Hostmonster vs ScalaHosting: guide for 2024

Hostmonster vs ScalaHosting: Final verdict

Looking over HostMonster vs. ScalaHosting, it’s clear that both offer a range of hosting solutions but differ significantly in performance and value.

• 
  ScalaHosting (Overall grade: 8.8)
  
  excels with its superior uptime, swift loading speeds, and a robust suite of security features. The presence of multiple data centers worldwide ensures minimal latency and high availability, making it a great option for businesses looking for reliability and scalability. It also provides a proprietary control panel (SPanel) and advanced security tools like SShield, which make server management and protection seamless. Additionally, ScalaHosting’s pricing plans are competitive and packed with features, offering high value for a fair cost. However, its lack of a free domain name may be a downside for some users.
• 
  HostMonster (Overall grade: 7.4)
  
  offers commendable hosting solutions with strong uptime and integrated security measures. It includes useful features like a free site builder, unlimited storage and domain hosting, and daily backups. These make it a reliable choice for small to medium-sized websites, especially multimedia-rich sites. However, it has notable drawbacks, such as higher renewal prices and no month-to-month billing options. Furthermore, users often report challenges with the interface and customer support. Despite these issues, HostMonster maintains a solid offering for its price range.

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 ScalaHosting: ScalaHosting presents superior uptime and loading speeds with extensive data center options.

ScalaHosting stands out for its impeccable uptime performance and swift loading speeds. With a network of data centers across the globe, including the USA, Europe, and Asia, it ensures minimal latency and high availability. The proprietary SPanel and SShield features provide excellent management and security utilities tailored for optimal operation. Additionally, ScalaHosting offers a unique compensation plan for unscheduled downtime, ensuring accountability and customer satisfaction.

On the other hand, HostMonster offers commendable uptime and reliable performance with its integrated security measures and 24/7 technical support. Despite excellent capabilities, it does possess certain limitations like the lack of month-to-month billing and increased pricing after the first year. Both hosting providers showcase strong uptime and performance, but ScalaHosting takes the lead with its speed, global reach, and additional features.

🏆 Winner: ScalaHosting: ScalaHosting offers exceptional speed, security, and scalability features.

When comparing the general performance of HostMonster and ScalaHosting, ScalaHosting stands out due to its use of high-performance OpenLiteSpeed and LiteSpeed Enterprise web servers, which offer faster load times and better PageSpeed scores. HostMonster, although reliable, offers standard performance across most of its plans and high performance only in its Pro plan. ScalaHosting integrates a SShield Security System that provides robust real-time protection, whereas HostMonster includes SpamExperts for specific plans. ScalaHosting also boasts multiple data center locations including the US, EU, and integrated AWS centers globally, compared to HostMonster’s unspecified data center details. In terms of CDN offerings, ScalaHosting’s plans do include support for enhanced speed and security measures.

Website Speed

ScalaHosting excels in website speed due to its use of industry-leading hardware and software, including OpenLiteSpeed servers. These technologies ensure rapid load times and efficient handling of web traffic. HostMonster provides decent speed and reliability but doesn’t match the performance enhancements seen with ScalaHosting’s LiteSpeed technology. Both providers offer free SSL certificates to secure data, but ScalaHosting’s integrated CDN options further streamline content delivery, ensuring faster access for users globally.

Scalability

ScalaHosting offers on-demand, flexible resource allocation where users can upgrade or downgrade resources with a single click, meaning no interruption and immediate scaling. This feature allows users to pay only for resources consumed. HostMonster, on the other hand, requires manual plan upgrades to access higher performance levels and more resources. ScalaHosting’s managed VPS plans ensure dedicated resources and offer higher customization options, starting from $29.95 per month. HostMonster’s scaling options are less transparent, necessitating specific plan upgrades for increased capacity.

Winner ScalaHosting: ScalaHosting provides a diverse range of advanced security features and compliance standards.

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

Technical security measures:

Both HostMonster and ScalaHosting offer an array of technical security measures to protect their customers. HostMonster provides robust security with PCI support, SSL certificates, custom PHP configurations, and PHP 5 support. They also extend malware removal and SiteLock security services that offer real-time monitoring and daily scans. ScalaHosting, on the other hand, features a comprehensive SShield Security System which blocks 99.998% of attacks, advanced malware protection, and various SSL certificates. ScalaHosting supports an extensive list of PHP versions from 5.6 up to 8.2, giving users more flexibility. Both providers offer SSH access for secure server management, with ScalaHosting including HTTP/2 and HTTP/3 support on request.

