A Comprehensive A2 Hosting Review: Pros, Cons, Pricing, Performance

Choosing a web hosting provider can be a daunting task, especially with so many options available in the market. A2 Hosting is one of the top-rated hosting providers, known for its speed, reliability, and excellent customer support.

In this A2 Hosting review, we’ll take an in-depth look at A2 Hosting’s features, performance, pricing plans, and support to help you determine whether it’s the right hosting provider for your website.

We’ll also cover the pros and cons of A2 Hosting to give you a well-rounded understanding of what this provider has to offer. So, if you’re considering A2 Hosting, read on to learn more.

A2 Hosting Review: Company Overview

A2 Hosting is a web hosting company that was founded in 2001 by Bryan Muthig. The company is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, and has data centers located around the world, including the US, Europe, and Asia. A2 Hosting prides itself on providing fast and reliable hosting solutions that are backed by top-notch customer support.

A2 Hosting offers a variety of hosting plans, including shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated hosting, and reseller hosting. Their hosting plans come with a range of features, including free site migrations, SSD storage, and free SSL certificates. A2 Hosting also offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee, which ensures that your website will always be up and running.

In addition to their hosting services, A2 Hosting provides a range of other solutions, including domain registration, website builder tools, and email hosting. A2 Hosting also offers developer-friendly features like PHP, MySQL, and SSH access, making it an ideal hosting provider for developers and businesses of all sizes.

Key Benefits of using A2 Hosting: Pros

A2 Hosting is a popular choice for many, and for good reason. Let’s explore the benefits of using A2 Hosting and why it might be the right hosting provider for you.

Blazing Fast Speeds

One of the most significant benefits of A2 Hosting is its fast loading times. With their Turbo Servers, A2 Hosting claims to be up to 20 times faster than other hosting providers. Faster loading times not only improve user experience but can also positively impact your website’s search engine rankings.

Affordable Pricing

Despite offering top-notch hosting services, A2 Hosting’s pricing is very competitive. Their shared hosting plans start at just $2.99 per month, making it an affordable option for individuals and businesses of all sizes. Additionally, A2 Hosting frequently offers discounts and promotions, making it even more accessible to those on a tight budget.

Reliable Uptime

A2 Hosting guarantees a 99.9% uptime, which means that your website will be up and running for the majority of the time. Their reliable uptime ensures that your website is always accessible to your audience, which can lead to increased traffic and revenue.

User-Friendly Control Panel

A2 Hosting uses the popular cPanel control panel, which is easy to use and intuitive. The cPanel control panel allows you to manage your website, email accounts, and databases all in one place. Additionally, A2 Hosting’s control panel is customizable, giving you more control over how you manage your website.

Excellent Customer Support

A2 Hosting’s customer support team is available 24/7 to assist you with any issues or concerns you may have. They offer support via phone, live chat, and email. A2 Hosting’s support team is knowledgeable and responsive, ensuring that your issues are resolved quickly and efficiently.

Free Site Migrations

If you’re moving your website from another hosting provider to A2 Hosting, they offer free site migrations. Their expert migration team will transfer your website files, databases, and email accounts to A2 Hosting’s servers with no downtime. This saves you time and hassle, ensuring a smooth transition to your new hosting provider.

Out-of-the-Box Security

A2 Hosting takes website security seriously and offers several features to keep your website safe from online threats. They offer free SSL certificates, which encrypt your website’s data and protect your visitors’ personal information.

Additionally, A2 Hosting provides HackScan protection, which monitors your website for malware and other security threats.

Developer-Friendly Features

A2 Hosting is a developer-friendly hosting provider, offering features like PHP, MySQL, and SSH access. These features give developers more control over their website and the ability to customize it to their specific needs. A2 Hosting also supports a range of popular programming languages, including Python, Ruby, and Perl.

Green Hosting

A2 Hosting is committed to sustainability and is a carbon-neutral hosting provider. They’ve implemented several measures to reduce their carbon footprint, including using energy-efficient hardware and partnering with Carbonfund.org to support renewable energy projects.

30days Money Back Guarantee

A2 Hosting offers an anytime money-back guarantee, which means that you can cancel your hosting plan at any time and receive a prorated refund for any unused time. This guarantee gives you the flexibility to try out A2 Hosting’s services without the risk of being locked into a long-term contract.

Free Automatic Backups

A2 Hosting offers free automatic backups on all of their hosting plans. This ensures that your website’s data is always safe and can be easily restored in the event of data loss or corruption. You can also manually create backups at any time through the control panel, giving you added peace of mind.

Multiple Data Center Locations

A2 Hosting has data centers located in several regions around the world, including the US, Europe, and Asia. This allows you to choose a data center that is closest to your target audience, which can improve your website’s loading times and overall performance.

