Hostmonster vs Hostwinds: guide for 2024

Hostmonster vs Hostwinds: Final verdict

Looking over HostMonster vs. Hostwinds, 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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  HostMonster (Overall grade: 7.4)
  
  
  offers a reliable hosting experience with excellent uptime and comprehensive security measures. Their specialized WordPress hosting with features like free SSL and automated backups, alongside robust customer support, makes them a strong choice for high-traffic and multimedia websites. However, the lack of cloud hosting and somewhat higher pricing plans could be a drawback for some users. The user interface and technical support, while generally good, also receive mixed reviews due to occasional sales-focused assistance and complex handling of large applications.
  
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  Hostwinds (Overall grade: 7.1)
  
  
  shines with its high-speed performance and flexible scalability options. Its use of advanced SSD drives and Litespeed web servers ensures faster website loading times, making it ideal for e-commerce and business hosting. The extensive support system available 24/7/365, combined with competitive pricing and free migration services, provides an efficient and user-friendly hosting experience. Minor issues with site migration and a pricier structure compared to some competitors are notable, but the positive feedback around performance and customer service outweighs these concerns, marking Hostwinds as a highly reliable option.
  

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

Section 1:

🏆 Winner HostMonster: A reliable hosting provider known for its excellent uptime and robust customer support.

Section 2:
HostMonster showcases excellent uptime, with no downtime reported in a 14-day test and very minimal issues over a longer period. It promises a significant uptime guarantee and features satisfactory response times, making it a dependable choice for hosting needs. Additionally, security measures such as SSH access and IP deny contribute to its stability.

Section 3:
Hostwinds offers an uptime of 99.89% with a 99.99% uptime guarantee but has faced challenges in consistently meeting this level. Its response times are below average, although it benefits from data centers in multiple locations and strong monitoring systems. While it provides reliable service, its inconsistent performance in international loading times can be a concern.

🏆 Winner
Hostwinds: High-performance hosting with excellent scalability and comprehensive support.

When comparing the general performance of HostMonster and Hostwinds, there are several key differences to note. HostMonster offers solid-state drives (SSDs), but Hostwinds steps up with advanced SSD drives for all its plans, ensuring faster website performance. Hostwinds also integrates the Litespeed web server, which is quicker than HostMonster’s standard offerings. Both hosting providers offer Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), but Hostwinds’ partnership with Cloudflare provides a seamless and efficient CDN experience to enhance load times. In terms of server locations, HostMonster does not specify its data center locations, whereas Hostwinds is known for its reliable, route-optimized networking that ensures the fastest paths and superior performance.

Website Speed

Hostwinds maintains a clear edge. The use of Litespeed web servers and advanced SSDs results in quicker load times and faster content delivery, outperforming HostMonster’s standard performance levels. HostMonster provides unmetered bandwidth across its plans, which keeps sites running smoothly, but the edge in speed clearly belongs to Hostwinds due to its advanced server technology and continuously optimized network paths.

Scalability

Hostwinds offers elastic scaling, allowing clients to easily scale server resources without needing to manually upgrade plans. This instant scalability ensures that websites can handle increased traffic smoothly and efficiently. HostMonster requires users to upgrade their plans to get more resources, which can be less convenient. While both companies offer different levels of dedicated servers, pricing specifics for scaling and any additional costs are not available for Hostwinds based on the given information. Hence, Hostwinds leads in ease of scalability with its seamless, on-demand resource upgrades.

Winner HostMonster: HostMonster offers a robust suite of security features and compliance, ensuring comprehensive protection for its users.

Technical security measures:

HostMonster supports multiple SSL certificate options, including free generated certificates, while Hostwinds provides an AutoSSL option for free on shared and business accounts. HostMonster allows users to customize PHP settings and supports changing PHP versions, whereas Hostwinds focuses on providing the latest PHP versions. HostMonster includes a suite of antivirus applications across different operating systems, such as Windows, Mac, and Linux, which Hostwinds does not specify.

Operational security measures:

Hostwinds employs a Litespeed web server, Cloudflare CDN, and route optimized networking to enhance performance and security. It also offers constant monitoring and nightly backups. HostMonster provides comprehensive security measures like SiteLock security for daily vulnerability scanning and automatic malware removal. HostMonster includes spam protection, two-factor authentication, hotlink protection, SSH access, and secure email connection, offering a more extensive operational security suite.

