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The world is becoming smarter day by day with the rapid development of Automation,AI, Blockchain etc. And at the heart of it, somewhere, are programming languages. In fact, Labour Statistics have predicted a 21% growth for programming jobs in the coming decade, which is more than 4x the average for all occupations. But trying to start out with programming can be a daunting escapade, especially for professionals with no prior experience. So if you’re one who cannot decide where to begin, don’t worry because we’ve got you covered. The following article aims to give you a quick look at the Top 10 Programming Languages for 2023.
JavaScript
Along HTML and CSS, JavaScript is the programming language that built the Internet. So, it’s a pretty big deal. Universally known as the language of web developers, JavaScript is a feature-rich object-based scripting language. Featuring asynchronous event handling and crisp syntax, it has found widespread use in the field of web development. What started off as a simple client-side scripting language, is now a highlight within the web development community featuring multiple frameworks for both back-end and front-end development.
Reasons for Demand
In extension to absolute JavaScript, various popular libraries and frameworks make JavaScript development easier. Most accessible supporting technologies related to JavaScript are JSON, jQuery, Angular, React, etc.
Fundamentally a front-end language, it can also be practiced on the server-side throughout Node.js to create scalable network applications.
Majority of tech giants like Google, Facebook, SAP, Dell, Accenture, etc rely on JavaScript to design interactive web pages and dynamically display content to users.
Recognized as most conventional programming languages the average JavaScript Developer Salary in the US as per Indeed is $117,000 in USA & ₹16,00,000 in India.
Python is the fastest growing general purpose, high-level programming language with an emphasis on code readability. It has notable features like
Open-source programming language
Extensive support modules and community development
Easy integration with web services.
User-friendly data structures.
GUI-based desktop applications
It is also one of the most preferred language in the fields of Data Science, Statistics, Analytics, ML and AI with R as its only real competition.
Reasons for Demand
Python-based web development frameworks like Django, Pyramid, and Turbo Gear are easy to learn, feature-packed and popular.
It has packages such as NumPy and SciPy that are commonly used in the fields of scientific computing, mathematics, and engineering.
Its application in sophisticated deep learning and machine learning makes it a great choice for the academically inclined.
Has a wide range of applications like creating famous video games, developing 2D imaging as well as 3D animation packages.
Highly demanding in the job market with over 894k GitHub repositories and an average salary of python developer is $120,000 in USA & ₹11,50,000 in India.
Multi-purpose language used by popular companies like Cisco, IBM, Mozilla, Google, Quora, HP, Dropbox, Qualcomm, etc.
Structured Query Language, or SQL, is a special-purpose programming language used to interact with databases. It works by analyzing and understanding databases consisting of fields of data within tables. Many fortune 500 companies have built their own high-performance database systems, using SQL to query data and perform analysis. With over 260,000 repositories on Github, it eclipses the popularity of a lot of the newer languages when it comes to the Data Analytics field.
Reasons for Demand
It works by analyzing and understanding databases consisting of fields of data within tables.Most fortune 500 companies have built their own high-performance database systems based off SQL.
With over 260K repositories on Github & huge community to back it up, it eclipses the popularity of a lot of the newer languages in the Data Analytics field.
Database developers coding in SQL take home an average annual pay of $97,000 in USA & ₹10,00,000 in India.
Companies such as Uber, Netflix, AirB&B, Google, Amazon use SQL as their foundational querying medium.
Our Recommended Course for learning SQL - Course on SQL
PHP
PHPis used by 79% of all the websites whose server-side programming language we know. It is mainly used for developing dynamic and data-heavy websites and applications. It has been the cornerstone of the web for a long time. PHP is a simple, fast and platform-independent general-purpose programming language with over 631,000 repositories on GitHub.
Reasons for Demand
PHP is used by 79.0% of all the websites whose server-side programming languages are known
PHP is simple, fast and platform-independent
It is 631k repositories on GitHub and has a community of 5.9M to back it up
Companies that have publicly declared usage of PHP include Facebook, Yahoo, Wikipedia
Average global salary for development on PHP is $102,000 in USA & ₹8,50,000 in India.
Our Recommended Course for learning PHP - Course on PHP
Java
Owned by the Oracle Corporation, Java is one of the oldest, most common, in-demand computer programming languages in use today. Well, think of some of your favorite web apps and games. It’s highly likely that Java plays a huge role in the code that makes them work. Another important factor which has kept Java’s magic intact among web development companies is its independence from platforms. This helps developers to essentially “write once, work anywhere”(WORA). Java is everywhere and the demand for strong developers is literally high.
Reasons for Demand
Java is highly recognized for its scalability and portability across multiple platforms from mainframe data centers to smartphone.
Its powerful features include strong memory management, high performance, backward compatible and top-notch security.
With its presence in almost 3 billion devices,Java’s new frameworks such as Spring, Struts, and Hibernate have also become very popular.
Forms the base for and used in a multitude of domains including mobile application, web development, system programming, and big data.
It is favored by enterprises, with roughly 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies use Java for building applications and back end systems.
With millions of users across the globe, the popular users of Java include Barclays, HCL, Capital One, etc.
