Website building and ensuring the top functionality of the website is an essential part of your business. So many excellent web hosting services are available. But it can feel tedious to select the right one for your website.
From experience, I have realized that new website owners are enticed to go for cheaper web hosting services, but later regret this down the line.
Does it mean that a cheap host will have poor performance? Or will a costlier fee guarantee better performance and security?
Here, I will answer these questions by comparing Hostinger vs Siteground. I will focus on these two favorite hosting providers available to give you a better understanding of each of them.
By the end of the article, you will realize despite pricing, it is more rewarding to go for a reliable web hosting provider. So, if you are ready to see how these two hosting services compare, keep reading.
General Details of Hostinger and SiteGround
When seeking big names in the web hosting industry, Hostinger and SiteGround are predominant. But, these two hosting providers cater to slightly different needs.
People running a small business website or a popular blog prefer to use Hostinger. This is because it offers affordable prices. Their affordability does not affect the delivery of great security features and performance.
For those running bigger projects, SiteGround is a better choice. SiteGround has professional hosting plans that can cater to businesses with high-traffic websites. SiteGround focuses more on offering remarkable solutions 24/7 instead of on affordability.
Let’s examine more information about these two hosting services in a detailed form below:
1. Star Rating:
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Hostinger: 4.8
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SiteGround: 4.3
2. Price:
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Hostinger: From $2.69 per month
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SiteGround: From $2.99 per month
3. Guaranteed Uptime:
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Hostinger: 99.9%
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SiteGround: 99.9%
4. Storage space:
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Hostinger: 100 GB SSD
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SiteGround: 10 GB SSD
5. Free domain (first year):
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Hostinger: Yes
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SiteGround: No
6. Free SSL certificate:
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Hostinger: Yes
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SiteGround: Yes
7. Site migration:
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Hostinger: Free automatic WordPress website migration
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SiteGround: Free automated WordPress migration and paid professional site transfer
8. Automated backups:
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Hostinger: Free (weekly)
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SiteGround: Free (daily)
9. Email accounts:
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Hostinger: Free (up to 100 accounts)
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SiteGround: Free (unlimited accounts)
10. 24/7 live support:
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Hostinger: Yes
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SiteGround: Yes
11. Money-back guarantee:
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Hostinger: 30 days
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SiteGround: 30 days
Major Similarities Between Hostinger vs Siteground
One of the many reasons why both Hostinger and Siteground are considered the most reliable web hosting providers is the 99.9% uptime they offer.
They both have guaranteed, readily available support. This ensures that help is available whenever needed and at any time.
Hostinger and Siteground offer a free drag-and-drop website builder feature that makes website building easy.
They are both great choices for users using a WordPress account. With Hostinger, WordPress installation is just within one click.
For Siteground, the WordPress Installation consists of 3 extra steps. The steps are easy, which makes it an excellent hosting option for WordPress websites.
Hostinger vs SiteGround: Which One Performs Better?
Website performance is essential and must be considered when selecting a web hosting company for your projects.
So, among these two providers, how do they compare with each other regarding performance? Let’s get into it.
– Web Server Software
Hostinger uses LiteSpeed web servers. These servers can host high-traffic websites. Which makes it perform excellently in this category. They can handle projects that are resource-demanding without using excess resources.
SiteGround uses Linux based servers (Fedora 31) and they are configured to work with both Apache and Nginx for every one of its hosting plans. Even though they deliver excellent performance, they are not as powerful as the LiteSpeed servers.
But, SiteGround has customized the server to make it perform better than expected. So, regarding better web server technology, Hostinger takes the lead.
– Website Speed Tests
Website speed is one factor contributing to a business’s success online. No one stays on a page that takes forever to load. So, a slow-loading site creates a bad user experience. Google frowns at this, resulting in low traffic and poor SEO performance.
But if your website’s loading speed is fast, visitors will enjoy visiting your website. Ultimately, they will have a good user experience. This factor significantly boosts your site’s SEO performance and traffic.
