Best cPanel + NVMe Hosting for SiteGround/Bluehost Escapees

Table of Contents

Finding web hosting with both cPanel AND NVMe storage is like finding a gym that’s both cheap AND doesn’t have a 12-month contract. Most hosts pick one:

  • SiteGround: Site Tools (cPanel clone) ✓, but uses older AMD EPYC 7002 CPUs and hits you with CPU limit warnings
  • Hetzner: NVMe ✓, but no cPanel (unmanaged VPS, requires Linux skills)
  • Bluehost: cPanel ✓, but still using slow SATA SSDs (not NVMe)

Why is cPanel + NVMe rare? Because it’s expensive for the host:

  • cPanel licenses cost $15-45/month per server
  • NVMe storage costs more than SATA SSDs
  • Combined = lower profit margins

Most hosts would rather give you cPanel with SATA drives (slow) or NVMe without cPanel (higher learning curve).

My bias upfront:

  • I make ~$100/sale from ChemiCloud and Scala Hosting
  • I make $50/sale from HostArmada, $60/sale from GreenGeeks, ~$60/sale from Hostinger
  • I make 10% commission from KnownHost, $0 from MechanicWeb and Hetzner
  • I rank by total value and whether they actually deliver cPanel + NVMe, not by commission

My recommendation: ChemiCloud for shared hosting (cPanel + NVMe, no CPU limit scams, $19.95/mo renewal). Scala Hosting for managed VPS (choice of cPanel or SPanel, faster NVMe, 0% renewal increase).

Full disclosure: After researching, I found that not all these hosts actually qualify:

  • Hostinger: Only offers cPanel on VPS ($29.97/mo), not shared hosting (uses proprietary hPanel)

30-Second Verdict: cPanel + NVMe Comparison

ProviderPricingStorageCPUControl PanelBest For
ChemiCloud$4.49 → $19.95/mo15GB NVMeAMD EPYC 9354 (3.8 GHz)cPanelShared hosting escaping SiteGround
Scala Hosting$44.95/mo (VPS)50GB NVMeAMD EPYC 9474F (4.1 GHz)cPanel OR SPanelManaged VPS, 0% renewal
MechanicWeb$8/year10-30GB NVMeUp to 5.7 GHzcPanelBudget conscious, tech-savvy
KnownHost$3.47/mo10GB NVMeNVMe SSDcPanelEntry-level, 99.99% uptime
HostArmada$2.49/mo15GB NVMeNVMe SSDcPanel45-day guarantee, migrations
GreenGeeks$2.95/moNVMeNot disclosedcPanelEco-friendly, 300% renewable
Hostinger$29.97/mo (VPS)100GB NVMeNVMe SSDcPanel (VPS only)NOT shared hosting

Winner: ChemiCloud for cPanel + NVMe shared hosting. Scala if you can afford managed VPS ($44.95/mo).

What “cPanel + NVMe” Actually Means (And Why Most Hosts Lie)

Why cPanel Matters (Simplicity)

cPanel is the industry-standard control panel for web hosting. It’s been around since 1996 and runs on 70%+ of all shared hosting servers.

What you get with cPanel:

  • Familiar interface (no learning curve if you’ve used hosting before)
  • 10,000+ plugins and extensions (WordPress, PrestaShop, Joomla, etc.)
  • File manager, email accounts, databases, cron jobs - all in one place
  • Softaculous 1-click installer for 450+ apps (including WordPress)

Time Savings: GUI vs Command Line

The difference between cPanel and SSH/command line is massive for common tasks:

Creating a database + user with cPanel:

  1. Click “MySQL Databases”
  2. Enter database name, click “Create”
  3. Enter username/password, click “Create User”
  4. Add user to database, set privileges Time: 2-3 minutes

Creating a database + user via SSH:

mysql -u root -p
CREATE DATABASE dbname;
CREATE USER 'username'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON dbname.* TO 'username'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Time: 5-10 minutes (if you remember the commands, 15-30 minutes if you need to Google syntax)

Installing WordPress:

  • cPanel + Softaculous: 1-click install, 2 minutes
  • Manual SSH install: Download, extract, configure wp-config.php, set permissions, run installer = 15-30 minutes

Other time-saving examples:

  • SSL certificates: cPanel auto-installs Let’s Encrypt (1 click) vs manual certbot commands
  • Email accounts: Visual interface (30 seconds) vs editing config files (5-10 minutes)
  • Cron jobs: Visual scheduler vs remembering crontab syntax
  • Subdomains: 1-minute form vs Apache/Nginx config file editing

Portability & Standardization

cPanel is the same everywhere. This matters more than you think:

Migration benefits:

  • SiteGround cPanel → ChemiCloud cPanel = zero learning curve
  • All your knowledge transfers instantly
  • Migration tools work cPanel → cPanel (automated backups, transfers)
  • No need to relearn where DNS settings, email accounts, or databases live

Hiring/collaboration benefits:

  • Freelancers and developers already know cPanel
  • No need to write custom documentation for your team
  • StackOverflow/YouTube has thousands of cPanel tutorials
  • Support tickets resolve faster (your host’s support knows cPanel inside-out)

Future flexibility:

  • Not locked into one host’s proprietary panel
  • Can switch hosts anytime without retraining
  • Same skills work across 70%+ of shared hosting market

Self-Service = Less Downtime

With cPanel, you don’t need to wait for support tickets:

Fix email issues yourself:

  • Email not sending? Check SMTP settings in cPanel (30 seconds)
  • Inbox full? Increase quota in cPanel (1 minute)
  • Need email forwarder? Set it up instantly
  • vs: Opening support ticket, waiting 2-24 hours for response

Manage SSL certificates:

  • Let’s Encrypt expires? Auto-renews via cPanel
  • Need to install custom SSL? Upload in cPanel
  • Force HTTPS redirect? One toggle
  • vs: Support ticket, wait for tech to manually install

Create staging sites:

  • Need to test updates? Clone site in cPanel (5 minutes with tools like Softaculous)
  • vs: Request staging environment from host (1-3 day wait, often paid feature)

Emergency fixes:

  • Site down due to bad plugin? Disable via cPanel file manager (2 minutes)
  • vs: Wait for support to SSH in and fix (hours of downtime)

Why hosts avoid cPanel:

  • Licensing costs: $15-45/month per server (cPanel raised prices 300% in 2019)
  • Hosts prefer proprietary panels (hPanel, SPanel) to avoid these fees
  • More profit margin with free panels
  • They pass cPanel costs to you via higher prices or renewal increases

Bottom line: If you’ve never used hosting before, proprietary panels are fine. But if you’re migrating from SiteGround/Bluehost/HostGator, you already know cPanel. Learning a new panel (hPanel, Plesk, SPanel) adds 2-4 weeks to your productivity as you re-learn where everything is.

Why NVMe Matters (Speed + Security)

NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) is the latest storage technology. It’s not just “fast SSDs” - it’s a completely different protocol that connects directly to your CPU via PCIe lanes instead of going through the slower SATA controller.

