Kinsta vs ScalaHosting: guide for 2024

Kinsta vs ScalaHosting: Final verdict

Looking over Kinsta vs. ScalaHosting, 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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  ScalaHosting (Overall grade: 8.8)
  
  provides a comprehensive range of hosting solutions, including shared hosting, VPS, cloud hosting, and dedicated hosting, making it highly versatile. Its SPanel technology offers an integrated and user-friendly control panel that simplifies website management. With free email hosting, robust security measures like SShield real-time protection, and competitive pricing starting as low as $2.95 per month, ScalaHosting appeals to users looking for affordability and extensive features. However, minor drawbacks, such as the absence of automatic malware removal and a less modern interface compared to competitors, exist but are outweighed by the benefits and flexibility offered by ScalaHosting.
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  Kinsta (Overall grade: 8.5)
  
  specializes in managed WordPress hosting built on the Google Cloud Platform, ensuring high performance and reliability with a 99.9% uptime guarantee. The MyKinsta dashboard is noted for its intuitive design, providing features such as isolated staging environments, automatic backups, and seamless Cloudflare integration for enhanced security and speed. Kinsta’s proactive monitoring and multilingual expert support are substantial advantages. Yet, the premium pricing and the lack of email hosting might deter budget-conscious users or those seeking an all-in-one solution. Despite these factors, Kinsta shines through due to its exceptional speed, reliability, and tailored support for WordPress sites.

Hosting types offered

Both platforms offer 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 Kinsta: Kinsta excels in uptime and performance, showcasing unparalleled reliability.

Kinsta’s infrastructure, built on the Google Cloud Platform, ensures stellar performance and high reliability. Kinsta guarantees 99.9% uptime and has demonstrated flawless 100% uptime in various tests. This level of consistency is further supported by the integration with Cloudflare, providing enhanced security and speed. With quick response times and robust load-handling capabilities, Kinsta stands out as a top choice.

ScalaHosting also guarantees 99.9% uptime and offers a credit system for downtime compensation. It achieved 100% uptime during testing and has comprehensive monitoring tools through its proprietary SPanel. ScalaHosting’s global data center presence in the USA, Europe, and partnerships with Digital Ocean and AWS ensures wide coverage. With competitive loading speeds and dedicated WordPress management tools, ScalaHosting provides reliable hosting services.

🏆 Winner
Kinsta: Exceptional Speed and Robust Security: Kinsta and ScalaHosting are known for strong hosting performance, but they cater to different needs and priorities. Kinsta leverages Google Cloud Platform and Cloudflare, offering edge caching, a wide array of data centers, and continuous optimization for databases and images, making it extremely fast. In comparison, ScalaHosting uses OpenLiteSpeed and LiteSpeed Enterprise web servers and emphasizes performance with custom-built servers and a self-healing cloud setup. Kinsta offers built-in Application Performance Monitoring (APM) for detailed insights, while ScalaHosting provides dedicated resources for managed VPS with flexible payment based on resources used. Both have extensive global data center locations, but Kinsta boasts 35 while ScalaHosting integrates AWS, adding several additional locations worldwide.

Kinsta and ScalaHosting both offer SSD storage and free CDN integration to enhance hosting performance and speed. Kinsta, however, showcases faster load times with a heavyweight theme clocked at 1.69 seconds, compared to ScalaHosting’s 4.85 seconds. Kinsta operates 35 global data centers, which surpasses ScalaHosting’s six, potentially offering better local loading speeds and content delivery. Moreover, Kinsta’s technology is more up-to-date, which may contribute to its superior performance.

Website Speed

Kinsta excels in website speed with edge caching that significantly reduces Time to First Byte (TTFB) by up to 50%. Their automatic optimization of image formats to WebP and continuous MySQL database tweaking make web pages load up to 30% faster. The early hints feature aids in serving pages swiftly. ScalaHosting, while not having edge caching, offers impressive speed benefits through OpenLiteSpeed servers, ensuring quick load times and reliability. Both services provide free CDN, but Kinsta’s Cloudflare integration adds an extra layer of performance and security enhancement.

Scalability

Both hosting providers offer scalability options tailored to varying needs; however, Kinsta offers seamless elastic scaling with straightforward plan upgrades and clear overage pricing, perfect for growing websites. They provide detailed information on costs associated with scaling, such as increasing disk space and PHP memory limits directly from their plans. ScalaHosting allows for on-demand scalability where resources can be adjusted at any time with a single click. Dedicated servers are available for managed VPS, and users only pay for the resources they consume, making it easy to scale according to specific requirements. However, detailed cost information for scaling was not provided.

🏆 Winner Kinsta: Kinsta offers a blend of reliable security features that cater to a wide range of user needs, ensuring robust protection and performance.

