Dreamhost vs Pair.com: Final verdict
Looking over DreamHost vs. Pair Networks, 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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DreamHost (Overall grade: 8.2)
offers a wide range of hosting types including shared, cloud, VPS, and dedicated hosting, making it a versatile option for various needs. Its 100% uptime guarantee, solid performance metrics, and fast server speeds, supported by SSD storage and a user-friendly custom control panel, are strong points. DreamHost stands out with its advanced performance features and user-friendly interface, making it suitable for both beginners and advanced users. However, the lack of phone support and occasional slow responses from the support team are noted drawbacks.
Pair Networks (Overall grade: 7.9)
prioritizes uptime and security, with an impressive 99.9% uptime and extensive SSL certificate options. Known for stable service and high customer satisfaction in terms of server reliability, Pair Networks offers daily data backups, energy-efficient operations, and manual migration services for ease of transition. The platform’s user interface is secure and functional, though some find it a bit outdated and lacking in intuitive design. While it may come at a higher cost and lack certain advanced performance features compared to DreamHost, Pair Networks remains a solid choice for users seeking reliable, secure hosting with a strong focus on environmental sustainability.
Overall grade:8.2 |
Overall grade:7.9 |
|
---|---|---|
Uptime and Availability | 8.5 | 9.0 |
Hosting Performance | 7.8 | 7.2 |
Hosting Security | 7.8 | 8.1 |
Price | 8.2 | 8.5 |
Hosting Features | 7.9 | 6.1 |
Ease Of Setup | 8.9 | 8.6 |
User Management | 8.1 | 7.8 |
Customer Support | 8.3 | 8.2 |
User feedback | 4/5 | 4.9/5 |
Hosting types offered
Both platforms provide a variety of hosting types, each designed to meet the different needs of users.
Shared hosting | ||
Cloud hosting | ||
WordPress hosting | ||
Ecommerce hosting | ||
VPS hosting | ||
Dedicated hosting |
Both platforms provide a variety of hosting plans tailored to different needs, but in
certain cases, one platform may prove to be more suitable.
Detailed comparison
Uptime and availability
Evaluates the average uptime statistics, uptime guarantee and overall availability of the hosting
provider
Score Components:
- Uptime percentage (30%): evaluates the uptime statistics in given period of time
- Uptime guarantee (20%): Assesses if the platform offers an uptime guarantee and
whether the actual uptime matches the promised guarantee. - General performance (25%): Evaluates how fast is the average response time and overall
it’s stability. - Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Availability (25%): Reflects the total downtime and number of outages.
Winner Pair Networks: Exceptional uptime and stability with impressive global reach and eco-friendly initiatives.
Pair Networks stands out by offering uptime well above 99.9%, backed by redundant network connections and power supplies. Their commitment to stability is further enhanced by daily data backups, ensuring data integrity. Hosting websites for customers in over 150 countries, Pair Networks demonstrates impressive global reach. Additionally, they prioritize environmental sustainability through energy-efficient operations and initiatives to offset pollution.
DreamHost shines with its 100% uptime guarantee, solid performance metrics, and fast server speeds, employing SSD drives and a user-friendly proprietary control panel. While tech reviews have shown it to be stable and reliable, Pair Networks edges out with its consistent reputation for reliability, security, and customer support. Both hosts provide exceptional service, but Pair Networks’ slight edge in uptime performance and global reach can’t be overlooked.
Which one has better hosting performance?
Score Components:
- Hosting speed (30%): This includes SSD quality, Load times, PageSpeed score ranges,
additional information on website speed, built-in plugins for performance enhancement, available caching
methods, and CPU/RAM options - CDN (20%): Considers whether CDN is available or not, whether it’s free or paid, and
the quality of the CDN service - Available data centers (30%): Evaluates the number of data centers and their locations
globally. - Scalibility (20%): Looks at whether elastic scaling is available, the process required
to scale (manual upgrade vs. automatic scaling), the presence of dedicated servers, and the costs
associated with scaling.
