Contabo vs WestHost: guide for 2024

Contabo vs WestHost: Final verdict

Looking over Contabo vs. WestHost, 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.

• 
  WestHost (Overall grade: 7.8)
  
  provides a well-rounded service with a wide range of hosting types, including shared, cloud, and WordPress hosting. This makes it an excellent choice for users looking for ease of use, affordability, and essential features like free SSL certificates and a user-friendly interface. While its performance is reliable, it is often praised for its user-centric approach, including 24/7 live chat support and a comprehensive help center. However, issues like outdated documentation and the occasional need for customer support intervention can present challenges for some users.
• 
  Contabo (Overall grade: 7.6)
  
  specializes in powerful VPS and dedicated server offerings, making it suitable for high-traffic and multimedia-heavy websites. It stands out for its consistent uptime, fast load times thanks to advanced SSD options, and robust security measures including DDoS protection and two-factor authentication. Though it may require a bit more technical know-how to manage effectively, its flexibility and advanced features are a great fit for those needing a highly customizable and scalable hosting environment. Nevertheless, customer support and interface usability are areas where Contabo may fall short, especially for less technical users.

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 Contabo: Contabo excels in uptime and availability with an impressive 99.996% uptime guarantee.

Contabo’s uptime and availability are backed by fast AMD EPYC processors and generous traffic allowances. With SSD or Gen 4 PCIe NVMe SSD storage options, websites and applications benefit from swift load times. Multiple global data centers ensure high availability, and the company enforces strict security measures, including DDoS protection and two-factor authentication.

WestHost emphasizes redundancy and security, offering a 99.995% service level agreement. While their monitoring showed 100% uptime over a month, there’s no explicit uptime guarantee. Performance is average, with a load time of 5.2 seconds. Data centers are globally distributed, supporting their service reliability.

🏆 Winner: Westhost offers a well-rounded hosting service with essential features ensuring high performance and security.

Comparing the general performance of Contabo and Westhost reveals key differences. Contabo uses AMD EPYC 7282 16-core processors and provides SSD or Gen 4 PCIe NVMe SSD, supporting speed with 200Mbit/s to 1Gbit/s connection speeds. Westhost, leveraging solid state drives and boasting unlimited free SSL certificates, also ensures page speed with built-in CDN for higher-tier plans. Contabo supports vast data throughput with 32TB outgoing traffic and unlimited inbound traffic. Both have multiple data centers globally, enhancing website speed and uptime reliability.

Website Speed

Contabo focuses on faster data response using fast processors, advanced SSD options, and high-speed connections, ensuring low latency for various applications. Conversely, Westhost offers a comprehensive infrastructure with SSD and CDN integration in select plans, providing reliable load times and steady website performance. Both hosting providers promise high-speed access, but Westhost’s included CDN gives it an edge in delivering consistent website speeds.

Scalability

Contabo offers flexible VPS plans that can be easily upgraded without sacrificing uptime, providing better options for those needing scalable solutions. It isn’t clear whether the scaling happens automatically. Westhost provides numerous plan options for standard hosting but requires manual upgrades for scaling needs. They offer dedicated servers, and their scaling costs range from $8/month to $128/month, depending on the VPS package. Overall, both services accommodate growth but with different degrees of flexibility and pricing.

🏆 Winner Contabo: Contabo offers robust security features and flexibility, making it a superior choice for web hosting.

Technical security measures:

Contabo offers a range of comprehensive technical security measures such as always-on DDoS protection and customizable PHP versions, which help maintain the security and functionality of your hosting environment. They offer SSL certificates to boost encrypted communication, enhancing website security. Westhost, meanwhile, also provides Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates for secure website communications and supports PHP versions from 5.3 to 8.2. Contabo includes Imunify AV for malware scanning, while Westhost provides SiteLock for the first year to protect against malware and other threats. Both offer FTP over SSL for secure FTP access, but Contabo includes proprietary DDoS protection, which is more advanced and integrated than what is mentioned for Westhost.

