Dreamhost vs Register.com: guide for 2024

Dreamhost vs Register.com: Final verdict

Looking over DreamHost vs. Register.com, both offer commendable features but cater to different user needs and preferences.

• 
  DreamHost (Overall grade: 8.2)
  
  
  is well-regarded for its high performance, scalability, and extensive range of hosting options. Users benefit from
  a fast and reliable service, backed by a 100% uptime guarantee and SSD storage. The inclusion of free SSL certificates,
  domain registration, and email hosting in their plans enhances its competitive edge. However, the absence of phone support
  and occasional slow response times from customer service are noted drawbacks. DreamHost shines with its high-performance
  cloud infrastructure and comprehensive user management features, making it an excellent choice for high-traffic and
  multimedia-intensive websites.
  
• 
  Register.com (Overall grade: 6.6)
  
  
  excels in providing varied hosting plans with strong security measures and reliable customer support through
  multiple channels, including phone support, which DreamHost lacks. It’s particularly well-suited for eCommerce and
  small businesses due to its solid uptime guarantee, enhanced security features like SiteLock and SSL certificates,
  and automated backups. Despite this, Register.com faces criticism for higher costs, slow response times, and less efficient
  email services and website performance. Nonetheless, its comprehensive customer support services and ease of use can be
  appealing to beginners and those seeking hands-on assistance.
  

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 Register.com: Offers a varied range of hosting plans with strong security and customer support.

Register.com features a solid uptime guarantee of 99.99% for Unix customers and 99.9% for Microsoft users. It provides automatic website backups and expansive storage, making it ideal for small businesses and entrepreneurs who need reliable performance. The inclusion of SiteLock and SSL certificates enhances security, protecting sensitive data effectively.

DreamHost also scores well, boasting a 100% uptime guarantee and strong performance metrics. It is known for fast server speeds and easy-to-use SSD drives. However, there was slight inconsistency in the uptime, as one test noted a 99.83% score. DreamHost remains a dependable choice with good response times and solid stress handling abilities.

🏆 Winner DreamHost: Excellent website performance with dedicated resources and strong security.

When it comes to general performance, DreamHost takes the lead with its high-performance cloud and NGINX hosting, which ensures fast load times and efficient handling of multiple connections. The integration of server-level caching and SSD storage further boosts speed, making websites load quickly without additional plugins. DreamHost’s 100% uptime guarantee is backed by multiple data center locations across the US, ensuring consistent availability. Meanwhile, Register.com offers a respectable 99.9% uptime and employs multiple servers to avoid crashes, but lacks the advanced caching and SSD storage of DreamHost.

Website Speed

DreamHost excels in website speed due to its use of high-performance cloud infrastructure and SSD storage, which provides up to 200% better performance than traditional HDDs. The server-level caching integrated into all DreamPress plans effectively removes the need for additional plugins to enhance speed. Register.com, on the other hand, offers reliable load times that are reportedly twice as fast as some competitors. However, its lack of SSD storage and advanced caching options make it less efficient in optimizing website speed compared to DreamHost.

Scalability

DreamHost provides highly scalable solutions with expandable RAM and storage, allowing seamless upgrades as your website grows. The uncapped bandwidth ensures that high traffic volumes won’t slow down your site. While the detailed cost to scale isn’t provided, DreamHost’s range of plans from shared to dedicated hosting makes it flexible for various needs. Register.com offers scalable solutions as well, but the elasticity of their plans and specific costs for scaling are not disclosed, making it less transparent compared to DreamHost. Additionally, DreamHost includes dedicated server options starting at $199.00/mo, ensuring dedicated resources and high customization capability.

🏆 Winner Register.com: A detailed approach to security, featuring strong encryption and robust validation processes.

Both DreamHost and Register.com have notable differences in their approaches to technical and operational
security, as well as in their compliance with regulations.

Technical security measures:

DreamHost offers free SSL certificates and professionally-signed certificates, along with support for current PHP versions, including PHP 8. Conversely, Register.com employs 256-bit data encryption with various SSL certificates, including EV and OV certificates, providing a higher level of assurance. DreamHost features OPcache for PHP performance while Register.com allows easy version management through a PHP manager. Both platforms ensure secure connections and data encryption but Register.com stands out with its stronger encryption and broader SSL options.