With fantastic community support with above 900k repositories on GitHub, Java Developers earn around $123,000 in USA & ₹11,00,000 in India.
Our Recommended Course for learning Java -Course on Java
VPN or a Virtual Private Network, once considered a service for the tech-geeks and organizations involved in securing sensitive data, has come to become a need of the hour for every user who connects to the internet. With the unabated rise of cyber crimes and identity theft in the past decade, VPN is almost an essential service rather than a luxury one.
Today, in this article, we are going to take a deep look at one of the oldest, most reputable VPN service provider - Surfshark VPN.
Let's begin..
With a recently upgraded network of over 3,200 servers in 65 countries, unlimited simultaneous connections on a single plan and industry-standard AES-256-GCM encryption plus a good choice of protocols, on paper it looks like it should satisfy just about any user – but can it live up to that in use?
In our in-depth Surfshark review, we run down the key features that make this a real contender, and so popular amongst both new and experienced users. You’ll learn whether any sacrifices were made to keep the price so low, or if you really are getting a top-of-the-range VPN for just a few dollars a month.
Surfshark is packed with privacy features. You’ll find all the classic privacy measures in place – AES-256 encryption, plus the secure protocols OpenVPN UDP and TCP, IKEv2, and WireGuard.
However, there are also a number of advanced privacy features. Surfshark utilizes a private DNS on every one of its server servers that enables users to add an extra layer of protection and prevent third parties from intercepting browsing sessions.
The service also adopts a VPN chaining mechanism. This system enables users to route their traffic through two separate servers. It can be accessed using the MultiHop button and essentially enables users to connect to one location and exit from another.
This means even if a cyber crook is able to access the exit server, they won’t be able to track down your IP address. Surfshark offers 15 routes. Server one is your connection location, which could be the UK, USA, Germany, Singapore, France, the Netherlands, India, or Australia.
The second is your exit location and where it appears to anyone looking into where you are located. Options for this are Germany, France, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Portugal, Sweden, Singapore, the UK, or the USA.
Finally, Surfshark's servers have recently been audited by Cure53, as mentioned above. It's an essential step for proving any claims made in marketing material, and Surfshark's results were good. Cure53 found just four issues, none worse than 'medium', and these have been rectified.
Average speed loss: 53% speed lost in autumn 2020 tests
Number of servers: 3,200+
Number of server locations: 65 countries
Optional static IP addresses available
I ran my speed tests over the course of three weeks with dynamic IP addresses using both wireless and ethernet connections. Internet speeds in the US vary widely by state and provider. And with any speed test, results are going to rely on your local infrastructure, with hyperfast internet service yielding higher test speed results.
That's one reason I'm more interested in testing the amount of speed lost (which for most VPNs is typically half or more) across both high-speed and slower internet connection types, and in using tools like Speedtest.net to even out the playing field. In the case of Surfshark, only 17% of average internet speeds were lost. That's even faster than the 27% speed loss I measured in 2019, and makes Surfshark the current fastest VPN in our autumn 2020 speed tests.
Surfshark's fast speeds during testing pushed the service immediately past NordVPN's tested speeds, which averaged 53% speed loss, and ahead of other speed-intensive VPNs such as ExpressVPN and IPVanish. This is particularly impressive given the comparatively small size of Surfshark's VPN server fleet.
The remarkable thing about Surfshark's speed is that its average speeds aren't fighting to overcome major speed losses in any particular test region. This thing showed up on race day and stole the gold, seemingly without breaking a sweat. During testing, my base non-VPN speeds averaged 194 megabits per second, while Surfshark's overall average was 161Mbps. After taking the averages of five testing locations, not one of the averages from those locations fell below 100Mbps. That's an across-the-board win against its competitors in every test column.
The VPN service provider clocked a 204Mbps average on US connections. It outperformed its peers during UK and European tests, averaging 165Mbps and 171Mbps in each, respectively. It then averaged 126Mbps in Australia, before averaging 142Mbps in Singapore. These are speeds I haven't seen from any virtual private network I've tested so far.
Surfshark has an in-built Whitelister panel that enables you to create whitelists of apps, IP addresses, and websites that you can redirect around the VPN. This process is similar to split-tunneling, and if you do find that the VPN disrupts an app or site, whitelisting it should fix the issue.
You can also set up the Whitelister so only your chosen apps and sites are routed through Surfshark. We tried it out and it worked perfectly. We were pleased to see this feature in a desktop app – many VPN providers only offer it for mobile users.
Ads, malicious content, and web trackers are blocked using Surfshark’s CleanWeb feature. However, we tried it out and weren’t overly impressed by the result. Using a dedicated tool like uBlock Origin enables you to block more content and have greater control over the action.
There is an option that enables you to activate the VPN automatically when you start Windows, and it’s also possible to toggle between different protocols depending on your security needs.
One of the most important security features on Surfshark is the kill switch. This enables you to disconnect from the internet automatically if your VPN connection is severed. And we did have a few issues with it.
Firstly, there is no middle ground. The kill switch totally disables the internet unless you are connected to the VPN. In other words, you cannot use the internet at all unless Surfshark is running. A better option would be to sever the connection only if it is lost during a VPN browsing session. This is the standard method employed by VPN providers, enabling a user to continue browsing without having the VPN activated.
