its scalability or effectiveness in maintaining secure and efficient user access control.

Domain.com user roles table:

🏆 Winner 000Webhost: 000Webhost offers versatile customer support options, making it a strong contender in hosting services.

000Webhost excels with its 24/7 customer support available through phone, chat, and email. The providers offer a comprehensive knowledge base, a forum for community support, and specific WordPress tutorials. They send critical service and billing messages to keep users informed and address privacy and data protection by adhering to GDPR regulations. The dedicated contact page and support ticket system further enhance their support offerings.

Domain.com also offers 24/7 support via phone and live chat, with quick response times for both options. Their knowledge base includes step-by-step guides and video tutorials. Despite offering pleasant and informative support, some users report issues with responsiveness and problem resolution. Domain.com features a refund policy and an uptime guarantee but lacks explicit email support and has mixed customer reviews.

User feedback

000webhost is widely appreciated for its free hosting services, making it an excellent choice for beginners and those wanting to test websites without financial commitment. Users commend features like the one-click WordPress installation, PHP and MySQL support, and an intuitive website builder. However, some users find the service slow and restrictive, particularly with bandwidth limits and the presence of watermarks in the free plan. Additionally, the service lacks support for broader frameworks such as Python, and professional features are often disabled unless upgraded to a paid plan.

User feedback for this hosting provider reveals a mixed experience. Many users appreciate its user-friendly platform, straightforward domain registration process, and reliable customer support. However, significant criticisms include poor customer service practices, confusing pricing and add-ons, and outdated or slow web interfaces. While some users praise the affordability and efficiency of domain management, others warn of hidden costs and problematic service.

FAQ