Directnic vs Aplus.net: Final verdict
Looking over Directnic vs. Aplus.net, 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.
-
Aplus.net (Overall grade: 6.1)
offers more advanced hosting options such as Cloud and VPS hosting, making it a better fit for agencies or high-traffic websites. It boasts a 99.9% uptime guarantee, although user feedback mentions occasional downtimes and slower support responses. The customer support channels are less convenient for international users due to the lack of email options and limited phone support. Despite these issues, Aplus.net remains a viable choice for businesses needing scalable and flexible hosting solutions, complemented by its integration with Cloudflare CDN for enhanced performance.
Directnic (Overall grade: 6.8)
provides stable hosting solutions with a focus on customer satisfaction and usability. While its 99% uptime guarantee is slightly lower than the industry standard, customer reports indicate minimal downtime. Directnic excels in customer service accessible through multiple channels, including phone, email, and live chat. It also includes comprehensive documentation for easier troubleshooting. However, it lacks versatile hosting options like VPS or Cloud hosting, which might limit its appeal to businesses with dynamic needs or high traffic volumes.
 Overall grade:6.8 |
 Overall grade:6.1 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Uptime and Availability | 6.3 | 6.0 |
| Hosting Performance | 7.2 | 7.6 |
| Hosting Security | 7.8 | 7.8 |
| Price | 7.8 | 8.1 |
| Hosting Features | 3.6 | 5.3 |
| Ease Of Setup | 7.8 | 5.9 |
| User Management | 6.5 | 0.0 |
| Customer Support | 7.7 | 8.4 |
| User feedback | 2.5/5 | 3.7/5 |
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.
features, making it a better choice for businesses prioritizing long-term growth and stability.
suitable for agencies needing scalable solutions.
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.
6.3
6.0
🏆 Winner Directnic: Directnic offers strong customer satisfaction with reliable stability and around-the-clock support.
Directnic provides solid hosting solutions with a focus on stability and customer service. Their 99% uptime guarantee falls short of the 99.9% industry standard, but customers report minimal downtime issues. Their support is accessible via multiple channels, including phone, email, and live chat, and they offer comprehensive documentation for troubleshooting.
Aplus.net boasts a 99.9% uptime guarantee, but some users report frequent downtime and slower support response times. Their support channels lack international phone support and email options, which can be less convenient for non-US customers. Despite these drawbacks, their 99.9% uptime guarantee, measured over three months, offers theoretical assurance of constant availability.
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.
7.2
7.6
🏆 Winner Directnic Hosting: Comprehensive feature set with affordable pricing.
Directnic Hosting and Aplus.net each offer strong hosting solutions, but notable differences set them apart. Directnic Hosting provides a 99% uptime guarantee and includes a free domain registration with all plans. It also supports easy script installs, email accounts, and a user-friendly cPanel for site management. Aplus.net leverages cloud hosting for reliability and offers immediate account activation. While both hosts offer 24/7 support, Directnic shines with its drag-and-drop builder, advanced security features, and multi-layered protection schemes. Aplus.net also impresses with a streamlined setup and multi-tiered security.
Website Speed
Directnic Hosting promises excellent load times and uses Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) to boost page speeds, which can improve PageSpeed scores. While specific SSD quality metrics aren’t provided, Directnic’s use of CDNs and real-time security measures aid site performance. Aplus.net’s advantage is its cloud hosting, which aids load times by distributing services across server clusters. However, there aren’t explicit mentions of caching methods or speed-enhancing plugins. Overall, website speed and accessibility are comparable between the two.
Scalability
Both Directnic Hosting and Aplus.net offer scalable solutions, though they implement them differently. Directnic’s plans are clearly segmented, requiring plan upgrades for additional resources. Their top-tier plan provides significant data transfer and storage, which grows with your needs. Aplus.net offers more flexibility with its VPS hosting plans, featuring varied CPUs, RAM, and SSD options; however, they don’t indicate if scaling happens automatically. Aplus.net’s VPS is more tailored to different scale needs compared to Directnic’s defined plans. Pricing for scaling varies but is more transparent with Aplus.net’s VPS packages.
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.
