I’ve been testing and using various web hosting providers for over 8 years, helping businesses and individuals find the right hosting solutions for their websites.
During this time, I’ve worked with dozens of hosting companies, managed hundreds of websites, and seen firsthand what separates good hosting from great hosting.
Today, I’m sharing my detailed comparison between DreamHost and A2 Hosting to help you make an informed decision for your website needs.
Table Of Contents
What is DreamHost?
DreamHost is a well-established web hosting company that has been around since 1997.
Based in Los Angeles, California, this hosting provider focuses on providing reliable shared hosting, WordPress hosting, VPS, and dedicated servers. DreamHost is known for its commitment to open-source technologies and offers a custom control panel instead of the standard cPanel.
The company serves over 1.5 million websites and provides hosting services that include free domain registration, free SSL certificates, and unlimited storage on most plans.
DreamHost is particularly popular among WordPress users because of its optimized WordPress hosting environment and one-click WordPress installation feature.
What is A2 Hosting?
A2 Hosting is a Michigan-based hosting company founded in 2001, with headquarters in Ann Arbor.
This hosting provider has built a reputation around speed, offering what they call “Turbo Servers” that promise up to 20 times faster page loading compared to standard hosting.
A2 Hosting provides various hosting types including shared hosting, VPS, dedicated hosting, and specialized WordPress hosting. The company operates data centers in multiple locations worldwide and offers both Linux and Windows hosting options.
They’re particularly known for their developer-friendly features and tools that make website management easier for both beginners and experienced users.
“We’ve built A2 Hosting around the core principle that speed matters, and our Turbo Servers deliver the performance that businesses need to succeed online”
– Bryan Muthig, CEO of A2 Hosting
DreamHost vs A2 Hosting Comparison
Security
DreamHost
DreamHost takes security seriously with several built-in protection features. All hosting plans include free SSL certificates, which protect data transmitted between your website and visitors. The company provides daily automated backups, keeping your website data safe.
DreamHost also includes basic DDoS protection and server-level firewalls to block malicious traffic. However, they don’t offer advanced security features like malware scanning on their basic plans.
In my experience using DreamHost for client websites, their security measures have been reliable, though I’ve had to add third-party security plugins for additional protection on WordPress sites.
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A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting goes further with security features, offering what they call “Perpetual Security.” This includes free HackScan protection, which monitors your website for malware and security threats.
They provide free SSL certificates, automated daily backups, and advanced firewall protection. A2 Hosting also offers server rewind backups, allowing you to restore your website to any point in the last 30 days.
Hosting Plans and Pricing
DreamHost
DreamHost offers straightforward pricing with their Shared Starter plan beginning at $2.59/month, which includes a free domain, unlimited traffic, and fast SSD storage. Their Shared Unlimited plan at $3.95/month adds unlimited email accounts and free site migration. DreamHost provides a 97-day money back guarantee, which is longer than most competitors.
A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting’s pricing starts at $2.99/month for their Startup plan, including free site migration, free SSL, and NVMe storage for better performance. Their Drive plan at $5.99/month includes unlimited websites and storage. A2 Hosting offers a standard 30-day money back guarantee and often runs promotional pricing for new customers.
Uptime
DreamHost
DreamHost promises 99.9% uptime and generally delivers on this commitment. In my monitoring of several DreamHost-hosted websites over the past two years, I’ve seen consistent uptime performance with only minor outages during maintenance windows.
A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting also guarantees 99.9% uptime and backs it up with their “99.9% Uptime Commitment” where they credit your account if uptime falls below this threshold. Their multiple data centers help maintain better uptime by distributing server load effectively.
Ease of Use
DreamHost
DreamHost uses a custom control panel that some users find less familiar than cPanel. While their interface is clean and organized, there’s a learning curve for users switching from other hosting providers. The custom control panel does include one-click WordPress installation and easy domain management features.
A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting provides the standard cPanel interface that most users are familiar with. During my trial, this made website management straightforward, especially for users who have used other hosting services before. They also offer one-click installations for WordPress and other popular software through Softaculous.
Customer Support
DreamHost
DreamHost offers 24/7 customer support through live chat and email tickets. However, they don’t provide phone support, which can be frustrating for urgent issues. Their support team is knowledgeable about WordPress and technical issues, but response times can vary depending on the complexity of the problem.
A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting provides 24/7 customer support through phone, live chat, and email tickets. Their “Guru Crew” support team is available around the clock and known for being both friendly and technically competent. In my experience, A2 Hosting’s phone support has been particularly helpful for resolving complex technical issues quickly.
Performance
DreamHost
DreamHost provides solid performance with SSD storage across all plans and content delivery network (CDN) integration. In my experience, their servers handle typical website traffic well, though they don’t specialize in high-performance hosting solutions.
A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting focuses heavily on performance with their Turbo Servers that use LiteSpeed web servers, NVMe storage, and advanced caching technologies. These features can significantly improve website speed, especially for WordPress sites. Their multiple data center locations also help reduce loading times for visitors worldwide.
Dreamhost vs A2 Hosting: Which Is Better For You?
Both A2 Hosting and DreamHost are solid hosting providers, but A2 Hosting lacks the premium security features that serious businesses need, while DreamHost’s custom control panel creates unnecessary learning curves for users.
If you want hosting that combines the best of both worlds without these limitations, Scala Hosting provides superior performance, advanced security, and user-friendly management tools.
Scala Hosting combines the best features of both providers while addressing their shortcomings. They offer superior uptime performance, advanced security features, and exceptional customer support that goes above and beyond what you’ll find elsewhere.
Their SPanel control panel provides the familiarity of cPanel with added security and performance benefits.
Our #1 Recommendation: ScalaHosting
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