WordPress hosting is an essential part of building an online presence. The WordPress host you choose can either make or break your website. That is why time and again, we turn to those key players who have made a name for themselves in the market.
The two most reputed WordPress hosts currently operating are Kinsta and WP Engine. Both of them are the preferred choice for millions of bloggers worldwide. Both of them have very similar features, prices, plans, and more. Each of them also has its dedicated user base. So, as an amateur, it can get difficult deciding which one is the best.
Hence, we’ve curated a detailed Kinsta vs WPEngine comparison, where we judge the tools based on several criteria. But that’s not all. We will take into account user reviews and professional opinions as well. If you want to know all the details, keep reading.
- WP Engine vs Kinsta Comparision
- Features
- WP Engine vs Kinsta – Loading Speed
- Kinsta vs WP Engine – Customer Service
- Kinsta vs WP Engine – Security
- Kinsta vs WP Engine Pricing
- Kinsta vs WP Engine: Who is the winner.
- Kinsta vs WP Engine – Final Thoughts
WP Engine vs Kinsta Comparision
Features
The first thing that any user will notice, amateur or not, is the feature range that the host offers. Like we already said, both Kinsta and WP Engines have very similar features. However, some key differences make one of them the winner. Here is a deeper look.
Kinsta: The standout characteristic of Kinsta’s feature range is how exhaustive it is. The number of features that they offer for every category is unlike any other.
- Incredibly fast loading through technology PHP, Nginx, MariaDB, etc.
- Expansive security measures for full site safety.
- Completely free site migrations
- Constant uptime checks
- Full backups daily (additional backups as per your requirement)
- Easy and flexible scaling of your site
- User-friendly interface with a single dashboard that contains all your tools
- 24 global servers to choose from
- Staging areas where you can test before you produce
- Developer-friendly system
WP Engine: Don’t think that WP Engine skimps out on features because they offer a boatload of services that you can’t find anywhere else.
- Free site migration
- Numerous SSL certifications
- Regular offline backups that keep your data protected
- Staging areas that let you test before publishing
- Constant automatic updates
- Access to the Genesis Framework
- Availability of more than 35+ themes
- A global Content Delivery Network (CDN)
- All-round security features that protect your site from malicious software
The verdict: Kinsta is the winner
While both Kinsta and WP Engine have similar feature ranges, Kinsta emerges as the winner here. Not only does it have a large number of features but the services they offer manage to cover every and any problem you may face. It is both amateurs as well as developer-friendly, which is a trait that WP Engine can work on.
WP Engine vs Kinsta – Loading Speed
Regardless of how many features you get, if the execution and performance are slow, your site will remain a dud. High optimization is impertinent for a growing site. Only then will your site be able to adjust to high traffic. The best way to judge how well a WordPress host optimizes your site is through the average loading time.
Kinsta: In several comparative tables and graphs, Kinsta has been seen to have an average load time of 1.2 – 1.7 seconds all over the United States. Although it’s fairly fast, there is nothing extraordinary about the speed. However, in places like Melbourne, Kinsta has a loading speed of more than 3 seconds. This kind of performance is quite slow. By the time, the page loads, several viewers may already have clicked away. Thus, it seems that Kinsta is lacking in the performance sector quite a bit.
WP Engine: In stark contrast to Kinsta, the WP Engine average loading speed is phenomenal. In most areas of the United States, WP Engine has an average loading speed of 0.7 – 1.2 seconds, which is quite commendable. Especially in comparison to Kinsta. Even in areas like Melbourne, Stockholm, Amsterdam, etc. the loading speed doesn’t go beyond 2 seconds, remaining in the 1.3 – 1.5-second range. The performance that WP Engine exhibit is exemplary, to say the least.
The verdict: WP Engine is the winner.
When we’re talking about performance and optimization speeds, WP Engines takes the cake. Although Kinsta’s loading times aren’t bad per se, they’re not impressive at all. On the other hand, WP Engine has some of the lowest average loading times ever. As mentioned, in several areas of the United States, WP Engine has an average loading speed of less than a second. Their loading speeds hardly pass 1.30 seconds in other areas of the globe.
Kinsta vs WP Engine – Customer Service
The unpredictability of online platforms is something that every user is familiar with. Sites tend to crash or malfunction without notice. In such situations, efficient customer service is what saves the day.
Kinsta: One of the main features that Kinsta offers is a 24×7 customer support service. Whenever your site encounters a problem you will receive immediate assistance upon contacting support. The staff is known for their to-the-point instructions and expansive knowledge. Kinsta provides their all-day, everyday support feature on every plan. However, you can only contact them through chat or tickets. Sadly, they do not offer telephonic help. Although online-based customer support has become the norm, the lack of telephonic assistance can be a problem for certain users. Especially during emergencies.
