Siteground Review

SiteGround is a popular web hosting provider hosting over 2.8 million domains currently.

The platform offers a wide range of hosting options, excellent customer support, and plans for different ranges.

While researching for this SiteGround review, the provider has an option for small blogs, medium-sized businesses, and online stores.

Overall, SiteGround is a host a business can grow with.

Price

• Web hosting, WordPress hosting, and WooCommerce hosting:
  • StartUp—$3.99/mo
  • GrowBig—$6.69/mo
  • GoGeek—$10.69/mo

• Cloud hosting:
  • Jump Start—$100/mo
  • Business—$200/mo
  • Business Plus—$300/mo
  • Super Power—$400/mo

• Reseller hosting:
  • GrowBig—$6.69/mo
  • GoGeek—$10.69/mo
  • Cloud from $100/mo

Discounts Available

• 20% discount on two-year renewals
• 30% discount on three-year renewals

Lifetime Plan

No

SiteGround Pros

• Free SSL, email, daily backup, and CDN
• Outstanding customer support
• Excellent uptime and site speed

SiteGround Cons

• Higher monthly billing rates
• Limited storage
• No VPS or dedicated options

Professional web hosting is critical for every business owner and entrepreneur because it can help improve website performance and boost search engine rankings.

One such host, SiteGround, promises high server uptimes, fast site loading times, top-grade security, unlimited bandwidth, and a user-friendly domain management panel.

Further, you get access to multiple hosting plans and a round-the-clock, highly rated customer support team.

This SiteGround review will look at the pricing plans, pros, and cons of using SiteGround, and then address frequently asked questions about the platform.

Overview of SiteGround

Keep reading to learn more about what SiteGround is and its history.

What Is SiteGround?

SiteGround is a web hosting provider offering multiple services suitable for simple online projects to full-blown e-commerce sites.

It is the preferred hosting provider for over 2.1% of all websites.

Some popular sites using the platform include Whatismyipaddress.com, Turo.com, and Clicky.com.

While it’s not a regular cheap web hosting provider, SiteGround has key advantages.

In particular, it boasts the latest innovations, top security, and excellent speed.

SiteGround History

SiteGround is a Bulgarian company with a history dating back to 2004 when Ivo Tzenov and a group of friends came together in their university dorm rooms.

The company started as a shared web hosting provider and partnered with Joomla in 2015 to offer free site hosting on Joomla.com.

This host has grown to over 500 employees spread out across offices in Virginia, London, Madrid, Sofia, and Australia.

The platform is one of the largest independently owned hosting companies in the world.

Some awards SiteGround has bagged include the 2020 “People’s Choice” and “Employee of Choice.”

Pros and Cons of SiteGround

Every hosting provider has its advantages and disadvantages.

SiteGround offers plenty of services users love and others find frustrating.

Pros of SiteGround

SiteGround boasts many advantages that businesses can leverage to improve their bottom lines.

Some benefits of signing up with the provider include:

• Let’s Encrypt and Wildcard Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates, daily backup, email, and Content Delivery Network (CDN)
• Excellent customer support via an AI chatbot, phone, helpdesk tickets, and automated solutions generated upon support request
• High uptime and site speed to support your website’s performance and search engine visibility
• Integration with multiple WordPress collaboration tools
• Managed WordPress plans take care of daily maintenance so you focus on building your site and business

Cons of SiteGround

However, SiteGround has a few things users don’t like, including:

• Higher monthly billing rates after the initial attractive special pricing
• Limited storage in all shared plans
• No VPS because SiteGround is a Linux platform, so all plans are for cloud hosting

How Much Does SiteGround Cost?

You get a host of plans at tiered pricing ranges, depending on the unique requirements of your business or project.

