OVH Cloud vs Hostpapa: guide for 2024

Final verdict

Looking over OVH vs. HostPapa, both hosting providers offer a wide range of features and benefits catering to different types of users, but they each have their own strengths and weaknesses.

• 
  HostPapa (Overall grade: 8.6)
  
  
  offers a well-rounded hosting service ideal for small to medium-sized businesses and those looking for comprehensive WordPress and eCommerce solutions. It shines with reliable uptime, quick load times, and a full suite of user-friendly features, including a pre-installed WordPress environment, free domain registration, and automated backups. HostPapa also stands out for its exceptional customer support, available 24/7, combined with detailed resources and optional one-on-one training sessions. However, its pricing is slightly higher, and it may not offer the same high-performance capabilities needed for large, high-traffic websites.
  
• 
  OVH (Overall grade: 8.2)
  
  
  provides substantial advantages for users needing powerful performance and extensive control, particularly suited for high-traffic and multimedia-rich websites. OVH excels in offering a wide variety of server types, including dedicated and cloud hosting, and maintains strong security measures with anti-DDoS protection and automated backups. Despite its commendable uptime and extensive compliance certifications, OVH’s customer support is less accessible and responsive, making it a less attractive option for users who prioritize consistent support. Additionally, while OVH’s pricing is competitive, it lacks some of the user-friendly features and ease of access found in HostPapa.
  

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 HostPapa: Reliable uptime and consistent performance make HostPapa the preferred choice.

HostPapa stands out with a solid 99.93% uptime recorded in Montreal, translating to minimal downtime for users. The hosting provider guarantees 99.9% uptime and offers compensation if this target is not met. HostPapa also maintains transparency by informing customers about scheduled maintenance and existing incidents via a status page and email notifications. As for speed, HostPapa demonstrates quick load times, outperforming many competitors in various Canadian cities.

OVHcloud has shown significant improvement in its uptime, reaching 99.962% in a recent three-month period, though it still lags behind HostPapa. It offers a global infrastructure with multiple data centers and PoPs that promise 99.99% uptime for its Public Cloud Instance. OVHcloud provides automatic backups and Anti-DDoS protection across all hosting plans, ensuring data protection and availability. Its page load times are commendable but not enough to surpass HostPapa’s streamlined performance metrics.

🏆 Winner
Hosting Provider Winner: Offers superior hosting performance and features at competitive rates.

When it comes to general performance, HostPapa leads with servers optimized for speed, which boost user experience and search engine rankings. Their use of NVMe storage surpasses traditional HDDs, providing faster load times for websites. HostPapa’s services include a Cloudflare Enterprise CDN, ensuring content delivery from over 250 locations globally. They also offer multiple global edge hosting locations, enhancing website loading efficiency. In contrast, OVHcloud has various performance levels in resources but provides only a basic CDN. OVHcloud boasts high availability, substantial resources, and a large disk space of 500GB. Both hostings provide SSL certificates and automatic backups, though OVHcloud lacks the advanced CDN capabilities and optimized storage of HostPapa.

Website Speed

HostPapa wins the race in website speed with significant metrics like a 233% faster Time to First Byte (TTFB) and improvements in First Input Delay (FID) and First Contentful Paint (FCP) by 38% and 45% respectively. The use of NVMe storage and an optimized server environment ensures faster loading times. HostPapa’s integration with Cloudflare Enterprise CDN also boosts content delivery, making site loading smoother across the globe. OVHcloud’s performance is robust but lacks these speed enhancements and the specific metrics that demonstrate HostPapa’s superiority.

Scalability

On the scalability front, HostPapa does not emphasize elastic scaling or automated plan upgrades. Instead, their focus is on providing optimized solutions for small businesses and WordPress websites. Though information about automated scaling or dedicated servers is not provided, HostPapa’s infrastructure appears tailored for set plans rather than fluid scaling. OVHcloud offers a Boost Option to handle temporary traffic spikes at a daily cost, pointing towards a flexible scaling approach. Both providers have their unique strengths, but HostPapa stands out for performance-specific needs without explicit scaling details.

🏆 Winner OVHcloud: OVHcloud offers a comprehensive suite of security and compliance features tailored to meet stringent regulatory requirements.

Technical security measures:

OVHcloud includes anti-DDoS protection and automatic data backup as standard. Its API allows for advanced management options. HostPapa offers a thorough Protection Power suite for malware scanning, WAF, and advanced threat detection, but doesn’t include built-in anti-DDoS protection like OVHcloud. Both providers offer firewall protection and have secure SSL certificate options, but OVHcloud offers more diverse SSL options, including Sectigo certificates. HostPapa allows selecting specific PHP versions, while OVHcloud broadly supports PHP without detailing versions.

