ShivarWeb

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Choosing The Right Website: Web Hosting, Ecommerce Platform Reviews & More

Choosing the right infrastructure for your website is critical. It's the foundation you'll use to build your business - whether it's an online store or personal project.

But choosing the right option is tough.

Because there is no such thing as an overall "best" option for everyone. There is no "best web hosting" or "best ecommerce website platform" - there is only the best option for you based on your goals, expertise, resources & situation.

Here's an overview of the types of reviews I've written based on my experience as either a customer or consultant.

Web Hosting Reviews

Your website has to "live" somewhere. And that somewhere is a server that "hosts" your website. I've been able to look at a wide range of web hosts and break them down based on pros & cons, or compare them to each other based on set of criteria.

My most popular web hosting review looks at the two of the industry's top brands - Bluehost vs. GoDaddy. My post on InMotion and 1&1 Hosting are also popular.

If you're getting frustrated reading about all the options, I also have a BuzzFeed-style quiz that can help you figure out the best web hosting options for you.

Find all my web hosting reviews here.

Ecommerce Hosting Reviews

There are some types of websites that need a core set of features. For ecommerce, that means a shopping cart, payment processing and inventory management. For some, it makes sense to provide those features as part of an integrated platform. My most popular ecommerce hosting review looks at Shopify. I've also written a guide to building your own ecommerce site with WordPress.

If you're getting frustrated reading about all the options, I also have a BuzzFeed-style quiz that can help you figure out the best ecommerce hosting options for you.

Find all my ecommerce hosting reviews here.

Domain & Business Software Reviews

But your business doesn't start and end with hosting - below, you'll also find reviews of domain name registrars, website builders & more. And I have quizzes on choosing domain registrars & choosing website builders too, and a full list of my favorite resources here.

Explore onwards - you'll find all my reviews listed below!

Shopify Plus: An Enterprise Ecommerce Platform Review

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Shopify Plus is Shopify’s enterprise eCommerce platform for large and growing online stores and brands. It’s a hosted platform customized, staffed, and priced for big brands. This Shopify Plus review is based on my experience doing SEO consulting with marketing directors using the platform.

Most of my incredible audience are DIYers or small business owners just starting out or working to grow their websites. But I also have a lot of readers in charge of marketing or platform development at large organizations who are looking to apply innovative marketing strategies to their rapidly growing brands.

Both groups of readers have asked the same question: what do you do when your eCommerce store is big? How do you keep the same agile marketing infrastructure when you’re at the enterprise-level?

I’ve been able to consult with several enterprise level eCommerce brands using platforms ranging from Magento, proprietary platforms, a .NET based eCommerce solution, and Shopify Plus.

Check out Shopify Plus’ current features page here.

This review will look at my experience with Shopify Plus specifically and hosted (SaaS in the jargon) platforms more broadly for the advantages and disadvantages of enterprise eCommerce solutions.[Continue Reading]

GoDaddy vs. iPage Web Hosting Comparison

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“GoDaddy vs. iPage” is a pretty common question for anyone researching their options for web hosting.

GoDaddy and iPage are two of the best known budget hosts in the world. And they are owned respectively by the two of largest web services companies in the world (GoDaddy Group and Endurance International).

They are both “go-to” brands for business owners looking for simple, affordable hosting. And yet – they are different companies with different brands. When you are choosing a website host – you still have to end up choosing which company to go with.

I have current clients who use (and like) GoDaddy hosting. Although this site runs on InMotion Hosting (which I’ll mention later) – I also used iPage for a couple small projects. I wrote a full iPage review here.

In this comparison between GoDaddy and iPage, I’ll try to break down the differences that I’ve found in seven different areas ranging from pricing structure to customer service and market focus so that you can decide which is the best fit for your project.

Also – you can skip to the short version in the conclusion here (or take my Buzzfeed-style hosting on a budget quiz here).

Let’s dive into GoDaddy vs. iPage…[Continue Reading]

GoDaddy vs. HostGator Web Hosting Comparison

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“GoDaddy vs. HostGator?” is a very common question for anyone researching hosting options.

GoDaddy and HostGator are two of the largest hosting brands in the world. And they are owned respectively by the two of largest web services companies in the world (GoDaddy Group and Endurance International).

