Network Solutions vs Kinsta: guide for 2024

Final verdict

Looking over Network Solutions vs. Kinsta, 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.

• 
  Kinsta (Overall grade: 8.5)
  
  
  excels in providing high-performance hosting with a particular focus on WordPress sites. Its infrastructure built on the Google Cloud Platform ensures impeccable uptime and swift response times, coupled with robust security measures including a managed WAF, DDoS protection, and proactive site monitoring. Developer-friendly features such as easy staging environments, extensive SFTP/SSH access, and built-in application performance monitoring make it an ideal choice for businesses requiring reliable, scalable hosting. However, Kinsta’s pricing is higher than some competitors, though justified by its comprehensive features and support.
  
• 
  Network Solutions (Overall grade: 7.4)
  
  
  offers a range of affordable hosting plans suitable for small to medium-sized businesses. The inclusion of a free domain name and daily malware scanning provides added value, along with extensive email hosting options. Network Solutions focuses on ease of use with its proprietary control panel, though it may lack the advanced optimization tools and global performance reach seen with Kinsta. Their customer support is available 24/7, yet some users have reported issues regarding responsiveness and effectiveness. Network Solutions is a solid option for those needing budget-friendly hosting with essential features, though it falls short in speed and advanced capabilities compared to Kinsta.
  

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 Kinsta: Superior reliability and top-notch performance.

Both Network Solutions and Kinsta offer a 99.9% uptime guarantee, showcasing their commitment to reliability. Network Solutions recorded a 99.917% uptime over a month, with a total downtime of around 42 minutes. Speed performance is rated above average, with a B (85%) score in GTmetrix tests. Network Solutions also has 24/7 technical support available and a proprietary control panel, though it might not be as user-friendly as some other options.

Kinsta, meanwhile, has demonstrated impeccable reliability, maintaining a perfect 100% uptime score over multiple testing periods, including the last three years. Their infrastructure, built on the Google Cloud Platform and integrated with Cloudflare, enhances both security and performance. Kinsta’s servers are well-optimized, evident from an average response time of 461ms and successful handling of high loads without performance dips. Kinsta clearly excels in ensuring high availability and quick response times.

🏆 Winner
Kinsta: For users who prioritize speed and advanced technological infrastructure, Sitrground is more suitable for high-demand websites that require reliable and fast global access.

Network Solutions and Kinsta both offer reliable hosting services but cater to different needs. Kinsta’s speed advantage is evident through its use of Google Cloud’s premium tier network and fastest virtual machines, along with integrated CDN features from Cloudflare for enhanced performance. Network Solutions also guarantees 99.9% uptime and offers daily malware scanning, but doesn’t reach the same performance metrics, particularly in speed optimization and global reach.

Website Speed

Kinsta’s edge caching and image optimization techniques provide faster load times, reducing Time to First Byte (TTFB) by up to 50%. It also includes built-in application performance monitoring and automatic optimization of database queries. Network Solutions ensures a 99.9% uptime and offers daily malware scans, but it lacks the advanced optimization tools found in Kinsta, which makes the latter a better choice for speed-focused users.

Scalability

Kinsta offers elastic scaling without the need to manually upgrade plans, thanks to its cloud-based infrastructure. It is unclear if Network Solutions provides elastic scaling or how much it costs to scale resources. Kinsta’s pricing starts at $35/month for managed WordPress hosting, offering transparent overage pricing without hidden fees. Network Solutions’ premium plans might include upgrading to a higher-tier plan, but specific details on automatic scaling are not provided.

🏆 Winner Kinsta: Kinsta provides robust security features and compliance measures tailored for WordPress websites.

Technical security measures:

Network Solutions offers a wide variety of SSL certificates tailored to different levels of validation and use cases, including organizational and extended validation, and supports wildcard and multi-domain certificates. They provide daily malware scans and removal, click-time anti-phishing, and CodeGuard for automatic backups. Kinsta, meanwhile, includes free SSL certificates with automatic renewals and support for custom and wildcard SSL certificates. Kinsta’s feature includes a fully managed Web Application Firewall (WAF), enterprise DDoS protection, free malware removal services, and proactive site monitoring that checks uptime every three minutes.