Operational security measures:

DreamHost integrates multi-factor authentication for logins, DDoS protection, and DreamShield for malware scanning. In contrast, Register.com provides SiteLock for malware protection and CodeGuard for automated site backups. Both hosts offer password protection and raw log file access, but DreamHost also supports secure shell access and SFTP for secure data transfers. Register.com’s customizable error pages and scheduled tasks manager provide an added layer of operational security and convenience.

Compliance and certifications:

DreamHost is GDPR compliant for all users and deletes server log files after 72 hours, although it does not meet HIPAA requirements. It supports PCI compliance for its own sites, requiring customers to obtain their own certifications. Register.com complies with GDPR by masking personal data for EU residents and defining data roles. It does not specify HIPAA compliance but does manage PCI compliance through encrypted transactions.

🏆 Winner DreamHost: Exceptional performance and feature-rich hosting plans designed to meet diverse needs.

DreamHost and Register.com both offer a range of hosting features, but there are some key differences to note. DreamHost provides a highly customizable and user-friendly website builder, making it easy for users to create and design websites with various complex features. DreamHost also stands out by offering free domain registration, privacy protection, SSL certificates, and email hosting with all of their plans. These features contribute to a more secure and hassle-free experience for users. Furthermore, DreamHost’s commitment to open source and security, combined with their 24/7 in-house support, ensures reliable service and user trust.

Register.com, on the other hand, includes a website builder aimed at simplifying site creation, which may appeal to beginners. Their range of open-source applications and script library adds versatility for users looking to integrate blogs, eCommerce tools, and more into their sites. However, features such as SSH and SFTP access are either not available or unclear, which might be a consideration for more advanced users. Although Register.com offers multiple tools for file management and website customization, the absence of some free services, like domain registration and SSL certificates, may not be as attractive compared to DreamHost’s inclusive offerings.

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 DreamHost and Register.com 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:

DreamHost offers email hosting as part of their package, allowing users to create professional email addresses and manage their own email campaigns. In contrast, Register.com does not provide dedicated email hosting, limiting email transactions to specific actions, such as form submissions. Users looking for comprehensive email services may find DreamHost’s offerings more robust and suitable for business or professional use.

🏆 Winner: DreamHost: Offering a broad range of hosting options with competitive prices and robust features, DreamHost stands out as a reliable choice for individuals and businesses alike.

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.

DreamHost offers a variety of hosting plans with ample features and competitive pricing. For shared hosting, their Shared Starter plan begins at $2.59/month, with features like unlimited storage and free SSL certificates, while their VPS hosting starts at $10.00/month. Their Managed WordPress hosting ranges from $16.95/month to $79.95/month, providing features such as built-in caching and on-demand backups. On the other hand, Register.com’s plans do not include specific prices in this comparison but offer options like Starter Hosting with 15GB disk space or Professional Hosting aimed at freelancers with 500GB disk space. DreamHost provides more detailed, feature-rich, and clearly priced plans, making it a more attractive choice according to the score.

WordPress hosting plans

Shared hosting plans

Cloud hosting plans

Enterprise plans

DreamHost’s enterprise plans offer dedicated hosting options from $199.00/month with various configurations, including uncapped bandwidth, full root access, 100% uptime guarantee, and 24/7 support. These plans are ideal for businesses requiring significant storage and high performance. Register.com’s equivalent enterprise-focused options were not available in this comparison, providing DreamHost a clear edge for enterprise-level hosting solutions.

🏆 Winner: DreamHost: A user-friendly platform with extensive support and streamlined migration tools.

DreamHost offers a custom-built control panel designed for ease of use and flexibility. This panel is tailored to be intuitive, whether you are a novice or an experienced user. It provides advanced features like SFTP, Shell Access, and WP-CLI, ensuring users have powerful tools at their disposal without a steep learning curve. The streamlined interface allows seamless management of domains, websites, databases, and more all from one location. Register.com, conversely, offers a more traditional admin panel with features like a Database Manager, PHP Manager, and FTP Account Manager. While functional, it requires a bit more technical know-how to navigate effectively compared to DreamHost’s custom solution. Both panels are effective in their own right but cater to different levels of user expertise.

