When comparing SiteGround vs Kinsta, we find SiteGround to be the better web host overall. SiteGround excels in offering a wide variety of hosting types, excellent customer support with 24/7 phone availability, and managed services across several plans. Kinsta provides premium managed WordPress hosting with excellent speed and security, but has no email hosting and even more premium pricing.
In this article, we compare SiteGround vs Kinsta on the grounds of plans, pricing, features included, and performance. We also compare their data center coverage, software supported, developer tools, customer support, and security features. Finally, we answer the question of “SiteGround vs Kinsta: Which is better for you?”
Plans
| Hosting Type | SiteGround | Kinsta |
|---|---|---|
| Shared Hosting | $3.99 – $10.69/mo | Not Available |
| VPS Hosting | Not Available | Not Available |
| WordPress Hosting | $3.99 – $10.69/mo | $30 – $563/mo |
| Cloud Hosting | $100 – $400/mo | Not Available |
| Dedicated Hosting | Not Available | Not Available |
| Reseller Hosting | $6.69 – $100/mo | Not Available |
| Managed Hosting Available? | Shared Hosting, Cloud Hosting, WordPress Hosting | WordPress Hosting Plans |
SiteGround provides 4 hosting options: Shared, WordPress, Cloud, and Reseller Hosting. Kinsta specializes in Managed WordPress Hosting, but also offers Static Site, Web Application, and Database Hosting. SiteGround’s managed services span across Shared, Cloud, and WordPress hosting. SiteGround suits a wider range of users, while Kinsta excels in premium WordPress-specific needs.
Pricing
| Pricing Type | SiteGround | Kinsta |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Price | $3.99/mo | $30/mo |
| Renewal Price | $17.99/mo | $30/mo |
| Monthly Payment Option? | Yes | Yes |
SiteGround offers an attractive introductory price of $3.99 per month, which increases to $17.99 upon renewal. This marks a 350% price hike. Kinsta’s pricing starts and remains at $30 per month. SiteGround remains more affordable long-term compared to Kinsta despite the renewal increase.
Features Included
| Feature | SiteGround | Kinsta |
|---|---|---|
| Storage space | 10GB SSD | 10GB SSD |
| Bandwidth | Unmetered | 25,000 visits/mo (overage fee $1/GB) |
| Number of websites | 1 | 1 |
| Email Hosting | Unlimited accounts | No |
| Free Domain | No | No |
| AI Website Builder | No (Weebly available) | No |
| Unlimited Storage? | No | No |
| Unlimited/Unmetered bandwidth? | Yes | No |
| Additional Features | Managed updates, Git integration, priority support | DevKinsta, custom APM, expert support |
SiteGround offers 10GB SSD storage with unmetered bandwidth. Kinsta provides the same storage but limits bandwidth to 25,000 visits per month with a $1/GB charge for overages. SiteGround includes unlimited email hosting, which Kinsta lacks. Neither host provides a domain or AI website builder, but Kinsta compensates with advanced developer tools such as DevKinsta and application performance monitoring (APM).
Performance
| Performance Feature | SiteGround | Kinsta |
|---|---|---|
| Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% | 99.9% |
| Type of SSD Server | SSD | SSD |
| CDN | Yes (SiteGround CDN) | Yes (Kinsta CDN) |
| Caching | Yes | Yes |
| Additional Performance Features | NGINX, Google Cloud, SuperCacher | Edge caching, Google Cloud, Kinsta CDN |
Both SiteGround and Kinsta provide 99.9% uptime guarantees and use fast SSD servers. SiteGround integrates its in-house CDN and caching tool called SuperCacher. Kinsta uses its own CDN and edge caching for optimized performance. Both hosts rely on Google Cloud infrastructure, but Kinsta’s isolated container technology gives it an edge in high-traffic environments. SiteGround’s use of NGINX also greatly enhances speed.
Data Center Coverage
| Geographical Coverage | SiteGround | Kinsta |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarter Location | Sofia, Bulgaria | Los Angeles, USA |
| Number of Data centers | 11 | 37 |
| Data center locations | USA (Iowa, Virginia, Texas, California), Netherlands (Eemshaven), UK (London), Germany (Frankfurt), France (Paris), Spain (Madrid), Australia (Sydney), Singapore | South Africa (Johannesburg), Taiwan (Changhua County), China (Hong Kong), Japan (Tokyo; Osaka), South Korea (Seoul), India (Mumbai; Delhi), Singapore (Jurong West), Indonesia (Jakarta), Australia (Sydney; Melbourne), Poland (Warsaw), Finland (Hamina), Spain (Madrid), Belgium (St. Ghislain), UK (London), Germany (Frankfurt), Netherlands (Eemshaven), Switzerland (Zurich), Italy (Milan), France (Paris), Saudi Arabia (Dammam), Israel (Tel Aviv), Canada (Montreal; Toronto), Brazil (São Paulo), Chile (Santiago), USA (Council Bluffs, Iowa; Moncks Corner, South Carolina; Ashburn, Virginia; Columbus, Ohio; Dallas, Texas; The Dalles, Oregon; Los Angeles, California; Salt Lake City, Utah; Las Vegas, Nevada) |
Kinsta has a more extensive global network, with 37 data centers spread across 5 continents. SiteGround runs 11 data centers across 4 continents which is still a fantastic spread. Kinsta’s greater reach makes it ideal for users targeting specific regions.
