WP Engine vs MonoVM: guide for 2024

WP Engine vs MonoVM: Final verdict

Looking over WP Engine vs. Monovm, both offer competitive web hosting solutions for diverse user needs, though their strengths lie in different areas.

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  WP Engine (Overall grade: 8.6)
  
  excels as a premium hosting provider specially optimized for WordPress, offering unmatched performance with EverCache® technology and an optimized CDN. The platform guarantees a 99.99% uptime with robust security features such as automated updates, daily backups, and advanced DDoS mitigation. However, WP Engine comes with a higher price point, which may be a drawback for smaller businesses or individual users. Ideal for handling high-traffic WordPress sites and eCommerce platforms, WP Engine offers extensive customer support and a high satisfaction rate, making it a top choice for those needing reliable, high-speed performance and security tailored to WordPress.
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  Monovm (Overall grade: 6.9)
  
  offers a broader range of hosting options, including VPS and dedicated hosting, making it versatile for different types of websites, particularly multimedia sites that require diverse technology support. With competitive pricing that starts as low as $2.99 per month, Monovm presents an affordable option for businesses looking for reliable hosting without breaking the bank. Though it lacks the advanced caching and WordPress-specific optimization features of WP Engine, Monovm still provides solid performance with enterprise-grade SSDs and robust security measures such as Imunify 360. Support is always accessible, and the inclusion of VIP support in managed plans enhances user experience, although some advanced features and customer support quality may not match WP Engine’s level.

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 WP Engine: Known for its impressive uptime performance and stringent SLA.

WP Engine provides unparalleled uptime and availability with 24/7 monitoring and proactive maintenance. The platform boasts a 99.99% SLA, backed by data centers around the globe. Additionally, WP Engine ensures site security through automated updates and daily backups, contributing to its top-tier performance and reliability.

MonoVM offers a solid uptime of 99.99% and supports multiple global locations, catering to both Linux and Windows users. With enterprise-level hardware and extensive support, it is a strong contender for reliable hosting services. Free daily backups and robust security measures further enhance its offering, making it a viable choice for many users.

🏆 Winner WP Engine: Superior in speed, scalability, and comprehensive performance features for WordPress websites.

Both WP Engine and MonoVM offer solid hosting solutions, but WP Engine stands out when it comes to overall performance. WP Engine leverages enterprise-grade SSDs, EverCache® technology, and an optimized CDN with over 200 locations to ensure fast page load times and high Score ranges. MonoVM also uses enterprise-grade SSDs configured in RAID10 and offers excellent storage and backup solutions, but it lacks WP Engine’s advanced caching and Core Web Vitals solutions. Both have data centers globally, but WP Engine’s infrastructure is highly optimized for WordPress-specific needs.

Website speed

When it comes to website speed, WP Engine is tailored for optimal performance with its EverCache® technology and the latest PHP version, boosting site speed significantly. Pages hosted on WP Engine load remarkably fast, often in less than 3 seconds, which is crucial for retaining user engagement and improving SEO. MonoVM also offers fast load times due to its enterprise-grade SSDs, but it lacks the specialized WordPress optimization features that WP Engine provides.

Scalability

On scalability, WP Engine offers an elastic infrastructure capable of handling high traffic spikes without requiring a manual upgrade of plans. It features isolated resources for better performance management. MonoVM provides excellent scalability options with various Windows and Linux distributions and dedicated server options. However, specific details on automatic scaling versus manual upgrades for MonoVM are unclear. Pricing for scaling can vary depending on the hosting plan and specific requirements for both providers.

🏆 Winner WP Engine: Offers an advanced, multi-layered approach to security with high compliance standards.

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

Technical security measures:

WP Engine stands out with its enterprise-grade technology, automatically blocking 72 million attacks daily and keeping vulnerabilities up-to-date. It also employs Global Edge Security, featuring a Web Application Firewall (WAF), advanced DDoS mitigation, and Cloudflare CDN. WP Engine’s data is encrypted, with automatic core updates, daily backups, and plugin vulnerability notifications. On the other hand, MonoVM includes robust security measures like Imunify 360 for firewall protection and malware scanning. MonoVM offers free SSL certificates and TLS/SSL management features. Although MonoVM has comprehensive security, WP Engine’s more advanced features like Argo Smart Routing and proactive threat detection make it superior in technical security measures.

