Final verdict
Looking over Hostwinds vs. Hivelocity, both offer extensive hosting features but cater to different user needs.
Hivelocity (Overall grade: 7.7)
shines in reliability and security, offering a flawless 100% uptime since 2011, extensive security measures including DDoS protection and compliance with HIPAA and PCI standards. It also provides managed services that include proactive security updates, malware scanning, and performance optimization. However, it lacks some of the SSD performance and CDN integration found in Hostwinds. The pricing at Hivelocity can be steep, but the comprehensive support and highly customizable plans make it a compelling choice for those needing robust, scalable, and reliable hosting solutions.
Hostwinds (Overall grade: 7.1)
stands out for its performance-focused features like SSD drives, Litespeed Web Server, and Cloudflare CDN integration that significantly reduce load times. It offers a user-friendly interface with tools like the Weebly Site Builder and Softaculous Apps Installer, making it ideal for beginners. Hostwinds excels in providing free SSL certificates and dedicated IP addresses across all plans, along with free website migration and nightly backups. While it offers valuable features for small to medium enterprises and users prioritizing site speed and ease of use, it doesn’t match Hivelocity in regulatory compliance and some advanced security features.
 Overall grade:7.1 |
 Overall grade:7.7 |
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|---|---|---|
| Uptime and Availability | 7.2 | 9.8 |
| Hosting Performance | 8.4 | 7.0 |
| Hosting Security | 8.0 | 8.7 |
| Price | 8.5 | 8.7 |
| Hosting Features | 7.7 | 2.5 |
| Ease Of Setup | 8.7 | 8.5 |
| User Management | 0.0 | 6.9 |
| Customer Support | 8.0 | 9.5 |
| User feedback | 4.9/5 | 4.9/5 |
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.
7.2
9.8
🏆 Winner Hivelocity: A highly reliable hosting service with exceptional uptime.
When comparing Hostwinds and Hivelocity, Hivelocity proves to be the more reliable option: It has maintained a flawless 100% uptime for its network and power since 2011, even under monthly monitoring. The hosting also offers a 99.99% uptime guarantee with a compensation policy for downtimes. Its extensive data center network and intelligent routing capabilities ensure consistent performance.
Hostwinds shows commendable performance with a 99.89% uptime and a 99.99% guarantee. However, it does face challenges in consistently achieving this. With data centers in Seattle, Dallas, and Amsterdam, Hostwinds offers 24/7 server monitoring and redundancy. However, its average response time and the variability in international loading times highlight areas needing improvement.
For those prioritizing rock-solid uptime and reliability, Hivelocity stands out as the top choice.
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.
8.4
7.0
Winner: Hostwinds: Offers superior performance with advanced features and excellent support.
When comparing the general performance, Hostwinds stands out primarily due to its use of SSD drives and the Litespeed Web Server for faster load times. Additionally, Hostwinds integrates Cloudflare CDN, ensuring quick content delivery across the globe. Hosting packages include the latest PHP versions, which improve performance even further. Hostwinds data centers emphasize redundancy with a 99.9999% uptime guarantee and server locations spanning multiple continents. Conversely, Hivelocity boasts a 100% power uptime and a self-healing international network, but lacks the same level of SSD performance and CDN integration that Hostwinds offers. Hivelocity’s data centers are also global, with strong redundancy features like diesel power and CRAC cooling.
Website speed
Hostwinds provides several built-in tools to enhance website speed, including nightly backups and round-the-clock monitoring. Their utilization of Litespeed Web Server and full management support contribute significantly to reduced load times. The inclusion of Cloudflare CDN lowers latency for distant users, offering a more responsive experience. Hivelocity, on the other hand, although deploying servers quickly and using high-end hardware, doesn’t match Hostwinds’ performance strides in website speed. This makes Hostwinds a better option for those prioritizing swift load times and consistent performance.
Scalability
Hostwinds allows for instant scalability, letting users upgrade server resources as needed without hassle. They provide comprehensive business and shared hosting plans with options to scale resources quickly based on demand. The costs for scaling are transparent and proportional to the upgraded resources. Hivelocity does offer dedicated servers and a range of scalable solutions, but the specific details on elasticity and automatic scaling are not provided. This makes Hostwinds the more accessible and easier-to-scale option for businesses.
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.
8.0
8.7
🏆 Winner
Hivelocity Hosting: Offers extensive security features and compliance measures, ensuring robust protection and regulatory adherence.
