SiteGround vs Scala Hosting: CPU Limits vs Real VPS Power

You’re searching “SiteGround vs Scala Hosting” because you’re comparing shared hosting (SiteGround) with managed VPS (Scala).

Here’s the problem: SiteGround’s CPU limits force $1,456/year Cloud upgrades, making this a comparison between SiteGround Cloud ($1,456/year) and Scala VPS ($539/year). Scala saves you $917/year with faster AMD EPYC 9474F CPUs and 0% renewal.

Better alternatives:

1. Hetzner - Best unmanaged VPS
2. Scala Hosting - Best managed VPS
3. ChemiCloud - Best shared hosting

This SiteGround vs Scala comparison will show why Scala’s managed VPS beats SiteGround’s forced Cloud upgrade path.

⚡ Quick Verdict: SiteGround vs Scala Hosting

TL;DR: SiteGround shared ($216/year) has CPU limits that force $1,456/year Cloud upgrade. Scala VPS costs $539/year with 0% renewal, faster AMD EPYC 9474F CPUs, and no limits. Scala saves $917/year vs SiteGround Cloud.

Winner: Scala Hosting saves $917/year vs SiteGround’s forced Cloud upgrade, with faster AMD EPYC 9474F @ 4.1 GHz CPUs and 0% renewal increase.

Why: SiteGround advertises $216/year shared hosting but undisclosed CPU limits force $1,456/year Cloud upgrades as sites grow. Scala’s $539/year managed VPS has no limits, faster CPUs (AMD EPYC 9474F @ 4.1 GHz), 0% renewal, and SPanel (saves $15/mo cPanel license). Total savings: $917/year.

Why I Don’t Recommend SiteGround

SiteGround:

• 501% renewal + CPU limit forced Cloud upgrades make total cost $1,456/year, not $216/year as advertised

Better alternative:

• Scala Hosting: Best managed VPS value ($539/year with 0% renewal), AMD EPYC 9474F @ 4.1 GHz, SPanel included, no CPU limits

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

SiteGround vs Scala Hosting: The Direct Comparison

Pricing: The CPU Limit Trap vs Transparent VPS

SiteGround Pricing (Shared → Forced Cloud Upgrade)

SiteGround Shared Hosting:

• Year 1: $2.99/mo (12-month prepayment = $35.88)
• Renewal: $17.99/mo = $216/year
• Increase: 501%

BUT - The CPU Limit Forced Upgrade:

• Undisclosed CPU limits trigger as site grows
• Support “recommends” Cloud upgrade
• Cloud Entry: $120/mo = $1,440/year
• Domain: $15.95/year
• Total after forced upgrade: $1,456/year

From RaazKumar SiteGround Analysis:

“SiteGround has CPU limits on shared hosting that aren’t disclosed upfront. Once you hit these limits, they force you to upgrade to Cloud plans costing $120+/month.”

Hidden costs on shared:

• Domain: $15.95/year renewal
• CDN: $19.95/mo extra ($239.40/year)
• SSL: Free (Let’s Encrypt)
• Backups: Included

Total cost trajectory:

1. Year 1: $36/year (intro)
2. Year 2: $216/year (if you stay under CPU limits)
3. Year 2+: $1,456/year (after forced Cloud upgrade)

Source: SiteGround official pricing

Scala Hosting Pricing (VPS - No Forced Upgrades)

Scala Managed VPS:

• Year 1: $44.95/mo VPS (Build plan)
• Renewal: $44.95/mo VPS (0% increase on VPS plans)
• Annual cost: $539/year (stays constant)

What’s included:

• AMD EPYC 9474F @ 4.1 GHz
• SPanel (saves $15/mo cPanel license = $180/year savings)
• Free domain
• Free migrations
• Daily backups
• No CPU limits (true VPS with dedicated resources)

Note: Scala’s shared hosting has 237% renewal increase - avoid their shared plans, use VPS only.

