Network Solutions vs Web.com: guide for 2024

Network Solutions vs Web.com: Final verdict

Looking over Network Solutions vs. Web.com, both hosting providers offer a range of services tailored to different user needs, but with subtle variances in performance and support features.

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  Web.com (Overall grade: 7.3)
  
  
  offers lower introductory pricing, which is appealing for new users looking to minimize initial costs. Its advantages include unmetered bandwidth across all plans, a user-friendly drag-and-drop website builder, and specific tools for managing high-traffic websites. Web.com ensures quick server response times and supports multiple programming languages, enhancing the performance and flexibility of your site. Their comprehensive technical and operational security measures, including SiteLock integration, daily malware scans, and automatic WordPress updates, provide a reliable layer of protection. However, Web.com’s higher renewal prices, slightly lower uptime compared to Network Solutions, and customer service feedback indicate areas where improvements are needed.
  
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  Network Solutions (Overall grade: 7.4)
  
  
  is best known for its robust uptime guarantee and reliability, particularly with its Unix servers achieving up to a 99.99% uptime guarantee. It excels in offering a suite of features catering to diverse web hosting needs, including automatic backups and comprehensive malware protection via CodeGuard and SiteLock. Their customer support is substantial, with 24/7 availability and a well-organized help center. While pricing might be higher compared to initial offerings from Web.com, Network Solutions compensates with significant features like email hosting with extensive email boxes, dedicated support lines, and user-friendly admin panel. Some users find the control panel less intuitive, but it remains functional and reliable for most needs.
  

Ultimately, both hosting providers have merits that suit different requirements, but Network Solutions narrowly edges out due to its consistent performance and extensive customer support framework.

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
Network Solutions: A dependable hosting provider showcasing strong uptime and reliable performance.

Network Solutions guarantees a 99.9% uptime and has delivered a great actual uptime of 99.917%, with minimal downtime totaling only 42 minutes over a month. They offer a reliable hosting experience with solid support available 24/7. Their proprietary control panel may not be the most user-friendly but is functional. They have shown excellent reliability, especially with their Unix servers reaching up to a 99.99% uptime guarantee.

Web.com provides a 99.9% uptime guarantee backed by a Service Level Agreement, achieving a recorded uptime of 99.83% in third-party tests. They offer unmetered bandwidth, SSL security, and extensive customer support through various channels. Their server response times are notably fast, and they support multiple programming languages. Initial pricing is attractive, but renewals can be significantly higher. Though reliable, Web.com falls short in uptime performance when directly compared to Network Solutions.

🏆 Winner Web.com: Provides superior hosting speeds with advanced server technologies.

Network Solutions and Web.com offer competitive hosting services but differ significantly in performance metrics. Web.com features 70% faster server response times, thanks to upgrades like PHP 8.0, OPcode Cache, and MySQL 8. Network Solutions offers reliable uptime guarantees and focuses on security elements like SiteLock and SSL certificates. Neither provider mentions specific CDN availability or detailed data center locations, but both ensure high website availability with a 99.9% uptime guarantee.

Website Speed

Web.com clearly outperforms Network Solutions in terms of website speed. With faster server response times and the utilization of OpCache to store and retrieve content quicker, Web.com also benefits from quicker navigation within WP-Admin, making it more user-friendly. Network Solutions, while equally dependable, does not specify the advanced caching and speed optimizations found in Web.com.

Scalability

Web.com supports more than 99.5% of customers’ bandwidth needs and offers scalable solutions as users grow, but it’s unclear if this requires manual upgrades or happens automatically. Network Solutions provides flexible plans but doesn’t detail if scaling is elastic or needs plan upgrades. Information on dedicated servers and specific costs to scale is not provided for either provider.

🏆 Winner
Web.com: Known for offering an extensive range of security features and excellent performance.

Both Network Solutions and Web.com, have notable differences in their approaches to technical and operational
security, as well as in their compliance with regulations.

Technical security measures:

Both Network Solutions and Web.com provide robust technical security measures, but Web.com stands out with its broader SSL Certificate range. Network Solutions offers SSL Certificates with high guarantees and 256-bit encryption, covering different validation needs, including Wildcard and Extended SSL Certificates. Web.com also offers various SSL Certificates, including Extended Validation and Wildcard, and supports PHP 8.0, enhancing website performance. Additionally, Web.com features OPcode Cache for faster content delivery and uses MySQL 8 for improved security. While both hosts offer daily malware scans and CodeGuard backups, Web.com’s integration of these with SiteLock’s CDN offers a more comprehensive approach.

