Siteground Vs DreamHost: Similarities, Differences & Which Is Best

Starting a website seems daunting, but you can easily maintain your site with a managed hosting provider.

Several options are available, but SiteGround and DreamHost are always at the top of the best web hosting list.

We think SiteGround is the best host, but check out our hosting comparison of SiteGround vs. DreamHost to see what works for you.

What Is a Managed WordPress Hosting?

Managed WordPress hosting takes a lot of web management work off your hands.

You pay the host to take care of backing up your content, testing security levels, and updating any WordPress elements.

You can do it all yourself by choosing shared hosting, which is more affordable.

While you save money, you will spend more time doing everything manually.

SiteGround and DreamHost are both quality WordPress hosting services that simplify your work.

A web hosting comparison will help you understand what you need.

SiteGround vs. DreamHost: An Overview

WordPress is one of the most popular web hosts on the market, but there’s a lot to learn about the service.

To get started, you need to choose the hosting package, which you’ll learn about next.

It would help if you had a domain name in mind and a general idea of your content and layout.

Once you choose your host type, you can quickly design your site thanks to WordPress themes and plugins.

Creating a WordPress website can be fun and simple with the right tools.

SiteGround

SiteGround started in 2004 and has built an outstanding reputation since then.

The company offers fast servers and stellar customer support, so millions of web admins use this service.

What Is SiteGround?

SiteGround is a hosting option for WordPress users.

The plans boast 99.99% uptime and quick loading times, ensuring your audience has uninterrupted access to your website.

You can use their free custom plugin to migrate your web content to SiteGround.

The company’s methods are easy for everyone to use, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced webmaster.

What Makes SiteGround Stand Out?

SiteGround has the best customer support out there.

You can call, email, or use the live chat option on their site.

Customer service is critical for beginners learning the web management ropes or professionals who hit a snag.

Special Offers

SiteGround often runs specials so that you can get a discounted plan.

You can get 80% off your package during select times, with the caveat that you pay a year in advance.

Paying annually saves money, so consider committing instead of spending more each month.

Pros of SiteGround

• Unlimited websites and unmetered bandwidth
• Free SSL certificate for top security
• Plans include free email hosting
• Offers staging sites so you can see your progress

Cons of SiteGround

• Must pay for domain name separately
• More expensive than DreamHost web hosting

Technical Specifications

• Guaranteed 99.99% uptime
• Loading time is less than two seconds
• Five different plan options for all users

DreamHost

DreamHost has a few extra years of experience, as the company started in 1996.

Their plans are more affordable than SiteGround, but you’ll give up some key features, such as email addresses and accessible customer support.

Check out the following DreamHost review for more information.

What Is DreamHost?

DreamHost supports more than 1.5 million websites, so you know you’re getting quality service from this host.

It’s easy to create or migrate your website with the installer, making it easy for beginner web admins to share their content.

What Makes DreamHost Stand Out

DreamHost pricing makes it stand out from the crowd.

You won’t pay too much for your dedicated hosting plan even without a sale.

Buying a year in advance saves you money, but if you want the best price, you can buy a three-year deal.

Special Offers

Though DreamHost only offers three different plans, you can always save money by paying a year in advance.

When you do this, you get perks like a free domain name along with your savings.

The company also offers sales periodically so that you can save anywhere from 10% to 79% on your plan.

Pros of DreamHost

• Unlimited websites and unmetered bandwidth
• Free SSL certificate for top security
• Annual plans include free domain name
• Automatic WordPress updates for best functionality

Cons of DreamHost

• You must pay extra for email addresses, depending on your plan
• Best prices require three-year agreements

Technical Specifications

• Guaranteed 100% uptime
• Loading time is less than three seconds
• Offers three different plans for users

SiteGround vs. DreamHost: Which Is Easier for Beginners?

It might seem like these plans have a lot in common, but when you pick them apart, you’ll see what stands out.

SiteGround Ease of Use

SiteGround makes it easy for new users to build a site.

You also get a free domain name and site migration, so you’re not paying extra for these necessities.

The company uses Weebly’s drag-and-drop website builder to let you create pages using a basic template and design elements.

With a SiteGround plan, you’ll become familiar with the cPanel dashboard, which many hosts use.

You can update and manage your site from this homepage, check analytics, and stage new pages.