Operational security measures:

WP Engine provides real-time security management with a live team that maintains best-in-class standards, coupled with proactive security alerts and 24/7 global support with a 97% satisfaction rate. It also offers managed core updates, two-factor authentication, and automated plugin and theme updates with visual regression test rollbacks. In contrast, MonoVM features automatic backups and logging and monitoring capabilities, ensuring daily, weekly, and monthly data preservation alongside enhanced email security with SSL. While both providers offer essential operational security measures, WP Engine’s continuous monitoring, automated updates, and premium support options make it more reliable for operational security.

Compliance and certifications:

WP Engine is SOC-2 compliant and ISO 27001-2013 certified, providing solid assurances for security and availability trust services categories. It also includes features for PCI compliance, although results may vary due to customized components. MonoVM, lacking specified details about GDPR or PCI compliance, suggests a general focus on high-security standards through SSL certificates, data encryption, and firewalls. WP Engine’s broader range of certifications and specific compliance measures make it superior in this area.

🏆 Winner: WP Engine: A highly reliable and performance-oriented hosting service ideal for WordPress websites and mission-critical sites.

WP Engine offers a range of robust hosting plans aimed at different stages of business growth, from startups to enterprise-level operations. Their focus is on managed WordPress hosting, providing features like EverCache® technology for speed, global CDN, and WordPress-specific security measures. Users benefit from automated migration plugins, daily backups, and a fully managed environment that includes PHP and MySQL updates. The service also boasts an impressive 99.99% uptime guarantee and performance insights to maintain optimized site functionality. On the other hand, MonoVM provides a strong alternative with comprehensive DNS management, free domain registration, SSD RAID 10 technology, and guaranteed uptime. They offer automation features for server maintenance and backups, along with the capability to manage databases efficiently. Although both services have their strengths, WP Engine’s specialized performance tools and customer satisfaction rate provide a significant edge.

WP Engine’s premium pricing reflects their detailed support and extensive range of functionalities. They include features like site staging environments and transferable sites which are vital for developers and businesses handling multiple projects. MonoVM, with its simpler pricing structure and inclusion of cPanel for easier management, suits users looking for reliable and straightforward hosting solutions. The availability of unlimited monthly traffic and free daily backups is a plus for webmasters focused on scalability. Though both providers ensure strong security protocols with SSL and firewall measures, WP Engine’s advanced DDoS mitigation and Web Application Firewall add an extra layer of protection. Overall, WP Engine’s tailored solutions for WordPress-specific needs and their high customer satisfaction ratings make it a compelling choice for businesses looking to ensure optimal performance and security.

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 MonoVM 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:

MonoVM offers comprehensive mailbox management and supports email hosting for all domains, which could be highly beneficial for businesses needing to set up their own email campaigns. WP Engine, however, focuses exclusively on WordPress performance and does not include email hosting services, requiring users to utilize third-party email providers like Google Workspace or Outlook. MonoVM’s VIP support includes assistance with email services, making it a more rounded option for businesses with extensive email needs.

🏆 Winner MonoVM:Affordable pricing and comprehensive features make MonoVM a compelling choice for web hosting.

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.

WP Engine offers plans starting at $20, escalating to $600 for more advanced features, while MonoVM provides a broader range with prices starting at $2.99. WP Engine’s prices include numerous unique features such as EverCache®, priority support for higher tiers, and a 60-day money-back guarantee. MonoVM caters to budget-sensitive customers offering SSL certificates, VIP support, unlimited traffic, and malware scanning even at lower price points. WP Engine’s focus on managed WordPress hosting brings specialized WordPress features, but MonoVM stands out in affordability, offering comparable features at a lower cost.

Enterprise plans

WP Engine’s Custom Plan, starting at $600, offers extensive features tailored to specialized needs, including advanced DDoS protection and a dedicated technical account manager. MonoVM does not provide a high-tier dedicated enterprise plan, but their managed hosting tiers offer enterprise-grade features at significantly lower prices, presenting an economical option for businesses with tighter budgets.

🏆 Winner MonoVM: Offers a wide range of features with user-friendly setup and strong customer satisfaction.

