Domain.com vs Rocket.net: Final verdict
Comparing Domain.com and Rocket.net reveals distinct strengths suited to different types of users, with Rocket.net taking the lead due to its superior performance and advanced feature set.
-
Rocket.net (Overall grade: 8.3)
is an excellent choice for those prioritizing performance, security, and advanced features, particularly for ecommerce, agencies, and high-traffic websites. With impressive load times, scalable infrastructure, and a broad range of security measures, Rocket.net ensures a seamless hosting experience. The platform also excels in user management, offering customizable roles and secure access. Its customer support is robust with multiple channels and rapid response times, making it an ideal solution for businesses looking for reliability and support. -
Domain.com (Overall grade: 6.2)
appeals to users seeking affordability and ease of use, especially those new to website creation. It offers a user-friendly interface, good customer service, and helpful features like a drag-and-drop website builder. However, its performance, measured in slower response times and less comprehensive security features, falls short compared to Rocket.net. While Domain.com is a viable option for basic hosting needs and those on a budget, it lacks the advanced capabilities that more demanding users might require.
 Overall grade:6.2 |
 Overall grade:8.3 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Uptime and Availability | 3.1 | 8.6 |
| Hosting Performance | 4.1 | 9.1 |
| Hosting Security | 7.9 | 9.1 |
| Price | 7.6 | 8.3 |
| Hosting Features | 4.5 | 4.6 |
| Ease Of Setup | 7.8 | 9.1 |
| User Management | 7.2 | 8.5 |
| Customer Support | 7.8 | 9.2 |
| User feedback | 3.2/5 | 5/5 |
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 |
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
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.
3.1
8.6
🏆 Winner Rocket.net: Providing superior uptime and outstanding performance for your hosting needs.
Rocket.net ensures a reliable hosting experience with a 99% uptime guarantee and impressive response metrics. The platform offers a quick response time of 73 ms and a full page load time of 300 ms, making it a fast option for users. The 24/7 support, free migrations, and extensive security features including an Enterprise CDN and WAF make it a comprehensive solution for WordPress hosting.
Domain.com claims a 99.99% uptime but falls short with actual performance showing 98-99.11% uptime. The average response time of 2.97 seconds is slower compared to Rocket.net. Additionally, Domain.com’s data center locations are unclear, and the uptime guarantee lacks precise definitions. While they offer good customer service and substantial security features, the slow response times and lower uptime performance are notable drawbacks.
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.
4.1
9.1
🏆 Winner Rocket.net: Exceptional performance and speed through advanced CDN and caching technologies.
When comparing the hosting performance of Domain.com and Rocket.net, the key factors to consider are speed, caching methods, CDN availability, and data center locations. Rocket.net excels with an average Time to First Byte (TTFB) of 70-83ms and includes a built-in enterprise-grade CDN and WAF across over 275 edge locations globally. Domain.com offers a solid performance with a 99% uptime guarantee and scalable bandwidth. However, their CDN capabilities aren’t highlighted, and they mainly offer basic caching methods compared to Rocket.net’s sophisticated caching infrastructure.
Website speed
Rocket.net demonstrates superior website speed with advanced configurations and optimizations for WordPress, resulting in significantly faster load times compared to competitors like Flywheel and Kinsta. Customer testimonials report up to 800% improvement in TTFB. Domain.com provides free domains and SSL certificates for the first year, but their load speeds and PageSpeed scores lag behind Rocket.net, which leverages enterprise NVMe servers and PHP 8.0 for optimal performance.
Scalability
Scalability is an area where Rocket.net shines. Their services include elastic scaling, which means you don’t have to manually upgrade plans; the performance adjusts automatically as demand increases. This is crucial for businesses expecting fluctuating traffic levels. On the other hand, Domain.com requires users to choose a static plan (Basic, Plus, or Premium) and doesn’t specify any advanced automatic scaling options. Domain.com’s cost for scaling isn’t explicitly delineated in the provided details.
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.
7.9
9.1
🏆 Winner Rocket.net: Offers superior security measures with comprehensive features and compliance benefits.
Technical security measures:
Domain.com and Rocket.net both prioritize SSL certificates, but Rocket.net provides unlimited free SSL certificates, while Domain.com offers various types with specific warranties. Regarding malware protection, Domain.com uses SiteLock for continuous scanning and automatic removal, whereas Rocket.net leverages Imunify360 for real-time protection. Both offer Web Application Firewalls, but Rocket.net utilizes an enterprise-level WAF. Rocket.net stands out with proactive protection for every request and automatic WordPress updates, which are not explicitly mentioned for Domain.com.
