Kinsta Review 2024: One of the best hosting providers in the world?

At $30/mo, Kinsta Hosting is in the same price range as Rocket. But can they keep up with the world WordPress hosting leader?

First of all, I am using Rocket.net for $25/ mo. I get much more power than Kinsta offers; even if I paid $100 more, I still would get more power at Rocket Hosting. You can read my review of Rocket.net here.

So, that said, I can't recommend Kinsta. They are one of the best when it comes to marketing, but their package deal is not that great. Yes, it's a great host, but when can you get more for less?

What is Kinsta hosting?

Kinsta is one of the top-managed WordPress hosting companies in the market. The company has built a strong reputation for user-friendly, fast, stable, and secure hosting.

The company is focused on providing top-notch performance, an extensive range of features, and excellent customer support. All these are the unique factors that differentiate them from other hosting providers.

Key Things to Know:

• Kinsta delivers state-of-the-art managed WordPress hosting services that prioritize performance and reliability.
• It offers exceptional real-time customer support delivered by seasoned developers and engineers.
• Kinsta delivers fast, secure, and reliable hosting thanks to its advanced technologies and a global network of data centers.
• Its hosting features prioritize customizable security rules, seamless site management, and performance-enhancing tools.

What are the Key Features of Kinsta Hosting?

Top performance ranks high among Kinsta features. Kinsta is not big on optional add-ons compared to many hosting solution providers. Instead, it focuses on delivering features that improve performance and maximize users’ control over their hosting experience.

In reviewing the features, I’ll highlight 10 unique features that distinguish this platform.

#1: Kinsta Leverages Google Cloud Platform

If there’s anything Google Cloud Platform is known for, it’s the exceptional management for scalability and web performance. By leveraging the Google Cloud Platform, Kinsta offers its users complete access to the same infrastructure Google uses for all its products.

These include Google Search, YouTube, and other products. By the way, Kinsta doesn’t use the cheaper Standard tier. It uses the Premium tier, which employs Google’s global network with unrivaled service quality.

In addition to driving its hosting services with one of the most reliable and extensive networks, Kinsta also utilizes a hosting stack made up of the latest technologies.

Here are what you get with Kinsta Managed WordPress host services:

• PHP 7.2 – Compared to older versions of PHP, PHP 7.2 delivers exceptional security and performance benefits. Of course, you can opt for the older version if you want.
• HTTP/2 – This delivers great improvement over the older version (HTTP/1). It also makes SSL faster.
• NGINX – When you think of performance under scale, NGINX is the in-thing. It beats the Apache server used by several hosts hands down.
• LXD Container – This keeps your WordPress site totally isolated, which means you don’t have to share server resources with anyone. It also means improved security.
• MariaDB – Instead of MySQL databases used by many providers, Kinsta uses MariaDB, which delivers optimal performance.
• Premium DNS – Think of faster performance; think of Premium DNS. This is a better option compared to the free DNS you get from regular domain registrars.

In addition to all these, Kinsta also has lots of developer-friendly features. These include Git, SSH, reverse proxy support, and more.

#2: Better Security Features

It’s no news that WordPress powers a large chunk of all websites on the Internet. Actually, it powers more than 45% of all websites on the Internet. What does this mean in terms of security?

Simple – WordPress site owners must go the extra mile to keep their sites safe because they’re prone to malicious hackers. Although you are responsible for the safety of your site, Kinsta takes the responsibility right out of your hands.

The platform has WordPress-specific security rules and hardware firewalls. So, let’s say some malicious activities get through (which is almost impossible with the security features); Kinsta provides a hack fix. What does this mean?

The service provider will clean your website for free and restore it to its normal working condition. In addition, they offer tools to help users secure logins for their Kinsta accounts and WordPress accounts.

Here’s what Kinsta does on your WordPress account:

• Bans an IP automatically after 6 failed login attempts
• Compels the use of strong password

Additionally, the company offers two-factor authentication to secure users' hosting accounts. It also has multi-user permissions to enable access to developers and others who only want to view billing details. It’s worth mentioning that this feature is not common among hosting companies in the market.

#3: Free SSL Certificates

So, I talked about the security measures put in place to guide against hackers on your site. That’s not all. Kinsta also offers free SSL certificates through “Let’s Encrypt.” Let me mention here that you need both SSL and HTTPS to maintain optimal security of your site. 

These two elements encrypt data sent across your site server to make it more secure. SSL offers standard security advantages and SEO ranking benefits. In addition, an SSL certificate also ensures the safety of your login credentials.

If you ever log in to your WordPress website using public Wi-Fi, your login details are protected from prying eyes. The best part is that you can install Kinsta’s free SSL certificates with only a few clicks.

By the way, the hosting provider automatically renews your certificate, so it doesn’t expire.

#4: Ditch cPanel and Embrace Custom Hosting Dashboard

If your site is hosted in one of the cheap shared hosting platforms, you’re surely conversant with cPanel. Most hosting companies offer cPanel to site owners to manage their servers. Don’t get me wrong – cPanel is functional.