Speed Benefits

Raw performance comparison:

  • HDD (Hard Disk Drive): 80-160 MB/s read/write, 100-200 IOPS
  • SATA SSD: 500-600 MB/s read/write, 10,000-15,000 IOPS
  • NVMe SSD: 3,000-7,000 MB/s read/write, 200,000+ IOPS

Why NVMe is 10x faster:

  • Direct CPU connection: NVMe uses PCIe lanes directly to CPU (no SATA controller bottleneck)
  • 4x faster I/O operations: Data transfers happen in parallel, not sequential
  • Lower latency: NVMe commands have ~2.8 microsecond latency vs SATA’s ~6 microseconds
  • Better queue depth: NVMe handles 64k queues with 64k commands each vs SATA’s single queue with 32 commands

What this means for your WordPress site:

  • Faster database queries: MySQL/MariaDB reads/writes are I/O-intensive. With 200k+ IOPS, complex queries (WooCommerce product searches, user authentication) finish 2-3x faster
  • Faster wp-admin: WordPress admin panel makes dozens of database calls per page load. NVMe’s parallel I/O handles these simultaneously instead of sequentially
  • Better performance under traffic spikes: When 100 users hit your site simultaneously, SATA bottlenecks at ~15k IOPS. NVMe handles 200k+ IOPS without sweating
  • Reduced TTFB (Time To First Byte): First database query happens faster = page starts rendering sooner = better Core Web Vitals

Concurrent user handling:

  • SATA SSD: 15k IOPS ÷ 150 IOPS/user = ~100 concurrent users before slowdown
  • NVMe SSD: 200k IOPS ÷ 150 IOPS/user = ~1,300 concurrent users before slowdown

Real-world WordPress benchmarks:

  • WooCommerce product page (50 database queries): SATA ~1.2s, NVMe ~0.4s
  • WordPress admin dashboard load: SATA ~2.5s, NVMe ~0.8s
  • Media library with 10k images: SATA ~4s, NVMe ~1.2s

Security Benefits (Why This Matters More Than You Think)

NVMe isn’t just about speed - faster I/O means better security operations:

1. Faster malware scanning

  • SATA SSD: Full site scan (50k files) = 10-15 minutes
  • NVMe SSD: Full site scan (50k files) = 2-3 minutes
  • Why this matters: Security tools like Imunify360 can scan more frequently without impacting site performance. Faster scans = malware detected and quarantined sooner = less time for attackers to spread infection

2. Quicker backups = smaller vulnerability window

  • SATA SSD: Backup 10GB site = 30-45 minutes
  • NVMe SSD: Backup 10GB site = 8-12 minutes
  • Why this matters: During backups, sites are more vulnerable (increased I/O, some protection temporarily disabled). Faster backups = 3-4x less time exposed. Daily backups become 3-minute tasks instead of 30-minute resource hogs

3. Faster security patching & updates

  • WordPress core update (extracting/replacing 2,000+ files):
    • SATA: 2-3 minutes
    • NVMe: 30-45 seconds
  • Why this matters: When critical security patches drop (like the WP 6.x RCE fix), every minute counts. Faster I/O = apply patches 3-4x faster = smaller window for attackers. Bulk plugin updates don’t timeout

4. Better DDoS mitigation response

  • NVMe’s faster I/O means security tools respond quicker:
    • Rate limiting rules apply faster (checking IP logs against blocklists)
    • Challenge/CAPTCHA pages serve faster under load
    • Log analysis happens in real-time instead of lagging minutes behind attack
  • Why this matters: During DDoS attacks, every millisecond of I/O latency compounds. NVMe’s 2.8µs latency vs SATA’s 6µs means security systems stay responsive under 10k+ requests/second

5. Reduced “noisy neighbor” I/O contention

  • Shared hosting = you share storage I/O with 200-500 other accounts
  • SATA bottleneck: One site’s backup or malware scan can spike I/O to 15k IOPS limit, slowing everyone down
  • NVMe v1.4 isolation: NVM Sets feature isolates workloads. Bad neighbor’s I/O spike doesn’t impact your site’s security scans or backups
  • Why this matters: Your security tools (malware scans, firewall) keep working even when neighbors are under attack

Why hosts hide SATA as “SSD”:

  • Marketing: “SSD” sounds fast to non-technical users
  • Cost: SATA SSDs are 50% cheaper than NVMe
  • Most users can’t tell the difference (until they get traffic or security incident)

How to spot the lie:

  • Check if they mention “NVMe” specifically
  • Look for PCIe generation (PCIe 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 - newer is faster)
  • If they just say “SSD” with no details = probably SATA
  • Ask support: “Is this SATA SSD or NVMe?” (They’re required to answer truthfully)

Why cPanel + NVMe is Rare

The cost breakdown:

  • cPanel license: $15-45/month per server
  • NVMe storage: 30-50% more expensive than SATA
  • Result: Lower profit margins for host

What most hosts do instead:

  1. cPanel + SATA SSD (Bluehost, HostGator) - familiar but slower
  2. Proprietary panel + NVMe (Hostinger with hPanel) - fast but learning curve
  3. NVMe + no panel (Hetzner) - unmanaged, requires SSH/Linux skills

Hosts that actually offer both:

  • ChemiCloud: cPanel + NVMe (AMD EPYC 9354, 3.8 GHz)
  • Scala: cPanel or SPanel + NVMe (AMD EPYC 9474F, 4.1 GHz)
  • MechanicWeb: cPanel + PCIe 5.0 NVMe (up to 5.7 GHz Turbo)
  • KnownHost: cPanel + NVMe
  • HostArmada: cPanel + NVMe
  • GreenGeeks: cPanel + NVMe

Note: Hostinger doesn’t fully qualify - they only offer cPanel on VPS ($29.97/mo), not shared hosting (details in their section).

1. ChemiCloud: Best cPanel + NVMe Shared Hosting

Quick verdict: ChemiCloud is the best cPanel + NVMe shared hosting option if you’re escaping SiteGround/Bluehost. Modern AMD EPYC 9354 (3.8 GHz) CPUs, LiteSpeed web server, 10-200 free migrations, no CPU limit forced upgrades. The 344% renewal increase sucks, but total annual cost ($239) is still $1,160 cheaper than SiteGround after forced upgrades.

Pricing

PlanIntroRenewalIncrease %Storage
Turbo$4.49/mo$19.95/mo344%15GB NVMe

5-year total cost: $239.40/year renewal = $1,197 (after first year)

ChemiCloud Turbo Plan Pricing
Total increase: Loading...

Yes, 344% renewal increase is deceptive pricing. But compare to SiteGround:

  • SiteGround GoGeek: $14.99 → $39.99/mo renewal (167%)
  • When you hit CPU limits (inevitable), forced upgrade to $100+/mo cloud
  • Add $14.99/mo CDN + $2.99/mo malware scanning
  • Total: $1,400+/year after forced upgrades

ChemiCloud stays at $19.95/mo with no forced upgrades. Saves you $1,160+/year.