Operational security measures:

Operational security measures vary between the two providers. HostMonster enforces essential site maintenance standards like updating scripts, changing passwords, and securely connecting to email. They also provide two-factor authentication and hotlink protection. ScalaHosting emphasizes proactive measures with 24/7 real-time monitoring, daily backups, and free CloudFlare CDN for enhanced performance and security. They offer brute-force protection and a dedicated firewall with every plan. ScalaHosting also includes advanced security toolsets like inbound/outbound anti-spam tools and custom security rules optimized for specific CMSs.

Compliance and certifications:

Both HostMonster and ScalaHosting meet various regulatory standards. HostMonster has been GDPR compliant since May 25, 2018, ensuring the protection of EU residents’ data. It supports PCI compliance for A and B categories across all accounts. ScalaHosting complies with multiple US-based regulations, including NIST, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and others. This makes ScalaHosting a strong contender for organizations needing to adhere to stringent regulatory requirements.

🏆 Winner
ScalaHosting: A web hosting service with robust features and easy management.

HostMonster and ScalaHosting both offer a range of features suited for varying user requirements. HostMonster provides unlimited disk storage and domain hosting, a free drag-and-drop site builder, and a free domain name for one year which allows users to launch their websites quickly and conveniently. It also comes with FTP/SFTP and SSH access, making it versatile for both beginners and developers. Key benefits include free daily backups and support for multiple programming languages, catering well to developers. However, HostMonster lacks email autoresponders and might fall short for users requiring extensive transactional email capabilities or easy cloning and staging features directly within the user interface.

ScalaHosting, on the other hand, is known for its developer-friendly features and flexibility in account management. It includes a custom PHP.ini editor and a PHP version manager, which can be crucial for developers needing specific configurations or the latest PHP versions. ScalaHosting does excel with its staging environment for WordPress and multiple data center locations, offering better scalability and localization options. Although it doesn’t provide a free domain name, the comprehensive control over server management and integrated WHMCS makes ScalaHosting appealing for SMBs and agencies needing a more controlled environment.

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 ScalaHosting 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:

Email services at HostMonster are provided through a partnership with Microsoft 365, offering a professional email and access to Outlook on a trial basis before transitioning to a paid service. Conversely, ScalaHosting provides unlimited free professional email accounts, which is particularly beneficial for users requiring multiple email accounts without incurring additional costs.

🏆 Winner ScalaHosting:ScalaHosting offers competitive pricing and extensive features for various hosting 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.

When comparing HostMonster and ScalaHosting, several key differences arise. HostMonster’s shared hosting starts at $11.99 per month for a 36-month term, providing basic features and scaling up to plans with more resources and several added benefits such as free domains and automated backups. Conversely, ScalaHosting’s web hosting plans begin at just $2.95 per month with unlimited email accounts, unmetered bandwidth, and daily backups. Their more advanced plans offer guaranteed CPU & RAM, high security, dedicated IP addresses, and more features like OpenLiteSpeed caching and branding options. Both providers offer a range of plans meant to cater to varying needs, but ScalaHosting offers more competitive pricing and additional perks for similar or even lower prices.

Enterprise plans

When it comes to enterprise-level hosting, both HostMonster and ScalaHosting offer suitable plans. HostMonster’s Pro plan provides high performance, unmetered website space, bandwidth, and email accounts at $33.99 per month for the 12-month term, along with a dedicated IP and premium SSL. ScalaHosting’s Managed Cloud VPS, starting at $29.95, includes full management, guaranteed resources, SShield security, dedicated IP, and daily backups, offering a more comprehensive suite for a similar or lower cost. ScalaHosting provides more extensive features and better value for enterprise needs.

🏆 Winner ScalaHosting: ScalaHosting offers a higher-rated experience for setting up and migrating websites with minimal hassle.

HostMonster utilizes the standard cPanel with additional tools such as a 1-click WordPress install and free site builders. This makes it accessible for both technical and non-technical users who are looking for a straightforward setup process. The admin panel is intuitive and offers a variety of features that streamline the initial setup and daily management tasks.