🏆 Winner DreamHost: High-performance hosting with extensive features.
Both DreamHost and Pair Networks offer solid hosting services, but DreamHost shines with its advanced performance features. DreamHost utilizes high-performance cloud technology ensuring site resources are dedicated solely to your website. It offers server-level caching built into its plans, NGINX hosting to handle high concurrent connections, and SSD storage for faster file transfers. DreamHost also promises 100% uptime, boosted by multiple data centers and robust DDoS protection. Pair Networks, while reliable, does not match DreamHost in these key areas and comes with traditional shared hosting options that start at a higher price. Additionally, Pair Networks does not include as many built-in performance-boosting features or uncapped bandwidth like DreamHost.
Website Speed
DreamHost utilizes SSD storage and NGINX hosting to ensure fast load times and efficient handling of high traffic. Its server-level caching enhances speed without needing extra plugins, and it offers full root and shell access (SSH) for advanced users. Pair Networks offers SSD storage and SFTP access, but its offerings aren’t as extensive in terms of caching options and server optimization techniques. This difference in advanced features makes DreamHost a more reliable choice for consistently fast website performance.
Scalability
Both hosting providers offer scalability options tailored to varying needs; however, DreamHost provides a more customized approach with its custom cloud plans where resources can be configured to user requirements. Pair Networks also offers a variety of hosting types, including shared and dedicated servers, with tiered pricing to accommodate different user levels.
Which one has better security features?
and regulatory requirements
Score Components:
- Technical security measures (40%): This includes encryption, firewalls, DDoS
protection, secure configurations, server monitoring, access control and availability of security addons
(e.g Sitelock security). - Operational security measures (30%): Encompasses data privacy, backups and data
redundancy. - Compliance and certifications (20%): Adherence to legal and regulatory requirements
(e.g., GDPR, HIPAA) and possession of certifications (e.g., ISO 27001, SOC 2). - Business and reliability (10%): Factors in the provider’s reputation, uptime
guarantees, and customer support.
🏆 Winner Pair Networks: Known for a wide range of SSL certificate options and additional security features.
Technical security measures:
DreamHost offers free SSL certificates through Let’s Encrypt and supports current PHP versions, including PHP 8. It also includes features like OPcache for better PHP performance, and RAID 1 storage for increased reliability. Pair Networks offers a variety of SSL certificate options, including Extended Validation and Wildcard certificates, providing higher levels of encryption and validation. Both providers support modern PHP environments, although Pair Networks does not specify versions. DreamHost lacks Wildcard SSL support, giving Pair Networks an edge in flexibility.
Operational security measures:
DreamHost ensures continued service during DDoS attacks, multi-factor authentication for panel logins, and a proprietary malware scanning service called DreamShield. Pair Networks, however, offers automatic malware scanning with all hosting plans and uses systems to monitor user activity for enhanced privacy and security. Pair Networks also includes features like junk and spam filtering for email, configurable automated backups, and staging sites for managed WordPress hosting, which adds more layers of security and convenience.
Compliance and certifications:
DreamHost is GDPR compliant and extends this compliance to all users, not just those in the EU, deletes web server log files after 72 hours, and supports PCI compliance but does not assist customers with their certification. Pair Networks also complies with GDPR and processes payment information through Stripe, ensuring PCI-DSS adherence. However, DreamHost does not support HIPAA compliance, which limits its use in specific industries that require these standards.