WP Engine: Kinsta and WP Engine are very similar in their support services. Just like Kinsta, even WP Engine is reputed for its high-quality customer assistance. You can reach their tech professionals at any time of day and they’ll solve your problem as best and as fast as they can. A plus point about WP Engine is that you can contact their support through calls as well, not just chat. However, even WP Engine has a few drawbacks. They do not offer support services in their start-up plan, which is certainly disappointing. Thus, it leaves many users deprived of an essential tool. Tickets are even more exclusive and available in only some of the high paying bundles.
The verdict: Kinsta is the winner.
When we talk about customer support, it seems to me that Kinsta is the winner here. In terms of quality and speed, both Kinsta and WP Engine are the same. Both of them have drawbacks as well. However, in the case of Kinsta, even though they do not have telephonic support, every customer can contact customer service whenever they have a problem. No user is prevented from availing such an essential service. However WP Engine, despite having telephonic assistance, deprives the start-up level users of customer support services. The ability to issue a ticket is also available in only a few top-tier plans.
Kinsta vs WP Engine – Security
Site security and protection is no joke. Your website contains a hoard of important data, personal as well as other data. Malicious software and hackers are constantly trying to gain access to such information. The security features that hosts offer need to be all-encompassing and airtight.
Kinsta: We mentioned that Kinsta provides all-round security for site safety. Here’s how they do it. Firstly, they offer great DDoS protection. DDoS refers to Distributed Denial of Service, where attackers try to overwhelm your site with excess traffic. They also provide SSL certification, which keeps the connection between users and your site secure. Other than these, they monitor your site 24×7 and have some of the strongest firewalls to prevent any malware from entering.
WP Engine: The security and safety measures of WP Engine are amazing as well. Similar to Kinsta, WP Engine also provides high-quality DDoS protection as well as SSL certification. Both of these features work in tandem to keep your site secure while providing the best experience to you and the site viewer. They also have a managed threat mitigation feature as well as “two-factor” authentication.
The verdict: It’s a tie
In terms of security, Kinsta, as well as WP Engine, offer exemplary protection. Both of these WordPress hosts have the same exhaustive security and protection measures that prevent hackers and malware from gaining access to your site. They also provide constant monitoring from their end. Not only does it prevent a security breach but also, in case one does happen, they can solve it as soon as possible.
Kinsta vs WP Engine Pricing
One of the most important factors that determine the WordPress you’ll choose is the price. You want to purchase something that fits your needs as well as your budget.
Kinsta: Kinsta provides its customers with a great range of prices and plans to choose from. They truly have something for everyone. Their starting pack costs $30 and provides customers with a single install, 20000 visits, and 10GB Disk space.
Their prices then increased to $60, $100, $200, and go up to a $1500 plan that allows 150 sites and 3 million visits. One of the best things about Kinsta is that other than a few extra features, the basic characteristics of every plan is the same.
WP Engine: Although WP Engine has similar plans to Kinsta, they are a bit more rigid in comparison. The starter plan costs $25 and offers similar features to that of the Kinsta starter plan.
They also offer special, customized plans that you can create to suit your site needs and desires. However, WP Engine doesn’t provide customer support services to the start-up plan, which is a real disappointment.
The verdict: Kinsta is the winner.
Even though Kinsta and WP Engine come very close, Kinsta reigns king because WP Engine skimps out on an essential tool I.e. customer support, in the start-up plan. Furthermore, Kinsta has a wider range of plans with more affordable options. A majority of users also prefer the prices on Kinsta and feel that they get more value for their money.
Kinsta vs WP Engine: Who is the winner.
After a detailed analysis of Kinsta vs WP Engine, it becomes apparent that Kinsta is the winner.
Although both Kinsta and WP Engine have a lot of similarities, whether it be prices or features, here are the reasons why Kinsta is better.
- They offer a lot more features in comparison, which cover all areas of WordPress hosting.
- They provide airtight security measures to their customers through DDoS protection, SSL, firewalls, and 24×7 monitoring.
- Their customer support is unparalleled and is available on all plans. It can be availed either through online chats or tickets.
- Affordable pricing and great value for money.
- Customizable plans that allow you to host 150 sites.
Kinsta vs WP Engine – Final Thoughts
When choosing a WordPress host for your site needs, it’s best to choose one that is reputed and user-approved. In this Kinsta vs WP Engine battle, two of the highway rated hosts in the market, we’ve seen that Kinsta has come out on the top for its added features and better customer care.
However, that doesn’t mean that you have to choose from just this. WordPress hosting is an essential part of site management and the most important thing to do is to choose a host that suits your needs, your budget and gives you satisfaction.