Technical security measures:

Kinsta offers free SSL certificates with automatic renewals and provides the option for custom and wildcard SSL certificates, while ScalaHosting offers a variety of SSL certificates at different price points. Both hosting providers allow selecting the PHP version, but Kinsta streamlines this process through the MyKinsta dashboard. Kinsta includes a fully managed WAF with DDoS protection, free malware removal, and automatic hourly backups. ScalaHosting includes SShield real-time malware protection, SPanel which offers an advanced security suite, and automated daily backups but lacks some automated responses to detecting and removing malware.

Operational security measures:

Kinsta secures all sites behind a robust firewall, provides proactive site monitoring every 3 minutes, and offers security vulnerability alerts. It also features 24/7 uptime monitoring and secure remote access options. On the other side, ScalaHosting includes features such as 24/7 proactive monitoring, disaster recovery backups stored offsite, and an inbound/outbound anti-spam tool. Both hosts offer SSL certificate installation for free if hosted with them, but ScalaHosting provides an extensive range of premium SSL options and brute-force protection across all plans. Kinsta’s IP deny tool and force HTTPS features further enhance site protection.

Compliance and certifications:

Kinsta maintains SOC 2 compliance for enterprise-grade security and GDPR compliance for data protection in the European Union. While PCI compliance details are not fully specified for Kinsta, its robust security measures are conducive to facilitating PCI compliance for eCommerce stores. ScalaHosting uses US-based data centers that comply with NIST, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, GLBA, SOC 1, SOC 2, and SSAE 18 standards. Thus, ScalaHosting covers a broader range of compliance and certifications, suitable for diverse regulatory needs, including HIPAA.

🏆 Winner: ScalaHosting: ScalaHosting offers a broad range of features and superb flexibility for web hosting needs.

Kinsta and ScalaHosting both come equipped with essential tools for managing your website, but they cater to different types of users. Kinsta is known for its managed WordPress hosting, focusing on ease-of-use and providing a high-performance environment tailored for WordPress sites. It provides SSH and SFTP access, making file management secure and straightforward. However, Kinsta lacks a native website builder, which might necessitate third-party plugins or services if you need to create your site from scratch. Kinsta also stands out with its isolated staging environments, enabling users to meticulously test changes before they go live, which is a significant advantage for those managing complex sites.

On the other hand, ScalaHosting shines with a more versatile offering that includes a website builder, making it easier for users who prefer an integrated solution for building and managing their sites. ScalaHosting supports various PHP versions, from 5.6 to the latest 8.2, and offers both FTP/SFTP and SSH access, ensuring developers have the flexibility they need. Additionally, ScalaHosting comes with free email hosting and a more inclusive range of admin interface features, such as the ability to restart a service or server directly from the control panel. While it does not specify dedicated isolated staging environments like Kinsta, the breadth of features and customization options make ScalaHosting a strong contender for those looking for a flexible web hosting provider.

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 Kinsta 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:

ScalaHosting provides full email hosting services, allowing users to create and manage their own email accounts, suitable for personal or business communication. It supports setting up email campaigns and offers reselling options for third-party services like Google Workspace. Kinsta, however, does not provide email hosting directly and includes only transactional email capabilities, requiring users to integrate third-party services for comprehensive email functionality.

🏆 Winner ScalaHosting: Offers a wide range of features at budget-friendly prices, making it a versatile choice 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.

Kinsta provides a structured approach to managed WordPress hosting with plans starting at $35 per month, while ScalaHosting’s WordPress plans start at $5.95 per month. Kinsta offers different tiers designed to meet diverse requirements, scaling up to enterprise-level solutions for $675 per month. ScalaHosting, on the other hand, excels in affordability and versatile options, including email hosting and managed cloud VPS plans, with entry prices as low as $2.95 per month for shared hosting. Both providers include robust security features, daily backups, and free migrations, but ScalaHosting’s plans come with additional freebies such as free domains and unlimited websites, which adds significant value for users on a tight budget.

Enterprise plans

ScalaHosting’s managed cloud VPS plans range from $29.95 to $94.95 per month, offering unmetered bandwidth, daily backups, and a free domain. These include SShield state-of-the-art security and SPanel control panel. Kinsta’s enterprise plans start at $675 per month and provide higher specifications with significant storage and traffic allowances, encompassing advanced backup retention and free CDN. While Kinsta’s plans are oriented towards high-traffic environments, ScalaHosting offers competitive features at a more accessible price point.

🏆 Winner Kinsta: Provides a highly accessible and user-friendly hosting experience.

Kinsta offers a custom-built MyKinsta dashboard that has been recognized for its intuitive design and ease of use. This dashboard allows users to manage their sites with features like one-click backup creation, easy cache management, and simple PHP version selection. Its design caters to both technical and non-technical users, making it a versatile choice for varied hosting needs. On the other hand, ScalaHosting uses SPanel, an all-in-one control panel, which also provides a straightforward interface for managing websites, domains, emails, files, and databases. While it eliminates the need for additional licensing fees, users might find it slightly less polished than Kinsta’s custom solution.