Operational security measures:

Network Solutions and Web.com both prioritize website security, but Web.com has a slight edge due to additional operational measures. Network Solutions offers daily malware scans, SiteLock protection, and nsProtect Assured Website Seal for business verification. Web.com, on the other hand, includes SiteLock with malware scanning and automatic removal, a Content Delivery Network for faster site load times, and a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Both providers offer CodeGuard for backups, but Web.com’s use of Amazon Web Services for storage enhances reliability and recovery options. Additionally, Web.com features automatic WordPress updates, ensuring the latest security patches are applied.

Compliance and certifications:

Both hosting services emphasize compliance with key regulatory requirements. Network Solutions highlights SSL Certificates as significant for GDPR and PCI compliance, although specific details on GDPR and PCI compliance beyond this are not provided. Web.com adheres to GDPR regulations and includes PCI compliance scanning as part of its SiteLock solutions. However, neither provider specifies HIPAA compliance, making it unclear if they meet this standard.

🏆 Winner Network Solutions: Network Solutions offers a comprehensive suite of features catering to diverse web hosting needs.

Network Solutions and Web.com both provide a variety of hosting solutions designed to accommodate different user preferences and requirements. Network Solutions stands out with its wide range of features across its hosting plans, including automatic backups with CodeGuard and comprehensive malware protection via SiteLock. The inclusion of daily malware scans and a free domain name for certain plans are significant advantages. Their user-friendly approach is further emphasized with developer tools supporting multiple programming languages and MyTime Support for personalized assistance. Additionally, Network Solutions includes an SSL certificate in their higher-tier plans, which is crucial for website security.

On the other hand, Web.com offers unmetered bandwidth across all plans and a drag-and-drop website builder, making it attractive for users seeking straightforward site creation without complex customization. They also include a free domain and SSL certificate for the first year, aligning well with those looking to minimize initial costs. Web.com’s support for various programming languages like Ruby, Python, PHP5, and Perl can appeal to more technical users. Their emphasis on WordPress hosting with features like automatic installation and updates underscores their commitment to providing a smooth WordPress experience.

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 [Example hosting one] and [Example hosting two] 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:

Network Solutions provides ample email hosting options with up to 1000 email boxes on their Essential plan and unlimited boxes on Premium and Premium Plus. Their email services are robust, but they do not specify support for transactional email capabilities or third-party email services. Web.com offers business email with their hosting plans, which includes the capability to create email campaigns. However, the specifics regarding the number of email boxes or any transactional email limits are less clear. Neither provider explicitly mentions reselling third-party services like Google Workspace or Outlook.

🏆 Winner
Web Hosting Provider: Both NetworkSolutions and Web.com offer competitive plans with unique features aimed at different user needs.

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.

Comparing the plans from NetworkSolutions and Web.com shows that each provider has specific features tailored to different types of users. NetworkSolutions’ Web Hosting in the Cloud ranges from $5.69 to $31.61 per month for various features like disk space, number of websites, email boxes, and security options. Their Secure & Reliable WordPress Hosting starts at $7.99 up to $18.98 per month, with features scaling up in storage and additional management tools. In contrast, Web.com offers lower introductory prices, ranging from $2.75 to $6.95 per month for both WordPress and Shared Hosting, but has higher renewal prices. Web.com’s plans provide free domains and SSL certificates along with a drag-and-drop website builder. The value-for-price ratings reflect the overall offering, considering storage, capacities, and additional features such as security and email options.

Enterprise plans

For enterprises, both providers offer high-tier plans with significant features. NetworkSolutions Premium Plus offers unlimited disk space, unlimited email boxes, and enhanced security features for $31.61 per month. Web.com’s Premium Plan, priced at $16.99 per month after the first year, allows up to 10 websites, 40GB web storage, and includes SSL certificates and unlimited FTP accounts. Each plan provides generous storage and advanced security, making them suitable for enterprise-level needs.

🏆 Winner
Network Solutions: Provides 24/7 product support and comprehensive help center resources.

Network Solutions offers a customized admin panel designed to be user-friendly for both technical and non-technical users. After purchasing a hosting package, customers receive FTP credentials to help manage their website. The admin panel is streamlined, allowing for easy access to different features such as domain setup, email management, and security settings. Their inclusion of website builders provides additional flexibility, which is particularly advantageous for those without prior web development experience. The panel also facilitates incorporating SSL certificates and SiteLock security products seamlessly.

