Final verdict
Looking over Netfirms vs. Hivelocity, 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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Hivelocity (Overall grade: 7.7)
distinguishes itself with its stellar uptime consistency, advanced security measures, and extensive hosting options, including cloud and WordPress hosting. The company’s global data centers and advanced server infrastructure ensure exceptional reliability and performance, making it a prime choice for high-demand environments like multimedia and ecommerce sites. With features like proactive malware scanning and robust firewall protections, Hivelocity provides a secure hosting platform. However, the higher complexity and cost of its plans could be a barrier for beginners or those with simpler needs.
Netfirms (Overall grade: 7.3)
provides a user-friendly and cost-effective solution, particularly attractive to small to medium-sized businesses looking for affordable shared hosting options. The platform excels in offering a variety of features like unlimited storage, scalable bandwidth, and a free domain for the first year. Though not as comprehensive in global reach or advanced security measures as Hivelocity, Netfirms is ideal for users seeking a straightforward setup and efficient customer support. The clear management of user roles and easy integration with Google Workspace add to its appeal, despite lacking comprehensive uptime guarantees or detailed security measures.
 Overall grade:7.3 |
 Overall grade:7.7 |
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|---|---|---|
| Uptime and Availability | 8.3 | 9.8 |
| Hosting Performance | 6.0 | 7.0 |
| Hosting Security | 8.2 | 8.7 |
| Price | 8.0 | 8.7 |
| Hosting Features | 4.4 | 2.5 |
| Ease Of Setup | 6.8 | 8.5 |
| User Management | 7.7 | 6.9 |
| Customer Support | 8.9 | 9.5 |
| User feedback | 2.8/5 | 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.
8.3
9.8
🏆 Winner
Hivelocity: Consistent 100% uptime and extensive global data centers.
Hivelocity offers an uptime guarantee of 99.99% and has consistently met this benchmark, demonstrating 100% uptime for network and power since 2011. With multiple data centers in the U.S. and a globally connected network, Hivelocity provides impressive reliability for high-end customers. They also feature redundancy with diesel generators and on-site fuel, ensuring uninterrupted service during power outages.
Netfirms, though stable, lacks an explicit uptime guarantee on their official site. They deliver a 99.9% uptime promise with 24/7 customer support and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Their data centers in New York and Toronto provide a focused North American service. Despite its strong performance, the lack of specific guarantees places it behind Hivelocity in terms of reliability and uptime assurance.
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.
6.0
7.0
🏆 Winner: Hivelocity: Strong global presence and superior server performance.
When comparing general performance, Hivelocity stands out with its advanced server network and data center reliability, promising 100% power uptime. Hivelocity offers high-end hardware options like Intel and AMD processors, which contribute to fast load times and efficient performance. They boast a robust and self-healing international network to route data around network congestion, ensuring 99.99% uptime. With global data centers spread across six continents, including major cities like New York, London, and Tokyo, Hivelocity provides comprehensive coverage. Netfirms, on the other hand, features scalable bandwidth and a 99.9% uptime across their plans but lacks the advanced network features and global reach of Hivelocity.
Website Speed
Hivelocity excels in website speed, deploying servers within 5 to 7 minutes and offering SSD storage for rapid access times. Their infrastructure supports instant deployment and proactive optimization, contributing to swift website performance. Netfirms provides scalable bandwidth and free SSL certificates to improve loading times, but it doesn’t match up to the instant deployment and extensive optimization features of Hivelocity.
Scalability
Hivelocity offers comprehensive scalability with dedicated servers and managed services, including proactive security updates and custom solutions. Their pricing for scaling depends on the specific hardware and services required, though exact costs aren’t specified. Netfirms also supports scalability through various plans, from shared to dedicated hosting, with flexibility to match your site’s growth. However, specific details on elastic scaling and associated costs for Netfirms are not disclosed.
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
8.7
🏆 Winner
Hivelocity: A strong choice for businesses needing high security and compliance.
Both Netfirms and Hivelocity, have notable differences in their approaches to technical and operational
security, as well as in their compliance with regulations.
Technical security measures:
Netfirms offers multiple SSL certificate options, including free Let’s Encrypt SSL, Domain Validated SSL, Organization Validated SSL, E-commerce SSL, and Wildcard SSL. Hivelocity provides Basic, Business, and Premium SSL certificates with comprehensive encryption and warranties. Hivelocity’s advanced encryption technologies and proactive malware scanning with Maldet surpass Netfirms’ offerings. Both providers offer DDoS protection and daily malware scans, but Hivelocity adds robust firewall hardening and virus protection, which Netfirms lacks. Netfirms does include regular SiteLock scans and domain protection, but Hivelocity’s stronger focus on proactive measures gives it the edge.
