Netfirms vs Register.com: guide for 2024

Final verdict

Looking over Netfirms vs. Register.com, these two hosting services offer different strengths and weaknesses tailored to distinct user needs.

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  Netfirms (Overall grade: 7.3)
  
  
  stands out for its dedicated hosting options, making it a solid choice for high-traffic websites requiring exclusive resources. The service promises 99.9% uptime and provides eCommerce solutions alongside a 30-day money-back guarantee. With data centers in the USA and Canada, it ensures stable hosting and reliable customer support. It offers scalable bandwidth, unlimited storage options, and a free SSL certificate on all plans, making it versatile for various hosting requirements. However, it lacks WordPress and cloud hosting options, which might limit its appeal for users specifically interested in those areas. Additionally, the absence of a straightforward uptime guarantee may concern some potential customers.
  
• 
  Register.com (Overall grade: 6.6)
  
  
  excels in offering specialized WordPress hosting with an impressive 99.99% uptime guarantee for Unix users, ensuring reliability for business-critical sites. The platform includes robust security features such as SiteLock malware protection, SSL certificates, and CodeGuard backups, making it a reliable choice for smaller businesses focused on security. Although its shared hosting options are limited compared to Netfirms, Register.com compensates with fast performance for WordPress hosting and extensive website analytics tools. However, it falls short in offering VPS and dedicated hosting plans, which could be a drawback for users seeking advanced customization and scalability. Its customer support is well-regarded, but pricing and renewal fees are often cited as higher than industry standards.
  

Hosting types offered

Both platforms provide a variety of hosting types, each designed to meet the different needs of users.

Although both offer a variety of hosting plans tailored to different needs, in
certain cases, one platform may prove to be more suitable.

Detailed comparison

🏆 Winner
Register.com: High uptime guarantee with advanced security features and comprehensive hosting solutions.

Netfirms offers reliable performance with a promise of 99.9% uptime, yet it lacks a clear uptime guarantee on its official site. With data centers in the USA and Canada, it provides stable hosting facilities backed by 24/7 customer support. Netfirms’ 30-day money-back guarantee adds a layer of trust for new users.

Register.com stands out with its 99.99% uptime guarantee for Unix users and 99.9% for Microsoft users. The inclusion of SSL certificates, SiteLock malware protection, and CodeGuard backup in its plans add substantial value. Its customer support is consistently available around the clock, making it a solid option for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

🏆 Winner
Register.com: A reliable and fast hosting service with excellent customer support and security features.

When comparing the general performance of Netfirms and Register.com, several factors come into play. Register.com’s WordPress hosting stands out with load times reportedly twice as fast as competitors, which speaks volumes about its performance. Both hosts guarantee a 99.9% uptime, ensuring website reliability. While Netfirms offers different hosting plans with customizable options and free SSL certificates, Register.com’s use of multiple servers to manage files offers added protection against server crashes. Register.com also includes SiteLock malware scanning and removal, enhancing website security. Both providers offer 24/7 customer support, but Register.com edges out Netfirms with its variety of reliable and fast hosting options, making it a better choice for most users.

Website Speed

Website speed is a crucial factor for user experience and SEO. Register.com’s hosting is optimized for speed, especially for WordPress sites, promising load times that are up to twice as fast as its competitors. While Netfirms also provides scalable bandwidth and powerful resources, its speed metrics are not as prominently highlighted. Register.com’s strong focus on performance, supported by quicker load times and efficient server use, gives it an edge in delivering fast, responsive websites.

Scalability

Scalability is another area where both hosting providers offer robust solutions. Netfirms provides scalable plans that can grow with your site’s needs, and they offer dedicated hosting options for those who require more power and resources. On the other hand, Register.com’s hosting solutions are designed to accommodate business growth smoothly. While specific details on automatic scaling and the cost of upgrading plans for Register.com are not provided, they do mention that upgrading your plan as your business grows is straightforward. Both providers have dedicated server options, but Netfirms’ greater focus on providing extensive customization may benefit users needing high flexibility.

🏆 Winner Register.com: Register.com offers a robust suite of security features that ensure data protection and regulatory compliance.