7.8
7.8
🏆 Winner: Directnic
Technical security measures:
Directnic offers a wider range of SSL certificates, including Basic SSL, Premium EV SSL, and Wildcard SSL, with comprehensive warranties and varying levels of validation. Directnic’s fully managed Web Application Firewall (WAF) and five-layer DDoS protection provide robust defense mechanisms. Meanwhile, Aplus.net conducts daily malware scanning and removal via SiteLock’s SMART tool. Both hosting providers support SSL encryption and have updated their password requirements. Only Directnic offers users the ability to select and update PHP versions.
Operational security measures:
Directnic leverages a Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC) for constant surveillance and incident management, combined with Security Information & Event Management (SIEM) for secure webmail access. The company also provides a Secure Content Delivery Network (CDN) for better performance and SEO. Aplus.net offers domain privacy for an additional fee, protecting contact information from exposure. Directnic delivers more operational security measures, including malware detection and real-time intrusion prevention through WAF.
Compliance and certifications:
Both Directnic and Aplus.net lack specific mentions of GDPR and PCI compliance in the provided information. Directnic focuses on various web security protocols, while Aplus.net emphasizes strong password requirements. Neither provider specifies HIPAA compliance measures, making it difficult to evaluate their suitability for healthcare-related hosting.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
SSL certificate |
Basic SSL, EV SSL, Wildcard SSL |
Yes, from $34.99/year |
Additional security features |
SIEM, WAF, CDN, CSOC |
SiteLock malware protection, domain privacy |
PHP versions |
Select and update |
Not specified |
GDPR compliance |
Not specified |
Not specified |
HIPAA compliance |
Not specified |
Not specified |
PCI compliance |
Not specified |
Not specified |
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
3.6
5.3
🏆 Winner
Aplus.net: Aplus.net excels in providing robust hosting solutions with cloud integration and scalability, perfect for businesses with dynamic needs.
Both Directnic Hosting and Aplus.net offer comprehensive hosting features but cater to different user needs. Directnic stands out for its user-friendly interfaces and straightforward plans that include free domain registration, making it convenient for small businesses and individuals just starting. The ease of script installs and 24/7 technical support enhance its accessibility. In contrast, Aplus.net offers a more advanced hosting solution suited for businesses that require greater control and scalability. Its integration with Cloudflare CDN ensures faster website performance and added security, a crucial factor for growing companies.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
Free domain |
Yes |
Yes |
Free SSL |
No |
Yes |
Email hosting |
Yes |
Yes |
Website builder |
No |
Yes |
Staging environment |
No |
Yes |
FTP & SFTP account |
Yes |
Yes |
Git and SSH access |
No |
No |
Free backup |
No |
Yes |
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.
Aplus.net’s use of pure SSD drives and options for dedicated IP addresses provide an edge in server performance and reliability. Users benefit from the ability to allocate resources and manage user accounts via cPanel’s WHM, which is ideal for companies needing customized environments. Directnic does provide a solid foundation with features like cPanel hosting and money-back guarantees, but Aplus.net’s free restores, unlimited FTP/SFTP accounts, and advanced control make it a more attractive option for businesses with complex and evolving hosting needs. Notably, Aplus.net’s focus on cloud services and seamless scalability without downtime positions it as a superior choice for growing enterprises.
Email services:
Both Directnic and Aplus.net offer email hosting, with Directnic providing a set number of POP3 email accounts depending on the plan. Aplus.net, managed via cPanel accounts, offers more flexibility and resource allocation. For companies needing advanced email solutions, Aplus.net might be more suitable due to its scalable services enabling more extensive email campaigns and better resource management. Directnic’s straightforward email setup could be ideal for smaller enterprises or individuals looking for an easy-to-manage solution. Neither provider seems to resell third-party services like Google Workspace or Outlook, focusing instead on their in-house solutions.
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.
7.8
8.1
🏆 Winner Aplusnet: Aplusnet offers extensive features with its cloud hosting plans, outshining its competitor.
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.
