Final verdict
Looking over HostMonster vs. Nexcess, both services offer robust features tailored to different user needs, but one surpasses the other in several critical areas.
-
Nexcess (Overall grade: 8.2)
focuses on high-speed, scalable hosting with advanced features, making it particularly appealing for e-commerce platforms, agencies, and high-traffic websites. With its impressive uptime of 99.88% and global presence of 10 data centers, Nexcess ensures excellent performance and reliability. Its advanced security measures, tailored hosting plans for platforms like WordPress and Magento, and superior customer support provide a comprehensive solution for users seeking sophisticated and reliable hosting.
HostMonster (Overall grade: 7.4)
while offering strong uptime and reliable performance, excels in providing value through unlimited resources and user-friendly features tailored for small businesses and personal sites. It supports multiple hosting types like shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting, catering to a wide range of requirements. However, its performance and feature set, such as standard caching mechanisms and manual plan upgrades for scalability, fall short when compared to Nexcess’s advanced offerings. HostMonster remains a solid choice for users looking for affordable, straightforward hosting with essential security and ease-of-use features.
 Overall grade:7.4 |
 Overall grade:8.2 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Uptime and Availability | 8.5 | 7.8 |
| Hosting Performance | 4.8 | 8.6 |
| Hosting Security | 8.2 | 9.2 |
| Price | 7.8 | 7.4 |
| Hosting Features | 7.8 | 5.7 |
| Ease Of Setup | 7.7 | 9.1 |
| User Management | 6.3 | 8.6 |
| Customer Support | 7.9 | 8.8 |
| User feedback | 3.2/5 | 3.5/5 |
Hosting types offered
Both platforms provide a variety of hosting types, each designed to meet the different needs of users.
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|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.
8.5
7.8
🏆 Winner HostMonster: Delivering unparalleled uptime and strong reliability features.
HostMonster demonstrates outstanding uptime performance, with almost no downtime across multiple testing periods. Its response time is also commendable, with a load time of 4.9 seconds, which is faster than the average. HostMonster ensures a high level of reliability with features like SSH access and spam blockers.
Nexcess offers an impressive uptime of 99.88% and 10 data centers worldwide, which enhance its global performance. It also provides daily backups and PCI compliance, important for secure transactions. Though the average load time is quicker at 1.56 seconds, it falls slightly behind in overall performance grading.
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.
4.8
8.6
🏆 Winner: Nexcess Nexcess outperforms HostMonster largely due to its strong focus on providing high-speed, scalable hosting that features automatic scaling and advanced caching, which is crucial for handling traffic spikes smoothly. HostMonster offers good performance, especially for small businesses and personal sites, with features like unmetered website space and bandwidth. However, it lacks some advanced features that Nexcess excels in, such as integrated caching with Nginx and Redis, and higher PHP workers count. Nexcess’s infrastructure, paired with its advanced CDN, ensures exceptional load times and page speed, which is slightly more catered to enterprises and high-traffic websites.
Website Speed
HostMonster offers standard performance for most of its plans and provides high performance only in its Pro plan, which is significantly more expensive. It uses standard caching mechanisms but lacks the sophisticated caching methods seen in Nexcess. Nexcess delivers superior website speed with its integrated caching systems, free staging sites for testing, and advanced monitoring tools. With a 99.998% uptime guarantee and purpose-built CDN powered by Cloudflare, Nexcess optimizes load times and page speed far more effectively than HostMonster.
Scalability
Nexcess offers free autoscaling, automatically deploying extra PHP resources during traffic surges without user intervention. This elastic scaling is ideal for rapidly growing websites or those experiencing unpredictable traffic patterns. Scaling with HostMonster requires manual plan upgrades and does not provide the seamless elasticity that comes with Nexcess. While HostMonster offers basic scalability options, Nexcess’s free autoscaling, combined with its enterprise-grade plans, makes it easier and more cost-effective to manage growth and traffic spikes.
Hosting security
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.
8.2
9.2
🏆 Winner
Nexcess: Offers advanced security measures and broader compliance support.
Both HostMonster and Nexcess, have notable differences in their approaches to technical and operational
security, as well as in their compliance with regulations.
Technical security measures:
HostMonster provides various layers of technical security, such as basic and premium SSL certificates, support for PHP 5, and SiteLock security which includes daily vulnerability scanning and automatic malware removal. Nexcess offers a more extensive range of SSL certificates, from standard SSL to Extended Validation (EV) SSL, and supports newer PHP versions 7 and 8+. Nexcess also includes robust web application firewalls (WAF) and DDoS protection, positioning it ahead in technical defenses.
