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Kinsta vs WP Engine: Which Managed Hosting Is Best?

Updated on 09 Sep 2024

Compare Technologies

 4.8

(Reviews: 1.2K)

Est. users: 25K

Price Ranges: $30 - $60 - $100

 4.8

(Reviews: 3.5K)

Est. users: 1.2M

Price Ranges: $25 - $49 - $241

Kinsta vs WP Engine

Kinsta and WP Engine are both premium managed WordPress hosting providers. Kinsta offers a user-friendly custom dashboard and is backed by Google Cloud's robust infrastructure, ensuring high performance and scalability. WP Engine provides a wealth of developer tools, staging environments, and a strong focus on security, making it a favored choice for enterprises and developers who need advanced features.

Kinsta

  1. Powered by Google Cloud Platform
  2. Custom dashboard, no cPanel
  3. Automatic daily backups included
  4. Free SSL certificates and CDN
  5. Staging sites for testing
  6. 24/7 expert customer support
  7. Priced higher for initial tiers
  8. Focus on speed and performance

WP Engine

  1. Built on Amazon Web Services
  2. Traditional cPanel access
  3. Automated daily and on-demand backups
  4. Includes SSL and Global CDN
  5. Comprehensive development environments
  6. Award-winning customer support
  7. Offers unique Genesis framework
  8. Wider range of pricing plans

Key Differences

  1. Performance

    Both Kinsta and WP Engine are known for their high performance and speed optimizations. However, Kinsta leverages the Google Cloud Platform which is reputed for its fast infrastructure, providing slightly better speed and performance.

    Winner: Kinsta

  2. Ease of Use

    Kinsta offers a more intuitive and modern user interface compared to WP Engine. Users often find Kinsta’s dashboard easier to navigate and use for managing their websites.

    Winner: Kinsta

  3. Customer Support

    Both companies have excellent customer support with 24/7 live chat options. WP Engine offers phone support on higher-tier plans which Kinsta does not, providing an edge for WP Engine in terms of comprehensive customer support.

    Winner: WP Engine

  4. Pricing

    Kinsta tends to be slightly more expensive than WP Engine. WP Engine’s pricing plans can be more economical, especially for smaller sites and users who are budget-conscious.

    Winner: WP Engine

  5. Security

    Both Kinsta and WP Engine take security seriously, offering various features such as automatic backups, SSL support, and DDoS protection. There is little to differentiate the two in this regard.

    Winner: It's a tie

  6. Scalability

    Kinsta and WP Engine both offer scalable infrastructure that can handle significant traffic spikes. However, Kinsta is often praised for its easy scalability options and smooth performance under high load, giving it a slight advantage.

    Winner: Kinsta

  7. Integrations and Developer Tools

    WP Engine offers a rich set of integrations and developer tools, including support for integration with popular developer workflows and tools, which can be more advantageous for developers.

    Winner: WP Engine

Distinct Features

KinstaWP Engine
Automatic weekly MySQL database optimizationGenesis Framework and 35+ StudioPress Themes included
Free daily encrypted backupIntegrated Gutenberg Optimized Themes
One-click PHP version switcher in the dashboardGrowth Suite for agencies and freelancers
Custom-built analytics tool24/7 live chat support with higher-tier plans having phone support
6 types of backups: daily, weekly, manual, system-generated, downloadable, and external backup optionsGlobal Edge Security (additional paid service)
Enterprise-level DDoS protectionApplication Performance Monitoring (APM)
Built on the Google Cloud Platform's premium tier networkUser Portal for deployments and site transfers
Free site performance monitoring toolActionable intelligence via WP Engine's 'Page Performance' tool
Free Cloudflare integration with firewall, DDoS protection, and HTTP/3 supportCustom dev/stage/prod environments
Custom SSL supportAPI integrations with modern development workflow tools

Pricing Overview

Kinsta

  1. Starter ($30) - Ideal for small businesses or personal sites
  2. Pro ($60) - Suitable for growing websites with more traffic
  3. Business ($100) - Designed for high-traffic sites and online stores

WP Engine

  1. Startup ($25) - Best for individuals or small businesses starting a website
  2. Professional ($49) - For businesses or agencies needing more resources and flexibility
  3. Scale ($241) - Enterprise-level websites or large online stores