Operational security measures:

OVHcloud supports automated backups, task automation, and detailed traffic statistics, ensuring data recovery and operational efficiency. HostPapa provides automated daily backups and a CDN for enhanced performance and security. HostPapa offers domain privacy to shield user information, while OVHcloud emphasizes data sovereignty and customer data ownership. OVHcloud’s multi-site management and API options give it an edge in operational flexibility.

Compliance and certifications:

OVHcloud has extensive compliance with regulations, including GDPR, PCI DSS, ISO certifications, HIPAA, and many others. HostPapa complies with GDPR, PIPEDA, and PCI, focusing on ensuring eCommerce security. OVHcloud’s compliance extends to several international standards, making it more suited for businesses operating under multiple regulatory environments.

🏆 Winner HostPapa: HostPapa stands out for its extensive features and user-friendly offerings.

Both OVHcloud and HostPapa provide a strong set of features to cater to a range of web hosting needs, but their focus areas differ significantly. OVHcloud offers unlimited monthly traffic and managed hosting, ensuring your web projects are well-supported and secure. OVHcloud allows multi-site management, which is a great option for users needing to host multiple websites on one plan. However, one of the downsides is that it doesn’t provide a staging environment, which can be crucial for testing updates without affecting the live site. Domain registration is straightforward with OVHcloud, with no special terms or additional fees, which can simplify the onboarding process.

HostPapa, on the other hand, offers unlimited SSD storage and a free domain registration service, though there are conditions if you cancel the hosting service. HostPapa provides a WordPress staging environment, facilitating a smoother update and testing process. With features such as Jetpack pre-installed and Cloudflare compatibility, their focus is on enhancing performance and security right out of the box. HostPapa also gives users a free 30-minute training session, which can be beneficial for those who are less tech-savvy or new to web hosting. The inclusion of automated backups and domain privacy for the first year makes it an enticing option for users seeking a comprehensive hosting solution at a reasonable price.

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 OVHcloud and HostPapa 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:

Email services at OVHcloud provides a range of email addresses based on the plan, from 2 to 1000, ideal for various levels of usage. HostPapa, offering unlimited email addresses, stands out for businesses requiring numerous email accounts. Both providers support transactional emails, but HostPapa goes a step further by offering reselling options for services like Google Workspace, making it a scalable choice for growing businesses.

🏆 Winner: OVHcloud: Offering competitive pricing with comprehensive features across various hosting plans, OVHcloud stands out for its flexibility and value.

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.

Both OVHcloud and HostPapa offer a variety of hosting plans, catering to different needs and budgets. OVHcloud’s shared hosting starts at $1.04/month, offering essential features like a free domain and WordPress installation, ideal for personal projects or startups. HostPapa’s basic plan is priced slightly higher at $2.95/month but includes more storage, multiple websites, and an SSL certificate, making it highly suitable for small businesses. For more advanced users, OVHcloud’s Performance Web Hosting offers significant storage and high-performance resources for $13.19/month. On the other hand, HostPapa’s Premium and Elite plans provide substantial storage and advanced security measures for $6.95/month and $14.95/month, respectively, with unlimited website support. OVHcloud stands out in offering additional cloud hosting flexibility, which can adapt to business needs more dynamically.

Enterprise plans

For enterprises, OVHcloud’s Performance Web Hosting at $13.19/month offers substantial storage and dynamic scaling options through its Boost feature for high-traffic periods. HostPapa’s Elite plan at $14.95/month provides unmetered storage, enhanced security, and fully managed firewall options. HostPapa also has a reseller and VPS hosting category that can cater to enterprise needs with high flexibility and control. Both providers offer competitive pricing and extensive features, but OVHcloud’s adaptability with cloud hosting and performance tools makes it a strong choice for large-scale operations.

🏆 Winner HostPapa: Ease of setup with automatic WordPress installation and free website transfer services.

Comparing the admin panels of both hosting providers, OVHcloud offers the OVHcloud Control Panel, a simplified, centralized interface to configure products and services. This setup is particularly accessible for both technical and non-technical users, offering flexibility through FTP Explorer, FTP Client, or SSH for file transfers. On the other hand, HostPapa provides cPanel, which is widely recognized and extensively documented. cPanel is user-friendly and familiar to most web professionals, making it an excellent choice for those who appreciate a standard interface. Both platforms offer a streamlined user experience, but HostPapa’s standard cPanel might provide a slight edge for those already acquainted with its layout and features.