Operational security measures:

Network Solutions’ operational security includes SiteLock for malware protection and nsProtect Assured Website Seal. They utilize Lazy Expunge for email recovery and provide live expert support for any issues. Kinsta’s operational measures emphasize a variety of backup options such as automatic daily, manual, and downloadable backups. They offer secure remote access via SSH or SFTP, an IP deny tool, and force HTTPS with a single click. Their proactive site monitoring helps to preemptively catch potential issues.

Compliance and certifications:

Network Solutions emphasizes data encryption as a critical component for GDPR and PCI compliance. Details about their certifications are not specifically mentioned. On the other hand, Kinsta is SOC 2 compliant and follows GDPR regulations, ensuring data protection for users in the European Union. While PCI compliance specifics are not provided, Kinsta’s robust infrastructure aids in achieving it for eCommerce sites.

🏆 Winner: Kinsta: An advanced hosting solution known for its strong performance and developer-friendly features.

Network Solutions offers a range of hosting packages, from a basic Starter plan to a more comprehensive Premium Plus plan. This provider stands out with its inclusion of a free domain with certain plans, daily malware scanning, and unlimited disk space for higher-tier packages. Their hosting service also features automatic backups, open-source tool compatibility, and robust customer support with “MyTime Support,” assisting users 24/7. Network Solutions targets users looking for a mix of affordable entry-level options and expansive higher-tier packages, particularly those who require strong malware protection and a large number of email accounts.

Kinsta, in contrast, is designed with a developer-centric approach, offering extensive support for FTP/SFTP and SSH access. While the detailed list of their hosting plans is not specified, Kinsta focuses on providing an optimized environment with features like a staging environment for testing site changes before going live. This can be a crucial aspect for developers or businesses that need to ensure their website’s functionality before making updates public. Kinsta’s emphasis on SFTP/SSH access provides more control over file management and site configuration, which is a distinct advantage for tech-savvy users.

Email Services:

Network Solutions offers a substantial email hosting service with up to 1000 email boxes in their Essential plan and unlimited boxes in their Premium and Premium Plus plans. This can accommodate businesses with extensive communication needs. Kinsta’s email service specifics are not detailed here, but they typically offer robust support and integration with third-party email services like Google Workspace, providing flexibility for users looking to integrate or resell email services.

🏆 Winner Kinsta: Leading in advanced hosting solutions with an expansive range of features and scalability options.

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 the pricing plans of Network Solutions and Kinsta, notable differences emerge. Network Solutions offers a wider range of affordable options such as the “Starter” shared plan at $5.69/month and “WordPress for Entrepreneurs” at $7.99/month. Kinsta, although more expensive with plans starting at $35/month for Managed WordPress Hosting, provides extensive features including free CDN and premium migrations which justify the higher cost. For businesses looking for scalability and performance, Kinsta’s “Business 1 Plan” at $115/month supports multiple WordPress installs and a significant number of monthly visits, making it a compelling choice. On the other hand, Network Solutions delivers budget-friendly options that include essential features like domain names, SSL certificates, and ample storage for modest hosting needs.

Enterprise plans

For enterprises, Kinsta offers higher-tier plans starting from $675/month, supporting over 60 WordPress installs and one million plus monthly visits, including enhanced storage and CDN capabilities. Network Solutions does not specifically list enterprise-level plans, making Kinsta the more detailed and scalable choice for large businesses looking for robust and comprehensive enterprise solutions.

🏆 Winner Kinsta: Offering an intuitive user experience with advanced features and support, Kinsta stands out.

Network Solutions employs a traditional admin panel approach where users receive FTP credentials for site management. This setup is straightforward for those familiar with FTP but may pose challenges for non-technical users. Network Solutions does, however, mitigate some of this difficulty by offering easy website builders and a content management system for ongoing updates, making it more accessible for beginners. Additionally, their 24/7 customer support offers assistance with initial setup and any technical issues users may encounter.

Kinsta, on the other hand, provides a custom-built admin panel called MyKinsta. This dashboard is designed for ease of use, featuring one-click backup creation, cache management, and PHP version selection. The award-winning design ensures that even users with minimal technical knowledge can manage their websites efficiently. Beyond the dashboard, Kinsta offers staging environments that allow users to test changes before implementing them live, enhancing the site’s reliability and performance.