They are both “go-to” brands for business owners looking for accessible, affordable hosting. And yet – they are different companies with different brands. And when you are choosing a website host – you still have to end up choosing.

I have current clients who use (and like) GoDaddy hosting. Although this site runs on InMotion Hosting (which I’ll mention later) – I also have several projects that have run on HostGator for years. I’ve been happy with them.

In this comparison between GoDaddy and HostGator, I’ll try to break down the differences that I’ve highlighted seven different areas ranging from pricing structure to customer service and market focus so that you can decide which is the best fit for your project.

Also – you can skip to the short version in the conclusion here (or take my Buzzfeed-style shared hosting quiz here).

Let’s dive into GoDaddy vs. HostGator…[Continue Reading]

Bluehost vs. iPage Web Hosting Comparison

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“Bluehost vs. iPage?” – it’s a question that’s a bit like asking “Coke or Sprite?” It’s somewhat slicing details, but it’s a choice nonetheless for something that you’ll likely be using for years.

Bluehost and iPage are both –

  • Owned by Endurance International Group (EIG) – a large technology corporation
  • Established, well-known brands in the hosting industry
  • Provide a similar menu of products that revolve around shared Linux hosting
  • Provide pricing & hosting products that focus on small to midsize companies

And yet – they are different companies with different brands. When you are choosing a website host – you still have to end up choosing.

I have current clients who use (and like) Bluehost. Although this site runs on InMotion Hosting (which I’ll mention later) – I also have several small projects on iPage. I wrote a full review of iPage here.

In this comparison between Bluehost and iPage, I’ll try to break down the differences that I’ve found in seven different areas ranging from pricing structure to customer service and market focus so that you can decide which is the best fit for your project.

Also – you can skip to the short version in the conclusion here (or take my Buzzfeed-style shared hosting quiz here).

Let’s dive into Bluehost vs. iPage…[Continue Reading]

WordPress Hosting vs. Web Hosting Explained

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Choosing the best web hosting plan for your specific project has always been a bit confusing. Plan features never line up. Terminology never matches. And pricing varies according to current discounts and plan length.

But that was before the latest trend – WordPress-specific hosting plans.

Nearly every hosting company offers a “WordPress Hosting Plan” in some form.

Sometimes those plans are nothing more than a headline change. Sometimes they very well-priced for the extra services. And sometimes they are plainly upsells with dressed up “features.”

It’s maddening – because here’s the thing. WordPress software runs fine on typical web hosting.

You do not need “WordPress Hosting” to run WordPress software. All you need is a Linux-based hosting account that supports PHP and mySQL.

Both are run of the mill features since the early 2000s. So what’s with all the WordPress Hosting plans vs. Web Hosting plans?

Here’s how they differ along with features worth paying for, and what to look for when shopping for the right host for your specific project.[Continue Reading]

Shopify vs. BigCommerce: Tradeoffs, Comparisons & More

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Shopify and BigCommerce are two of the fastest growing and most well-known hosted eCommerce platforms.

Ecommerce options exist on a spectrum of convenience and control. Both Shopify and BigCommerce are right in the middle of the spectrum because they bundle all the technical parts of an online store – hosting, speed, security, inventory, shopping cart and payment processing – and bundle it into a single monthly price. This contrasts with solutions like WordPress + Woocommerce where you buy, operate and maintain each piece of the store but also have true 100% control over your website.

But like a self-hosted eCommerce website, Shopify and BigCommerce also bundle as part of your website on your domain where you have full control of product, pricing and customer experience. So unlike running a store on Etsy, eBay or Amazon – you control the build, design, and content of your store.

Even though this part of the spectrum has plenty of tradeoffs – services like Shopify and BigCommerce are an excellent option for many store owners. So the question becomes – Shopify vs. BigCommerce?

I’ve reviewed Shopify here and BigCommerce here. I’ve used both as a customer and as a consultant to customers of both.

They are both excellent companies with an excellent product. And like all my other eCommerce and hosting reviews, there is no such thing as an absolute “best” – there’s only the best option for you based on your situation, goals, and resources.

Here’s how Shopify compares to BigCommerce across 6 different variables that most customers look at – and what you should consider with Shopify vs. BigCommerce.

Skip to the conclusion here.

