Justhost vs Directnic: guide for 2024

Final verdict

Comparing JustHost and Directnic reveals key differences in their offerings and value.

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  JustHost (Overall grade: 7.4)
  
  
  offers a wide variety of robust hosting solutions, including shared, WordPress, eCommerce, VPS, and dedicated hosting. Its reliability is underscored by a 99.95% uptime guarantee and advanced security features like SiteLock and Web Application Firewalls. JustHost’s user management and scalability options, especially with its VPS and dedicated solutions, cater to high-traffic and eCommerce sites efficiently. Its cPanel interface is intuitive, providing 1-click installs for popular applications and extensive customer support options, though some users report slower server response times and mixed customer service reviews.
  
• 
  Directnic (Overall grade: 6.8)
  
  
  presents an affordable and straightforward hosting menu, focusing primarily on shared and WordPress hosting plans. It makes up for its lower 99% uptime guarantee by leveraging a Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC) and CDNs for enhanced security and site speed. Directnic’s affordability and clear plan structure are attractive for agencies managing multiple domains or smaller-scale websites prioritizing cost-efficiency. User reviews highlight stability yet point out issues with server speed and less reliable customer service compared to JustHost. While lacking advanced hosting options like VPS or dedicated servers, Directnic provides essential features and solid security at competitive prices.
  

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 JustHost: Reliable service with a strong uptime guarantee.

JustHost stands out with an uptime guarantee of 99.95%, meeting the industry standard. They maintain a data center in Utah and have headquarters in the UK, US, and Australia. While they excel in uptime, their server response speed is slower, averaging 971ms. Customer reviews tend to be mixed, particularly regarding customer service and support.

Directnic offers a lower uptime guarantee of 99%, falling short of industry standards. Despite this, users often praise the stability of their hosting. They provide a variety of shared hosting plans packed with features but lack advanced hosting options like VPS or dedicated servers. Pricing is affordable, but some users report issues with server speed and customer service reliability.

🏆 Winner Directnic: More flexible hosting options with advanced security features.

When comparing the general performance of Just Host and Directnic, Just Host offers reliable uptime with high-performance quad processor servers and RAID 1 mirrored storage for dedicated hosting. Both providers offer cPanel for ease, but Just Host includes a UPS power backup and 24/7 network monitoring. Directnic, on the other hand, promises 99% uptime and provides a Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC) and a Security Information & Event Management system (SIEM). Directnic supports CDN integration, enhancing site performance and SEO, while Just Host does not indicate this.

Website Speed

Just Host provides higher performance on its Pro Plan, which could result in faster load times compared to standard plans. Directnic leverages a CDN in all plans, which typically helps improve website speed and optimize performance by reducing latency. Users needing enhanced website speed might find Directnic’s CDN inclusion more beneficial.

Scalability

Both hosting services offer scalable options, but the mechanisms differ. Just Host provides instant provisioning for VPS and dedicated hosting, making it easier to scale quickly. Directnic offers a range of plans with varying disk space and data transfer capacities, with manual upgrades required for better plans. The cost structure for scaling with Directnic is clear across its tiers, while Just Host’s upgrade path depends on additional storage and VPS or dedicated server options.

🏆 Winner Directnic: A robust hosting solution with impressive security features and 24/7 surveillance.

Both Just Host and Directnic, have notable differences in their approaches to technical and operational security, as well as in their compliance with regulations.

Technical security measures:

Just Host provides extensive security features via SiteLock, including daily 360-degree vulnerability scans, automatic malware removal, and a Web Application Firewall. Meanwhile, Directnic offers a comprehensive Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC), malware detection, and removal, and a fully-managed Web Application Firewall (WAF). Both hosts support multiple PHP versions, with Just Host specifying support for PHP 5 and PHP 7, while Directnic allows users to select PHP versions via their Hosting Console.