Total cost trajectory:

1. Year 1: $539/year
2. Year 2+: $539/year (0% increase, stays constant forever)

Source: Scala Hosting official pricing

Pricing Winner

On advertised intro pricing: SiteGround wins ($36/year vs Scala’s $539/year)

On real annual cost (Year 2+):

• SiteGround shared (if under CPU limits): $216/year
• SiteGround Cloud (after CPU limits force upgrade): $1,456/year
• Scala VPS: $539/year

Real winner: Scala saves $917/year vs SiteGround’s forced Cloud upgrade path

The math:

• SiteGround looks $323/year cheaper ($216 vs $539)
• But CPU limits force $1,456/year Cloud plan
• Scala’s $539/year stays constant with no forced upgrades
• Scala saves $917/year vs SiteGround’s real cost trajectory

Performance: AMD EPYC 9474F vs Undisclosed Google Cloud

Scala Hosting Infrastructure

Hardware:

• CPU: AMD EPYC 9474F @ 4.1 GHz (~28th/1132 fastest server CPUs)
• RAM: 4GB on Build VPS plan (dedicated, not shared)
• Storage: PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs (2457 MB/s read, 2000 MB/s write)
• Web Server: OpenLiteSpeed with SPanel

Documented performance:

• Highest multithread rating (102107) among VPS providers
• DDR5 RAM (PC5-38400R at 4800Mhz)
• Dedicated vCPU cores (not oversubscribed)
• Source: VPSBenchmarks Scala Analysis

The advantage: True VPS with dedicated resources, no CPU throttling, no forced upgrades

SiteGround Infrastructure

SiteGround Shared:

• CPU: Google Cloud (cores/speed undisclosed)
• RAM: Undisclosed
• Storage: SSD (Google Cloud, type not specified)
• Web Server: Nginx with custom caching

SiteGround Cloud:

• CPU: 4-8 CPU cores (Google Cloud)
• RAM: 8-16GB
• Storage: SSD (Google Cloud)
• Web Server: Nginx

Documented performance:

• Average TTFB: 400-600ms (decent)
• Uptime: 99.99% average
• The CPU limit problem: Undisclosed limits on shared force expensive Cloud upgrades
• Source: Whatsthehost SiteGround Review

Performance Winner

On disclosed specs: Scala wins - AMD EPYC 9474F @ 4.1 GHz (disclosed) vs SiteGround’s undisclosed Google Cloud

On CPU performance: Scala’s AMD EPYC 9474F has highest multithread rating (102107) vs SiteGround’s undisclosed cores

On real-world performance: Scala VPS is faster than SiteGround shared (dedicated resources vs shared), comparable to SiteGround Cloud but $917/year cheaper

The upgrade trap:

• SiteGround: Start on slow shared ($216/year) → CPU limits hit → forced to Cloud ($1,456/year)
• Scala: Start on fast VPS ($539/year) → stays fast forever, no forced upgrades

Real winner: Scala VPS - faster hardware, no CPU limits, $917/year cheaper than SiteGround’s forced upgrade destination

The Hidden Problems SiteGround Has (That Scala Avoids)

SiteGround-specific issues Scala doesn’t have:

1. Undisclosed CPU limits with forced upgrades

   • SiteGround: CPU limits not disclosed upfront, force $1,456/year Cloud upgrades
   • Scala: True VPS with dedicated CPU cores, no limits, no forced upgrades
   • Cost impact: $917/year savings with Scala

2. 501% shared hosting renewal

   • SiteGround: $2.99/mo → $17.99/mo (501% increase on shared)
   • Scala: $44.95/mo → $44.95/mo (0% increase on VPS)
   • Note: Scala’s shared hosting has 237% renewal - avoid it, use VPS only

3. cPanel license costs

   • SiteGround: Custom panel on Cloud (was cPanel, switched to reduce costs)
   • Scala: SPanel included (saves $15/mo cPanel license = $180/year)
   • Savings: $180/year

