Network Solutions vs WestHost: guide for 2024

Network Solutions vs WestHost: Final verdict

Looking over Network Solutions vs. WestHost, they each have their unique strengths and weaknesses catering to different user needs.

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  Network Solutions (Overall grade: 7.4)
  
  provides a reliable hosting solution with a commendable 99.9% uptime guarantee and a proven performance of 99.917% uptime in tests. The user-friendly interface, 24/7 technical support, and array of structured hosting packages cater well to various user levels, making it a practical choice for those prioritizing security and reliability. However, the lack of advanced hosting options like VPS and cloud hosting, coupled with the rigid annual pricing structure, can be limiting. Additionally, customer service often faces criticism for being unresponsive and unhelpful, which could pose a challenge for support-seeking users.
• 
  WestHost (Overall grade: 7.8)
  
  offers a more diverse range of hosting options, including VPS, cloud, and dedicated hosting, which are ideal for users with advanced needs. Its global network of data centers ensures optimal load times and reliability, backed by a 99.995% service level agreement. Features like unlimited SSL certificates, flexible storage plans, and comprehensive security measures set it apart. Despite its strong performance and superior uptime, some users find the administrative interface cumbersome and documentation outdated, often requiring direct support for routine tasks. However, the cost-effective pricing, extensive features, and user-friendly platform make it an attractive option for those seeking flexibility and robust capabilities in their hosting service.

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: Exceptional uptime guarantee and reliable performance make it a top choice for web hosting.

Network Solutions provides a 99.9% uptime guarantee and demonstrated a 99.917% uptime in monthly tests. With downtime totaling only 42 minutes, the longest instance lasting 19 minutes, its performance is commendable. Additionally, speed performance was above average with a GTmetrix rating of B (85%). Also, 24/7 technical support via phone, chat, and email further enhances the reliability of their services.

WestHost, while lacking an explicit uptime guarantee, achieved 100% uptime in monitored tests. However, its speed performance was average, with a GTmetrix rating of C (75%) and a load time of 5.2 seconds. WestHost’s global network of data centers contributes to its service reliability, backed by a 99.995% service level agreement and strong security measures such as RAID-10 redundancy and tier-3 networks.

🏆 Winner Westhost: Superior uptime and security.

When comparing general performance, Westhost outshines Network Solutions in several areas. Westhost boasts a 99.995% uptime guarantee, slightly higher than Network Solutions’ 99.9%. Westhost also offers global data centers, ensuring optimal website load times and security. Both providers include free SSL certificates, but Westhost offers unlimited SSL certificates through Let’s Encrypt. Westhost’s higher-tier plans include a Content Delivery Network (CDN) which is crucial for enhancing site speeds, whereas Network Solutions lacks this feature. For those needing versatile hosting options, Westhost provides more with its SSD cloud hosting and various OS choices.

Website Speed

Westhost’s use of SSD for VPS hosting and intelligent control panels contributes to outstanding website speed and reliability. The SSD foundation ensures instant read/write commands, reducing load times significantly. Network Solutions lacks specific SSD features and focuses on traditional storage methods. Additionally, Westhost’s CDN, included in higher-tier plans, helps distribute content quickly, enhancing page load times and overall performance. Network Solutions does not feature a CDN, potentially slowing websites with global traffic.

Scalability

Westhost excels in scalability with VPS hosting options starting at $8.00/month and reaching up to $128.00/month, catering to varied needs. The scalability process isn’t explicitly elastic; upgrading plans is required. Westhost’s VPS packages offer many choices for increasing capacity without major disruptions. Information on Network Solutions’ scalability is unclear, but they offer multiple tiered plans. Whether automatic scaling happens or dedicated servers are available isn’t specified. Westhost’s clear and cost-effective upgrade paths make it highly scalable for growing businesses.

🏆 Winner
Westhost: Superior comprehensive features and security offerings.

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

Technical security measures:

Network Solutions and Westhost both offer robust SSL certificates. Network Solutions provides a range of SSL certificates with high guarantees, whereas Westhost offers unlimited free SSL certificates through Let’s Encrypt for all domains. Westhost supports PHP versions from 5.3 to 8.2, offering greater flexibility compared to undefined PHP versions in Network Solutions. Lastly, both hosting providers include malware protection, with Westhost including built-in fraud, virus, and spam protection along with SSH access.