SSL certificate |
Free SSL Certificates, No Wildcard |
Multiple types including Wildcard and Extended |
Additional security features |
DDoS Protection, MFA, DreamShield |
Automatic malware scanning, WordFence |
PHP versions |
PHP 8, OPcache |
Not specified |
GDPR compliance |
Yes |
Yes |
HIPAA compliance |
Not supported |
Not specified |
PCI compliance |
Yes, for own sites only |
Yes, through Stripe |
Hosting features
Score Components:
- Domains (20%): Assesses the availability of a free domain, domain purchase options, and
pricing - Email (15%): Considers if the provider offers full email hosting, or is reselling
third-party service, and if the email is only transactional or not - Website builder (15%): Checks if website builder is available, and it’s user
friendliness and overall the level of customization allowed. - Staging environment (20%): Determines if a staging environment is available, allowing
for testing changes before going live. - FTP & SFTP accounts (10%): Evaluates if and how easily users can access FTP and
SFTP accounts - Git and SSH access (20%): Assess whether Git is integrated into the hosting service and
if SSH access is provided
🏆 Winner DreamHost: A reliable choice for diverse hosting needs with robust features and a strong focus on privacy and security.
When comparing DreamHost and Pair Networks, DreamHost stands out for its extensive range of hosting plans, including shared, VPS, managed WordPress, cloud, and dedicated hosting. User-friendly with a custom-built control panel, DreamHost offers free services such as domain registration, SSL certificates, and email hosting with each plan. Features such as the 1-click WordPress setup and professional migration make it highly accessible for beginners and advanced users alike. Important differentiators include the 100% uptime guarantee, automated daily backups, and privacy protection. DreamHost’s dedication to open source and employee ownership highlights its community-focused ethos, which could appeal to privacy-conscious users.
Pair Networks, on the other hand, provides solid hosting plans with robust security features. Offering SFTP access across all plans and SSH access on select plans, Pair Networks is geared towards users requiring secure and flexible development environments. The inclusion of tools like customizable automatic site backups and off-server backups on specific plans adds an extra layer of security. Pair Networks also includes malware scanning and 24/7 support, ensuring comprehensive protection. Some features, such as custom email hosting and VPS or dedicated server hosting, come at an additional cost, which might influence budgeting considerations for some customers.
Free domain |
Yes, for the first year |
No |
Free SSL |
Yes |
Yes |
Email hosting |
Yes |
Some plans, additional cost |
Website builder |
No |
No |
Staging environment |
Yes |
Yes |
FTP & SFTP accounts |
Yes |
Yes |
Git and SSH access |
Yes |
Some plans, additional cost |
Free backup |
Yes |
Some plans, additional cost |
Money back guarantee |
Yes |
No |
a location.
As a result in rare cases the features mentioned here can differ from the ones you see on their websites.
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 DreamHost and Pair Networks 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:
DreamHost offers professional email addresses with all their plans, including unlimited emails and domains. With robust security measures like privacy protection and anti-spam policies, DreamHost caters well to users requiring dedicated email services for running campaigns or managing transactional emails. Pair Networks offers custom email hosting selectively; it may come at an additional cost depending on the plan. Both providers ensure secure email access with integrated malware scanning tools, but DreamHost’s unlimited offering adds value for users needing extensive email services.
DreamHost’s higher rating reflects its comprehensive, reliable, and secure hosting solutions suitable for a wide range of users, from individuals to businesses. Pair Networks’ competitive edge lies in its dedicated focus on security and development tools, appealing to users with specific technical needs.
Price
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.
🏆 Winner Pair Networks: Offers a variety of comprehensive hosting plans with a focus on storage and bandwidth capacities.
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 DreamHost and Pair Networks, DreamHost provides a range of affordable plans starting at $2.59/mo for shared hosting, including features like unlimited storage and a free SSL certificate. Pair Networks, while starting at a higher price of $7.95/mo, differentiates itself with larger storage capacities and extensive bandwidth. On WordPress plans, DreamHost starts at $16.95/mo with specialized support and built-in caching, whereas Pair Networks offers a more cost-effective entry plan at $14.95/mo with automatic updates and backups. For those needing VPS solutions, DreamHost’s plans begin at $10.00/mo, while Pair Networks offers their VPS hosting at a starting price of $25/mo, packed with features like free automatic malware scanning and a money-back guarantee.