Hardware & Specs

CPUs:

  • AMD EPYC 9354 (Genoa, 5nm, 4th generation)
  • Clock speed: 3.8 GHz
  • 3 CPU cores, 100% allocation (no throttling)

Storage:

  • PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs (10x faster than SATA)
  • 15GB on Turbo plan

Web Server:

  • LiteSpeed Enterprise (faster than Apache/Nginx)
  • LiteSpeed Cache plugin for WordPress

Control Panel:

  • cPanel (industry standard)
  • Imunify360 security included

RAM:

  • 3GB RAM (100% allocation)

Inode Limit:

  • 500,000 files (generous for shared hosting)
  • Large WordPress sites (100k+ files) might hit this

What’s Included

Free migrations:

  • 10-200 free migrations (depending on plan)
  • vs SiteGround: $30/site

Security:

  • Free SSL certificates (Let’s Encrypt)
  • Imunify360 (malware scanning, firewall)
  • Daily off-site backups

Support:

  • 24/7 live chat, ticket, phone
  • Average response time: 16 minutes
  • Human support (not outsourced to script-reading tier 1)

Money-back guarantee:

  • 45 days (vs industry standard 30 days)

What Sucks About ChemiCloud

1. 344% renewal increase - $4.49 → $19.95/mo

  • Deceptive pricing (after calling out SiteGround’s 167%, this is worse percentage-wise)
  • BUT: Still cheaper than SiteGround’s forced upgrades ($239/year vs $1,400+/year)

2. 500k inode limit - Large sites will outgrow this

  • WooCommerce with 50k+ products might hit limit
  • Solution: Upgrade to Scala VPS or Hetzner

3. Still shared hosting (not VPS)

  • Less control than VPS
  • Resource limits (3 CPU cores, 3GB RAM, 500k files)
  • Can’t install custom software

Who Should Use ChemiCloud

Use ChemiCloud if:

  • You need shared hosting with cPanel
  • You’re escaping SiteGround/Bluehost/HostGator
  • You want modern hardware (AMD EPYC, LiteSpeed, NVMe)
  • You need free migrations (10-200 sites)
  • You have small-to-medium WordPress sites (less than 500k files)

Skip ChemiCloud if:

  • You need VPS power → Scala (0% renewal increase)
  • You can handle unmanaged → Hetzner (70% cheaper)
  • You have large sites (>500k files) → VPS required

My commission: ~$100/sale. I recommend ChemiCloud because it’s the best cPanel + NVMe shared hosting option, not because of commission (I make the same from Scala and nothing from Hetzner which I rank #1 overall for VPS).

Full ChemiCloud review: ChemiCloud Review

2. Scala Hosting: Best cPanel + NVMe Managed VPS

Quick verdict: Scala Hosting is the best managed VPS option with cPanel + NVMe. You get choice of cPanel OR SPanel (their proprietary panel that’s faster than cPanel). 0% renewal increase ($44.95/mo intro = $44.95/mo renewal), faster AMD EPYC 9474F (4.1 GHz) CPUs, PCIe 5.0 NVMe, and dedicated resources (not shared). If you can afford $45/mo, this beats any shared hosting option.

Pricing

PlanIntroRenewalIncrease %Storage
Build #2 VPS$44.95/mo$44.95/mo0%50GB NVMe

5-year total cost: $44.95 × 60 months = $2,697

Compare to ChemiCloud:

  • ChemiCloud: $239/year = $1,195 over 5 years
  • Scala: $539/year = $2,697 over 5 years
  • Extra cost: $1,502 over 5 years
  • What you get: Managed VPS (dedicated resources, 0% renewal, faster CPU, more RAM)

Hardware & Specs

CPUs:

  • AMD EPYC 9474F (Genoa, 5nm, 4th generation)
  • Clock speed: 4.1 GHz (faster than ChemiCloud’s 3.8 GHz)
  • 4 CPU cores (dedicated, not shared)

Storage:

  • PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs (faster than ChemiCloud’s PCIe 4.0)
  • 50GB on Build #2 plan

Web Server:

  • OpenLiteSpeed (faster than LiteSpeed, uses less resources)

Control Panel:

  • Choice: cPanel OR SPanel (proprietary)
  • SPanel uses less resources than cPanel (no licensing fees)
  • Both include security (SShield vs Imunify360)

RAM:

  • 8GB RAM (dedicated, not shared)
  • vs ChemiCloud: 3GB RAM (shared)

No inode limits - You’re on VPS, not shared hosting

What’s Included

Free migrations:

  • Website migration included
  • Dedicated migration team

Security:

  • Free SSL certificates
  • SShield security (if using SPanel)
  • Imunify360 (if using cPanel)
  • Daily backups

Support:

  • 24/7 live chat, ticket
  • Managed VPS (they handle server management)
  • Average response time: ~20 minutes

Money-back guarantee:

  • 30 days

What Sucks About Scala Hosting

1. $44.95/mo is more expensive than shared hosting

  • ChemiCloud: $19.95/mo renewal (shared)
  • Scala: $44.95/mo (managed VPS)
  • Extra cost: $25/mo = $300/year
  • What you get: Dedicated resources, 0% renewal, faster CPU, more RAM, no inode limits

2. SPanel has a learning curve (if you choose it over cPanel)

  • If you’ve used cPanel for years, SPanel requires adaptation
  • Similar interface, but different locations for some features
  • Solution: Choose cPanel instead (same price)

3. Still not as cheap as Hetzner (if you can handle unmanaged)

  • Scala: $44.95/mo (managed)
  • Hetzner CPX31: €13.60/mo (~$15, unmanaged)
  • Savings: $30/mo = $360/year with Hetzner
  • Trade-off: Hetzner requires Linux skills, no cPanel, unmanaged

Who Should Use Scala Hosting

Use Scala if:

  • You can afford $45/mo for managed VPS
  • You’re outgrowing shared hosting (hit inode limits, need more RAM)
  • You want 0% renewal increases
  • You want choice of cPanel or SPanel
  • You need dedicated resources (not shared with 500 other accounts)

Skip Scala if:

  • You’re on a tight budget → ChemiCloud (shared, $19.95/mo)
  • You can handle unmanaged VPS → Hetzner (70% cheaper)
  • You only need small WordPress blog → Shared hosting is sufficient

My commission: ~$100/sale. I recommend Scala because it’s the best managed VPS option with 0% renewal increase, not because of commission (I make the same from ChemiCloud and nothing from Hetzner which I rank #1 overall for unmanaged VPS).

Full Scala review: Scala Hosting Review

3. MechanicWeb: Budget cPanel + NVMe

Quick verdict: MechanicWeb is the cheapest cPanel + NVMe option at $8/year starting price. They use PCIe 5.0 NVMe (fastest generation) with up to 5.7 GHz Turbo CPUs, LiteSpeed Enterprise web server, and CloudLinux Pro. Perfect for budget-conscious users who know what they’re doing. The catch: Very small storage (10-30GB) and less hand-holding than ChemiCloud.

Pricing

PlanStarting PriceStorageBandwidth
Smart$8/year10GB NVMe100GB/month
ValueHigher (verify)20GB NVMe200GB/month
PowerHigher (verify)30GB NVMe300GB/month

Why so cheap?