Both Hostwinds and Hivelocity, have notable differences in their approaches to technical and operational
security, as well as in their compliance with regulations.
Technical security measures:
Hostwinds and Hivelocity both provide strong technical security measures, but there are differences in their offerings. Hostwinds includes free AutoSSL and purchasable SSL options like RapidSSL and WildCard SSL, ensuring data encryption and trust. Hivelocity offers basic, business, and premium SSL certificates, catering from personal sites to e-commerce platforms. Hostwinds uses the latest PHP versions to mitigate security vulnerabilities, although Hivelocity’s PHP support is unspecified. Both use advanced encryption technologies, but Hivelocity also includes proactive malware scanning and DDoS protection.
Operational security measures:
Hostwinds and Hivelocity deliver robust operational security measures. Hostwinds partners with Cloudflare for CDN services and uses Litespeed Web Server for faster content delivery. They provide 24/7 monitoring and nightly backups with full management support. Hivelocity offers similar operational security, including load balancing, hardware diagnostics, and firewall hardening. Notably, Hivelocity features advanced firewall capabilities, virus and spam protection (soon), and brute force detection.
Compliance and certifications:
Compliance with regulatory standards is critical for both hosting providers. Hostwinds does not specify GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI compliance. Hivelocity meets SSAE-16, HIPAA, and PCI requirements, ensuring adherence to healthcare and payment card industries. Hostwinds is recommended to be contacted directly for specific compliance details.
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|---|---|---|
SSL certificate |
AutoSSL, RapidSSL, WildCard SSL |
Basic, Business, Premium SSL |
Additional security features |
Cloudflare CDN, Litespeed Web Server, nightly backups, full management support |
DDoS protection, proactive malware scanning, advanced firewall |
PHP versions |
Latest versions |
Not specified |
GDPR compliance |
Not specified |
Not specified |
HIPAA compliance |
Not specified |
Yes |
PCI compliance |
Not specified |
Yes |
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
7.7
2.5
🏆 Winner
Hostwinds: Leading the market with extensive features and superior performance.
Hostwinds and Hivelocity both offer a range of hosting solutions that cater to different needs, but they stand out in different areas. Hostwinds provides a Weebly Site Builder across its hosting plans, making it user-friendly, especially for beginners who benefit from its drag-and-drop design approach. This can be a significant advantage for users looking for quick and easy website creation without needing extensive technical knowledge. On the other hand, Hivelocity features an array of control panels, such as cPanel and Plesk, which support more complex and customizable website setups. This makes Hivelocity potentially more appealing to experienced users who need more flexibility and control over their hosting environment.
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Free domain |
No |
No |
Free SSL |
Yes |
Yes |
Email hosting |
Yes |
Yes |
Website builder |
Yes |
No |
Staging environment |
No |
No |
FTP & SFTP accounts |
Yes |
Yes |
Git and SSH access |
Yes |
Yes |
Free backup |
Yes |
Yes |
Money back guarantee |
No |
No |
a location.
As a result in rare cases the features mentioned here can differ from the ones you see on their websites.
In terms of unique offerings, Hostwinds excels with its inclusion of free SSL certificates and dedicated IP addresses across all its web and business hosting plans, which can be crucial for maintaining site security and performance. They also offer free website migration and nightly backups, providing extra peace of mind for users concerned about data safety and seamless transitions. Hivelocity, meanwhile, shines with its managed services that include proactive security updates, malware scanning, and performance optimization. These features are particularly beneficial for users who need a more hands-off hosting experience. Additionally, Hivelocity’s support for multiple operating systems, like VMware and FreeBSD, and comprehensive hardware monitoring system can be very attractive for more technically inclined users who require varied and reliable infrastructure.
Email services:
Hostwinds offers unlimited email accounts across its various hosting plans, which includes both transactional email capabilities and the potential for users to set up their own email campaigns without additional costs. This makes it a flexible option for businesses and individuals. Hivelocity also supports email hosting with robust features for email-related needs. Both providers do not mention reselling third-party email services like Google Workspace or Zoho, so users will need to manage email hosting within each platform’s capabilities.
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.
8.5
8.7
🏆 Winner: Hivelocity: Comprehensive and highly customizable hosting plans for various needs.
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.