4. Limited migrations

   • SiteGround: 1 free site migration
   • Scala: Free unlimited migrations on VPS
   • Savings: $149-1,990 in migration costs

5. Google Cloud markup

   • SiteGround Cloud: $120/mo for Google Cloud infrastructure
   • Direct Google Cloud equivalent: ~$30-40/mo
   • SiteGround markup: ~$80-90/mo = $960-1,080/year
   • Scala uses own infrastructure (no markup)

Total advantage (Scala vs SiteGround Cloud):

• Base cost: $917/year savings ($539 vs $1,456)
• SPanel vs cPanel: $180/year savings
• Total savings: $1,097/year with Scala vs SiteGround Cloud

Support Quality

Scala Hosting Support

Claimed support:

• 24/7 live chat, tickets, phone

Actual support quality:

• Average response time: 10-15 minutes
• Support is in-house with SPanel expertise
• VPS migration assistance included
• No forced upgrade tactics (you’re already on VPS)

Support score: 8/10

SiteGround Support

Claimed support:

• 24/7 live chat, phone, tickets

Actual support quality:

• Average response time: 10-15 minutes
• Support is in-house (better than Newfold brands)
• Generally rated highly for helpfulness
• However: Support pushes expensive Cloud upgrades when you hit CPU limits

Support score: 7/10 (deducted for Cloud upgrade pushing)

Support Winner

Winner: Scala (8/10 vs SiteGround’s 7/10)

Why: Both have good support, but SiteGround’s support serves the CPU limit upgrade business model. Scala’s support doesn’t push upgrades because you’re already on VPS with no limits.

Features Comparison

Features winner: Scala VPS includes more (unlimited migrations, domain forever, SPanel, dedicated CPU) vs SiteGround’s limited migrations and CPU restrictions.

Why This Comparison Misses the Point

Most reviews compare SiteGround shared vs Scala shared:

• “SiteGround shared: $216/year”
• “Scala shared: $119/year (but 237% renewal)”
• “SiteGround wins!”

This comparison is wrong because:

1. SiteGround shared has CPU limits that force $1,456/year Cloud upgrade
2. Scala shared has 237% renewal increase (avoid it)
3. The real comparison is: SiteGround Cloud ($1,456/yr) vs Scala VPS ($539/yr)

The correct question: “Should I pay $1,456/year for SiteGround Cloud or $539/year for Scala VPS?”

Answer: Scala VPS saves $917/year with faster AMD EPYC 9474F CPUs

What You Should Actually Use

If You’re Comparing These Two Hosts

Use: Scala Hosting VPS

Why:

• $539/year (0% renewal increase on VPS)
• AMD EPYC 9474F @ 4.1 GHz (highest multithread rating)
• PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs
• SPanel included (saves $180/year vs cPanel)
• Dedicated vCPU cores (no CPU limit forced upgrades)
• Free unlimited migrations
• Saves $917/year vs SiteGround’s forced Cloud upgrade path

Don’t use Scala’s shared hosting (237% renewal). Use VPS only.

Read full Scala Hosting review

If You Need Cheaper Shared Hosting (No VPS Budget)

Use: ChemiCloud

Why:

• $239/year total cost (no forced CPU upgrades)
• AMD EPYC 9354 @ 3.8 GHz
• Cheaper than Scala VPS ($539/year) if you’re on tight budget
• No CPU limit forced upgrades (unlike SiteGround)

Read full ChemiCloud review

If You Can Handle Unmanaged VPS (Best Value)

Use: Hetzner

Why:

• €3.79/mo = €45.48/year (~$50/year)
• AMD EPYC CPUs, NVMe SSDs
• 0% renewal increase - stays €3.79/mo forever
• Saves $489/year vs Scala, $1,406/year vs SiteGround Cloud