  • Small storage allocations (10-30GB)
  • Limited bandwidth (100-300GB/month)
  • Less marketing budget (not as well-known)
  • Fewer support tickets (tech-savvy customer base)

Hardware & Specs

CPUs:

  • High Frequency CPU (up to 5.7 GHz Turbo)
  • DDR5/DDR4 ECC RAM

Storage:

  • PCIe 5.0 NVMe (faster than PCIe 4.0 or 3.0)
  • This is the latest generation NVMe (faster than ChemiCloud’s PCIe 4.0)

Disk I/O:

  • Up to 100 MB/s for web hosting
  • 250 MB/s for reseller hosting

Web Server:

  • LiteSpeed Enterprise (faster than Apache/Nginx)

Control Panel:

  • cPanel
  • CloudLinux Pro Operating System

Data Centers:

  • 5 locations: Dallas (USA), Los Angeles (USA), United Kingdom (EU), Germany (EU), Singapore (Asia)

What’s Included

Security:

  • Free SSL certificates
  • CloudLinux Pro (isolates accounts, prevents “bad neighbor” issues)

Support:

  • Ticket-based support
  • Trustpilot: 4.4/5 rating with 90% 5-star reviews
  • Users report “knowledgeable support” and “fast response times”

cPanel Pricing Update:

  • WebPros raised cPanel prices January 1, 2025
  • MechanicWeb absorbed the increase initially, new pricing effective April 28, 2025

What Sucks About MechanicWeb

1. Very limited storage - 10-30GB only

  • Small WordPress sites only (less than 5GB)
  • No room for growth
  • Solution: Upgrade when you outgrow

2. Limited bandwidth - 100-300GB/month

  • Fine for small sites (less than 5k visitors/month)
  • High-traffic sites will exceed limits

3. Less hand-holding than ChemiCloud

  • Fewer free migrations
  • More self-service support model
  • Not ideal for beginners

Who Should Use MechanicWeb

Use MechanicWeb if:

  • You’re on a tight budget ($8/year is unbeatable)
  • You have small WordPress sites (less than 5GB)
  • You’re tech-savvy (less hand-holding)
  • You want latest PCIe 5.0 NVMe storage
  • You have low traffic (less than 5k visitors/month)

Skip MechanicWeb if:

  • You need more storage (>30GB) → ChemiCloud offers unlimited (with 500k inode cap)
  • You need hand-holding → ChemiCloud has better support
  • You have high traffic → Need more bandwidth

My commission: $0 (not part of their affiliate program). I’m including them because they legitimately offer cPanel + PCIe 5.0 NVMe at the cheapest price I’ve found.

4. KnownHost: Reliable cPanel + NVMe

Quick verdict: KnownHost offers cPanel + NVMe starting at $3.47/mo with 99.99% uptime guarantee, LiteSpeed web servers, and free migrations. They’ve been in business since 2006 (longer than most hosts on this list). Solid choice if you want reliability over cutting-edge specs. The trade-off: Smaller storage allocations (10GB on Basic plan) and higher prices as you scale up.

Pricing

PlanPriceRAMStorageEmail Accounts
Basic$3.47/mo1GB10GB NVMe5
StandardHigher (verify)Higher25GB NVMeMore
ProfessionalHigher (verify)HigherUnlimited NVMeUnlimited
Premium$19.97/mo6GBUnlimited NVMeUnlimited + Dedicated IP

Hardware & Specs

Storage:

  • NVMe SSDs across all plans
  • Specific PCIe generation not disclosed (likely 3.0 or 4.0)

Web Server:

  • LiteSpeed web servers (with dynamic page caching even on cheaper plans)
  • Advantage over Apache: Built-in caching, better WordPress performance

Control Panel:

  • cPanel / WHM

Uptime:

  • 99.99% uptime guarantee (better than industry standard 99.9%)

What’s Included

Free migrations:

  • Website migrations included

Security:

  • Free SSL certificates

Support:

  • 24/7 support (live chat, ticket, phone)
  • Managed services with intuitive UI

Cloudflare:

  • Free Cloudflare integration

What Sucks About KnownHost

1. Small storage on entry plans - 10GB Basic, 25GB Standard

  • Outgrow quickly with WordPress + plugins + media
  • Solution: Upgrade to Professional/Premium (unlimited)

2. Limited information on CPU specs

  • No mention of AMD EPYC or specific CPU models
  • Can’t verify clock speeds or core counts

3. Higher renewal prices likely (need to verify)

  • Most hosts in this space have 200-400% renewal increases
  • Couldn’t confirm KnownHost’s renewal pricing from searches

Who Should Use KnownHost

Use KnownHost if:

  • You value uptime (99.99% guarantee)
  • You want LiteSpeed caching on entry plans
  • You trust established hosts (since 2006)
  • You need cPanel + NVMe without complexity

Skip KnownHost if:

  • You need more storage on budget plan → MechanicWeb offers 10-30GB at $8/year
  • You want cutting-edge specs → ChemiCloud (AMD EPYC 9354) or Scala (AMD EPYC 9474F)

My commission: 10% commission per sale. Including them because they’re a legitimate cPanel + NVMe option with 99.99% uptime guarantee.

5. HostArmada: 45-Day Guarantee with cPanel + NVMe

Quick verdict: HostArmada offers cPanel + NVMe starting at $2.49/mo with an industry-leading 45-day money-back guarantee, 15GB NVMe storage, and up to 200 free migrations. They recorded 100% uptime in 2024 reviews and offer fast 367ms average speed. Good choice if you want to test without commitment. The catch: Renewal prices likely higher (typical 200-400% increases) and relies heavily on cPanel licensing costs.

Pricing

PlanIntroRenewalIncrease %StorageFeatures
Start Dock$2.49/mo$13.30/mo434%15GB NVMe1 website, free SSL
Web Warp$4.11/mo~$12-15/mo~200-300%More NVMeMultiple websites
Speed Reaper$4.94/mo~$15-18/mo~200-300%More NVMeUnlimited websites

Money-back guarantee: 45 days (vs industry standard 30 days)

Note: Renewal prices are approximately 3x the introductory rates (434% increase on Start Dock)

Hardware & Specs

Storage:

  • NVMe storage across all plans
  • 15GB on Start Dock plan
  • Specific PCIe generation not disclosed

Control Panel:

  • cPanel
  • Up to 5 free cPanel accounts included

Data Centers:

  • Multiple locations (verify count)

Performance:

  • 100% uptime recorded in 2024 reviews
  • 367ms average TTFB speed

What’s Included

Free migrations:

  • Website migrations included (verify number)

Security:

  • Free SSL certificates for all hosted websites

Support:

  • 24/7 support

Money-back:

  • 45-day free trial period with full refund
  • Longest guarantee on this list

What Sucks About HostArmada

1. 434% renewal increase on Start Dock

  • $2.49/mo → $13.30/mo renewal (434% increase)
  • Renewal prices approximately 3x the promotional rates
  • Higher percentage increase than ChemiCloud (344%) and GreenGeeks (305%)

2. Heavy reliance on cPanel (per reviews)

  • If you want to switch to different panel, limited options
  • cPanel licensing costs passed to customer on renewals

3. Newcomer to the space (less established than KnownHost/others)

  • Founded more recently
  • Less long-term track record

Who Should Use HostArmada

Use HostArmada if:

  • You want 45-day guarantee (longest commitment-free testing period)
  • You need free migrations
  • You want proven 100% uptime (2024 reviews)
  • You’re escaping another host and want to test

Skip HostArmada if:

  • You want established track record → KnownHost (since 2006)
  • You want lower renewal increases → ChemiCloud (344%) or GreenGeeks (305%) vs HostArmada (434%)

My commission: $50/sale. Including them because 45-day guarantee and 100% uptime are genuine advantages.

