Netfirms vs MonoVM: guide for 2024

Netfirms vs MonoVM: Final verdict

Looking over Netfirms vs. MonoVM, both offer reliable hosting services catering to different user needs, but each has distinct strengths and weaknesses.

• 
  MonoVM (Overall grade: 6.9)
  
  shines with its impressive 99.99% uptime guarantee and an array of hosting types, including cloud, VPS, and dedicated hosting. Their infrastructure, featuring enterprise-grade SSDs in RAID10, daily backups, and robust security measures like Imunify 360, makes it suitable for high-traffic and WordPress websites. However, despite the affordable starting price, some users may find MonoVM’s advanced features lacking in higher-tier plans, and there are occasional criticisms about their customer support quality.
• 
  Netfirms (Overall grade: 7.3)
  
  provides comprehensive hosting solutions with enhanced marketing tools, scalable bandwidth, and free SSL certificates across plans. Especially advantageous for ecommerce websites, Netfirms ensures secure payment handling and customizable website options. Though the explicit uptime guarantee is absent, the hosting service remains dependable with data centers in New York and Toronto. Despite its strengths, users report slower server speeds and occasional difficulties in setup processes. Netfirms’ customer support is consistently available, although some advanced features and controls might be limited compared to MonoVM.

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 MonoVM: Superior uptime guarantee and extensive global availability make MonoVM the better choice.

MonoVM offers a strong appeal with its 99.99% uptime guarantee, backed by 10 data centers spanning several countries. Users benefit from free daily backups, enterprise-level SSD RAID 10 drives, and premium security features. With a variety of operating systems supported, both Linux and Windows users are covered, and the service starts at an affordable $6.99 per month.

Netfirms also provides dependable hosting with promising uptime, though lacks an explicit guarantee on their website. With data centers in New York and Toronto and 24/7 customer support, it remains a solid option. However, MonoVM’s extensive server locations and advanced features provide superior value and reliability for global users.

🏆 Winner MonoVM: Superior uptime and extensive features.

In terms of overall performance, MonoVM takes the lead primarily due to its superior uptime guarantee of 99.99%, compared to Netfirms’ 99.9%. Both companies provide SSD storage, but MonoVM’s enterprise-grade SSDs in RAID10 configuration offer better speed and reliability. MonoVM users also benefit from daily, weekly, and monthly backups included in all hosting plans. Both services offer strong security features; however, MonoVM includes additional options like Imunify 360. On the other hand, Netfirms provides scalable bandwidth and a range of hosting plans suited for various needs. While MonoVM offers a wide range of Linux distributions and Windows server support, Netfirms primarily focuses on website hosting with robust plans that fit different business sizes.

Website Speed

MonoVM uses enterprise-grade SSDs in RAID10 configuration, which guarantees faster load times and a quality service. Netfirms also relies on SSD storage and boasts a 99.9% uptime, but falls short of MonoVM’s nearly impeccable record. Both companies use SSL certificates for enhanced security, ensuring secure connections, but MonoVM gains a slight edge with their additional Imunify 360 security feature. When it comes to control panels, MonoVM’s use of cPanel for Linux web hosting offers a user-friendly interface for effective management, enhancing overall website speed and performance.

Scalability

Both hosting providers offer scalable solutions. MonoVM provides daily, weekly, and monthly backup options with their plans, which means users can scale their resources efficiently. Netfirms offers scalable bandwidth and different hosting plans, from shared to dedicated hosting, making it tailored to various business sizes. MonoVM also supports multiple operating systems and automation for server maintenance. However, the cost to scale isn’t explicitly outlined for either service. While MonoVM benefits from effective scaling through diverse plans and frequent backups, Netfirms offers a range of scalable services to meet different company needs.

🏆 Winner MonoVM: A comprehensive suite of automated security features ensures that MonoVM safeguards websites efficiently.

Technical security measures:

Netfirms and MonoVM both offer robust technical security measures. Netfirms provides an array of SSL certificates, including options that cater specifically to e-commerce and multi-subdomain protection. MonoVM also offers SSL certificates but emphasizes the ease of SSL installation and management as part of their managed hosting service. Netfirms includes SiteLock security plans with varying levels of malware scanning and DDoS protection, while MonoVM integrates Imunify 360, which offers firewall protections and malware scanning. For PHP version support, neither provider specifies the versions they support.