WordPress Optimization by A2 Optimized

One of the key features of the A2 Optimized WordPress solution is the A2 Optimized Plugin. This plugin is pre-installed on all WordPress sites hosted with A2 Hosting and is designed to optimize your WordPress website for speed and performance.

The A2 Optimized Plugin includes a range of features including caching, minification, Gzip compression, image optimization, and security features.

Overall, the A2 Optimized Plugin is designed to help you get the most out of your WordPress website by optimizing it for speed, performance, and security.

Free & Easy Drag & Drop Site Builder

A2 Hosting also offers a free drag-and-drop site builder called “A2 SiteBuilder” with its hosting plans. The SiteBuilder allows you to create a professional-looking website without any coding skills.

It is a drag-and-drop builder, which means that you can simply drag elements like text, images, and videos onto your website and arrange them as you like.

SiteBuilder comes with a range of pre-designed templates that you can use as a starting point for your website. These templates are customizable, so you can modify them to suit your needs.

SiteBuilder also includes a range of widgets and plugins that you can use to add functionality to your website, such as contact forms, social media icons, and e-commerce tools.

A2 Hosting Review: Cons

While A2 Hosting is generally a reliable and well-regarded web hosting provider, there are some potential cons to be aware of. Here are a few of the most common cons associated with A2 Hosting:

Pricing:

While A2 Hosting offers a range of hosting plans at competitive prices, some users may find the prices to be higher than those of other hosting providers. Additionally, some of the more advanced features, such as Turbo Boost and Turbo Max, are only available at an additional cost.

No free domain:

Unlike some other hosting providers, A2 Hosting does not offer a free domain name with their hosting plans. This means that users will need to purchase a domain separately, which can add to the overall cost.

No Windows hosting:

A2 Hosting only offers hosting plans that run on Linux servers, which may not be suitable for users who require Windows hosting.

Overall, these cons should be considered when evaluating A2 Hosting as a potential web hosting provider. While these issues may not be significant for all users, they are worth keeping in mind when making a decision.

A2 Hosting Pricing and Plans

A2 Hosting offers a range of hosting plans that cater to a variety of website types and sizes. Their plans include Shared Hosting, Managed WordPress Hosting, VPS Hosting, Reseller Hosting, and Dedicated Hosting.

Here is a breakdown of A2 Hosting’s hosting plans and pricing:

Shared Hosting:

A2 Hosting’s Shared Hosting plans are a good option for small to medium-sized websites that don’t require a lot of server resources. They offer three plans: Startup, Drive, and Turbo Boost and Turbo Max.

• Startup: Starting at $2.99 per month, the Startup plan includes 100 GB of storage, unlimited bandwidth, and the ability to host one website.
• Drive: Starting at $5.99 per month, the Drive plan includes unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, and the ability to host an unlimited number of websites.
• Turbo Boost: Starting at $6.99 per month, the Turbo Boost plan includes all of the features of the Drive plan, as well as A2 Hosting’s Turbo Boost technology, which can improve website loading times by up to 20 times faster than standard hosting.
• Turbo Max: Starting at $14.99 per month, the Turbo Max plan includes all of the features of the Turbo boost, as well as 5x more resources. This is A2 hosting’s fastest shared server.

A2 Hosting WordPress Hosting

A2 Hosting’s Managed WordPress Hosting includes a range of plans to suit different needs, including their Run, Jump, Fly, and Sell plans.

• The Run plan is designed for basic WordPress sites and includes hosting for one site. This plan includes 50 GB of NVMe SSD storage, unlimited monthly visitors, Turbo technology, onsite backups, pre-installed Jetpack, and an option for WordPress staging/cloning. This plan costs $11.99 per month only.
• The Jump plan is a step up from the Run plan and includes hosting for up to 5 wordpress websites, 250 GB NVMe SSD storage, Premium backups, and everything included in the Run plan. This plan costs $18.99 per month only. The Jump plan also includes Jetpack daily backup license for all websites.
• The Fly plan is designed for more advanced WordPress sites and includes everything from the Jump plan for unlimited websites plus the Jetpack security daily license. The Fly plan costs $28.99 per month only.
• The Sell plan is designed for users who want to run an e-commerce store on their WordPress site. This plan includes all of the features of the Fly plan, as well as support for WooCommerce and traffic surge protection. The Sell plan costs $41.99 per month only.

Overall, A2 Hosting’s Managed WordPress Hosting plans are a good option for users who want a hassle-free WordPress hosting experience with strong performance, security, and support. The range of plans means that users can choose the one that best suits their needs and budget.