If you eventually transition to a different web host, you’ll already know your way around the dashboard.

DreamHost Ease of Use

DreamHost uses a website builder called Remixer.

You don’t need to know code or programming.

With templates and images, you don’t even need any design skills.

The unique dashboard makes it simple for beginners to understand site management.

Beginners will want to pay for a year of DreamHost upfront to get a free domain name.

This method means you don’t have to migrate an existing domain name to your new site, which is a very advanced step.

You can migrate a current site to DreamHost, but you’ll have to pay extra unless you do it all yourself.

Conclusion

When it comes to web hosting for beginners, SiteGround wins.

DreamHost isn’t hard to use, and the custom dashboard is user-friendly, but SiteGround offers unique features.

When managing a website, getting a free domain name and site migration is a huge perk.

SiteGround vs. DreamHost: Which Web Host Offers More Features?

When you strip the hosts down to their framework, they’re both solid options.

But checking out the features can help you decide what you need for your website in terms of a SiteGround comparison.

You want to get as much as possible from your host so you won’t incur additional expenses from other plugins and tools.

SiteGround Features

SiteGround lets you stage a webpage to see how it looks for your audience.

They also offer more data centers and let you choose the best location for your site.

Their customer support is also a significant draw for people who don’t want to struggle to manage their web page.

DreamHost Features

DreamHost offers a 97-day money-back guarantee.

This feature gives you plenty of time to try a plan and get used to the dashboard before deciding if it’s right for you.

If you’re hung up on not getting free email, you can choose one of the more advanced plans that includes email.

Conclusion

SiteGround offers more features with their plans.

The ability to have free email and site migration with no additional fees makes it simple to buy a plan and get your page up and running.

SiteGround vs. DreamHost: Which Is More Secure?

Security is crucial for your website because you don’t want to be vulnerable to hackers.

If you run an eCommerce store, you also need to instill confidence in your customers so they’ll share payment data.

SiteGround Security

SiteGround offers SSL certificates, daily backup, DDoS protection, and 2-factor-authentication.

They use AI to restrict hacking attacks preemptively.

You can install a security plugin for more features.

DreamHost Security

DreamHost also offers SSL certificates and daily backups.

Beyond those features, you need to pay for a security plugin for better protection.

Conclusion

Though both DreamHost and SiteGround offer paid security plugins, SiteGround offers more advanced basic features.

Since you’re paying more for the plan, it only makes sense to get more for that money, including protection.

SiteGround vs. DreamHost: Which Is Faster?

Page speed is crucial because you don’t want to frustrate your viewers.

If they have to wait several minutes for your site to load, chances are they’ll click away and not come back.

SiteGround Speed

A web page hosted by SiteGround loads in 386 milliseconds on average.

Its longest loading time is two seconds.

The company has data centers on four continents, and you can choose which server you want to use.

This feature helps businesses ensure speed and uptime for customers.

SiteGround promises 99.99% uptime, but they’re setting a low bar with that guarantee.

Tracking data showed they’re up closer to 100% of the time.

So they’re either wanting to over-deliver or don’t want to promise something unrealistic with their original claim.

DreamHost Speed

Though DreamHost only has two data centers, site loading speeds average 328 milliseconds.

The longest loading time observed was less than three seconds, which is impressive for an image- and video-heavy web page.

DreamHost guarantees 100% uptime and will compensate you for downtime.

While you might wonder if the company can really promise constant uptime, it’s worth knowing you’ll get some extra hosting benefits if they can’t match that promise.

If your site is down for an hour, you get a free day of shared hosting.

Conclusion

Both hosts offer great speed and uptime, so you can’t go wrong with either option.

But DreamHost edges out SiteGround with its loading speed and uptime guarantee.

SiteGround vs. DreamHost: Which Hosting Offers Better Support?

Quality customer support can make the difference between a beginner webmaster developing something amazing or giving up in frustration.

Even professionals need help sometimes.

Knowing what customer support you get considering web hosting can significantly impact your decision.

SiteGround Customer Support

SiteGround offers impeccable 24/7 customer support.

They list a number on their homepage so you can call them for help.

You can log in and reach out to them from your dashboard if you already have an account.

This approach cuts down on time spent giving them your account information—you can get right to the problem.

You can also use live chat on their homepage.

