Green Geeks vs Netfirms: guide for 2024

Green Geeks vs Netfirms: Final verdict

Looking over GreenGeeks vs. Netfirms, 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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  Netfirms (Overall grade: 7.3)
  
  
  is suitable for businesses that need scalable solutions like unlimited storage and bandwidth. It supports up to dedicated hosting but lacks VPS hosting offered by GreenGeeks. Netfirms provides reliable 99.9% uptime, with data centers in New York and Toronto ensuring availability. Despite detailed SSL offerings and solid security measures, the service falls short in performance optimization and lacks advanced developer tools. Its simplified admin panel and efficient customer support cater to beginners, though recurring issues with slow server performance and connectivity could impact user experience. Netfirms is a viable choice for budget-conscious users but offers lesser value and fewer features compared to GreenGeeks.
  
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  GreenGeeks (Overall grade: 8.4)
  
  
  offers a feature-rich and eco-friendly hosting service, with multiple hosting types including shared, WordPress, ecommerce, and VPS hosting. It excels in website performance, providing a 99.9% uptime with steady response times, advanced security features, and free CDN for optimized global access. The platform heavily emphasizes sustainability, matching 300% of energy used with renewable energy certificates and planting a tree for each account provisioned. GreenGeeks includes robust customer support available 24/7, easy website migrations, and comprehensive WordPress-related resources, making it highly appealing to environmentally-conscious users and WordPress enthusiasts.
  

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 GreenGeeks: Superior uptime and consistent performance.

GreenGeeks offers a 99.9% uptime goal but doesn’t provide compensation if this threshold isn’t met. In tests, GreenGeeks achieved perfect 100% uptime over 14 days. Response times were steady at 0.302 seconds. Should downtime exceed 1% in a month, users receive proportionate service credits.

Netfirms also has a reputation for stable uptime, with just one brief downtime event during a two-week test. The company promises 99.9% uptime but does not guarantee it on their website. Their data centers in New York and Toronto ensure good availability, and customer support is accessible 24/7. Netfirms offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for credit card payments.

🏆 Winner GreenGeeks: Eco-friendly hosting with a balance of performance and features.

Comparing the general performance of GreenGeeks with Netfirms, GreenGeeks provides a stacked performance with its LiteSpeed WebServer and LS Cache Plugin, SSD storage, and HTTP/3. These features ensure blazing fast speeds and efficiency. On the CDN front, GreenGeeks offers a free CDN, optimizing global access, compared to Netfirms that includes scalable bandwidth but lacks explicit CDN mention. For data centers, GreenGeeks has an edge with multiple facilities across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, ensuring faster page loads worldwide. Netfirms, though reliable with a 99.9% uptime and scalable bandwidth, doesn’t detail its data centers, limiting transparency on speed optimization.

Website Speed

When it comes to website speed, GreenGeeks seems well-prepped for the task, utilizing LiteSpeed technology, built-in caching, and SSDs. These combined efforts pave the way for efficient load times and optimal PageSpeed scores. On the other hand, Netfirms makes a general promise of scalability and SSL security but lacks the explicit mention of speed-boosting technologies for their shared and dedicated plans. GreenGeeks’ provision of free CDNs and the latest PHP versions also adds to its superior website speed performance.

Scalability

Scalability differs significantly between GreenGeeks and Netfirms. GreenGeeks offers unlimited websites and web space in higher plans, providing flexibility. Users can manually upgrade to Pro or Premium plans for better performance. GreenGeeks’ lack of dedicated server options may be a drawback for some. Netfirms presents more traditional scalability options, such as shared to dedicated hosting, but the cost specifics for scaling are not detailed. It also supports elastic scaling, particularly useful for businesses experiencing varying traffic levels.

🏆 Winner
GreenGeeks: Provides comprehensive and eco-friendly hosting with advanced security features and broad compliance.

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

Technical security measures:

GreenGeeks offers comprehensive technical security with advanced firewalls, AI-powered WAF, and DDoS protection. They offer a variety of PHP versions, including the latest PHP 8.2, which ensures compatibility and performance. Additionally, Wildcard SSL certificates provide top-tier security for online stores. Netfirms focuses on SSL diversity with multiple types of SSL certificates, including domain, organization, and ecommerce-validated SSL. However, specifics on their PHP version support are not provided, which could be a limitation for users with specific PHP requirements.

