WP Engine vs A2 Hosting: guide for 2024

Final verdict

Looking over WP Engine vs. A2 Hosting, both deliver commendable services with distinct strengths tailored to different user needs.

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  A2 Hosting (Overall grade: 8.1)
  
  
  is a versatile choice with a broad array of offerings, including shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting. It excels in user-friendliness, providing cPanel for easy site management and free site migration. The Turbo Server feature significantly improves page load times, making it suitable for multimedia websites and users seeking high performance on a budget. While the pricing is competitive, the lack of enterprise-grade security features and slightly inconsistent customer support quality in specific cases can be drawbacks. Nonetheless, A2 Hosting’s blend of affordability, diverse plans, and dependable uptime make it a strong contender for users needing flexible and cost-effective hosting solutions.
  
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  WP Engine (Overall grade: 8.6)
  
  
  stands out for its premium managed WordPress hosting services, offering advanced performance and security enhancements. Features like EverCache® Technology and global CDN ensure swift load times and reliable site performance. Its security measures, including a managed Web Application Firewall and proactive threat management, provide robust protection for WordPress sites. The trade-off is the higher price point and the omission of native email hosting, which might not suit everyone. However, WP Engine’s dedicated WordPress expertise, high customer satisfaction, and exceptional tools for developers make it the ideal choice for businesses and agencies needing a high-quality, hassle-free hosting experience.
  

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: A2 Hosting: Outstanding uptime consistency and high availability assurance for your website needs.

WP Engine and A2 Hosting both deliver commendable uptime and availability for hosting services. WP Engine demonstrates 100% uptime over a two-month period and a stellar 99.99% SLA. Their proactive security measures and 24/7 monitoring ensure minimal downtime and rapid issue resolution. Rapid server response times and global data centers further enhance website reliability and performance.

A2 Hosting has consistently shown near-perfect uptime percentages over the past three years, with 99.99% in 2020 and 2022, and 99.98% in 2021. A2 Hosting even achieved a perfect 100% uptime during specific testing periods with UptimeRobot. This provider guarantees a 99.9% uptime and adheres to this standard in its Terms of Service, providing dependable services to all clients.

Both WP Engine and A2 Hosting offer reliable uptime, but A2 Hosting’s consistent high performance makes it the top choice. With excellent historical uptime percentages and a solid uptime guarantee, A2 Hosting ensures that your website remains accessible and highly available.

🏆 Winner
WP Engine: Known for delivering exceptional managed WordPress hosting with top-tier performance.

When it comes to speed and performance, both WP Engine and A2 Hosting excel with their unique technologies. WP Engine boasts fast page load times aided by EverCache® Technology and a free global CDN with over 200 points of presence. They run the latest PHP version for increased request efficiency. A2 Hosting also shines with Turbo Servers that claim up to 20x faster performance, NVMe drives, and LiteSpeed server technology. Both hosts provide data centers worldwide, but WP Engine offers more regional options including Africa and the Middle East. A2 Hosting sweetens the deal with free site migration for an easy start.

Website Speed

WP Engine’s speed advantage originates from its EverCache® Technology, which allows handling millions of hits per day by reducing server load significantly. Combined with their managed CDN and Core Web Vitals optimization, user experiences are notably enhanced. On the other hand, A2 Hosting’s Turbo Cache and accelerated read/write speeds with NVMe drives ensure minimal latency. Both hosts provide SSL certificates and various caching methods, but WP Engine’s focus on WordPress-specific optimizations gives it the upper hand in pure speed metrics.

Scalability

WP Engine offers a highly scalable architecture capable of managing traffic spikes seamlessly without manual intervention. They feature isolated resources to ensure reliable performance even during high traffic. The cost for scaling with WP Engine isn’t specified. A2 Hosting provides scalable plans such as VPS and dedicated server hosting to accommodate growth. Their Turbo Hosting is designed for scalability, but customers have to upgrade their plans manually. The costs for scaling vary with the type of plan chosen, starting from $35.99/mo for VPS and $79.99/mo for dedicated servers.

🏆 Winner
WP Engine: Provides extensive proactive security features and best-in-class monitoring.

Both WP Engine and A2 Hosting, have notable differences in their approaches to technical and operational
security, as well as in their compliance with regulations.

Technical security measures:

WP Engine uses enterprise-grade technology to automate threat detection, blocking 72 million attacks daily while providing real-time monitoring and edge protection. It offers layered protection with a managed Web Application Firewall, DDoS mitigation, Cloudflare CDN, and SSL certificates. Meanwhile, A2 Hosting provides a robust security suite with tools like Imunify360 and ModSecurity, offering free SSL certificates and virus scanning capabilities. A2 Hosting supports multiple PHP versions with various extensions, but WP Engine’s comprehensive threat management and live security team set it apart.