All SiteGround hosting plans offer:

• Unmetered traffic, so there’s no limit on data transfer
• Daily backups
• SiteGround CDN service
• Email accounts with your site domain
• Wildcard and Let’s Encrypt standard SSL certificates
• Installation of WooCommerce shopping cart for online stores
• Enhanced Web Application Firewall (WAF) security
• Unlimited databases
• Managed WordPress
• Ability to add collaborators to your site

Here’s an overview of the SiteGround plans and how much they cost:

• Web hosting, WordPress hosting, and WooCommerce hosting plans are:
  • StartUp at $3.99/mo for hosting one website, 10 GB of web space, and 10,000 monthly visits
  • GrowBig at $6.69/mo offers unlimited website hosting, 20 GB of web space, 100,000 visits monthly, staging, and on-demand backup copies
  • GoGeek at $10.69/mo with unlimited sites, 40 GB space, 400,000 monthly visits, high-tier resources, free private DNS, and priority support

• The Cloud hosting plan offers are:
  • Jump Start at $100/mo and comes with a 4-core CPU, 8 GB of RAM, 40 GB SSD, and 5 TB data transfer rate
  • Business costing $200/mo with an 8-core CPU, 12 GB memory, 80 GB SSD space, and 5 TB data transfer
  • Business Plus for $300/mo, and you get a 12-core CPU, 12 GB memory, and 120 GB of SSD storage space
  • Super Power at $400/mo with 16-core CPU, 20 GB of RAM, and 160 GB SSD

• SiteGround also offers reseller hosting plans:
  • GrowBig at $6.69/mo, which offers unlimited sites and 20 GB of space
  • GoGeek for $10.69/mo boasts Unlimited sites, 40 GB of web space, free private DNS, white-label clients, and priority support
  • Cloud costs from $100/mo depending on your needs and comes with unlimited websites, over 40 GB of web space, client access customization, and custom site resources

Is SiteGround Worth the Cost?

Our research shows that SiteGround achieves an average score for value for money.

Comparing SiteGround to major competitors reveals it is slightly pricier, even after the introductory discounts.

Plus, the cost of the basic plan almost doubles once you pay the full price.

Why SiteGround Is Worth the Cost?

SiteGround is worth the cost when you factor in what you get in return.

In particular, the platform uses “Hive” technology to isolate accounts in their shared plan, so you get a VPS.

SiteGround is more transparent about its shared plans, even including information on the CPU cycle numbers and script execution.

You also receive several services for free that would otherwise cost you a bundle when using other hosts, including “Backup.”

The same service costs up to $100 annually when you buy the HostGator CodeGuard!

The Problem SiteGround Solves

The platform is positioning itself as the go-to hosting provider for newbies.

Everything from features to support services targets the independent, sole proprietor, and mom-and-pop business with limited web skills or design time.

Further, a good number of security features show that SiteGround has a small business in mind.

Why Would Somebody Want To Use SiteGround?

For starters, SiteGround’s shared hosting service is perfect for WordPress sites.

They have three different WordPress hosting plans based on someone’s traffic, size, and requirements of a WordPress-powered website.

SiteGround offers superior speed technology.

It uses SSD drives, which are 1,000 times faster than regular drives.

You also get Linux-based web servers configured to work with NGINX super cacher and Apache web server to increase the speed of static content.

The SiteGround Optimizer WordPress caching plugin helps increase the speed of your WordPress site.

StartUp plan comes with static caching only, while the GrowBig and GoGeek plans have Memcache and Dynamic caching.

Moreover, you can enable the Google PageSpeed module to optimize file size and make web pages load faster.

However, you can’t use the Google PageSpeed module with Dynamic and Static cache options.

If you want to take your caching to the next level, check out our full list of the best WordPress caching plugins.

Who Is SiteGround Best For?

SiteGround is an excellent host for anyone looking to host their website on WordPress, in broad terms.

However, the platform is best for small business owners with little to no website running experience and who want to support site growth.

Extensive customer support and flexible plans make SiteGround perfect for beginners and smaller stores.

Why SiteGround Is Best for Small Business Owners

A small business website must be up and running smoothly at all times.

SiteGround offers reliable hosting that’s easy to manage.

You don’t have to be a tech expert or hire one to maintain your website.

Further, the platform supports your progression to a full e-commerce site by offering a good CDN.

The feature ensures your site loads quickly, no matter the visitor’s physical location.

All hosting plans come with CDN services that improve the response times of images and other files.

Who Should Not Use SiteGround?

SiteGround is perfect for most people with any site type.

However, the only people who can’t use it are large-scale businesses that require the highest-end hosting options with a dedicated server.

