SiteGround:
Sifting Through the Web of Reseller Inefficiencies and WordPress Pitfalls
Resellers and WordPress users, it's time to decipher the labyrinthine issues of SiteGround. Let's unpack the specifics of why SiteGround may not be the optimal choice for resellers or WordPress sites.
The Reseller's Dilemma: An Exile from Efficiency
Journey back in time to the days of CPanel, where managing accounts was a symphony of simplicity. Today, with SiteGround's shift to Google servers, the reseller interface has evaporated, replaced by a maze that requires constant screen navigation. Want a single screen to see all accounts, AND their current resource usage? Sorry! Not anymore with Siteground. You'd think that would be as obvious as cars coming with steering wheels, but nope, they make you click into each account, then research its memory and bandwidth. In a resources/statistics area (only three buried clicks away) you can filter by all websites or none (which makes no sense). Why even offer the filter when its output is useless? Just look at this garbage below. You can see all or none. What if you want to see the information for a single site? Well, Siteground has no problem with you wanting this and not delivering, since they have changed almost zero of this page.
The modern SiteGround experience can feel like a digital treasure hunt, each package placement for a user's account a guess. Additionally, the absence of an alert system for site downtime due to bandwidth complications can lead to dissatisfied customers, first alerted by their own users, not by SiteGround. This is also not to mention, that often times users can still use their sites WHILE it goes over the limit. This causes updates to fail, images not to be loaded, and other code that may only partially download for an update, totally breaking your site. This is far from the real-time updates and alerts resellers should be provided with in our digital age. And as a user of their platform, I can personally say, they haven't listened or reintroduced basic features they took away when they switched to Google's servers.
The WordPress Conundrum: Trapped in the Cache?
For WordPress users, SiteGround's caching system promises a fast-loading website. However, this system is a double-edged sword, offering speed but potentially slashing functionality. It can (and often seems to) cache error pages and broken templates, or weird screens during site updates, essentially immortalizing your website in a state of dysfunction. Furthermore, you can see all your changes if logged in, but when logged out - old site is still there.
While it is possible to disable SiteGround's caching, this requires additional steps and a certain level of technical knowledge. Should you need to jump through hoops just to keep your website functioning as intended? More than that, one can't help but question: is this caching system designed to benefit your website's performance or is it a mechanism for SiteGround to save their resources?
The Backup Policy: A Short Window and Limited Access
A cornerstone of any reliable hosting service is a robust backup policy. In this aspect, SiteGround presents another twist in the tale. Their backup policy only covers a 7-day window. That's right, only one week of backup data is at your disposal.
But the surprises don’t stop there. With SiteGround, you can restore your files from these backups, but there's a considerable catch - you can't download these backups. Imagine walking into a bank and being told you can view your safety deposit box but can't take anything out of it.
These are your files, your data. The inability to download your backups is akin to owning a car but not being allowed to drive it off the parking lot. It raises the question of whether SiteGround's backup policy truly serves its users or if it is another mechanism that benefits SiteGround at the expense of user convenience and peace of mind.
Auto Scaling: A Benefit or a Scam?
Now, let's unravel the tangled web of the Auto Scaling issue. If you opt to upgrade your account to a higher package, SiteGround claims it's impossible to downgrade to a lower one. But is that the whole truth?
What's intriguing is that SiteGround offers an 'auto scaling' feature for an additional flat fee of $10 per scale increment. However, if you don't upgrade your account, this additional package conveniently disappears. This raises an eyebrow - if downgrading is indeed possible, it appears the only obstacle to it is SiteGround's profit model.
Moreover, this auto-scale feature isn't instant. No, your sites remain inaccessible for an undisclosed period before the auto scaling kicks in. The immediate question is, why should you pay extra for a service that doesn't provide instant results, and leaves your websites in the lurch during the waiting period?
Concluding Thoughts
In summing up, it seems that SiteGround's services may not live up to the expectations of resellers and WordPress users. If you are a reseller, you should have access to an interface that simplifies account management and provides real-time alerts. As a WordPress site owner, you deserve a host that balances speed and functionality, rather than compromising the latter. The web hosting landscape should support and nurture your online venture, not ensnare you in a web of complications. Alternatives exist that put your needs first and prioritize the prosperity of your digital platform.
SiteGround has made its mark in the hosting world, but it's essential to evaluate if their offerings truly align with your requirements. Be the architect of your journey - choose a path that provides you with the best tools for success. We once highly recommended Siteground, now we can not since their switch, and have literally changed nothing about the issues discussed in this article. If you have a website you need to host - don't use Siteground, you will be paying for frustration.