Directnic vs Pressable: guide for 2024

Final verdict

Looking over Directnic vs. Pressable, 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.

• 
  Pressable (Overall grade: 8.4)
  
  
  stands out with its 100% uptime guarantee, WordPress-optimized tools, and superior security measures that include free SSL certificates and comprehensive malware scanning. The platform’s auto-scaling capabilities, multiple data centers, and free staging environments make it an excellent choice for agencies, ecommerce sites, and high-traffic websites. Users benefit from advanced features like automated backups, Jetpack Security, and seamless site migrations. While Pressable does come at a higher price point, its performance, security, and specialized WordPress support justify the investment.
  
• 
  Directnic (Overall grade: 6.8)
  
  
  offers reliable shared hosting with a 99% uptime guarantee and various levels of support, including live chat and phone. Shared hosting plans start at a budget-friendly rate of $2.48/month, making it accessible for small businesses and beginners. It includes basic features such as free domain registration, email hosting, and SiteLock security solutions. However, Directnic lacks advanced customization options and performance features like auto-scaling and global data centers. The absence of these critical features limits its scalability and speed optimization, making it less suitable for demanding needs compared to Pressable.
  

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: Pressable Pressable offers unmatched reliability and uptime with a 100% uptime guarantee.

Directnic provides a reliable hosting service that many customers find stable. It offers a 99% uptime guarantee, slightly below the industry standard of 99.9%. The hosting types available include shared hosting with various plans that cater to different needs, from the Lite Plan to the Deluxe Plan. Directnic also offers a range of additional services such as free domain registration, SSL certificates, and comprehensive security measures like SiteLock and cWatch.

Pressable stands out with its 100% uptime guarantee and geo-redundant automatic failover. This makes it a highly reliable choice for hosting, especially for WordPress websites. Its redundant data centers, 24/7/365 monitoring, and tierless support add layers of reliability and availability. Health monitoring and proactive alerts ensure that potential issues are identified and addressed promptly, reducing the chances of downtime.

🏆 Winner
Pressable: Offers the fastest WordPress performance with exceptional reliability and security.

When comparing the general performance of Directnic Hosting and Pressable, there are some notable differences. Pressable offers enhanced speed features due to its global network of 28+ data centers across six continents, which ensures lightning-fast performance and a 100% uptime guarantee. Directnic Hosting, while reliable with a 99% uptime, lacks a global network and focuses on a more traditional hosting setup with varying storage and bandwidth based on different plans. Both services offer Content Delivery Networks (CDN) to accelerate website performance, but Pressable includes it for free, whereas Directnic doesn’t specify if it’s free or paid.

Website speed

In terms of website speed, Pressable outshines Directnic Hosting. Pressable’s custom resource management system, built on Automattic’s WP Cloud, leverages multiple data centers to deliver a 5.2 milliseconds static performance test response time. Directnic does well but lacks the advanced speed optimization that Pressable offers, such as real-time traffic spike management and high-performance CPUs. Pressable’s capabilities ensure your WordPress site loads incredibly fast and remains stable even under high traffic.

Scalability

Scalability is another strong point for Pressable, which features auto-scaling to handle high-traffic peaks efficiently. This means you don’t need to manually upgrade plans as your traffic grows. Unfortunately, there’s no information on whether Directnic Hosting offers automatic scaling or requires plan upgrades for higher traffic. Pressable offers flexible plans, but no detailed costs are provided for scaling. Directnic’s plans are straightforward but may not offer the seamless elasticity that Pressable provides.

🏆 Winner
Pressable: Offers robust security features with proactive defenses and free SSL certificates.

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

Technical security measures:

Directnic offers SSL certificates at various price points, providing options like Basic SSL, Premium EV SSL, and Wildcard SSL. They also provide a range of highly specialized security features such as a Cyber Security Operations Center, fully-managed WAF, DDoS protection, and advanced malware defenses. Pressable, on the other hand, includes free SSL certificates through Let’s Encrypt and focuses on proactive defenses, such as regular malware scanning, Jetpack Security, and daily backups. Both providers allow users to select and update PHP versions, ensuring compatibility with website requirements.