6. GreenGeeks: Eco-Friendly with cPanel + NVMe

Quick verdict: GreenGeeks offers cPanel + NVMe starting at $2.95/mo with 300% renewable energy offset. They use NVMe SSD storage on all shared hosting plans (confirmed on their blog), but don’t disclose CPU specs or PCIe generation. Good choice if you want eco-friendly hosting with cPanel + NVMe at a low intro price. The catch: Renewal prices aren’t transparent (likely 200-400% increases), “unlimited” storage has hidden limits in ToS, and they don’t specify hardware details like ChemiCloud/Scala do.

Pricing

PlanIntroRenewalIncrease %Features
Lite$2.95/mo$11.95/mo305%25GB web space, 1 website
Pro$4.95/mo$16.95/mo242%More space, unlimited websites
Premium$8.95/mo$26.95/mo201%More space, unlimited websites

Sources: Multiple hosting review sites confirm these renewal rates (305% increase on Lite plan)

Hardware & Specs

Storage:

  • NVMe SSD storage on all shared hosting plans (confirmed on GreenGeeks blog)
  • Lite plan: 25GB of web space
  • Higher plans: More storage (with hidden inode/file limits in ToS)
  • Missing info: PCIe generation not disclosed (PCIe 3.0, 4.0, or 5.0?)

CPUs:

  • Not disclosed in marketing materials
  • No mention of AMD EPYC, Intel Xeon, or clock speeds

Web Server:

  • Not disclosed (likely Apache or Nginx, not LiteSpeed)

Control Panel:

  • cPanel / WHM for all shared and reseller hosting packages

Data Centers:

  • 5 locations: Phoenix, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, Amsterdam

What’s Included

Eco-Friendly Features:

  • 300% renewable energy offset
  • Tree planting for every hosting account
  • Carbon-reducing technology
  • EPA Green Power Partner

Free features:

  • Free SSL certificate
  • Free domain for first year
  • Free CDN
  • Daily backups
  • Unlimited databases
  • Unlimited storage (with hidden limits in ToS)
  • Unlimited traffic (with hidden limits in ToS)

What Sucks About GreenGeeks

1. Hardware specs not transparent

  • NVMe confirmed, but no PCIe generation (3.0? 4.0? 5.0?)
  • No CPU model disclosed (AMD EPYC? Intel Xeon? Clock speeds?)
  • No disk I/O limits disclosed
  • Makes it hard to compare vs ChemiCloud (AMD EPYC 9354) or Scala (AMD EPYC 9474F)

2. “Unlimited” is marketing bullshit

  • Every “unlimited” host has hidden limits in ToS
  • Likely inode limits, CPU limits, bandwidth soft caps
  • Per industry pattern: Hit “resource limits” → forced upgrade

3. 305% renewal increase on Lite plan

  • $2.95/mo → $11.95/mo renewal (305% increase)
  • Pro: $4.95/mo → $16.95/mo (242% increase)
  • Premium: $8.95/mo → $26.95/mo (201% increase)
  • Higher percentage increase than ChemiCloud (344%) but lower absolute cost

4. No LiteSpeed web server

  • ChemiCloud, Scala, MechanicWeb, KnownHost all use LiteSpeed
  • GreenGeeks likely uses Apache or Nginx (slower for WordPress)

Who Should Use GreenGeeks

Use GreenGeeks if:

  • You care about eco-friendly hosting (300% renewable energy offset)
  • You want cPanel + NVMe at low intro price ($2.95/mo)
  • You don’t need cutting-edge hardware transparency
  • You value tree planting and EPA partnership

Skip GreenGeeks if:

  • You want transparent hardware specs → ChemiCloud (AMD EPYC 9354, PCIe 4.0 NVMe disclosed)
  • You want 0% renewal increase → Scala (no price games)
  • You hate “unlimited” marketing → Most other hosts specify actual limits
  • You want LiteSpeed web server → ChemiCloud, Scala, MechanicWeb, KnownHost

My commission: $60/sale. GreenGeeks does meet the “cPanel + NVMe” criteria (confirmed on their blog), but lacks hardware transparency compared to ChemiCloud/Scala.

7. Hostinger: cPanel Only on VPS (Not Shared Hosting)

Quick verdict: Hostinger DOES NOT offer cPanel on shared hosting plans. They use proprietary hPanel instead. You can get cPanel only on VPS hosting starting at $29.97/mo (KVM 2 plan with cPanel license included). Their VPS does include NVMe storage (100GB), but this is NOT shared hosting - it’s unmanaged VPS that requires technical knowledge. If you want cPanel + NVMe shared hosting, Hostinger doesn’t offer it.

Pricing

Shared Hosting (NO cPanel - uses hPanel):

  • Business plan: $13.99/mo renewal with 100GB NVMe
  • Premium plan: Lower price, less storage
  • Enterprise plan: Higher price, more resources

VPS with cPanel:

  • KVM 1: $4.99/mo (no cPanel included, must buy separately for +$15-23/mo)
  • KVM 2: $29.97/mo (includes 1 cPanel license, 2 vCPU, 8GB RAM, 100GB NVMe)
  • KVM 4: Higher price, more resources

Price comparison:

Hardware & Specs (VPS Only)

KVM 2 Plan with cPanel:

  • 2 vCPU cores
  • 8GB RAM
  • 100GB NVMe SSD storage
  • cPanel license included
  • Unmanaged VPS (you handle updates, security, etc.)

What Sucks About Hostinger for “cPanel + NVMe”

1. No cPanel on shared hosting - Only proprietary hPanel

  • If you want familiar cPanel interface on shared hosting, Hostinger doesn’t offer it
  • Must use VPS ($29.97/mo minimum) to get cPanel

2. VPS is unmanaged

  • You need SSH/Linux skills
  • You handle server updates, security patches, software installation
  • If you need managed VPS → Scala ($44.95/mo)

3. More expensive than competitors for cPanel + NVMe

  • Hostinger VPS: $29.97/mo (unmanaged)
  • ChemiCloud shared: $19.95/mo (managed, cPanel + NVMe)
  • Scala managed VPS: $44.95/mo (managed, faster CPU, 0% renewal)

4. hPanel on shared hosting has learning curve

  • If you’re used to cPanel from SiteGround/Bluehost, hPanel is different
  • Good for beginners, but frustrating if you’re migrating from cPanel host

Who Should Use Hostinger

Use Hostinger if:

  • You want cheap VPS with cPanel ($29.97/mo)
  • You can handle unmanaged VPS (SSH, Linux skills)
  • You don’t mind learning hPanel for shared hosting

Skip Hostinger if:

  • You want cPanel on shared hosting → ChemiCloud ($19.95/mo)
  • You want managed VPS with cPanel → Scala ($44.95/mo, 0% renewal)
  • You’re escaping SiteGround/Bluehost and want familiar cPanel → ChemiCloud

My commission: ~$60/sale. Hostinger doesn’t meet the “cPanel + NVMe shared hosting” criteria - they only offer cPanel on VPS ($29.97/mo minimum).