Operational security measures:

Network Solutions conducts daily malware scans and offers SiteLock, CodeGuard, and click-time anti-phishing tools. Westhost provides similar features, including SiteLock for the first year, managed security clean-up services, and regular backups. Both offer expert support, but Network Solutions provides live expert support specifically for SSL while Westhost guarantees 99.9% uptime and 24/7 hosting expert support for any security or technical matters.

Compliance and certifications:

Network Solutions focuses primarily on SSL-based data encryption, indirectly supporting GDPR and PCI compliance. Westhost, on the other hand, is GDPR compliant with ‘Privacy Shield’ certification but makes no specific claims for PCI compliance. Details on HIPAA compliance are not specified for either provider.

🏆 Winner Westhost: Offering a robust set of features suitable for various needs at competitive prices.

Both Network Solutions and Westhost come equipped with a variety of features addressing different user requirements, from beginners to more advanced users. Network Solutions offers structured hosting packages categorized as Starter, Essential, Premium, and Premium Plus, with prices ranging from $5.69 to $31.61 per month for a one-year commitment. Their offerings include critical features like Disk Space, Email Boxes, Daily Malware Scans, CodeGuard, and SiteLock across all plans. Premium packages also come with SiteLock Premium and an SSL Certificate. This makes Network Solutions a suitable option for users who prioritize security and reliability. However, Network Solutions’ structured pricing and the need to purchase annually to get certain benefits like a free domain could be restrictive for some users.

Westhost, on the other hand, proposes more flexibility with web hosting services starting at just $1 per month and the inclusion of robust features such as unlimited FTP users, direct database access, and 80+ applications. Noteworthy provisions are unlimited free, automatic SSL certificates, SSH access, and a user-friendly StackCP control panel. Additionally, Westhost offers free migration, which can be an attractive feature for those looking to switch providers. The inclusion of essential developer tools like phpMyAdmin, Python, Perl, and a straightforward domain registration policy adds to its appeal. Compared to Network Solutions, Westhost’s flexible and affordable pricing structure along with free additional services make it a potentially more economical choice, especially for users seeking greater control and customization.

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 Network Solutions and Westhost 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 offers varied email hosting across all their plans, ranging from five email boxes in the Starter plan to unlimited in Premium and Premium Plus. This caters well for both small businesses and large enterprises. Westhost also provides personalized mailboxes with a user-friendly webmail interface, ensuring ease of access and management. Both providers include essential email functionalities like auto-responders and fraud, virus, and spam protection, making them both robust options for comprehensive email services.

🏆 Winner Westhost: An extensive array of features and competitive pricing across various hosting 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.

Westhost and Network Solutions offer distinct hosting plans catering to various needs. Westhost’s entry-level web hosting plan is priced at $3.75/month (for 24 months), while Network Solutions starts at $5.69/month (for 1 year). Both providers include a free domain and backups in their plans. For WordPress hosting, Network Solutions’ most affordable plan starts at $7.99/month, in contrast to Westhost’s email hosting plan priced at $0.50 per month for personal usage, featuring robust spam protection and email forwarding. Westhost offers more storage and additional sites in their higher-tier plans, making it a comprehensive choice for those seeking value and versatility in hosting options.

Enterprise plans

Westhost’s Premier plan offers unlimited websites, 150GB storage, and unmetered bandwidth, making it a strong contender for enterprises. Network Solutions’ Premium Plus plan provides unlimited storage and extensive security features. Westhost edges out with more substantial storage and scalability options, complemented by included features like SiteLock and DV SSL, presenting exceptional value for enterprise needs.

🏆 Winner Westhost: Offers easy setup with extensive knowledge base and help center available 24/7.

Network Solutions provides an intuitive user interface with a comprehensive Online Support Center and remote assistance options. Their custom admin panel offers FTP credentials and a website builder to re-create existing websites, making it accessible for users with varying technical expertise. Additionally, the provision of SSL certificates and SiteLock security products enhances the user experience significantly.

