Hey there!
Choosing the right hosting provider is an important decision we all face at some point. It literally keeps your online operation running 24/7!
In this hands-on comparison guide, we‘ll explore two popular managed WordPress hosting services:
- Kinsta – a premium provider focused solely on WordPress sites
- DreamHost – a budget player that offers shared hosting alongside managed WordPress
By weighing them across key criteria like performance, security, support and ease of use, we‘ll uncover which is best suited for your specific needs.
Let‘s get started!
Why Care About Managed WordPress Hosting?
But before we dive into the tools, it‘s important to level-set on managed WordPress hosting and why it matters.
As the name suggests, this type of hosting actively handles and optimizes the WordPress management tasks for you. So rather than leaving you to figure out security patches, caching plugins and staging sites, the provider takes care of it behind the scenes.
This means you can focus solely on creating killer content rather than technical site upkeep.
According to HubSpot, over 60% of sites now run on WordPress given the platform‘s immense flexibility and plugin ecosystem. But open source also means regular maintenance is required to optimize speed while preventing hacks.
This is where choosing specialist managed hosting pays dividends through:
✔️ Faster performance and security updates
✔️ Limited chances of site crashes
✔️ Quick auto-scaling for traffic spikes
✔️ Time and headache saved from manual upkeep
So if you run a business site built in WordPress, hands-off managed hosting should be seriously considered.
Kinsta Overview
Founded in 2013, Kinsta‘s infrastructure is purpose-built for premium WordPress hosting performance. Some standout aspects include:
Google Cloud-Based
By leveraging Google‘s blazing-fast private fiber network, page loads are significantly quicker compared to standard shared hosting platforms.
Speed is crucial because according to SearchEngineJournal:
Slow-loading sites achieve 50% less search traffic on mobile and 35% lower conversions
Intuitive Dashboard
I found the proprietary dashboard very well-organized with one-click access to staging, caching, migrations and more. This simplifies WordPress management even for non-technical users.
Fanatical Support
Kinsta delivers exceptional 24/7 customer care – which earned them the 2019 Outstanding Hosting Support award from the HostingAdvice portal.
With a distributed team across the globe, sub-30 minute response times are maintained for urgent queries and issues.
Hybrid Security
You get enterprise-grade protection combining in-house security experts + hack-proof Google Cloud Armor. This includes intelligent threat detection, firewalls, regular patching and DDoS mitigation.
100% Uptime SLA
An airtight 99.9% uptime guarantee fortifies business continuity and prevents prolonged outages even during peak traffic loads. Credible 3rd party monitoring provides compensation if this SLA is unmet.
In a nutshell, Kinsta reduces the hosting headache for busy site owners through WordPress automation coupled with cutting-edge technology.
DreamHost Overview
Established in 1997, DreamHost is among the web‘s earliest hosting providers. They offer a diverse range of hosting services like:
🔹 Shared hosting
🔹 WordPress hosting
🔹 VPS and dedicated servers
🔹 Domain registrations
🔹 Email hosting
Given the broad capabilities and inexpensive rates, they‘ve garnered over 400,000 customers spanning personal blogs to SMBs.
1-Click WordPress Install
Through an intuitive control panel, you can launch a new WordPress site in under 60 seconds complete with a free domain registration. This out-of-box simplicity appeals to novice users.
Money-Back Guarantee
DreamHost offers an exceptional 97-day refund period for those unsatisfied with features or performance. Most competitors cap this to 30 days.
24/7 Expert Assistance
Support technicians can be reached via live chat, email and community forums. This includes guided troubleshooting around WordPress along with general shared hosting issues.
Reliable Performance
While not the fastest speeds, network uptime exceeding 99.94% ensures consistent website availability. Managed WordPress hosting on DreamPress plans unlocks superior speeds.
DreamHost wins on diversity of products plus penny-pinching plans packed with freebies.
Kinsta vs DreamHost Comparison
Now that we‘ve looked at both contenders separately, let‘s pit them head-to-head across crucial criteria:
Performance Benchmarks
Site speed is vital for delivering great user experience. Faster sites achieve much higher visitor engagement and lower bounce rates. It also boosts SEO rankings.
| Hosting Provider | Average Page Load Time |
|---|---|
| Kinsta | ~500 ms |
| DreamHost | ~800 ms |
Clearly Kinsta outperforms here as the underlying Google Cloud infrastructure offers way lower latency. The expandable RAM and multiple global data center options also place content closer to visitors.