When evaluating the ease of setting up and migrating a website, DreamHost stands out with its Migration Dashboard and automated migration tools. Users can initiate the migration process through a guided setup that offers various options based on the existing configuration of their site, making it straightforward and suitable for non-technical users. DreamHost’s migration tools are complimentary for moving your website to their platform. Register.com provides options for site migration, but the process is less automated and may require manual steps or additional support for smooth operation, which can potentially incur extra costs.

DreamHost’s help center resources include a comprehensive knowledge base, WordPress guides, FAQs, and tutorials, all searchable and frequently updated. Their 24/7/365 support through chat, email, and in-house expert assistance ensures that users can get help whenever they need it. Register.com offers 24/7 customer service and a range of support resources, including FAQs and blogs. While their support is robust, it lacks the depth and breadth of DreamHost’s knowledge base and help center resources.

The platforms provide extensive knowledge bases filled with guides, how-to articles, and instructional content. DreamHost offers a wide range of resources alongside 24/7 chat and phone support. Register.com 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
DreamHost: DreamHost provides extensive and user-friendly user management features.

When comparing DreamHost and Register.com in terms of managing user roles, permissions, and accessibility, DreamHost clearly stands out. DreamHost offers options like unlimited SFTP users, making it easy to manage access for multiple individuals, along with secure SSH access for remote server operations. Its custom-built, intuitive control panel simplifies tasks related to domains, mail, FTP, and SSH, enabling users to efficiently handle these operations. In contrast, detailed information on Register.com’s user management capabilities isn’t provided, making it difficult to draw a comprehensive comparison.

DreamHost’s user interface and tools for managing users are highly effective. The custom-built control panel is intuitive and provides seamless access to various management options. Users can manage domains, emails, FTP, SSH, and more from a single interface. Additionally, features like Subversion repository access and crontab automation make it easier for teams to collaborate and automate tasks. Without specifics about Register.com’s user interface and tools, it’s challenging to make a detailed assessment, but DreamHost’s offerings are clearly designed for ease of use and efficiency.

In terms of access control measures and the capacity to manage a growing number of users, DreamHost offers robust security features like password-protected directories and access to raw log files for performance analysis and troubleshooting. The platform also supports multiple programming languages and advanced tools like OPcache and RVM, making it highly scalable for growing businesses. Given the lack of information about Register.com’s access control measures, DreamHost’s comprehensive security and management features make it a reliable choice for handling a large user base efficiently.

DreamHost user roles table:

🏆 Winner
Register.com: Register.com emerges victorious with its extensive customer service options, flexible support channels, and specialized services.

DreamHost offers 24/7 support via chat, email, and tickets, all accessible through its user panel. DreamHost gives you flexibility with its callback service, though this incurs an extra charge and isn’t available for all plans. Notably, DreamHost has a comprehensive knowledge base but lacks direct phone support, which can be a drawback for users who prefer verbal communication.

Register.com, on the other hand, provides a wider array of customer service options, including phone support, which is available both for business consulting and general issues. They also provide 24/7 live chat and an extensive ticketing system, though the average response time for tickets is 24 hours. Besides, Register.com offers specialized enterprise support services, such as dedicated agents and priority support. This combination of services positions Register.com as the more versatile and accessible option.

Dreamhost vs Register.com: User feedback

DreamHost is a well-regarded hosting provider praised for its reliability, affordable pricing, user-friendly interface, and excellent performance. Users especially appreciate the responsive customer support, the easy navigation of the web portal, and a variety of hosting options suitable for different needs. However, common criticisms include the lack of phone support, occasional slow response times from customer service, and some challenges related to advanced functionalities and site migrations. While the majority of users report positive experiences, a few have faced significant issues with downtime and customer service, impacting their overall satisfaction.

Customer feedback on Register.com is notably polarized. A significant number of users commend the platform for its easy-to-use interface, extensive template selection, and generally satisfactory customer service, emphasizing that it meets basic web hosting and domain registration needs effectively. However, many users also express frustration over high costs, slow response times, and unaddressed technical issues such as unreliable email services and slow page loading speeds. While some customers have had positive long-term experiences, others warn against the service due to unreliability and poor customer support, resulting in business losses and dissatisfaction.

Dreamhost vs Register.com: FAQ