A2 Hosting Review 2020: Are They Really x20 Faster? – Let’s Find Out!
Last updated on: April 2021
Hey guys! It is Mike here again, and this time I come with a huge claim on behalf of A2 Hosting, because saying that you are 20 times faster than competition is a bold statement!
However, is it true?
Do they have the fastest servers in the industry?
Our Experts Opinions *Rating Based on our Experience |
Customer Experiences Reliability Pricing User Friendly Support Features |
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Are they the Hennessey Venom F5 of the web-hosting world?
In this insightful and honest review, you will find out, because I am also writing this based on my own experience with them, because here at the Hosting Institute, we test everything ourselves.
Some background about this company:
Bryan Muthig founded A2 Hosting in 2001, and since then, it has been an independently owned company, which is a huge plus, because if you browse around, you will see that EIG owns several web-hosting companies, totaling as of now, 60 different brands.
It is quite refreshing to see a serious and responsible company owned by someone else, breaking the monopoly!
I love the fact that they are 100% transparent about the technology they use, and in fact, they publish any major update. They even have a timeline where you can check all their progress thorough these years.
They have some serious technology (which we will see in a moments) that allows them to make such a huge claim, and in addition, A2 Hosting has state of the art datacenters around the globe.
Quite nice to see how a small startup grew into such a big operation!
That is enough for an intro; now let’s check the good stuff!
Is A2 Hosting Handling Customer Support the right way?
You cannot have a great service without exceptional customer support, and fortunately, A2 Hosting does it very well!
Personally, if a hosting company is not capable of bringing me an excellent experience, I will move my websites elsewhere.
Why?
Because you need a company that will help you during the most critical moments, when the shit hits the fan.
You need to have the same mindset and never settle down for less, and well, A2 Hosting ranks very high in the customer support department for the following reasons:
- Their customer support service is available 24/7/365
- Their response time is incredibly fast, much faster than most of the competition
- They have multiple support channels: Phone, Skype, Tickets, Email and Live Chat
- They have a great Knowledge Base for self-service support, which is very easy to use and full of answers for virtually any question you might have
- They have a specialized team for each department
- They are amazingly efficient at sorting out complex issues.
Since they have been in the industry for almost two decades, and they maintain incredible ratings in most reviews sites, including Better Business Bureau, I can rate them a 10 out of 10.
Yes, their support is really that good, and I have experienced it myself.
They can answer most questions in just a couple of minutes or less, in case you cannot find it in in their Knowledge Base, which as I said, is one of the most complete in the industry. It has clear categories and is very self-intuitive.
Unlike other companies, A2 Hosting's support channels are equally efficient. It does not matter if you call, send an email, submit a ticket or request live chat support, you will get a prompt and efficient response.
They are experts at bringing context easily, so you do not have to repeat yourself and explain your situation infinite times.
They go straight to the point and sort out your issue fast, while treating you like a real person and not just a number, which is a huge plus in my opinion.
In conclusion, nothing to complaint here. I simply love their customer experience service and I am sure that you will think the same if you ever use it.
Uptime & Downtime on A2 Hosting:
Your web hosting company of choice needs to offer you an excellent uptime, because your site should be online virtually all the time, or at least, the vast majority of it.
A2 Hosting brings you a great 99.9% uptime guarantee, and in my experience and what other customers claim, they remain loyal to their promise.
However, if your websites experiment unscheduled downtimes that surpass 0.1% of the total time per month, they will bring you an exclusive service credit of 5% from the amount paid monthly, for every hour your website has been down due to equipment failure or internal network problems.
It is one of the best and most transparent uptime guarantees in the market, and if you ever need to claim it, then all you need to do is to contact them through any of their support channels and that is all. They will take care of the rest.
Nonetheless, if your website does down due to DDoS attacks or any issues provoked by external forces, which escape the control of A2 Hosting, the guarantee will not apply, but this is the case with all companies in the industry.
I know that many of you might be interested in their shared hosting plans, because they are the cheapest way to get started. To be honest, there is a difference in uptime between their Lite and Turbo plan, because in the latter, they have held a 100% uptime record, whereas with the Lite, they have experienced some downtime. However, that is completely normal, because with the higher-tier plan, you will get more resources and a much better performance.
That is the way the world works!
However, in general, A2 Hosting respects their 99.9% uptime guarantee, and with their most advanced plans, they stay very close to 100% uptime, which is exceptional, especially when you are running websites that receive tons of traffic.
I would rate it a 9 out of 10 in this department. One of the most solid companies I have ever worked with.