Operational security measures:

GreenGeeks provides continuous security monitoring and daily backups, ensuring websites are secure and restoring them in case of failures. Their custom security rules and Immunify360 tool offer malware and threat protection. Netfirms employs SiteLock Security, which includes daily malware scans, automatic removal, and advanced protection features in higher-tier plans. Both providers offer features like DDoS protection and firewall measures, but GreenGeeks’ focus on proactive monitoring and zero-day vulnerability fixes gives it an edge.

Compliance and certifications:

GreenGeeks emphasizes GDPR and PCI compliance, although details are vague and users may need to confirm specifics directly. Netfirms, compliant with GDPR since May 2018, provides clear compliance protocols for data handling and user rights. Moreover, Netfirms ensures PCI compliance through vendor partnerships and scanning tools. For US regulations such as HIPAA, details are not specified for either provider, leaving potential gaps for businesses requiring this level of compliance.

🏆 Winner: GreenGeeks: Offering a robust combination of features with an eco-friendly approach.

GreenGeeks and Netfirms both provide a wide array of hosting features tailored for different needs, but they cater to distinct audiences with specific preferences and requirements. GreenGeeks is renowned for its comprehensive plans that include free WordPress installation and migration, automated WordPress updates, free SSL certificates, and daily backups, making it highly appealing to WordPress users. It also boasts advanced security features, WP-CLI & SSH access, and tools like Git and Drush, which are advantageous for developers. Its unique selling point is its commitment to green energy, matching 300% of its energy usage with renewable energy certificates, along with planting a tree for every hosting account provisioned.

Netfirms, on the other hand, offers free domain registration for the first year, unlimited storage across all plans, and scalable bandwidth, catering to businesses with fluctuating traffic. It includes eCommerce solutions and marketing tools, providing a solid foundation for online stores. Their plans are comparatively simpler, focusing on ease of use and affordability, though they lack the advanced developer tools that GreenGeeks offers. For users needing a straightforward solution with essential hosting features, Netfirms is a viable option, though it doesn’t highlight any environmental initiatives like GreenGeeks.

Comparison of Hosting Features:

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 GreenGeeks and Netfirms 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:

GreenGeeks provides extensive email hosting capabilities, allowing users to create and manage multiple email accounts with advanced features. Their plans include unlimited email accounts with Pro and Premium plans. In contrast, Netfirms does not explicitly detail its email hosting features or transactional email capabilities, which might be a consideration for businesses looking for comprehensive email solutions integrated with their hosting plans. For more specific email service requirements and integration like Google Workspace or Outlook, it’s advisable to contact Netfirms’ support team directly.

🏆 Winner
GreenGeeks: Exceptional feature-rich hosting solutions with environmentally friendly practices.

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.

GreenGeeks’ plans across WordPress, shared hosting, and WooCommerce offer a multitude of features such as free migrations, SSL certificates, domain names for the first year, and a unique 300% Green Energy Match program. Meanwhile, Netfirms provides competitive plans with scalable bandwidth, unlimited storage, and free SSL certificates but at higher regular prices and with fewer inclusive features. The tables below will detail the comparison for a better understanding:

Enterprise plans

GreenGeeks offers the RH-80 plan, featuring 80 cPanel accounts, 160 GB SSD disk space, 1,600 GB transfer, and robust managed support, making it ideal for enterprises with significant hosting needs. Netfirms’ Business Plan provides unlimited websites, storage, bandwidth, and databases, but lacks the specialized scalability options provided by reseller-focused plans. For enterprises seeking scalable, feature-rich hosting solutions, GreenGeeks is the better choice.

🏆 Winner GreenGeeks: Offers seamless WordPress setup and extensive support resources.

GreenGeeks provides a standard cPanel for managing hosting accounts, making it accessible and user-friendly for both technical and non-technical users. Setting up WordPress involves answering a few questions and clicking a button, streamlining the entire process. No need to manually download or extract files, as everything is configured automatically. Additionally, GreenGeeks includes 24/7 support and a comprehensive knowledge base, facilitating a smooth user experience.