Operational security measures:
Netfirms and Hivelocity both deliver 24/7 monitoring and support, with real-time problem identification. Netfirms includes SiteLock with different tiers that offer varied response times, malware removal, and application firewalls. Hivelocity, however, impresses with SSAE-16 and HIPAA compliance, RAID monitoring, load balancing, and proactive malware scanning. The use of advanced network security and brute force detection like cpHulk puts Hivelocity ahead in terms of operational security, making it a more reliable choice for sensitive information and high-demand environments.
Compliance and certifications:
Netfirms ensures GDPR compliance, offering rights to EU residents and processing personal data lawfully. PCI compliance is verified through SiteLock scanning. Hivelocity holds SSAE-16, HIPAA, and PCI certifications, ensuring adherence to a broader range of regulatory standards, suitable for healthcare and payment data. Both companies ensure PCI compliance, but Netfirms lacks HIPAA certification, which can be crucial for certain industries.
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|---|---|---|
SSL certificate |
Multiple options, Let’s Encrypt |
Basic, Business, Premium |
Additional security features |
SiteLock, DDoS Protection |
Malware scanning, DDoS Protection |
PHP versions |
Not specified |
Not specified |
GDPR compliance |
Yes |
Not specified |
HIPAA compliance |
Not specified |
Yes |
PCI compliance |
Yes |
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
4.4
2.5
🏆 Winner Netfirms: Offers affordable plans with a rich feature set for small to medium-sized businesses.
Netfirms stands out with its array of features that cater to a variety of users, particularly those looking for cost-effective solutions. Its plans come with a free domain name for the first year and unlimited disk space, making it ideal for users with growing needs. The inclusion of eCommerce solutions and marketing tools is a big plus for online businesses. Meanwhile, its 24/7 support ensures help is available whenever needed. On the downside, SFTP and SSH support aren’t clearly mentioned, which could be a limitation for users needing secure file transfers and shell access.
Hivelocity, on the other hand, focuses on a more robust set of managed services and features such as proactive malware scanning, DDoS mitigation, and RAID monitoring. It also supports a variety of control panels and operating systems, making it flexible for users with specific technical requirements. Additionally, Hivelocity provides SSH access, which is a significant advantage for advanced users needing secure server access. However, the hosting plans are generally more complex, which may not be as user-friendly for beginners comparing with Netfirms.
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Free domain |
Yes, for the first year |
No |
Free SSL |
Yes |
Yes |
Email hosting |
No |
No |
Website builder |
No |
No |
Staging environment |
No |
No |
FTP & SFTP accounts |
FTP |
FTP & SFTP |
Git and SSH access |
No |
Yes |
Free backup |
No |
No |
Money back guarantee |
Yes |
No |
a location.
As a result in rare cases the features mentioned here can differ from the ones you see on their websites.
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 Netfirms and Hivelocity 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:
Neither Netfirms nor Hivelocity offers built-in email hosting services, which means users would need to look for third-party solutions if they intend to set up email campaigns. Both providers allow for the reselling of third-party email services such as Google Workspace and Outlook, but no specific transactional email capabilities are listed, making them less ideal for users who need comprehensive email marketing solutions.
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.
8.0
8.7
🏆 Winner Hivelocity: A diverse range of hosting options with impressive global data center coverage and competitive pricing.
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.
Netfirms offers a variety of shared hosting plans starting from $3.95/mo, scaling up with enhanced features and pricing tiers, and includes a free domain name for a year, unlimited storage, and scalable bandwidth. Hivelocity provides cPanel dedicated server hosting options, instant servers, game server solutions, and custom-built bare metal servers with more tailored plan specifications, making it suitable for users needing scalable and high-performance solutions. Hivelocity’s instant servers and game server solutions offer competitive pricing and attractive hardware configurations, such as up to 64GB memory and high storage capacities. Additionally, Hivelocity’s dedicated hosting plans offer flexibility and robust options with their varied hardware configurations, global data center coverage, and support services, giving it an edge over Netfirms for those seeking specialized hosting requirements.
