Siteground is one of the most recommended WordPress hosting companies. They are known for their top-notch customer support, reliable, and fast hosting plans. Their WordPress optimized hosting includes everything you’ll need to create and grow a successful website or blog. Read our complete SiteGround review to find out if SiteGround is the right host for you.
In this detailed SiteGround review, we’ll put their promises to test. These are the areas we will look into:
- Performance: Speed is crucial for the success of any website. How fast will your website load with SiteGround?
- Reliability: Will your website be available 24/7/365 without facing any downtime?
- Customer Support: Can you count on their customer support?
- Features: Do they offer all the features and tools you’ll need to build your website?
- Pricing: How much would it cost you? Are there any SiteGround deals that can save you money?
This is a comprehensive SiteGround review with a detailed analysis of SiteGround’s hosting service. If you don’t want to read the full hosting review, here is the quick scorecard with our verdict right below it.
SiteGround Review Summary | |
---|---|
Performance grade | A+ |
Average load time | 397 ms |
Average response time | 123 ms |
Free domain | Yes |
Free SSL | Yes |
1-click WordPress | Yes |
Support | Phone / Live Chat / Knowledge base |
Start with SiteGround |
Bottom line: We found SiteGround to be noticeably faster and extremely reliable. Their hosting plans are flexible, and their customer support is one of the best in the industry.
That’s why we’ve chosen to recommend SiteGround as one of the best WordPress hosting companies.
Now let’s dive into our detailed SiteGround review so that you can see how we reached that conclusion and decide for yourself.
About SiteGround
Siteground was founded in 2004, and since then, it has grown into one of the most well-known hosting companies.
SiteGround is a holding of companies registered in the USA, UK, Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Spain, with data centers on three continents. Today, the company has over 500 employees and hosts over 2,000,000 domains.
Pros and Cons of SiteGround
Each hosting company has its pros and cons. Some advantages can overshadow the disadvantages, but some cons can be a total deal-breaker for your needs.
Before making a decision, you may want to review these SiteGround pros and cons.
Pros
Here are some advantages that make SiteGround one of the top-rated hosting companies in the world.
- Super fast servers: All SiteGround servers are highly optimized for speed. They use the Google Cloud platform for all new customers, which is one of the fastest platforms on the market.
- Top Notch Customer Support: Their customer support is amazing, to say the least. They offer 24/7 phone support, live chat, and ticket-based support.
- Free CDN and SSL They offer an instant setup of Cloudflare’s free CDN and free SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt.
- Multiple Server Locations They have data centers on three continents. You can choose the location you prefer during signup.
Cons
As we mentioned earlier, there are some downsides to every hosting company. The following are some disadvantages of choosing SiteGround as your host.
- Limited Storage: Their plans come with fixed storage. However, this storage is quite large, and if you are just starting out, you will most likely never need extra storage.
- Higher fee for monthly billing: The hosting service gets expensive if you choose monthly billing. But if you sign up for a longer billing period, then you’ll get a bigger discount and a lower rate. They offer a 30-day money-back guarantee anyway, so it’s a good idea to choose a longer billing period when you sign up.
SiteGround Performance
While price often plays a significant role when choosing a web host, you cannot compromise on performance.
This is why we decided to run our own tests to thoroughly review SiteGround’s performance.
SiteGround Speed Test Results
Speed is one of the most important performance metrics that you should look for. A faster website offers a good user experience and boosts your SEO at the same time.
In fact, a single-second delay can cause a 7% decrease in conversions, 11% fewer page views, and a 16% decrease in customer satisfaction.
We created a WordPress-powered test site on SiteGround and filled it with dummy content for theme development with images.
After that, we used Pingdom’s website speed test tool to run our tests. These were the results we got:
As you can see, our test site loaded in less than a second (417 ms to be precise) with a performance score of 95.
This is incredible, but this website had almost no traffic, so the Pingdom test alone is insufficient.
To test how SiteGround servers would respond to increased traffic, we used a stress testing tool called K6 by Grafana Labs.