Hostinger
When it comes to speed tests, Hostinger exceeds expectations. I used Gtmetrix on a test site with the 2022 theme for our speed tests. This theme has no detailed customization or layout but was quite unoptimized.
So, I used Gtmetrix to run the test, and I noted a completely loaded time of less than 1 second. A site that can load as fast as this is ready for SEO success. It also leads to a major increase in traffic in the long run.
I used a customized site to run another test. The site has more JavaScript, HTML, and CSS factors. I used a more improved theme, Neve, with a starter website that behaves like a real one.
On running the second speed test using GTmetrix, we recorded an even better loading time and showed that an entirely customized website with all necessary features can load in less than 1 second!
SiteGround
SiteGround also performed a little better than Hostinger in terms of loading speed.
For the initial speed test involving the unimproved 2022 theme, I recorded a completely loaded time of 708 ms on GTmetrix. This is also great and indicates that SiteGround can comfortably deliver sites that load in less than 1 second.
I did a second GTmetrix speed test and noted a fully loaded time of 731 ms, which is not comparable to the first one. But, it is still in the field of lightning-fast speed.
In general, in this comparison, SiteGround performs better in pure performance.
– Uptime and response time
Both web hosting providers guarantee a 99.9% uptime. So, how did they both perform during our uptime testing?
I didn’t experience any downtime when examining Hostinger for two months. Although it is doubtful that Hostinger won’t experience any downtime, it was a remarkable result, especially from an affordable web hosting provider.
Regarding SiteGround, it was also monitored the same number of times, and I experienced 7 minutes of downtime. This led to a guaranteed 99.9% uptime.
I also discovered that the average response time for SiteGround was 217ms, while Hostinger’s response time was 511ms. So this means that SiteGround has a better response time.
– Stress Tests
I did a stress test to test the server’s strength when there is a traffic surge on the website.
A lot of websites experience downtime. So, because the servers they are hosted on fail, they fail to deliver web pages to clients during peak hours.
Some will reject with an immediate downward slope as the traffic rises, leading to slower server response time.
So, I want to let you know if Hostinger or SiteGround can manage more traffic and deliver lightening-fast loading speed and performance.
On testing with numerous online visitors, Hostinger delivered a standard response time of 47 ms. This confirms that traffic-increased flows do not negatively affect your websites, as they will still deliver great performances.
For SiteGround, under the same condition, I recorded an average response time of 143 ms. This is not a bad result, as it closely correlates with Hostinger’s performance.
Yet, Hostinger still leads in this part because it will perform better with regular traffic increase flow. So go with Hostinger if you are running a website with changing traffic or the potential to get an increase in stable traffic overnight.
Hostinger vs SiteGround: Security
Both web hosts provide reasonably respectable website security measures. This includes free SSL certificates and DdoS protection.
SiteGround has built its own security plugin for WordPress called SG Security. This helps you to safeguard your site with different improved options. For instance, disable the themes and plugin editor and hide your WordPress version.
Hostinger has an application firewall developed in-house. This gives your website an extra level of protection against attackers. It also provides a free malware scanner compared to SiteGround’s paid site scanner.
So, to decide on this one, Hostinger has this round. This is because it offers you added security features compared to the top paid plan hosts in the industry.
Hostinger vs SiteGround: Pricing
To be direct, Hostinger is more affordable. The beginner-level shared hosting plans for Hostinger are $2.69 per month and $2.99 per month for SiteGround.
Both hosting services offer a lot more regarding hosting types. Let’s do a quick breakdown of what to expect from both hosting.
Shared web hosting plans are a reliable solution for bloggers, small businesses, and medium-sized web projects, even though there are few options to consider. So, due to this, we will compare the two hostings in light of shared hosting only.
Regarding affordable plans, Hostinger and SiteGround have a few similarities, which we have listed earlier in this article. In terms of specifics, this is what they contain:
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Hostinger’s Premium Plan costs $2.69/month. This permits the hosting of up to 100 websites and has unlimited bandwidth.
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SiteGround’s Startup Plan costs $2.99/month. This allows for 10K visits per month and advanced caching.
These two hosts have 2 extra plans you can consider. Let’s look into them.
