Month: July 2020

While many businesses may not give a lot of importance to this, choosing the right web host for your marketing endeavors is crucial if you want any success online. Choosing the wrong web host can have serious consequences for your business, some of which include:

• A loss of revenue due to the time your website goes offline due to a weak web host. Your customers will no longer be able to reach your website and, if you are an online store of some sorts, you will lose business and sales.
• A negative SEO ranking will befall your website if it goes down repeatedly. Your goal should be to rank higher in search engine results so that potential customers can contact you.
• Security breaches and attacks can take place on your website if you have invested in a bad web host. A good hosting company will back up your data to a secure server in case any attack takes place.

Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links in this article are affiliate links, which provide us with a small commission at no cost to you. These are our personal opinion based on experience on using the hosting providers. You can read our affiliate disclosure in my privacy policy in the footer.

HostGator vs. SiteGround

We are going to do a comparison between SiteGround vs HostGator which are popular hosting companies.

HostGator is one of the largest companies in the world that can help you create and maintain your website. Boasting more than 9 million domains and 400,000 customers from around the world, HostGator has a lot going for it to be considered the best.

SiteGround, on the other hand, takes a different approach with its open-source software support. They support programs like WordPress, Joomla and Magento with hosting plans tailor-made for these websites. Being slightly younger than HostGator, SiteGround has a client base of over 250,000 from all over the world.

Comparable Uptime Numbers

Perhaps the most important aspect of any web host company is how much uptime it can provide to its clients. Uptime can be defined as the time any website is operational and effectively up and running. Downtime is the exact opposite of this. As a startup, you need to be sure that the web host you are choosing provides excellent uptime.

HostGator states that their websites are up 99.99% of the time. This means that the chances of your website being down is 0.01%. Those are some great numbers, which makes HostGator one of the top choices. To sweeten the deal further, there is no difference in uptime based on what plan you choose. Even the lowest or the simplest price plans guarantee the same uptime.

Similarly, SiteGround guarantees the same 99.99% uptime. Again, the same goes for all of the price plans that are offered. SiteGround achieves this uptime number with the help of its custom programming, which helps find out any potential problems that might cause a website to fail and fixes them before they happen.

To further testify the efficiency of both systems we should mention that the uptime numbers that both HostGator and SiteGround claim have actually been tested. What they mean in simple terms is that over a period of 6 months, your website can potentially be down only for around 4 hours, no matter which one of the services you use.

Note: As of late, Siteground has been performing really well and handling the growth perfectly as a lot of big names in the Industry have moved from WP Engine to SiteGround e.g RazorSocial.com and it can be seen in the chart above that their uptime has been 100%.

Hosting Speed

As mentioned earlier, both the services in question are great choices as your web hosts. It might be tough for people to choose between the two, but we can recommend SiteGround based on our experiences. However, HostGator proves to be just as comparable.

Both the companies have taken different approaches to maximizing speed. Where SiteGround uses the cache process by the name of SuperCacher to keep things moving at a brisk pace, HostGator takes a rather hardware-based approach of adding more equipment and service layers. HostGator has invested in various VPS servers that help it gain this advantage when looking at sheer speed.

On HostGator, the average speed of the webpage is 1.25 seconds whereas the average speed of a page on SiteGround is a hair slower at 1.5 seconds. That said, SiteGround has really improved a lot in the past few years with its own caching system that it offers for the more premium plans which makes it stand out as compared to HostGator.

Server Response Times

Have you ever seen those large rooms in offices with a lot of geeky-looking hardware stacked on top of each other like towers? Those are known as servers, and they act like a small hard drive would in your computer. Just like that hard drive, a web server relies on each and every part, which in this case is individual machines connected together, for its function.

Like in the speed department, both HostGator and SiteGround have adopted different approaches in there server systems as well.

HostGator, again, uses a large array of servers which work in harmony to keep a balance and ensure stability. This allows it to maintain a healthy server response time as well.

SiteGround allows for surges in server loads, by keeping the general loads a little lower on purpose. This lets them cater for the increase in server loads that are usually faced during the holidays or on a special occasion.

So which one is better?

A lot of server response tests are carried out on the hosting companies websites which is just ludacrist as they run their websites on dedicated servers and over 50% of the customers sign up for the shared hosting plan.