This tool gradually sends up to 50 users to see how the server would respond to increased traffic from multiple connections.
You can see the results in the chart below:
The purple line is the number of active virtual users on the site, and the light blue line is the server response time. SiteGround performed consistently throughout the test without any hiccups.
This test shows that if you are looking for a really fast website, then SiteGround can be a perfect choice for you.
One of the reasons why SiteGround performed exceptionally well in these performance tests is because of the recent innovations they’ve added.
Almost all SiteGround servers are now hosted on the Google Cloud Platform. They’ve also added UltraFast PHP and created a custom WordPress plugin for optimization (SG Optimizer), which really puts them in a premium web hosting category.
Typically, websites hosted on shared hosting accounts slow down during top traffic hours. That’s because your site is sharing resources with other websites on that server.
Most shared hosting companies automatically kill the server process if your site is taking too many resources. This causes downtime on your website.
We tested our SiteGround site for the downtime and got 100% uptime result.
SiteGround Server Response Time
Your website’s content has a huge impact on page load time. For example, if you have high-resolution images on a page, then it will significantly increase the overall page load time.
This means that speed test results may not accurately reflect how fast your hosting server really is.
Instead of analyzing page load time alone, we decided to test the actual server response time as well.
To do this, we used a tool called Bitcatcha. It ignores page content and only tests the response time of the server.
Bitcatcha also gives you average loading speed from different global locations. The speed for each location is measured three separate times, and then the results are averaged.
Take a look at the results in the screenshot below.
As you can see, SiteGround is a great choice if your target audience is mostly located in the United States. The server responded in a fraction of a second in the United States.
It responded within less than a second for all locations.
SiteGround also allows you to change your server location and you can choose a data center closer to your target audience for even better response times in that particular region.
SiteGround Hosting Plans and Features
SiteGround offers shared hosting, WordPress hosting, cloud hosting, and dedicated hosting plans. If you are just starting out, then their shared hosting plans would be a perfect fit for your needs. However, your site will eventually grow, and you want to make sure that they have other plans that you can upgrade to.
Let’s check out SiteGround’s hosting plans and their features.
- Shared hosting: Shared hosting is recommended for new websites, bloggers, small business website,s or a startup online store. It is suitable for low-traffic websites as you will be sharing resources with other websites hosted on the server.
- WordPress hosting: This plan is WordPress optimized version of their shared hosting plan. It comes with SiteGround’s in-house WordPress optimizations to improve the performance of your website. See SiteGround WordPress hosting.
- WooCommerce hosting: This plan is a WooCommerce optimized version of their shared hosting plan. It includes SiteGround’s optimizations, which greatly improve the performance of your online store. See SiteGround WooCommerce hosting.
- Cloud hosting: Cloud hosting plans provide a flexible upgrade to a shared hosting solution. It allows you to use resources of cloud architecture, including multiple cores CPU and bandwidth. It is suitable for growing websites, popular blogs, or businesses. It can also be an upgrade over VPS and traditional dedicated servers. See SiteGround Cloud hosting.
WPBeginner website is hosted on SiteGround’s Enterprise hosting infrastructure which is an enhanced version of their Cloud platform for large sites.
Breakdown of SiteGround’s Shared Hosting Plans
SiteGround’s shared hosting options are the best way to build a new website. Their shared hosting packages are available in three levels to match different budgets.
- Startup: This plan is limited to hosting one website. It includes 10 GB disk space and is suitable for hosting a website with 10,000 monthly visitors. You’ll also get all essential features like a 1-click WordPress install, free setup, website transfer, daily backups, built-in caching (SuperCacher), free CDN, free SSL, and more.
- GrowBig: The GrowBig plan lets you host unlimited websites. It comes with 20 GB of disk space and is suitable for hosting websites with 25,000 monthly visits. You’ll get all the features of the Startup plan, plus you’ll get premium features like ultrafast PHP for even faster speed, on-demand backups, an easy staging tool, and the option to add collaborators to your sites.