Software Supported
| Software Feature | SiteGround | Kinsta |
|---|---|---|
| Control panel | Site Tools (proprietary) | MyKinsta (proprietary) |
| OS supported | Linux | Linux |
| 1-Click WordPress | Yes | Yes |
Both SiteGround and Kinsta run on Linux and support 1-click WordPress installation. SiteGround uses its proprietary Site Tools control panel. Kinsta’s proprietary MyKinsta is fantastically user friendly and optimized for managing WordPress sites.
Developer Tools
| Developer Tool | SiteGround | Kinsta |
|---|---|---|
| Staging Tools | Higher plans | Yes, proprietary DevKinsta tool |
| Root Access | No | No |
| GIT access | Yes | Yes |
| WP-CLI | Yes | Yes |
| Cron jobs | Yes | Yes |
| Multiple PHP versions | Yes | Yes |
| SSH | Yes | Yes |
| Node.js Support | No | Yes |
| Python Support | Yes | Yes |
| Java Support | No | Yes |
| Django Support | No | Yes |
| Perl Support | Yes | Yes |
| Ruby on Rails Support | No | Yes |
| ASP.NET | No | Yes |
Both SiteGround and Kinsta provide essential developer tools like GIT access, WP-CLI, and SSH. Kinsta offers more extensive support for developer languages such as Node.js, Java, Django, and Ruby on Rails. Kinsta’s proprietary DevKinsta tool and full staging support on all plans also give it an advantage for WordPress developers needing more advanced tools.
Customer Support
| Customer Support Feature | SiteGround | Kinsta |
|---|---|---|
| Support Methods | Live chat, phone support, helpdesk tickets | Live chat |
| Support Hours | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| Website Migration | Yes | Yes |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | 30 days |
SiteGround offers 24/7 customer support via live chat, phone support, and helpdesk tickets. Kinsta supports live chat exclusively. Both hosts provide free website migration services and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Security Features
| Security Feature | SiteGround | Kinsta |
|---|---|---|
| Free SSL | Yes | Yes |
| Backups | Automatic daily backups | Automatic daily backups |
| DDoS Protection | Yes, in-house | Yes, via Cloudflare |
| Firewalls | Yes | Yes |
| Proactive Monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Unique Security Features | Custom WAF, AI Anti-Bot System | Enterprise-level firewall, Cloudflare protection, Complete isolation via Linux containers |
Both SiteGround and Kinsta provide strong security features, including free SSL certificates, daily backups, firewalls, and proactive monitoring. SiteGround offers an in-house DDoS protection system while Kinsta uses Cloudflare. Kinsta’s advanced isolation technology gives it a slight edge in providing enterprise-grade security. SiteGround’s AI-driven bot protection and robust WAF also offer well-rounded defense.
SiteGround vs Kinsta: Which Is Better For You?
SiteGround is the better host. Use SiteGround if you need a premium host that’s slightly more affordable. Also use SiteGround if you want managed hosting with comprehensive security features like AI-driven bot protection and a custom WAF. Lastly, use SiteGround if you require flexibility with different hosting types and if you’re website is not built on WordPress.
Use Kinsta if you need premium managed WordPress hosting with superior performance features like edge caching and isolated containers. Also use Kinsta if you prioritize extensive global data center coverage and enterprise-grade security through Cloudflare. Finally, use Kinsta if you’re looking for high-level expert WordPress support.
Check out other web hosting comparisons here.
Who is SiteGround?
SiteGround is a web host founded in 2004 and headquartered in Sofia, Bulgaria. It offers fast, reliable hosting with broad support and solid security. Its main drawback is the high renewal prices. Find out more about the brand in our SiteGround review.
Who is Cloudways?
Kinsta is a web host founded in 2013 and headquartered in Los Angeles, USA. It excels in premium managed WordPress hosting with enterprise-grade performance and security. Its higher pricing and lack of email hosting are key downsides. Read all the details in our Kinsta review.