Why Large-Scale Businesses Should Not Use SiteGround

Scalability options for businesses at SiteGround are minimalistic.

Even these are limited to shared hosting and cloud hosting.

Unfortunately, there are no dedicated servers or VPS for large-scale businesses.

The cloud hosting plans are much more expensive than the most costly GoGeek shared hosting plan.

Further, shared hosting is likely to struggle with large-sized online stores as these are typically resource-intensive.

This issue could be most pronounced when a store becomes popular and the number of products expands.

Still, SiteGround is a good provider for business.

But limited scalability does not make it ideal for larger sites or businesses that anticipate considerable growth.

What To Think About Before Buying SiteGround

SiteGround is committed to setting new standards in customer satisfaction and web hosting services.

However, you will need to consider several things, such as:

• The capacity to hold your visitors
• SSL certification
• Storage capacity
• Pricing plans
• Server locations
• E-commerce support

Features and Benefits of SiteGround

SiteGround has several features, but these five stand out the most.

Fast Load Speeds

Sites that load slowly are likely not to rise to the top in Search Engine Result Pages (SERP).

A Google study explains a one-second delay in mobile page load times can harm your conversion rates by up to 20%.

SiteGround employs different technologies to guarantee fast loading times, including:

• Google Cloud and SSD-persistent storage
• SSDs for database and site hosting for faster speeds
• NGINX web server technology to speed up loading time

Free Cloudflare CDN integration

SiteGround includes Cloudflare CDN services in all its plans.

A CDN delivers content to users in different geographic locations at improved speeds.

SuperCacher Technology

SiteGround’s SuperCacher technology helps boost site speed by caching your dynamic pages and database query results.

The tool includes three different solutions:

• NGINX Direct Delivery for caching resources of static websites, such as JavaScript files, CSS files, and images.
  It stores these in the server RAM for fast processing.
• Dynamic Cache for your dynamic site content—HTML output for web applications.
  This feature serves them directly from the RAM, particularly for WordPress sites.
• Memcached service for database-powered sites to improve site performance by increasing page rendering, API calls, and database calls.

Powerful Security Solutions

SiteGround lets you install a free SSL certificate and updates your PHP version automatically.

The host also manages WordPress updates for software and plugins automatically.

In addition, SiteGround offers an effective security plugin for WordPress websites.

This tool prevents potentially dangerous situations such as data leaks, compromised logins, and brute-force attacks.

This plugin incorporates:

• Limited login access
• Disable common usernames
• Advanced Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) protection
• Custom login URL
• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
• Limited login attempts
• Force password reset as a post-hack action

Smooth Website Transfer

Transferring your WordPress website to SiteGround is as simple as installing the free WordPress Migrator plugin.

You also have the option of getting in touch with SiteGround’s manual site migration experts to transfer your databases and files for you.

The paid service takes up to five business days.

SiteGround Customer Service

Customer support is an integral part of any business.

That reality is especially true for web hosts, such as SiteGround.

You can use SiteGround’s customer support channels when you have questions relating to hosting plans and pricing or when you need guidance on how to optimize your website.

Does SiteGround Offer Customer Service?

SiteGround offers customer support through several channels.

The company has a Stevie Award for customer service and they claim 97.7% customer satisfaction.

You can even get a help widget that takes you directly to the Help Center on every page.

What Types of Customer Service Does SiteGround Offer?

You can reach the SiteGround customer support team or help through multiple channels, including:

• Live chat
• Phone support for technical, billing, and sales queries in the client area
• Helpdesk tickets are available 24/7
• An extensive knowledge base
• All social media platforms—the links are at the bottom of every page on the SiteGround site

Why Should You Trust Us?

Bloggingtips.com boasts a team of experts across several niches who come together to affect expert knowledge and experiences.

Our guides, insights, and reviews are actionable and from deep research.

What SiteGround Users Are Saying

SiteGround is a popular hosting provider for small businesses, entrepreneurs, e-commerce sites, social influencers, and individuals making WordPress blogs.