Operational security measures:
HostMonster includes a basic site security checklist, two-factor authentication, secure shell (SSH) access, and anti-virus applications compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux. Nexcess provides daily server backups, enterprise server monitoring, and continuous hosting-side compliance monitoring. Nexcess’s proactive security measures such as enterprise bot mitigation and automatic OS updates offer a more comprehensive operational security framework.
Compliance and certifications:
Both HostMonster and Nexcess comply with the GDPR, offering rights and privacy policies clearly explained to users. HostMonster supports PCI compliance on all accounts for A and B compliance. Nexcess, a PCI DSS Level 1 provider, also offers SSAE-18 compliance assessments annually. This broader range of certifications makes Nexcess more versatile in meeting various regulatory requirements.
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|---|---|---|
SSL certificate |
Basic, Premium |
Standard, Premium, EV, Wildcard, Multiple |
Additional security features |
SiteLock, Antivirus, 2FA |
Web Application Firewall, Daily Backups, Object Cache Pro |
PHP versions |
5 |
7, 8+ |
GDPR compliance |
Yes |
Yes |
HIPAA compliance |
Not specified |
Not specified |
PCI compliance |
Yes |
Yes (Level 1) |
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
7.8
5.7
🏆 Winner HostMonster: A feature-rich hosting provider ideal for a wide range of user needs.
HostMonster and Nexcess provide robust hosting solutions, but their offerings cater to different requirements. HostMonster excels in providing unlimited disk storage, domain hosting, and a free domain name for the first year, making it an attractive choice for users who value extensive resources. HostMonster supports international domain names and offers unlimited email support, along with a cPanel control panel that features a free, intuitive drag-and-drop site builder. This builder, coupled with a wealth of free website scripts and e-commerce features, offers extensive customization and ease of use. However, it lacks autoresponder functionality for emails, which could be a downside for some businesses.
Nexcess, on the other hand, provides specialized hosting plans designed for WordPress, WooCommerce, and Magento users. Nexcess stands out with its advanced monitoring tools, free autoscaling, PCI compliance, and free SSL certificates, which are particularly beneficial for e-commerce platforms. The managed services ensure high performance and security, especially with features like object cache, CDN powered by Cloudflare, and built-in Elasticsearch for Magento. Alongside daily backups and a staging environment for safe updates, Nexcess also provides a PHP compatibility checker and visual compare tool. These features make it an excellent choice for agencies and developers seeking dedicated support and advanced tools.
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|---|---|---|
Free domain |
Yes, for the first year |
No |
Free SSL |
No |
Yes |
Email hosting |
Yes |
Yes |
Website builder |
Yes |
No |
Staging environment |
No |
Yes |
FTP & SFTP accounts |
Yes |
Yes |
Git and SSH access |
Yes |
Yes |
Free backup |
Yes |
Yes |
Money back guarantee |
No |
Yes, 30-day |
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 Nexcess 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:
HostMonster provides unlimited POP3/POP3 Secure and IMAP/Secure IMAP email support, with three webmail solutions and unlimited forwarding and add-on email accounts. This flexibility is ideal for businesses needing robust email hosting but doesn’t include autoresponder functionality. In contrast, Nexcess offers free unlimited email with all hosting plans, ensuring reliable email services for users and managing their campaigns seamlessly. Both providers do not resell third-party email services like Google Workspace or Outlook.
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
7.4
🏆 Winner
HostMonster: HostMonster offers comprehensive shared hosting plans with a mix of affordability and features.
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.
Between HostMonster and Nexcess, HostMonster provides a range of affordable shared web hosting plans starting from $12.99 per month. These plans include essential features like unmetered bandwidth, a free domain, and standard SSL certificates. On the other hand, Nexcess focuses on more advanced cloud and managed WordPress hosting, with plans starting at $52 per month for cloud hosting and $21 per month for managed WordPress hosting. Nexcess’s plans offer extensive support, daily backups, and other features suited for high-traffic websites and enterprise needs.