WP Engine utilizes a custom-built admin panel tailored for WordPress users, offering an intuitive interface with easy access to essential features like website management, performance monitoring, and security settings. It includes advanced developer tools such as Git Push and SSH Gateway, making it well-suited for both technical and non-technical users who seek an optimized WordPress experience. On the other hand, MonoVM employs the widely recognized cPanel, which is a standard control panel known for its simplicity and extensive features for Linux hosting. cPanel’s well-documented interface makes it straightforward for users at all levels of technical expertise to manage their hosting environment, including managing domains, setting up email, and configuring databases.

When evaluating the ease of migration, WP Engine provides both an automated migration plugin and a manual migration checklist. Their automated plugin is free and simplifies the process greatly, ensuring that users can move their WordPress site with minimal technical involvement. Support is readily available to assist via chat. MonoVM offers website transfer assistance through their technical experts, aiming to provide a hands-off experience for users. Their transfer service is included in the managed hosting offering, making it a seamless process for new users to switch to MonoVM without additional cost.

Both WP Engine and MonoVM offer migration services for websites, but their approaches differ. WP Engine provides both an automated migration plugin and a manual migration checklist. MonoVM, however, includes migration services as part of their managed hosting offering. Regarding help center resources, WP Engine’s support center is extensive, featuring articles, troubleshooting guides, migration instructions, and video tutorials aimed to support users in various aspects of WordPress hosting. Live 24/7 technical support with WordPress experts is also available. MonoVM’s knowledge base offers a variety of tech updates, tutorials, and news articles. Their 24/7 support includes access to certified IT experts and VIP support for personalized assistance.

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. MonoVM 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: A comprehensive and user-friendly platform offering advanced user management features.

WP Engine stands out in managing user roles and permissions with its detailed structure. Users can be assigned roles with specific access levels, namely Owner, Full (with or without billing), and Partial (with or without billing), allowing for tailored permissions across multiple environments. While WP Engine provides granular control over user permissions, MonoVM lacks detailed information on user management features, making it difficult to assess its capabilities in defining and creating user roles.

WP Engine offers a well-organized user interface for managing users through its User Portal. It allows administrators to efficiently invite, edit, and remove users, leveraging clear navigation and actionable buttons. The ability to view and manage technical contacts and environment users directly through the portal streamlines the process. With no available details on MonoVM’s user interface tools, it’s challenging to directly compare, but WP Engine’s system certainly facilitates straightforward user management.

In terms of access control, WP Engine’s defined user roles ensure effective management of user access and actions. The platform enables the owner to perform bulk actions like transferring sites and managing billing, providing flexibility as the user base grows. WP Engine’s activity log and filtering options also enhance security by tracking crucial changes and user activities. Without insight into MonoVM’s capabilities, WP Engine’s comprehensive access control measures clearly support efficient user management for expanding teams.

WP Engine user roles table:

🏆 Winner WP Engine: High customer support satisfaction and extensive WordPress-related expertise.

WP Engine offers 24/7 support through phone and live chat, ensuring that customer assistance is always available. Their expertise in WordPress troubleshooting and optimization is a significant advantage. The extensive knowledge base allows users to find solutions independently, while premium support options cater to those needing more experienced assistance. Customers using WP Engine also benefit from a user portal that simplifies administrative tasks related to hosting.

MonoVM also provides 24/7 support with a strong focus on comprehensive service through certified IT experts. While specific contact methods are not explicitly mentioned, they typically include email, phone, and live chat. MonoVM’s strength lies in its wide range of support services, which include security features like Imunify 360, malware scanning, and firewall protections. VIP support is available for managed hosting, ensuring that critical issues are handled promptly by experienced staff.

WP Engine vs MonoVM: User feedback

WP Engine receives high praise for its exceptional customer support, user-friendly dashboards, and seamless integration with WordPress. Users consistently highlight the platform’s robust security features, automatic backups, and fast website performance. However, many reviews also point out that the service is costly compared to other hosting options, which might not suit smaller budgets or individual projects. Some issues with shared server performance and the costly nature of add-ons were also mentioned, but overall, WP Engine is considered a premium service worth its price for those who can afford it.

MonoVM is recognized for offering an affordable array of services, including VPS hosting, web hosting, domain registration, and SSL certificates. Users appreciate its reliability and the user-friendly interfaces that ease account management and support access. However, some customers note that MonoVM lacks certain advanced features and customization options, particularly in higher-tier plans, and may experience limitations in resource scaling and upgrading. Additionally, there are mentions of compromised customer support quality.

WP Engine vs MonoVM: FAQ