GreenGeeks Review

When choosing a web host, you have several options. You can opt for well-known brands or explore something new. But if you want to save money and be kinder to the environment, GreenGeeks is the hosting company for you.

This company is a dedicated green hosting provider that was founded in 2006. It’s based in Denver, Colorado and has been expanding rapidly over the past few years. GreenGeeks currently serves over 1 million customers worldwide.

Beyond its environmental commitment, GreenGeeks offers a comprehensive range of services to cater to various hosting needs. But is GreenGeeks the right fit for you?

In this review, I will carefully examine the advantages and disadvantages of GreenGeeks, explore their hosting plans and features, and conduct performance tests to assess their speed, uptime, and response time.

I’ll also cover things like security, ease of use, and customer support to help you make a smart purchasing decision.

Pros and Cons of GreenGeeks

Pros of GreenGeeks Hosting:

1. Environmentally-friendly hosting powered by renewable energy sources.

2. Affordable pricing plans suitable for various budgets.

3. Excellent server performance with fast loading speeds.

4. Reliable uptime guarantee of 99% to ensure your website is always accessible.

5. Free domain registration for added convenience and cost savings.

6. Free website migration assistance to seamlessly transfer your existing site.

7. Daily backups included in all hosting plans for data protection and peace of mind.

8. Knowledgeable customer support and extensive knowledge base for assistance.

Cons of GreenGeeks Hosting:

1. Renewal prices are higher compared to the initial sign-up cost.

What is GreenGeeks?

GreenGeeks is a renowned hosting provider founded in 2008 with a strong emphasis on eco-friendly practices and sustainability. The company is based in San Francisco, California, and it manages over 100,000 domains globally.

As an eco-friendly company, GreenGeeks prioritizes reducing its carbon footprint and promoting a greener environment. They achieve this by powering their data centers with renewable energy credits. By choosing GreenGeeks, website owners can contribute to sustainable hosting while enjoying reliable performance.

GreenGeeks offers a diverse range of hosting services designed to meet the needs of various users. Their hosting plans include shared hosting, WordPress hosting, reseller hosting, and VPS hosting.

This wide selection ensures that businesses of all sizes, bloggers, developers, and entrepreneurs can find the perfect hosting solution.

GreenGeeks offers a variety of features, including a free domain, unlimited bandwidth and storage space, free SSL, free website migration assistance, 24/7 customer support, and many more.

Their hosting plans come with cPanel and Softaculous pre-installed, so you can set up your site right away.

In terms of pricing, GreenGeeks offers affordable entry-level plans. Their entry-level hosting plans are affordable, starting at $2.49 per month. Despite the competitive pricing, GreenGeeks maintains a strong focus on delivering top-notch services and exceptional customer support.

GreenGeeks Hosting Plans and Features

GreenGeeks offers a diverse range of hosting plans designed to meet the needs of different website owners. Let’s explore the various hosting options available and their key features:

1. Shared Hosting: GreenGeeks provides three shared hosting plans: Lite, Pro, and Premium. The Lite plan, starting at $2.49 per month (renewal at $10.95/month), offers unlimited web space, bandwidth, and email accounts. The Pro and Premium plans provide additional benefits like unlimited websites, premium SSL, and enhanced performance.

2. WordPress Hosting: GreenGeeks offers specialized WordPress hosting plans, including the Lite, Pro, and Premium tiers. With prices starting at $2.49 per month (renewal at $10.95/month), these plans offer optimized performance for WordPress websites, automatic updates, and pre-installed WordPress for easy setup.

3. Reseller Hosting: GreenGeeks offers reseller hosting plans for those interested in starting their own hosting business. Their hosting plans begin at an affordable price of $19.95 per month (renews at $34.95/month), offering generous storage and bandwidth allocations, along with the capability to host multiple websites under a single account. Additionally, a free WHMCS license is included for efficient client management.