Operational security measures:
Rocket.net implements always-on defense strategies, including brute force and bot attack prevention. Domain.com includes domain privacy and an optional email security feature. Daily automated backups are available on Rocket.net with retention periods. Domain.com lacks detailed backup specifics in the given context. Lastly, Rocket.net ensures continuous security updates, while Domain.com’s updates rely on user action without clear automation mentions.
Compliance and certifications:
Both Domain.com and Rocket.net comply with GDPR, ensuring data protection and residents’ rights. PCI compliance is indicated for both providers. However, HIPAA compliance is not specified for either hosting service. Domain.com emphasizes protection against identity theft through domain privacy, while Rocket.net focuses on enterprise-level WAF and real-time reporting for enhanced PCI compliance adherence.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
SSL certificate |
Included (varies) |
Unlimited free |
Additional security features |
SiteLock, malware removal |
Imunify360, real-time protection |
PHP versions |
Not specified |
5.6, 7.4, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 |
GDPR compliance |
Yes |
Yes |
HIPAA compliance |
Not specified |
Not specified |
PCI compliance |
Yes |
Yes |
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
4.5
4.6
🏆 Winner
Rocket.net: Rocket.net provides unparalleled speed, security, and a comprehensive set of features for WordPress hosting.
Both Domain.com and Rocket.net offer a compelling array of features, but key differences can influence which is better suited for your needs. Domain.com shines with its drag-and-drop website builder, which makes it easy for beginners to create professional-looking websites without prior technical expertise. The inclusion of unlimited bandwidth and storage, free domain for the first year with a promo code, and customizable shared and dedicated hosting plans cater to a broad audience from small businesses to large enterprises. However, there is no mention of SSH access, which may be a constraint for developers looking for secure command-line access.
Rocket.net, while lacking a traditional website builder, excels in providing advanced features that cater to developers and businesses seeking high performance and security. It offers one-click staging environments, making it simple to test changes safely. Rocket.net includes SSH access and a secure file manager, which are essential for advanced users. Furthermore, the service provides comprehensive security measures such as a website firewall, malware protection, and detailed real-time analytics, ensuring your site remains protected. Additional perks like free test migrations and a global CDN enhance the overall user experience.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
Free domain |
Yes, for the first year |
No |
Free SSL |
Yes |
Yes |
Email hosting |
No |
No |
Website builder |
Yes |
No |
Staging environment |
No |
Yes |
FTP & SFTP account |
Yes |
Yes |
Git and SSH access |
SSH not mentioned |
Yes |
Free backup |
No |
Yes |
Money back guarantee |
Unknown |
Yes |
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 Domain.com and Rocket.net 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 Domain.com and Rocket.net do not offer email hosting services directly. This means users looking to set up custom email addresses or run email campaigns would need to look for third-party email providers. Both hostings are suitable for setting up transactional emails for actions like form submissions, but there are no specified limits or detailed capabilities. Users seeking a more integrated email solution may need to use services like Google Workspace or Microsoft Outlook alongside their hosting plan.
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.
7.6
8.3
🏆 Winner Rocket.net: Offers a comprehensive range of advanced features and higher performance guarantees.
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. Although some providers offer identical plans for WordPress and shared hosting, we have created separate tables for each to enhance clarity.
When comparing Domain.com and Rocket.net, Domain.com offers lower entry prices but requires long-term commitments, whereas Rocket.net has higher monthly costs but delivers significantly more resources and advanced features. Domain.com’s shared and WordPress hosting plans are identical in pricing and features, focusing on affordability. Rocket.net provides more robust performance metrics, such as higher visitor capacity and additional storage. Although Rocket.net’s cost is steep, its uptime guarantee and enterprise-grade features may justify the higher expense.
