As an affiliate who has tested numerous web hosting companies, I’ve come across some of the best and worst in the industry. In this review, I’ll be taking a closer look at Flywheel, a popular web hosting provider known for its focus on WordPress sites. I’ll be examining its performance, pricing, features, customer service, and more.
Flywheel Company Info
Before diving into the specifics of Flywheel’s hosting services, let’s take a closer look at the company itself. Flywheel was founded in 2012 by Dusty Davidson, Tony Noecker, and Rick Knudtson. Since then, the company has grown to include over 200 employees, with offices in the United States, Australia, and Ireland. Flywheel was acquired by WP Engine in 2019.
Flywheel Performance
One of the key selling points of Flywheel’s hosting services is its performance. Flywheel uses Google Cloud Platform to power its hosting infrastructure, which ensures fast load times and high uptime rates. Flywheel also offers a range of optimization features, such as server-side caching, that can further improve website performance.
Flywheel Speed
Website speed is crucial for user experience and search engine optimization. Flywheel’s hosting services are optimized for speed, with servers located in data centers around the world. Flywheel also offers a free CDN (content delivery network) to all of its customers, which can further improve website speed.
Types of Hosting at Flywheel
Flywheel offers a range of hosting plans to suit different website needs. Its starter plan, Tiny, is designed for small personal websites and blogs. For larger websites or those with more traffic, Flywheel offers the Freelance, Agency, and Custom plans, each with varying levels of storage, bandwidth, and features.
Flywheel Hosting Plans, Pricing & Features
Flywheel’s pricing is competitive with other web hosting providers in the industry. Its Tiny plan starts at $13 per month, while the Freelance, Agency, and Custom plans range from $115 to $290 per month. Each plan comes with different features, such as website backups, SSL certificates, and WordPress updates.
Flywheel Pros
There are many advantages to choosing Flywheel as your web hosting provider. Its focus on WordPress sites means that its hosting services are optimized for the platform. Flywheel also offers fast website speeds, high uptime rates, and a range of optimization features. Additionally, Flywheel’s pricing is competitive, and it offers a range of hosting plans to suit different website needs.
Flywheel Cons
While Flywheel has many advantages, there are some drawbacks to its hosting services. Flywheel’s pricing may be higher than some competitors, particularly for larger websites with high traffic. Additionally, Flywheel’s customer service can be slow to respond to support requests.
Flywheel Web Ratings
To get a better sense of Flywheel’s reputation among web hosting providers, I searched for current ratings on popular review sites such as G2 and TrustPilot. Flywheel has an overall positive rating on both sites, with users praising its fast website speeds and user-friendly interface. Some negative reviews cited issues with customer service.
Flywheel Customer Service
Customer service is an important factor to consider when choosing a web hosting provider. Flywheel offers support through a ticketing system and live chat. While some users have reported slow response times, others have praised Flywheel’s knowledgeable and helpful support staff.
Flywheel Alternatives & How They Compare
While Flywheel is a fantastic web hosting option, it’s always good to consider alternatives before making a final decision. Here are some of the top Flywheel alternatives and how they compare:
SiteGround is a popular web hosting company known for its fast loading speeds and excellent customer support. They offer a range of hosting plans, including shared hosting, managed WordPress hosting, cloud hosting, and dedicated servers.
SiteGround’s plans are competitively priced, with the basic plan starting at $6.99 per month. They also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee and free website migrations.
In terms of performance, SiteGround has excellent uptime and fast loading speeds, with servers located in data centers around the world.
- WP Engine
WP Engine is a managed WordPress hosting provider that offers a range of plans for businesses of all sizes. Their plans include features like automatic updates, daily backups, and malware scanning.
WP Engine’s hosting plans start at $25 per month, making them slightly more expensive than Flywheel. However, they offer excellent performance and security features, with servers located in data centers around the world.
Bluehost is a popular web hosting provider that offers a range of hosting plans, including shared hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated servers. They also offer a managed WordPress hosting plan that’s similar to Flywheel’s plans.
Bluehost’s plans are competitively priced, with the basic plan starting at $2.95 per month. They also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee and free website migrations.
In terms of performance, Bluehost has excellent uptime and fast loading speeds, with servers located in data centers around the world.
DreamHost is a web hosting company that offers a range of hosting plans, including shared hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated servers. They also offer a managed WordPress hosting plan that’s similar to Flywheel’s plans.
DreamHost’s plans are competitively priced, with the basic plan starting at $2.59 per month. They also offer a 97-day money-back guarantee and free website migrations.
In terms of performance, DreamHost has excellent uptime and fast loading speeds, with servers located in data centers around the world.
Final Thoughts on Flywheel
Overall, Flywheel is an excellent web hosting provider for designers, freelancers, and agencies who want a reliable and fast hosting solution for their WordPress websites. With its easy-to-use interface, excellent customer support, and robust features, Flywheel is a great choice for anyone who wants to focus on building their website, rather than worrying about technical details.
While there are some areas where Flywheel could improve, such as offering more storage space or a wider range of hosting plans, overall, it’s a top-notch web host that’s definitely worth considering.