SiteGround vs InterServer
SiteGround and InterServer compared on measured uptime, response time, pricing and features from our own tests. SiteGround scores higher overall.
By Jennifer T. · Updated
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Verdict
SiteGroundWins overall
Managed-feel shared hosting on Google Cloud with daily backups and staging; the renewals are the price
Secaucus host since 1999 with a $7 monthly plan, stated resources, free migration and a 30-day refund
SiteGround wins 5 of the six sub-scores and comes out ahead overall (8.0 vs 7.5).
How do the scores compare?
SiteGround leads on 5 sub-scores, InterServer on 1. Higher is better.
| SiteGround | InterServer | |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | 8.0 (better) | 7.5 |
| Uptime | 8.5 (better) | 7.0 |
| Support | 8.5 (better) | 7.0 |
| Features | 8.5 (better) | 8.0 |
| Value | 6.5 | 8.5 (better) |
| Ease of use | 8.0 (better) | 7.0 |
Which one is faster and more reliable?
| SiteGround | InterServer | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.0 (better) | 7.5 |
| Uptime (published)HostingStep 243 d vs Cybernews 14 d; methods differ | 99.97% | 100.00% (better) |
Which one costs less?
On renewal, InterServer is cheaper ($7.00/mo vs $17.99/mo). Intro prices need the listed term.
| SiteGround | InterServer | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest plan | StartUp | Standard |
| Intro price | $2.99/mo | $2.50/mo (better) |
| Renewal price | $17.99/mo | $7.00/mo (better) |
| Required term | 12 months | 1 months (better) |
| Websites | 1 | unlimited |
| Storage | 10 GB | Unlimited |
| Money back | 30 days | 30 days |
What does each include?
| SiteGround | InterServer | |
|---|---|---|
| Free domain | First year only; regular renewal fee after that | No |
| Free SSL | Yes | SSL support is listed on every plan |
| Daily backups | Kept for 30 days; on-demand backups on GrowBig and GoGeek | Not stated |
| CDN | SiteGround CDN on Google Cloud, 170+ edge locations | Not stated |
| Email hosting | Unlimited accounts with webmail and spam protection | Not stated |
| Staging | GrowBig and GoGeek; GoGeek adds Git | No |
| Free migration | Automatic WordPress migrator on every plan; expert transfer by staff | The migration team moves the site, database and email for new accounts |
| Caching | Multilevel caching with the Speed Optimizer plugin | SSD caching servers, RAM caching for small files, LSCache for dynamic content and QUIC |
| WP-CLI and SSH | Yes | Not stated |
| Fair-use limits | CPU seconds per hour 1,000 / 2,000 / 4,000; inodes 200k / 400k / 600k; 768 MB RAM per process; databases up to 1 GB | Not stated |
| Uptime guarantee | 99.9% per month; 5% of that month's fee as a service-extension credit | No |
| Choice of data center | 11 locations on Google Cloud, chosen at signup | Not stated |
| Phone support | No | No |
| Windows hosting | No | A separate Windows hosting package |
| Backups | Not stated | Weekly backups on Standard |
| Free CDN | Not stated | Cloudflare CDN on every plan |
| Not stated | Unlimited accounts with outgoing mail routed through smart hosts for deliverability; 200 emails an hour on Standard | |
| Resource limits | Not stated | Printed per plan: cores, memory, IOPS, processes, entry processes, inodes and emails per hour |
| Data center choice | Not stated | No |
| Security | Not stated | InterShield attack blocking, malware scanning and a machine-learning firewall, with free DDoS protection |
Company facts
| SiteGround | InterServer | |
|---|---|---|
| Control panel | Site Tools (SiteGround's own panel) | DirectAdmin on Standard and Boost; cPanel on the cPanel hosting plan |
| Data centers | 11 (better) | 3 |
| Support channels | chat, ticket, knowledge-base | ticket, knowledge-base |
| Founded | 2004 | 1999 |