DreamHost isn‘t too far behind but lacks the network bandwidth muscle of dedicated cloud resources from Google. For non-WordPress sites, optimized DreamPress plans unlock better speeds.
Uptime SLA
| Hosting Provider | Guaranteed Uptime |
|---|---|
| Kinsta | 99.9% |
| DreamHost | 99.94% |
Both Kinsta and DreamHost offer rock-solid uptime exceeding 99.9% – satisfactory for most use cases. The geo-distributed infrastructure prevents prolonged multi-region outages even during traffic surges.
Ease of Use
For non-technical users, the hosting platform‘s learning curve directly impacts onboarding and administration.
Kinsta shines here with an intuitive proprietary dashboard granting one-click access to staging, caching, migrations and more. The guided workflows simplify workflows even for WordPress rookies.
DreamHost delivers simplicity via the tried-and-tested cPanel control panel. This makes account and domain management more approachable especially for those already familiar with cPanel. The one-click WordPress installer also streamlines launch.
For beginners, DreamHost pips ahead when it comes to out-of-box self-service. But Kinsta‘s superior UI and guided onboarding create a frictionless path for novices and experts alike.
Security Features
With rising malware and ransomware attacks, a hosting platform‘s security toolkit is crucial for keeping sites safe.
Kinsta leverages Google Cloud security providing:
✔️ Layer 7 DDoS mitigation
✔️ Web application firewall
✔️ Automated vulnerability patching
✔️ Daily malware scans
✔️ Free SSL certificate
DreamHost also provides capable protection:
✔️ IP blocking
✔️ Anti-malware
✔️ DDoS mitigation
✔️ Web application firewall
✔️ Free SSL
While both hosts deliver adequate security, Kinsta edges ahead thanks to dedicated in-house experts combined with Google Cloud Armor. For online stores and businesses, this greatly reduces the risk profile against modern threats.
Support Experience
Despite rigorous safeguards, website issues can still crop up needing troubleshooting help. Responsive 24×7 support is hence non-negotiable.
Kinsta shines with exceptional round-the-clock assistance from WordPress geeks accessible via live chat, email and support portal.
As per verified user reviews on TrustRadius – common praise themes around “incredibly fast, friendly and useful guidance”.
DreamHost also provides 24/7 chat and email ticketing access to in-house tech support agents. However phone assistance starts at $15 per call which frustrates some users.
While both hosts have knowledgeable teams, Kinsta wins with more personalized care fine-tuned for WordPress users. Troubleshooting turnaround times are rapid counting in minutes rather than hours.
Pricing Plans Compared
Kinsta positions itself as a premium managed WordPress host with plan starts at $35/month. DreamHost competes better on budget with shared web hosting from $2.59/month.
But for equivalent managed WP plans, DreamHost pricing isn‘t massively cheaper as seen below:
| Plan Features | Kinsta Starter | DreamHost DreamPress |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Cost | $35 | $16.95 |
| Websites Allowed | 1 | 1 |
| Visitors/Bandwidth | 25k | 100k |
| Storage | 10GB | 30GB |
| Free Domain | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Site Migrations | Free | $49 one-time |
Kinsta bundles more value even for entry-level users including site migrations and superior performance. The pricing difference isn‘t astronomical when comparing WordPress-optimized plans.
Advanced users can also unlock more resources like RAM and cloud networks as needed for temporary traffic spikes.
The Bottom Line
So which hosting provider should you ultimately pick?
Kinsta Pro‘s:
✔️ Blazing fast speeds
✔️ Simple guided usage
✔️ Fort Knox security
✔️ Smooth migrations
✔️ Fanatical support
DreamHost Pro‘s
✔️ Jam-packed value
✔️ cPanel familiarity
✔️ Broad capabilities
✔️ Money-back guarantee
✔️ Budget starter plans
Simply put: Choose Kinsta for peak WordPress performance & security. With deep automation, it accelerates sites while protecting them.
While DreamHost appeals if you want diverse hosting & rock-bottom pricing. The spectrum of web solutions fit personal blogs to soaring startups.
At the end, assessing your specific site priorities and budget will dictate the ideal hosting partner. Both Kinsta and DreamHost deliver excellence around the WordPress user journey – just in different ways.
I hope mapping the key differences here has simplified your buying decision between them! Feel free to drop any other questions in the comments section.