SiteGround and WP Engine are both reputable hosting providers, but they target different user needs. SiteGround is a great option for budget-conscious users who value customer support and ease of use. WP Engine is better suited for larger businesses or those with high-traffic WordPress sites requiring top-tier performance and security.
At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side
software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your
business goals.
This comparison was created by analysing 645 reviews and 60
websites, saving 4 hours, 5 minutes of reading.
SiteGround is a website hosting platform used by businesses of all sizes. They offer various hosting services, including reseller hosting, managed WordPress hosting, cloud hosting, and more. SiteGround focuses on providing fast and secure hosting solutions with easy-to-use management tools. They are known for their strong customer support and specialized tools for WordPress users.
WP Engine is a leading provider of managed hosting specifically designed for WordPress websites. They offer a range of plans suitable for businesses of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises. WP Engine is known for its high-performance infrastructure, robust security features, and expert WordPress support. Their focus is on delivering a fast, secure, and reliable platform for businesses to build and manage their WordPress websites with ease.
Summary
Main difference
SiteGround offers more affordable plans and strong customer support, making it a good starting point for smaller businesses or those new to WordPress. WP Engine provides superior performance, advanced security features, and specialized WordPress expertise, catering to businesses with high-traffic sites and complex needs.
Relative strengths of SiteGround (compared to WP Engine)
More affordable pricing, especially for smaller businesses or those starting out.
Excellent customer support, known for responsiveness and helpfulness.
User-friendly interface for managing websites and hosting services.
Relative weaknesses of SiteGround (compared to WP Engine)
Performance can be less consistent than WP Engine, especially under high traffic.
Security features, while present, are not as advanced as WP Engine.
Fewer specialized WordPress tools and expertise compared to WP Engine.
What companies are using SiteGround and WP Engine?
SiteGround offers fast and secure website hosting with exceptional customer support. Users praise the easy-to-use interface and seamless WordPress integration, but some have noted high renewal costs and occasional traffic blocks. Best for businesses prioritizing performance and ease of use.
WP Engine offers managed WordPress hosting known for its performance, security, and support. Users praise the easy setup, reliable uptime, and robust security features. However, some find the cost higher than other options and dislike the limitations on site traffic and storage. Ideal for businesses of all sizes needing a hassle-free WordPress experience.
Ideal for businesses of all sizes, especially those using WordPress.
Strong fit for industries like healthcare, finance, education, and media, where secure and reliable hosting is critical.
Best for small businesses (1-100 employees), medium businesses (101-1000 employees), and large enterprises (1000+ employees).
Particularly well-suited for E-commerce, Software/IT/Telecommunications, and Marketing/Advertising.
SiteGround and WP Engine features
Supported
Partially supported
Not supported
Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need
Managed WordPress Hosting
10
sources
Supported
SiteGround offers managed WordPress hosting, handling technical complexities so businesses can focus on content.
Supported
WP Engine is a managed WordPress hosting platform handling technical complexities so businesses can focus on content.
Performance Optimization
10
sources
Supported
SiteGround optimizes WordPress sites for speed with its own plugin and Cloudflare integration.
Supported
WP Engine optimizes WordPress sites for speed and user experience with features like caching and a CDN.
Website Security
10
sources
Supported
SiteGround offers malware scanning, intrusion detection, and DDoS mitigation.
Supported
WP Engine offers advanced security measures, including malware scanning, intrusion detection, and DDoS mitigation.
Drag and drop editor
10
sources
Supported
SiteGround offers a drag-and-drop website builder powered by Weebly.
Partially supported
WP Engine supports drag and drop website building via third-party WordPress page builders.
Website templates
10
sources
Partially supported
SiteGround supports templates primarily via third-party integrations like WordPress.
Supported
WP Engine offers pre-designed and customizable website templates, including StudioPress themes and curated site templates.
Subdomain management
10
sources
Supported
SiteGround supports creating and managing subdomains through its Site Tools platform.
Supported
WP Engine allows creating and managing subdomains through the user portal and DNS configuration.
Browse all features
Qualities
Value and Pricing Transparency
-0.43
Rather negative sentiment
No data
Customer Service
+0.8
Strongly positive sentiment
No data
Ease of Use
+0.87
Strongly positive sentiment
No data
Reliability and Performance
+0.54
Rather positive sentiment
No data
Ease of Implementation
+1
Strongly positive sentiment
No data
Scalability
-1
Strongly negative sentiment
No data
SiteGround and WP Engine Pricing
SiteGround offers reseller hosting plans suitable for various needs. The GrowBig plan allows managing multiple websites with collaborator access. The GoGeek and Cloud plans offer white-label hosting services, enabling clients to manage sites without SiteGround branding. The Cloud plan provides custom package configuration and user access management.
