A2 Hosting Pros & Cons
A2 Hosting is one of the oldest providers around. They are originally from Michigan and started in 2001 under another name (Iniquinet). Later on, in 2003, the name was changed to A2 Hosting.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
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Speed: As we’ll see later on, A2 Hosting is one of the fastest providers I’ve ever tried.
Advanced features: Their higher plans come with interesting advanced options like staging areas or a server-side caching system.
Uptime: They have improved their uptime rate since compared to last years’.
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On-demand backups paid separately: If you’d like to use their on-demand backup system to create your own backups, you’ll need to purchase their add-on.
Confusing checkout: Even if they are not as pushy as other providers (e.g. iPage), their check out is loaded with add-ons that you most likely won’t need (e.g. paid SSL certificate).
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A2 Hosting in Brief
| Fact | Information |
|---|---|
| Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% |
| Response time | 520 ms |
| Features | Unlimited Bandwidth, Free SSL, Cloudflare CDN, Anycast DNS, Anytime Money-Back |
| Server location | – |
When to Use A2 Hosting
If you are after a medium-priced provider that’s generous with storage and bandwidth, A2 Hosting is a reliable choice.
On top of that, it comes with some features that similar competitors won’t offer, for example, built-in server-side caching, staging areas and speed optimization plugins for CMSs like WordPress, PrestaShop or Magento.
I can imagine that A2 Hosting would be a good fit for new bloggers who need a reliable host, for small and medium-sized businesses who are after a serious hosting service, or digital solopreneurs (e.g. SEO consultants or WordPress developers) who need storage for their website and potentially their clients’.
It’s a really solid option for those looking to host a Windows-based project.
A2 Performance
Along with support, performance is one of the most important aspects of a hosting provider. Having the most advanced technology and features is pointless if your hosting provider can’t keep up with your website’s needs.
That’s why I’ve intensively tested A2 Hosting’s speed and uptime. Let me show you the results.
A2 Hosting Speed Test Results
Along with support, performance is one of the most important aspects of a hosting provider. Having the most advanced technology and features is pointless if your hosting provider can’t keep up with your website’s needs.
That’s why I’ve intensively tested A2 Hosting’s speed and uptime. Let me show you the results.
| Test | Average Loading Time |
|---|---|
| 5 GTmetrix test | 2.68 s |
| 5 Pingdom test | 0.896 s |
| 5 PageSpeed Insights (Google) | 3.30 s |
A2 Hosting performed very well, in our tests. Its average loading time was 2.29 seconds, only a 0.19 seconds slower than the top-performing provider (SiteGround).
If you are worried about speed, A2 Hosting is a trusty provider. Much more Road Runner than Coyote indeed.
VPS hosting
Shared web hosting means that your website is on the same server as other websites. Most sites are small enough that they don’t need an entire server to themselves so web hosts bundle a bunch of sites together and put them all on the same server.
For most, best vps web hosting is the way to go.
| Startup Plan | Drive Plan | Turbo Boost Plan | Turbo Max Plan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $2.99/monthRenews at $8.99/mo | $9.99/monthRenews at $19.99/mo | $4.99/monthRenews at $11.99/mo | $2.99/monthRenews at $8.99/mo |
| Websites | $2.99/monthRenews at $8.99/mo | $9.99/monthRenews at $19.99/mo | $4.99/monthRenews at $11.99/mo | $2.99/monthRenews at $8.99/mo |
| Pricing | 1 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Other Features | – | • 2x Server Resources • Automatic Backups |
• 2x Server Resources • Automatic Backups • Site Accelerator • Chacing Plugins |
• 5x Server Resources • Automatic Backups • Site Accelerator • Chacing Plugins |
From conducting our own thorough research and testing, we’ve put together our very own expert reviews for you to sink your teeth into. But what if you’re scratching your head, undecided between two providers? Well, fear not – we’ve thought of that too.
A2 Hosting performed very well, in our tests. Its average loading time was 2.29 seconds, only a 0.19 seconds slower than the top-performing provider (SiteGround).
A2 Hosting Types, Features and Pricing
Features include server rewind backups, 24/7/365 full support, quadruple redundant network, numerous developer features, 25 separate emails, WordPress hosting, cPanel, eCommerce features and much, much more.
From conducting our own thorough research and testing, we’ve put together our very own expert reviews for you to sink your teeth into. But what if you’re scratching your head, undecided between two providers? Well, fear not – we’ve thought of that too.
Ready to choose your plan?
Go to A2 hostingSecurity
In addition to the free SSL certificate included in every plan, A2 Hosting has created its own Perpetual Security initiative, which goes above and beyond to keep your site safe. As part of the initiative, your account comes with free HackScan protection, working 24/7 to prevent attacks on your site. A2 Hosting Perpetual Security includes a whole host (get it?) of other measures, from the virus scanning you’d expect to more exceptional stuff, such as:
- Dual Hosting Firewall: in addition to an overall network firewall, your A2 Hosting account includes an additional server firewall to block unauthorized users.
- Limited Server Access: instead of passwords, A2 Hosting’s staff members use keys to access servers. Keys are more secure than passwords, because they function like a conversation between the computer and the server, rather than as a simple code (password) that anyone could potentially guess.
- Server Hardening: this means strengthening network settings and tightening access control to increase the server’s security.
- Reinforced DDoS Protection: Distributed Denial of Service (or DDoS) attacks occur when a large volume of fake traffic gets sent to a web server, using up the server’s resources so that legitimate traffic is unable to access it.
A2 Hosting Review: Do We Recommend It?
Yes, we do.
A2 Hosting has consistently delivered best-in-class speed for the last several years. They’ve also improved on server uptime, which is now more reliable. Their customer support is friendly and helpful, and all shared plans come with a free SSL certificate and one free migration.
And if you run into issues at any time while being a customer, you can ask for a refund on the prorated balance of unused time.
The only significant downside is that renewal rates are high, and the strict terms after the initial period aren’t generous. Plus, if you’re paying for the most expensive shared plan to host unlimited websites (“Turbo Max”), they still only give you one free site migration.
Those final details might not work for some people, so while A2 is quite good, it’s not the best we’ve seen, either.