Operational security measures:

Directnic’s operational security includes 24/7/365 surveillance and incident response through their CSOC, as well as alerting and incident escalation. Just Host provides real-time alerts and email notifications for detected threats. Directnic also offers DDoS protection with a multi-layered approach against various attack types, whereas Just Host emphasizes proactive vulnerability scanning and automated malware removal. Both services offer malware scanning and expert remediation services.

Compliance and certifications:

Just Host mentions GDPR compliance and provides GDPR Domain Masking and Whois Privacy. Directnic does not specify details about GDPR or PCI compliance. Neither host indicates HIPAA compliance explicitly.

Winner: Just Host: An all-encompassing web hosting solution.

When choosing a hosting provider, the features and services offered play a pivotal role in determining the best fit for your needs. Both Just Host and Directnic offer distinct advantages catering to various user preferences. Just Host stands out with its unmetered disk space, unlimited email accounts, and a plethora of free marketing tools, making it appealing for larger or growing businesses. The inclusion of a free website builder with a drag-and-drop interface facilitates user-friendly site creation while supporting complex customization needs. Additionally, Just Host provides a wide array of 1-Click installs for popular applications, which bolsters its appeal for users seeking extensive functionality without the complexity.

On the other hand, Directnic Hosting offers straightforward plans with clear-cut features tailored for users with different levels of storage and bandwidth needs. The Lite Plan, for instance, is an economical option for smaller websites with a modest requirement of 10GB disk space and 100GB data transfer. Directnic’s plan structure is transparent, making it easier to select based on one’s specific needs. While Directnic includes free domain registration and cPanel in every plan, it may not offer the extensive feature set found with Just Host, particularly the advanced eCommerce tools and more robust customization options. Directnic’s simplicity and cost-efficiency make it an excellent choice for new or smaller-scale websites looking to manage costs effectively.

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 Just Host and Directnic 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:

Just Host provides unlimited email accounts with POP3/IMAP support, ideal for users who need to set up multiple email addresses for their domain. It includes features like Spam Assassin protection and autoresponders, which enhance email management. Directnic, on the other hand, offers a tiered email account structure depending on the plan, starting with 50 POP3 emails in its Lite Plan. While it covers the basics, it may not match Just Host’s extensive email support. Both providers offer transactional email capabilities, but Just Host’s offerings are more suitable for large-scale email requirements.

🏆 Winner
Just Host: Just Host scores slightly higher overall, mainly due to the robust features included in their plans and the transparency of what’s included.

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. Although some providers offer identical plans for WordPress and shared hosting, we have created separate tables for each to enhance clarity.

Just Host offers a variety of plans across different hosting categories with a mix of competitive prices and extensive features. Their shared web hosting plans are more detailed and offer many additional benefits compared to Directnic’s simpler and lower-cost plans. Just Host shines with its extensive email, subdomain provisions, and robust database support, making it an excellent choice for businesses with diverse requirements. Directnic stands out for its budget-friendly plans that cover essential needs effectively but lacks some advanced features provided by Just Host.

Enterprise plans

For enterprises, Just Host’s Pro Plan stands out with its high performance, better file management, and substantial database support. Directnic, while more cost-effective, lacks the same level of advanced features and flexibility, making Just Host the better option for enterprise-level hosting needs.

🏆 Winner Justhost: A user-friendly hosting provider with easy setup and robust support options.

Both Just Host and Directnic employ the cPanel control panel, recognized for its accessibility and user-friendliness. Just Host integrates tightly with its customer control panel to streamline website management, allowing even non-technical users to handle template designs, application installs, and free advertising credits with ease. The seamless integration of features aims to eliminate user confusion. On the other hand, Directnic also offers cPanel along with the Weebly SiteBuilder for those who prefer a drag-and-drop interface, catering to less technical users who may need a more guided approach to building their website.