4. VPS Hosting: GreenGeeks offers four VPS hosting plans, starting at $39.95 per month (renews at $59.95/month). Each plan includes SSD storage, dedicated IP addresses, and advanced security features.

5. WooCommerce Hosting: GreenGeeks also caters to e-commerce businesses with specialized WooCommerce hosting plans. Starting at $2.49 per month (renewal at $10.95/month), these plans provide a platform optimized for WooCommerce, along with features like pre-installed storefront themes, performance optimization, and free SSL.

All hosting plans from GreenGeeks come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, free website migration, and a website builder. Additionally, they prioritize security with features like real-time security scanning, automatic updates, and advanced SPAM protection.

GreenGeeks Performance Tests

For this GreenGeeks review, I conducted a series of performance tests on our test site hosted with GreenGeeks. The test site was a standard WordPress website equipped with popular plugins like Akismet, Yoast SEO, and WooCommerce. Here are the results:

GreenGeeks Speed Test Results:

To assess the speed and performance of GreenGeeks hosting services, we conducted rigorous speed tests using industry-standard tools and methodologies. Speed tests are essential in determining how quickly a website hosted on GreenGeeks loads and responds to user requests.

We tested GreenGeeks hosting using various benchmarking tools, including Pingdom, GTmetrix, and Google PageSpeed Insights. These tools analyze multiple performance factors such as server response time, page load speed, and overall optimization.

First, I ran Pingdom’s speed test on the website. The outcomes were satisfactory, showcasing an average response time of 0.87 seconds and a load time of 4.88 seconds. Here are the detailed results:

Furthermore, I utilized Google PageSpeed Insights to evaluate GreenGeeks’ speed optimization. The website received an impressive score of 90/100, indicating great optimization, although not perfect (100/100 being the highest score).

Additionally, I performed a GTMetrix speed test on the website. The results were good: the average load time was 3.86 seconds and first byte time was 0.18 seconds—not bad!

It’s worth noting that while GreenGeeks performed exceptionally well in our speed tests, actual performance may vary depending on individual websites and optimization efforts. However, the consistent and reliable performance we observed indicates that GreenGeeks is committed to delivering fast and responsive hosting services to its customers.

GreenGeeks uptime results

In addition to speed, I also measured uptime.

Uptime refers to the amount of time a website or server is operational and accessible to users. It is a crucial metric that indicates the reliability and availability of a hosting service.

Uptime is measured as a percentage, calculated by dividing the total time that a server was up over an extended period.

The industry standard for uptime is typically set at 99.9% or higher, as anything below that could result in website downtime and lost revenue.

I measured uptime by using the pingdom website speed tester tool to check my website every 5 minutes. I also set up a cron job on my server that triggers an email if my site is unavailable.

This way, I was able to receive notifications when the uptime dipped below 99%. After nearly two weeks of monitoring, GreenGeeks’ uptime came in at 99.81%—way above what’s considered good hosting performance (99%).

GreenGeeks stress test results

Next, I ran a couple of basic tests to see how well GreenGeeks’ servers handled the load.

Specifically, I used Load Impact to simulate 1,000 concurrent users on my website for 10 minutes.

This test simulated people visiting my site at the same time and performing different tasks (like browsing products or reading blog posts).

While this isn’t an accurate representation of real-world visitors, it gives me an idea of how well GreenGeeks’ servers perform under pressure (and if they would be able to handle any spikes in traffic).

The test took about 12 minutes to complete. Afterward, I saw that GreenGeeks’ servers handled the load without any major issues. The average response time was 2 seconds and only a couple of requests failed due to timeout.

Free Domain Registration

GreenGeeks offers a valuable benefit to its customers by providing a free domain registration service. This feature brings several advantages to website owners and contributes to a seamless hosting experience.

One notable benefit of receiving a free domain registration with GreenGeeks hosting is the cost savings it offers. Typically, when setting up a website, users would need to purchase a domain separately, which incurs an additional expense. However, GreenGeeks eliminates this extra cost by including domain registration as part of their hosting packages. This helps users save money, especially for those on a tight budget or just starting their online ventures.