We checked the websites of HostGator and Siteground, here is what we found out. HostGator has an average response time of 190ms, whereas the server response time of SiteGround’s averages at 219ms.

As always, benchmarks are not the final word, and most importantly, as a customer, you’ll be getting the lower end of the hosting package not the dedicated server which will cost you an arm and a leg.

Our personal experience, and that of our followers has proven that SiteGround is great at handling high server loads with its approach and quicker than HostGator.

Data Center Quality

HostGator, due to its partnership with SoftLayer which is a collocation provider, has data centers in multiple locations. SoftLayer owns the best data centers in the world that are equipped with power generators, various power feeds, constant server monitoring and the best UPS backups.

SiteGround, on the other hand, has three data centers. These are located in Chicago, Amsterdam, and Singapore. These are also equipped with high-end hardware. These data centers also have physical security so that the clients’ website data is secure at all time.

Having these data centers in strategically chosen areas helps SiteGround to provide its users with faster processing based on their location. To top that off, it offers free CDN as well, which adds a huge 23 locations around the world to improve the efficiency of your webpage.

Based on that, SiteGround without any doubt has a superior infrastructure to offer better hosting services.

Pricing

HostGator offers three upgradable plans for shared web hosting. These start from a mere $3.96 a month, for which you get all the benefits and quality that HostGator brings with it.Other than that, HostGator provides the following plans for high traffic websites:

• Reseller Hosting – $19.96 per month
• VPS Hosting – $11.97 per month
• Dedicated Hosting – $105 per month

Like HostGator, SiteGround also has three shared web hosting plans that can be upgraded if need be. These have a monthly limit of 100,000 visits though which is perfect for bloggers and marketers.

Here are the prices of the three different types of web hosting services provided:

• Web Hosting – $3.95 per month
• Cloud Hosting – $54.00 per month
• Dedicated Hosting – $217.50 per month

Both companies have comparable features being offered for almost the same prices, however, the amount of discounts you get at SiteGround beats many other web hosting services. You get the same great features that SiteGround brings with it, but for half the price. What’s not to love?

Technical Support

Many web hosting services make it their mission to provide their customers with the best technical support. This may alone be the reason many people choose one service over another because a solid customer support is crucial when it comes for small businesses, especially those that do not have any technicians specialized for web-based problems.

Both services offer great technical support, including 24/7 phone support as well as Live Chat support. There really isn’t any room to fault either service in the support department, but our own experience has been pretty positive with SiteGround.

Support is absolutely crucial and SiteGround has hands down the best support and exceeds any service provider in the market.

The Verdict

Both SiteGround and HostGator are reliable hosting providers. However, HostGator is a shared-hosting provider whereas SiteGround is a managed-hosting provider which provides better performance, support, but at a bit higher cost. You really can’t go wrong with either service but we prefer managed-hosting.

They both have a loyal client base that testifies to their competency. For the sake of comparison, however, we would easily recommend SiteGround to our readers because of our own experiences. Many users have also claimed that SiteGround is better than many other services, and it is definitely moving ahead from the pack. Add to that the 30-day refund policy, and you have a winner.

At a Glance

ExpressVPN is a good option to users looking for top-notch multi-platform support and comprehensive global server coverage. The provider’s privacy protections and customer support are optimal, and fans of P2P file-sharing will appreciate the service’s fast speeds and global support for the activity. This provider offers great bang for the buck.

NordVPN could be attractive to users looking for a torrent-friendly VPN provider that offers the fastest connection speeds in this head-to-head, as well as top-notch customer support and privacy protections. While the provider’s global coverage could be better, NordVPN’s simple-to-use VPN service is reasonably priced and provides a good value.

How to Choose a VPN

When researching various VPN providers in your search for the right one for your needs, there are a huge number of factors and features to list and rank.

This article will feature a head-to-head comparison of the popular VPN providers NordVPN and ExpressVPN. I’ll cover the most important factors in any VPN-buying decision and take a look at how well both providers perform in that specific category.

I will declare a “winner” for each category and use the providers’ rank in each category to declare an overall winner at the end of this article. At that point, readers should have enough information about both services to decide which one is the best fit for their needs.