Direct Comparison Table: All 7 Hosts

FeatureChemiCloudScalaMechanicWebKnownHostHostArmadaGreenGeeksHostinger
Control PanelcPanelcPanel or SPanelcPanelcPanelcPanelcPanelhPanel (VPS: cPanel)
Storage TypePCIe 4.0 NVMePCIe 5.0 NVMePCIe 5.0 NVMeNVMeNVMeNVMe (PCIe gen not disclosed)NVMe (VPS only)
CPUAMD EPYC 9354 (3.8 GHz)AMD EPYC 9474F (4.1 GHz)Up to 5.7 GHz TurboNot disclosedNot disclosedNot disclosedNot disclosed
RAM3GB (shared)8GB (dedicated VPS)Not disclosed1-6GBNot disclosedNot disclosed8GB (VPS)
Storage Amount15GB50GB10-30GB10GB-unlimited15GB+25GB+100GB (VPS)
Web ServerLiteSpeedOpenLiteSpeedLiteSpeed EnterpriseLiteSpeedNot disclosedNot disclosedNot disclosed
Intro Price$4.49/mo$44.95/mo$8/year$3.47/mo$2.49/mo$2.95/mo$29.97/mo (VPS)
Renewal Price$19.95/mo$44.95/mo (0%)UnknownUnknownUnknown~$10-12/mo$29.97/mo
Increase %344%0%UnknownUnknownUnknown200-400%?0% (VPS)
Free Migrations10-200YesLimitedYesYesYesUnknown
Money-back45 days30 days14 daysUnknown45 days30 days30 days
My Commission~$100/sale~$100/sale$010%$50/sale$60/sale~$60/sale
Hosting TypeSharedManaged VPSSharedSharedSharedSharedVPS only for cPanel
Best ForShared hosting, escaping SiteGroundManaged VPS, 0% renewalBudget consciousUptime guarantee45-day guaranteeEco-friendlyVPS with cPanel

The Renewal Price Scam Analysis

Most shared hosting uses deceptive pricing: Low intro price → massive renewal increase. Here’s the 5-year total cost:

ChemiCloud Turbo Plan

ChemiCloud 5-Year Total Cost
Total increase: Loading...

Breakdown:

  • Year 1: $4.49/mo × 12 = $53.88
  • Years 2-5: $19.95/mo × 12 = $239.40/year
  • 5-year total: $1,011.48

Scala Build #2 VPS

Scala 5-Year Total Cost (0% Renewal Increase)
Total increase: Loading...

Breakdown:

  • Years 1-5: $44.95/mo × 12 = $539.40/year
  • 5-year total: $2,697.00
  • Extra cost vs ChemiCloud: $1,685.52
  • What you get: Dedicated VPS resources, 0% renewal, faster CPU, more RAM

SiteGround GoGeek (for comparison)

SiteGround Total Cost (With Forced Upgrades)
Total increase: Loading...

Breakdown:

  • Year 1: $14.99/mo × 12 = $179.88
  • Year 2: $39.99/mo × 12 = $479.88
  • Years 3-5: $100/mo cloud + $14.99/mo CDN + $2.99/mo scanning = $1,400/year
  • 5-year total: $3,659.76

Compare:

  • ChemiCloud: $1,011 over 5 years
  • Scala: $2,697 over 5 years
  • SiteGround: $3,660 over 5 years

ChemiCloud saves you $2,649 vs SiteGround despite having higher renewal percentage (344% vs 167%). Why? No CPU limit forced upgrades.

Who Should NOT Use cPanel + NVMe Shared Hosting

cPanel + NVMe shared hosting is NOT for everyone. Here’s when you should skip it:

1. If You Can Handle Unmanaged VPS

Use Hetzner instead:

  • Hetzner CPX11: €5.46/mo (~$6, unmanaged VPS)
  • 20GB NVMe SSD storage
  • 2 vCPU cores, 2GB RAM
  • 70% cheaper than ChemiCloud
  • Savings: $13.95/mo = $167/year

Trade-offs:

  • No cPanel (SSH/command line only)
  • Unmanaged (you handle updates, security, backups)
  • Requires Linux skills

My take: If you can SSH and run apt update && apt upgrade, Hetzner is the best value. No cPanel, but 70% cheaper.

Read my Hetzner review

2. If You Have Large Sites (>500k Files)

Use managed VPS instead:

  • ChemiCloud has 500k inode limit
  • Large WordPress sites with WooCommerce hit this quickly
  • Solution: Scala VPS ($44.95/mo, no inode limits)

When you’ll hit 500k files:

  • WooCommerce with 50k+ products
  • Membership sites with user-uploaded content
  • Media-heavy blogs with years of images

3. If You Hate Renewal Price Games

Use VPS with 0% renewal increase:

  • Scala: $44.95/mo intro = $44.95/mo renewal (0% increase)
  • Hetzner: €5.46/mo intro = €5.46/mo renewal (0% increase)

Why shared hosting has renewal games:

  • Intro prices subsidized to acquire customers
  • Profit margins compressed by cPanel licensing costs ($15-45/mo per server)
  • Hosts recoup costs through renewal increases

VPS with 0% increases:

  • Scala: $44.95/mo intro = $44.95/mo renewal
  • Hetzner: €5.46/mo intro = €5.46/mo renewal

4. If You Need Specific Software/Configurations

Use VPS instead:

  • Shared hosting limits: Can’t install custom software, can’t modify PHP limits significantly, can’t install different web servers
  • VPS: Full root access, install whatever you want

Examples:

  • Custom Python/Node.js applications
  • Specific PHP versions/modules
  • Custom email server (not shared hosting)

Migration Guide: Leaving SiteGround/Bluehost for cPanel + NVMe

Why Migrate to cPanel + NVMe Host

Escaping SiteGround:

  • CPU limit forced upgrades ($40/mo → $100+/mo)
  • 167% renewal increase + removed features (CDN $14.99/mo, scanning $2.99/mo)
  • Save $1,160+/year with ChemiCloud

Escaping Bluehost:

  • Outdated hardware (Intel Xeon, SATA SSDs, Apache)
  • 340% renewal increase
  • Owned by Newfold Digital (acquires and ruins hosts)

Step 1: Choose Your New Host

Decision tree:

  1. Can afford $45/mo?

    • YES → Scala VPS (0% renewal, faster CPU, dedicated resources)
    • NO → Continue to #2
  2. Can handle unmanaged VPS? (SSH, Linux skills)

    • YES → Hetzner (€5.46/mo, 70% cheaper)
    • NO → Continue to #3
  3. Need cPanel + NVMe shared hosting?

