🚀 Web Hosting Showdown Part 2: Performance Test Results & Real Optimizations
Welcome back to the second and final part of our Web Hosting Experiment Series, where we put the most popular and budget-friendly hosting services through real-world performance tests.
In the first part of this experiment, we installed identical WordPress sites on 10 different hosting providers — ranging from free to premium — and captured their raw, unoptimized performance scores.
In this second part, we’re testing those same websites:
- First, with no optimization
- Then again with a free caching plugin
- And finally, with an even simpler plugin to test how much real-world performance matters
Let’s dive into the results.
🧪 The Setup
Each hosting account had:
- The same WordPress website installed
- No caching or performance plugins by default
- Same content, layout, and structure for fairness
We used PageSpeed Insights and Chrome Dev Tools to measure:
- LCP (Largest Contentful Paint)
- FCP (First Contentful Paint)
- CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift)
- Speed Index
- Total Blocking Time
We even attempted to use WP Engine and Liquid Web, but both created issues with Indian payment methods. WP Engine wouldn’t allow payments via OTP, and Liquid Web charged us, then rejected the order — making both options unreliable for Indian users.
🏁 Raw Performance Results (Without Any Optimization)
Here’s how the unoptimized websites scored out of the box:
| Hosting Provider | PageSpeed Score | LCP | FCP | CLS | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FreeHosting.com | N/A (Blocked test) | 1.64s (Dev Tools) | OK | 0 | Fair for free |
| Host.co.in | 55 | 7.5s | 3.8s | 0.016 | Weak |
| BigRock | 71 | 5.0s | 2.7s | 0.01 | Decent |
| GoDaddy | 89 | 3.0s | 2.4s | 0 | Strong |
| WordPress.com | 64 | 8.3s | 3.6s | 0 | Poor UX |
| DreamHost | 85 | 3.3s | 1.7s | 0.01 | Good |
| Kinsta | 63 | 7.1s | 4.2s | 0.01 | Disappointing |
| Hostinger | 83 | 3.3s | 2.6s | 0.01 | Solid |
| Rocket.net | 90 | 3.4s | 1.7s | 0 | Best performer |
Observation: GoDaddy, DreamHost, Hostinger, and Rocket.net performed best without any tuning. Surprisingly, Kinsta underperformed despite being a premium brand.
⚙️ Round 2: Optimizing with Free Caching Plugin (W3 Total Cache)
We installed W3 Total Cache — a free plugin available in the WordPress directory. We did NOT use paid plugins like FlyingPress or WP Rocket, so results remain fair and accessible for everyone.
Where supported, we enabled:
- Disk Enhanced Caching
- Database Caching
- Object Caching (Redis or Memcached)
- Browser Caching
- Lazy Load & WebP image conversion
Here are the updated scores after basic optimization:
| Hosting Provider | Optimized Score | Score Gain |
|---|---|---|
| FreeHosting.com | 65 | +65 (from 0) |
| Host.co.in | 79 | +24 |
| BigRock | 82 | +11 |
| GoDaddy | 89 | No change |
| DreamHost | 90 | +5 |
| Kinsta | 67 | +4 |
| Hostinger | 92 | +9 |
| Rocket.net | 96 | +6 |
| WordPress.com | ❌ Cannot install plugins |
Note: WordPress.com Business Plan does not allow installing caching plugins. This is a major limitation and not suitable for serious site owners.
🧪 Final Round: AirLift Plugin Test (With Real Data Results)
After completing all tests with W3 Total Cache, we decided to try something even simpler — the Airlift plugin. The goal was to find out if a more plug-and-play performance tool could improve results without needing deep technical knowledge.
And the answer? Yes — massively.
Before activating Airlift, we first disabled W3 Total Cache on all 9 websites.
✅ Why? Because running two performance plugins together can cause conflicts.
Once Airlift was installed and activated on each hosting environment, we ran the tests again. The image below shows the before and after results using Airlift:
📊 Performance Comparison Table (from image above):
| Hosting Provider | Score Before | After W3 Total Cache | After Airlift |
|---|---|---|---|
| FreeHosting.com | — | 65 | — |
| Host.co.in | 55 | 79 | 77 |
| BigRock | 71 | 82 | 99 |
| GoDaddy | 89 | 89 | 99 |
| WordPress.com | 64 | ❌ (Plugins not allowed) | ❌ |
| DreamHost | 85 | 90 | 96 |
| Kinsta | 63 | 67 | 64 |
| Hostinger | 83 | 92 | 100 |
| Rocket.net | 90 | 96 | 100 |
🔍 Key Observations
- 🔥 Hostinger & Rocket.net scored a perfect 100 after Airlift — without needing advanced settings.
- 🟢 BigRock and GoDaddy reached 99, showing Airlift’s simplicity doesn’t compromise performance.
- 🛑 WordPress.com continues to block plugin installs — making it impossible to optimize.
- 🤔 Kinsta showed no significant gain, suggesting Airlift may not be compatible or its default configuration isn’t optimal in Kinsta environments.
🧠 Key Learnings
- 🔥 Free hosting works — to an extent. Good for demos, not for scaling.
- 🛑 Avoid WordPress.com native hosting — it’s too restrictive.
- 🚫 Kinsta underwhelms in this test despite its reputation.
- 💸 Budget hosts like BigRock, Hostinger, and GoDaddy outperform expectations.
- ✅ W3 Total Cache works well, but AirLift is simpler and faster for casual users.
🎯 Final Verdict: Best Hosting by Budget
💰 Budget under ₹100/month:
BigRock or Hostinger — both are fast, reliable, and offer great performance with a bit of tuning.
💰💰 Mid-range ₹300–₹600/month:
GoDaddy or DreamHost — good for managed hosting and consistent speed.
💰💰💰 Premium Hosting ₹1500+/month:
Rocket.net — unmatched performance out of the box.
🥇 Best Performance Overall:
- Rocket.net (90 ➝ 100)
- Hostinger (83 ➝ 100)
- GoDaddy (89 ➝ 99)
- BigRock (71 ➝ 99)
These hosts delivered exceptional speed improvements, especially for sites aiming to pass Core Web Vitals effortlessly.
💡 Best Budget Choice:
- Hostinger and BigRock offer 90+ performance scores at a fraction of the cost. If you’re starting out, these give incredible value.
⚠️ Not Recommended:
- Kinsta, surprisingly, didn’t live up to expectations despite its premium pricing.
- WordPress.com hosting severely limits your ability to optimize — avoid if performance matters.
🧠 Pro Tip:
If you want blazing fast WordPress performance with minimal technical setup, just install Airlift — no extra configuration needed.
It’s the perfect solution for creators, bloggers, agencies, or small businesses.
📌 Summary
No matter what your budget is, this experiment proves one thing:
Right plugin + decent host = great results.
Don’t fall for ads — fall for data.
🔗 Tools Used in the Test
📌 Final Thoughts
Don’t get fooled by flashy ads or premium branding. Your website’s performance depends far more on:
- How the server is configured
- Whether you’re allowed to use essential tools
- How well your host supports caching & compression
If you’re on a tight budget, go for Hostinger or BigRock and use Airlift.
If you’re ready to scale professionally, go with Rocket.net and never look back.
Written by Qausain Anwar
Founder at BranxHQ
Helping businesses win with smart hosting, optimized performance, and intelligent digital strategy.