|
|
|
|---|---|
|
Basic Plan$3.75
1 Website, 10GB Storage, Unmetered Bandwidth, Free Domain (first year), Free SSL (first year) Value for price:7.6
|
Starter Plan$30
1 Website, 10GB Storage, 50GB Bandwidth, Free SSL, Enterprise CDN, Malware Protection, Free Migrations, Automated Backups Value for price:8.3
|
|
Plus Plan$3.75
5 Websites, 20GB Storage, Unmetered Bandwidth, Free Domain (first year), SSL included Value for price:7.6
|
Pro Plan$60
3 Websites, 20GB Storage, 100GB Bandwidth, Free SSL, Enterprise CDN, Malware Protection, Free Migrations, Automated Backups Value for price:8.3
|
|
Premium Plan$3.75
10 Websites, 40GB Storage, Unmetered Bandwidth, Free Domain (first year), SSL included Value for price:7.6
|
Business Plan$100
10 Websites, 40GB Storage, 300GB Bandwidth, Free SSL, Enterprise CDN, Malware Protection, Free Migrations, Automated Backups Value for price:8.3
|
|
|
|
|---|---|
|
Basic Plan$3.75
1 Website, 10GB Storage, Unmetered Bandwidth, Free Domain (first year), Free SSL (first year) Value for price:7.6
|
N/A
Value for price:
|
|
Plus Plan$3.75
5 Websites, 20GB Storage, Unmetered Bandwidth, Free Domain (first year), SSL included Value for price:7.6
|
N/A
Value for price:
|
|
Premium Plan$3.75
10 Websites, 40GB Storage, Unlimited Bandwidth, Free Domain (first year), SSL included Value for price:7.6
|
N/A
Value for price:
|
|
|
|
|---|---|
|
Domain Validated SSL$3.75
$10,000 Warranty, TrustLogo® Site Seal Value for price:7.6
|
Expert Plan$200
25 Websites, 50GB Storage, 500GB Bandwidth, Free SSL, Enterprise CDN, Malware Protection, Free Migrations, Automated Backups Value for price:8.3
|
|
Organization Validated SSL$3.75
$50,000 Warranty, Business Validation Value for price:7.6
|
Tier 3$300
3 Websites, Unmetered Visitors, Bandwidth and Storage vary, Free SSL, Enterprise CDN, Malware Protection, Free Migrations, Automated Backups Value for price:8.3
|
|
E-commerce SSL$3.75
Enhanced eCommerce and payment protection Value for price:7.6
|
Enterprise 2$1299
CPU Cores, RAM, NVMe Storage, Unlimited Requests, Free SSL, Enterprise CDN, Malware Protection, Free Migrations, Automated Backups Value for price:8.3
|
Enterprise plans
Domain.com’s plans primarily focus on affordability, making it suitable for smaller enterprises looking to save costs. Rocket.net, on the other hand, provides a range of enterprise plans featuring extensive resources, high visitor capacity, and enterprise-level support. The offerings include CPU Cores, RAM, extensive storage, unlimited requests, Object Cache Pro, and private Slack channels, which could significantly benefit larger businesses with high-traffic websites.
Domain.com vs Rocket.net: 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.
7.8
9.1
🏆 Winner Rocket.net: Offering a seamless and user-friendly setup process.
The admin panel of Domain.com is straightforward with a custom control panel that integrates essential functions like Google Workspace. This makes it accessible for both technical and non-technical users. Domain.com also provides a drag-and-drop website builder and an AI-powered website builder to simplify the website creation process. WordPress users can benefit from a specialized hosting environment with pre-installed plugins and a customized control panel, although it may still require some familiarity with WordPress.
Rocket.net also offers a custom admin panel centered around WordPress management. It is designed to be highly user-friendly, involving minimal setup with features like a free temporary URL, one-click staging, and integrated security suites. The panel simplifies complex tasks such as deploying global data centers and handling security settings, making it suitable for both beginners and experienced users.
Rocket.net provides unlimited free website migrations that are seamlessly handled by its team, ensuring zero downtime. This makes transitioning to their platform easy for users, with no additional fees involved. In comparison, Domain.com does not explicitly mention free migration services but offers comprehensive support options including live chat and phone support to assist with manual migrations.
The platforms provide extensive knowledge bases filled with guides, how-to articles, and instructional content. Domain.com offers a wide range of resources alongside 24/7 chat and phone support. Rocket.net 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.
7.2
8.5
🏆 Winner Rocket.net: More advanced user management features tailored for growing businesses and agencies.
Domain.com offers a comprehensive suite of user roles, allowing for specific task assignments and content management. Their platform supports five primary roles: Administrator, Editor, Author, Contributor, and Subscriber, each with clearly defined permissions. In contrast, Rocket.net focuses on selective control panel access, enabling site-specific user access rather than all-encompassing permissions. Rocket.net’s user roles are particularly beneficial for agencies that need to grant access to multiple sites with varying permission levels, an aspect Domain.com does not specifically address.