Hostinger offers 2 shared and 1 cloud hosting plan.
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Premium ($2.99/month).
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Business ($3.99/month).
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Cloud Startup ($8.99/month).
Each of these plans contains a free domain, 100 email accounts, SSL certificate, LiteSpeed Cache, and automatic backups.
SiteGround offers 3 different plans.
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StartUp ($3.99/month).
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GrowBig ($6.99/month).
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GoGeek ($10.69/month).
These plans do not contain a custom domain. But it includes daily regular backups, free SSL certificates, unmetered traffic, and CDN.
The startup plan fits beginners who just want to build a smaller website. There is a 30-day refund guarantee for both services. So you can test the service without worries.
To decide this round, Hostinger wins fairly because of an obviously lower price for quite some quality features.
Hostinger vs SiteGround: Ease of Use
Hostinger and SiteGround have both built their own control panel. Hostinger’s control panel is now called hPanel, while SiteGround’s control panel is called SiteGround’s site tools. The two of them are easy to use, but Hostinger’s hPanel is faster and easier.
Each of these providers has its own managed WordPress services. This consists of specialized WordPress support. But Hostinger has free website migration. This lets them move your site to theirs free of charge from your old hosting service.
With both hosting services, you can use the drag-and-drop feature for easy website building. You don’t need any coding knowledge. They both have an easy-to-understand website builder interface. They also come with WordPress security plugin availability and a free SSL certificate.
So, the two web hosting providers are considered as easy to use. But for this round, despite both being easy to use, Hostinger still gets the nod as being the simplest to use out of them.
Domain Names Comparison between Hostinger and SiteGround
Hostinger offers subscribers a free local domain name for the yearly premium or business plan. The domain can be .com or .net. But the domain will only remain free for a year.
Upon expiration, the .com domain will cost $8.99 yearly. The .online domain will cost $0.99, and so on. Hostinger is popular for its cheap domains available in the market.
SiteGround allows you to use your domain or register a new one as soon as you activate a hosting account. The pricing for this hosting is based on the chosen extension. A .com domain costs $15.95 per year, a .net domain costs $17.95 per year, and so on.
In addition, SiteGround does not give free domain names if you subscribe to their hosting plans.
Account Setup Comparison between Hostinger and SiteGround
With Hostinger’s hPanel, you can complete setting up your hosting account pretty quickly. It takes less than a minute for the process to be completed.
Once the order Is complete, you can easily move to the member’s area. This area contains all the essential tools for configuring the hosting account.
For SiteGround, its configuration wizard offers an integration process that helps make setting up an easy experience for users. A single login is needed to grant access to the backend section, which makes website management fast and easy.
Customer Support Comparison between Hostinger and SiteGround
As a starter or an expert, you need to have access to reliable support when you are in need. So, excellent customer support is not negotiable. It is vital for customer success whenever an issue needs expert attention.
Hostinger and SiteGround have great customer support and are top in the industry. So, join me as we individually examine their offerings.
Hostinger
Hostinger offers 365/24/7 customer support. You can access their exceptional support through live chat and tickets or emails. Log into your account and use the chat button at the bottom right of your page to start a live chat.
Before the chat starts, the bot tries to engage with you to see if it can find the answers you need. It connects you to an agent if it can’t provide an answer. Usually, an agent will attend to you within 15 minutes after you enter your query.
When I tested the expertise of Hostinger’s support on a WordPress problem, the agent who attended to me did so well. So, they are very knowledgeable personnel.
Hostinger has a rich knowledge base that covers everything related to hosting. You can learn much from it and move from a beginner to a professional.
It also has a search feature that you can use to find a suitable tutorial. The tutorials are easy to follow and properly explained with pictures and YouTube videos.
SiteGround
SiteGround also offers round-the-clock customer support, and the agents are experts.
You can contact their support through various channels, like phone calls, emails, live chat, and tickets. The phone call support channel is an edge they have over Hostinger, especially when you would prefer to speak to an agent.
It has a bot that asks you many questions before connecting you with an agent. The process is a little longer than Hostinger. But it is definitely more helpful.