Secondly, there was no notification signalling that the kill switch had been activated and our connection forcibly closed.
One of our tests included simulating a failure of the Windows Surfshark Service, and then closing an IKEv2 connection. In this admittedly unlikely situation, the connection was terminated and the kill switch didn't activate. Plus, the app continued to display 'Connected' .
Overall, though, in every day usage the kill switch is effective, and only had issues when we simulated a situation that's unlikely ever to arise in real terms.
Surfshark is a reasonably fast VPN. In our tests, we didn't experience any connection issues whatsoever, and the connection speeds were good.
When we tested the software on a UK data center capable of 1Gbps, we were slightly disappointed by the OpenVPN results – the average was a mediocre 100-110Mbps. However, switching to WireGuard made a huge difference, delivering speeds of up to 475Mbps – more than enough for just about any user. However, this is a little slower than we saw in our last round of testing.
Carrying out the same test from a location in the US, we saw slightly better OpenVPN speeds of 170Mbps. WireGuard speeds weren't quite as blazing as in the UK at around 300Mbps, but again, very few people have access to connections above 100Mbps, so this is unlikely to be an issue.
On the whole, Surfshark can deliver excellent connections, and if you’re working with a regular domestic line it won’t have a drastic impact on speeds. If you want to make the most of a gigabit connection, though, providers like NordVPN and IPVanish almost double Surfshark's WireGuard speeds.
Surfshark boasts wide coverage of operating systems and devices. It works on Windows PC, Mac, Android, Android TV, iOS, and Linux. We'll be honest -- we have not tried Surfshark it on every single one of those operating systems and devices. Where we did try it, however, what we got was more or less in line with our expectations.
Things are pretty much straightforward when using Surfshark on Windows 10 and Android. However, if your main operating system is Linux, as is the case for us, using Surfshark is a bit trickier. But it's still workable -- we promise.
Even though Linux distributions such as Mint have introduced a software manager which streamlines application installation, Surfshark won't play nice with it. We don't mind having to use the command prompt to install Surfshark, but having to run it via the command prompt too is a deal-breaker.
Usability: Intuitive and fresh Platforms: Linux, Windows, Android, MacOS, iOS, Android TV and Amazon Fire TV Price: $2.49 monthly for a two-year plan Number of simultaneous connections: Unlimited
Surfshark imposes no data caps, and allows unlimited server switching and torrenting. I also had no problems using it to access Netflix. In a rare move for a VPN, it offers unlimited simultaneous connections. This functionality is wrapped up in an intuitive, easy-to-use interface that's recently undergone a slick revamp.
I'm delighted to see lots of optional add-on features you wouldn't normally expect from a low-cost VPN provider. CleanWeb, an ad-blocking anti-tracking feature, is available for all accounts. For a dollar more a month, you can opt to get Blindsearch, Surfshark's non-logging private search engine, and Hacklock, a tool that constantly searches the internet to see if your email address has been affected by a data breach.
Surfshark is currently living up to its name with an aggressive pricing scheme. As of 3rd January 2022, its price is $3.99 monthly for an annual plan ($47.88 in total). It also offers a monthly plan for $12.95.
However, the one that offers the most value for one's money is the biennial subscription plan that costs $69.26 in total and translates to $2.49 a month.
Along with credit or debit, you can pay via PayPal, Alipay or Bitcoin and be assured of a 30-day money-back guarantee. The site offers 24/7 chat support, and a healthy amount of support articles and tutorials.
One competing provider that we recommend is ExpressVPN(opens in new tab). Although more expensive than Surfshark, it delivers better speeds, more locations, and a level of customer service that’s unbeatable.
Surfshark has a dedicated support site where you can get the answers to a number of queries. It includes FAQs, guides, and tutorials, which should cover a decent range of issues, but it isn't entirely definitive.
The majority of the content is related to setup issues, although there is some focus on fundamental running queries. That said, the bulk of the articles lack the details you'd expect and could do with being longer.
In terms of finding the information you need, a lot of improvements could be made in regards to how the articles are organized. For example, if you type in “iOS” to the search bar, you receive a list of articles related to iOS issues, such as how to install Surfshark on an iOS device.
It would be much better to have an option, like the one provided by ExpressVPN’s customer support, where all iOS-related issues were dealt with in one document.
If you’re in a rush, or can’t find what you’re looking for, thankfully there’s a capable team of live chat staff on hand that are prompt and helpful with their replies. At this price point, we’re impressed with how goo dthe live chat is – so if there’s anything troubling you when using Surfshark, this will probably be your first port of call.
Final verdict
With Surfshark, you’ll get a very capable VPN, packed with features, at a surprisingly low initial price. It does have minor issues – namely slightly slower speeds than the very best – but it has benefited from some serious improvements recently, such as the introduction of WireGuard integration for iOS and Android apps.
One competing provider that we recommend is ExpressVPN(opens in new tab). Although more expensive than Surfshark, it delivers better speeds, more locations, and a level of customer service that’s unbeatable.
But, if you're looking to save money and bag a premium-quality VPN, Surfshark should undoubtedly be your first port of call.
Disclaimer - As a Bluehost affiliate, I receive commission for qualifying purchases made by you on Bluehost by clicking the links on this page.
