ScalaHosting Review

Laura Bernheim

By: Laura Bernheim

Laura Bernheim

Laura has spent more than 12 years crafting engaging and award-winning articles that share the passion behind organizations' products, people, and innovations. As a long-time HostingAdvice contributing expert, she combines a reputation for producing quality content with rich technical expertise to show experienced developers how to capitalize on emerging technologies and find better ways to work with established platforms. A professional journalist, Laura has contributed to The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, the Sun Sentinel, and the world's top hosting providers.

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Editor: Lillian Castro

Lillian Castro

Lillian brings more than 30 years of editing and journalism experience to our team. She has written and edited for major news organizations, including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the New York Times, and she previously served as an adjunct instructor at the University of Florida. Today, she edits HostingAdvice content for clarity, accuracy, and reader engagement.

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OVERALL RATING 4.7 / 5.0
★★★★★
Features4.7 / 5.0
Ease of Use4.8 / 5.0
Pricing4.8 / 5.0
Reliability & Support4.8 / 5.0
Discount for Our Users See Deals

Founded with a mission to make cloud VPS hosting accessible and affordable to everyone, ScalaHosting leverages high-powered cloud infrastructure and strong in-house development teams to deliver top-tier performance and security. Thanks in part to its custom control panel, ScalaHosting is a solid option not to overlook.

Category Ratings

We had one of our resident hosting experts, Laura Bernheim, sign up for a ScalaHosting account and take it for a spin. Below are Laura’s ratings of the ScalaHosting experience, broken down by the types of hosting ScalaHosting offers.

If you decide to go with ScalaHosting, you may get a discount by using our link to sign up. While we often make commissions on purchases made through our links, this had no bearing on Laura’s review.

Here’s what Laura found in reviewing ScalaHosting:

Disclosure: When you sign up through links on our site, we often earn referral fees from partners. For more information, see our ad disclosure and review policy.

ScalaHosting's Overall Rating (4.7 / 5.0)

Best Overall Rating

4.7
★★★★★

Price:

Setup Time:

Laura Bernheim

Laura Bernheim (HostingAdvice.com):

Perfect for those looking for the best value for shared or cloud hosting, ScalaHosting offers a soft place to land. Even if you're taking your first steps into the world of virtual private servers, the company's modern hardware and attentive support teams will make your experience enjoyable.

In addition to low-cost shared and WordPress-optimized services, customers can choose between self- or fully managed cloud VPS environments running on infrastructure in one of ScalaHosting's two datacenter locations. As a performance-boosting plus, ScalaHosting features all NVMe SSD storage architecture.

Whichever you choose, the company's all-in-one proprietary control panel is sure to impress. SPanel offers users a comprehensive dashboard to access and oversee computing resources, security protections, backups, performance configurations, and app installations.

The full-service platform is refreshingly robust, enabling website administrators to work efficiently without unnecessary navigation and separate logins.

Site owners who aren't quite ready to make the leap to the more advanced VPS hosting platform will feel right at home with ScalaHosting's shared services or optimized WordPress plans.

You'll find all the features you'd expect from a web host of ScalaHosting's caliber: unlimited bandwidth, emails, and databases, plus free site migration, domain registration, and SSL certificate.

The hosting provider's straightforward service is paired with an exceptional support team that guarantees 15-minute ticket responses and replies in less than 30 seconds via chat.

All told, we recommend ScalaHosting for individual site owners and small businesses with moderate traffic demands. ScalaHosting has been listed as the #1 top-rated hosting company in Trustpilot's Web Hosting and Cloud Computing categories. The company is also an A+ Accredited Business on BBB and was nominated as a finalist in the organization's 2021 BBB Torch Awards for Ethics.