Technical security measures:

Netfirms provides a variety of SSL certificates, ranging from domain-validated to high-warranty e-commerce SSL, all backed by Comodo with warranties up to $1.75M. They also offer SiteLock security plans with various levels of malware protection. Register.com similarly provides strong 256-bit encryption SSL certificates, including Extended Validation (EV) and Organization Validation (OV). However, Register.com has an edge with its extended options such as customizable error pages and raw log file access for detailed monitoring.

Operational security measures:

Both providers offer GDPR compliance, but Netfirms includes domain privacy and protection, blacklist monitoring, and domain security alerts. Register.com offers comprehensive malware scanning and automatic malware removal through SiteLock Premium, website backups via CodeGuard, and password protection for website access. Netfirms stands out with its versatile SiteLock security plans that include response times and vulnerability patching at higher tiers.

Compliance and certifications:

Netfirms ensures GDPR compliance and explicitly supports PCI compliance, assisting online retailers with processing credit cards securely. Register.com masks personally identifiable information for EU residents and also supports PCI compliance through its SSL certificates. Both providers delineate data processor and controller roles but do not specify HIPAA compliance.

🏆 Winner: Register.com: A robust hosting provider offering a comprehensive suite of features designed to meet a wide range of website needs.

Both Netfirms and Register.com bring a variety of features to the table, making it essential to dig into the specifics to see which one might better suit your needs. Netfirms offers a free domain name for the first year, along with scalable bandwidth and unlimited storage across all its plans. For those looking for enhanced security, Netfirms provides a free SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt on all plans. They also cater to eCommerce needs and offer a range of marketing tools. Netfirms’ website builder capabilities are not explicitly outlined, which might be a consideration for those new to website creation or those requiring advanced customization options.

In contrast, Register.com shines with its in-depth feature set including an easy-to-use website builder, password protection, and a rich library of open-source applications. Their unique features such as the ability to reset file permissions and manage multiple domains through domain pointers are particularly beneficial for technically inclined users. While Register.com does not explicitly mention a free domain for the first year or free SSL certificates, their robust feature list may make up for these omissions, especially with the detailed website analytics tools and media streaming options.

Both providers don’t explicitly list extensive email hosting services within their hosting plans. Netfirms doesn’t mention email functionalities at all, whereas Register.com’s focus isn’t on email but on detailed website management and customization tools. Therefore, if email hosting is a crucial factor for your decision, you might need additional third-party services to complement your hosting plan with either provider.

🏆 Winner
Netfirms: Offering competitive pricing and extensive features for various hosting plans.

Evaluating the pricing of plans among various hosting providers can be complex due to their differing pricing and renewal strategies. Additionally, certain plans require annual commitments, which adds to the difficulty of making comparisons. The prices listed are based on monthly commitments; plans requiring annual commitments are indicated. Additionally, although some providers offer identical plans for WordPress and shared hosting, we have created separate tables for each to enhance clarity.

In comparing the pricing plans between Netfirms and Register.com, Netfirms offers detailed options for Shared and SSL hosting, making it easier to find a plan tailored to different needs. While Register.com does not specify prices and is curated more towards smaller to medium-sized enterprises with limited disk space and email boxes, Netfirms has a wider range of unlimited offerings. Features such as scalability, unlimited storage, free SSL certificates, and enhanced e-commerce solutions with various plans increase the value-for-price rating.

Enterprise plans

For enterprises, Netfirms offers comprehensive Business Plans priced at $14.95/month, providing unlimited websites, storage, bandwidth, databases, FTP logins, and subdomains, along with free SSL certificates. Register.com’s Premium Hosting plan also supports 10 websites with unlimited disk space and is equipped with SiteLock Premium and SSL for security, though it lacks the extensive unlimited features of Netfirms. Both providers service large-scale needs effectively; however, Netfirms offers more flexibility and scalability for enterprise growth.

🏆 Winner Register.com: Register.com simplifies website setup and management through intuitive tools and features.

Netfirms utilizes an integrated control panel that combines domain management, hosting, and Google Workspace in one place. This consolidation aids user convenience but might slightly overwhelm users new to web hosting. The accessible design, however, ensures both technical and non-technical users can navigate through essential functions. Their onboarding assistance and 24/7 support also ease the learning curve for beginners, making setup more seamless.