Operational security measures:

Both providers implement solid operational security measures to ensure the safety of hosted websites. Netfirms focuses on 24/7 customer support and domain privacy protection, making sure customer data is kept confidential. MonoVM also offers continuous monitoring, regular automatic backups, and two-factor authentication for an added layer of security. Netfirms provides regular security alerts for any unauthorized changes, whereas MonoVM emphasizes enhanced email security and operational monitoring to mitigate threats. Overall, each provider prioritizes different aspects of operational security.

Compliance and certifications:

Netfirms boasts compliance with GDPR since 2018 and ensures PCI compliance for online retailers. However, specific details about HIPAA compliance are not mentioned. MonoVM does not specify details regarding GDPR or PCI compliance but implies robust security measures. Both providers aim to maintain high-security standards, yet Netfirms explicitly states its GDPR and PCI compliance status.

🏆 Winner
MonoVM: A highly reliable hosting solution with top-tier features and exceptional service quality.

Netfirms and MonoVM stand out as robust hosting providers with distinct sets of features catering to diverse user needs. Netfirms excels in offering a free domain name for the first year, unlimited disk space, scalable bandwidth, and free SSL certificates with all its plans. The hosting plans cater to varying levels of website requirements, from single website hosting under the Plus Plan to unlimited websites in the Business Plan. However, Netfirms does not specifically mention the availability of SFTP and SSH, potentially limiting more advanced users who require these features for better security and control.

MonoVM, on the other hand, includes enterprise-grade hardware, SSD RAID 10 technology for fast performance, robust security measures, and an uptime guarantee of 99.99%. The hosting plans offer free SSL, automated daily backups, and unlimited monthly traffic, making it a compelling choice for businesses seeking high reliability and performance. MonoVM also features SSH access, providing advanced users with greater control over their hosting environment. The user-friendly cPanel and extensive support options ensure ease of management and robust security, positioning MonoVM as a versatile hosting provider for a wide range of use cases.

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 MonoVM 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:

Netfirms does not provide detailed information about their email hosting capabilities. MonoVM, however, offers comprehensive email hosting services and management for all associated domains. With robust mailbox management features, users can efficiently handle their email accounts and set up their email campaigns. While it is unclear if Netfirms resells third-party email services, MonoVM does not explicitly mention additional services like Google Workspace or Outlook but offers a solid in-house email hosting solution.

🏆 Winner MonoVM: Comprehensive hosting options with numerous features and scalable plans.

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 Netfirms and MonoVM, the latter offers a broader range of features across its plans. For shared hosting, Netfirms starts at $3.95/mo with unlimited storage and scalable bandwidth. MonoVM’s starts at $2.09/mo, with additional security features included. MonoVM’s WordPress hosting plans start at a competitive $2.99/mo, offering greater storage options, whereas Netfirms’ plans are embedded within general shared hosting categories. Both providers also offer SSL certificates, with Netfirms starting at $2.75/mo. MonoVM generally provides higher storage and more specialized features, rendering it more suitable for users with distinct hosting requirements and those needing extensive support.

Enterprise plans

For enterprises, MonoVM provides a diverse selection of managed hosting plans that support up to four websites. These plans come with significant storage capacity, advanced security measures, and dedicated support, making them highly suitable for large-scale operations. Netfirms’ Business Plan stands out with unlimited website hosting and databases, offering a comprehensive solution for enterprises looking for scalability and extensive support. Comparatively, Netfirms focuses on extensive storage and website management, while MonoVM excels in providing specialized features and security options.

🏆 Winner MonoVM: Provides a comprehensive and user-friendly hosting service with extensive support and a seamless setup process.

When comparing the admin panels, Netfirms integrates Google Workspace directly into their control panel, providing instant access and eliminating the need for domain verification. Netfirms also offers other streamlined features within its control panel, aiming to cater to both technical and non-technical users, making it straightforward and user-friendly. The availability of 24/7 technical support further augments the user experience, ensuring that assistance is always at hand.

