Hostmonster vs Register.com: guide for 2024

Hostmonster vs Register.com: Final verdict

Comparing HostMonster vs. Register.com, it’s clear why both hosts are so popular. They have both hosted millions of
websites that run on WordPress for decades, building up a loyal customer base.

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  Register.com (Overall grade: 6.6)
  
  
  delivers striking reliability with its superior uptime guarantee of 99.99% for Unix users and extensive security features, including malware scanning via SiteLock and automatic backups. Their focus on uptime and security ensures a consistently stable hosting environment. However, Register.com falls short in areas such as versatility and advanced hosting options, lacking VPS and dedicated hosting. Additionally, the platform faces criticism over high costs, slow response times, and insufficient technical support, which detracts from its appeal despite its strong performance capabilities.
  
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  HostMonster (Overall grade: 7.4)
  
  
  offers a broader range of hosting plans, including shared, WordPress, VPS, and dedicated hosting options. With solid uptime performance and versatile security measures, HostMonster caters well to a diverse audience, particularly benefiting businesses and agencies needing scalable and customizable solutions. The platform’s drag-and-drop site builder and extensive email hosting services provide added convenience for users. Although some users report issues with the user interface and unexpected costs, HostMonster’s comprehensive feature set, reliability, and robust support resources, make it a more favorable choice overall.
  

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
Register.com: Delivers impressive uptime with comprehensive security features.

HostMonster offers a solid overall uptime performance with minimal downtime incidents within a 14-day test period and over a month as reported by UptimeRobot. Its response time is notably quicker than the average, enhancing user experience. Besides, HostMonster ensures reliability through features like SSH access, IP deny, and leech protect while offering around-the-clock customer support.

Register.com stands out with its exceptional uptime guarantee of 99.99% for Unix users and 99.9% for Microsoft users. The service includes malware scanning and protection via SiteLock, as well as tools for automatic backups and SSL certificates. With both shared and WordPress hosting plans, Register.com meets the needs of various users, ensuring seamless operation and strong security measures.

🏆 Winner
Register.com: Reliable and fast web hosting with superior uptime and security features.

When comparing the general performance of HostMonster and Register.com, Register.com edges out with its clear focus on uptime and reliability. HostMonster offers unmetered bandwidth and a straightforward set of features across its plans, which include high performance in the Pro plan. Register.com guarantees a 99.9% uptime and manages your files across multiple servers to prevent service interruptions. While both providers offer 24/7 customer support, Register.com’s uptime guarantee and multi-server management provide extra peace of mind. Both hosts include SSL certificates for enhanced security, but Register.com includes malware scanning with SiteLock, setting a higher standard for website protection.

Website Speed

HostMonster offers different performance levels across its plans, with the Pro plan providing high performance. This includes unmetered website space and bandwidth, as well as additional email accounts and storage. Register.com, on the other hand, provides WordPress hosting with load times that are touted to be twice as fast as competitors and automatic scalability to manage traffic surges. While both hosts offer built-in features to optimize speed, Register.com’s dedication to faster load times and enhanced performance makes it the better choice.

Scalability

HostMonster allows for scalability through plan upgrades, from Basic to Pro, each with its own set of features and pricing tiers. Their Pro plan includes benefits like a dedicated IP and premium SSL, along with larger file count limits. Although they support site growth, upgrades require manual adjustments. Register.com focuses on scalable solutions designed to grow with your business needs, and their hosting services accommodate expansion easily. Automatic upgrades ensure your site can handle increased traffic without additional management, although detailed cost information for scaling is not readily available. Both providers do not feature dedicated servers within the outlined plans.

🏆 Winner
Register.com: Offers a robust suite of security features alongside strong compliance measures.

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

Technical security measures:

HostMonster offers a comprehensive SSL certificate with options for premium and free generated certificates. In contrast, Register.com’s SSL features include 256-bit encryption, extended validation (EV) certificates, and organization validation (OV) certificates. Both hosting providers support multiple PHP versions and customization of PHP settings. However, Register.com takes a slight lead with its adaptive approach, allowing users to select multiple PHP versions seamlessly.