Register.com provides a traditional cPanel alongside a custom website builder. The cPanel is well-known in the industry for its straightforwardness and flexibility, making it user-friendly for both new and experienced users. The additional custom website builder caters to those less familiar with technical aspects, offering templates and drag-and-drop functionality. This combination of tools ensures that users of all experience levels can set up and manage their sites with minimal hassle.

Netfirms supports site migration but lacks specific automated tools for this process. Assistance from customer service is available, yet the process may be manual and somewhat time-consuming. While useful, it does not stand out as a core feature. Register.com, on the other hand, offers site migration tools that streamline this process. Tools like the 1-Click Install and additional support services make migrations more accessible, helping users transition their sites with fewer hitches and at no extra cost.

The platforms provide extensive knowledge bases filled with guides, how-to articles, and instructional content. Netfirms’ knowledge base includes articles on backup and restore processes, adding WordPress users, and GDPR compliance. Their 24/7 customer service via chat and phone enhances accessibility. Register.com also provides a comprehensive help center with detailed FAQs, ethical hacking reports, and accessibility support. Their MyTime Support aids users in setting up products and completing tasks effectively.

🏆 Winner Netfirms: Netfirms exhibits a broad range of capabilities when it comes to managing user roles, permissions, and accessibility. It provides a variety of predefined roles such as Administrator, Editor, Author, Contributor, and Subscriber, which cater to different levels of access and user needs. Register.com, on the other hand, lacks specific information regarding user management and roles, making it challenging to evaluate its offerings in this aspect. The flexibility Netfirms offers in defining roles and permissions makes it a more versatile choice for website administrators looking to tailor access levels precisely.

The user interface in Netfirms’ WordPress dashboard is streamlined for the effective creation and management of user roles. With an easy-to-navigate design, administrators can quickly add new users, assign roles, and set permissions. Although there is no available information about the user management tools offered by Register.com, the detailed step-by-step instructions provided by Netfirms underscore its usability and beginner-friendly nature. This makes Netfirms a reliable option for both new and experienced users.

Access control measures in Netfirms are notably effective, with specific roles delineating clear boundaries of what users can and cannot do. This structure supports efficient management of a growing number of users by preventing unauthorized actions and ensuring smooth operations. The absence of details about Register.com’s access control capabilities leaves a gap in understanding its effectiveness in this area. Netfirms’ well-defined roles make it easier to manage large user bases, offering a scalable solution for growing websites.

Netfirms User Roles Table:

🏆 Winner Netfirms: Offers quick, knowledgeable responses and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Netfirms and Register.com both provide 24/7 availability for live chat support, but Netfirms also offers priority support for its highest tier plans, making it a strong contender for users who need prompt assistance. Netfirms’ phone support is available round the clock with impressive response times and knowledgeable representatives, giving users an edge in urgent situations. Netfirms also includes a ticketing system that’s readily accessible.

Register.com, on the other hand, features segmented contact options with various numbers for different types of support, though they do provide live chat and phone support as well. Their ticketing system has an average response time of 24 hours, and they offer a range of additional resources for customer support. However, they don’t feature priority support for business plans, which might be a drawback for some users looking for expedited problem resolution.

User feedback

Based on user reviews, the hosting provider appears to offer decent uptime and moderately reliable customer support. However, users frequently report slow server performance and connectivity issues that significantly hamper the experience. While some appreciate the low costs and basic domain registration services, others criticize the clunky system, confusing server setup, and unreliability, especially when working with CMS tools. Overall, the service seems better suited for those with low budgets and high patience.

Customer feedback on Register.com is notably polarized. A significant number of users commend the platform for its easy-to-use interface, extensive template selection, and generally satisfactory customer service, emphasizing that it meets basic web hosting and domain registration needs effectively. However, many users also express frustration over high costs, slow response times, and unaddressed technical issues such as unreliable email services and slow page loading speeds. While some customers have had positive long-term experiences, others warn against the service due to unreliability and poor customer support, resulting in business losses and dissatisfaction.

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