However, when you consider beginner-friendliness and seamless usability, cPanel won’t rank close to the top. With Kinsta, however, you get a custom dashboard to manage your website.

#5: Server-level Caching

Kinsta ditched caching plugins and offers server-level caching. Caching plugins are one of the renowned methods of speeding up a WordPress website. However, Kinsta takes caching a notch higher.

You don’t have to download and install any plugins because the platform implements caching at the server level. In other words, without doing anything extra, you enjoy the four caching types implemented by Kinsta. These are:

• Page cache
• CDN cache
• Bytecode cache
• Object cache

While the platform implements caching at the server level, you can also manage it from your WordPress dashboard. For instance, you can clear the whole cache and enter URL/URL paths to purge automatically when you update your site.

If you’re a traditional website owner who can’t do without plugins, Kinsta has support for a caching plugin – the WP Rocket.

By the way, I’ve tested this plugin and can confirm that it’s one of the best out there. Let me quickly say this – Kinsta never allowed external caching plugins just like WP Engine. So, I can assure you that adding WP Rocket, which is a well-coded plugin, is a huge stride.

Don’t get this wrong – built-in caching solutions are not bad. As a fact, they’re good. However, opting for dedicated solutions is often better, especially in the case of WP Rocket.

For one, it has fantastic features beyond caching, which can significantly enhance your Core Web Vitals.

#6: Easy Staging Domains for Seamless Development/Testing

What is a staging site? This is an identical copy of your website kept in a safe and private sandbox. This has many benefits because it allows you to perform some operations safely. For instance, you can do the following safely without any worry:

• Test and evaluate new updates before applying them to the live site.
• Switch seamlessly to a new theme with the confidence that everything is perfect.
• Develop new features behind the scenes before incorporating them into your live site.

When you’re done with the staging site, you can move it to the live server with only a few clicks. Kinsta hosting makes it super-easy to switch between your staging site and live site domains. This hosting platform is all about convenience.

A single click is all you need to push your staging domain to the live site, and it automatically backs up your site's live version whenever you push the staging site live. With this, you can go back and make changes if required.

Let’s talk more about backup features!

#7: Automatic WordPress Backup and Simple One-click Restore

Every WordPress site owner needs backup features to maintain the functionality of their site. With Kinsta, you don’t have to do it manually. Simply put, it's on autopilot.

The WordPress hosting provider backs up users’ websites automatically and stores the backup files for 14 days. If you want something more efficient, you can opt for automatic backups every hour or every six hours. However, note that this comes at an extra cost.

Additionally, you have the freedom to back up your site manually anytime you want. You can perform up to five manual backups per time, and each backup is stored for 14 days.

The best part is that you can restore any backup of your choice to either the staging site or the live site.

#8: Over 250 Data Centers across the World

Shared hosting service providers have actual physical locations where they host users' WordPress sites’ files. To optimize a site’s performance, it’s crucial to choose a data center that’s closer to your target audience.

Usually, the options available are within the United States, with a few sprinkled across Europe. However, since Kinsta uses the same infrastructure as Google, users can choose from over 250 different data centers.

These data centers are across different countries, including:

• United States
• United Kingdom
• Australia
• Canada
• Japan
• Hong Kong
• India
• Taiwan
• South Korea
• Poland
• Singapore
• Belgium
• Finland
• Switzerland
• Germany
• Brazil
• Netherlands
• Chile
• France 
• Italy

Countries like USA and India have multiple data centers to choose from. It’s worth mentioning that Kinsta plans to add more data centers soon. So, you can watch out for that.

One other unique thing about this feature is that Kinsta also allows you to select different data centers for your multiple sites. This is unlike most hosting companies that compel you to use only one data center for all websites you host using your account.

While many hosting services provide alternative hosting locations, not many managed WordPress hosting services offer a plethora of options.

#9: Premium CDN

A content delivery network (CDN) speeds up the load time on your site, which significantly reduces the bounce rate. Usually, you pay an extra fee to get a separate CN service. Alternatively, you can use a service like Cloudflare at a cost.

Kinsta initially offered KeyCDN, a premium CDN provider, but now offers Cloudflare to its users. The reason for the move notwithstanding, I think it’s a smart move, considering that Cloudflare is more than a CDN provider.

It also offers a formidable firewall for WordPress sites to filter out dangerous traffic. Apart from the benefits of saving money on CDN, the ease of use of this feature makes it a strong benefit in favor of Kinsta.

Instead of integrating a separate service, you can manage your WordPress site’s CDN directly from your Kinsta dashboard. I see that as a bigger benefit.

#10: Kinsta Hosting – Let’s talk Customer Support

There’s no gainsaying, you’ll need help with your hosting at one point or the other. With Kinsta, you’ve got nothing to worry about. The WordPress website hosting company offers 24/7 support through its intercom live chat widget.

It works like the traditional live chat on many websites but with cooler features. First, it doesn’t open a separate window for the chat.