Operational security measures:

Both HostMonster and Register.com offer substantial operational security features. HostMonster includes SiteLock Security for daily vulnerability scanning, malware removal, and a web application firewall. Register.com also utilizes SiteLock for malware protection and adds CodeGuard for automatic website backups. While HostMonster provides detailed site security checklists and multi-device anti-virus solutions, Register.com brings extra convenience with password protection for website access and customizable error pages.

Compliance and certifications:

HostMonster complies with GDPR by providing rights to EU residents and acting as a controller of personal data. It also supports PCI compliance for transaction security. Register.com complies with GDPR through data masking and roles definitions and secures transactions with PCI and SSL certifications. HostMonster has no information on HIPAA compliance, while the same for Register.com is not specified.

🏆 Winner
HostMonster: A comprehensive hosting solution powered by Bluehost.

HostMonster and Register.com offer robust hosting features designed to cater to different user needs. HostMonster stands out with its drag-and-drop site builder, which provides an intuitive user experience while allowing for advanced customization. Register.com also offers a website builder but doesn’t highlight the level of user-friendliness or customization as prominently as HostMonster. HostMonster provides a free domain name for the first year, which is a strong selling point for budget-conscious users. Meanwhile, Register.com’s unique selling points include a variety of open-source applications and easy deployment of JSP War files.

Another significant difference lies in FTP/SFTP and SSH access. HostMonster supports FTP, SFTP, and SSH, offering more flexibility and security for managing files and servers. Register.com, while providing FTP access through its FTP Account Manager, does not explicitly mention SFTP or SSH, which could be a consideration for users who prioritize secure access. Both providers offer website backups and custom error pages, but HostMonster extends its appeal with added features like support for multiple webmail solutions and a suite of free e-commerce scripts, making it an attractive option for small to medium-sized businesses with versatile needs.

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 HostMonster and Register.com offer robust options including SSH access, support for multiple programming languages, and Git for version control, thus appealing to developers looking for advanced capabilities.

Email services:

HostMonster offers unlimited POP3/POP3 Secure and IMAP/Secure IMAP email support, along with three webmail solutions, which cater to users needing comprehensive email hosting services. In contrast, Register.com provides email hosting but does not specify the extent of its services. HostMonster’s offering of forwarding email accounts and unlimited email hosting makes it a more versatile choice for businesses and individuals looking to manage their emails effectively. While transactional email details are not provided, HostMonster’s extensive support for secure emails is a strong point.

🏆 Winner HostMonster: Reliable and versatile hosting plans with a range of features suitable for various needs.

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.

HostMonster provides a comprehensive suite of shared hosting plans ranging from the Basic plan at $12.99/month offering 50GB of website space and one free domain, to the Pro plan at $33.99/month, which includes unlimited websites, high performance, a dedicated IP, and automated backups. In comparison, Register.com’s shared hosting plans are more simplified with their Starter plan offering 15GB disk space for a personal website and their Premium hosting plan offering unlimited disk space for small- to medium-sized businesses. For WordPress hosting, HostMonster offers greater flexibility with four distinct plans, while Register.com provides varied storage capacities and backup options. The choice between the two largely depends on the specific needs and growth trajectory of the user.

Enterprise plans

HostMonster’s Pro plan stands out for enterprises with its inclusion of high-performance features and enhanced security, such as a dedicated IP and Positive SSL certificate. Register.com’s Premium Hosting plan offers substantial storage and malware removal features suited for extensive operations but lacks the dedicated IP feature of HostMonster.

🏆 Winner HostMonster: It has more straightforward setup features and comprehensive support resources.

HostMonster utilizes cPanel, a widely-used and accessible admin panel known for its user-friendly interface. This makes it easier for both technical and non-technical users to navigate their hosting services. The one-click WordPress install feature and free site builders further simplify the process. On the other hand, Register.com offers a custom solution tailored to various website management tasks but might have a slightly steeper learning curve. It includes tools like the FTP Account Manager and Website Builder, providing a broader range of functionalities directly from their admin panel.