Regarding migration tools, OVHcloud provides various options to move website files using FTP Explorer, FTP Client, or SSH. However, it doesn’t explicitly mention free migration services. HostPapa shines in this area by offering free, seamless website transfer from any provider, ensuring no downtime during the process. HostPapa also facilitates immediate website building with zero-click WordPress installation, making it highly convenient for users switching from another host.

Both hosting providers offer extensive help center resources. OVHcloud features multilingual guides, community support, and a dedicated Help Centre with detailed guides and task automation tips. HostPapa stands out with its searchable knowledge base, downloadable manuals, video tutorials, live chat, and one-on-one training sessions. HostPapa’s support is available 24/7 in multiple languages, backed by award-winning customer service. These comprehensive resources cater to users at various skill levels, helping them navigate their hosting environments effectively.

The platforms provide extensive knowledge bases filled with guides, how-to articles, and instructional content. OVHcloud offers a wide range of resources alongside 24/7 chat and phone support. HostPapa 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: OVHcloud: Featuring extensive user and role management options with precise control over cloud infrastructure and resources.

OVHcloud and HostPapa offer distinct approaches to user management and role definition. OVHcloud provides granular control through the OpenStack API, where users can define multiple roles with specific permissions, such as Administrator or Network Operator. In contrast, HostPapa uses the Plesk interface to manage user roles and permissions with a detailed set of configurable options. HostPapa allows for the activation and deactivation of user roles swiftly, a feature that is straightforward yet limited compared to OVHcloud’s multi-faceted approach. OVHcloud’s ability to group multiple roles for single users provides flexibility that goes beyond the simple grant/deny permissions schema on HostPapa.

OVHcloud’s interface allows for direct generation of configuration files via the OVHcloud Control Panel for tools like OpenStack CLI, enhancing user accessibility and operational efficiency. HostPapa, relying on Plesk, offers a more traditional, web-based management panel with easy-to-navigate sections for roles and permissions. This panel aids users who are less familiar with command-line interfaces but might lack the advanced functionalities some businesses require. OVHcloud’s infrastructure is designed to cater to those needing more comprehensive management and integration capabilities.

In terms of access control measures, OVHcloud demonstrates strong efficiency through the ability to disable multiple accesses as needed, managing unlimited users seamlessly. This is crucial for rapidly scaling environments where quick adjustments are often necessary. HostPapa’s access control is efficient within the Plesk ecosystem, providing adequate tools to manage growing user bases. However, it might not be as effective for more complex scaling needs. OVHcloud’s free role creation and adjustment policy further simplifies extensive user management without additional costs, increasing its viability for larger organizations.

OVHcloud user roles table:

HostPapa user roles table:

🏆 Winner HostPapa: HostPapa provides a wide range of easily accessible and comprehensive customer service options.

OVHcloud offers various levels of customer support, from Standard to Enterprise, catering to different needs and price points. Standard support provides responses within eight working hours and includes a FAQ section, knowledgebase, and community forum. Premium and Business supports escalate priority and response time, with the most advanced Enterprise support offering 24/7 extensive technical help and dedicated expertise. OVHcloud’s contact methods include email, phone support during business hours, and an inactive live chat. No straightforward refund policy and the need to disable auto-renewal manually can be potential downsides.

HostPapa, on the other hand, offers round-the-clock customer support through multiple channels, including phone, email, live chat, and a comprehensive knowledge base with video tutorials. They provide one-on-one training sessions and an extensive list of international contact numbers, ensuring customers worldwide have convenient access to their services. HostPapa has earned positive customer reviews for its support responsiveness and availability, making it a more user-friendly choice for those in need of constant and reachable support.

User feedback

User feedback for this hosting provider reveals a stark contrast in experiences. On one hand, users appreciate the competitive pricing, diverse range of services, multiple datacenter locations, and solid server performance when issues do not arise, reflecting a favorable cost-benefit ratio. On the other hand, many users criticize the provider’s customer service, highlighting slow response times, inadequate technical support, and unresolved billing discrepancies, with some experiencing significant delays and lack of assistance in critical situations. Overall, while the hosting services can be robust and reliable, the customer support and service delivery times need considerable improvement.

Overall, customers generally appreciate the ease of use, responsive customer support, and affordability of the hosting provider. Many users specifically highlight the excellent technical support and straightforward interface as significant advantages. However, some reviews mention downsides such as occasional transparency issues with billing, aggressive upselling tactics, and sporadic performance concerns like downtime or slow website speeds due to outdated technology. There are also mixed experiences regarding customer service efficiency, with some users facing frustrating delays while others commend the quick and knowledgeable support team.

FAQ