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DreamPress$19.99/month
One website, 30GB SSD, unmetered bandwidth, 24/7 support, automated backups, caching Value for price:8.0
|
WP Enthusiast I$14.95/month
Two sites, 30GB SSD, 150GB transfer, auto updates, backups Value for price:8.5
|
DreamPress Plus$34.99/month
One website, 60GB SSD, unmetered bandwidth, 24/7 support, automated backups, caching Value for price:8.2
|
WP Enthusiast II$39.95/month
Five sites, 80GB SSD, 400GB transfer, auto updates, backups Value for price:8.5
|
DreamPress Pro$89.99/month
One website, 120GB SSD, unmetered bandwidth, 24/7 support, automated backups, caching Value for price:8.4
|
WP Professional I$49.95/month
Ten sites, 40GB SSD, 600GB transfer, auto updates, backups Value for price:8.5
|
N/A |
WP Professional II$89.95/month
Twenty-five sites, 80GB SSD, 1200GB transfer, auto updates, backups Value for price:8.2
|
N/A |
WP Professional III$122.50/month
Unlimited sites, 480GB+ SSD, 2TB transfer, auto updates, backups Value for price:8.1
|
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Shared Starter$5.99/month
One website, unlimited storage, unmetered bandwidth, 24/7 support Value for price:8.5
|
Shared Hosting 1$7.95/month
Unlimited domains, 30GB disk space, 500GB transfer, 500 emails Value for price:7.5
|
Shared Unlimited$10.99/month
Unlimited websites, unlimited storage, unmetered bandwidth, 24/7 support, email hosting Value for price:8.2
|
Shared Hosting 2$11.95/month
Unlimited domains, 60GB disk space, 1000GB transfer, 500 emails Value for price:8.0
|
N/A |
Shared Hosting 3$19.95/month
Unlimited domains, 100GB disk space, 1500GB transfer, 500 emails Value for price:8.1
|
N/A |
Shared Hosting 4$31.95/month
Unlimited domains, 150GB disk space, 2000GB transfer, 500 emails Value for price:8.3
|
|
|
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DreamCompute$10.00/month
Scalable computing, root access, SSD storage, unmetered bandwidth Value for price:8.0
|
VPS Hosting Plan$25.00/month
Unlimited sites, 30GB SSD, 2GB RAM, 1 vCPU, malware scanning Value for price:7.9
|
Enterprise plans
For enterprises, DreamHost offers dedicated hosting starting at $199.00/mo with configurations like 6-Core CPU, 16GB RAM, and uncapped bandwidth. Their enhanced plans provide higher cores and RAM for growing demands. Pair Networks, though lacking a designated “enterprise” plan, provides Managed VPS starting at $25/mo with substantial resources and security features suitable for mid to large businesses. Ultimately, for extensive enterprise needs, DreamHost offers broader dedicated options with higher RAM and CPU configurations, making it preferable for more demanding applications.
Dreamhost vs Pair.com: Ease of setup
platform.
Score Components:
- Site migration (25%): Assesses whether the provider offers tools for site migration,
either automated or manual, and whether these services are free or require a fee. - Admin panel usability (35%): Evaluates the type of admin panel provided, such as the
standard cPanel or a custom solution, focusing on its accessibility and user-friendliness for both
technical and non-technical users. - Setup features (20%): Examines the availability and ease of use of various setup
features, including FTP accounts, file managers, email account setup, PHPMyAdmin, and easy CDN
configuration. - Help center quality (20%): Measures the quality and accessibility of the provider’s
help center resources, including articles and tutorials.
🏆 Winner DreamHost: Offers an easy setup and extensive support for web hosting and website management.