The domain registration process with GreenGeeks is straightforward and user-friendly. Customers can choose their desired domain name during the signup process or transfer an existing domain to their GreenGeeks account. The platform provides a domain search tool to check the availability of desired domain names and offers a variety of popular domain extensions to choose from.

While GreenGeeks offers a free domain registration, it’s important to note that certain limitations or restrictions may apply. For instance, the free domain registration might be available for the first year only, after which renewal fees may apply. Additionally, some premium domain extensions or specific domain names may not be eligible for the free registration offer. It’s recommended to review the terms and conditions or contact GreenGeeks’ customer support for detailed information on any limitations or restrictions associated with the free domain registration.

Free Website Migration

GreenGeeks understands the challenges of migrating an existing website to a new hosting provider. To ease the transition process, they offer a free website migration service, ensuring a seamless transfer of your website without any hassle.

The website migration process with GreenGeeks is straightforward and involves a few key steps. First, you provide GreenGeeks with the necessary details, such as your current hosting account credentials. Their expert migration team will then initiate the transfer by transferring files, databases, and other relevant data from your current hosting to GreenGeeks.

During the migration process, GreenGeeks ensures minimal downtime for your website. They work diligently to ensure a smooth transition, minimizing any disruptions to your online presence. By coordinating with their migration specialists, you can schedule the migration at a convenient time to minimize any potential impact on your website’s availability.

Daily Backups

GreenGeeks prioritizes website data security by offering nightly backups as a crucial feature in their hosting services. Regular backups are vital for protecting your website’s data from potential loss or emergencies.

By performing daily backups, GreenGeeks ensures that your website’s files, databases, and content are securely stored. In the unfortunate event of data loss or emergencies, these backups become invaluable. The restoration process is made easy, allowing you to retrieve and restore your website’s data with minimal effort and downtime.

GreenGeeks’ commitment to regular backups provides you with peace of mind, knowing that your website’s data is protected and recoverable.

Multiple Data Centers

Choosing the right data center is crucial for website performance and user experience. The physical location of a data center affects the latency and loading speed of a website.

For example, if your target audience is primarily located in Europe, you might want to choose a European data center.

This results in an enhanced user experience, increased engagement, and potentially improved search engine rankings.

GreenGeeks understands the importance of data center selection and has strategically placed their data centers in Asia, the US, and Europe. This global presence ensures that websites hosted with GreenGeeks can serve users from different regions efficiently. By leveraging multiple data centers, GreenGeeks optimizes website performance, reduces latency, and improves overall user satisfaction regardless of geographical location.

During the sign-up process with GreenGeeks, you have the option to select your preferred data center location. This level of flexibility empowers you to tailor your hosting experience and optimize your website’s performance for visitors in specific regions.

Unlimited Features

GreenGeeks hosting stands out by offering unlimited features, providing website owners with ample resources to support their online presence and growth. Let’s delve into the unlimited features provided by GreenGeeks and the benefits they offer.

With GreenGeeks, you get unlimited storage, bandwidth, email accounts, and domains. Unlimited storage means you have no restrictions on the amount of data you can store on your website. This allows you to expand your content, media files, and databases without worrying about running out of space.

Unlimited bandwidth ensures that your website can handle high volumes of traffic without experiencing slowdowns or limitations. It enables seamless user experiences, faster page loading times, and uninterrupted access to your site.

Having unlimited email accounts enables you to create as many professional email addresses as you need, enhancing your brand’s credibility and facilitating efficient communication.

The provision of unlimited domains means you can host multiple websites under a single GreenGeeks hosting account, without any extra charges. This is particularly advantageous for businesses or individuals managing multiple websites or planning to expand their online ventures.

These unlimited features are available on GreenGeeks’ shared hosting Pro and Premium plans. 

Security: Is GreenGeeks Secure?

GreenGeeks takes the security of hosted websites seriously and implements robust measures to ensure a secure hosting environment. The company offers a range of advanced security features to protect websites from potential threats and vulnerabilities.