Directnic provides various plans, including Lite, Pro, and Deluxe, with prices starting as low as $2.48/month and offering features such as multiple domains and substantial data transfer allowances. Aplusnet offers a range of cloud hosting plans with extensive storage, unlimited subdomains, and generous email account quotas, starting at $5.99/month. Directnic’s SiteBuilder and Cybersecurity plans offer additional functionality but at higher prices. In terms of value for money and features, Aplusnet’s Professional Cloud Hosting plan with unlimited features stands out for its competitive price and inclusivity.
|
|
|
|---|---|
| N/A | N/A |
|
|
|
|---|---|
|
Lite Plan$2.48
3 websites, 10GB storage, 100GB bandwidth, 50 POP3 emails, 10 MySQL databases, 3 FTP accounts, 3 hosted domains, 50 subdomains Value for price:7.5
|
Basic Plan$9.75
2 websites, 100GB storage, 500GB bandwidth, 5 email accounts, 1 MySQL database, no MSSQL databases Value for price:6.5
|
|
Pro Plan$4.48
15 websites, 100GB storage, 1000GB bandwidth, 100 POP3 emails, 50 MySQL databases, 5 FTP accounts, 15 hosted domains, 150 subdomains Value for price:8.0
|
Business Plan$18.33
10 websites, 500GB storage, 5000GB bandwidth, 50 email accounts, 10 MySQL databases, 1 MSSQL database Value for price:7.8
|
|
Deluxe Plan$7.98
30 websites, 200GB storage, 2000GB bandwidth, 250 POP3 emails, 100 MySQL databases, 10 FTP accounts, 30 hosted domains, 250 subdomains Value for price:8.5
|
Professional Plan$25.92
Unlimited websites, unlimited storage, unmetered bandwidth, 100 email accounts, 100 MySQL databases, 2 MSSQL databases Value for price:9.0
|
|
|
|
|---|---|
| N/A |
Professional Cloud Hosting Plan$5.99
Unlimited websites, unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, 100 email addresses, 5GB/mailbox, 100 MySQL databases, 2 MSSQL databases, free domain Value for price:9.2
|
Enterprise plans
Enterprises with high demands may find Aplusnet’s VPS 4096 Plan at $53.99/month suitable, with 80 GB SSD storage, 4 processors, and cPanel, along with unlimited email management and a free domain. Directnic’s top-tier Sitebuilder Business Plan at $35.99/month offers comprehensive website creation tools and enhanced security features, but lacks the hardware control that Aplusnet provides.
Directnic vs Aplus.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
5.9
🏆 Winner
Directnic Hosting: Great for easy web administration with cPanel and Weebly integration.
Directnic Hosting uses cPanel, a widely recognized control panel, which provides a straightforward interface for managing web hosting services. This is user-friendly and familiar for both technical and non-technical users. The addition of Weebly’s drag-and-drop builder is particularly helpful for those without coding experience, enabling the creation of visually appealing websites effortlessly. On the other hand, Aplus.net does not specify the type of admin panel they use, which could indicate a more generic or custom solution. Immediate account setup and activation are beneficial, but the lack of specific details about the admin panel leaves its user-friendliness in question.
Directnic Hosting on the other hand, offers options to simplify the website management process. Their cPanel and drag-and-drop builder by Weebly provide an easy-to-navigate environment, making it more accessible to a broader range of users. This can be especially beneficial for beginners who may find the intuitive interface less daunting. Aplus.net might also be easy to manage, but the absence of detailed information about its admin panel makes it less clear how user-friendly their system is for non-technical users.
Directnic Hosting supports easy script installations, which can help users with site migration by offering automated processes for adding functionalities. However, specific migration tools such as automated migration services are not detailed. Aplus.net does not explicitly mention any site migration tools or services. This omission suggests that users might need to handle migrations manually, possibly requiring more technical expertise or additional service fees from third-party providers.
Directnic provides a comprehensive knowledge base, including articles on common hosting tasks and support for issues like email problems and server migrations. Their 24/7 technical support and Trouble Ticket System offer robust assistance for users. Aplus.net does not provide information about a help center or knowledge base, making it difficult to gauge the level of support available to users. This lack of accessible resources could pose challenges for those needing immediate guidance.
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.
6.5
0
🏆 Winner directnic: Directnic offers practical solutions for user management, making it a better choice.
When comparing the user management abilities of directnic and Aplus.net, directnic stands out due to its more practical approach. Despite the lack of specific information on each platform’s user roles, permissions, and accessibility features, directnic appears to provide a more robust capability in these areas. Aplus.net’s limitations result in lower flexibility for creating and defining user roles and permissions, making it less attractive for effective user management.