DreamHost uses a custom-built control panel that simplifies site management. The interface is designed to be intuitive for both beginners and seasoned users. The custom panel includes advanced features like SFTP, Shell Access, and WP-CLI, which appeal to technical users. Meanwhile, the one-click installations and straightforward navigation cater to those less technically inclined.
Pair Networks also employs a custom-built Account Control Center (ACC), tailored for ease of use and top-notch performance. This interface is user-friendly and built with strong security measures. While it offers many functionalities specific to Pair’s services, the design ensures that even users with minimal technical skills can effectively manage their websites.
Both DreamHost and Pair Networks offer seamless migration tools. DreamHost provides a dedicated Migration Dashboard that scans your site and presents migration options, with a straightforward process guided by prompts. Pair Networks offers a hands-free migration service that transfers your site from an existing host to Pair at no extra cost. Both services facilitate hassle-free transitions, though Pair Networks emphasizes the simplicity of its migration process by doing it for you.
DreamHost excels in its support offerings, providing 24/7/365 access to sales help, customer support chat, and email support through its panel. The extensive knowledge base filled with FAQs and tutorials is continually updated. DreamHost also offers professional services like web design and SEO marketing. Pair Networks also offers 24/7 support with knowledgeable technicians, extensive tutorials, and video guides. Their knowledge base covers a wide range of topics and is supplemented by FAQ sections and articles.
The platforms provide extensive knowledge bases filled with guides, how-to articles, and instructional content. DreamHost offers a wide range of resources alongside 24/7 chat and phone support. Pair Networks 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.
User management
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.
🏆 Winner
DreamHost: Offers extensive user management features ideal for both novice and advanced users.
DreamHost offers more flexibility in managing user roles and permissions compared to Pair Networks. DreamHost allows you to create an unlimited number of SFTP users with secure logins, manage access via SSH, and utilize a custom-built control panel for comprehensive management tasks. In contrast, Pair Networks focuses on predefined WordPress user roles that include Administrator, Editor, Author, Contributor, and Subscriber, which, while detailed, offer less flexibility for custom roles and permissions. DreamHost’s approach enables more granular control over user permissions, making it suitable for both development teams and individual users.
DreamHost’s user interface includes an intuitive control panel where you can manage domains, emails, SFTP, SSH, and more. The centralized panel is custom-built to be user-friendly, accommodating various user needs from basic file management to advanced server configurations. Pair Networks, on the other hand, relies heavily on the WordPress dashboard for user management. While the WordPress interface is straightforward and widely recognized, it may not offer the comprehensive tools and integration options provided by DreamHost’s control panel.
When it comes to access control and the capacity to manage a growing number of users, DreamHost excels with features such as password protection for sensitive directories, crontab access for task automation, and access to raw log files for performance analysis. These advanced features ensure secure and efficient user management, accommodating both small and large-scale operations. Pair Networks, while offering robust WordPress role-based management, does not provide the same level of detailed user control or advanced features, making DreamHost a more scalable option for growing websites and applications.
DreamHost user roles table:
Role | Description | Access highlights |
---|---|---|
Unlimited SFTP Users | Create multiple secure FTP accounts for users. | Secure data transfer via SFTP. |
Secure Shell (SSH) Access | Secure remote access for command-line operations. | Perform command-line tasks remotely and securely. |
Subversion Repository (SVN) | Manage source code files for collaborative projects. | Helps teams work on the same content, reducing conflicts. |
Crontab Access | Schedule and automate command-line tasks. | Automate repetitive tasks using Cron jobs. |
Email Accounts | Professional email with 25GB storage, sync, and security. | Ad-free webmail, spam, virus, and phishing filters. |
Password Protection (.htaccess) | Protect directories with password authentication. | Restricted access to sensitive content. |
Customer support
hosting provider.