For users new to hosting, Kinsta’s MyKinsta dashboard offers clear guidance and a streamlined interface that can reduce the learning curve. Its built-in staging environments enable easy testing before going live, which can benefit developers and novices alike. ScalaHosting’s SPanel, though effective, is more aligned with traditional hosting management and might appeal more to users who appreciate straightforwardness but are comfortable with slightly dated aesthetics. Both panels provide comprehensive functionalities, but Kinsta’s modern interface and award-winning design give it an edge in user accessibility and overall experience.

Both Kinsta and ScalaHosting offer free migration services. Kinsta allows users to request migration through the MyKinsta dashboard, and they also provide detailed steps and support for both basic and premium migrations. ScalaHosting similarly offers free website migration, managed by their trained technicians, who will handle the entire process and notify users once complete. While both hosting providers make migrations relatively painless, Kinsta’s integration within the dashboard adds a layer of convenience not found with ScalaHosting’s method.

The platforms provide extensive knowledge bases filled with guides, how-to articles, and instructional content. Kinsta’s help center is rich with resources, including comprehensive documentation, guides, tutorials, and proactive monitoring, along with 24/7/365 live expert support via chat. The support team consists of experienced developers and engineers, ensuring expert assistance. ScalaHosting also provides a detailed knowledge base, getting started guides, and SPanel tutorials, with 24/7 support via live chat and ticket system that promises quick responses. Both hosting providers furnish valuable educational resources, but Kinsta’s combination of depth and the availability of live expert advice make it more accessible and supportive for users.

🏆 Winner
ScalaHosting: Proven superior in user management capabilities and tools.

ScalaHosting and Kinsta both offer extensive user management features tailored to ensure secure and efficient access control. Kinsta assigns precise responsibilities to various user roles such as Company Owners, Administrators, and Developers, each defined with specific levels of access primarily through the MyKinsta portal. Conversely, ScalaHosting provides more granular control by allowing the creation of user accounts with customizable limits on resources such as disk space and databases. This flexibility extends to modifying server resources and providing SSH access, offering a more hands-on approach to user permission management.

Both platforms furnish intuitive user interfaces for user management, yet they differ in their offerings. Kinsta’s MyKinsta platform focuses on simplicity, offering easy navigation for enabling Two-Factor Authentication and managing user settings. ScalaHosting, however, goes a step further by incorporating detailed control options directly within its SPanel interface, allowing administrators to manage account suspensions, alter web servers, and monitor server health seamlessly. The comprehensive suite of tools provided by ScalaHosting delivers a more robust set of utilities for everyday management tasks.

When assessing the platforms’ access control methods and capacity to manage an expanding user base, ScalaHosting appears more adept with its inclusion of API tokens for third-party integrations and the capability to create additional admin accounts for collaborative server management. Kinsta entrusts the customer with responsibility for ensuring proper access levels, which can be somewhat limiting compared to ScalaHosting’s in-depth and flexible access management features. ScalaHosting’s ability to control two-factor authentication and CAPTCHA for different user groups further underscores its strength in managing a large and diverse user base efficiently.

Kinsta user roles table:

ScalaHosting user roles table:

🏆 Winner
ScalaHosting: High ratings and a versatile support system make it a leading choice for hosting needs.

Kinsta and ScalaHosting both offer a varied range of customer support options. Kinsta provides phone support via its sales team, 24/7 live chat exclusively for paid customers, and email support for all inquiries. Their multilingual support options and proactive site monitoring are noteworthy. ScalaHosting also ensures 24/7 support through email and technical assistance, live chat with an instant response, and a comprehensive ticket system.

Kinsta stands out with additional language support and proactive site monitoring available every three minutes. It also offers “human-only” expert support, free from AI or chatbots, which guarantees personalized assistance. ScalaHosting, however, shines with its highly-rated customer service, extended policy for unused resource refunds, and pre-sales options during regular business hours. These distinctions highlight ScalaHosting’s versatility and extensive customer care capabilities.

Kinsta vs ScalaHosting: User feedback

User feedback for Kinsta highlights its exceptional speed, reliability, and user-friendly interface, making it a top choice for WordPress hosting. Users appreciate the responsive and knowledgeable customer support, daily backups, and smooth site migration process. However, some reviewers noted the relatively high pricing and limitations in monthly traffic for lower-tier plans, which can be a concern for budget-conscious users. Overall, Kinsta’s robust performance and effective support have earned it high praise and a loyal customer base.

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.

Kinsta vs ScalaHosting: FAQ