  • Simple, fast, and reliable hosting services
  • Full-service account management with SPanel
  • FREE domain name, SSL certificate, and CDN
  • Custom-built servers and self-healing cloud setup
  • Unlimited emails, databases, and bandwidth
  • Managed VPS options with top-tier support
  • Get started on ScalaHosting now.
Money Back Guarantee
30 days
Disk Space
10 GB SSD - 50 GB SSD
Domain Name
FREE (1 year)
Setup Time
6 minutes
ScalaHosting's Cheap Hosting (4.8 / 5.0)

Cheap Rating

4.8
★★★★★

Price:

Setup Time:

It's tough to argue with a shared hosting service that comes with all-SSD storage and unlimited bandwidth, databases, and email accounts. ScalaHosting provides all the above and several other premium features for a very affordable price.

But the budget web hosting market is a crowded space that draws the world's top brands and rock-bottom prices. ScalaHosting outperforms many providers in the industry, but slightly elevated prices may turn bargain hunters away.

Instead, the company resides a step above the cheap hosting masses by delivering upgraded storage and bandwidth solutions that power an elevated hosting experience.

Customers will get the full slate of free features with ScalaHosting, including domain registration, SSL certificate, and content delivery network. The company's hosting experts will migrate your site for no cost, and customers who opt for a higher-tier package will enjoy a complimentary SEO analysis to further improve their site's performance.

Although ScalaHosting's 99.9% uptime guarantee is relatively average, the web host excels in customer support and responsiveness. The team responds to email tickets in less than 15 minutes, with live chat requests often receiving a reply in less than 30 seconds.

Signing up for a plan with ScalaHosting is easy, and doing so will lock your price in for the entire term — no surprise price increases for those looking for the lowest rates.

  • 1-click install for WordPress, Drupal and 400 others
  • Unlimited email accounts, databases & bandwidth
  • 24/7 tech support for beginners and pros alike
  • 12-month or 36-month plan at $2.95 /month
  • Anytime unconditional money-back guarantee
  • Get started on ScalaHosting now.
Money Back Guarantee
30 days
Disk Space
10 GB SSD - 50 GB SSD
Domain Name
FREE (1 year)
Setup Time
6 minutes
ScalaHosting's Dedicated Hosting (not yet rated)

"We haven't evaluated ScalaHosting for this type of hosting service — yet. Either the company didn't offer this option at the time this review was written or this section of the review hasn't made it to the top of our editorial queue just yet. Either way, check back later, as we're always working to keep our reviews up to date and as comprehensive as possible!"

Laura Bernheim

Laura Bernheim, Tech Expert

Want Laura to review your hosting service? Request a review.

ScalaHosting's VPS Hosting (4.9 / 5.0)

VPS Rating

4.9
★★★★★

Price:

Setup Time:

ScalaHosting particularly stands out for its portfolio of cloud VPS solutions.

Site owners will naturally find the best deals with hosting providers that cater to an audience of "cheap hosting" shoppers. Sure, ScalaHosting is missing the $5-or-less monthly VPS package, but its plans are far better equipped to stand up to the needs of growing websites.

Perhaps our favorite feature is the host's SPanel administration. We're typically not fans of straying from the familiar cPanel consistency, but the ScalaHosting team has created a streamlined platform that boasts more functionality in an easier-to-use portal.

Even better, SPanel saves users at least $15 per month in cPanel licensing.

Using SPanel, site owners can easily adjust computing resources, create unlimited accounts, manage WordPress installations, and configure backups. You can even request new features on the company's transparent message board.

If ScalaHosting's preconfigured hosting packages don't meet your needs, go ahead and build your own environment. Select up to 24 CPU cores, 128 GB of RAM, and 2 TB of SSD disk space.

ScalaHosting puts the bulk of its efforts toward its cloud VPS hosting and support — and it shows. Definitely consider the high-quality services for your next VPS plan.

  • Fully managed VPS with cloud performance
  • FREE site migration executed by experts
  • Enjoy 100% SSD storage and unmetered bandwidth
  • Custom full-service SPanel administration portal
  • HostingAdvice readers get 36% off the first term
  • Get started on ScalaHosting now.
Money Back Guarantee
30 days
Disk Space
50 GB SSD - 200 GB SSD
Domain Name
New or Transfer
Setup Time
6 minutes
ScalaHosting's WordPress Hosting (4.7 / 5.0)

WordPress Rating

4.7
★★★★★

Price:

Setup Time:

A WordPress hosting service typically falls in one of two camps: a specially tailored plan optimized specifically for the world's most popular content management system, or essentially a repackaged version of the company's standard shared hosting offering.

