Ionos vs WP Engine: guide for 2024

Final verdict

Looking over IONOS vs. WP Engine, 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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  WP Engine (Overall grade: 8.6)
  
  
  offers premium WordPress hosting with strong performance and security measures. Notable features include EverCache® technology, a global CDN, and real-time threat detection. With consistent 100% uptime, impressive loading speeds, and scalable architecture, WP Engine is ideal for high-traffic websites and agencies. Although its services come at a higher price point, the value added through detailed performance insights and extensive support justifies the cost for businesses seeking top-tier hosting. It’s especially adept at handling complex WordPress environments and ensuring low latency worldwide, making it a premium choice for demanding users.
  
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  IONOS (Overall grade: 8.2)
  
  
  provides a comprehensive hosting package that includes shared, cloud, VPS, and dedicated hosting options. Its cost-effective plans, starting as low as $4/month, make it accessible for smaller budgets. IONOS boasts features like georedundant infrastructure, DDoS protection, and easy scalability through dual platform technology, with the added benefit of a free domain for the first year and professional email hosting. While it doesn’t offer the specialized WordPress optimization that WP Engine does, its user-friendly setup and custom admin panel provide simplicity and versatility, making it a solid choice for startups and small businesses needing a dependable and feature-rich hosting solution.
  

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 WP Engine: Premium uptime and superior performance.

WP Engine’s uptime performance is impeccable, showcased by a notable 100% uptime over recent months. The platform’s server response time is also impressive, averaging at 489ms. With a strong global presence through data centers worldwide, WP Engine reduces latency and enhances user experiences.

IONOS, with its 99.9% uptime guarantee, employs georedundant infrastructure to ensure continuous service. It offers robust DDoS protection and daily backups, making it a reliable choice for users who need stability. Scalability via adjustable performance levels and a comprehensive support system make IONOS a solid option.

Both hosting providers deliver excellent uptime and availability, but WP Engine’s consistent performance and higher uptime guarantee make it the preferred choice for those seeking top-tier website reliability and speed.

🏆 Winner WP Engine: Known for exceptional WordPress hosting quality.

When comparing IONOS and WP Engine for hosting performance, WP Engine stands out for its specialized focus on WordPress hosting. Both providers offer impressive speed, thanks to features like SSD storage and the latest PHP versions; however, WP Engine employs proprietary EverCache® Technology for efficient caching. IONOS has the added advantage of Cloudflare CDN and georedundant infrastructure, while WP Engine’s CDN boasts over 200 points of presence. WP Engine also has a more extensive network of global data centers, ensuring low latency worldwide.

Website Speed

WP Engine takes the lead in page load times, crucial for user experience and SEO. Its EverCache® technology and optimization for Core Web Vitals yield quick load times. IONOS offers speedy performance with dual platform technology and HTTP/2 protocol. Both hosts benefit from the latest PHP versions and SSD storage, although WP Engine’s infrastructure is designed for high traffic, making it a better choice for demanding WordPress environments.

Scalability

Both IONOS and WP Engine provide scalable solutions, but their approaches vary. IONOS allows manual adjustment of performance levels with a minor cost increment, ideal for controlled scaling. WP Engine, on the other hand, incorporates scalable architecture with isolated resources and handles traffic spikes seamlessly. Both hosts offer robust resources, but WP Engine’s infrastructure is particularly tailored for scalable WordPress performance.

🏆 Winner WP Engine: Proactive and automated approach to security ensures superior protection for WordPress sites.

Both IONOS and WP Engine, have notable differences in their approaches to technical and operational
security, as well as in their compliance with regulations.

Technical security measures:

IONOS supports a variety of SSL certificates, up to 256-bit encryption, and extensive malware protection including site scans and automatic removal. Its advanced DDoS protection and customizable firewall rules provide robust security measures. Conversely, WP Engine excels with global edge security, managed WAF, and advanced DDoS mitigation. Furthermore, WP Engine’s real-time threat detection blocks 72 million attacks daily and handles automated WordPress core updates to maintain security. Both platforms offer daily backups, but WP Engine includes additional features like automated plugin and theme updates with visual regression test rollbacks.