Operational security measures:

Contabo’s data centers have 24/7 CCTV surveillance and access controlled via magnetic cards and role-based access controls (RBAC), ensuring stringent physical security. Additionally, Contabo requires two-factor authentication (2FA) for all accounts, thereby enhancing login security. Westhost guarantees 99.9% uptime and provides 24/7 technical support. Both offer backups and raw access logs, but Contabo also incorporates monitoring tools for proactive management of server resources, which is more detailed compared to Westhost’s features. For post-breach support, Westhost offers managed security clean-up services at a flat fee, whereas Contabo does not specify such a service but provides robust preventive measures.

Compliance and certifications:

Contabo is fully GDPR compliant and emphasizes strict adherence to data protection regulations. Although PCI compliance is not specified for either hosting service, Contabo’s generalized compliance measures suggest they follow industry standards. Westhost is GDPR compliant through the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield framework but leaves PCI compliance unspecified. HIPAA compliance details are not provided for both.

🏆 Winner
Contabo: Delivers robust performance, extensive control panel features, and high versatility for hosting needs.

Both Contabo and Westhost provide solid hosting services, but they cater to different user requirements. Contabo stands out with its powerful AMD EPYC processors, extensive control panel functions, and self-managed server support options. It boasts global data centers, automated infrastructure orchestration via Zerops, and aims to meet advanced customization needs through a variety of OS options and control panels like cPanel and Plesk. This makes it ideal for users who need robust performance and flexibility.

Westhost, however, caters more to budget-conscious users looking for ease of use without compromising essential features. It provides web hosting services starting at $1/month and offers unlimited FTP users, free migration, free SSL certificates, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. With an easy application installer, 80+ free applications, and a user-friendly StackCP control panel, it is suited for individuals or small businesses that prioritize cost-efficiency and basic functionality. While it doesn’t offer the same extensive control over server resources as Contabo, its simplicity and affordability are compelling for less technical users.

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 Contabo and Westhost 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:

Both Contabo and Westhost offer robust email hosting services. Contabo allows users to create, manage, and secure their email accounts and supports transactional email functions. Westhost provides personalized mailboxes with a webmail interface and includes protections against fraud, viruses, and spam. Neither provider promotes the reselling of third-party email services like Google Workspace or Outlook, ensuring dedicated email hosting within their respective environments.

🏆 Winner Westhost: Westhost offers a well-rounded hosting solution with competitive pricing and excellent feature sets.

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.

Comparing the pricing plans between Contabo and Westhost reveals significant differences. Contabo’s VPS and dedicated server plans are more flexible in terms of CPU, RAM, and storage configurations with market-competitive pricing, while Westhost excels in comprehensive web and email hosting plans. Westhost’s web hosting plans come with features like free domains, unmetered bandwidth, and SSL certificates, making them an attractive option for various types of users. Contabo, on the other hand, offers higher resource allocations in its VPS and dedicated server plans, which might appeal to users who need robust computing power.

Enterprise plans

Enterprise users will find robust options from both providers. Contabo offers high-performance dedicated servers, such as the AMD EPYC 32 Cores plan priced at €301.97/month with 256GB RAM and unlimited domains. Westhost provides a comprehensive VPS plan, VPS16GB, priced at $128.00/month, featuring 16GB RAM, 400GB SSD storage, and 8TB bandwidth. Both hosting providers ensure extensive resource availability, but Contabo’s higher-end configurations may attract larger enterprises seeking more robust computing power.

🏆 Winner Westhost: Offers a user-friendly, all-inclusive hosting service suitable for users without technical expertise.

Contabo provides a specialized control panel designed to manage its VPS services. This panel offers various server management options including OS reinstalls, location adjustments, and service upgrades. It is particularly user-friendly for those familiar with hosting environments, featuring a menu-driven interface that simplifies standard tasks. In contrast, Westhost uses the widely recognized cPanel, which is accessible to both technical and non-technical users. cPanel is well-known for its intuitive layout, making tasks like file management, website publishing, and server monitoring straightforward, even for beginners.