Well, if there is one name that has come to become synonymous with hosting a website on the web, then it is Bluehost. For the uninitiated, Bluehost is a web hosting service that allows you to publish your website files onto the internet. Web hosting service providers have the servers, connectivity, and associated services to host websites. Bluehost is one such web host. The remarkable fact is, it is officially recommended by WordPress. Needless to say, the platform provides its customers with unparalleled customer support should the need arise, the website up time is great - the company claims it to be 99.98%, prices are competitive, website migration entails no charges. As already with the cheapest plan, Bluehost provides your site with a free SSL certificate.
A website is a window to the world. And, if you're into the e-commerce business or you just want to showcase and offer your talents, skills, and services online, you need to engage with your customers, prospective clients, or fans, through a website. Eventually, you'll use a web hosting service that is dependable, easy to use, relatively fast, and affordable.
With Bluehost, one gets access to great features like a free CDN (Cloudflare), a one-click WordPress install, multiple CMS integrations, and additional eCommerce plugins. If one is considering to register a domain as well, Bluehost provides that free of cost for the first year.
Here is a brief overview of the pricing of various plans available for one to choose among, for hosting one's website via Bluehost.
Please note:- The pricing table above is obtained from the website of Bluehost and are subjected to change without prior intimation. They are latest as of 5th February.
Proceeding further, let us take a deep dive into the benefits of hosting one's website via Bluehost.
Great Security: Bluehost has one of the best security measures on the market. All Bluehost security features are efficient and will help you cut back hours of tweaking your website. It will also give you peace of mind, which is especially needed for absolute beginners. All Bluehost plans come with resource protection, and CodeGuard Backup Basic can be added for an additional $2.99 per month fee. CodeGuard will help you with daily backups and monitoring while notifying you of any changes. The most basic version of this security feature comes with 1GB storage space, daily backup and monitoring, and three restorations per month. However, for the more expensive plans like Choice Plus and Pro, you can expect free automatic backups for one year and 24/7 network monitoring.
One year of a free domain: Possibly one of Bluehost’s most appealing features is the free domain name you get for a whole year. This eliminates the extra step of going through a third-party domain seller or investing more money at your site’s beginning.
Free SSL Certificate: One of the most popular features that Bluehost offers customers is issuing a free SSL certificate.The acronym SSL stands for secure sockets layer, a common encryption protocol used on websites. You’ll know when a website is using SSL because the URL (address) will start with HTTPS instead of HTTP (some browsers also display a “lock” sign in the address bar as well). Common use cases for SSL encryption include e-commerce sites, login pages, and financial websites where protecting the user’s privacy is paramount. However, it’s easy to get confused about the difference between SSL and an SSL certificate.
In short, SSL is the protocol or rules by which information is transmitted in an encryption form. But the actual encryption depends on which SSL certificate you use. SSL certificates also provide one additional important benefit – the ability to authenticate your website. When a visitor comes to your SSL-encrypted website, their browser will “examine” the certificate to make sure that it matches the domain (URL/address). This gives your visitors additional confidence that they’re truly visiting your website and not a fake one designed to look like your website.
SSL is so important that most payment providers will refuse service unless you adhere to the PCI (payment card industry) standards which include the proper use of an SSL certificate. And because all the information that users are entering on your website is encrypted, all parties can be assured that their information isn’t being stolen by hackers. SSL certificate providers are required to perform certain checks before they can issue the certificate including verifying identity and adherence to industry privacy standards. Google and other search engines rank secure websites over similar but unsecured websites.
Therefore, the SSL certificate performs several functions:
It protects user information and data. It authenticates your website as legitimate.
It encrypts the data being sent back and forth on your website.
Improves SEO
Extensive and Fast Customer Support: Another excellent feature of Bluehost is its extensive and fast customer support base. Customer support is paramount for any web hosting service to have, but finding a service that has fast and efficient support can be a dime a dozen. Luckily, Bluehost offers just that, and most users have said the customer support is very helpful when needing immediate support. In fact, there’s a high chance you will connect to Bluehost’s Live Chat system within five minutes of waiting. All of its support-base is available 24/7, so you don’t need to worry about figuring out time zones. Bluehost also offers phone and email support, but the waiting times vary. However, you always have the option to pass the time by browsing its extensive knowledge base support forum for multiple FAQs, videos, in-depth articles, and support resources on everything web hosting related.
Easy to Use: Not only is Bluehost the most popular web hosting service on the market for its outstanding features and products, but it’s also because it’s so incredibly easy to use. Ease of use is an important feature to have because web hosting can already be confusing to some, so there’s no need for the onboarding process to be difficult, too. Fear not though, as Bluehost has an easy onboarding process that takes a few minutes to complete, to get your website up and running. With an intuitive interface, it will ask you to fill out a form that includes your website goals, what you want to add to your site, and what you want your name and the tagline of your site to be. After answering these questions, you get to choose a theme of your choice from the Bluehost Marketplace, and then it automatically installs WordPress for your ultimate convenience. All you have to worry about is customization, while Bluehost takes care of the backend and the technical nitty-gritty
High-Performance Servers: The last thing that’s great about Bluehost is that it offers very high-performance servers to all users purchasing the Pro plan. Although it’s not always ideal for every user to fork out more money, we think you get what you pay for. For $14.95 per month, you get access to Dual Quad Processor Performance Servers that will keep large ecommerce websites functioning effectively. This server is an excellent option for larger websites because Bluehost makes sure there are fewer users per server—with an individual file count of 300,000—so there are no slowdowns for anyone involved. However, if you don’t want to pay the price for these servers, we still think regular Bluehost servers that come with the other plans are great and work just fine.