Operational security measures:

IONOS boasts 24/7 technical support and a personal consultant, ensuring continual assistance and personalized help. WP Engine matches this with its 24/7 global support and a high satisfaction rate of 97%, along with premium support options. WP Engine’s continuous monitoring blocks billions of attacks annually, while IONOS focuses on redundancy with georedundant data centers and robust intrusion detection systems. Both platforms provide secure access via SSH and SFTP.

Compliance and certifications:

IONOS complies with GDPR standards, ensuring the protection of personal data for European customers. WP Engine is SOC-2 compliant and ISO 27001-2013 certified, demonstrating adherence to stringent security protocols. IONOS’s PCI compliance status isn’t explicit, whereas WP Engine sites may fall under PCI vulnerability scanning scope but depend on customized components.

🏆 Winner
WP Engine: A premium choice for optimized WordPress hosting tailored for superior site performance and security.

Both IONOS and WP Engine offer competitive hosting features; however, they cater to different user needs with unique benefits. IONOS provides a comprehensive package with an included domain for the first year, free professional email, and a free Wildcard SSL certificate, making it an attractive choice for users looking to establish a robust web presence without hidden costs. IONOS also supports easy app installations and offers managed WordPress hosting with automatic updates and malware scanning. Its scalability is enhanced by dual platform technology and a high uptime guarantee, ensuring reliability and performance.

WP Engine, on the other hand, focuses on delivering specialized WordPress hosting with features aimed at enhancing site speed and security. The proprietary EverCache® technology and global CDN ensure fast load times, while the managed security features, including a Web Application Firewall and advanced DDoS mitigation, protect websites from potential threats. WP Engine’s detailed performance insights and isolated resources cater to high-traffic sites, and the inclusion of premium WordPress themes adds value. Their higher price points reflect the premium services and extensive support provided, making it a suitable option for businesses needing optimized performance and robust security.

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 IONOS and WP Engine 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:

IONOS includes professional email hosting with all its plans, allowing users to set up and manage their email campaigns directly. WP Engine does not offer email hosting but supports transactional email capabilities such as notifications for form submissions through third-party integrations. Users may need to resort to additional services like Google Workspace or Zoho for comprehensive email management. This differentiation could influence user choice based on their email communication and campaign requirements.

Winner IONOS: Offering cost-effective and feature-rich plans, IONOS stands out in the hosting market.

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.

IONOS and WP Engine offer diverse hosting packages catering to different needs. IONOS offers budget-friendly plans starting as low as $4/month for web hosting, covering substantial features such as free domains and daily backups. WP Engine’s plans begin at a higher price point of $20/month but come with specialized features like EverCache® for enhanced performance. Both providers feature a range of plans, with IONOS providing more affordable options and comprehensive customer support, whereas WP Engine focuses on premium Managed WordPress Hosting with additional performance and security enhancements.

Enterprise plans

IONOS offers unlimited resources with their Ultimate Plan at $16/month, providing excellent value for large-scale websites needing abundant storage and databases. WP Engine’s Custom Plan starts at $600/month and includes premium onboarding, advanced performance monitoring, and dedicated support, making it ideal for enterprises requiring extensive resources and top-tier service. For businesses with high demand but constrained budgets, IONOS is a compelling option, whereas WP Engine suits enterprises seeking extensive, managed WordPress solutions and willing to invest in premium services.

🏆 Winner
IONOS: A streamlined hosting solution with extensive support and user-friendly setup.

IONOS offers a custom admin panel tailored to simplify the user experience for both technical and non-technical users. Its intuitive design and easy navigation make it accessible for those who may not be familiar with web hosting intricacies. The WP Assistant further enhances this by guiding users through the process of setting up a WordPress site effortlessly. With Click & Build, users can install popular applications like Joomla and Drupal in just a few clicks, streamlining the entire setup process.