- GoGeek: GoGeek plan is suitable for eCommerce websites. It can handle websites having 100,000 monthly visitors. In addition to all GrowBig’s features, you’ll get access to priority support, more server resources, advanced features like one-click git repo creation, and the option to manage white-label clients on your sites.
Each Siteground plan comes with faster disk storage, email accounts, support for the Cloudflare free content delivery network, and Let’s Encrypt free SSL certificate.
They also include several popular WordPress plugins like WPForms, OptinMonster, and All in One SEO to help you improve your website rankings.
SiteGround Support and Customer Service
You’ll see high praise for SiteGround’s customer support service everywhere. Their support team is remarkably good at offering quick, helpful, and knowledgeable support to their customers.
Their customer support includes 24/7 phone, live chat, and ticket-based email support. Their phone and live chat response times are almost instant. Email-based tickets get the first response within less than 10 minutes.
For users who prefer to fix things on their own, SiteGround offers an instant AI assistant. Built on top of ChatGPT, this AI is trained to answer SiteGround customer questions.
The helo resource center also includes a massive collection of knowledge base articles.
This includes step-by-step tutorials and troubleshooting guides with screenshots and videos.
Since we use SiteGround to host several of our websites, we can say with confidence that their support staff is very knowledgeable.
Conclusion: Is SiteGround the Right Choice for You?
After reading our detailed SiteGround review, you might be wondering if SiteGround is the best web hosting company for your website.
If you want a fast and reliable web hosting provider with excellent customer support, then SiteGround is perfect for you. They have hosting plans for every budget, and each plan comes with a great set of features.
All their shared hosting plans include SSD storage, site tools, easy setup of Let’s Encrypt free SSL and Cloudflare CDN service, 1-click WordPress installer, and free migration. Built-in security features protect your website against malware, and you can add additional protection by turning on Cloudflare CDN functionality.
If you are just starting a website for the first time, then you will certainly appreciate SiteGround’s customer support.
Ready to get started with SiteGround? Click here to choose your hosting plan today.
SiteGround Coupon
WPBeginner users get an exclusive 70% discount and free SSL with our SiteGround coupon code.
All you have to do is click on this link to purchase. The discount will be applied automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions about SiteGround Hosting
In this detailed SiteGround review, we looked at all aspects of their hosting services. The following are some of the most frequently asked questions about SiteGround that we are asked by our users.
1. Where are SiteGround servers located?
SiteGround servers are located in the United States, Europe, and Singapore. You can choose the server location during sign up.
2. Why choose SiteGround for WordPress hosting?
SiteGround offers a highly optimized WordPress hosting platform. Each plan includes its own in-house security features and WordPress tweaks that boost your WordPress site speed and performance.
You can easily set up a WordPress website with their 1-click WordPress installation. You can also move existing WordPress websites using the SiteGround Migrator plugin.
This is why SiteGround is an officially recommended hosting provider for WordPress users.
3. Does SiteGround support WooCommerce?
SiteGround specializes in WordPress and WooCommerce hosting. If you are building a WooCommerce store, then you can rely on SiteGround’s optimizations for consistent performance and reliability.
They are one of the top WooCommerce hosting providers and make it super easy to start an online store without any special technical skills.
4. Does SiteGround offer a website builder?
No, SiteGround does not offer its own site builder. That’s because they want users to have the option to pick the best website builder for their needs.
This is why they allow you to easily install WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Magento, Weebly, and many other site builder platforms.
On the SiteGround platform, you can also create unlimited web pages without any restrictions.
5. Does SiteGround offer cPanel hosting?
No, SiteGround no longer offers cPanel hosting. Once cPanel raised its licensing fees, SiteGround decided to remove cPanel hosting and instead built a far superior web hosting control panel for both beginners and advanced users. This allows them to offer managed WordPress hosting-like features without the high costs.
6. Is SiteGround better than Bluehost?
SiteGround and Bluehost used to offer the same features, but with recent innovations, SiteGround has significantly improved its hosting technology.