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|---|---|
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Basic Hosting $12.99
1 website, 50 GB storage, unmetered bandwidth, 5 email accounts, free domain, standard SSL, no automated backups. Value for price:7.5
|
N/A |
|
Plus Hosting $17.99
Unlimited websites, unmetered storage, unmetered bandwidth, unlimited email accounts, free domain, standard SSL, 1 domain SpamExperts, no automated backups. Value for price:7.8
|
N/A |
|
Choice Plus Hosting $19.99
Unlimited websites, unmetered storage, unmetered bandwidth, unlimited email accounts, free domain, domain privacy, standard SSL, 1 domain SpamExperts, CodeGuard Basic included for 1 year. Value for price:8.0
|
N/A |
|
Pro Hosting $33.99
Unlimited websites, unmetered storage, unmetered bandwidth, unlimited email accounts, free domain, domain privacy, free dedicated IP, Positive SSL, 2 domains SpamExperts, automated backups. Value for price:8.3
|
N/A |
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|---|---|
| N/A |
Spark $21
1 site, 15 GB storage, 2 TB bandwidth, 24/7/365 WordPress support, core and plugin updates, visual compare, 1-click staging site, automatic backups. Value for price:8.0
|
| N/A |
Spark+ $43
3 sites, 25 GB storage, 2.5 TB bandwidth, same features as Spark. Value for price:7.8
|
| N/A |
Maker $47.85 for 3 mo
5 sites, 40 GB storage, 3 TB bandwidth, same features as Spark. Value for price:7.5
|
| N/A |
Designer $54 for 3 mo
10 sites, 60 GB storage, 4 TB bandwidth, same features as Spark. Value for price:7.6
|
| N/A |
Builder $73.80 for 3 mo
25 sites, 100 GB storage, 5 TB bandwidth, same features as Spark. Value for price:8.2
|
| N/A |
Producer $147.60 for 3 mo
50 sites, 300 GB storage, 5 TB bandwidth, same features as Spark. Value for price:7.9
|
| N/A |
Executive $270.90 for 3 mo
100 sites, 500 GB storage, 10 TB bandwidth, same features as Spark. Value for price:8.1
|
| N/A |
Enterprise $492.75 for 3 mo
250 sites, 800 GB storage, 10 TB bandwidth, same features as Spark. Value for price:8.4
|
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|
|
|---|---|
| N/A |
XS $52
11 sites, 50 GB storage, 1 TB bandwidth, daily backups, support. Value for price:7.0
|
| N/A |
S $104
16 sites, 75 GB storage, 2 TB bandwidth, same features as XS. Value for price:6.8
|
| N/A |
M $184
21 sites, 125 GB storage, 3 TB bandwidth, same features as XS. Value for price:7.1
|
| N/A |
L $315
31 sites, 400 GB storage, 5 TB bandwidth, same features as XS. Value for price:7.3
|
| N/A |
XL $578
41 sites, 600 GB storage, 8 TB bandwidth, same features as XS. Value for price:7.4
|
| N/A |
XXL $894
51 sites, 800 GB storage, 10 TB bandwidth, same features as XS. Value for price:7.5
|
As a result in rare cases the prices displayed here can differ from the ones you see on their websites.
Enterprise plans
HostMonster’s Pro Plan at $33.99 per month offers high performance, unlimited websites, and automated backups, making it a valuable choice for large-scale needs. Nexcess provides comprehensive support through their Enterprise Plan, starting at $492.75 for the first three months with extensive storage and bandwidth, ideal for agencies handling multiple client sites.
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.
7.7
9.1
🏆 Winner: Nexcess: Offers a seamless and supportive experience for setting up and managing websites, emphasizing expert support.
HostMonster utilizes a standard cPanel interface, which is familiar to many web admins and offers a wide array of features for managing web hosting. It’s user-friendly and provides an intuitive interface that caters to both technical and non-technical users. The admin panel is accessible and includes various tools such as email account setup, database management, and domain configurations, making it a comprehensive option for website management.
Nexcess, on the other hand, employs a more custom solution tailored for specific applications like WordPress, Magento, and WooCommerce. It focuses on providing a streamlined user experience. This custom admin panel is designed to simplify complex tasks, such as site migrations and plugin installations. Its intuitive interface is beneficial for users who do not have extensive technical knowledge, making it equally accessible for beginners and advanced users.
HostMonster offers instant setup for new accounts, but does not provide specialized migration tools. While they do have a step-by-step guide, the migration process is largely manual. Nexcess excels in this area by offering unlimited free managed migrations. This service, handled by experienced professionals, makes switching hosts straightforward and error-free.
The quality and accessibility of each provider’s help center vary significantly. HostMonster’s comprehensive help center includes articles, guides, and video tutorials, and offers 24/7 support via phone and chat. Their support resources cover a wide range of topics from basic setups to advanced configurations. Nexcess also provides 24/7/365 support, with a knowledge base filled with articles and tutorials focused on PHP-based applications. Additionally, they offer webinars and white papers as extra resources.
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.
6.3
8.6
🏆 Winner: Nexcess: A hosting provider with comprehensive user management capabilities.
While HostMonster offers a modified version of cPanel for administrative tasks, Nexcess stands out due to its detailed and specific user management features. HostMonster’s modified cPanel likely supports managing user accounts and permissions, but it lacks explicit information regarding specialized user roles and flexible permissions. Nexcess, on the other hand, categorically defines user roles such as Superuser, Billing, and Technical roles, along with the ability to create custom teams and assign specific permissions. This flexibility makes Nexcess more versatile for managing complex access needs.