Domain.com’s user management interface in WordPress is straightforward and user-friendly. Users can be added via a few simple clicks from the dashboard, with options to assign roles directly from a dropdown menu. Rocket.net, on the other hand, introduces a more sophisticated control panel with unbranded URLs and white-label customization options. Inviting users through Rocket.net is seamless and geared towards providing branded experiences, especially effective for businesses looking to maintain a professional image.
Rocket.net excels in access control measures with features like two-factor authentication, a secure file manager, brute-force protection, and key-based access, making it a highly secure choice for user management. Its ability to handle an unlimited number of users and assign site-level access makes it a robust option for growing businesses. Domain.com, while reliable in managing individual users through WordPress, does not offer the same level of fine-grained access control and scalability found with Rocket.net.
Rocket.net user roles table:
| Role | Description | Access highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Site User | Access to specific WordPress sites on the account | Can manage the site(s) they have access to with just a click. Access is customized and site-specific |
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.
7.8
9.2
🏆 Winner Rocket.net: Known for its lightning-fast support and multiple communication channels.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
Phone support |
||
Live chat support |
||
Chatbot |
||
Email/ticket support |
||
Enterprise support (dedicated agent, priority support) |
Domain.com offers 24/7 phone and web chat support with representatives who are pleasant and helpful. Though it lacks a ticket system, it makes up for this with its available knowledge base and guidance on tasks such as importing WordPress setups. The cancellation policy of Domain.com is customer-friendly, allowing refunds within the first 30 days.
Rocket.net, on the other hand, provides a broader spectrum of support options, including email and ticket support, along with an impressive response time for live chat and email queries. For enterprise customers, a private Slack channel ensures dedicated assistance. Customer reviews highlight the high quality and quick resolution times of their support services. Overall, Rocket.net stands out with its extensive support channels and highly praised customer service.
Domain.com vs Rocket.net: User feedback
User feedback for this hosting provider is quite mixed. Many users appreciate the platform’s ease of use, straightforward domain registration, and efficient customer support, which contribute to a generally positive experience. However, there are recurring complaints about additional charges for services that other providers offer for free, a confusing user interface, and slow customer support response times. Several users express concerns about unethical business practices, while others commend the company’s reliability and pricing transparency.
Users highly praise Rocket.net for its superior support, user-friendly interface, and top-notch security features. The integration with Cloudflare Enterprise and the inclusion of an Enterprise CDN are standout benefits, saving users money and reducing the need for additional plugins. Customers appreciate the platform’s powerful features, including staging areas, manual backups, and integrated file management. While feedback is overwhelmingly positive, a minor suggestion includes the addition of more analytic tools.
Domain.com vs Rocket.net: FAQ
Which platform is better suited for hosting WordPress websites?
Both Domain.com and Rocket.net are well-suited for hosting WordPress websites, offering managed WordPress hosting with strong performance and security features. However, Rocket.net takes a slight edge due to its advanced configurations, faster load times, and comprehensive security measures, making it more ideal for users who prioritize performance and security.
Are both platforms suitable for beginners?
Domain.com is particularly suitable for beginners due to its user-friendly drag-and-drop website builder, customizable shared and dedicated hosting plans, and easy-to-navigate control panel. Rocket.net, while being more advanced, still offers a user-friendly admin panel with features like one-click staging and automated backups, making it accessible for users with varying levels of expertise.
Which hosting service offers better security features?
Rocket.net offers superior security features compared to Domain.com, including unlimited free SSL certificates, real-time protection through Imunify360, enterprise-level WAF, and continuous security updates. While Domain.com offers substantial security features such as SiteLock and various SSL options, it lacks the proactive and comprehensive security measures found in Rocket.net.
What are the major differences in pricing and value between Domain.com and Rocket.net?
Domain.com offers lower entry prices focusing on affordability with plans starting at $3.75 per month for WordPress and shared hosting, making it budget-friendly. Rocket.net, though more expensive with plans starting at $30 per month, provides significantly more resources, advanced features, and superior performance metrics. The higher costs of Rocket.net are justified by its enterprise-grade features and robust performance.
Which hosting service offers more scalability options for growing websites?
Rocket.net excels in scalability with features like elastic scaling that automatically adjusts performance as demand increases, making it ideal for websites expecting fluctuating traffic. In contrast, Domain.com requires users to choose a static plan and lacks explicit advanced automatic scaling options, making it less flexible for growing websites with varying traffic levels.
The making of this blog
We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.