Compliance and certifications:

HostMonster is GDPR compliant and supports PCI compliance for all accounts, addressing specific compliance issues like weak SSL ciphers. Hostwinds does not specify its compliance with these regulations. For detailed information regarding Hostwinds’ compliance, the company suggests contacting them directly.

🏆 Winner
HostMonster: A comprehensive web hosting provider with robust features and excellent performance.

HostMonster and Hostwinds both offer a wide range of features catering to varying user needs. HostMonster boasts unlimited disk storage, domain hosting, and includes a free drag-and-drop site builder, making it quite user-friendly for beginners. Additionally, HostMonster offers a free domain name for the first year and includes unlimited email accounts, different webmail solutions, and multiple website scripts like WordPress and Drupal. The inclusion of various e-commerce features and multimedia support makes it a strong choice for startups and small businesses looking for a versatile hosting solution.

On the other hand, Hostwinds offers some unique benefits like SSD drives, free SSL certificates, and a free dedicated IP. Their hosting service emphasizes high performance with the LiteSpeed Web Server and Cloudflare CDN integration for enhanced site speed and security. Additionally, Hostwinds includes instant setup and free website migration, streamlining the onboarding process for new users. For users that require robust security and reliability, Hostwinds provides nightly backups and 24/7 support, ensuring minimal downtime and constant site monitoring. Hostwinds also includes Softaculous for easy script installations, making it a versatile option for those needing flexibility.

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 HostMonster and Hostwinds 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:

Email services at HostMonster are provided through a partnership with Microsoft 365, offering a professional email and access to Outlook on a trial basis before transitioning to a paid service. Conversely, Hostwinds provides unlimited free professional email accounts, which is particularly beneficial for users requiring multiple email accounts without incurring additional costs.

🏆 Winner Hostwinds: A solid choice for customers looking for more comprehensive features at competitive prices.

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.

Hostwinds offers a more varied and flexible range of plans compared to HostMonster. Hostwinds’ shared web hosting starts at $5.24 per month for the Basic Plan, offering unlimited bandwidth, unlimited disk space, and a free dedicated IP. In contrast, HostMonster’s Basic Plan costs $12.99 per month but includes limitations on performance, email accounts, and website space. Hostwinds’ most expensive shared plan is the Ultimate Plan at $8.24 per month, still cheaper than HostMonster’s Plus Plan at $17.99, while adding unlimited domains. On the business side, Hostwinds provides more comprehensive features such as nightly backups and LiteSpeed Web Server at $8.99 per month. HostMonster, on the higher end, offers a Pro Plan at $33.99 with included automated backups and premium SSL Certificate but remains a costlier option.

Enterprise plans

For enterprises, Hostwinds provides more extensive and flexible Linux VPS and dedicated server plans. Hostwinds’ Managed Linux VPS starts at $8.24 per month with options scaling up to $395.24 per month, offering features such as enterprise hardware, nightly backups, and server monitoring. HostMonster offers broader but more expensive shared hosting with an emphasis on automated backups and premium SSL Certificates, also providing dedicated IPs and higher performance in their Pro Plan at $33.99 a month.

🏆 Winner Hostwinds: Hostwinds provides a smooth and feature-rich hosting experience that excels in user accessibility and support.

When comparing the admin panels of HostMonster and Hostwinds, HostMonster utilizes a standard cPanel, offering a familiar interface for those who have prior experience with web hosting. This interface is recognized for its user-friendliness, making it accessible to non-technical users while providing enough depth for more advanced tasks. HostMonster also includes 1-click installs for various applications through this cPanel, simplifying the process of setting up a website.

Hostwinds also employs cPanel but integrates it with a suite of additional tools such as the Weebly drag-and-drop website builder and the Softaculous app installer. This combination makes it an exceptionally user-friendly choice, enabling even those with no technical knowledge to create a website effortlessly. Furthermore, the inclusion of cPanel in Hostwinds’ various hosting plans ensures a consistent and intuitive experience across different types of hosting, be it shared, business, reseller, or cloud servers.