Web.com, on the other hand, provides a more standardized control panel equipped with a drag-and-drop website builder that simplifies the website creation process for users. WordPress hosting is easily manageable with a one-click installation, making it very accessible for WordPress users. Web.com’s admin panel offers a centralized dashboard that aids in managing domains, email accounts, and website analytics efficiently. Despite being user-friendly, the control panel may not offer as much flexibility or integrated features as Network Solutions for non-technical users.

Network Solutions excels in offering migration tools and services, including assistance with FTP credentials and transferring website security products like SSL certificates with minimal downtime. They provide this support as part of their package, which likely is included in the service cost. Web.com also offers migration tools but primarily focuses on WordPress, utilizing automatic installation and updates. While Web.com’s tools are user-friendly, they may not cover the full range of migration needs as comprehensively as Network Solutions.

Both providers offer extensive help center resources, including articles, tutorials, and 24/7 support. Network Solutions has a robust Online Support Center and provides phone, chat support, and detailed user guides. Their help center is accessible and efficiently resolves technical issues. Web.com also delivers substantial support through their Knowledge Base and Help Center, offering blogs, self-help guides, and various support channels. However, Network Solutions seems to provide more comprehensive and easily accessible resources for users needing in-depth assistance.

The platforms provide extensive knowledge bases filled with guides, how-to articles, and instructional content. Network Solutions offers a wide range of resources alongside 24/7 chat and phone support. Web.com also boasts a detailed help center with an intuitive search function and around-the-clock support via live chat, phone, and ticketing, ensuring comprehensive user support.

🏆 Winner Web.com: Offering enhanced user management and intuitive user roles.

Network Solutions and Web.com both provide useful options for managing user roles and permissions, but Web.com emerges as the more flexible option. Network Solutions offers three predefined roles: Primary Contact, Admin Contact, and Technical Contact, each with distinct capabilities. Web.com, on the other hand, simplifies the structure with two straightforward roles: Administrative and Technical. While Network Solutions allows administrators to manage the account comprehensively, Web.com’s Administrative role offers more control over user roles, payment methods, and product management. The ease of setup and the ability to invite users through a simple email link add to Web.com’s flexibility.

When comparing the user interfaces, Network Solutions employs a drop-down menu next to the user’s name to navigate to the account and user management sections, providing a straightforward approach to adding and editing contacts. Web.com’s interface is slightly more streamlined, with clear navigation via a user icon in the top right section, directing users to account management swiftly. The visual clarity and intuitive placement of options within Web.com enhance the overall user experience.

Assessing the effectiveness of access control measures, Network Solutions ensures that sensitive information like payment details can only be managed by the Primary and Admin Contacts, thus maintaining strict access control. Meanwhile, Web.com’s system also enforces controlled access with clear delineations between Administrative and Technical roles. Both platforms are capable of managing a growing number of users, but Web.com’s easy-to-navigate invite system helps manage users more efficiently and makes scalability a smoother process.

Networksolutions user roles table:

Web.com user roles table:

🏆 Winner Network Solutions: Offers flexible hosting plans with extensive customer support and additional features.

Network Solutions and Web.com offer a variety of customer support options. Network Solutions provides multiple phone support numbers specific to different needs, available 24/7, and has a live chat support system. It maintains several office locations and promises live technical support with a 99.9% uptime guarantee, making them a reliable choice for consistent support. Additionally, Network Solutions provides specialized support lines for business consulting and domain-related queries.

Web.com also offers comprehensive customer support, including 24/7 technical support and various channels such as phone, email, live chat, and a ticket system. However, it does not match the breadth of specialized support lines and office locations provided by Network Solutions. Both providers have readily available live chat and phone support, but Network Solutions edges out with its more extensive support framework and added features like dedicated domain and business consultation support.

Network Solutions vs Web.com: 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.

The hosting provider offers a comprehensive solution for purchasing domain names, hosting, and website building, making it highly convenient for users managing multiple domains and websites. Users appreciate the convenience of having all services bundled together, but some express concerns about the limitations on hosting unlimited domains and the cost associated with individual website software. Overall, the service is satisfactory and well-rated, though there is room for improvement in accommodating users with extensive hosting needs.

Network Solutions vs Web.com: FAQ