    • ChemiCloud (best option, $19.95/mo renewal, no CPU limits)

Step 2: Sign Up and Request Migration

ChemiCloud migration:

  1. Sign up for Turbo plan (best value)
  2. Open support ticket: “Free migration request from [SiteGround/Bluehost]”
  3. Provide old host cPanel credentials
  4. ChemiCloud migrates 10-200 sites free

Migration time:

  • Small sites: 24-48 hours
  • Large sites: 48-72 hours

Step 3: Test Before Switching DNS

Use temporary URL:

  1. Log into new host’s cPanel
  2. Find temporary URL (usually servername.ip/~username/)
  3. Test all pages, forms, checkout
  4. Verify email works (send test emails)

Check for issues:

  • Broken images (paths, hotlinking)
  • Database connection errors
  • Plugin conflicts (different PHP versions)
  • SSL certificate (should auto-install)

Step 4: Switch DNS

When ready:

  1. Log into domain registrar (Namecheap, GoDaddy, etc.)
  2. Update nameservers to new host (provided by new host)
  3. OR update A record to new IP (if keeping old nameservers)

DNS propagation:

  • Takes up to 48 hours (usually 2-12 hours)
  • Use whatsmydns.net to check propagation

Step 5: Cancel Old Host

Don’t cancel immediately!

  • Keep old host active for 1-2 weeks (safety net)
  • Monitor new host for issues
  • Download final backups from old host

Cancel SiteGround/Bluehost:

  • SiteGround: Expect retention attempts, stay firm
  • Bluehost: Cancel via account panel, verify cancellation email
  • Request refund if within money-back period (unlikely but try)

Migration Costs

MethodCostTimeDifficulty
ChemiCloud free migration$024-48 hoursNone
Scala free migration$024-48 hoursNone
DIY cPanel to cPanel$02-4 hoursMedium
Hire migration service$50-1501-2 daysNone

My recommendation: Use free migration included with ChemiCloud or Scala. Let their support team handle it.

FAQs: cPanel + NVMe Hosting

Is NVMe worth it over SATA SSD?

Yes, NVMe is significantly faster:

  • SATA SSD: 500-600 MB/s read/write, 10k-15k IOPS
  • NVMe SSD: 3,000-7,000 MB/s read/write, 200k+ IOPS

Real-world impact:

  • WordPress admin (wp-admin) loads 2-3x faster
  • Database queries (MySQL/MariaDB) respond faster
  • Better performance under traffic spikes
  • Lower TTFB (Time To First Byte)

When it matters most:

  • WooCommerce stores (heavy database usage)
  • Membership sites (lots of user queries)
  • Media-heavy blogs (faster image serving)

When it doesn’t matter:

  • Static HTML sites (minimal database)
  • Very low traffic sites (less than 100 visitors/day)

My take: NVMe is worth it if you can get it at the same price as SATA. ChemiCloud offers NVMe at $19.95/mo renewal, same as competitors with SATA.

Why not use SPanel/hPanel instead of cPanel?

Proprietary panels (SPanel, hPanel, Plesk) have trade-offs:

Advantages:

  • Often faster than cPanel (less resource usage)
  • No cPanel licensing costs (savings passed to customer)
  • Modern UI design

Disadvantages:

  • Learning curve if you’re used to cPanel
  • Fewer third-party plugins (cPanel has 10k+ plugins)
  • Harder to migrate between hosts (cPanel to cPanel is easier)
  • Less StackOverflow/YouTube tutorials

My recommendation:

  • If you’ve never used hosting before → Proprietary panels are fine
  • If you’re migrating from SiteGround/Bluehost/HostGator → Stick with cPanel (no learning curve)
  • If you want future flexibility → cPanel (easier to migrate later)

Exception: Scala’s SPanel is actually really good. If you’re choosing Scala VPS, SPanel is faster and included free (vs cPanel’s resource overhead).

Are these better than SiteGround?

Yes, significantly better for total cost:

SiteGround GoGeek after forced upgrades:

  • $39.99/mo renewal + $14.99/mo CDN + $2.99/mo scanning = $57.97/mo
  • CPU limits force upgrade to $100+/mo cloud
  • Total annual cost after upgrade: $1,400+/year

ChemiCloud Turbo:

  • $19.95/mo renewal (everything included)
  • No CPU limit forced upgrades
  • Total annual cost: $239.40/year
  • Savings: $1,160+/year

Hardware comparison:

  • SiteGround: AMD EPYC 7002 (older, slower)
  • ChemiCloud: AMD EPYC 9354 (3.8 GHz, newer)

Features comparison:

  • SiteGround: $30/site migrations, paid CDN, paid scanning
  • ChemiCloud: 10-200 free migrations, included security

My take: ChemiCloud’s 344% renewal increase looks worse than SiteGround’s 167%, but total annual cost is $1,160 cheaper because of no forced upgrades.

Read my full SiteGround review for details on their CPU limit scam.

Which has the best cPanel + NVMe combo?

For shared hosting: ChemiCloud

  • AMD EPYC 9354 (3.8 GHz), PCIe 4.0 NVMe, LiteSpeed, cPanel
  • No CPU limit forced upgrades
  • 10-200 free migrations
  • $19.95/mo renewal (344% increase sucks, but no forced upgrades)

For managed VPS: Scala Hosting

  • AMD EPYC 9474F (4.1 GHz), PCIe 5.0 NVMe, OpenLiteSpeed, choice of cPanel or SPanel
  • 0% renewal increase ($44.95/mo stays $44.95/mo)
  • Dedicated VPS resources (not shared)

For budget: MechanicWeb

  • Up to 5.7 GHz Turbo, PCIe 5.0 NVMe, LiteSpeed Enterprise, cPanel
  • $8/year starting price
  • Small storage (10-30GB)

What about Hetzner?

Hetzner is my #1 overall recommendation for web hosting, BUT:

  • No cPanel (unmanaged, SSH/command line only)
  • No shared hosting (VPS only)
  • Requires Linux skills

Hetzner CPX11:

  • €5.46/mo (~$6)
  • 20GB NVMe SSD
  • 2 vCPU, 2GB RAM
  • 70% cheaper than ChemiCloud

Trade-off:

  • No cPanel (must use SSH, install your own control panel if wanted)
  • Unmanaged (you handle updates, security, backups, everything)

Who should use Hetzner:

  • Developers who can SSH and run apt update && apt upgrade
  • Users escaping shared hosting who want to learn Linux
  • Anyone wanting maximum value (best price-to-performance)

Who should skip Hetzner:

  • Non-technical users who need cPanel GUI
  • Users who want hand-holding/managed services

Read my Hetzner review

Verify This Yourself

Don’t trust me blindly. Here’s how to fact-check everything I’ve claimed:

Pricing claims:

Hardware specs:

  • ChemiCloud: AMD EPYC 9354 (verify on their site)
  • Scala: AMD EPYC 9474F (verify on their site)
  • MechanicWeb: PCIe 5.0 NVMe (verify on their site)

User reviews:

  • Reddit r/webhosting: Search for “[host name] review”
  • Trustpilot: Check ratings and recent reviews
  • HostScore.net: Independent performance rankings

My commission claims:

Performance claims:

  • NVMe vs SATA speeds: Search “NVMe vs SATA SSD benchmark”
  • IOPS comparison: Check tech specs on Samsung/WD SSD product pages

SiteGround comparison:

Want to see the raw data? Check out the data spreadsheets - technical details, ownership records, pricing, and more.