Connection Speed

You’re always connected. It doesn’t matter if you’re sitting in front of your computer, watching a show on Netflix or walking down the street, you’re always connected to the internet.

Today’s “always-online” world means a high-speed VPN provider is more important than ever.

Pixel Privacy conducts the VPN connection speed tests as follows:

1. When testing the download speed of a VPN, we use a gigabit Ethernet connection based in North America.
2. We test each VPN by connecting to 3 different locations – the United Kingdom, the United States and Hong Kong – on 3 different days and at 3 different times of day.
3. We use the Windows version of the provider’s app and configure it to connect using the OpenVPN protocol over UDP.

Local Connection Speeds (U.S.)

NordVPN’s U.S. connection speeds showed excellent performance, coming in at an average of 27.58 Mbps. ExpressVPN’s connections are just slightly slower, coming in at 21.10 Mbps.

Numbers like these mean both providers should offer fine performance for most online activities and fast access to even HD video content. You’ll find both providers will be well up to downloads and online gaming.

Local Connection Speed Winner: NordVPN

International Connection Speeds (U.S. to U.K.)

Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN continue to supply high-speed connections when routed through their United Kingdom servers.

While ExpressVPN measured in at an average download speed of 11.65 Mbps, NordVPN performed significantly faster, at 25.6 Mbps. However, both providers should be able to handle nearly anything you throw at them.

International Connection Speed Winner: NordVPN

Pricing

While neither of our head-to-head combatants can be considered a low-price leader, both providers offer a good bang for your hard-earned buck.

ExpressVPN’s monthly subscription price makes it one of the highest-priced VPN providers available today. NordVPN is also priced somewhat dearly (coming in at just one dollar cheaper per month for its monthly subscription).

However, both providers offer much better deals for users willing to commit to a long-term relationship.

NordVPN goes for $11.95 if you opt for the month-to-month option, while ExpressVPN will take a $12.95 month-to-month chunk out of your credit or debit card.

Opting for annual service takes NordVPN’s price down to $6.99 per month ($83.88 per year), and ExpressVPN’s tariff drops to $6.67 per month ($99.95 for 15 months during their special deal).

Pricing Winner: ExpressVPN

Privacy

Internet privacy is more important today than it’s ever been. Users want to make sure any VPN provider that they consider does a good job of protecting any record of their online travels from outside parties and that their payment information is also kept under wraps.

While researching any VPN provider’s privacy protections, consider the following factors.

Is it based in a privacy-friendly country? Does the provider retain any logs recording your online activities? Do they accept privacy-enhancing payment options, like Bitcoin or merchant gift cards?

ExpressVPN is located in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), where the government does not require providers to retain user logs of any kind, allowing this provider to follow a strict no-logs policy. ExpressVPN also accepts Bitcoin as payment for subscriptions.

NordVPN is based in Panama, which does not require VPN companies to keep any types of logs related to their customers’ online antics. As a result, NordVPN also follows a strict no-logs policy. The provider accepts Bitcoin as payment for their services.

Privacy Winner: Tie

Features

Never concentrate on just one or two categories when researching VPN providers. Instead, be sure to consider a VPN’s performance across all of the important categories before laying your money down for a provider.

In this section, I’ll be taking a close look at the various features that our two contestants offer. I’ll explain each provider’s offerings in the category and then announce my decision as to which provider performs best in that particular area of service.

Encryption

ExpressVPN features AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) with 256-bit keys protection for its connections (AES-256). Protocols used in the provider’s apps include OpenVPN, PPTP and L2TP/IPSec.

NordVPN also offers AES-256 protection via the OpenVPN, PPTP and L2TP/IPSec protocols, providing the same type of protection to its users.

Just FYI, AES-256 encryption is the best level of protection in the VPN business. It’s the same level of encryption used by the military to protect their data. If it’s good enough for them, trust me when I say it’s good enough for your purposes.

Encryption Winner: Tie

Simultaneous Connections

Always make sure any VPN provider you’re considering allows more than one connection per account at a time. The more simultaneous connections a provider allows, the more family members or employees who can use it at once, increasing the value of your VPN protection.

ExpressVPN allows users 5 connections at once. Meanwhile, NordVPN allows up to 6 concurrent connections.

