Both A2 Hosting and InMotion Hosting provide a comprehensive range of hosting services, including Shared, VPS, Dedicated, and Reseller Hosting.
InMotion Hosting shines with a 90-day money-back guarantee and superior customer support, including phone support. A2 Hosting, however, caters well to developers with environments like Node.js in shared hosting and offers more global server locations. Despite both having significant renewal price increases, InMotion generally boasts better overall performance ratings.
InMotion Hosting vs A2 Hosting Ratings
Host Service Offering
| Feature | A2 Hosting | InMotion Hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting Services | Shared, VPS, Dedicated, and Reseller Hosting | Shared, VPS, Dedicated, Cloud, and Reseller Hosting |
| Specialized Services | Managed WordPress, Email, and Game Server Hosting | Managed WordPress, Email, and Game Server Hosting |
| Server Locations | USA, Netherlands, Singapore | USA, Netherlands |
| Control Panel | cPanel | cPanel |
| Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% | 99.9% |
| Money Back (Days) | 30 | 90 |
| Free Migration | Yes | Yes |
| Support Channels | Live chat and email | Phone, live chat, and email |
Plans & Pricing
| Hosting Type | A2 Hosting | InMotion Hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Shared Hosting | $2.99 - 14.99/mo | $3.19 - 10.99/mo |
| VPS Hosting | $2.99 - 99.99/mo | $9.99 - 44.99/mo |
| Dedicated Hosting | $109.99 - 529.99/mo | $35.00 - 249.99/mo |
| Cloud Hosting | $ - /mo | $6.00 - 224.00/mo |
| Managed WP Hosting | $11.99 - 41.99/mo | $3.29 - 12.75/mo |
| Windows Hosting | $ - /mo | $ - /mo |
| Coupon | - | - |
| Coupon Details | - | - |
Development Features & Others
| Feature | A2 Hosting | InMotion Hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Language Support | PHP, Java, Python, Node.js, Django, Perl, and Ruby on Rails | PHP, Python, Node.js, Django, Perl, and Ruby on Rails |
| Dev Features | GIT access, WP-CLI, cron jobs, Multiple PHP versions, and SSH access | GIT access, WP-CLI, cron jobs, Multiple PHP versions, and SSH access |
| Staging Tool | Softaculous | Softaculous |
| Free SSL | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Cache | Higher plans | Yes |
| Global CDN | Yes | No |
| Free Malware Scan | Yes | Yes |
| DDoS Protection | Yes | Yes |
| Web Application Firewall (WAF) | Yes | Yes |
Our Recommendation
Key Differentials
- Money-Back Guarantee: InMotion Hosting offers a more extended risk-free trial with a 90-day money-back guarantee, compared to A2 Hosting’s 30-day period.
- Customer Support: InMotion Hosting provides more comprehensive support, including phone support, which is advantageous for users who prefer multiple customer service channels.
- Cloud Hosting: Users seeking cloud hosting solutions will find them available with InMotion Hosting, which A2 Hosting does not offer.
- Performance and Reliability: InMotion Hosting generally boasts better overall performance ratings, making it a more reliable choice for many users.
- Development Environments: A2 Hosting provides special development environments like Node.js and Tomcat in its affordable shared hosting plans, a significant advantage for developers.
- Additional Features: InMotion Hosting includes free website migrations and advanced caching, which can improve website speed and user experience.
Final Verdict
Overall, we prefer InMotion Hosting for its superior customer service, cloud hosting options, and generous money-back guarantee.
About A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting's origins trace back to 2003 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where it was founded by Bryan Muthig. Starting as a hobby project offering web hosting for friends and family, A2 Hosting swiftly transitioned into a professional business focusing on high-performance hosting solutions, particularly for WordPress sites. Responding to customer demands for speed and reliability, A2 Hosting pioneered SSD hosting to boost website loading times and developed the A2 Optimized solution, enhancing WordPress site performance through optimized settings for speed and security.
A2 Hosting Pros
- Server locations in North America, Europe, and Asia
- Free website migration assistance
- Developer-oriented features even on shared hosting
- Custom performance optimizations tools available in higher shared plans
A2 Hosting Cons
- Steep price increase during the renewal
- Free site transfers mainly for cPanel installations
- HTTP/2 only on TURBO plans
- Lowest shared plan does not support automatic backup
About InMotion Hosting
InMotion Hosting, established in 2001 by Sunil Saxena and Todd Robinson in Los Angeles, California, has grown to become a well-regarded name in the web hosting industry. The company's foundation by industry veterans is reflective of its deep commitment to offering reliable and user-friendly hosting solutions.
InMotion Hosting Pros
- Affordable pricing
- Lowest shared hosting plan supports Python, Node.JS, Ruby and GIT version control
- Choice of data center locations in the United States and Europe
- Free AutoSSL
- Built-in hack, DDoS, and malware protection
- 90-day money back guarantee
- Free website migration services
InMotion Hosting Cons
- Lower shared hosting plans lack speed optimization
- Price increase during the renewal