Aside – I built a Buzzfeed style quiz for eCommerce platforms that grades the factors with your goals. You can check out the quiz here.[Continue Reading]

GoDaddy Website Builder Review w/ Pros, Cons & Alternatives

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GoDaddy is the big brand in the website services industry. From their Super Bowl ads to TV ads to online advertising, they are by far the most well-known choice for domains, hosting, website builders, and productivity products for small businesses.

I have written about GoDaddy’s hosting product and domains product, but I’ve never looked specifically at GoDaddy’s website builder product (aka “GoCentral”) before this post.

GoDaddy GoCentral Website Builder

My experience with GoDaddy’s website builder began back when I first started my web design business years and years ago. I never used GoDaddy’s website builder for my projects until I came across it when a client of mine was using it and needed a few tasks done.

Since then, new competition has popped up from Wix, Squarespace, Weebly, WordPress.com and other website builders. And GoDaddy has upgraded the product I originally used. They’ve streamlined it to make it supposedly the “easiest way to get online.”

See GoDaddys’ Website Builder Plans here…

Skip to the Conclusion & Next Steps

So for a personal project of mine, I decided to try it out again and see who the product would really be a good fit for – and not just compared to other hosted website builders.

I also wanted to compare GoDaddy’s website builder to other website solutions like hosting your own website or using a hosted ecommerce platform.

Disclosure – I receive customer referral fees from companies mentioned on this website. All data & opinions are based on my professional experience as a paying customer or consultant to a paying customer.[Continue Reading]

MailChimp Email Marketing Review w/ Pros & Cons

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MailChimp has been one of the fastest growing email marketing providers for years now. They’ve built an huge base of customers ranging from tiny personal accounts to some of the most prestigious enterprise brands in the world.

I’ve been using MailChimp exclusively for more than 6 years now. I’ve explored different providers and gotten exposure to alternatives via my clients, but have never found a reason to switch.

That said – they aren’t the best fit for everyone and have some disadvantages along with strong advantages. This MailChimp review will break down what I’ve found to be pros that I especially appreciate for myself and my clients along with the cons that MailChimp hasn’t improved dramatically over the past 6 years.

Skip to the Conclusion & Next Steps

One side note – I live in Atlanta, GA. I work downtown and think of myself as an Atlantan. MailChimp is one of Atlanta’s best corporate citizens and one of (if not the) our best technology companies. I have quite a bit of hometown bias that I’ll try to set aside (but to fellow Atlantans – just go start using MailChimp – it’s pretty much your civic duty).

Let’s dive into this MailChimp review![Continue Reading]

InMotion Hosting vs. GoDaddy Web Hosting: InMotion Compared Part 1

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I did a full review of InMotion Hosting based on the broad advantages & disadvantages of the company. However, I wanted to specifically look at InMotion Hosting vs. GoDaddy Web Hosting, simply because GoDaddy is the consumer brand among most people who are looking to start their own website.

GoDaddy is a global brand that does a lot of advertising (that’s an understatement). I’ve maintained an account there, and a couple of my clients use it, so I’ve had a a good bit of experience with them since 2009.

And InMotion is a rapidly growing hosting company out of Los Angeles that has recently generated a good bit of press and won several awards for their hosting services.

For quite a while now, I have been receiving reader questions about InMotion. I have client websites on GoDaddy, but currently use an InMotion VPS server for shivarweb.com. So I thought I’d compare them head to head. Let’s dive in and look at InMotion Hosting vs. GoDaddy Web Hosting.[Continue Reading]

Windscribe VPN Review: Pros & Cons of Using Windscribe VPN

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Windscribe VPN is a virtual private network and security company based in Ontario, Canada. Windscribe launched in 2016. Therefore, it has some catching up to do in regards to brand recognition and marketing.

However, it has generated solid press in a crowded space with some innovative features and demonstrated focus on with internet privacy.

Skip to the Conclusion & Next Steps

After years of foolishly running my online business via public WiFi, I decided to start using a VPN to secure my communications (and access a bit of out of market sporting events while traveling).

But I found out that – similar to web hosting – there is no such thing as a “best VPN provider”. In fact, it’s like a whole world of confusing information because even trustworthy information is near-useless since it’s so complex. This Windscribe VPN review is my notes from trying them out for my own purposes as a security-aware, traveling, US-based businessperson who needs good usability and good pricing. I am not a political activist or someone who regularly travels to firewalled countries.