Complete account isolation: One notable security measure provided by GreenGeeks is Account Isolation. This means that each hosting account is isolated from others on the server, minimizing the risk of cross-site contamination or unauthorized access.

Linux secure VFS: GreenGeeks utilizes Linux Secure VFS (Virtual File System), which enhances file system security and prevents unauthorized file access or tampering.

Real-time scanning: Real-time scanning is another key security feature offered by GreenGeeks. It continuously monitors websites for malware, viruses, and other security risks, promptly identifying and addressing any potential threats.

Proactive monitoring: Proactive monitoring plays a crucial role in detecting and mitigating security issues. GreenGeeks employs a team of experts who actively monitor the hosting infrastructure, ensuring early detection and response to any security incidents.

Free Malware cleanups: Additionally, GreenGeeks provides free malware cleanups in case a website becomes compromised. This service helps restore websites to a clean and secure state, minimizing the impact of security breaches.

Enterprise-Level Firewall & DDoS Protection: To bolster security, GreenGeeks implements clustered security measures. This includes an enterprise-level firewall and DDoS protection, which safeguard websites against malicious attacks and unauthorized access attempts.

Free automated backups: Nightly backups, a feature mentioned earlier, also contribute to the security of hosted websites. In the event of data loss or emergencies, these backups serve as a valuable resource for restoring websites to a previous state.

Furthermore, GreenGeeks regularly applies security updates and patches to their hosting infrastructure, ensuring that websites are running on the latest secure versions of software and technologies.

With a comprehensive suite of security measures, GreenGeeks demonstrates their commitment to providing a secure hosting environment for websites.

These features, combined with their proactive monitoring and regular updates, help protect websites from potential threats, vulnerabilities, and data breaches.

Hosting Management and Ease of Use

GreenGeeks hosting management interface is designed to be user-friendly and intuitive. Powered by cPanel, the control panel offers a wide range of features and tools to efficiently manage websites, domains, email accounts, databases, and other hosting settings.

With cPanel, users can easily manage domains, set up email accounts, access file managers, create and manage databases, and install applications with just a few clicks.

Navigating through the control panel is a seamless experience due to its intuitive layout and organized menu structure. Users can quickly find the desired features and perform common tasks without any difficulty.

The interface offers clear instructions and tooltips, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced users to efficiently manage their websites.

GreenGeeks also provides additional tools to simplify website management. One notable tool is the website builder, which enables users to create and customize their websites without any coding knowledge. The drag-and-drop builder offers a variety of templates and customization options, empowering users to create professional-looking websites effortlessly.

Furthermore, GreenGeeks offers a one-click installer for popular applications like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal. This feature simplifies the process of installing and managing content management systems and other web applications.

Free Website Builder

GreenGeeks offers a free website builder powered by Weebly, allowing users to easily create and customize their websites without the need for coding knowledge. The website builder comes with a range of features and functionalities designed to simplify the website creation process.

The platform offers hundreds of templates, allowing users to choose a design that suits their needs and industry. These templates are mobile-friendly and optimized for e-commerce, ensuring that websites are visually appealing and responsive on various devices.

The drag-and-drop interface of the website builder makes it user-friendly, enabling effortless addition and rearrangement of elements on webpages. Users can customize colors, fonts, and layouts to match their branding and style preferences.

Additionally, the website builder includes features such as blog integration, contact forms, and image galleries, allowing users to enhance their websites with interactive elements.

GreenGeeks’ free website builder is an ideal solution for individuals and small businesses seeking a professional website without the complexity of coding. Its intuitive interface, extensive template library, and mobile and e-commerce readiness empower users to establish a strong online presence with ease.

Helpful Customer Support and Knowledge Base

GreenGeeks takes pride in providing top-notch customer support, ensuring that website owners have assistance whenever they need it. The hosting company offers various support channels to cater to different preferences and requirements.