All plans include end-to-end management features like fully managed WP, PHP & MySQL updates, Site Speed Boost with EverCache, transferable sites, activity log, advanced user permissions, edge content delivery with global CDN, flexible site copy tools, daily & on-demand backups, free automated migration plugin, and dev, staging, and production environments.
Plans
$25 per site/monthStartup
Essential WordPress® tools to efficiently manage websites with simplicity, reliability, and ease.
$50 per site/monthProfessional
Enhanced features and performance with expert services to support scalability and growth.
$96 per site/monthGrowth
Enhanced features and performance with expert services to support scalability and growth.
$242 per site/monthScale
Enhanced features and performance with expert services to support scalability and growth.
$400 per site/monthCore
Advanced performance and security with advisory services to reliably power mission-critical sites.
CustomEnterprise
Advanced performance and security with advisory services to reliably power mission-critical sites.
Exceptional customer support, readily available and highly knowledgeable.
Fast and reliable hosting with minimal reported downtime.
Easy-to-use interface for website management, especially for WordPress users.
Blazing fast site speeds, often attributed to their server infrastructure and optimization tools.
Seamless website migration process, often handled by SiteGround support.
Exceptional customer support, highly praised for responsiveness and expertise
Easy setup and management of WordPress sites, even for non-technical users
Reliable uptime and performance, ensuring site availability and speed
Robust security features, including automatic updates and daily backups
Seamless staging environment for testing changes before deployment
Users dislike
Unjustified Traffic Blocks: SiteGround blocks legitimate traffic at the slightest temporary increase.
Cryptic Messaging: Their messages are cryptic and often induce panic.
High renewal costs make it difficult to stay with the service long-term.
Email marketing add-on has yielded poor results for some users.
Recent switch from SolarWinds spam protection to SiteGround's own system has led to increased spam and email deliverability issues.
High cost compared to other hosting options, but often cited as "worth it"
Limitations on site traffic and storage can be problematic
Lack of direct file access (e.g., no Cpanel or equivalent) requires FTP
Occasional caching issues require manual purging or support intervention
Aggressive upselling and sales calls can be bothersome
SiteGround and WP Engine Ratings
G2
4.3/5
(272)
Capterra
4.6/5
(68)
Glassdoor
3.9/5
(61)
G2
4.6/5
(285)
Glassdoor
3.9/5
(449)
Company health
Employee growth
5% increase in the last year
No change in the last year
Web traffic
3% decrease in the last quarter
21% decrease in the last quarter
Financing
No data
September 2017 - $291M
How do SiteGround's email deliverability issues compare to WP Engine's?
SiteGround has recently experienced increased spam and email deliverability issues attributed to a switch from SolarWinds spam protection to their own system. WP Engine has no reported widespread email deliverability problems and focuses on providing a reliable and secure platform, suggesting fewer potential email-related disruptions.
Which product offers better control for technically savvy users?
WP Engine offers better control for technically savvy users. While SiteGround provides tools like DNS and subdomain management, WP Engine's focus on performance optimization, advanced security measures, and a staging environment provides more granular control over the server environment and website behavior. This, along with the ability to leverage the full power of WordPress and its ecosystem, makes WP Engine more suitable for users who require a high degree of technical control.
What are the advantages of SiteGround?
SiteGround offers more affordable initial pricing compared to WP Engine, making it a better option for budget-conscious users. SiteGround provides a broader range of hosting services beyond managed WordPress hosting, including shared hosting, cloud hosting, and reseller hosting, catering to diverse needs. Users praise SiteGround's exceptional customer support and easy-to-use interface, especially for WordPress users, contributing to a positive user experience. SiteGround's focus on fast and reliable hosting, combined with their specialized tools for WordPress, makes it a strong choice for WordPress users.
What are the disadvantages of SiteGround?
SiteGround's disadvantages include high renewal costs, cryptic error messages that can cause confusion, and recent email deliverability issues due to a change in their spam protection system. Some users also report unjustified traffic blocks and ineffective email marketing add-ons.
Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT
management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs
of any business and find solutions to its problems.
TT
Tymon Terlikiewicz
CTO at Gralio
Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech
department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX,
HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.
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