Please note that both providers offer comprehensive router support, allowing all of the connected devices in your home or office to be connected to the providers via a single login.

Simultaneous Connections Winner: NordVPN

BitTorrent

A VPN makes an excellent tool for protecting your file-sharing activities from the prying eyes of your ISP, as well as movie and music company lawyers.

ExpressVPN is completely file-sharing-friendly, allowing such activity on all of its servers, and even provides helpful instructions on how to best use their service with P2P app uTorrent.

NordVPN, while allowing P2P activity, restricts it to servers located in 37 countries.

BitTorrent Winner: ExpressVPN

Global Server Coverage

Comprehensive global server coverage ensures you will have access to gaming servers, music and video streaming content, and other services that might normally be blocked from access in your area.

ExpressVPN provides 3,000+ servers to its users, well spread out in 94 countries around the globe. This means the provider’s users will have open access to content and services that might normally be blocked by geographical restrictions.

NordVPN, while offering a larger number of servers than its face-off foe (5,000+), covers fewer countries around the globe, with 61 countries serving as a home for NordVPN’s server farms.

While this provider’s server location numbers might mean you’ll have fewer countries to choose from, you’ll still enjoy a decent chance to unblock content.

Global Server Coverage Winner: ExpressVPN

Multi-Platform Support

If you’re like me, you own multiple computers, mobile devices and other connected devices. That makes good multi-platform support from your VPN provider more important than ever.

ExpressVPN features native apps for the Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Kindle Fire, BlackBerry and Amazon Fire TV platforms. Browser extensions are available for the Chrome, Safari and Firefox platforms. Setup instructions for popular routers are available on the ExpressVPN website.

NordVPN offers native VPN apps for various versions of Windows (Windows XP through Windows 10), macOS, iOS, Linux, Android, Android TV and Amazon Fire TV. Browser extensions are available for the Chrome and Firefox platforms.

Chrome OS, Windows Phone, Raspberry Pi and router setup instructions are also available on the NordVPN website.

Ready-to-go, plug-and-play routers are available for both VPN services through the FlashRouters website.

Multi-Platform Support Winner: ExpressVPN

Features Wins

Provider	Features Wins
ExpressVPN	4
NordVPN	3

Customer Support

Both of the VPN providers facing off in this article provide easy-to-use apps and services, but the odds are that you’ll need to contact your provider’s customer support department with an occasional question about the service.

When that time comes, you’ll want to feel secure that information about your issue(s) will be readily available.

ExpressVPN offers 24/7 online support chat, a trouble ticket submission form, a searchable knowledge base and troubleshooting guides. All 4 support options provided solutions for my support inquiries.

NordVPN provides similar support options, including 24/7 live support chat, an email-based trouble ticket submission system and an easy-to-use support library. All 3 of the support options proved to be an excellent way to resolve any issues I experienced while using the provider’s services.

Customer Support Winner: ExpressVPN

And The Winner Is…

While I always strive to announce a clear winner in these head-to-head VPN contests, I’m actually pleased when two providers prove to be well matched, as this means that no matter which provider my readers decide to go with, they’ll be well served.

ExpressVPN won against NordVPN, 5 – 3. They tied in the encryption and privacy categories, where they did equally well.

ExpressVPN offers excellent multi-platform and customer support, as well as top-notch global server coverage. It offers BitTorrent support in a whopping 94 countries, and the provider’s annual price, while still expensive, was slightly lower than that of its competitor.

NordVPN provides fast VPN connections and a satisfying number of simultaneous connections. The provider also offers good multi-platform and customer support, as well as above-average global server coverage. All of this is provided at a reasonable price.

Begin protecting yourself now with an ExpressVPN subscription.

If you are on the internet, you are very much vulnerable to security attacks, hackers, and threats no matter what. The Internet is filled with all sorts of people, and to make sure you are safe on the internet and your information remains with you only, you need to take specific steps. A very prominent step in one of them is getting a reliable VPN service.

What is a VPN?

A VPN or a Virtual Private Network is an encrypted connection built over the internet from a device to an entire network. In simple terms, VPN adds an extra layer of security via encryption to an insecure or less secure public network. This means that your web browsing and surfing experience is more secure and safe.

