A2 Hosting Review: Unleash the Power of Blazing-Fast Performance
Overview
If you’re running a WordPress website, choosing the right web hosting provider is crucial for its success. A2 Hosting is a standout in the market due to its focus on performance and a wide range of hosting plans. In this comprehensive review, we will dive into the features that matter most to WordPress site owners and assess if A2 Hosting lives up to its reputation.
Performance: Unbeatable Server Speeds
When it comes to performance, A2 Hosting excels. Our rigorous testing revealed exceptional server speeds that outshine many competitors. While the claim of being “20X faster” might be exaggerated, A2 Hosting consistently delivers impressive response times. On average, their servers respond in a remarkable 443ms, occasionally spiking up to 689ms. These lightning-fast speeds ensure an unparalleled user experience for your website visitors.
However, it’s worth noting that A2 Hosting falls slightly short in terms of uptime. Despite their 99.9% uptime guarantee, we experienced 12 outages totaling 42 minutes in a three-month period. Although still within acceptable limits, other providers like Bluehost and DreamHost maintain a perfect 100% uptime. A2 Hosting could improve in this area to solidify its claim as the performance king.
Pricing: Competitive and Affordable
A2 Hosting offers competitive and affordable pricing. For WordPress site owners, their unmanaged hosting plans start at an enticing $2.99/month for the Startup plan. However, for an enhanced user experience, we recommend opting for the managed WordPress plans, starting at $11.99/month. The difference lies in the level of support and additional features provided.
It’s important to keep in mind that the listed prices are applicable only to a 2-year subscription. Monthly billing comes at a higher rate. A2 Hosting also provides a generous anytime money-back guarantee, allowing you to get a refund for any unused resources. To be eligible for a full refund, make sure to request it within the first 30 days of your subscription.
Features: A Plethora of Offerings
A2 Hosting boasts an impressive array of features catering to both WordPress site owners and developers. They provide a seamless WordPress installation process, with cPanel pre-installed and the user-friendly Softaculous App Installer for easy setup. The A2 Optimized for WordPress plugin ensures optimal performance, and while their interface may be slightly outdated, it remains intuitive and easy to navigate.
Security is a top priority for A2 Hosting. They offer free SSL certificates to safeguard your website, along with firewall protection, DDoS protection, and two-factor authentication. These robust security features, combined with Cloudflare CDN integration, guarantee top-notch protection and speedy performance for your website visitors. However, their backup policy can be improved as it does not guarantee the backup of all files. For enhanced security, we recommend downloading cPanel backups and keeping them locally.
For developers, A2 Hosting provides extensive support for a wide range of development frameworks, programming languages, and Content Management Systems (CMS). Whether you’re using Drupal, PHP, Python, or Ruby on Rails, A2 Hosting simplifies the deployment of your chosen technologies.
Customer Support: Knowledgeable and Reliable
A2 Hosting offers various support options, including live chat, phone support, an email ticketing system, and a comprehensive knowledge base. While the response times for live chat and phone support may not be the fastest, the support agents are courteous and knowledgeable once you connect with them. The knowledge base is a valuable resource, providing a wealth of information conveniently categorized for easy navigation.
Conclusion
A2 Hosting is a formidable web hosting provider that competes with the best in the industry. With exceptional server speeds, competitive pricing, a plethora of features, and reliable customer support, it is an excellent choice for WordPress site owners. Although there is room for improvement in terms of uptime and backup policy, A2 Hosting offers a robust and feature-packed solution suitable for both beginners and experts. Explore their scalable hosting plans, including the managed WordPress hosting plans that provide optimized turbo server speeds powered by NVMe storage disks.