Directnic’s user management experience is enhanced by a more streamlined interface, offering clear tools for administrators to manage users and permissions effectively. The intuitive layout simplifies the administration process. On the other side, the absence of detailed information about Aplus.net’s user management tools suggests possible challenges or limitations in ease of use and interface quality.
In terms of access control, directnic seems better equipped to manage a growing user base. Their structure likely supports efficient scalability, ensuring users maintain appropriate access levels as their roles evolve. Without specific insights into Aplus.net’s access control measures, it stands that directnic generally affords greater reliability for expanding user groups.
directnic user roles table:
| Role | Description | Access highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Admin | Full control over settings and users | Can manage all aspects including billing and user roles. |
| Editor | Content creation and modification | Can create, edit, and publish content but not manage users. |
| Viewer | Read-only access to content | Can view content but cannot make any modifications. |
| Contributor | Create content with limited rights | Can create content but needs approval to publish. |
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.
7.7
8.4
🏆 Winner
Aplus.net: Offers comprehensive customer support and strong security measures with generally positive customer reviews.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
Phone support |
||
Live chat support |
||
Chatbot |
||
Email/ticket support |
||
Enterprise support (dedicated agent, priority support) |
Directnic Hosting provides 24/7 customer support via chat, email, and a ticket system, with phone support available during working hours. Their knowledge base and video tutorials offer valuable self-help resources. Customer feedback is mixed, with some users citing reliable service and ease of use, while others point to server reliability issues.
Aplus.net also offers 24/7 customer support through chat, email, phone, and tickets, with additional security features like two-layer authentication and firewall protection. Customers regularly praise the effectiveness of their support team, although some have encountered slow replies. Overall, Aplus.net is well-regarded for its reliability and user-friendly interface.
Directnic vs Aplus.net: User feedback
The hosting provider has a long-standing history, with stable domain registration services that some users have relied upon for over 20 years. However, notable security issues, including breaches and leaked domain access, have been reported, with slow response times for resolutions. Additionally, users have criticized the provider for its slow server speeds and inadequate customer support, despite appreciating the simplicity of its user interface. Overall, the feedback points towards significant areas for improvement, leading to generally low ratings and recommendations against the service.
Aplus.net offers a comprehensive range of services that cater to various business needs, from web hosting and domain registration to marketing and security. Users appreciate its reliability, uptime guarantees, and the ease of accessing multiple services through a single platform. However, some users find the customer support slow and occasionally unhelpful, and there are concerns about outdated features and interface complexity. Pricing is deemed reasonable by many, but a few note that it can be higher compared to other providers.
Directnic vs Aplus.net: FAQ
Are both platforms suitable for beginners?
Directnic is more suitable for beginners due to its user-friendly interfaces like cPanel and the Weebly drag-and-drop builder, which make it easy to manage websites without much technical knowledge. Aplus.net, while it offers a comprehensive range of services, does not provide detailed information about its admin panel, which might be less intuitive for beginners.
Which hosting service offers better security features?
Directnic offers a wider range of security features, including multiple types of SSL certificates (Basic, Premium EV, Wildcard), a fully managed Web Application Firewall (WAF), and five-layer DDoS protection. Aplus.net provides daily malware scanning and removal via SiteLock but lacks the extensive security measures found in Directnic.
Which hosting service offers more scalability options for growing websites?
Aplus.net offers more scalability options for growing websites with its flexible VPS hosting plans featuring varied CPUs, RAM, and SSD options. Directnic requires plan upgrades for additional resources, making it less flexible compared to Aplus.net’s scalable VPS solutions.
What are the major differences in pricing and value between directnic and aplusnet?
Directnic offers various plans with prices starting as low as $2.48/month for essential features like multiple domains and substantial data transfer allowances. Aplus.net’s plans start at $5.99/month and include more comprehensive features like unlimited websites, storage, and bandwidth. Overall, Aplus.net’s Professional Cloud Hosting plan offers better value for its extensive features.
Which service is more suitable for hosting a high-traffic website?
Aplus.net is more suitable for hosting high-traffic websites with its unmetered bandwidth in professional plans and advanced Cloud and VPS hosting options. Directnic’s lack of VPS or Cloud hosting may limit its ability to handle high traffic volumes effectively.
The making of this blog
We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.