Network Solutions provides basic migration services designed to minimize downtime, assisting with transferring web hosting services. This process is typically straightforward but may require manual intervention in some cases. The migration support includes assistance with website security products like SSL certificates and SiteLock. Kinsta, conversely, offers more comprehensive tools for site migration via their MyKinsta dashboard. Users can request basic or premium migrations, the latter offering more detailed support. Both options are streamlined and come at no extra cost, enhancing the overall migration experience.

Both hosting providers offer comprehensive help centers with a wealth of resources. Network Solutions provides an Online Support Center with user guides, tutorials, and a phone/chat support system available 24/7. Their support team is trained for remote assistance and troubleshooting, documenting their work for easy tracking. Kinsta boasts an extensive knowledge base with articles and tutorials covering a wide range of topics. Their support team, accessible 24/7/365 via live chat, consists of experienced developers and engineers. Additionally, Kinsta offers a community forum for connecting with other users.

🏆 Winner Kinsta: A streamlined approach to user management with robust access control features.

Network Solutions and Kinsta offer distinctive capabilities for managing user roles and permissions. Network Solutions has a hierarchical structure with defined user roles such as Primary Contact, Admin Contact, and Technical Contact, each with specific permissions. The Primary and Admin Contacts can manage most account settings, whereas Technical Contacts have more restricted roles. Kinsta, on the other hand, allows for a more flexible user management system with Company Owners and Administrators able to add and remove users at any level, and Company Developers managing access to WordPress sites specifically. Kinsta’s user management emphasizes customer responsibility in maintaining security and correctly assigning access levels, requiring careful management by customers.

Both platforms provide user-friendly interfaces for managing users, but in different ways. Network Solutions uses a step-by-step process accessible via a drop-down menu, which guides users through adding, editing, and managing account contacts. Conversely, Kinsta provides a centralized User Settings dashboard within their MyKinsta platform, where users can manage roles and integrate security features such as Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). This approach by Kinsta may be more intuitive for users who prioritize security and streamlined navigation in user settings.

Assessing the effectiveness of access control measures, Network Solutions offers a reliable method to manage user roles. However, its capabilities are limited by the predefined roles, which may not suit every business need. Kinsta’s access control is more dynamic, allowing Company Owners and Administrators to decide on user roles and responsibilities. This flexibility makes Kinsta a better choice for businesses needing to manage a large and varied number of users effectively, providing a more tailored approach to user management.

Network Solutions User Roles Table:

Kinsta User Roles Table:

🏆 Winner
Network Solutions: Offers a range of flexible web hosting plans and exemplary customer service support.

Network Solutions provides extensive customer service options, including phone support, live chat support, and email/ticket support. Their various customer service hours cater to a wide range of customer needs, ensuring you can reach someone almost any time. They also offer 24/7 product and sales support through chat, a useful feature for round-the-clock assistance.

Kinsta’s customer support is commendable, though it lacks phone support. They excel with their 24/7 live chat support for paid plans, email support, and multilingual services in five languages. Their response times are swift, averaging under two minutes. Kinsta’s human-only expert support ensures specialized and personal help, avoiding the impersonal nature of chatbots.

User feedback

User feedback on this hosting provider highlights several key strengths and weaknesses. On the positive side, many users find the interface user-friendly and appreciate the ease of navigating through the platform, particularly when managing domains and webpages. However, there are significant concerns about the provider’s customer service, which many describe as unresponsive and ineffective at solving technical issues, often resulting in prolonged waits and unmet assurances. Additionally, users criticize the high costs, frequent upselling, and lack of timely communication during server outages, which collectively detract from the overall user experience.

Kinsta is highly recommended by users for its reliable and easy-to-use hosting services, particularly for WordPress sites. Customers appreciate the fast and responsive customer support, impressive speed, and robust security features provided by the platform. The user-friendly dashboard and extensive documentation also stand out as significant advantages, making it easy for both novices and tech-savvy individuals to manage their sites. However, some users find the pricing to be on the higher side, and a few have suggested improvements like expanding data center locations and providing direct access to all integrated services. Overall, Kinsta is praised for delivering a high-quality, dependable hosting experience.

FAQ