Conversely, Westhost features a user-friendly standard cPanel that is ideal for non-technical users. The platform’s one-click app installs for over 80 applications, including popular content management systems like WordPress and Joomla, facilitate straightforward website management. The interface is designed to be accessible, allowing users to easily navigate and utilize various hosting features, from file management to website optimization.

Network Solutions offers migration services with little to no downtime, supporting users in transferring their websites to the platform seamlessly. Their agents provide assistance with moving SSL certificates and security products. Westhost has a dedicated migration center, making it easy to transfer sites, but it is essential to check whether these services incur additional fees. Both platforms offer thorough migration support, but Westhost provides more straightforward tools for the task.

The platforms provide extensive knowledge bases filled with guides, how-to articles, and instructional content. Network Solutions has a detailed Online Support Center offering articles and tutorials on various topics, including domain setup, email hosting, and technical troubleshooting. Their 24/7 customer support is available via phone or chat. Westhost has a comprehensive knowledge base covering a broad array of topics, including web hosting, email services, cPanel, and more. Their 24/7 support is provided through live chat and a ticketing system.

🏆 Winner
WestHost: Well-rounded user management tools and comprehensive controls for effective site management.

Network Solutions and WestHost both offer user management capabilities, but they differ significantly in the flexibility and structure of their roles and permissions. Network Solutions provides defined roles such as Primary Contact, Admin Contact, and Technical Contact with distinct permissions, but limited flexibility. The ability to manage user roles is mostly confined to the Primary and Admin Contacts, limiting customization. In contrast, WestHost offers more adaptable roles, including E-mail Users and FTP Users. These roles provide flexibility in terms of enabling specific options like FTP access, making WestHost more adaptable for varying user needs.

The user interfaces presented by both hosting providers are designed to facilitate user management through straightforward navigation and clear instructions. Network Solutions employs a drop-down menu in its Account Manager, allowing users to edit and manage roles with ease. WestHost’s Site Manager also simplifies user creation and management with an intuitive “Add” and “Edit” interface, complemented by a video tutorial for additional guidance.

Assessing access control measures, Network Solutions provides clear, albeit limited, user roles that ensure secure and distinct access permissions, which may be sufficient for smaller teams. WestHost, however, offers more detailed controls over user roles such as enabling or disabling FTP and setting quotas, which can be particularly beneficial for growing teams and more intricate access requirements. The capability to customize settings like home directory paths further enhances WestHost’s scalability and flexibility in managing a diverse range of users.

Network Solutions user roles table:

WestHost user roles table:

🏆 Winner Network Solutions: provides an extensive range of customer support options and advantages.

Network Solutions and WestHost both offer comprehensive customer support options, ensuring their users have access to assistance when needed. Network Solutions stands out with multiple dedicated phone lines for various support needs, live chat availability 24/7, and extensive business consultation hours. In addition, they provide support via frequently accessed channels like email and tickets, enriching the support experience.

WestHost ensures 24/7 support via live chat, backed by extensive knowledge resources such as a blog and knowledge base. While they have received mixed feedback on support effectiveness, users have noted exceptional service from certain agents. WestHost also presents a 30-day money-back guarantee, which can be appealing to potential customers.

Network Solutions vs WestHost: User feedback

Network Solutions offers a decent technical solution with a user-friendly interface and competitive pricing for basic domain registration and hosting needs. However, their customer service is frequently criticized for being unresponsive and unhelpful, with customers reporting long wait times and cookie-cutter responses that fail to resolve issues effectively. Many users find the backend UI confusing and the persistent upselling tactics off-putting. Additionally, the lack of timely notifications regarding server crashes and high, fluctuating costs further detract from the overall user experience.

Users find WestHost to be a reliable hosting provider with minimal downtime and high-quality support. The competitive pricing is appreciated, but many users express frustration with the outdated documentation and the need for customer support intervention for tasks like updating SSL certificates. While the service itself is smooth and hassle-free, the administrative interface and outdated guides significantly detract from the overall user experience.

Network Solutions vs WestHost: FAQ