Key Features of A2 Hosting:
Many things make A2 Hosting exceptional, but these make it stand out from the crowd:
- Incredible A2 Turbo, which makes websites faster
- Special WP Plugin, to fully optimize your websites
- Fastest customer support, ready to help you anytime
- Best security configuration, to make your website ready-to-go-live
- Excellent reseller plan, bringing you everything to run the biz right off the bat
- State of the art server tech, to ensure optimal performance
- Advanced and fully monitored data centers around the globe, in US, Europe and Asia.
A2 Hosting Pricing Plans:
Before we move on, I have to say that they are not the cheapest, but that is not a problem, because they bring so much value that their prices are truly fair.
If you want one of the best performances in the web-hosting industry, then you have to pay for it, and fortunately, the price is not outrageously high, it is 100% reasonable.
They have the following plans:
- Shared Hosting (Lite, Swift, Turbo)
- WordPress Hosting (Lite, Swift, Turbo, Managed)
- Reseller (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum)
- VPS (Core, Managed, Unmanaged)
- Dedicated Servers (Core, Managed, Unmanaged)
Worry not, because as always, I will go in full detail about each kind of hosting and the plans at your disposal.
Shared Hosting:
It was their first and unique service back in 2001, and since then, it has been ranked as one of the best shared hosting services in the world.
You get an amazing performance for a low price, which is the perfect way to get started in the online world.
As I said in the Uptime & Downtime section, if you want the best value from these plans, then I recommend you to choose the Turbo, because it will bring a nearly perfect 100% uptime and plenty of resources that will make your website much faster.
A2 Hosting | Shared Hosting | ||
Plan | Lite | Swift | Turbo |
Price (Monthly) | $3.92 | $4.90 | $9.31 |
N° of Websites | 1 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Web Space | Unlimited SSD | Unlimited SSD | Unlimited SSD |
Databases | 5 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Bandwidth | Unmetered | Unmetered | Unmetered |
Free Domain | No | No | No |
Free SSL | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Turbo Speed | No | No | Yes – x20 |
A2 Site Accelerator | No | No | Yes |
Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | |
Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% | 99.9% | 99.9% |
If you want my advice, I would advise you to choose the Turbo, again, because the difference in speed is notorious, especially when you receive more traffic, as it handles traffic spikes very well.
Furthermore, your server will be configured for optimal speed and performance, which is something you will notice right off the bat.
However, in any case, you will get a decent performance, because you get free SSD disks and an optimal server configuration, as well as an efficient share of resources amongst the web owners who use the server.
A2 WordPress Plans:
Practically, every web hosting company in the world is offering a solution especially designed for WP, and A2 Hosting is not the exception.
They have shared and managed plans, find the details below:
A2 Hosting | Shared Plans | ||
Plan | Lite | Swift | Turbo |
Price (Monthly) | $3.92 | $4.90 | $9.31 |
N° of Websites | 1 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Web Space | Unlimited SSD | Unlimited SSD | Unlimited SSD |
Databases | 5 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Bandwidth | Unmetered | Unmetered | Unmetered |
Free Domain | No | No | No |
Free SSL | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Turbo Speed | No | No | Yes – x20 |
A2 Site Accelerator | No | No | Yes |
Email Accounts | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% | 99.9% | 99.9% |
As you can see, they offer the same features as shared hosting, however, the difference is that they are designed for running WordPress, which will make a notable difference.
Nonetheless, if you want to experience the best results with WP hosting, then you need to check out their Managed Plans, because they offer exclusive features that shared options cannot bring you:
A2 Hosting | Managed Plans | ||
Plan | 1-Site | 3-Site | Unlimited |
Price (Monthly) | $11.99 | $18.99 | $36.98 |
N° of Websites | 1 | 3 | Unlimited |
Web Space | 10 GB SSD | 25 GB SSD | 40 GB SSD |
Bandwidth | Unmetered | Unmetered | Unmetered |
Free Domain | No | No | No |
Plesk | Yes | Yes | Yes |
A2 Optimized | Yes | Yes | Yes |
CDN | Yes | Yes | Yes |
LiteSpeed Cache | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Free SSL | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Turbo Speed | Yes – x20 | Yes – x20 | Yes – x20 |
Jetpack License | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Automatic Backups | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Site Staging | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Email Accounts | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% | 99.9% | 99.9% |
If you want the best results when running WordPress, then I recommend you to go with the Managed plan that better suits your needs, because the difference is quite notorious.