GreenGeeks offers a live chat feature, allowing users to engage in real-time conversations with a support representative. This immediate form of communication proves to be convenient and efficient for addressing queries and resolving issues promptly. Additionally, they have a ticket system where users can submit their inquiries or concerns, which is ideal for non-urgent matters or more complex technical assistance.

I personally found GreenGeeks’ customer support team to be friendly, patient, and knowledgeable. They have promptly addressed my inquiries, guiding me through various technical processes and offering valuable advice to enhance my website’s performance.

Do I Recommend GreenGeeks Web Hosting?

Based on the review and experience, I highly recommend GreenGeeks web hosting. With their commitment to eco-friendly practices, affordable pricing, and reliable performance, GreenGeeks stands out as a reputable hosting provider. Their range of hosting plans caters to various needs, while the inclusion of unlimited features and daily backups adds significant value. The responsive customer support and user-friendly control panel further enhance the overall hosting experience. Whether you’re an individual, small business, or enterprise, GreenGeeks provides a solid hosting solution that combines sustainability, affordability, and reliable performance.

Alternatives to GreenGeeks Hosting

When considering web hosting options, it’s essential to explore alternatives to GreenGeeks to make an informed decision based on your specific needs. While GreenGeeks offers excellent features, it’s always beneficial to explore other reputable hosting companies.

Bluehost

Bluehost is a popular choice among website owners. It offers a range of hosting plans, including shared hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated hosting. Bluehost has a strong focus on WordPress hosting and provides excellent performance, 24/7 customer support, and a free domain name for the first year.

Hostinger

Hostinger is renowned for its affordable hosting plans without compromising on quality. It offers shared hosting, cloud hosting, and VPS hosting, catering to different budgets and needs. Hostinger boasts impressive loading speeds, a user-friendly control panel, and a global network of servers for enhanced performance and reliability.

Cloudways

For those seeking cloud hosting solutions, Cloudways is a top-notch option. It specializes in managed cloud hosting, allowing users to deploy websites on leading cloud platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, and DigitalOcean. With advanced caching technologies, optimized servers, and scalable infrastructure, Cloudways ensures high performance, security, and flexibility.

GreenGeeks Reviews: FAQs

Is GreenGeeks a reliable source?

Yes, GreenGeeks is considered a reliable hosting provider. They have been in operation since 2008 and have built a reputation for providing stable and dependable hosting services. They offer a 99.9% uptime guarantee and have a track record of delivering consistent performance and customer satisfaction.

How much does GreenGeeks cost per month?

GreenGeeks offers hosting plans at different price points depending on the type of hosting and the duration of the subscription. The entry-level pricing for shared hosting and WordPress hosting starts at $2.49 per month. However, it’s important to note that pricing may vary based on any ongoing promotions or discounts.

Who owns GreenGeeks?

GreenGeeks is privately owned and operated. The company was founded by Trey Gardner in 2008 and he currently serves as the CEO. GreenGeeks is headquartered in California, USA, and has data centers located in multiple locations around the world.

What types of hosting are available with GreenGeeks?

GreenGeeks offers various hosting options, including shared hosting, WordPress hosting, reseller hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated hosting. Each type caters to different needs and requirements.

How many customers does GreenGeeks have?

GreenGeeks has served over 600,000 customers and hosts more than 500,000 websites globally. Their growing customer base reflects their reputation and reliability in the hosting industry.

Does GreenGeeks provide email hosting with their plans?

Yes, GreenGeeks offers email hosting with all their hosting plans. You can create professional email addresses using your domain name, enhancing your online presence and communication.

Can I cancel my GreenGeeks account if needed?

Yes, you can cancel your GreenGeeks hosting account at any time. They have a straightforward cancellation process, and you can contact their support team for assistance.

Is GreenGeeks worth paying for?

Yes, GreenGeeks is considered a reliable and environmentally friendly hosting provider. With their competitive pricing, excellent uptime, fast servers, and exceptional customer support, they offer a valuable hosting experience.