ScalaHosting bridges the gap by offering shared hosting simplicity and a platform inherently optimized for the speed and security WordPress users need to be successful.

Beyond the standard features, including one-click installation, automatic updates, staging, and cloning, website owners benefit from an integrated CloudFlare content delivery network and unlimited bandwidth. ScalaHosting even provides automatic backups, free SSL certificates, and a free domain name registration.

Support is available 24/7 via email and live chat — and, unlike competitors, ScalaHosting will help address advanced WordPress-related issues such as plugin troubleshooting.

Every WordPress web hosting plan from WP Start and up includes a free managed service feature. This means ScalaHosting's support team will go the extra mile to assist with more advanced WordPress issues – a testament to the knowledge of the hosting provider's WordPress experts.

Most impressive to us, however, is the multiple layers of security that ScalaHosting deploys to protect customers and their WordPress websites. You'll find custom mod_security rules, a dedicated firewall, and regular malware scans and removal.

We'd like to see more WordPress-specific optimizations, such as built-in caching and NGINX, to count ScalaHosting among the best-of-the-best hosts, but the company's modern infrastructure and innovative technologies will ensure WordPress rookies start ahead of the curve.

(More advanced users will have to turn to the more expensive managed cloud VPS plans to find support for NGINX and LiteSpeed caching plugins.)

  • FREE managed services with WordPress support
  • Automatic WP updates, plus staging and cloning
  • FREE site migration with zero downtime
  • Unlimited emails, databases, and bandwidth
  • SEO tools and analysis available on most plans
  • Get started on ScalaHosting now.
Money Back Guarantee
30 days
Disk Space
10 GB SSD - 50 GB SSD
Domain Name
FREE (1 year)
Setup Time
6 minutes
ScalaHosting's Website Builder Hosting (not yet rated)

"We haven't evaluated ScalaHosting for this type of hosting service — yet. Either the company didn't offer this option at the time this review was written or this section of the review hasn't made it to the top of our editorial queue just yet. Either way, check back later, as we're always working to keep our reviews up to date and as comprehensive as possible!"

Laura Bernheim

Laura Bernheim, Tech Expert

Want Laura to review your hosting service? Request a review.

Features

(4.7 / 5.0)

All-In-One SPanel Platform

  • The free cPanel replacement saves users money while also adding features and improving performance with out-of-the-box support for NGINX and OpenLiteSpeed.
  • An administrative interface enables simple VPS management. You can add, remove, or modify accounts, suspend websites, and track overall server health.
  • Easily configure domains, databases, email accounts, and backups. Need another tool? ScalaHosting promotes a cloud democracy by enabling customers to transparently request and vote on proposed new features.

Multi-Layered Security Protections

  • The fully automated SShield security platform leverages artificial intelligence to detect malicious behavior and blocks 99.998% of attacks.
  • ScalaHosting deploys custom mod_security rules, manages dedicated firewalls, and conducts regular malware scans. The company removes malicious files and will help restore backups.
  • Instead of relying on hashes or a virus database to catch attacks, SShield follows logic and inspects codes and processes to determine legitimate traffic from abnormal or unusual behavior.

Standalone WordPress Management Portal

  • Custom SWordPress manager integrates into SPanel to provide one spot for overseeing your websites. Easily install or remove WordPress, reset passwords, or configure automatic updates.
  • Features for staging, cloning, and backups are currently in development. In the meantime, ScalaHosting provides users with free Softaculous to support those functions.
  • The Security Lock tool protects all files and directories by preventing abnormal modifications and uploads. Even if a vulnerability is discovered, attackers won't be able to affect the website.