MonoVM leverages the widely recognized and straightforward cPanel, known for its ease of use and accessibility. cPanel simplifies tasks such as email setup, subdomain configuration, and CMS installations. This is particularly advantageous for users who might not be highly technical, as it provides a less complicated, intuitive interface. MonoVM’s use of a standard cPanel reduces the learning curve for users transitioning from other hosts that employ cPanel.

Regarding migration tools, Netfirms provides onboarding assistance and 24/7 support to help with the setup and transition of your website, although specific details about the cost or nature of these tools are not provided. MonoVM offers a more hands-on approach with dedicated website transfer assistance included in their services, simplifying the process of moving a site from another host. This service seems to be part of their overall package, ensuring minimal disruption during migration.

Evaluating the quality and accessibility of help center resources, Netfirms offers a comprehensive knowledge base with articles and guides on various website management topics, backed by 24/7 customer service. MonoVM also boasts a detailed knowledge base, enriched by popular blogs, tech updates, tutorials, and 24/7 support. Their VIP support ensures personalized assistance.

🏆 Winner Netfirms: Offers comprehensive user management and user roles functionality tailored for WordPress environments.

When comparing the user management capabilities of Netfirms and MonoVM, Netfirms stands out due to its clear and well-defined roles within WordPress, providing a structured approach to managing user access and permissions. Netfirms offers five distinct user roles, each with specific permissions, allowing for detailed control over what each user can access and modify. In comparison, there is no specific information available about MonoVM’s user management and user roles functionalities, making it challenging to assess its capabilities. Without this data, it’s difficult to provide a thorough comparison, but based on the available information, Netfirms seems more versatile due to its predefined WordPress roles.

Netfirms facilitates user management through an accessible and straightforward WordPress Dashboard. Users can log in, navigate to the Users section, and effortlessly add or edit users through a clear interface. Tools such as email notifications for new users and a simple drop-down for role assignment enhance usability. Unfortunately, without details on MonoVM’s user interface and tools for managing users, it’s hard to make a direct comparison. However, Netfirms’ intuitive setup and navigation ensure an efficient user management experience.

In terms of access control and scalability, Netfirms demonstrates effective measures by offering a range of WordPress roles that can manage anything from content creation to administrative functions. This scalability is particularly beneficial for websites with a tiered user structure and varied access needs. While MonoVM may have similar capabilities, the lack of detailed information makes it difficult to evaluate its efficiency in handling a growing number of users. Netfirms, however, assures a structured and scalable approach to user management.

Netfirms user roles table:

🏆 Winner
Netfirms: stands out for its comprehensive and efficient 24/7 customer service across multiple contact methods, paired with a noteworthy 30-day money-back guarantee.

Netfirms offers extensive support with phone, web chat, and email all available around the clock. Their response times are impressively quick, typically under a minute for phone support and within a few minutes for web chat. Their knowledgeable representatives ensure clients receive precise answers, further enhancing the support experience. Additionally, prioritized support is available for those with the highest tier hosting packages.

MonoVM also provides 24/7 customer support from certified IT experts, focusing on both software and hardware issues. They offer VIP support for Managed Hosting and WordPress Web Hosting services. Key support features include website transfer assistance, SSL certificate installation, and regular error checks. Although specific contact methods aren’t explicitly mentioned, industry standards suggest email, phone, and live chat are available.

Netfirms vs MonoVM: User feedback

User feedback on this hosting provider is mixed, with significant criticism and some praise. Many users appreciate the good uptime, active customer support, and affordability of domain registration. However, frequent complaints include slow server speeds, poor usability, and unsatisfactory load times, which hinder site performance and development. Additionally, some users have faced issues with server reliability and confusing setup processes.

MonoVM is recognized for offering an affordable array of services, including VPS hosting, web hosting, domain registration, and SSL certificates. Users appreciate its reliability and the user-friendly interfaces that ease account management and support access. However, some customers note that MonoVM lacks certain advanced features and customization options, particularly in higher-tier plans, and may experience limitations in resource scaling and upgrading. Additionally, there are mentions of compromised customer support quality.

Netfirms vs MonoVM: FAQ