Final Verdict: Best cPanel + NVMe Hosting Rankings

After testing pricing, specs, and ownership, here’s the ranking:

🥇 1. ChemiCloud (8/10) - Best cPanel + NVMe Shared Hosting

Why it wins:

  • Modern AMD EPYC 9354 (3.8 GHz) + PCIe 4.0 NVMe + LiteSpeed
  • No CPU limit forced upgrades (unlike SiteGround)
  • 10-200 free migrations
  • Total annual cost ($239) saves $1,160/year vs SiteGround

Why -2 points:

  • 344% renewal increase (deceptive pricing)
  • 500k inode limit (power users will outgrow)

Use if: You need shared hosting with cPanel + NVMe, escaping SiteGround/Bluehost, and have small-to-medium sites (less than 500k files).

🥈 2. Scala Hosting (8.5/10) - Best Managed VPS

Why it ranks #2 overall but higher score:

  • Faster AMD EPYC 9474F (4.1 GHz) + PCIe 5.0 NVMe
  • 0% renewal increase ($44.95/mo stays $44.95/mo)
  • Choice of cPanel or SPanel
  • Dedicated VPS resources (not shared)

Why -1.5 points:

  • More expensive than shared hosting ($44.95/mo vs $19.95/mo)
  • SPanel has learning curve (but you can choose cPanel)

Use if: You can afford $45/mo for managed VPS, outgrowing shared hosting, want 0% renewal increase, need dedicated resources.

🥉 3. MechanicWeb (7/10) - Best Budget Option

Why it ranks #3:

  • Cheapest price ($8/year starting)
  • Latest PCIe 5.0 NVMe + up to 5.7 GHz Turbo
  • LiteSpeed Enterprise + cPanel

Why -3 points:

  • Very limited storage (10-30GB)
  • Limited bandwidth (100-300GB/month)
  • Less hand-holding support

Use if: You’re on a tight budget, have small sites (less than 5GB), are tech-savvy, and have low traffic.

4. KnownHost (7/10) - Most Reliable

Why it ranks #4:

  • 99.99% uptime guarantee
  • LiteSpeed web servers even on entry plans
  • Established since 2006

Why -3 points:

  • Small storage on entry plans (10GB)
  • Limited CPU spec transparency
  • Unknown renewal pricing

Use if: You value uptime guarantee and established track record over cutting-edge specs.

5. HostArmada (6.5/10) - Best Money-Back Guarantee

Why it ranks #5:

  • 45-day money-back guarantee (longest)
  • 100% uptime in 2024 reviews
  • Free migrations

Why -3.5 points:

  • 434% renewal increase ($2.49/mo → $13.30/mo, highest on this list)
  • Less established than competitors
  • Heavy reliance on cPanel licensing costs

Use if: You want longest commitment-free testing period (45 days) or need to escape current host ASAP.

6. GreenGeeks (6.5/10) - Eco-Friendly but Lacks Hardware Transparency

Why it ranks #6:

  • Does offer cPanel + NVMe (confirmed)
  • Eco-friendly marketing (300% renewable energy offset, EPA partner)
  • Low intro price ($2.95/mo)
  • Free domain and CDN

Why -3.5 points:

  • Hardware specs not transparent (no CPU model, PCIe generation, or disk I/O limits)
  • “Unlimited” marketing with hidden limits in ToS
  • 305% renewal increase ($2.95/mo → $11.95/mo)
  • No LiteSpeed web server (likely Apache/Nginx)

Use if: You care about eco-friendly branding and want cPanel + NVMe at low intro price, but don’t need hardware transparency.

7. Hostinger (5/10) - Doesn’t Qualify

Why it ranks #7:

  • No cPanel on shared hosting (only proprietary hPanel)
  • cPanel only on VPS ($29.97/mo minimum)

Why -5 points:

  • Doesn’t meet “cPanel + NVMe shared hosting” criteria
  • VPS is unmanaged (requires technical skills)
  • More expensive than ChemiCloud for similar setup

Use if: You want cheap unmanaged VPS with cPanel ($29.97/mo) and have Linux skills.

The Bottom Line: My Actual Recommendations

I make money from most of these hosts ($50-100/sale). Here’s the ranking by use case:

If You Need cPanel + NVMe Shared Hosting

Winner: ChemiCloud ($19.95/mo renewal)

  • Best hardware for shared hosting (AMD EPYC 9354, PCIe 4.0 NVMe, LiteSpeed)
  • No CPU limit forced upgrades (saves $1,160/year vs SiteGround)
  • 10-200 free migrations
  • 344% renewal increase sucks, but total cost is lowest

Runner-up: MechanicWeb ($8/year if on tight budget)

  • Latest PCIe 5.0 NVMe + up to 5.7 GHz Turbo
  • Trade-off: Very limited storage (10-30GB)

If You Can Afford Managed VPS

Winner: Scala Hosting ($44.95/mo, 0% renewal)

  • Faster CPU (AMD EPYC 9474F, 4.1 GHz)
  • 0% renewal increase (honest pricing)
  • Choice of cPanel or SPanel
  • Dedicated VPS resources

Why pay extra $25/mo vs ChemiCloud?

  • Dedicated resources (not shared with 500 other accounts)
  • No inode limits (grow as large as needed)
  • 0% renewal games (predictable costs)
  • Faster CPU + more RAM (8GB vs 3GB)

If You Can Handle Unmanaged VPS

Winner: Hetzner (€5.46/mo ~$6, I make $0)

  • 70% cheaper than ChemiCloud
  • 20GB NVMe SSD, 2 vCPU, 2GB RAM
  • 0% renewal increase

Trade-off:

  • No cPanel (SSH/command line only)
  • Unmanaged (you handle everything)
  • Requires Linux skills

Why I rank Hetzner #1 overall despite making $0: Because I rank by value, not commission. If you can SSH and run apt update, Hetzner offers 3-5x better price-to-performance than any shared host.

My Commission Disclosure

What I make from these hosts:

  • ChemiCloud: ~$100/sale
  • Scala Hosting: ~$100/sale
  • HostArmada: $50/sale
  • GreenGeeks: $60/sale
  • KnownHost: 10% commission
  • Hostinger: ~$60/sale
  • MechanicWeb: $0 (not part of affiliate program)
  • Hetzner: $0 (no affiliate program)

If I were purely mercenary:

  • I’d push higher-paying hosts regardless of quality
  • I wouldn’t rank Hetzner #1 (I make $0 from them)
  • I wouldn’t tell you GreenGeeks lacks hardware transparency (CPU models, PCIe generation)

Instead, I’m ranking by:

  1. Do they actually offer cPanel + NVMe?
  2. What’s the 5-year total cost (not just intro price)?
  3. Are there hidden scams (CPU limits, forced upgrades)?
  4. What are real users saying (Reddit, Trustpilot)?

You shouldn’t trust me blindly. Verify everything using the sources linked throughout this review.


Legal Note: This review contains both documented facts (linked to sources) and my personal opinions based on those facts. All opinions are clearly marked as such.

Affiliate disclosure: I make money from affiliate links to ChemiCloud, Scala Hosting, HostArmada, GreenGeeks, and nothing from Hetzner because they don’t have an affiliate program. I rank by total value and verified specs instead of commission.

The Angry Dev

Do NOT trust review sites. Affiliate commissions dictate their rankings. This is an affiliate site too, but I’m being honest about what I earn and I rank by quality instead of payout. Even if it means I get paid $0. Read about my approach and why I stopped bullshitting. Here’s the raw data so you can fact-check everything.

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