Operational security measures:

WP Engine offers proactive security alerts, continuous monitoring, automated updates, and plugin vulnerability notifications. The support includes 24/7 global coverage with premium options. Its real-time security management involves a dedicated live team. A2 Hosting also offers two-factor authentication, patch management, and SSH for secure file transfers. It provides proactive tools like Imunify360 and Patchman for real-time protection. While both hostings have robust operational measures, WP Engine’s always-on monitoring and proactive security management are more extensive.

Compliance and certifications:

WP Engine meets SOC-2 standards for Security and Availability and is ISO 27001-2013 certified. Its platform also includes PCI vulnerability scanning. A2 Hosting is GDPR compliant and advises on achieving PCI compliance via third-party APIs but does not support HIPAA or SSAE 16 compliance. WP Engine’s certifications and broader compliance offerings give it an edge in regulatory adherence.

🏆 Winner: WP Engine: Superior managed WordPress hosting with robust performance and security features.

Both WP Engine and A2 Hosting provide services tailored to different user needs, but they diverge significantly in their approach and special features. WP Engine excels in managed WordPress hosting with tiers ranging from Essential to Enterprise-level plans. Noteworthy features include EverCache® technology for speeding up your site, and comprehensive security measures like advanced DDoS mitigation and a managed WAF. WP Engine also offers end-to-end management, making it an attractive option for businesses seeking a hassle-free experience. Conversely, A2 Hosting offers a broader range of hosting options, from shared hosting suitable for beginners to dedicated servers for high-resource websites. They stand out with their Turbo Servers for faster page loads and a collection of useful features like automatic core updates and free website migration. A2 Hosting also includes cPanel for user-friendly site management and a Softaculous auto-installer for quick application installations.

When it comes to user-friendliness and customization options, A2 Hosting offers flexibility with its cPanel control panel and Softaculous script installer, making it easy for users to install and manage various website platforms. Their Turbo Servers can enhance performance for a better user experience. WP Engine, on the other hand, shines with its developer tools such as the free automated migration plugin, Local WordPress Development, and WPGraphQL for headless WordPress solutions. WP Engine also provides excellent performance insights and site monitoring alerts, offering comprehensive support for more sophisticated websites. A key unique selling point for WP Engine is its high customer satisfaction rate of 97%, backed by specialized technical support and ongoing website health assessments. Whether users seek hands-off management with robust security (WP Engine) or adaptable and fast shared hosting with various functionalities (A2 Hosting), each provider brings distinct advantages to the table.

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 WP Engine and A2 Hosting 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:

WP Engine does not offer native email hosting services or email campaign capabilities, focusing strictly on web hosting. A2 Hosting, however, includes email hosting powered by Titan, offering multi-account access, configurable webmail, and a mobile app. A2 Hosting’s email plans provide comprehensive features suitable for businesses that need to manage their email campaigns, making it a more versatile choice for users needing integrated email solutions.

🏆 Winner
A2 Hosting: Standing out for its blend of affordability and extensive features.

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 pricing plans of WP Engine and A2 Hosting demonstrates significant differences in both cost and features. WP Engine’s entry-level Startup Plan starts at $20/month, focusing on managed WordPress hosting with 24/7 chat support and robust security features. Conversely, A2 Hosting offers its Startup plan at a lower $2.99/month, which includes shared hosting features such as free site migration, unlimited email accounts, and a money-back guarantee. While WP Engine specializes in managed WordPress hosting, A2 Hosting provides budget-friendly options with broader functionalities like unlimited SSD storage and free automatic backups in higher-tier plans.

Enterprise plans

For enterprise needs, WP Engine’s custom plan starts at $600/month offering contact sales for specifics, while providing robust 24/7 support, advanced security features, and a dedicated account manager. A2 Hosting’s dedicated server options, starting from $79.99/month, present significant cost savings, 16GB DDR4 RAM, high-performance CPUs, and included root access, making it a compelling alternative for high-demand requirements. Both providers offer tailored solutions, but A2 Hosting delivers more affordability and inclusivity in terms of features and support.

🏆 Winner A2 Hosting: Provides a streamlined setup with easy site migration and automated updates.

WP Engine and A2 Hosting both offer user-friendly admin panels designed to cater to a wide range of users, from beginners to experienced developers. WP Engine leverages a custom control panel that integrates advanced developer tools like Git Push and SSH Gateway, which are beneficial for users needing more control over their WordPress environment. This custom interface provides detailed platform settings and is optimized for WordPress performance and security, making it highly efficient but slightly intimidating for non-technical users.