When it comes to migration tools, Contabo does not explicitly mention any automated migration services within its provided resources. Its platform is more attuned to users who are comfortable handling manual migrations and server management tasks. On the other hand, Westhost simplifies the migration process with its dedicated Migration Center, offering detailed guides and potentially automated tools for transferring existing websites. The extent to which these services are free or require payment is not specified, but Westhost’s focus on user accessibility suggests a more beginner-friendly approach.

Contabo offers a range of tutorials, FAQs, and API documentation to support their users. Their help center, accessible through the Contabo website, serves as a valuable resource for troubleshooting and service inquiries. Westhost’s help center is equally comprehensive, covering various facets like domains, email hosting, web hosting, and more. It stands out by providing 24/7 live chat support and a detailed knowledge base designed to help users at all technical levels.

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

🏆 Winner: WestHost: A user-friendly hosting provider with flexible user management.

Contabo and WestHost both offer user management systems that cater to distinct needs, yet WestHost’s feature set stands out. Contabo provides a streamlined user management experience through its Customer Details Menu, allowing users to manage personal information, security settings, and server permissions. It also includes Two-Factor Authentication and DDoS protection, emphasizing security. On the other hand, WestHost offers more flexibility in defining user roles and permissions, with separate user accounts for E-mail and FTP users. This delineation allows users to manage access rigorously and customize permissions effectively, making it better suited for environments requiring distinct user roles.

Comparing the user interfaces, Contabo’s Control Panel is designed to be user-friendly, enabling users to management their services with ease—handling upgrades, reconfigurations, and security settings seamlessly. WestHost’s Site Manager also sports a user-friendly interface, but it further simplifies the process of creating and managing users. The availability of step-by-step video tutorials guiding new users through setting up e-mail and FTP accounts underscores its approachability, making it easy for even non-technical users to get started.

In terms of access control, Contabo enforces Two-Factor Authentication universally, emphasizing account security but possibly adding a layer of complexity for general users. It also offers DDoS protection free of charge, ensuring the integrity of user sessions. WestHost, while not imposing mandatory Two-Factor Authentication, provides a robust user management system that is adept at managing an increasing number of users. The clear separation of E-mail and FTP user roles and easy-to-configure quotas enhance its scalability, making it well-suited for growing businesses.

Contabo user roles table:

WestHost user roles table:

🏆 Winner WestHost: Highly accessible 24/7 support with live chat and multiple contact points.

Contabo provides a range of support channels, including phone, email, and an extensive self-help section. Its phone support is available from 10 am to 8 pm CET on weekdays, and a well-monitored support ticket system ensures fast response times. However, Contabo lacks live chat support and 24-hour availability, which may be limiting for some users.

WestHost stands out with its 24/7 live chat support and multiple contact methods, including phone, email, and ticket submission. Its support agents receive praise for their politeness and resourcefulness, although some users report inconsistent responses and delay. WestHost’s customer support is geared toward providing immediate and localized assistance, making it suitable for users who value round-the-clock availability and a money-back guarantee.

Contabo vs WestHost: User feedback

Contabo’s hosting services are highly appreciated for their affordability and powerful VPS plans, which can handle demanding software and complex tasks efficiently. Users find the setup process relatively easy and often compliment the cost-effectiveness and reliability of the service, despite occasional downtime reported by some. However, criticisms are directed towards their customer support, which has been described as slow and unresponsive at times, and their user interface could benefit from modern improvements. Frequent downtimes without notice and issues with specific regional servers have also been noted as areas needing improvement.

Users find WestHost to be a reliable hosting provider with minimal downtime and high-quality support. The competitive pricing is appreciated, but many users express frustration with the outdated documentation and the need for customer support intervention for tasks like updating SSL certificates. While the service itself is smooth and hassle-free, the administrative interface and outdated guides significantly detract from the overall user experience.

Contabo vs WestHost: FAQ