You get a lot more features, more resources and dedicated support to assist you whenever you need it. It is completely worth the price, because your business deserves it.
Everything comes already configured for you, so you can simply start building your site right away and launch it ASAP.
Should I sign up as a Reseller on A2 Hosting?
Reselling hosting can be a very profitable business, but you need to ensure that you are reselling high-quality services, because otherwise, your business will end very fast.
Fortunately, A2 hosting is a perfect choice for such business, because their reseller plans (and based on what you have read so far) will allow you to offer an exceptional hosting service, as they bring you plenty of resources, an excellent performance and special tools for resellers like you!
They have Linux and Windows plans. Let’s check them.
A2 Hosting | Linux | |||
Plan | Bronze | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
Price (Monthly) | $13.19 | $18.47 | $24.41 | $40.91 |
N° of Accounts | 40 | 60 | 80 | 100 |
Web Space | 30 GB SSD | 75 GB SSD | 150 GB SSD | 200 GB SSD |
Bandwidth | 400 GB | 600 GB | 1000 GB | 1200 GB |
Free Domain | No | No | No | No |
Free SSL | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
eNom Reseller Account | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Billing Software | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Email Accounts | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% | 99.9% | 99.9% | 99.9% |
The Windows plans offer you basically the same, only that they are a bit more expensive. The unique difference is that they will run on Windows instead of Linux, which is great if you know what you are doing.
In conclusion, if you plan on reselling hosting, then I would recommend you to stick to their Linux plans. They will offer you tremendous value for a low price, and you can count on them whenever you need assistance.
VPS:
From now, I can tell you that their VPS service is amazing. I have had an exceptional experience, because they are very fast, reliable and the support is always there to help when you need it.
You have three types of VPS, and like reseller hosting, they come available in Linux and Windows:
- Core – Managed + Root Access (Power+, Prestige+, Pinnacle+)
- Managed – No Root Access (Power+, Prestige+, Pinnacle+)
- Unmanaged – For Developers (Entry, Mid, Elite)
Note: Windows plans offer essentially the same, but they are a bit pricier.
Let’s check the different plans:
A2 Hosting | Core Servers (Linux) | ||
Plan | Power+ | Prestige+ | Pinnacle+ |
Price (Monthly) | $32.99 | $46.19 | $65.99 |
N° of Websites | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Web Space | 75 GB SSD | 100 GB SSD | 150 GB SSD |
Bandwidth | 2 TB | 3 TB | 4 TB |
RAM | 4 GB | 6 GB | 8 GB |
CPUs | 4 | 6 | 8 |
Root Access | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Free SSL | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Free Migration | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Turbo Speed | Yes – x20 | Yes – x20 | Yes – x20 |
Email Accounts | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% | 99.9% | 99.9% |
Managed plans are the same, the only difference is that you do not have root access. Even the pricing is the same.
A2 Hosting | Unmanaged | ||
Plan | Entry | Mid | Elite |
Price (Monthly) | $5 | $10 | $15 |
N° of Websites | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Web Space | 20 GB SSD | 30 GB SSD | 50 GB SSD |
Bandwidth | 2 TB | 3 TB | 4 TB |
RAM | 512 MB | 1 GB | 1 GB |
CPUs | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Root Access | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Turbo Speed | Yes – x20 | Yes – x20 | Yes – x20 |
Email Accounts | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% | 99.9% | 99.9% |
If you are a developer and want a server that allows you to configure it exactly the way you want, then I’d choose the Elite Unmanaged plan, because I’m sure it will suffice your expectations.
A2 Hosting Dedicated Servers Plans:
Like VPS, you have three types of dedicated hosting:
- Core Servers – Managed + Root Access (Sprint, Exceed, Mach)
- Managed – No Root Access (Sprint, Exceed, Mach)
- Unmanaged – For Developers (Sprint, Exceed, Mach)
The things I love about A2 Hosting dedicated servers:
- You can configure the servers the way you wish, no restrictions (especially in unmanaged plans)
- Best hardware and software in the market
- A vast selection of operating systems
- Priority support
Now, let’s check the plans:
A2 Hosting | Core Linux | ||
Plan | Sprint | Exceed | Mach |
Price (Monthly) | $141.09 | $207.49 | $290.49 |
N° of Websites | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Web Space | Starts at 2x500 GB | Starts at 2x500 GB | Starts at 2x1000 GB |
Bandwidth | Starts at 10 TB | Starts at 15 TB | Starts at 20 TB |
RAM | Starts at 8 GB | Starts at 8 GB | Starts at 16 GB |
CPUs | 2 | 4 | 8+ |
Root Access | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Free SSL | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Free Migration | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Turbo Speed | Yes – x20 | Yes – x20 | Yes – x20 |
Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | |
Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% | 99.9% | 99.9% |
Managed plans are the same, only that you don’t get root access. Same pricing, same everything.