HostMonster and Hostwinds both provide tools for site migration, but Hostwinds edges out HostMonster with its offering of free website migration services across all its plans. HostMonster’s migration tools may require a more hands-on approach and could involve added complexity depending on the user’s technical expertise. Hostwinds’ support experts manage the migration process, making it hassle-free for new users transferring from another hosting provider.

In terms of help center resources, HostMonster features a comprehensive help center filled with articles, guides, video tutorials, and 24/7 support via phone and live chat. Hostwinds also offers extensive support resources, including detailed product documentation, step-by-step tutorials, and a 24/7 support system available through live chat, tickets, and email. Both providers have robust help centers, but Hostwinds’ support accessibility is slightly more extensive due to its 24/7 availability for all issues.

🏆 Winner HostMonster: User-friendly site management with a cPanel interface.

When comparing the abilities of HostMonster and Hostwinds in managing user roles, permissions, and accessibility, it becomes evident that HostMonster stands out with its modified cPanel. This platform is known for its established capabilities to manage user accounts and permissions effectively. The modified version of cPanel typically provides options for creating different user roles and setting precise permissions, adding a level of control and flexibility. On the other hand, Hostwinds lacks specific details about its user management features, rendering it less transparent about its capabilities in this area. HostMonster’s known use of cPanel makes it a more attractive option for those needing detailed user role management.

In terms of user interfaces and tools provided for managing users, HostMonster’s modified cPanel is familiar and user-friendly. cPanel’s interface allows for easy navigation and management of user roles, making it accessible for both beginners and advanced users. HostMonster benefits from the stable and intuitive framework that cPanel offers, which is a significant advantage. The lack of detailed information for Hostwinds means that its interface and tools for managing users remain ambiguous, potentially posing a risk for users who require straightforward and accessible user management tools.

Assessing the effectiveness of access control measures and the platform’s capabilities to manage a growing number of users, HostMonster appears to offer more reliable solutions through its use of cPanel. The flexibility and advanced features of cPanel, such as user quotas and detailed permissions settings, ensure scalable access control. This makes HostMonster a more reliable choice for businesses and websites experiencing growth. Without specific insights into Hostwinds’ access control measures and scalability, it is difficult to confidently assess its efficiency and effectiveness in handling a growing user base.

HostMonster User Roles Table:

🏆 Winner Hostwinds: Hostwinds offers round-the-clock customer support across various channels, ensuring immediate assistance and comprehensive resource availability.

Both HostMonster and Hostwinds provide extensive customer support options, yet Hostwinds has a slight edge. HostMonster’s customer service includes 24/7 technical support via phone, email support for affiliates, and live chat. They also offer a robust knowledgebase and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Their phone support is tailored with distinct numbers for the US and international callers. The live chat is available for immediate inquiries, adding ease to accessing support anytime.

Hostwinds, on the other hand, offers a more extensive support system with 24/7/365 availability via live chat and phone. They guarantee prompt responses to emails and faster interactions through live chat and phone. Their additional resources encompass tutorials, detailed product documentation, a blog, and a community support platform. They also include nightly backups and website monitoring to proactively manage issues. Hostwinds’ free migration service and the latest cPanel version for easy management stand out.

Hostmonster vs Hostwinds: User feedback

HostMonster receives mixed reviews from users, with positive feedback highlighting its affordable pricing, reliable uptime, and quick website loading times. Users also appreciate the extensive range of features such as addons for security, easy integration with MySQL, and a generally good customer service experience. However, many users find the user interface to be difficult to navigate, particularly for non-technical individuals, and note that technical support can be inconsistent, often more focused on sales than solving issues. Additionally, unexpected costs and technical limitations like frequent PHP updates and challenges with deploying large applications have also been pointed out as significant drawbacks.

Hostwinds hosting provider receives high praise for its exceptional customer service, prompt support, and reliable performance, with many users reporting significant improvements in site speed and uptime. Customers especially value the knowledgeable and responsive support team, finding them instrumental in resolving issues quickly. The user-friendly control panel and fair pricing further enhance their experience, though some note that the service can be pricier compared to competitors. However, a couple of reviews highlight issues with site migration and technical support, advising caution for WordPress users. Overall, the positive feedback significantly outweighs the negative, making Hostwinds a highly recommended choice for web hosting.

Hostmonster vs Hostwinds: FAQ