A2 Hosting VPS Hosting

A2 Hosting’s VPS Hosting plans are designed for users who need more power, control, and flexibility than shared hosting can offer. The company offers a range of plans to suit different needs, including their Lift 4, Lift 8, Lift 16, and Mach 8 plans.

• The Lift 4 plan comes with 4 GB of RAM, 2 Cores CPU, 150 GB of SSD storage, and 2 TB of data transfer. This plan costs $39.99 per month only. The Lift 4 plan also includes free SSL certificates, free Imunify360 security suit, cPanel control and Free site transfer.
• The Lift 8 plan includes everything in the Lift 4 plan as well as 8 GB of RAM, 6 Cores CPU, 250 GB of SSD storage, and 3 TB of data transfer. This plan costs $54.99 per month only.
• The Lift 16 plan includes everything in the Lift 8 plan as well as 16 GB of RAM, 8 Cores CPU, 450 GB of SSD storage, and 4 TB of data transfer. This plan costs $67.99 per month only.
• The Mach 8 plan is designed for users who need even more power. This plan includes everything in the Lift 16 plan 8 GB of RAM, 8 vCPUs, 150 GB of SSD storage, and 2 TB of data transfer. This plan costs $59.99 per month only.

A2 Hosting Performance Review

A2 Hosting is known for its fast website performance due to several factors. Firstly, they use solid-state drives (SSDs) in their servers, which are much faster than traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) used by some other hosting providers.

SSDs are known for their faster read and write speeds, which can greatly improve website loading times. Additionally, A2 Hosting offers Turbo Boost technology, which can increase website performance even further.

Turbo Boost optimizes website files and database queries, as well as leveraging caching to improve website speed. This technology can make website loading times up to 20 times faster than standard hosting.

A2 Hosting Uptime

Based on customer reviews, A2 Hosting’s uptime performance has generally been positive. Many customers have reported that their websites have been up and running consistently with minimal downtime. However, some customers have experienced occasional downtime or slow website loading times, which can be frustrating for website owners.

According to A2 Hosting’s website, they offer a 99.9% uptime guarantee, which means that they strive to keep their customers’ websites up and running 99.9% of the time. If they fail to meet this guarantee, customers may be eligible for a credit on their hosting account.

Many Customers have also reported that A2 Hosting’s uptime is very reliable, with little to no downtime experienced. This is important for businesses that rely on their website to generate revenue or for individuals who want their websites to be available to visitors around the clock.

A2 Hosting Security

A2 Hosting takes website security very seriously and offers several measures to help protect their customers’ websites. Some of their security features include:

1. SSL certificates: A2 Hosting offers free SSL certificates for all their hosting plans, which helps encrypt data transmitted between the website and its visitors, keeping sensitive information secure.
2. Automatic backups: A2 Hosting offers automatic backups of their customers’ website data, which can be restored in case of a security breach or other issues.

A2 Hosting Customer Support

A2 Hosting offers customer support through several channels, including phone, live chat, and a ticketing system. They also provide a knowledge base and community forums where customers can find answers to common questions and connect with other A2 Hosting users.

A2 Hosting’s customer support has also been praised for being knowledgeable and responsive, with many customers reporting quick resolutions to any issues they encountered.

However, some customers have reported longer wait times for phone and live chat support during peak hours, and some have also noted that the quality of support can vary depending on the representative they speak with.

Additionally, some customers have reported issues with the ticketing system, such as delays in response times or difficulty getting their issues resolved.

Overall, A2 Hosting’s customer support seems to be responsive and knowledgeable, but as with any web hosting provider, there may be occasional issues or delays.

A2 Hosting Refund Policy

A2 Hosting offers a refund policy for their customers. They have a 30-day money-back guarantee for all their shared hosting plans, which means that if a customer is not satisfied with their hosting service within the first 30 days, they can request a refund.

To request a refund, customers need to contact A2 Hosting’s billing team through their support portal or by phone. A2 Hosting’s team will then review the refund request and process the refund if the request meets the refund policy’s terms and conditions.

Do We Recommend A2 Hosting? Why?

A2 Hosting is a reliable and affordable web hosting provider that offers a variety of hosting options, including shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated hosting, and reseller hosting.

They offer features such as free SSL certificates, website staging, and easy WordPress installation, making them a popular choice for bloggers, small businesses, and website owners who want a reliable hosting service at an affordable price.

Additionally, A2 Hosting offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee, which means that they promise to keep your website up and running at all times. They also have a strong commitment to website security, offering features such as SSL certificates, hack protection, and automatic backups to help keep your website secure.

Overall, A2 Hosting is a great choice for those looking for a reliable and affordable web hosting provider with user-friendly features, strong security, and responsive customer support.