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Plus Plan $4.95
1 website, unlimited storage, scalable bandwidth, 10 databases, 5 FTP logins, free SSL, unlimited subdomains. Value for price:7.5
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N/A |
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Advantage Plan $9.95
Unlimited websites, unlimited storage, scalable bandwidth, 25 databases, 25 FTP logins, free SSL, unlimited subdomains. Value for price:8.0
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N/A |
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Business Plan $14.95
Unlimited websites, unlimited storage, scalable bandwidth, unlimited databases, unlimited FTP logins, free SSL, unlimited subdomains. Value for price:8.5
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N/A |
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Plus Plan $4.95
1 website, unlimited storage, scalable bandwidth, 10 databases, 5 FTP logins, free SSL, unlimited subdomains. Value for price:7.5
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N/A |
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Advantage Plan $9.95
Unlimited websites, unlimited storage, scalable bandwidth, 25 databases, 25 FTP logins, free SSL, unlimited subdomains. Value for price:8.0
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N/A |
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Business Plan $14.95
Unlimited websites, unlimited storage, scalable bandwidth, unlimited databases, unlimited FTP logins, free SSL, unlimited subdomains. Value for price:8.5
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N/A |
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|---|---|
| N/A |
E3-1270 v5 3.6GHz Skylake $145$75
4 cores, 8 threads, 64GB memory, 960GB SSD storage, 20TB bandwidth Value for price:8.8
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| N/A |
E3-1270 v6 3.8GHz Kaby Lake $154$79
4 cores, 8 threads, 64GB memory, 960GB SSD storage, 20TB bandwidth Value for price:9.0
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| N/A |
4-Core XEON $105$49
E3-1230 v5 processor, 32GB DDR4 memory, 480GB SSD storage, 20TB bandwidth Value for price:9.2
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| N/A |
6-Core Ryzen $149$85
5600G processor, 32GB DDR4 memory, 480GB SSD storage, 20TB bandwidth Value for price:9.0
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| N/A |
8-Core XEON $209$109
E-2378 processor, 64GB DDR4 memory, 480GB SSD storage, 20TB bandwidth Value for price:8.5
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| N/A |
16-Core XEON Scalable $269$119
Dual 4309Y processor, 128GB DDR4 memory, 960GB SSD storage, 100TB bandwidth Value for price:9.0
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Enterprise plans
Netfirms caters to enterprises with their Business Plan priced at $14.95/mo for shared hosting, including unlimited websites, storage, databases, and FTP logins. Hivelocity, in contrast, offers a variety of dedicated server solutions, including 16-core XEON scalable processors discounted to $119/mo, providing extensive memory and storage options with substantial bandwidth allowances. The choice for enterprises hinges on the need for either extensive shared hosting capabilities or high-performance dedicated server requirements, where Hivelocity stands out with more robust server specifications and global data center options.
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.
6.8
8.5
🏆 Winner Hivelocity Hosting: Offers robust managed services and a variety of control panels.
Netfirms provides a streamlined setup that integrates web hosting with domain purchases, making management a breeze for beginners. Its control panel features seamless integration with Google Workspace, allowing easy access to email and collaboration tools. The user-friendly environment, paired with 24/7 technical support, is designed to assist users quickly, ensuring even non-technical users can navigate effortlessly. Netfirms also includes useful onboarding assistance to speed up the website setup process.
Hivelocity, on the other hand, excels in offering a wide array of control panels, such as cPanel, Plesk, and DirectAdmin, appealing to both technical and non-technical users who need flexibility and comprehensive management tools. Their managed services support various operating systems, providing tailored services that free up the client’s technical resources. Instant server deployment further simplifies the setup process, and their high customization level, part of their service offering, makes server and website management highly efficient.
Netfirms’ onboarding assistance and seamless setup with domain purchases ease the migration process, especially for those less technically inclined. This feature can be crucial for beginners needing step-by-step guidance. Hivelocity offers managed migration services as part of their managed hosting plans, usually at no extra cost, ensuring the process is handled professionally without downtime. Users can rely on high-level technical expertise, making the transition smooth and hassle-free.
Netfirms’ help center boasts a comprehensive knowledge base with articles covering website backup, user management in WordPress, and security guidelines. It’s available around the clock via chat and phone support. Hivelocity offers an extensive and regularly updated knowledge base covering diverse topics such as security, operating system management, and web design, with 24/7 support accessible through chat, phone, and ticketing systems. Both provide valuable resources, but Hivelocity’s more detailed and varied content edges it out slightly.
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.
7.7
6.9
🏆 Winner Netfirms: Comprehensive user management with detailed roles and permissions.
Netfirms offers a structured approach to managing user roles and permissions compared to Hivelocity. Netfirms provides five distinct user roles: Administrator, Editor, Author, Contributor, and Subscriber. These roles provide a wide range of access levels, making it easier to assign appropriate permissions based on the tasks different users need to perform. The platform allows for nuanced control over content management and site administration, ensuring that users have access only to the features necessary for their roles.