Read full Hetzner review

Migration: Leaving SiteGround for Scala VPS

Don’t wait for CPU limits to hit. Here’s how to migrate to Scala VPS:

Backup Everything First

1. Use SiteGround’s backup tool: Download full backup
2. Use backup plugin: UpdraftPlus or All-in-One WP Migration
3. Export database: Via phpMyAdmin
4. Save wp-config.php: Database credentials

Migration Options

Option 1: Use Scala’s free VPS migration (RECOMMENDED)

• Scala offers unlimited free migrations on VPS plans
• Support handles everything (more complex than shared migration)
• Takes 24-48 hours
• Saves $149-1,990 in professional migration costs

Option 2: DIY migration

1. Sign up for Scala VPS
2. Install WordPress via SPanel
3. Use UpdraftPlus or All-in-One WP Migration to restore
4. Configure SPanel settings
5. Test on temporary URL
6. Update DNS when ready
7. Keep SiteGround active 7-14 days during transition

Timeline

1. Week 1: Sign up for Scala VPS, request free migration
2. Week 2: Test new VPS, verify performance (no CPU limits!)
3. Week 3: Update DNS, monitor transition
4. Week 4: Cancel SiteGround (before renewal/forced Cloud upgrade)

Migration cost comparison:

Real User Experiences: SiteGround vs Scala

SiteGround CPU Limit Trap

From RaazKumar:

“SiteGround has CPU limits on shared hosting that aren’t disclosed upfront. Once you hit these limits, they force you to upgrade to Cloud plans costing $120+/month.”

From WebsitePlanet:

“Competitive initial pricing, but steep renewal rates and add-on costs can make it expensive… SiteGround has faced criticism for CPU limits and high renewal prices.”

Pattern: Users hit undisclosed CPU limits on shared ($216/year), forced into Cloud ($1,456/year), total cost jumps $1,240/year.

Scala Hosting VPS User Experiences

From OnlineMediaMasters:

“AMD EPYC 9474F CPUs which are ~28th/1132 fastest server CPUs with the highest multithread rating… 0% renewal increase on VPS plans.”

From VPSBenchmarks:

“Hetzner ranks as 2nd Best VPS 2024 under $15 and 3rd Best VPS 2025 under $15… ScalaHosting’s AMD EPYC 9474F has highest multithread rating (102107).”

Pattern: Users escaping SiteGround’s forced Cloud upgrades report better performance on Scala VPS at $917/year lower cost.

The Bottom Line: SiteGround vs Scala Hosting

Direct comparison verdict:

This isn’t “SiteGround shared ($216/year) vs Scala VPS ($539/year).”

This is: “SiteGround Cloud ($1,456/year forced upgrade) vs Scala VPS ($539/year no forced upgrade).”

Scala saves $917/year with faster AMD EPYC 9474F @ 4.1 GHz CPUs.

What you should actually do:

1. Escaping SiteGround CPU limits? → Scala VPS ($539/year, saves $917/year vs Cloud)
2. Need cheaper shared hosting? → ChemiCloud ($239/year, no CPU forced upgrades)
3. Can handle unmanaged VPS? → Hetzner (~$50/year)

Verify This Yourself

Don’t trust me. Verify the cost and performance claims:

SiteGround CPU limit claims:

• CPU limits: SiteGround analysis
• Cloud pricing: SiteGround official rates
• User complaints: WebsitePlanet review

Scala Hosting claims:

• VPS pricing: Scala official pricing
• AMD EPYC 9474F performance: VPSBenchmarks analysis
• 0% VPS renewal: ScalaHosting review

My commission claims:

• Scala affiliate program: Scala Partners
• Hetzner has no affiliate program: Verify on their site

Better alternatives:

• Try Scala VPS with money-back guarantee
• Compare CPU performance yourself
• Read independent reviews: r/webhosting

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Legal Note: This comparison 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 Scala Hosting, ChemiCloud, and nothing from Hetzner. I don’t promote SiteGround.