ScalaHosting shines with powerful VPS plans and intuitive server management tools like sPanel and SShield. Their “Anytime Unconditional Money-back Guarantee” adds a daring edge for those keen on exploring without wallet worry. From novices to pros, it is a promising port of call for all web adventurers.
Suitable for: Beginners-friendly, Budget, Small Business, International Website, eCommerce, Enterprise, or Managed WordPress Hosting
Website: https://www.scalahosting.com/
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Pros of Scala Hosting
- Speed and Performance
- Affordability
- Custom SPanel
- Scalability
- Security Features
- Cons of Scala Hosting
- Limited Data Centers
- Extra Costs for cPanel and HTTP/3
- Higher Renewal Rates
- Limited Exposure and Feedback
- Detailed Analysis of Key Features
- LiteSpeed on VPS Plans
- NVMe and Redis on VPS Plans
- SPanel vs. cPanel
- Build Your Own Cloud VPS
- Getting Started with Scala Hosting
- Conclusion
- FAQs
1. Introduction
Hey there, fellow tech enthusiasts! If you’re on the hunt for a super fast, reliable, and affordable hosting solution, you’ve probably stumbled upon Scala Hosting. With promises of LiteSpeed servers, NVMe SSDs, and custom SPanel, Scala Hosting sounds like a dream. But is it all sunshine and rainbows? Let’s dive deep into Scala Hosting, focusing on its pros and cons, and see if it’s worth your hard-earned money.
2. Pros of Scala Hosting
Speed and Performance
Scala Hosting uses OpenLiteSpeed on all VPS plans and their WP Cloud plan, making it a powerhouse for speed. The combination of LiteSpeed Cache and QUIC.cloud’s CDN ensures that your website loads incredibly fast. Plus, you get 10GB of free monthly bandwidth from QUIC.cloud when you use LiteSpeed Enterprise on Scala’s VPS plans.
Affordability
One of the biggest selling points of Scala Hosting is its cost-effectiveness. You don’t have to pay for a cache plugin, email hosting, and QUIC.cloud’s CDN has a free plan. Even the paid plan is affordable, ranging from $0.02 to $0.08/GB.
Custom SPanel
Forget about cPanel! Scala Hosting offers its custom-built SPanel, which uses fewer resources and includes features like OpenLiteSpeed, Nginx support, SShield, and more. It’s free and tailored based on user feedback, making it a robust alternative to cPanel.
Scalability
Scala Hosting allows you to scale CPU cores, RAM, and storage individually, unlike other hosting providers that have predetermined amounts. Need more power? Just add extra resources at a reasonable cost.
Security Features
Every cloud VPS comes with a suite of security features, including:
- Dedicated firewall
- Outbound spam protection
- SShield
- mod_security
- Security penetration tests
- Blacklist monitoring
3. Cons of Scala Hosting
Limited Data Centers
Scala Hosting’s data centers are somewhat limited compared to other providers. They have native infrastructure in Dallas-US, New York-US, Sofia-EU, and integrated DigitalOcean data centers in Bangalore, London, Singapore, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, San Francisco, and Toronto. If your audience is outside these regions, you might experience latency issues.
Extra Costs for cPanel and HTTP/3
While SPanel is free, using cPanel on Scala comes with extra costs. cPanel can set you back an additional $20 – $200+/year, and even more if you want HTTP/3 support. Plus, cPanel doesn’t support some of the advanced features available in SPanel.
Higher Renewal Rates
To get the best price, you have to sign up for a 3-year plan. While this isn’t uncommon in the hosting world, it does mean you’re locked in for a longer period. Make sure you’re happy with the service within the 30-day refund policy window.
Limited Exposure and Feedback
Scala Hosting isn’t as well-known as some of the big players in the hosting industry. This means there’s less feedback available, especially in major WordPress Facebook Groups. It’s harder to find unbiased reviews and migration results.
4. Detailed Analysis of Key Features
LiteSpeed on VPS Plans
Scala uses OpenLiteSpeed on all VPS plans, offering LiteSpeed Cache and QUIC.cloud CDN. This combination provides server-level caching and excellent core web vitals. The free plan gives you 10GB of monthly bandwidth, but the paid plan, which costs $0.02 – $0.08/GB, uses all 77 PoPs and includes DDoS protection.
NVMe and Redis on VPS Plans
Scala’s lowest VPS plan comes with 50GB NVMe storage, which is faster than SATA SSDs. You can add an extra 10GB for $2/month. Scala supports both Redis and Memcached, although these need to be requested and set up manually. The SDS (Software Defined Storage) feature ensures your files are stored in chunks of 1MB on 3 different NVMe drives, enhancing read/write speeds.
SPanel vs. cPanel
SPanel, built by Scala, offers a resource-efficient alternative to cPanel. It supports features like OpenLiteSpeed, Nginx, SShield, and cloning/staging. cPanel, on the other hand, doesn’t support these and comes with additional costs.
Build Your Own Cloud VPS
Scala Hosting allows you to customize your VPS by scaling CPU cores, RAM, and storage individually. The cost is reasonable:
- Extra 1 CPU core: $8/month
- Extra 2GB RAM: $4/month
- Extra 10GB SSD storage: $2/month
5. Getting Started with Scala Hosting
Ready to give Scala Hosting a try? Here’s a quick guide to get you started:
Step 1: Choose a Plan
Decide between the Entry WP Cloud (for a step up from shared hosting) or a VPS plan.
Step 2: Login to SPanel
Set up your SPanel account through the email prompt.
Step 3: Create a New Account
In SPanel, click “Create a new account” and fill out your details. Choose the features you want installed.
Step 4: Install SSL
Go to Manage Account → Manage in your SPanel and install SSL, manage backups, and configure cron jobs.
Step 5: Configure LiteSpeed Cache with QUIC.cloud CDN
Follow a detailed guide to configure LiteSpeed Cache settings + QUIC.cloud CDN.
Step 6: Setup Object Cache
Decide between Memcached (set up automatically) or Redis (request setup from Scala). Activate your choice in LiteSpeed Cache’s object cache settings.
6. Conclusion
So, is Scala Hosting worth it? If you’re looking for speed, affordability, and a customizable VPS solution, Scala Hosting is a solid choice. The SPanel is a great alternative to cPanel, and the support from their CEO, Chris, adds a personal touch that’s hard to find with bigger providers. However, the limited data centers and extra costs for certain features might be a dealbreaker for some.
7. FAQs
Q: Is Scala Hosting good for beginners? A: Yes, Scala Hosting offers managed services and excellent support, making it suitable for beginners.
Q: Can I use cPanel with Scala Hosting? A: Yes, but it comes with additional costs and doesn’t support some of the features available in SPanel.
Q: Is SPanel better than cPanel? A: SPanel uses fewer resources and includes more features tailored for Scala Hosting users. However, cPanel is more widely known and used.
Q: Does Scala Hosting offer a money-back guarantee? A: Yes, Scala Hosting offers a 30-day refund policy.
Q: How does Scala Hosting compare to other hosting providers? A: Scala Hosting stands out for its speed and affordability, but it has fewer data centers and less market presence compared to some bigger names.
And there you have it! A detailed review of Scala Hosting. If you found this helpful, hit that like button and subscribe for more tech reviews. Happy hosting!