ScalaHosting uses SPanel, a custom all-in-one control panel that eliminates the need for additional licensing fees. SPanel is designed to be user-friendly, making it straightforward for beginners while still powerful enough for advanced users. It also includes a variety of features for managing websites, domains, emails, files, and databases, providing a comprehensive solution for site management.

Both HostMonster and ScalaHosting offer free website migration services. HostMonster’s migration process is more manual, often requiring some user interaction, whereas ScalaHosting takes care of the entire process with their trained technicians handling the transition and notifying the user once it’s complete.

The platforms provide extensive knowledge bases filled with guides, how-to articles, and instructional content. HostMonster’s help center is comprehensive and includes a large number of articles, video tutorials, and offers 24/7 support via live chat and phone. ScalaHosting also offers extensive resources, including guides, articles, and tutorials, with 24/7 support available through live chat and a ticket system. ScalaHosting’s comprehensive knowledge base also covers a wide array of topics, providing a robust support system for users.

🏆 Winner ScalaHosting: ScalaHosting offers versatile and detailed user management features suitable for various administrative needs.

Both HostMonster and ScalaHosting offer user management capabilities, but the level of detail and flexibility varies. HostMonster’s user management comes through a modified version of cPanel, which generally includes user account management and permissions, though specifics are not detailed. ScalaHosting, on the other hand, provides a comprehensive suite of user management features. ScalaHosting allows for the creation, modification, and management of user accounts with various limits on resources like disk space and databases. Users can also access data via SSH, and administrators can manage multiple aspects of user permissions more granularly.

When it comes to user interfaces and tools for managing users, HostMonster’s modified cPanel interface is user-friendly and generally well-received, but details on specific tools are lacking. ScalaHosting uses SPanel, which has a robust set of features for managing users. These include adding/removing email accounts, managing email disk quotas, creating backups, and more. The SPanel’s Admin Interface in ScalaHosting also adds functionalities like monitoring server health and restarting services, making it a more detailed and powerful tool for user management.

In terms of access control measures and scaling user management, ScalaHosting appears to have a more structured approach. It offers suspension, unsuspension, and termination of accounts with ease, as well as control over SSH access, two-factor authentication, and CAPTCHA for different user groups. Admins can also create additional Admin accounts for better server management. HostMonster’s capabilities are less clearly defined, relying on the standard features of cPanel but lacking in detailed customization options. ScalaHosting’s detailed feature set thus makes it more effective for managing a growing user base efficiently.

HostMonster User Roles Table:

ScalaHosting User Roles Table:

🏆 Winner
ScalaHosting: ScalaHosting provides extensive customer service options with globally distributed data centers and a generous money-back guarantee, making it the top choice.

HostMonster and ScalaHosting both offer 24/7 customer support, but their services differ in several ways. HostMonster provides chat and phone support for general inquiries, with designated hours for account verification, renewals, and cancellations. Technical assistance is available from 7 a.m. to midnight EST, via phone or a Help Ticket for email support. They have separate contact numbers for US and international customers. However, some users have reported issues such as slow response times and communication difficulties, often attributed to outsourcing.

On the other hand, ScalaHosting also offers round-the-clock support via live chat, phone, and tickets, with a notable emphasis on providing comprehensive tech support across all plans. On higher-tier plans, ScalaHosting offers advanced technical support, assisting with significant hosting changes like server configurations and software installations. While ScalaHosting generally receives positive feedback, some complaints highlight longer wait times for resolving complex issues, a challenge common in the hosting industry.

Hostmonster vs ScalaHosting: User feedback

HostMonster hosting services receive mixed reviews. Users appreciate the high uptime, competitive pricing, and range of additional features like CDN, SSL, and malware scanning. However, many find the user interface challenging to navigate and customer support lacking, with frequent complaints about upselling tactics and inadequate assistance. Additionally, some users experienced difficulties with large-scale applications and frequent PHP version updates that disrupted their websites.

ScalaHosting has earned high praise from users for its exceptional customer support, reliable uptime, and innovative SPanel technology. Many reviews highlight the company’s fast and knowledgeable technical support team, which ensures a smooth and efficient experience for users. While some users feel the pricing could be more competitive, the overall sentiment is that the services offered justify the cost. Users appreciate the platform’s ease of use, robust security features, and the flexibility of hosting solutions, making ScalaHosting a top choice for web hosting needs.

Hostmonster vs ScalaHosting: FAQ