Here are a few things users of SiteGround have to say about the hosting provider:

• One reviewer praised the customer service and long-term reliability.
  They had used the host for eight years without any issues relating to crashes, downtimes, or security. 
• Another user commented positively on SiteGround’s pricing and shared hosting options.
  They also mentioned the host’s reliability and highlighted the company’s SG Optimized plugin.
• A third reviewer pointed out the “Site Tools,” praised the admin panel, and noted how user-friendly and convenient SiteGrounds is.
  The host’s pricing and reliability were highlighted again.

SiteGround Alternatives

SiteGround is an excellent hosting provider, but that doesn’t make it perfect for you.

If you have different requirements as outlined in this SiteGround review, we recommend looking at Bluehost, WP Engine, or HostGator.

Bluehost

Bluehost boasts an intuitive cPanel dashboard and one-click WordPress installation.

WordPress.org recommends the hosting provider, so you get many useful features that make life easier.

Users also get automatic updates, built-in caching for extra speed, and easy staging sites, all of which make Bluehost a worthy alternative.

How Does Bluehost Differ From SiteGround?

Bluehost is an excellent choice if you’re on a tight budget.

You get a decent selection of WordPress-specific features and outstanding uptime.

The Basic plan costs $2.75 a month and includes a free SSL certificate and domain for the first year.

Choice Plus plan lets you host unlimited websites and domains, and you get unlimited storage with privacy protection.

Who Is Bluehost Best For?

Bluehost is an excellent option for beginners because it comes with everything you need to start with WordPress.

If you’re on the lookout for a beginner-friendly, free WordPress drag-and-drop site builder, Bluehost could be for you.

WP Engine

WP Engine is a leading managed WordPress hosting company that specializes in WordPress.

All managed plans are fully optimized for WordPress, powering over 500,000 sites.

How Does WP Engine Differ From SiteGround?

WP Engine has a unique system for managing a hosting account and includes website staging tools.

The provider offers users development, staging, and production environment, elements you’ll not find in other hosting platforms.

Further, hosting plans start at $11.95 a month, providing you with extra features to suit various requirements.

Who Is WP Engine Best For?

WP Engine is an excellent option for large or complex websites (such as e-commerce stores and membership sites) with high traffic volumes.

This host is ideal for anyone looking to take a hands-off approach, thanks to WP Engine’s managed functionality.

Moreover, the provider is perfect for businesses who want to keep as many features under a single roof as possible.

HostGator

Founded in 2002, HostGator is one of the biggest hosting companies in the industry, hosting over 2.5 million websites.

The growth might be because of reliable web hosting, great shared hosting plans, and quality customer service.

The company has servers in Houston and Utah.

You can also activate CloudFlare to route content through an additional 23 global data centers.

How Does HostGator Differ From SiteGround?

Every HostGator hosting plan has unmetered storage and bandwidth.

However, it’s always a good idea to check out the company’s usage policy, so you have a clear definition of the limitations.

HostGator guarantees 99.9% uptime when you purchase the basic plan, the reseller plan, or sign up for the dedicated server technology package.

Network clients get a separate guarantee for additional coverage.

Servers are in North America (Utah and Texas), which is not great if most traffic to your site comes from other parts of the world.

The provider offers a built-in firewall to prevent DDoS attacks and additional file scans at a cost.

You have an option of three tiers that start from $2.50 a month.

In addition, HostGator has competitively-priced VPS hosting.

Who Is HostGator Best For?

Choose HostGator for affordable hosting.

A dedicated server solution is a good option if your site gets tens of thousands of visitors each month.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some questions we come across from SiteGround users.

Wrapping Up

As this SiteGround review shows, the host is an excellent provider that excels at things that matter, including technical capabilities, speed, and uptime.

SiteGround also offers stellar customer support for anyone who needs help with problems or difficulties.

Users get unique plans, so you can choose the one that best suits your requirements.

This hosting provider should be on your list if you’re considering great hosting providers.

Head to SiteGround and find out if it’s the right fit for you and your business.

By Brett Helling

Brett has been starting, growing, and monetizing websites since 2014. While in college, he began to learn about digital marketing. After graduating, he continued to build a diverse portfolio of websites while working a full time job. After years of building the portfolio on the side, he made the jump to run his websites full time.