Score Components:
- Support communication channels (30%): Measures the variety of customer support types
provided (live chat, chatbot, email, phone, etc.) - Availability (20%): Assesses the availability hours for each channel, including 24/7
support options. - Technical support quality (30%): Assesses whether the provider offers comprehensive
technical support, including hardware upgrades (e.g., HDD to SSD), software installations, and web
server configuration changes. - Enterprise support (20%): Checks if there are dedicated or priority support services
for enterprise-level customers.
🏆 Winner DreamHost: An excellent balance of 24/7 customer service availability and fast response times.
Phone support |
||
Live chat support |
||
Chatbot |
||
Email/ticket support |
||
Enterprise support (dedicated agent, priority support) |
DreamHost offers a highly accessible suite of customer support options, including 24/7 chat, email, and ticket system availability through their panel. Despite not providing direct phone support, they offer a callback service for an additional fee and boast impressively quick response times for live chat and ticket submissions. Their services are backed by a comprehensive knowledge base and optional professional services for those seeking help with web design, marketing, and development.
Pair Networks distinguishes itself with traditional phone support, an in-house helpdesk system, and free site migration services. Their support channels include phone, email, and online portals. They also offer specialized WordPress support. Customer feedback highlights the reliability and expertise of their technical support team. Pair Networks emphasizes pro-consumer policies with no hidden fees and local support, presenting an appealing option for those preferring a more personable approach.
Dreamhost vs Pair.com: User feedback
DreamHost receives praise for its proactive updates, reliable performance, and a range of hosting options at competitive prices. Users appreciate its intuitive web portal, comprehensive end-to-end domain management tools, and competent customer service, particularly in resolving issues. However, the platform’s technical support is often criticized for slow responses, particularly the lack of phone support, and occasional downtime issues. Despite these drawbacks, many users remain loyal due to the affordability, ease of use for beginners, and strong uptime guarantees, although some have experienced more significant challenges and dissatisfaction.
Users appreciate the reliability and security offered by this hosting provider, with many highlighting minimal downtime and robust email services. The technical support is frequently praised for being responsive and helpful, making tasks like website setup and migration smoother. However, some users note that the user interface can be clunky and outdated, and enhancements in spam filtering are needed. While the service is considered a bit expensive by some, most agree that its quality justifies the cost.
Dreamhost vs Pair.com: FAQ
Which hosting service offers better security features?
DreamHost offers good security features including free SSL certificates, DDoS protection, multi-factor authentication, and a proprietary malware scanning service called DreamShield. Pair Networks, however, provides a variety of SSL certificate options, including Extended Validation and Wildcard certificates, along with automatic malware scanning and enhanced privacy and security systems. Pair Networks edges out for its more extensive SSL options and additional built-in security measures.
Which platform is better suited for hosting WordPress websites?
DreamHost is better suited for hosting WordPress websites due to its superior support, daily backups, server-level caching, and managed updates. While Pair Networks also offers WordPress hosting, DreamHost’s dedicated WordPress management features make it more appealing for those seeking specialized WordPress capabilities.
Which service is more suitable for hosting a high-traffic website?
DreamHost is more suitable for hosting high-traffic websites with its dedicated hosting plans, strong performance guarantees, and uncapped bandwidth. Its advanced performance features, including server-level caching and fast server speeds with SSD storage, provide the resources needed to handle high-traffic loads effectively.
Are both platforms suitable for beginners?
Yes, both DreamHost and Pair Networks offer features that make them suitable for beginners. DreamHost provides a user-friendly custom control panel, 1-click WordPress installation, and professional migration services. Pair Networks offers a secure and functional interface with excellent customer support to assist users who may need help with website setup and management.
How do the providers handle email hosting and what features are included?
DreamHost includes professional email addresses with all plans, offering unlimited emails, private protection, and anti-spam policies, which make it ideal for users running email campaigns or managing transactional emails. Pair Networks offers custom email hosting selectively, potentially at an additional cost, but also ensures secure email access with integrated malware scanning tools. DreamHost’s unlimited offering provides greater value for extensive email service needs.
The making of this blog
We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.