When comparing Hostwinds and Hivelocity, Hostwinds offers a range of shared, VPS, and cloud hosting plans with numerous features like unlimited bandwidth and free SSL certificates. Meanwhile, Hivelocity provides dedicated servers with significant discounts, game server solutions, and extensive global data center options. Hivelocity’s unique selling points include highly competitive pricing for cPanel dedicated servers and instant server solutions with substantial discounts. Both providers score highly, but Hivelocity edges out slightly, offering more varied and specialized plans to cater to diverse needs.
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N/A
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N/A
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Basic $5.24/mo
Unlimited bandwidth, unlimited disk space, 1 domain, free SSL certificates, latest cPanel, and 24/7 support. Value for price:7.8
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N/A
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Advanced $6.74/mo
Unlimited bandwidth, unlimited disk space, 4 domains, and all features in Basic plan. Value for price:8.2
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N/A
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Ultimate $8.24/mo
Unlimited bandwidth, unlimited disk space, unlimited domains, and all features in Basic plan. Value for price:8.5
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N/A
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1 CPU, 1 GB RAM $0.006931/hr
30 GB storage, 1 TB bandwidth, solid state drives, 99.9999% uptime, and instant scalability. Value for price:8.3
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N/A
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1 CPU, 2 GB RAM $0.013875/hr
50 GB storage, 2 TB bandwidth, and all features in 1 CPU, 1 GB RAM plan. Value for price:8.4
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N/A
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4 CPU, 8 GB RAM $0.054153/hr
150 GB storage, 3 TB bandwidth, and all features in 1 CPU, 1 GB RAM plan. Value for price:8.5
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N/A
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12 CPU, 64 GB RAM $0.298597/hr
500 GB storage, 8 TB bandwidth, and all features in 1 CPU, 1 GB RAM plan. Value for price:8.7
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N/A
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As a result in rare cases the prices displayed here can differ from the ones you see on their websites.
Enterprise plans
Hostwinds offers dedicated server hosting for $122.00/mo, providing customizable server drives, RAM, RAID, operating systems, and multiple data center locations. In comparison, Hivelocity provides instant servers and custom-built bare metal solutions with free consultations and 24/7 support. Dedicated servers such as the Dual 4309Y 8-Core come at a discounted price of $119/mo and offer up to 100TB bandwidth. Both providers offer well-rounded solutions but Hivelocity’s wide array of options and substantial discounts make it a compelling choice for large-scale enterprise hosting needs.
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.
8.7
8.5
🏆 Winner Hostwinds: Known for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive migration services.
Hostwinds offers cPanel for both its Shared and Business Web Hosting, making it accessible for users with varying levels of technical expertise. With features like the Weebly Drag-and-Drop Website Builder and Softaculous Apps Installer, Hostwinds ensures that even non-technical users can set up their websites easily. On the other hand, Hivelocity provides a wider range of control panels including cPanel, DirectAdmin, Plesk, and more. This variety caters to users with different preferences and technical skills, though it might present a steep learning curve for some.
Hostwinds on the other hand, offers a dual interface that combines a custom dashboard with full cPanel access, catering to both beginners and technically advanced users. The platform includes a comprehensive help center filled with a wide variety of guides and tutorials, aimed at assisting users in managing and optimizing their websites effectively.
Both Hostwinds and Hivelocity offer free website migration services. Hostwinds provides this service across its different hosting plans, ensuring an easy transition without additional cost. Hivelocity, while also offering free migrations, leverages its expertise in managed services for customization and optimization during the migration process. Both companies cover migration thoroughly, but Hostwinds’ commitment to free migration for all types of hosting makes it particularly attractive for hassle-free transitions.
In terms of knowledge base and help center resources, Hostwinds offers 24/7/365 support through various channels like live chat, support tickets, and email. Its knowledge base is comprehensive with product documentation, tutorials, and a community for additional help. Hivelocity also provides 24/7 support via chat, phone, and tickets, and maintains an extensive knowledge base with regularly updated articles. The accessibility and quality of support are high for both providers, but Hostwinds’ active community and detailed tutorials make it slightly more user-friendly.
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.
0.0
6.9
🏆 Winner
Hivelocity: Advanced user management features with a range of capabilities for managing roles and permissions.