Responsive Support Always Available

  • Co-Founder and CTO Vlad Georgiev makes his calendar available to customers, offering free 30-minute consultations to answer questions and help site owners find the right hosting solutions.
  • Hands-free web hosting management that handles setup, maintenance, optimization, and security. Support personnel is available at all hours via live chat and email tickets.
  • Experts tackle advanced problems without any extra fees, including software-level issues such as WordPress plugins and NGINX configuration.

Ease of Use

(4.8 / 5.0)
SPanel Account Administration
ScalaHosting Review
Full-Service Account Management
ScalaHosting Review
Request Any Feature You Need
ScalaHosting Review

ScalaHosting's SPanel truly shines. We found the cloud VPS control panel to be sleek and efficient, without some of the clutter you can encounter with cPanel. Seemingly every major task can be accomplished in just a couple of clicks through an easy-to-navigate interface. We easily changed our PHP version, installed WordPress with a handful of handpicked plugins, and deployed a free SSL certificate in just a few minutes. Cloud VPS reboots, shutdowns, and scaling was tremendously simple from the ScalaHosting client dashboard, as well. Even better, customers can request new features from ScalaHosting if there is a tool or action you feel is missing from the platform. Last we looked, the forum boasted 155 ideas — many of which have already been completed.

Pricing

(4.8 / 5.0)

Mini Plan

Start Plan

Advanced Plan

For the computing resources you get for a shared hosting plan, ScalaHosting represents a solid bargain that represents a discerning choice of web hosting. The provider certainly isn't the cheapest in the best-value shared hosting marketplace, but ScalaHosting's performance, network security, and rich set of features clearly position the company above competitors that sacrifice quality in favor of the lowest price tag.

Where you'll find the best bargains, however, are at the VPS level. Although the self-managed plans are a bit steep for our tastes, ScalaHosting's fully managed cloud VPS plans come in a few dollars per month less than several more well-known brands. You won't find the lowest prices with ScalaHosting, but we consider the costs to accurately reflect the refined services you can expect to receive.

Reliability & Support

(4.8 / 5.0)

With such heavy reliance on cloud technologies, ScalaHosting is near the top when it comes to high-availability hosting solutions. All plans come with an industry-standard 99.9% uptime guarantee, daily backups, and free SSL certificates. The experts at ScalaHosting created SShield, a nimble security framework that blocks 99.998% of the online attacks to your website. The fully automated solution leverages artificial intelligence to detect abnormal or malicious behavior and will automatically notify the customer if their information may have been compromised. The company's around-the-clock support teams respond instantly to live chats and within 15 minutes to email tickets.

ScalaHosting Includes:

99.9% Uptime Guarantee, 24/7/365 Customer Support via Live Chat and Email Tickets, Free On-Demand Security Scans, Managed Website Migrations, Plus Automated Daily and On-Demand Backups

Does Not Include

Phone Support

The Rundown

Laura Bernheim

Laura Bernheim

Hosting Expert:

To recap, here's a rundown of what ScalaHosting has to offer

ScalaHosting may not carry the same name recognition as some of the titans of web hosting, but the company has plenty to brag about. Throughout 14 years in business, ScalaHosting has helped more than 50,000 customers host more than 700,000 websites. We found the shared hosting platform to be a solid place for most site owners to start; you can find plenty of impressive features at a reasonable price, but performance concerns will make it tough for ScalaHosting to stand out in the crowded cheap web hosting marketplace. Where ScalaHosting really shines, however, is its fully managed cloud VPS packages and all-in-one SPanel administration. Add in the team's highly attentive support channels, and ScalaHosting will be sure to please a wide range of hosting customers.

ScalaHosting review

Overall Rating

4.7 / 5.0
★★★★★

About The Author

Laura has spent more than 12 years crafting engaging and award-winning articles that share the passion behind organizations' products, people, and innovations. As a long-time HostingAdvice contributing expert, she combines a reputation for producing quality content with rich technical expertise to show experienced developers how to capitalize on emerging technologies and find better ways to work with established platforms. A professional journalist, Laura has contributed to The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, the Sun Sentinel, and the world's top hosting providers.
Laura Bernheim
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