Kinsta vs WP Engine (March 2024) – “Best for Managed WordPress? …”

Kinsta Review Rating
WP Engine Review Rating

Should you choose Kinsta or WP Engine for your managed WordPress hosting? In this comparison of Kinsta vs WP Engine, we take a detailed look at two of the best options for premium WordPress hosting. Let’s see which host is the better choice for your WordPress websites.

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Kinsta vs WP Engine: Differences

Advantages of Choosing Kinsta over WP Engine:

  • More Data Center Locations
  • Edge Caching Technology
  • Kinsta CDN
  • Auto Wildcard SSL Included
  • Cloudflare Integration Security
  • Manual and System Data Backups Included
  • DevKinsta for Local Development
  • Site Analytics Reports

Advantages of Choosing WP Engine over Kinsta:

  • Lower Cost
  • Proprietary EverCache Technology
  • More Data Backup Retention Included
  • Phone Support Included with Advanced Plans
  • 60 Day Money-Back Guarantee

Kinsta vs WP Engine: Details

The Winner

Category KinstaKinsta WP Enginewp-engine Comments
Setup Winner    
Control Panel   Winner  
Data Centers Winner   Kinsta has data centers in 35 different locations.
Website Speed Winner   See Below
Security Features Winner Winner Tie. Both include excellent security features.
Data Backup and Restore   Winner WP Engine includes automatic and on-demand data backups. Data retention is 30 copies.
Automatic Updates Winner Winner Tie
Servers Winner    
Network Winner    
WordPress Development   Winner WP Engine includes Development, Staging, and Production environments.
SSL Winner   Kinsta includes Auto Wildcard SSL.
Resources Winner    
Staging Winner Winner Tie. Both offer excellent and easy to use website staging features.
Customer Support Winner    
Money Back Guarantee   Winner WP Engine offers 60 Day Money-Back Guarantee.
Price/Value   Winner  

Kinsta vs WP Engine: Features

Kinsta and WP Engine both get very high marks for the features they include with your hosting plans. In addition to automatic backups, website staging, CDNs, and proactive security features, these two excellent WordPress hosts provide all of the managed hosting functionality that serious WordPress websites should have.

While you great features with both of these hosts, Kinsta gets the advantage in this category based on their Edge Caching, greater selection of data centers, and DevKinsta for local development.

Kinsta vs WP Engine: Speed and Performance

Website speed and performance is outstanding with both Kinsta and WP Engine. Both our separate testing and my personal experience using WP Engine and Kinsta produced similar results. Kinsta and WP Engine provide excellent website speeds and page loading times.

Since it’s such a close call here, we have to take a deeper look at the test result data. Structurally, Kinsta is just a tad better. And, Kinsta’s LCP and fully loaded page times are better.

This category is extremely close. While in my personal experience I would call it a tie, because the numbers slightly favor Kinsta, they get a bit of an advantage here.

Here are some sample speed test results from GTmetrix:

Kinsta Speed Test Results

WP Engine Speed Test Results

Kinsta vs WP Engine: Website Staging

Both Kinsta and WP Engine do an outstanding job with their website staging. Staging is available in all of the hosting plans, and both function as one-click operations that let you easily create a staging environment and then copy your website changes back to your live site. This category is a tie—totally even.

Kinsta vs WP Engine: Data Backup

WP Engine provides daily automatic backups and lets you restore from your last 30 backup copies. You can also perform manual snapshot backup whenever you want to. Kinsta also includes daily automated backups, but you are limited to the last 14 backup copies for restores (unless you pay for additional backup services). Kinsta also limits you to 5 manual backup copies (again unless you opt for additional services).

One area where Kinsta does get an edge is that you do get automatic system backups when you perform tasks such as upgrading themes and plugins, etc.

This category is very close, but here WP Engine gets a slight edge based on more data retention copies being included with your hosting plan.

Kinsta vs WP Engine: Customer Support

WP Engine and Kinsta both offer 24/7 expert WordPress customer support. Again, here things are very close when comparing the two hosts. I’ve had great interactions with both support teams. Live chat response times are very good, and the support staff at both Kinsta and WP Engine have been able to answer any questions and resolve issues promptly when needed.

While it’s ultra-close in this customer support comparison, Kinsta gets just a slight edge based on a little quicker live chat response.

Kinsta
Kinsta

Started Business: 2013
BBB Rating: A+
Data Center Location: US, CAN, EUR, ASIA, AUS, South America

Price: $35 mo. – $1650 mo.
Unlimited Bandwidth: No
Unlimited Storage: No
Unlimited Email: No
Host Multiple Domains: Yes (Except Starter Plan)

Hosting Interface: Kinsta Dashboard
Server Uptime: 99.9%
Full Refund Period: 30 Days
Dedicated Hosting Available: Yes

Advantages of Choosing Kinsta:

  • Specialize in Upscale Managed Hosting
  • Choose from 35 Different Data Centers
  • Powered by Google Cloud Platform
  • Automatic Database Optimization
  • Cloudflare Integration Security
  • Performance Monitoring Tool
  • Server-Level Full Page Caching
  • Includes Kinsta CDN
  • Auto Wildcard SSL
  • Analytics Reports

Choose Kinsta if:

  • You want a faster performing website.
  • You want more responsive customer support.
  • You need hosting for your WordPress Agency.

> Choose Kinsta

WP Engine Logo New
WP Engine

Started Business: 2013
BBB Rating: A-
Data Center Location: U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia

Price: $23 mo. – $56 mo. (Premium Customized Plans also available)
Unlimited Bandwidth: Yes
Unlimited Storage: No
Unlimited Email: No
Host Multiple Domains: Yes (except Personal Plan)

Hosting Interface: WP Engine Client Portal
Server Uptime: 99.99%
Full Refund Period: 60 Days
Dedicated Hosting Available: Yes

Advantages of Choosing WP Engine:

  • You can try it risk free for 60 days.
  • EverCache technology speeds up page-load time.
  • Faster Performance with Google Cloud Platform Virtual Machines.
  • Managed upgrades and daily backups.
  • Staging and Development Environments
  • Free Let’s Encrypt SSL
  • Segmented Backup Downloads
  • Automated Security Updates
  • Expert support staff.
  • Transferable Installs and Billing Transfer

Choose WP Engine if:

  • You need more data backups.
  • You need a less expensive hosting plan.
  • You need WooCommerce Hosting.

> Choose WP Engine

How Does Kinsta Compare with Other Web Hosts?

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How Does WP Engine Compare with Other Web Hosts?

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WP Engine vs InMotion Hosting
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WP Engine vs SiteGround
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WP Engine vs WPX Hosting
Both WP Engine and WPX Hosting are highly regarded by many for their fast servers, premium features, and expert customer support. But, which one should you choose…

Recommendation

If you need premium managed WordPress hosting, then both of these hosts more than qualify. While both Kinsta and WP Engine will do an excellent job allowing you to create and maintain your websites with success, overall in this comparison Kinsta is the winner based on our findings above.

See our Kinsta Review Ratings below:

Kinsta Review Ratings

Features - 99%
Speed and Performance - 100%
Customer Support - 100%
Value - 97%

99%

Outstanding !

Kinsta

User Rating: No Ratings Yet !

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