How does Bluehost fare against its Competitors
Bluehost vs. GoDaddy: Key features comparison
Domain registration
As previously specified previously in the post, Bluehost and GoDaddy come with a free domain on all annual plans. Bluehost’s domain registration costs from $11.99 for the 1st year and $17.99 each year upon renewal. Domain privacy protection typically costs $11.88 per year, but specific hosting packages are included for free.
Meanwhile, for your reference, GoDaddy is the web’s leading domain registrar with more than 78 million domain names. GoDaddy’s domain registration costs from $2.99 for the first year, and $17.99 each year upon renewal.
Website builder
To help you set up a website, Bluehost integrates well with Weebly and WordPress.org. You can easily create your website by using the drag-and-drop functionality of Weebly without any coding knowledge. You can also use it for free to create a simple website of up to six pages. But if you want some advanced features, like password protection for your web pages or custom themes, you can upgrade to a paid plan of around $8.99 per month.
Meanwhile, GoDaddy doesn’t offer any free version of its website building tool. Its own website builder (formerly known as GoCentral) starts at $1 per month for a personal plan, which is relatively cheap. It emphasizes simplicity and user-friendliness, allowing users to utilize pre-made templates and drag-and-drop interfaces. SEO and E-commerce tools are offered on higher plans.
Databases
Bluehost provides access to unlimited MySQL databases for all its plans, while GoDaddy gives you limited access to its shared hosting plans. Also, GoDaddy offers considerably fewer email accounts when compared to Bluehost.
WordPress hosting
Both Bluehost and GoDaddy offer hosting options specific to WordPress. However, it’s worth mentioning that Bluehost is one of the few hosting providers recommended by Automattic, the organization behind WordPress.
By choosing a WordPress package from Bluehost, you can enjoy:
1-click installation
Enhanced cPanel to make site management easy
24/7 support from WordPress experts via email, phone, or live chat
Easy scalability to larger hosting packages
On the other hand, GoDaddy offers “managed” WordPress hosting, where the company handles all things related to installation, daily backups, and updates on your behalf. Although GoDaddy doesn’t offer a 1-click WordPress installer, it does offer pre-built sites and a drag-and-drop editor. Plus, all plans include a domain name, email, and 24/7 support.
You can’t go wrong with either option, but if you really want to be more hands-off, go with GoDaddy. However, if you don’t mind working yourself on an interface free of complications, Bluehost is a wise choice.
Website migration
If you’ve already had a hosting provider, and are finding ways to switch to Bluehost or GoDaddy, you’ll want to make sure that you don’t end up with a technical headache. The good news is, neither of them makes website switching particularly hard!
Bluehost provides a professional website migration service for a one-time fee of $149.99, which migrates up to 5 websites and 20 email accounts. All the hard work is completely done for you, and you don’t have to lift a finger or have any migration knowledge.
On the other side, switching your website to GoDaddy involves a little more work. It’s free, but that’s because GoDaddy doesn’t offer a completely hands-off migration process. Non-WordPress websites have to be migrated manually, involving downloading your website’s files from your old hosting provider and then uploading all to GoDaddy.
It’s a little easier with WordPress websites - these can be migrated in the “My Products” section of an existing GoDaddy account, where you need to choose your desired hosting plan and provide information about the site you’d like to transfer.
Even though it costs you an amount of money, Bluehost’s completely hands-off migration is hard to beat. Switching a website to GoDaddy is free, but it definitely isn’t as easy as switching to Bluehost.
Money-back guarantee
Bluehost offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, which only applies to the money spent on the hosting plan itself, not to other products and services, such as domain names, administration costs, and other add-ons.
GoDaddy’s money-back guarantee is a bit different from most companies. If you opt for the annual plan, you get a money-back guarantee of 30 days. However, it’s limited to 48 hours if you choose the monthly plan. The actual refund is a portion as it won’t cover domain names and other parts of your plan. So, you should read its terms and conditions closely.
Here is a brief overview of the pricing of various plans available for one to choose among, for hosting one's website via GoDaddy.
Please note:- The pricing table above is obtained from the website of GoDaddy and are subjected to change without prior intimation. They are latest as of 5th February.
We’ve reviewed and gathered data from over 40+ hosting providers and found the average uptime benchmark to be around 99.91%. In simple terms, everything above this benchmark is good, and anything below is average to poor.
If we take the last 12-month data for Bluehost and HostGator, you can see that Bluehost exceeded this benchmark with an average uptime of 99.97%. HostGator delivered an average uptime of 99.98%. Since these figures are quite similar, we can’t declare a clear winner. However, HostGator gets a slight edge with the better result of the two.