Both hosting providers were evaluated for their abilities in managing user roles, permissions, and accessibility. Hostwinds does not provide specific information on user management or user roles, leading to an assessment score of 0.0 for this category. In contrast, Hivelocity supports a more structured and flexible approach, allowing administrators to create and define user roles and permissions effectively. This makes Hivelocity a better option for organizations needing detailed control over user roles and access levels.
In terms of user interfaces and tools for managing users, Hivelocity offers a more refined set of options. It provides detailed dashboards and interactive tools for user management. These interfaces are designed to make the process of managing multiple users straightforward and intuitive. While Hostwinds’ offerings in this area are not specified, the assumption based on available data is that it does not provide a comparable experience in this regard.
Access control measures are crucial for scalable user management. Hivelocity stands out with its effective access control features that allow for smooth integration as the number of users grows. It offers granular control over permissions, ensuring that each user has the appropriate level of access. Given the lack of detailed information for Hostwinds, it is challenging to assess its capabilities, but it is clear that Hivelocity is better suited to organizations that need efficient and scalable user management solutions.
Hivelocity user roles table:
| Role | Description | Access highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Admin | Full control over platform settings. | Can manage all settings, users, and permissions. |
| Manager | Oversees specific projects or teams. | Can add or remove users and modify project details. |
| Contributor | Contributes to projects but with limited permissions. | Can edit content but cannot change settings. |
| Viewer | Read-only access. | Can view all content but cannot make any changes. |
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.
8.0
9.5
🏆 Winner
Hivelocity: A reliable hosting provider with exceptional customer service and high uptime reliability.
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Phone support |
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Live chat support |
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Chatbot |
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Email/ticket support |
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Enterprise support (dedicated agent, priority support) |
Hostwinds offers an extensive range of customer support channels including 24/7/365 live chat, email, phone support, and a support ticket system for paid customers. Their response times are impressive, with email ticket responses guaranteed within five minutes and live chat/phone responses within 30 seconds. Hostwinds also provides additional support through tutorials, product documentation, and a blog. Customers have mixed reviews, citing strengths in support but occasionally noting issues with verification and service speed.
Hivelocity provides 24/7/365 technical support through live chat, phone, and a ticketing system, with dedicated hours for the sales and billing departments. Hivelocity also has an outstanding reputation for uptime and reliability, backed by customer reviews praising their support and server quality, though some find the prices steep. Additional support resources include walk-through articles and videos, along with custom server and security solutions that cater to a wide range of needs.
User feedback
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.
Hivelocity is highly praised for its exceptional customer service, reliable server performance, and knowledgeable technical support. Long-term users, some with over a decade of experience, commend the company for its personalized support and rapid response times, often highlighting near-instant ticket resolutions and a proactive approach to addressing issues. Additionally, the infrastructure and network reliability receive strong accolades, with many users experiencing minimal to no downtime. While a few noted the increasing prices and occasional variability in support quality, the consensus is that Hivelocity offers an outstanding hosting service marked by dependability and top-tier customer support.
FAQ
Which platform is better suited for hosting WordPress websites?
Both Hivelocity and Hostwinds provide comprehensive WordPress hosting services. They include features such as cPanel, Softaculous, and managed services, making them equally suitable options. The choice would depend on specific needs like additional security or CDN features.
Are both platforms suitable for beginners?
Hostwinds is more beginner-friendly with its user-friendly interface, Weebly Site Builder, and Softaculous Apps Installer, making it ideal for those with limited technical expertise. Hivelocity, on the other hand, offers multiple control panels which appeal more to experienced users needing flexibility.
Which hosting service offers better security features?
Hivelocity excels in security with offerings like DDoS protection, proactive malware scanning, and advanced firewall capabilities. Although Hostwinds provides free AutoSSL and supports purchasable SSL options, it does not match Hivelocity’s extensive security measures and regulatory compliance.
Which platform offers better customer support?
Hostwinds offers 24/7/365 customer support through live chat, email, and phone, with impressive response times. Hivelocity also provides round-the-clock support with high uptime reliability and receives strong praise for its personalized and prompt service. Both are highly reliable, but Hivelocity has a slight edge on overall customer feedback.
Which hosting service offers more scalability options for growing websites?
Hostwinds offers instant scalability with transparent and proportional costs, making it easy to upgrade server resources based on demand, suitable for growing websites. Hivelocity provides scalable solutions as well but lacks detailed specifics on automatic scaling, making Hostwinds a more accessible option for scaling.
The making of this blog
We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.