Regarding overall performance, technology infrastructure, and support quality, SiteGround is better than Bluehost. However, with all this innovation, SiteGround pricing is significantly higher.
So, when it comes to pricing, Bluehost is better than SiteGround because not only is it 50% cheaper, but it also offers a free domain name with each account.
For more details, see our honest comparison of SiteGround vs. Bluehost vs. WP Engine.
7. How does SiteGround compare with other hosting providers?
Readers often ask us how SiteGround compares with GoDaddy, Hostinger, HostGator, GreenGeeks, DreamHost, A2 Hosting, and other web hosting services.
They all used to provide similar features and technology, but over the last year, SiteGround has really stepped up its innovation.
With all the managed WordPress hosting features, Google Cloud infrastructure, and custom performance optimization, SiteGround is now in a class of its own with its premium hosting.
8. Does SiteGround offer a free domain name?
No, SiteGround does not offer a free domain name. You can buy a domain name from another registrar and point it to your SiteGround account or buy one from SiteGround during signup at an additional cost.
9. Can I cancel my SiteGround account and get a refund?
SiteGround offers a 30-day money-back guarantee with all their shared plans. You can try out their services during this period. You are eligible for a refund if you cancel your account during this period. However, domain name registrations are non-refundable.
10. Which SiteGround plan is best for me?
Each SiteGround plan has different server resources. However, if you are just starting out, then their Startup plan would be perfect for that. You can upgrade at any time if you need more resources. Choose your SiteGround plan to get started.
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Keith willis says
Very quick response, very informative on services.
Teri Pastorino says
awesome support thanks
Viktor says
Best, hosting for WP and best support in the business, bar none!
Matthew Ziranek says
SiteGround does it again… I’ve been using these guys for about 2 years now and they continue to amaze me with their professionalism and competence. It’s not often that EVERY SINGLE support staff is perfectly trained in the exact technology they have to help you with. They really go the extra mile to ensure you’re fully cared for.
I would recommend them anyway but I’ve now recommended them to so many others now that my Enterprise account with them is now paying for itself in referral bonuses. Thank you to the SG team. You’re doing an amazing job allround!
Amanda says
Excellent help when I needed it. My question was answered so quickly and helpfully.
Dafinka Paskova says
Super fast response and support! They solved the problem immediately! Thank you so much!
Roger Garlin says
SiteGround continues to provide excellent customer service. I dealt with two reps over a week or so – Vladimir I and Elian – and both were friendly, knowledgeable and very helpful.
5 stars all ’round – for Vladimir, Elian and SiteGround as a c ompany.
Roger
ahmed dewidar says
Thank you for your excellent support. Indeed, you are an excellent company
Jenny says
Thank you for being so patient with my inquiries. God bless you and be safe and well all the time.
lisa r kippen says
Thank you for your excellent service!
Kathy Littlemore says
Totyu was a great help today. Siteground help is second to none and the reason I am with them for my hosting.
Yosra Shafie says
Best customer service ever
Russel says
Vasil went above and beyond to help me out. Incredible service. Thank you and keep up the good work
Mercy Nasiru says
Thanks Peter. That was really helpful. thanks for going the extra mile to speak to your superiors on my behalf. I was satisfied with support
rubens says
Great support! it took 30 minutes to get me on my way. I love it…
Nicholas Dunec says
Rep was excellent helped every step of way.
Fehmida Basit says
It was a nice chatting and very helpful and the agent was knowledgeful and eager to help
Patrick Anderer says
Thank you so much Militsa! You helped me so much and saved me tons of time!!
Hayley Winchcombe says
Atanas helped me swiftly and effectively! Saving us a lot of hassle and heartache fixing an issue on our site. Thank you SiteGround – excellent service.
Roxanne says
Fantastic support!
John \\ says
Martin M was super helpful, insightful and quick to respond. Thank you Martin for taking the time to help me.
john ruark says
Amazing help! quick response, very knowledgeble!
you guys really give an amazing service!