Netfirms, on the other hand, offers an admin panel integrated with Google Workspace, which aims to simplify domain management and Gmail integration. While it caters to beginners by providing onboarding assistance and 24/7 technical support via phone or chat, the overall process may not be as seamless for WordPress-specific setups as it is with GreenGeeks. The hosting-provider-specific features such as domain privacy and compliance information are also readily available but lack the depth of WordPress-specific tutorials.

GreenGeeks provides a free WordPress migration service, accessible through the support section by submitting a Site Migration Request. This ensures a hassle-free transition from your current hosting. Netfirms does not explicitly mention whether their site migration tools are free or paid, which leaves potential users without clear guidance on this essential service.

The platforms provide extensive knowledge bases filled with guides, how-to articles, and instructional content. GreenGeeks offers a wide range of resources alongside 24/7 chat and phone support. Netfirms 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
Netfirms: Efficient platform for managing user roles and permissions with a simplified interface.

When it comes to managing user roles, GreenGeeks provides two basic roles: Collaborator and Client, enabling access to only specific services or cPanel. Netfirms, on the other hand, offers a granulated approach through WordPress user roles, including options like Administrator, Editor, Author, Contributor, and Subscriber. Netfirms’ flexibility in role assignment allows for more tailored access, suitable for diverse user requirements. In contrast, GreenGeeks’ roles are more limited but straightforward for basic collaboration needs.

The user interface for managing users shows distinct differences between GreenGeeks and Netfirms. GreenGeeks uses its Account Manager platform for user management, requiring several steps to invite new users and assign roles. Netfirms leverages the WordPress dashboard, offering an intuitive and familiar interface for many users. The simplicity of Netfirms’ user management can be beneficial for quick role assignments and modifications, while GreenGeeks requires a bit more navigation but offers a seamless experience within its ecosystem.

Access control efficiency varies between the two providers. GreenGeeks allows multi-user access without sharing credentials, and users can manage cPanel for various development operations. This is particularly useful for teams working on website development. Netfirms manages access through WordPress roles, making it less suited for broader hosting management but efficient for content-related tasks. Both platforms can handle growing users, but Netfirms’ predefined roles may streamline the process, whereas GreenGeeks offers more hands-on control for access management.

GreenGeeks user roles table:

🏆 Winner Netfirms: Offering knowledgeable representatives and quick, direct answers, Netfirms stands out for its high customer satisfaction and minimal wait times.

GreenGeeks and Netfirms both provide 24/7 customer support through phone, live chat, and email, ensuring users can get help whenever they need it. GreenGeeks is known for its highly-rated customer care team and offers additional resources like a blog and knowledge base, along with free migration services for cPanel and WordPress. Customers commend GreenGeeks for its quick resolution times and helpful support staff, although there have been some issues reported with auto-renewal and capacity limitations.

Netfirms, on the other hand, impresses with its fast response times for phone and web chat, often resolving queries in minutes. The ability to save chat transcriptions for future reference adds another layer of convenience. Netfirms offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and prioritizes support for customers on higher-tier hosting packages. Despite some complaints about billing and cancellation processes, Netfirms generally receives positive feedback for its streamlined and effective support.

Green Geeks vs Netfirms: User feedback

Users generally appreciate the hosting provider for its excellent customer support, fast and reliable performance, and user-friendly dashboard. The eco-friendly aspect of the service is also a significant plus for many users. However, there are recurring concerns regarding the pricing, which tends to increase after the initial years, and the performance during high-demand scenarios. Additionally, some users have experienced issues with strict resource usage policies and limited plans for specific hosting needs.

Based on user reviews, the hosting provider appears to offer decent uptime and moderately reliable customer support. However, users frequently report slow server performance and connectivity issues that significantly hamper the experience. While some appreciate the low costs and basic domain registration services, others criticize the clunky system, confusing server setup, and unreliability, especially when working with CMS tools. Overall, the service seems better suited for those with low budgets and high patience.

Green Geeks vs Netfirms: FAQ