Both service providers ensure that managing your hosting account is straightforward but take slightly different routes to make the user experience pleasant. Just Host’s cPanel is integrated with features like 1-click script installs via SimpleScripts, making it easier for users to add functionalities like WordPress and Joomla to their sites. Directnic’s approach includes easy script installations and the Weebly builder, which is particularly beneficial for users who prefer building their site visually without much coding. Overall, both platforms offer user-friendly control panels that suit varying levels of technical expertise.

Just Host offers a streamlined process for script installations but doesn’t explicitly mention automated migration tools. If assistance is required, Just Host’s help center and support options can guide users through this process, potentially involving some manual steps. Directnic similarly provides easy script installations but also does not specify automated migration tools, implying that users would need to use manual methods. Both platforms seem to facilitate migration but potentially require manual intervention.

Just Host’s help center is comprehensive, featuring articles on DNS, G Suite apps, and various setup guides. It offers phone, chat, and email support, making it highly accessible. Comprehensive tutorials are available for those needing detailed guidance. Directnic also provides an extensive knowledge base, covering topics like logging into the hosting console and configuring domains, with 24/7 technical support and a Trouble Ticket System for personalized assistance. Both platforms offer a range of support options but Just Host’s multifaceted support channels and tutorials provide a slightly richer resource.

🏆 Winner JustHost: A reliable and user-friendly hosting provider with advanced user management features.

When comparing user management capabilities, JustHost clearly sets itself apart with its robust cPanel control panel. While Directnic’s features in user roles and permissions are not explicitly defined, JustHost provides a structured approach to managing and configuring various aspects of user roles and permissions. With JustHost, users can handle multiple accounts with a single login, and those using VPS hosting enjoy full root access to CentOS, providing a high level of flexibility. This level of control makes JustHost more versatile in managing user roles and permissions.

JustHost employs a user-friendly interface that leverages the cPanel control panel, well-known for its intuitive design. Users can easily manage email accounts, domains, and website statistics through its streamlined interface. Moreover, the enhanced cPanel environment for VPS configurations offers a richer feature set, making advanced tasks more accessible. Though Directnic lacks detailed descriptions of its interface tools, JustHost’s cPanel ensures easy navigation and efficient management of hosting accounts.

Access control is another area where JustHost excels. With FTP and SSH access, users can securely manage files and server settings. Customizable error pages and cron jobs further enhance access control, allowing users to tailor their experience. The control panel’s design ensures scalability, effectively managing a growing number of users and accounts. The site transfer option simplifies migration processes. Without detailed information on Directnic’s access control measures, JustHost stands out as more efficient in managing user growth and varied access requirements.

JustHost user roles table:

🏆 Winner JustHost: Offers a well-rounded suite of services with excellent uptime and dependable 24/7 support.

JustHost and Directnic both provide valuable customer support options, but with some notable distinctions. Both hosting providers offer 24/7 support through email and live chat. While JustHost’s phone support is available round the clock, Directnic’s phone support is only accessible during working hours from Monday to Friday. Directnic adds a ticket support system and features a comprehensive knowledge base with articles and video tutorials.

Both hosts offer a 30-day money-back guarantee and free domain registration with annual plans. However, customer reviews for Directnic are mixed, indicating possible concerns with server reliability and speed. JustHost, on the other hand, is praised for its exceptional uptime and dependable customer service, making it a preferable choice in terms of overall reliability and support responsiveness.

User feedback

JustHost is praised for its simplicity and ease of use, making it a great option for beginners wanting to learn more about hosting and cPanel. Users appreciate its intuitive interface and reliable performance with minimal outages. The introductory pricing is highly attractive, offering significant savings for long-term commitments. However, some users feel that the regular pricing after the initial period can be steep, though still competitive.

The hosting provider has a long-standing presence in the industry, which has contributed to a stable domain registration experience for some users. However, there have been significant issues with domain security breaches and slow response times for resolving these problems. Additionally, the server performance is reported to be slow, and customer support is not highly rated. Overall, the service has received average feedback, and some users would not recommend it.

FAQ