Whether you are looking for a VPN for privacy, for website access, for avoiding geotargeting, for protecting communications or all the above, hopefully, this Windscribe VPN review will be useful.

See Windscribe VPN’s Plans here…

Here’s my Windscribe VPN review – structured with pros & cons based on my experience as a customer.

[Continue Reading]

Blogger Review: Pros & Cons of Using Blogger (aka Blogspot)

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Blogger is the grand old man of Internet publishing. In fact, they arguably started the whole “everyone should have a voice online” ideal. Evan Williams started the company way back in the 1990s.

After Evan Williams sold Blogger to Google, he went on to found both Twitter and Medium – both pillars of Internet publishing in their own right. Additionally, it was Matt Mullenweg’s dissatisfaction with Blogger that led him to create the first version of WordPress back in the early 2000s.

All that to say – Blogger is an Internet standby. In fact, it’s such a standby that it gets unfairly disregarded for many web projects simply due to its age.

I recently gave Blogger a try for a small project, along with several other website builders. I tried to approach Blogger not as the platform that had my first blog back in 2004, but as a serious platform that might be a good fit for someone’s web project today, post-2017.

Check out Blogger here.

Skip to the Conclusion & Next Steps

But first, a bit of an overview on website builders in general. Whether you go drag and drop builder, an installed Content Management System (CMS), or hand-coded HTML files, there are a lot of considerations that go into building a website and/or blog.

In the end, you really want someone to type in a website address and see your information, presented well with the right functionality in their browser. Whether you are building a simple personal blog or running a business, the way you build your site determines a lot both long-term and short-term.

In the long-term, the tools you use to set up your website affects your versatility, functionality, and, of course, your brand. In the short-term, it can add/take away a lot of headaches. In fact, one of the most common headaches is moving a successful blog off Blogger. That said,  like choosing a physical house or office, there is no such thing as an absolute “best” or “top” choice. There’s only the right choice relative to your goals, experience, and circumstances.

What Is Blogger?

On the wide spectrum of website building solutions, Blogger lives on the end that is all-inclusive and provides everything you need to get started and grow your website. It’s in contrast to solutions where you buy, install, and manage all the “pieces” of your website separately.

It’s like trading off some control for more convenience.

Using Blogger is like leasing and customizing an apartment in a nice development instead of buying and owning your own house. You’re still in control of decor, cleaning, and everything living-wise – but you leave the construction, plumbing, security, and infrastructure to the property owner. That point is key because there’s usually a direct tradeoff between convenience and control.

All the functionality and design that are included with Blogger work seamlessly together as a platform. That’s what allows them to have drag and drop design, layout, and content.

One note about Blogger is that it focuses 100% on blogging – ie, reverse-chronological publishing of posts. It has very little in terms of content management (as I’ll mention in the cons section).

As far as competition, Blogger competes directly with all-inclusive website builders like Weebly and WordPress.com in addition to pure-play blog/social networks platforms like Medium and Tumblr.

Website builders as a group compete with options like WordPress.org (which provides the free software to build a website that you own & control – see my WordPress setup guide here) all the way to options like typing actual HTML code into a text file. Make sense? Awesome, let’s dive into the Blogger review.[Continue Reading]

Opera VPN Review: Pros & Cons of Using Opera VPN

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Opera Software is a Norwegian company responsible for developing the Opera browser. Opera is the 5th most popular web browser, with a market share of around 4%. To capture more of the web browsing market, Opera has rolled out user-friendly features that are unavailable with web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari.

Recently, Opera acquired the Canadian VPN provider SurfEasy, Inc. Opera immediately began integrating SurfEasy VPN technology into its flagship browser.

In 2016, they rolled out the integrated (free!) VPN service to the public. SurfEasy continues to offer standalone VPN products under their brand, as well. The free, integrated Opera VPN caught a ton of positive publicity.

After years of foolishly running my online business via public WiFi, I decided to start using a VPN to secure my communications (and access a bit of out of market sporting events while traveling). During my search, the positive publicity for the built-in Opera VPN caught my eye.