Just saying “an extra layer of security” is only a fraction of what VPN is capable of. If you are a frequent user of a public network like a coffee shop or a co-working space, a reliable VPN service can protect you from many security problems and data leaking possibilities. On top of this, since a VPN is a private network hosted elsewhere, it can also help you in the viewing country, or area restricted content quickly.

How Does VPN Work?

When you browse the internet, a query is generated and sent to the resources you are requesting. This query travels through numerous servers, physically spread over the world. The thing with these servers is that you cannot rely on them when it comes to security and protection of your data. If somebody wants to hack into what you are entering, they can tap into your network and gain access to all your data. Hackers and even government can easily tap into what you are sending and receiving and can easily exploit that data to harm you or your business. A VPN creates a private network that works as a middleman and acts as a point to point network connection between you and the VPN server.  When a Virtual Private Network is in place, your search request is encrypted and then gets sent to the VPN server. Then the VPN server requests the data from the source website or address and encrypts it before sending it back to your device. This way, your internet connection remains secure and far away from hackers, malware, your internet service provider, and even the government.

Why WordPress Users Require a VPN service?

So, we now know what VPNs are used for and how they can help you in maintaining a secure network over the internet. Let’s take a look at why you need a VPN service. Why don’t we look at this with the help of an example? Let’s say you are working on your website or your client’s website from a coffee shop and minding your own business. Since you are on a public network like a coffee shop, you are vulnerable to attacks and data breaches since literally anybody can get access to the wifi network quickly. I mean, how hard it is to ask the barista for the wifi password?

Once a hacker gets the wifi access, they can tap into what you are sending and requesting from your system. For example, you enter the details of your WordPress admin dashboard, your details and credentials can be stolen. If you are accessing through an HTTPS, you are much more secure. This is because the traffic is already encrypted, but this is not always the case. For example, if you are working on a client website without SSL certification, your only reliable way to deal with this is by using a virtual private network or VPN.So, if you, too, are a WordPress user, you can log into any website and from any network, private or public, without worrying about data theft or any hacking attack. With a VPN, you can also boost the security for your website. For example, if you have a VPN service that comes with a dedicated IP Address, you can create a VPN with static IP, that way, you will be able to safely access your website no matter where you are in the world. You can restrict some sensitive parts of your website to only accessible from a specific IP address with this, making your data more secure.

How to Choose the Best VPN as a WordPress User?

There are quite a few good VPNs out there, and if you are going to buy one of those, you need to make sure that you know the things you should be looking for. If you are not aware of what VPNs are, I would strongly recommend that you go through these points before making a purchase. If you do not want to do that, you can go through our list of top 3 VPNs for WordPress users and can choose the one you like. But before we get there, let’s discuss what features make a VPN service worth going for.

Here are the things that you must look at before selecting a VPN service.

Easy Setting Up

Nothing is worth going after if it only complicates things, and this applies to VPN service providers as well. You need to go with a provider, which makes your jobs more effortless and secure. Ideally, you can select a provider with an easy setup and getting started guide and can be set up without any technical assistance requirement.

Performance & Bandwidth

You do not want a slow bandwidth VPN. It can be pretty annoying in your daily usage and can kill your productivity as well. If the VPNs do not have the infrastructure to support faster connections, it will reflect in your daily productivity. This is something you do not want.

Dedicated IP

Not all, but some VPNs allow you to pay a little more, and for that extra amount, you get a dedicated IP address. This address can be beneficial if you want to restrict some parts of your website. Parts like super admin controls, or any other sensitive side of your website which you do not want to be accessible from anywhere in the world. For such scenarios, a dedicated IP address is perfect.

Servers and Physical Locations

The more servers the VPN provider has, the more options you get to choose from. Having more servers will allow you to get access to content which is locked based on the geographical locations, and you always get the option to jump from a slower location server to a faster one.

Data Security and Privacy

After all, you are doing this to add an extra layer of security. Why leave this out now? You need to make sure that your VPN service provider comes with the best layer of added security to protect you from any potential issues and attacks. 