Operational security measures:

Directnic’s operational security measures involve 24/7/365 surveillance, real-time alert notifications, and incident handling by a dedicated CSOC analyst. They also offer extensive protection against various types of attacks, including DDoS. Pressable employs similar 24/7 monitoring through their web application firewall and regular malware scans. They keep WordPress core and plugins updated automatically and provide free hack recovery assistance. Both providers offer strong operational security, but Pressable includes daily automated backups and free hack recovery services, which might appeal to WordPress users in particular.

Compliance and certifications:

Neither Directnic nor Pressable provides explicit information about GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI compliance within the provided details. Although Directnic mentions various compliance measures, specific details are not given. Pressable’s focus on data protection, such as daily backups and security measures, suggests an alignment with compliance standards, but this is not explicitly outlined in the provided information.

🏆 Winner: Pressable: A comprehensive managed WordPress hosting solution focused on performance, security, and ease of use.

Both Directnic and Pressable offer robust hosting services but cater to different user needs. Directnic provides a range of features suitable for beginners and small businesses. With a free domain registration and 99% uptime guarantee, Directnic makes it easier for users to start their online journey without many additional costs. It includes essential features like email accounts and cPanel hosting, and it offers affordable plans starting at $2.48/month. While its user-friendly cPanel environment allows for easy script installs and domain management, Directnic’s customization options are somewhat limited due to the lack of explicit SSH access, which might restrict more advanced users.

On the other hand, Pressable focuses on providing a high-performance hosting service with strong security and developer-friendly tools. Its managed hosting dashboard simplifies site management with one-click cloning and frictionless migrations. Pressable goes a step further with features like automated backups, free SSL certificates, and Jetpack security for added protection. Importantly, Pressable caters well to developers with free staging environments, GitHub integration, and SSH access, making it ideal for more complex projects and WordPress-specific needs. Although it doesn’t explicitly offer a domain registration service, its focus on performance and security, along with expert WordPress support, makes it a highly attractive option for those running multiple sites or needing advanced customization.

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 Directnic and Pressable 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:

Directnic offers a variety of email hosting options suitable for transactional emails and general email campaigns. Users can set up multiple POP3 email accounts based on their hosting plans, making it versatile for business communications. Pressable, on the other hand, does not focus on email hosting for running campaigns; its email functionalities are more aligned with WordPress notifications and user interactions. For enhanced email services, users may need to rely on third-party providers such as Google Workspace or Zoho when using Pressable.

🏆 Winner
Pressable: Pressable offers comprehensive WordPress hosting solutions tailored to meet diverse needs with advanced features and high-performance capabilities.

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 Directnic and Pressable, Directnic provides a range of shared hosting plans starting as low as $2.48/month, which cater to basic and intermediate web hosting needs. Directnic also offers site builder and cybersecurity plans, each with several tiers depending on feature requirements. Pressable, while starting at a higher price point of $40/month, focuses on WordPress-specific solutions and offers exceptional scalability options with their high traffic and enterprise plans. Both providers include essential features, but Pressable stands out with unmetered bandwidth, custom storage options, and their specialized WordPress support.

Enterprise plans

Directnic’s enterprise capabilities are covered through cyber security and enhanced site builder plans, which offer flexibility and advanced security for enterprise needs. Pressable’s Enterprise Plans offer customizable WordPress installs, storage, vCPU, and PHP workers, making it highly scalable with robust support for high traffic and large-scale operations.

🏆 Winner Pressable: Offers a feature-rich and easy-to-use hosting experience tailored for WordPress and WooCommerce websites.

Directnic Hosting utilizes the popular cPanel for its admin panel, known for its straightforward and user-friendly interface. cPanel is widely used across various hosting platforms, making it familiar for many users, both technical and non-technical. The addition of the SiteBuilder by Weebly provides a simple drag-and-drop interface, which is beneficial for beginners who wish to build their websites without coding. The easy script installations further ease the process of adding functionality to websites.