A2 Hosting | Unmanaged | ||
Plan | Entry | Mid | Elite |
Price (Monthly) | $99.59 | $165.99 | $248.99 |
N° of Websites | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Web Space | Starts at 2x500 GB | Starts at 2x500 GB | Starts at 2x1000 GB |
Bandwidth | Starts at 10 TB | Starts at 15 TB | Starts at 20 TB |
RAM | Starts at 8 GB | Starts at 8 GB | Starts at 16 GB |
CPUs | 2 | 4 | 8+ |
Root Access | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Turbo Speed | Yes – x20 | Yes – x20 | Yes – x20 |
Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | |
Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% | 99.9% | 99.9% |
You can customize the resources and features as per your needs. A2 Hosting makes it super easy!
A2 Hosting Security Features, should you be worried?
You need to host your website with a company that cares a lot about your security, because it is a big deal nowadays, with so many hackers navigating around and so many online threats, just waiting to havoc.
The good news is that A2 Hosting is solid in this aspect as well, like their customer support service, they over deliver and bring you excellent value for your money.
They make sure that your website has the latest security patches and updates, because it is essential to protect your assets online. They take care of it so you do not have to, which is an incredible bonus if you are not very tech-savvy.
They also take care of configuring software installations automatically, to ensure optimal speed and security.
Their datacenters feature permanent security monitoring, to protect all of your data at all times.
However, one of the most notable security features of A2 Hosting is their Perpetual Security, which is a stack of powerful and advanced software:
- HackScan: The best way to protect your website against viruses and malware. It scans your website regularly, to quickly detect the presence of any malware, alert you and get rid of it
- KernelCare: It boosts the security of Linux Kernel, offering automatic and daily Kernel updates.
For WordPress users, they have an in-house developed plugin for protecting your website, offering you the following advantages:
- Ultimate brute-force attack defense
- Protection against hacking attempts
- Permanent virus and malware scanning
- Premium dual firewall protection
- Automatic security patches for WordPress.
On all managed accounts – which includes shared hosting plans – A2 will take care of backing up your website data automatically. It is an excellent plus, because most users do not know how to do it, or simply forget about it.
Their CloudFlare CDN configuration has been developed to block malicious threats, so it will help you to keep many attacks at bay, bringing your website an extra layer of protection.
A2 hosting makes your life easier by pre-tuning your website plan with the best security features and configuration, so you do not have to mess around with it.
Personally, I am tech-savvy and can work my way around complex configurations, but many people like small business owners and those who run small websites, they would not be able to do such a thing, and therefore, it is great that A2 Hosting really cares about their security and takes care of everything already.
That is the beauty of A2 Hosting, it takes care of everything you need so you can go live from the first moment and get everything running smoothly.
In conclusion, I will rate it a 9 out of 10, because their security is amongst the best in the industry, and I have tested it myself.
When you complement this with their blazing-fast and efficient customer support service, you can easily see how much value they really bring you, because if you ever face a problem, they will be there to help you.
Pros:
- Amazing support available 24/7/365, super reliable and effective
- Amazingly fast servers, equipped with state of the art technology like free SSD, quadruple redundancy and more
- An ideal choice for WordPress, because they offer the best WP hosting plans in the market
- Robust, updated and advanced security, to protect your websites permanently
- A vast variety of managed and unmanaged plans, which you can customize
- Incredible shared hosting performance, making it accessible to get premium hosting for a low price
- Incredible ratings, because the huge majority of reviews on the website and independent reviews sites would recommend A2 Hosting, and that includes myself! 😉
Cons:
- A bit pricier, but it is completely worth it, especially because they won’t increase the prices dramatically when it is time to renew
- No support for ColdFusion, PDFLib, Plexum, MS SQL, HTMLDoc or Mod_Perl
Other than that, I cannot see any other disadvantage. A2 Hosting is really that good!
Conclusion: is A2 Hosting worth it?
As you can see, A2 Hosting is a premium hosting company. The top of the top, and I really enjoyed reviewing it, because I love their services.
I can recommend it to you with 100% confidence, because I am sure that you will love their services, because your websites will run smoothly, the support will be there for you and you will be able to fully customize everything.
If you have any question, feel free to comment or below or to message me!
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