Price

Last but not the least cared about. Do not directly go ahead with the cheapest option out there but see and compare the features and return you get for the price you pay. Also, you can take a look at the prices for more extended periods. You will see a significant difference in the price you pay for monthly plans vs. the price you pay for the yearly rates. With these things to keep in mind, you can now take a look at the top 3 VPNs for WordPress users out there. You should do an individual check and see if the VPN clears the requirement or not. Let’s have a look at the top 3 VPNs for WordPress.

Top 3 VPN Services for WordPress Users

Here are the top three WordPress VPN services that you can go with. All these services are excellent, and you can choose any of these VPNs, and you will get one of the best deals out there.

SurfShark VPN

While other companies listed here are considered the big players, and someone might say they are a popular option. But other reliable and stable VPNs are entering the market recently. And SurfShark VPN is one of those emerging companies.SurfShark is a trustworthy VPN company with secure infrastructure and fast servers. While it might have fewer servers and locations, it does have some unique features that set it apart from others.SurfShark offers the best plans and pricing options that will fit even the tightest budgets. This feature does make SurfShark one of the most affordable VPN services out there.

Features of SurfShark VPN:

RELIABLE SECURITY

SafeShark does a great job of keeping your data and information secure, so it does not land in the wrong hands. With the encryption techniques and protocols (OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec) being used are the best in the industry.

ANONYMITY

SurfShark can easily cloak your IP address and redirect it through a secure VPN tunnel. This allows you to stay anonymous no matter what you do online. Also, like other VPNs, SurfShark comes with a kill switch, as well.

PRIVACY FIRST POLICY

SurfShark is based in the British Virgin Islands, as well. This helps SurfShark in keeping away from strict data retention laws. With the no-logs policy, SurfShark does not have anything to give up, which is a big plus in case the government ever requests the logs in the jurisdiction they are in.

UNLIMITED DEVICES

You can connect with as many devices you want with SurfShark. Since you can connect all your devices like computers, mobiles, TVs, routers, tablets, etc. with SurfShark, it makes it possible for you to browse privately entirely.

Other Notable Features:

WHITELIST

With the split tunneling feature, you will be able to create separate tunnels. This makes it possible for you to whitelist websites that go through the natural passageways and a different tunnel to direct all the other traffic through the encrypted passageway.

MULTIHOP

MultiHop makes it possible for you to connect from different countries at once, making it possible for you to take your ID protection and footprint masking to a different level.

CAMOUFLAGE MODE

Camouflage mode adds an additional mask on your encryption, which assures that even your ISP can’t tell if you are using a VPN.

PRICING

The price of SurfShark starts at $1.99 per month if you go for the two-year plan, and for the 12-month plan, it costs $5.99 per month. If you want a single month plan, you can get it for 11.95 per month.

Go To SurfShark VPN

NordVPN

Another very popular option is the VPN industry is NordVPN, with more than 5000 servers located in over 62 countries. This VPN service comes with a suite of easy to use apps as well, which makes it super easy to get started.NordVPN allows you to connect with up to six devices and on different server locations simultaneously.

Features of NordVPN

Let’s take a look at the notable features of NordVPN:

PRIVACY AND SECURITY

NordVPN is equipped with almost everything you’ll need to make your WordPress website sessions secure. You get the DNS leak protection, No logs policy, AES- 256 encryption. And even the Kill switch functionality to assure that your connection is always secure.

SERVER LOCATIONS

As mentioned earlier, NordVPN has more than 5000 servers spread in over 60 countries. This does add up to the features of a VPN as you can connect from various locations if required.

EASE OF CONNECTIVITY

Like other popular VPN providers, NordVPN has dedicated apps connectivity. Connectivity with windows, iOS, macOS, Android, Linux, and they also have browser extensions for Chrome and FireFox.

PRICING AND PLANS

When it comes to pricing, NordVPN does have outstanding offers. If you are planning for a long term investment like a 3-year plan, you can get NordVPN for a great price of just $3.49 per month. The two-year plans come at $4.99 per month. If you want a yearly plan, you can get it for $6.99. If you’re going to try out NordVPN for a single month, you can get it for $11.95 per month.

Winding Up – What is the VPN of your choice?

The VPNs listed above are the best in the industry. You can choose from any of the 2 VPNs, and you will do just fine. If you have specific requirements, so make sure to check them before purchasing the VPN of your choice.