SiteGround connects you to its customer support within seconds and attends to you instantly. They are also very fast in fixing issues and have never disappointed.
So, basically, in the time you would have waited for Hostinger’s support response, SiteGround’s customer support would have attended to you and proffered a solution to your issues.
It also has a lot of information that is well illustrated in its knowledge base. Search with keywords through the knowledge base regarding your issue. You might even find a solution without contacting support.
So, obviously, SiteGround has the better support. This is not surprising because a majority of its clients get their problems resolved at first contact.
Web Hosting Comparison between Hostinger and SiteGround
Hostinger offers shared hosting plans. They provide features for beginners, personal websites, and small businesses. Its features are massive storage, single to 100 websites, free SSL certificates, unlimited bandwidth, and many others.
Hostinger’s business and premium shared hosting plans have more features, like a free domain for a year. The basic plan is still a great web hosting platform for startup websites.
SiteGround offers basic plans for an excellent hosting service. It includes 10GB of web space, a free website builder, a website, and others. The features help users have a headstart for their website and business.
SiteGround is one of the trusted web hosts due to its competitive pricing and some free services for subscribed users. It also has features that business websites can depend on and incredible customer support.
SiteGround offers other hosting services like WordPress hosting, Reseller Hosting, Cloud hosting, WooCommerce hosting, and Enterprise hosting.
Also, Hostinger has VPS hosting, Cloud hosting with a top domain name, and Managed WordPress hosting. It also offers Email hosting and web design services with all hosting plans.
Final Verdict: Hostinger vs Siteground
In our comprehensive head-to-head comparison of Hostinger vs SiteGround, the focus has to be more on user experience if offers. Both offer premium quality services for good prices. So, in selecting which one to go for, the decision will be up to you.
For my recommendation, in terms of costs, Hostinger is generally a great pick. It offers similar unlimited bandwidth and storage for the premium plans. It also offers an easy-to-use hPanel system, free website migration, and better performance.
SiteGround can’t be neglected as well. It optimizes WordPress sites and has some useful features. Both hosting services offer similar features like 99.9% uptime, a user-friendly interface, great customer support, and others. So, the only difference is their pricing, which can be your basis for choice.
In general, Hostinger offers you more for less. It has performance capabilities that are enough to get site owners. Relate that with LiteSpeed servers, proprietary website builder, and other features. Hostinger is just an affordable host compared to SiteGround.
FAQs
Is There a Money-Back Policy for Hostinger and SiteGround?
Yes. The two web hosting providers offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if you stop your subscription within 30 days.
Which Web Host is Better, Hostinger and SiteGround?
Using factors like lower prices, better performance, and user-friendly tools, Hostinger is better.
Is Hostinger Suitable for WordPress?
Definitely, Hostinger is suitable for WordPress. You can use its custom WordPress plugins, site builder, automatic update system, and staging tools.
You can use Hostinger’s automatic WordPress installation when setting up your Hosinger account.
Is There a Web Host Better Than SiteGround?
Suppose you need a business-focused web host that can handle the demands of high-traffic WordPress websites. In that case, WP Engine is better than SiteGround.
WP Engine offers expanded security features. It also has a higher price compared to SiteGround.
Does SiteGround use cPanel?
No. SiteGround changed from cPanel to a proprietary solution when cPanel increased its licensing fees. It’s not the only host to do so. Liquid Web and Hostinger have also moved away from cPanel.
The good news is that SiteGround’s Site Tools is better than cPanel in many ways. With minor exceptions, like the fact that it doesn’t have an auto-installer like Softaculous, there’s no loss of functionality.
Does Hostinger give a free domain?
Yes, if you purchase at least one year of hosting. Hostinger’s cloud and shared plans come with one year of a free domain. Many companies don’t offer this freebie, so enjoy it when you see it.
What are the cons of Hostinger?
Hostinger’s support teams aren’t as willing or able to help fully or personally as expected compared to other hosts. Its mid-level hosting plan isn’t as low-priced as the one SiteGround offers.