Historically, Bluehost and HostGator haven’t had a great uptime performance until some years ago when their tech infrastructure had a significant overhaul. This upgrade certainly boosted their reliability and reflects on the data as well.
Let’s take a closer look at the month-to-month breakdown for both providers.
Bluehost Uptime
Bluehost’s average 12-month uptime is 99.97%, with two and a half hours of total downtime and 29 outage cases.
Bluehost last 12-months average uptime:
December 2021:99.95% November 2021: 90.63% October 2021: 93.29% September 2021:99.90% August 2021:99.98% July 2021: 100% June 2021: 99.99% May 2021: 99.77% April 2021: 99.99% March 2021: 100% February 2021: 99.97% January 2021: 100%
HostGator Uptime
HostGator’s average 12-month uptime is 99.98%, with almost two hours of total downtime and 65 outage cases.
HostGator last 12-months average uptime: December 2021: 99.94% November 2021: 99.99% October 2021: 99.99% September 2021: 99.97% August 2021: 99.99% July 2021: 99.98% June 2021: 99.99% May 2021: 100% April 2021: 99.99% March 2021: 99.95% February 2021: 99.99% January 2021: 99.97%
Average Load Times – Bluehost Is Faster
Fast page speed is essential for keeping visitors on your website. According to research by Google, people are 32% more likely to leave if your web page takes 1-3 seconds to load. It only gets worse the longer they have to wait, so your web page’s speed plays a direct role in retaining traffic.
Again, before Bluehost and HostGator had the infrastructure overhaul some years back, their performance was anything but acceptable. Today, Bluehost’s average page speed of 324 ms is the second-best we’ve seen (right after A2 Hosting), and they easily outperform HostGator’s average speed of 660 ms.
Bluehost is a winner here.
Bluehost Speed
Bluehost’s performance has been very good in recent months with a 12-month average of 324 ms.Bluehost last 12-month average speed
Here’s the breakdown of Bluehost’s average speed in the past 12 months: December 2021: 389 ms November 2021: 325 ms October 2021: 321 ms September 2021: 393 ms August 2021: 363 ms July 2021: 304 ms June 2021: 300 ms May 2021: 322 ms April 2021: 289 ms March 2021: 295 ms February 2021: 330 ms January 2021: 317 ms HostGator Speed
Compared with Bluehost, HostGator’s performance has been better in recent months, but the 12-month average is 660 ms. Another thing to note is that HostGator steadily keeps improving its loading times. A few years back their average speed was over one second.
HostGator last 12-month average speed
Here’s the breakdown of HostGator’s average speed in the past 12 months: December 2021: 672 ms November 2021: 685 ms October 2021: 644 ms September 2021: 643 ms August 2021: 685 ms July 2021: 710 ms June 2021: 668 ms May 2021: 679 ms April 2021: 692 ms March 2021: 671 ms February 2021: 621 ms January 2021: 696 ms
Pricing and Cost –Similar Pricing
Both Bluehost and HostGator have the same starting prices, but there are some differences along the way. Namely, pricing for higher-tier plans and hosting renewal fees. Bluehost gives you the best prices per month when you opt for the longest commitment period, namely the three-year contract. We advise you to take advantage of the low prices for an extended period because the renewal rates are much higher. Bluehost also provides a 30-day money-back guarantee, which allows you to test out their service and get a refund if you’re not happy. However, this guarantee doesn’t cover any add-on services or domain names. For example, if you’ve taken a free domain name with Bluehost and decide to cancel within 30 days, they will deduct $15.99 from your refund – but you will still keep the domain name.
Bluehost only offers free site migrations for WordPress sites. This means that if you have an existing website, which is not WordPress-based, and want to move it to Bluehost servers, they will charge you $149.99 for it. You are better off figuring out how to migrate your site yourself for this price. HostGator Plans
Similar to Bluehost, HostGator’s best prices come with the most extended commitment terms. However, like Bluehost, the renewal prices are higher. It’s an industry-standard trick that gets you to lock in the best price for the short term only to hike up the price afterward dramatically. We suggest considering longer contracts to keep the costs down in the long run.
HostGator also provides you with a 45-day money-back guarantee, which is longer than Bluehost’s 30-days. However, this guarantee only applies to shared or VPS hosting. Also, if you choose a free domain with HostGator and decide to cancel within 45 days, they deduct $17.99 from your refund for a domain registration fee – you still keep the domain.
HostGator also offers free site migrations for WordPress sites, but also for cPanel based sites. This free perk extends to all websites and emails under one cPanel account.
Despite some differences in the pricing structure, we have to call it a draw. Both providers have a similarly cheap domain and hosting price level and specific benefits that the other doesn’t have. However, the abnormality with the term prices by HostGator does raise an eyebrow.
Features – HostGator Is More “Unlimited”
Both Bluehost and HostGator come with some impressive features and limitless options depending on the plan you choose. It’s still correct to say that you get a lot of value for your money when selecting either of these providers.
However, let’s dive in and list some of the more essential features from both sides.
Features of Bluehost
Bluehost gives you access to cPanel, which is a popular tool for managing your site. Besides, you can also use the one-click WordPress installation. However, if you already have a website running, then remember that Bluehost only migrates one WordPress-based site for free. Bluehost also works well with Cloudflare for additional protection against hacks, hotlinks, and delivering your content faster for returning visitors. You can set up password-protected directories and add two-factor authentication to your logins.