WP Engine, on the other hand, also provides a custom admin panel optimized for WordPress users. The interface is designed with developers in mind, featuring advanced tools and settings that allow for granular control over the hosting environment. While it’s accessible, it may be slightly more complex for non-technical users compared to IONOS’ straightforward approach. Nevertheless, the admin panel is loaded with useful features that cater specifically to managing and optimizing WordPress sites efficiently.

Both IONOS and WP Engine offer tools for site migration. IONOS does not have specifics about automated migration tools, but they do have extensive support and resources that can help users migrate manually. WP Engine shines in this aspect with its Automated Migration Plugin, making it easy to move a WordPress site to their platform quickly and without cost. Additionally, they provide a Manual Migration Checklist for scenarios where the plugin might not be compatible, ensuring all bases are covered.

The help centers of both providers are rich with resources. IONOS has a comprehensive Help Center with detailed information and instructions on various topics, backed by 24/7 customer support and personal consultant access. WP Engine’s Support Center includes a wide array of articles, guides, and video tutorials focused on WordPress, with 24/7 expert support available via phone and chat. Both platforms ensure users have access to the information they need to manage their websites effectively.

🏆 Winner
WP Engine: WP Engine offers comprehensive user management with detailed permissions and role customization.

Comparing both platforms’ abilities in managing user roles, permissions, and accessibility reveals key differences. IONOS allows the creation, cloning, and deletion of roles, providing a flexible system where users can have multiple roles. Each role can be customized for read access or additional permissions. WP Engine, on the other hand, offers a more granular approach with predefined roles such as Owner, Full, and Partial roles, each detailed with specific permissions for billing, environment management, and user access. While IONOS users start with an Administrator role by default, WP Engine provides a detailed matrix outlining capabilities for each user type, supporting a structured and organized user permission system.

In terms of user interfaces and tools for managing users, IONOS features a Cloud Panel where users can view and edit roles from a dedicated overview page. Roles can be managed via an intuitive dashboard that lists essential role information and permissions. WP Engine offers a User Portal with a straightforward navigation system where users can be added, edited, or removed efficiently. The User Portal includes specific sections for account users, environment users, and technical contacts, enriching the user management experience with clear, accessible options and user-specific management sections.

Assessing the effectiveness of access control measures and the platforms’ capability to manage a growing number of users, IONOS utilizes role-based permissions that can be adjusted as needed, providing scalability for managing increasing users with varying permissions. WP Engine’s role-based access control is highly detailed and caters to complex environments. Its inclusion of environment-specific and billing-specific roles ensures users have precise access without redundancy, making it effective in handling a growing user base while maintaining security and organization.

IONOS user roles table:

WP Engine user roles table:

🏆 Winner WP Engine: WP Engine excels in customer satisfaction with high customer support scores and premium support options.

Both IONOS and WP Engine offer comprehensive 24/7 customer support, but their approaches differ slightly. IONOS has a versatile customer service system that includes phone, chat, and email support, and provides a personal consultant available during business hours for tailored assistance. They also offer a help center, a community support forum, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

WP Engine, on the other hand, provides 24/7 support via phone and chat. Access to technical expertise for WordPress optimization, premium support options for enhanced customer service, and a user portal for managing account details are available. WP Engine also includes robust security features and a 60-day money-back guarantee for new customers.

User feedback

The user feedback on the hosting provider is highly mixed. Some customers appreciate the affordability and ease of use, particularly for startups, and praise the good customer support and convenient packages. However, many others criticize the company’s unreliable service, outdated user interface, and poor handling of issues, including severe downtime and inadequate customer support. There are also concerns about deceptive business practices and difficulty with account management, leading to significant dissatisfaction among long-term users.

WP Engine exudes excellence in managed WordPress hosting, boasting top-notch technical support that’s often highlighted as a standout feature. Users appreciate the user-friendly dashboard, seamless migration tools, daily backups, and solid security measures, all of which contribute to high performance and reliability. However, the service does come at a higher price point, which some users find steep, especially for entry-level plans or smaller projects. Despite occasional concerns about costs and some technical nuances, WP Engine’s premium service quality justifies the expense for many, making it a highly recommended solution for businesses and developers alike.

FAQ