Anar Rustamli says
Best services in over the world!!!
Jan says
Questions were patiently answered with professional know-how. Thank you Lilia!
Melynda says
Dobromir just helped me at SiteGround. He’s wonderful. He doesn’t just solve the problems for me but goes out of his way to educate me. I love that!
Jelena says
Siteground isn’t cheap, but if you have an important website, it’s a good choice.
Nelofar says
siteground hosting one of my favourite Hosting I really like it. Good job
MO says
They are best in providing customer service. Swift and apt
Mario Flores says
Siteground was amazing, the assistance is incredible, always available. Currently they are migrating from cpanel to a custom made administration interface that is very poor and the migration process causes problems. I have 100 + sites there but do not recommend it any more.
Erik says
Ok. I have to tell you that SiteGround is THE BEST! You all are so helpful. I can’t say enough good about what you do. Each and every time I need help you’re there with an answer. THE BEST!
Richard Smith says
Best web hosting service in the world. These folks always help me out!
JB Burayag says
Amazing Support. Super Thank you!
Pam Blackman says
I had some security concerns and the representative who helped me got right to the issue and went above and beyond checking things out to assure me all was well. I really appreciate the peace of mind he provided.
Langston Amadi says
I would offer 100 stars if possible. Tayfun helped me out right away with my CDN issue. As it is Sunday, I thought I would have to wait 24 hours to receive assistance. Tayfun was kind and helped resolved my issue. Thank you once again for your support
Best regards,
Langston Amadi
Kosta Kondratenko says
Use SiteGround for all my sites (I’m a web dev). Their customer support is absolutely suberb. Not only are the contacts very knowledgable but they have a great attitude. Support is such an important thing with hosting companies for me – and SiteGround always delivers.
Kelley Wilson says
I have been battling trying to get emails set up on my client’s account all day. Eliyan jumped right in and after just 10 minutes, we solved it! I am thrilled! what an amazing customer service technician! You guys better hold on to him with both hands, he’s amazing!
Susan says
I had to migrate stuff from one website to another. I tried to do it with a friend. Mistakes were made. Siteground (Ervin) helped me out and sorted this for me. I don’t have a clue about any of this so I can’t thank them enough. Professional, courteous and technically proficient. Awesome stuff
Christina says
I had to transfer my site from the subdomain to the domain and just wanted to make sure I was doing it correctly and she was Super helpful. Took care of it instantly and it was seamless!! Must appreciated on a late Friday Night after a long week.
Ved says
Absolutely the best customer support! No other hosting service can match their dedication and response time. It’s pretty insane to me as someone who’s a SaaS entrepreneur how they keep up such a HQ service.
Leon Chu says
Wonderful support and vert polite and knowledgeable !! Put me at peace … we get nervous we put so much time and effort building the site and when something goes wrong we get frustrated! Thanks for your quick response!! I couldn’t ask for more !!!!
Christine says
Clear, simple and efficient customer service provided on my first interaction with the SiteGround team. The online comments are correct about the CS excellence. I’m very happy with my decision to host with them so far.
Stacey says
Siteground has been always been the best company to work with. Every person I’ve spoken with has been knowledgeable and helpful. I highly recommend them.
Gilles Gauthier says
I have nothing but praise for the support at Siteground. As soon as I can, I wll be back with another website with Siteground.
Thank you all.
Hannah says
Excellent service, all questions were answered promptly and knowledgeably
Victor Morales says
always helpful at siteground to resolve problems! thanks
John Paul says
Really great help ! quick and right answer first time. Thank you !
amy levine says
Viktor is just AWESOME. I’m not advanced, but he doesn’t make me feel awkward. I just really appreciate his support and humor. Thanks SiteGround for having the best support. I’m a new customer, and I’m planning to host several more websites with you!
Margie says
Super Support! Thanks so much. You have the patience of a saint with a non-techie like myself! Much Appreciated!
Paola says
He quickly solved my problem with a great explanation!
Vanja says
Amazing customer service!