Instead of having to play nice with a chatbot, you’ll get a customer service representative giving immediate responses.

You can ask for detailed information, and they’ll have an answer, which proves they have a knowledgeable staff.

Extensive help pages like their WordPress Tutorials and Knowledge Resources empower you to find solutions for simple problems and learn how to manage your site.

DreamHost Customer Support

DreamHost also has a Knowledge Base you can access to solve simple problems, but you might come to rely heavily on it.

Unfortunately, they don’t offer much support beyond live chat, which you can only use daily between 3 am and 9:30 pm.

Their live chat option takes a long time, and the results make you feel like you’re talking to a chatbot, not a real person.

You might end up waiting so long for a response that you have to ask them to email you a response.

Conclusion

SiteGround wins the customer support battle with no contest.

All webmasters will appreciate the accessibility and knowledge of the SiteGround professional team.

SiteGround vs. DreamHost: Which One Is Value for Money?

You’ll pay more for managed web hosting over shared, but there are differences in cost and value.

When comparing web hosting plans, you want to ensure the price fits into your budget and is worth the expense.

SiteGround and DreamHost have a lot to offer, but you can also consider other shared hosting options like InMotion Hosting and WP Engine.

SiteGround Cost

SiteGround costs more than DreamHost, but that’s only important when looking at the numbers.

When you consider value, more features come into play.

SiteGround plans include:

• StartUp for $14.99 a month
• GrowBig for $24.99 a month
• GoGeek for $39.99 a month

The company often runs sales for as much as 80% off, so you can get your first year at a great discount.

You’re also getting 10 GB of web space, unmetered traffic, an email address, and impeccable customer support for the price.

It’s also more affordable than other options, like WP Engine.

DreamHost Cost

DreamHost hosting plans have more limits than what SiteGround offers.

You can choose:

• Starter for $4.95 a month
• DreamPress for $12.00 a month
• VPS for $15.00 a month

When it comes to value, the monthly plans don’t offer much.

You have to buy your domain name, and emails on the Starter plan cost almost $2 each.

Paying for a year in advance offers a major discount, so you should consider taking advantage of that for the best deal.

You also get a free domain name with an annual shared hosting plan, saving you about $8 a year.

DreamHost also offers a three-year commitment.

It can feel strange to buy such an extended service, but you get the best discount with this plan, so it’s worth it.

Conclusion

	DreamHost “Shared Starter”	SiteGround “StartUp”
Price Per Month (starting at)	$2.95	$3.95
Plan Types Available	Monthly, Yearly	Yearly
Number of Websites	1	1
Suitable Traffic	Unlimited	Up to 10,000 visits monthly
Storage Type	SSD	SSD
Email Accounts	Not Included	Included, unlimited
SSL	Included, Let’s Encrypt	Included, Let’s Encrypt

While SiteGround costs more than DreamHost, they offer many perks that increase the value.

If you can afford a SiteGround plan, it pays off.

But a three-year DreamHost plan is the most affordable if you need to save money.

Consider the expense of hosting through WordPress in your calculations, as WP Engine is much more expensive.

SiteGround vs. DreamHost: Which WordPress Provider Is Better?

As you can see from our reviews on each factor, it’s hard to choose between these web hosting options.

Both hosting plans offer quality features that can make web management easier for both beginners and professionals.

Which Host Should You Choose?

We think the best WordPress host is SiteGround.

The service has a lot to offer in terms of quality customer service available 24/7.

You get a free email address and can migrate a site to the platform for free.

You have to pay extra for all these things if you choose DreamHost.

Then again, DreamHost is more affordable than SiteGround, so you might have to do the math.

Add up everything you’d have to pay DreamHost and see if it’s more than a SiteGround plan.

Remember that you can catch great sales with either service, impacting your expense.

Conclusion

There’s much to consider regarding SiteGround vs. DreamHost because they’re evenly matched.

Your choice comes down to your specific needs.

Use SiteGround if:

• You prefer 24/7 customer support
• You have a site you want to migrate for free
• You want a free email address
• You can afford the expense

Use DreamHost if:

• You won’t rely on customer service
• You plan to migrate an existing site manually
• You don’t need an email address or can pay extra for one
• You want a more affordable plan for your website

Don’t put off building an engaging website—get a managed WordPress hosting plan from SiteGround or DreamHost today.