In other words, you can explore different dashboard areas while chatting with customer support. So, you don’t have to worry about losing your chat if you navigate to a different page.

Secondly, it stores chat history automatically. If you have to return the chat history, you can return to find whatever you’re looking for. Finally, Kinsta updates you with email notifications of responses to your chat.

So, if you close your dashboard before the customer rep responds to your message, you’ll get an email notification informing you of the new chat. I believe this is more convenient because you don’t have to wait around for responses to your chat or open support tickets.

While I don’t find it a big deal, I still think I should mention it – Kinsta doesn’t offer phone support. So, you can only contact Kinsta support through live chat.

How do I rate Kinsta Support?

Trust me when I say this, I find the support very impeccable. I understand that we all don’t have the same expectations when it comes to seeking support from our service providers. 

However, I can assure you that this shared hosting provider will meet your needs. The team is highly responsive and helpful. They will walk you through whatever issue you have with your hosting until it is resolved. 

From technical issues, such as troubleshooting plugins, resolving server-related issues, or optimizing performance, the team is competent and experienced in providing virtual walk-throughs for any hosting problems you may have.

One other thing Kinsta offers is multilingual support. You can access support in different languages, including English, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, and French. 

What are the Kinsta Pricing Options?

Yes, I know. Pricing is a big consideration for many start-ups and small businesses. All the same, I believe what’s worth paying for should deliver value to the last penny. Let me take some steps back into the past few years.

A couple of years ago, Kinsta hosting plan options were considered “very pricey.” As a fact, when I first came across the WordPress host company, I thought they targeted only the big brands.

The reason for this is simple – their WordPress hosting package was at $100 per month for the entry-level package. Yes, you read right. However, it all changed in 2018.

From May 2018, Kinsta became more accessible to all businesses, with entry-level plans starting at #35 per month. This puts it within the same range as other renowned hosting providers.

So, what do you get with the cheapest Kinsta WordPress hosting?

• One website.
• 10 GB SSD disk space.
• 25,000 unique visits each month.

Check out all the plans in the picture below. You can also visit the website to read more about what each plan entails. Irrespective of the package you choose, Kinsta offers a free SSL certificate for all its WordPress websites.

It also offers a specific quota for CDN usage, depending on the plan. Also, higher-tier packages get more PHP workers per website, which further enhances site speed, load time, and performance.

Subscribers get two months free, irrespective of their chosen plan, if they choose the annual billing. The hosting platform offers a 30-day money-back guarantee when you sign up for any of its plans.

Remember I mentioned 25,000 unique visits each month?

So, what is a visit?

According to Kinsta, a user’s monthly visit count is the cumulative amount of unique IP addresses recorded over 24 hours. For instance, if an individual visits your site multiple times within 24 hours, the visits count as a single visit.

Their visits won’t count as additional visits until the start of the next 24-hour period. Also, the Database hosting provider doesn’t count bot visits from popular bot user agents in users’ monthly limits.

You’re probably asking what happens if site visits exceed 25,000. Well, you don’t have to worry that your site will get cut off once it reaches the visit limit. Your site will keep functioning optimally.

The only thing is that you will be required to pay $1 per additional 1,000 visits to your site once you exceed the limit.

Kinsta Review 2023 – Final Verdict

From this comprehensive review, it is obvious that Kinsta provides exceptional managed host service with a strong focus on top-notch performance, exceptional customer support, and powerful security.

Although the pricing options may be considered pricey, the value offered rationalizes the investment. If your priority is top performance, security, and safety, Kinsta is one of the best WordPress hosting providers to consider.

The managed WordPress hosting provider offers an impressive range of features that differentiate it from other providers. Thanks to the global network of data centers, the platform offers impeccable hosting that delivers reliability and speed.

Without a doubt, Kinsta is a top-tier web hosting provider that delivers high-level performance, state-of-the-art features, exceptional support, and beginner-friendly services.

Of course, it comes at a premium price, but the peace of mind and quality you get make it an investment worth every penny.

FAQs

Q: What are the prominent features of Kinsta?

A: Kinsta delivers high-level features, including application hosting, Google Cloud Platform, managed WordPress hosting, database hosting, and custom dashboard, among others.

Q: Why is Kinsta a better choice for my hosting needs?

A: Kinsta is reputed for its reliable and fast hosting assistance, robust hosting solutions, ease of use, and excellent customer support.

Q: Is there an alternative to Kinsta?

A: Yes, there are many alternatives, which include different hosting companies and managed WordPress hosting providers offering hosting platforms and shared hosting.

Q: Is Kinsta a suitable option for database hosting and application hosting?

A: Yes, its hosting service is perfect for hosting different databases and applications. Kinsta provides a high-performance and reliable environment for these needs.

Q: What benefits do I get when I use Kinsta hosting services?

A: When you host with Kinsta, you enjoy numerous features, such as Kinsta CDN, WordPress-specific optimizations, automatic backups, and more.