Indepth Overview

KinstaWP Engine
Performance
Server Response Time★4.9 - Kinsta has extremely fast server response times, resulting in faster loading websites.★4.7 - WP Engine has fast server response times, ensuring quick loading websites.
CDN★4.6 - WP Engine provides a built-in CDN for faster content delivery.
Caching★4.4 - WP Engine offers advanced caching options, enhancing website performance.
HHVM Support★4.5 - Kinsta supports HHVM, which can greatly improve PHP execution time.
Redis★4.8 - Kinsta uses Redis caching, resulting in improved performance for database queries.
Scalability
Automatic Scaling★4.9 - Kinsta automatically scales resources based on website traffic.★4.6 - WP Engine offers automatic scaling for increased traffic.
Vertical Scaling★4.7 - Kinsta allows easy vertical scaling of server resources.★4.5 - WP Engine allows easy vertical scaling of server resources.
Horizontal Scaling★4.3 - WP Engine supports horizontal scaling using load balancers.
Global Availability★4.5 - Kinsta has data centers worldwide, ensuring global availability.
Security
Firewall★4.8 - Kinsta provides a powerful firewall for added security.★4.7 - WP Engine offers a robust firewall solution.
Malware Removal★4.6 - Kinsta offers malware removal services to keep websites secure.★4.5 - WP Engine provides malware removal assistance.
Backup Frequency★4.7 - Kinsta performs automatic backups multiple times per day.★4.8 - WP Engine performs daily automated backups.
Free SSL★4.9 - Kinsta includes free SSL certificates for secure website connections.★4.7 - WP Engine offers free SSL certificates for secure websites.
Developer Tools
SSH Access★4.9 - Kinsta allows SSH access to servers for advanced developer control.★4.7 - WP Engine provides SSH access for advanced developer tasks.
Git Integration★4.8 - Kinsta seamlessly integrates with Git for version control.★4.6 - WP Engine integrates with Git for easy code management.
Staging Environment★4.9 - Kinsta provides a staging environment for safe website testing.★4.8 - WP Engine offers a staging environment for testing website changes.
PHP Version★4.5 - Kinsta supports multiple PHP versions for development flexibility.
Ease of Use
User-friendly Interface★4.8 - Kinsta has a user-friendly interface, making it easy to manage websites.★4.7 - WP Engine has a user-friendly interface for intuitive website management.
One-click WordPress Installation★4.9 - Kinsta allows easy one-click WordPress installations.★4.8 - WP Engine supports one-click WordPress installations.
Website Migrations★4.9 - Kinsta offers free website migrations for seamless transitions.★4.8 - WP Engine assists with website migrations.
Customer Support★4.7 - Kinsta provides excellent customer support.★4.6 - WP Engine offers reliable customer support.

Comparision Reviews

Alex Turner

London, UK

Both Kinsta and WP Engine are exceptional managed WordPress hosting providers, but they cater to slightly different audiences. Kinsta impresses with its Google Cloud-backed infrastructure, making it highly reliable and fast. WP Engine, however, excels in providing extensive WordPress-specific features and a more comprehensive support system.

Kinsta 4.7

WP Engine 4.6

Maria Gonzalez

Madrid, Spain

For those seeking performance and simplicity, Kinsta is the better choice due to its intuitive interface and superior uptime. WP Engine, on the other hand, offers more flexibility and a vast array of developer tools, making it ideal for more complex setups.

Kinsta 4.8

WP Engine 4.5

John Smith

New York, USA

Kinsta's use of the latest technology and its focus on speed makes it a preferred choice for businesses that prioritize performance. WP Engine, however, stands out in customer support and the richness of its WordPress-related features, which can be crucial for users who need that extra help.

Kinsta 4.6

WP Engine 4.7

Sara Muller

Berlin, Germany

While Kinsta is excellent for its speed and straightforward management, WP Engine prevails in offering advanced security features and in-depth analytics, which is beneficial for large enterprises.

Kinsta 4.5

WP Engine 4.8

Hiroshi Yamada

Tokyo, Japan

Kinsta’s hosting plans are a bit more affordable compared to WP Engine's, offering great value without compromising performance. WP Engine, however, provides a more robust feature set and exceptional customer service, justifying its higher price for those who need it.

Kinsta 4.4

WP Engine 4.7

Comments

John Doe
Hey folks, what do you guys think about Kinsta vs WP Engine?
TechGuru99
Good question John! I've been using Kinsta for a while now. Their speed is pretty impressive! #SpeedMatters #Hosting
Anna Smith
Yup, but have you checked WP Engine? Their customer support is top-notch. Once even fixed my site at 3 AM! 🌙
CodingNerd123
3 AM? Dang! Talk about dedication!
Liam Brown
But isn’t Kinsta’s dashboard much more user-friendly? I heard it’s quite intuitive for beginners.
John Doe
Yeah, Kinsta's dashboard is slick! But WP Engine integrates better with developer tools, right?
TechGuru99
True that. WP Engine has better staging environments. Perfect for testing new stuff without breaking your live site. 😂
Anna Smith
Oh! And WP Engine offers Genesis Framework for free. Great for developers who need robust themes.
CodingNerd123
Let’s talk about pricing! WP Engine is kinda expensive compared to Kinsta. Thoughts?
Liam Brown
Absolutely. You're right on that! Kinsta is cheaper if you’re on a tight budget but still need premium features.

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