Some of the other notable features are the spam-protection tool Spam Expert, site backup tool CodeGuard Basic, a free SSL certificate, and additional domain privacy and protection features, depending on the plan you choose. As a bonus, you also get $100 for Microsoft Advertising and Google Ads. However, this bonus only applies to new accounts and after you spend $25 on both accounts.
Features of HostGator
Like Bluehost, HostGator gives you access to cPanel for managing your server and 1-click WordPress installation.
However, they also have a built-in website builder with mobile-responsive design templates and eCommerce functionality. While this is great for people who are just starting out, remember that HostGator also migrates all of the sites under a single cPanel account for free. So, it’s safe to say that HostGator equally benefits both beginners and customers with existing websites. Other notable features are malware protection, free SSL certificate, daily backups, additional SEO tools, and a dedicated IP with the HostGator Business plan. Furthermore, new accounts with Google AdWords and Bing get up to 100$ each in advertising credits.
Now, having compared Bluehost against GoDaddy and Hostgator, it is time for the conclusion.
With impressive uptime, numerous e-commerce add-ons, and a WordPress-enhancing tool that brings extra flexibility to the popular CMS, Bluehost is a web host you can count on to take your business online with ease.
(This website participates in CyberGhost VPN affiliate program and some of the links might be affiliate links, meaning that we may earn a small commission if you purchase a subscription of CyberGhost VPN by clicking on links in this post. Though, this would be at no additional cost to you.)
CyberGhost is a Romanian and German-based privacy giant which provides comprehensive VPN services for 38 million users.
CyberGhost VPN boasts 8,900+ servers in 110+ locations across 91 countries. That's far more servers than most, although ExpressVPN claims 160+ locations, and HideMyAss has over 290.
Torrents are allowed on most servers, and the company has apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and more.
CyberGhost VPN supports connecting up to seven devices simultaneously. That's better than many (even the premium ExpressVPN only supports five), but keep in mind that these must be specific devices. Connect from a phone, or a games console, or a smart TV, just once, and that's one of your slots used up. If you run out of slots, you can log out of individual devices(opens in new tab), but that quickly becomes annoying. (Though not as annoying as KeepSolid VPN Unlimited, where you can only free up one device slot per week.)
Every time I review CyberGhost, it has a newly designed app with different features. This year, I was keen to see whether the revamped service addressed previous issues I had with the service…
In my CyberGhost review, I test out the service on both desktop and mobile to find out:
Does CyberGhost let you securely access streaming services (Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, etc.)?
Is CyberGhost fast enough to stream video?
How good is CyberGhost’s security?
Should the company’s background concern you?
Are there any better options for the same price?
And many more aspects of this versatile service.
Before we get into the detail here’s an overview of the key data on CyberGhost’s performance including speeds, streaming capabilities and security.
CyberGhost key data
OVERALL RANK: #4 OF 75 VPNS
Speed
8.2
Average Speed*
548 Mbps
Video Streaming Support
4K UHD
Streaming
7.8
Netflix
Yes
Other Streaming Services
Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBO Now, BBC iPlayer, Crunchyroll
* Average speed over multiple global locations based across multiple speed tests per day.
During my most recent experience with CyberGhost, I used it to securely access video streams, secure open wifi connections, and prevent my ISP from monitoring my web surfing and downloads.
CyberGhost Summary
CyberGhost is a strong all-round VPN, but I recommend it most highly to people who want to stream video from abroad. Fast speeds and airtight security also make it a good candidate for torrenting, and the apps are easy enough for pretty much anyone to use.
Before we get into the detail here’s how CyberGhost compares to NordVPN and ExpressVPN, two of the best and most popular VPNs on the market.
Makes it easy to securely access streaming sites from abroad
Live chat support
Zero logs
Cons:
Doesn’t work reliably from China or the UAE
No apps for routers
Parent company has a poor reputation
No option to allow local networking
Speed: Is CyberGhost fast?
CyberGhost has once again earned the top spot in our speed test comparisons, having leapfrogged rivals like NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN. In our speed tests, the average download speed was 548 Mbps across all locations and times, a substantial improvement on previous years.
I ran speed tests at various times of day on CyberGhost servers in North America, Europe, and Asia. Note that these tests were run on a 1 Gbps connection, so the speeds you’ll actually get may be lower, depending on how fast your home internet is. Here are the results broken down by region:
North America (nearest): 854 Mbps
Europe: 480 Mbps
Asia: 312 Mbps
As is trendy among VPNs right now, CyberGhost recently added the Wireguard protocol to its service. It offers faster speeds and comparable security to older protocols like OpenVPN, but certain app features are not available when using Wireguard.
CyberGhost offers a solid set of security features
You can also choose from the OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols, or let CyberGhost choose for you. IKEv2 establishes connections the quickest and is best for mobile devices that tend to temporarily lose connection or frequently switch between wifi and mobile data. OpenVPN is required if you plan on using the Exceptions feature.