But I found out that – similar to web hosting – there is no such thing as a “best VPN provider”. In fact, it’s like a whole world of confusing information where even trustworthy information is near-useless since it’s so complex. This Opera VPN review is my notes from trying them out for my own purposes as a security-aware, traveling, US-based businessperson who needs good usability and good pricing. I am not a political activist or someone who regularly travels to firewalled countries.

Whether you are looking for a VPN for privacy, for website access, for avoiding geotargeting, for protecting communications or all the above, hopefully, this Opera VPN review will be useful. You can also skip to next steps here.

See Opera’s Products here…

Here’s my Opera VPN review – structured with pros & cons based on my experience as a customer.[Continue Reading]

A2 Hosting Review: Pros & Cons of Using A2 Hosting

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A2 Hosting is an independent web hosting company founded in 2003. They are based in Ann Arbor Michigan but serve hosting markets globally. A2 Hosting positions themselves as a high performance, speed-focused hosting company with excellent support.

The offer a full spectrum of hosting solutions ranging from shared Linux hosting (what most businesses need) all the way to cloud and dedicated server solutions for large, growing websites.

Like InMotion Hosting and SiteGround Hosting, they’re one of the faster growing independent hosting companies (i.e., not owned by a larger corporate holding company like Endurance or GoDaddy). They have a large dedicated fanbase in addition to some high-profile bloggers as customers.

Like my experiment with Web Hosting Hub, I recently had a couple small websites that needed their own hosting accounts. Since I’ve had readers ask about A2 Hosting, I decided to give them a try.

Get A2 Hosting’s current discount here.

Here’s my A2 Hosting review structured with pros and cons based on my experience as a customer.

Skip to direct comparisons or skip to the conclusion.[Continue Reading]

IPVanish VPN Review: Pros & Cons of Using IPVanish VPN

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IPVanish VPN is a popular VPN service based in the United States with over 750 servers located throughout 60 countries.

IPVanish repeatedly comes up in online discussions around VPN services due to their consistency, strict no-log policies and no bandwidth caps.

Skip to the Conclusion & Next Steps

After years of foolishly running my online business via public WiFi, I decided to start using a VPN to secure my communications (and access a bit of out of market sporting events while traveling).

But I found out that – similar to web hosting – there is no such thing as a “best VPN provider”. In fact, it’s like a whole world of confusing information because even trustworthy information is near-useless since it’s so complex. This IPVanish VPN review is my notes from trying them out for my own purposes as a security-aware, traveling, US-based businessperson who needs good usability and good pricing. I am not a political activist or someone who regularly travels to firewalled countries.

Whether you are looking for a VPN for privacy, for website access, for avoiding geotargeting, for protecting communications or all the above, hopefully, this IPVanish VPN review will be useful.

See IPVanish VPN’s Plans here…

Here’s my IPVanish VPN review – structured with pros & cons based on my experience as a customer.[Continue Reading]

ExpressVPN vs. PureVPN: VPN Provider Comparison

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After years of foolishly running my online business via public WiFi, I decided to start using a VPN to secure my communications (and access a bit of out of market sporting events while traveling).

But I found out that finding the right VPN to suit my needs was a bit complicated. There’s no such thing as a general “best” VPN – instead, they all have to make tradeoffs that fit many but not all needs. ExpressVPN and PureVPN were two that I looked at closely.

I reviewed ExpressVPN here and reviewed PureVPN here. I combined my notes from those posts to write this ExpressVPN vs. PureVPN post around the most common VPN considerations. You can skip to my conclusion here.

But first, here’s a bit of background.

ExpressVPN is perhaps one of the most leading VPN providers. The company has been around since 2009 and has grown significantly since. It currently boasts 145 server locations spread across 94 countries, with over 1,000 servers in total. They are based in the British Virgin Islands.

See ExpressVPN’s plans here.

PureVPN offers more server countries – 141, to be exact – but just over 750 servers. The Hong Kong-based company started in 2006 and doesn’t currently seem to have quite as large a fan base as ExpressVPN, but does have happy customers, nonetheless.

See PureVPN’s plans here.

They both have advantages & disadvantages in my experience. This ExpressVPN vs. PureVPN comparison will look at each based on – pricing, features, performance, usability, customer service, and market focus.[Continue Reading]

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