Regarding website migration, HostMonster does not specifically list tools for migration or whether these services are free. Register.com does not clearly mention migration tools either. Both providers seem to focus more on ease of setup rather than offering specific migration tools or services. Potential customers might want to manually handle migrations or reach out to customer support for assistance, potentially incurring additional costs.

HostMonster’s help center is extensive, with a wide range of articles, guides, tutorials, and 24/7 support via phone and chat. This resource, along with popular help content and video tutorials, aims to cover multiple user needs comprehensively. Register.com’s support resources include 24/7 customer service, FAQs, and accessibility options. Their help center provides a good range of support but does not seem to offer as many specialized articles or video tutorials.

The platforms provide extensive knowledge bases filled with guides, how-to articles, and instructional content. HostMonster offers a wide range of resources alongside 24/7 chat and phone support. Register.com also boasts a detailed help center with an intuitive search function and around-the-clock support via live chat, phone, and ticketing, ensuring comprehensive user support.

🏆 Winner HostMonster: HostMonster offers better user management and accessibility features.

HostMonster and Register.com present differing capabilities in managing user roles and permissions. HostMonster utilizes a modified version of cPanel, generally known for its flexibility in managing user accounts and permissions. cPanel often includes features like creating and defining multiple user roles, setting specific permissions, and managing user access efficiently. On the other hand, there is no specific information available about Register.com’s approach to user management, making it challenging to assess its flexibility and functionality in creating user roles and permissions.

In terms of user interfaces and tools for managing users, HostMonster’s modified cPanel provides a familiar and user-friendly interface that is widely recognized for its ease of use. This platform likely includes various essential tools for managing user accounts, setting permissions, and overseeing user activities. Without direct information about Register.com’s user management tools, it’s difficult to gauge their effectiveness or user-friendliness. However, the absence of detailed insights on Register.com points to a potential gap in provided tools and features for managing users.

Evaluating the effectiveness of access control measures, HostMonster appears to stand out due to the capabilities typically found in cPanel, such as secure access management and the ability to efficiently handle a growing number of users. These features ensure smooth and secure operations even as the user base expands. Without specific details about Register.com’s access control measures and scalability, the assessment leans favorably towards HostMonster, particularly for environments expecting to manage numerous users securely and efficiently.

HostMonster user roles table:

Winner: Register.com: Offers extensive customer support options and diverse hosting packages.

HostMonster and Register.com both provide several customer support options, offering 24/7 technical support via phone and live chat. HostMonster’s sales support is available from 6 AM to 9 PM MST, while Register.com offers more extensive phone support hours for general queries, from 7 AM to 12 AM ET. Both hosts provide live chat and email/ticket support, with HostMonster’s ticket responses linked to working business hours, and Register.com featuring an average response time of 24 hours.

While both hosting providers offer excellent customer service, Register.com distinguishes itself with additional enterprise support options such as dedicated agents and priority support, which HostMonster does not offer. This additional layer of support makes Register.com more appealing for businesses seeking more comprehensive support solutions. Both providers have knowledge bases and offer SSL certificates with hosting packages, ensuring their customers have the resources needed for secure and efficient hosting experiences.

Hostmonster vs Register.com: User feedback

HostMonster receives mixed reviews from users, with positive feedback highlighting its affordable pricing, reliable uptime, and quick website loading times. Users also appreciate the extensive range of features such as addons for security, easy integration with MySQL, and a generally good customer service experience. However, many users find the user interface to be difficult to navigate, particularly for non-technical individuals, and note that technical support can be inconsistent, often more focused on sales than solving issues. Additionally, unexpected costs and technical limitations like frequent PHP updates and challenges with deploying large applications have also been pointed out as significant drawbacks.

Customer feedback on Register.com is notably polarized. A significant number of users commend the platform for its easy-to-use interface, extensive template selection, and generally satisfactory customer service, emphasizing that it meets basic web hosting and domain registration needs effectively. However, many users also express frustration over high costs, slow response times, and unaddressed technical issues such as unreliable email services and slow page loading speeds. While some customers have had positive long-term experiences, others warn against the service due to unreliability and poor customer support, resulting in business losses and dissatisfaction.

Hostmonster vs Register.com: FAQ