Netfirms provides a straightforward interface for managing users via the WordPress Dashboard. From the Dashboard, administrators can easily add new users, assign roles, and manage existing users. The process to add a new user is clearly outlined with steps to ensure that all necessary information is collected and the correct role is assigned. The interface is intuitive, making it simple for administrators to manage users without requiring extensive technical knowledge.
The access control measures on Netfirms are effective in maintaining site security and functionality as the number of users grows. Each role has specific permissions that limit or expand the user’s capabilities, which helps in preventing unauthorized access to sensitive site functions. The platform’s capability to handle an increasing number of users efficiently means administrators can focus on content and site management without worrying about scalability issues.
Netfirms user roles table:
| Role | Description | Access highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Administrator | Full access to all administrative functions | Can manage site settings, themes, plugins, and users; all permissions available for lower roles. |
| Editor | Manages and publishes content | Can edit, publish, and delete posts, including those by other users. |
| Author | Writes and manages own posts | Can write, edit, publish, and delete their posts and upload files. |
| Contributor | Writes and edits own posts | Can write and edit their posts, but cannot publish or delete them. |
| Subscriber | Basic user with limited access | Can read posts and manage their user profile. |
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.
8.9
9.5
🏆 Winner Hivelocity: Offering exceptional uptime, reliability, and comprehensive customer support options.
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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) |
Netfirms provides 24/7 customer service through phone, web chat, and email with a quick response time across all channels. Their representatives are knowledgeable and efficient. The company also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, although this is only available for payments made by credit card. Despite some reported issues with billing and cancellations, Netfirms generally receives positive feedback from its users.
Hivelocity offers 24/7/365 support via live chat, phone, and ticketing system. The sales and billing departments have set working hours, but technical support is always available. Hivelocity stands out with additional self-help resources, such as walkthrough articles and videos. The company is known for its reliable uptime and a high customer satisfaction rating. Although some users find their prices high, Hivelocity’s quality of service and comprehensive support options make it a strong choice for hosting needs.
User feedback
Based on user reviews, the hosting provider appears to offer decent uptime and moderately reliable customer support. However, users frequently report slow server performance and connectivity issues that significantly hamper the experience. While some appreciate the low costs and basic domain registration services, others criticize the clunky system, confusing server setup, and unreliability, especially when working with CMS tools. Overall, the service seems better suited for those with low budgets and high patience.
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?
Hivelocity is better suited for hosting WordPress websites, offering tailored solutions with optimized performance specifically for WordPress. It provides advanced features such as proactive malware scanning and robust firewall protections, ensuring secure and efficient hosting environments. Netfirms does not offer specialized WordPress hosting plans, making Hivelocity the clear choice for WordPress websites.
Which hosting service offers better security features?
Hivelocity offers superior security features compared to Netfirms, including proactive malware scanning with Maldet, robust firewall protections, and advanced encryption technologies. While both providers offer DDoS protection and daily malware scans, Hivelocity’s addition of virus protection and RAID monitoring further strengthens its security offerings. Netfirms does provide multiple SSL certificate options and SiteLock scans, but Hivelocity’s comprehensive security measures provide an edge.
Which platform offers better customer support?
Hivelocity provides more comprehensive customer support with 24/7/365 availability via live chat, phone, and a ticketing system, alongside extensive self-help resources such as detailed knowledge base articles and videos. Netfirms also offers 24/7 customer support through phone, web chat, and email, and includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. However, Hivelocity’s rapid response times and proactive support approach make it a preferred choice for customer support.
Which hosting service offers more scalability options for growing websites?
Hivelocity offers extensive scalability options with dedicated servers and managed services, accommodating a growing website’s needs with flexible hardware configurations and global data center coverage. Netfirms supports scalability through various plans, from shared to dedicated hosting, but lacks the detailed elastic scaling options and associated costs transparency provided by Hivelocity. As a result, Hivelocity is more suited for businesses seeking comprehensive scalability.
What are the major differences in pricing and value between Netfirms and Hivelocity?
Netfirms offers a range of cost-effective shared hosting plans, starting from $3.95 per month, and includes features like a free domain name for the first year and unlimited storage. Hivelocity, in contrast, provides dedicated server solutions and high-performance plans tailored to more demanding environments with pricing that reflects its advanced features and global data center coverage. While Netfirms is ideal for budget-conscious users, Hivelocity offers greater value for those needing scalable, high-performance hosting solutions.
The making of this blog
We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.