Pressable, on the other hand, provides a custom, intuitive managed hosting dashboard designed specifically for WordPress. This dashboard offers seamless access to website data and developer tools. Its sleek, modern design enhances user experience, making it easier to manage WordPress and WooCommerce websites. Features like one-click cloning and straightforward domain management contribute to its accessibility, offering a user-friendly experience irrespective of technical expertise.

Pressable offers frictionless, automated migrations through its dedicated migration plugin, making site transfers hassle-free. This service is provided at no extra cost, ensuring a smooth transition for site owners. Directnic, while offering tools for site migration, does not match the streamlined efficiency of Pressable’s automated system, making site migration potentially more challenging for less experienced users.

Directnic provides a comprehensive knowledge base covering a variety of topics, including common questions and troubleshooting. Their 24/7 technical support and Trouble Ticket System enhance user support. Pressable excels with its extensive knowledge base, featuring detailed articles and tutorials specifically crafted for managing WordPress sites. Additionally, they offer 24/7 expert support from certified WordPress engineers.

🏆 Winner Pressable: Pressable offers extensive user management capabilities catered to collaborative environments.

When comparing the user management features of Directnic and Pressable, Directnic provides no specific information regarding the ability to manage user roles, while Pressable excels in this area. Pressable makes it simple for admins to grant or revoke access to various parts of the site or control panel through easy SFTP access and flexible collaborator permissions. This allows for detailed role definitions and ensures secure, smooth collaboration among team members. By highlighting access control through tools like SFTP and offering complete customization of user roles, Pressable offers a superior user management experience.

The user interfaces and tools provided by each platform differ significantly. Pressable has an intuitive, detailed control panel that aids in managing users efficiently. Upon login, users have immediate access to a site listing page, outlining essential details such as IP addresses, domain names, and collaborator status. The control panel not only provides an overview but also enables specific site settings adjustments, including PHP version changes and password resets. The inclusion of tools like WP-CLI, Git Integration, and straightforward collaboration mechanisms further streamline user management tasks. In contrast, Directnic’s interface and tools for user management remain unmentioned, giving the impression that they may lack these advanced functionalities.

In terms of access control measures, Pressable shows a well-thought-out approach. It supports efficient scaling by providing a clear method to manage collaborators and SFTP access through an easy-to-use control panel. The automatic daily backups, malware scanning, and threat monitoring ensure the integrity and security of the platform, thus contributing to managing a growing number of users without compromising safety. Directnic, with no specific details on its website, does not demonstrate the same level of effective access controls, making it less accommodating for expanding user bases.

Pressable User Roles Table:

🏆 Winner
Pressable: Offers superior customer support and managed WordPress hosting features.

Directnic and Pressable both offer 24/7 support, but Directnic provides a broader range of contact methods including live chat, phone, email, and a ticket system, whereas Pressable focuses on online support only. Directnic’s customer service features planning, installation, training, and more, including comprehensive articles and video tutorials. Pressable stands out with features like certified WordPress engineers, free migrations, performance and security monitoring, and more, achieving a high satisfaction rating and quicker resolution times.

Directnic’s mixed reviews mention some downtime and slow servers, while Pressable receives consistently higher customer satisfaction scores, faster response and resolution times, and managed updates. Pressable also offers a dedicated Slack channel for advanced support, which gives it an edge in providing tailored, effective customer service. Directnic is user-friendly with a 30-day money-back guarantee, but Pressable’s extensive WordPress-focused support and higher reliability make it the preferred option.

User feedback

The hosting provider has a long-standing presence in the industry, which has contributed to a stable domain registration experience for some users. However, there have been significant issues with domain security breaches and slow response times for resolving these problems. Additionally, the server performance is reported to be slow, and customer support is not highly rated. Overall, the service has received average feedback, and some users would not recommend it.

Overall, users have expressed high satisfaction with the hosting provider, citing exceptional customer support, fast response times, and reliable uptime as standout features. The platform’s ease of use, fast website speeds, and seamless integration with WordPress are frequently praised. Although some users noted that accessing core files and the staging environment process could be more straightforward, these issues do not significantly detract from their positive experiences. The main minor drawback highlighted is the pricing, which some users feel is on the higher side, but they acknowledge it is justified by the outstanding quality and support provided.

FAQ