HostMonster leverages a modified cPanel interface, which is popular and user-friendly, providing various features for managing websites, including user accounts. However, Nexcess goes further by offering a dedicated Client Portal with straightforward navigation through role-based access. The Nexcess Client Portal enables users to create and manage custom teams easily, making it ideal for organizations of various sizes. The availability of different views tailored to administrative, billing, and technical tasks enhances usability and efficiency.
When considering access control and scaling user permissions, Nexcess is better equipped to handle an increasing number of users. The platform supports adding multiple users without any hard limits, and custom-created account permissions ensure that all team members have appropriate access levels. HostMonster, by contrast, while functional in user management via cPanel, lacks the depth and specificity highlighted in Nexcess’s offerings. Nexcess’s ability to finely tune access settings and manage roles directly from the Client Portal provides superior control and scalability for growing teams.
Nexcess user roles table:
| Role | Description | Access highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Superuser | Equivalent to an administrator. | Full access to all features and functions within the Nexcess Client Portal. |
| Billing | Focused on account management and invoicing tasks. | Limited technical access, full access to billing, and account management sections. |
| Technical | Handles technical aspects of the portal. | Limited access to billing and account management, full access to technical tools. |
| Custom Teams | Flexible user roles created to meet specific needs. | Permissions can be fully customized based on team’s roles and expertise. |
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.
7.9
8.8
🏆 Winner
Nexcess: An all-encompassing 24/7/365 customer service experience with a focus on troubleshooting, infrastructure, and application-related issues.
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|---|---|---|
Phone support |
||
Live chat support |
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Chatbot |
||
Email/ticket support |
||
Enterprise support (dedicated agent, priority support) |
When comparing HostMonster and Nexcess, both hosting providers offer a range of customer support options. HostMonster provides 24/7 technical support via phone, live chat, and email. They also offer a knowledge base with articles and guides. Tickets and email support are available for various inquiries, alongside a 30-day money-back guarantee. HostMonster includes multiple contact methods and support channels, making it accessible for users to get the help they need.
Nexcess stands out with its around-the-clock support available every day of the year. They provide phone, chat, and email support with a focus on resolving complex issues like infrastructure and security problems. Nexcess also offers additional support features such as free managed migrations, proactive monitoring, daily backups, a CDN powered by Cloudflare, and free wildcard SSL certificates. Their 30-day money-back guarantee and dedicated enterprise support give them an edge in customer service offerings.
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.
User feedback on Nexcess hosting is highly polarized. Positive reviews frequently commend the platform’s knowledgeable and responsive customer support, emphasizing swift issue resolution and a user-friendly interface. However, negative reviews highlight significant issues with the backup system, slow migration processes, and unreliable server performance, causing operational disruptions and reputational damage. Many users note the decline in service quality following the company’s acquisition, culminating in mixed recommendations.
FAQ
Which platform is better suited for hosting WordPress websites?
Both HostMonster and Nexcess offer managed WordPress hosting with features like automatic updates, staging, and free SSL. Nexcess, however, provides more advanced features and support, making it a superior choice for more demanding WordPress hosting needs. HostMonster is still a viable option for simpler WordPress hosting requirements. Overall, Nexcess offers a more robust solution for hosting WordPress websites.
What are the major differences in pricing and value between HostMonster and Nexcess?
HostMonster provides a range of affordable shared hosting plans starting from $12.99 per month, including features like unmetered bandwidth and a free domain. Nexcess focuses on advanced cloud and managed WordPress hosting with plans starting at $21 per month, offering more extensive support and features suited for high-traffic and enterprise needs. Overall, HostMonster offers affordability while Nexcess delivers advanced value.
Which hosting service offers better security features?
HostMonster offers basic and premium SSL certificates, SiteLock security, and automatic malware removal. Nexcess provides a broader range of SSL certificates, web application firewalls, and daily backups. Nexcess also includes advanced PCI compliance and continuous monitoring, positioning it ahead in terms of security features for users seeking robust protection.
Which service is more suitable for hosting a high-traffic website?
Nexcess excels in hosting high-traffic websites with its high-speed, scalable hosting and advanced features like automatic scaling, integrated caching, and superior CDN performance. HostMonster, although reliable, lacks the advanced scalability and caching mechanisms that Nexcess offers. Therefore, Nexcess is more suitable for high-traffic website hosting.
Which platform offers better customer support?
Both HostMonster and Nexcess provide 24/7 customer support through phone, live chat, and email. Nexcess, however, offers additional support features like free managed migrations, proactive monitoring, and dedicated enterprise support, which gives it an edge over HostMonster. Overall, Nexcess provides a more comprehensive customer support experience.
The making of this blog
We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.