A2 Hosting, on the other hand, offers the widely-used cPanel along with its proprietary TurboHub for managed WordPress sites. The cPanel is known for its accessibility and intuitive interface, making it easier for both technical and non-technical users to navigate. Additionally, TurboHub consolidates management tools in one place, enhancing the user experience by simplifying site administration tasks such as updates and performance monitoring. The familiar cPanel interface can be an advantage for users who prefer a straightforward, easy-to-navigate platform.

Both WP Engine and A2 Hosting provide robust migration tools, but their approaches differ. WP Engine offers an Automated Migration plugin that simplifies the process considerably, making it straightforward for most users. This tool is free, and for anyone facing compatibility issues, WP Engine provides a comprehensive Manual Migration Checklist along with 24/7 support. A2 Hosting also delivers a seamless migration experience with its free site migration service, ensuring minimal downtime and a hassle-free transition. Additionally, the availability of the WordPress Toolkit within cPanel further simplifies the migration and management of WordPress sites.

WP Engine’s help center is comprehensive, featuring detailed articles, video tutorials, and guides covering a wide range of topics, including security protocols and performance optimization. This resource-rich environment is complemented by their 24/7 technical support via chat and phone. Coverage includes everything from setting up a site to handling WordPress updates. A2 Hosting’s knowledge base is equally extensive, offering articles and guides on everything from basic hosting configurations to advanced developer tools. Their 24/7/365 Guru Crew Support is accessible via live chat, email, or phone, ensuring that help is always available.

The platforms provide extensive knowledge bases filled with guides, how-to articles, and instructional content. WP Engine offers a wide range of resources alongside 24/7 chat and phone support. A2 Hosting 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: WP Engine Comprehensive user management with versatile roles and permissions.

Both WP Engine and A2 Hosting offer robust user management features tailored to meet different administrative needs. WP Engine provides a clear and detailed structure for user roles, allowing owners to define varied access levels with options spanning Owners, Full Users, and Partial Users. This granular control includes billing permissions and access to specific environments, making WP Engine highly flexible. On the other hand, A2 Hosting’s user management in Plesk focuses on creating roles with specified services granted or denied, which is effective but less detailed than WP Engine’s environment-specific permissions.

WP Engine has a well-structured user portal interface that simplifies managing users, inviting new users, and editing or removing access. Users can navigate through options to grant or revoke permissions effortlessly. A2 Hosting, leveraging Plesk, offers a straightforward interface for role management, allowing admins to create, modify, or remove roles with ease. However, Plesk’s general design makes it less refined in offering environment-specific controls akin to WP Engine’s user portal.

In terms of managing access control and scalability, WP Engine excels with its comprehensive logging and detailed activity tracking. This feature ensures administrators can manage user actions and activity with precision, facilitating smoother operations even as the number of users and environments grows. In contrast, A2 Hosting via Plesk allows for good control but lacks the depth of WP Engine’s specialized features in monitoring and scaling user access efficiently.

WP Engine User Roles Table:

A2 Hosting User Roles Table:

🏆 Winner WP Engine: Offers an extensive range of customer support options, including premium support features for advanced users.

WP Engine provides a comprehensive 24/7 support structure with phone and live chat options available to all clients. Advanced support such as premium options and dedicated WordPress expertise sets them apart for users needing specific troubleshooting and optimization. The user portal offers additional tools for managing accounts, and their knowledge base provides extensive resources for self-help.

In comparison, A2 Hosting also ensures constant support availability with phone, live chat, and email/ticket options. Their “Guru Crew Support” team is highly regarded, and customer reviews reflect satisfaction with the support services. A2 Hosting does well in providing immediate assistance but falls short of WP Engine’s specialized expertise and enterprise-grade security options. Nonetheless, A2 Hosting offers a reliable support experience with a strong user satisfaction track record.

User feedback

WP Engine exudes excellence in managed WordPress hosting, boasting top-notch technical support that’s often highlighted as a standout feature. Users appreciate the user-friendly dashboard, seamless migration tools, daily backups, and solid security measures, all of which contribute to high performance and reliability. However, the service does come at a higher price point, which some users find steep, especially for entry-level plans or smaller projects. Despite occasional concerns about costs and some technical nuances, WP Engine’s premium service quality justifies the expense for many, making it a highly recommended solution for businesses and developers alike.

User feedback for the hosting provider shows a strong appreciation for their reliable performance, swift customer support, and user-friendly interface, making it a popular choice among many users. Several users praised the speed, uptime, and technical efficacy of their services, as well as the knowledgeable and responsive customer support. However, some users expressed concerns about the higher pricing, especially after the initial discounted period, and highlighted occasional issues with the responsiveness or expertise of support staff. Overall, the hosting provider has received positive reviews, but improvements in support consistency and pricing transparency could enhance user satisfaction further.

FAQ