I was able to stream 4K UHD video when using nearby servers in the US. In the latest version of its app, CyberGhost has added gaming servers specifically for those who want to game online. I was also able to play fast-paced online games like Rocket League and Brawlhalla without much added input lag, so long as I chose a server located near either myself or the game’s server. Connections were reliable and never dropped during the test period. However, the ping time readout in the app was often broken, maxed out at 9999 ms.
Gaming servers are located in France, Germany, the UK, and the US
Servers for each country are displayed alongside their distance from the user and the current server load. This can help give you an idea of how much latency and bandwidth to expect. You can choose a server location or a specific server within that location.
Note that these tests can only serve as a general indication of the performance you might see and cannot be considered definitive. The inherent volatility of the internet adds a significant factor of randomness. Users with faster connections will likely see larger discrepancies in speed.
As of 2022, CyberGhost no longer operates servers that physically reside in India. In June 2022, India began enforcing a law that requires all VPNs to record and store sensitive user information for at least five years. As a result, many VPNs including CyberGhost exited the country. However, you can still get an India IP address using CyberGhost. The app now instead lists virtual IPs for India, so you do get an Indian IP address, but the actual VPN server is located in a different country.
Apps: What devices work with CyberGhost?
I found CyberGhost works on most major operating systems and is generous in its connection allowance. It allows subscribers to connect up to seven devices at once on a single plan. Apps are available for
Windows
MacOS
Linux (command line)
iOS
Android
Amazon Fire TV
A free browser extension is available, but it’s not great for streaming, isn’t as secure, and only connects to four locations.
There are no apps for routers, though CyberGhost does let me manually configure a client on some open-source router firmware, such as TomatoUSB.
Specialty servers are available in the mobile apps too
A paid plan grants access to over 7,300 servers in 90+ countries.
The CyberGhost apps have gone through a major redesign for the latest version. I encountered a few bugs:
In some instances, the kill switch would kick in after I intentionally disconnected the VPN, preventing access to the internet.
When I hit my connection limit, the app prompted me to disconnect all other devices. I did so, but upon trying to connect another device, I received the same notification. I could only remotely log out of devices through the website dashboard.
In the grand scheme, these were minor drawbacks that can easily be remedied in future updates.
CyberGhost doesn’t use the most novice-friendly design, but it won’t take more than a few minutes to familiarize yourself with all the ins and outs.
One drawback is the lack of an option to allow local network traffic through the VPN. That means I can’t access shared files, printers, or smart home devices while connected to the VPN. Other VPNs give the option to enable or disable LAN connections.
One feature that might be attractive to some users is the dedicated IP address option. This is a paid add-on, but is handy for some use cases, for example, accessing IP-restricted networks. A dedicated IP address is exclusively used by you and never changes, as opposed to the standard shared dynamic IP addresses, which are used by multiple users and change frequently. CyberGhost uses a token-based system for its dedicated IP addresses, which means the IP address itself isn’t tied to your VPN account.
Streaming, Netflix, and Kodi
Does CyberGhost work with Netflix?
Yes.
After a hiatus following Netflix’s global rollout, CyberGhost now reliably works with US Netflix. It also provides secure access to the French, German, Italian, Swedish, and Japanese libraries of Netflix, which have slightly different catalogs of shows, including some not available on the American version.
There’s one-click access to dozens of popular services
Most VPN apps simply give a list of server locations to connect to, but CyberGhost works a bit differently. It lets me choose a server based on how I want to use the VPN. In addition to a list of locations, I can specify that I want to torrent or stream. The streaming option allows me to search for servers by the streaming channel that they’re optimized for, including:
Netflix US, France, and Germany
Hulu
Crunchyroll
Amazon Prime Video
BBC iPlayer
… and many more. Simply choose one of these to connect to an appropriate server. This novel approach is extremely convenient compared to other VPNs that require either contacting customer service or simply guessing at which servers will work.
I tested CyberGhost with multiple Kodi addonsand it worked flawlessly with all of them. The Firestick and Android TV apps work great with remote controls if you’re not using a mouse or touchscreen.
Thanks to CyberGhost’s excellent speeds, I can stream in 1080p HD and quite possibly 4K UHD.
Does CyberGhost allow torrenting?
Yes.
CyberGhost allows unlimited torrenting and operates plenty of servers optimized for safe and fast downloads. These are clearly labelled in the “For torrenting” section of the app.
App protection allows me to specify what apps should only be allowed to connect to the internet when the VPN is connected. If I torrent, for example, I can add my torrent client to this list so that it is never used without the VPN. Whenever I launch my torrent manager, CyberGhost will automatically connect.
Kill switches are available on both the desktop and mobile apps, which is rare–most VPNs don’t have them on their iOS and Android versions. A kill switch cuts off the internet to my device if the VPN connection unexpectedly drops, preventing unencrypted data leaks. The kill switch cannot be disabled on desktop, which some users might find annoying.
Security, privacy, and logging
Many VPNs claim to offer superior security when they in fact suffer from data leaks and outdated encryption standards. I was intrigued as to whether CyberGhost lives up to its claims.
While CyberGhost was originally developed in Germany, the company later moved to Romania, a country in which there are no mandatory data retention laws. This is good news for users seeking privacy, as personal data can only be retained if unequivocal consent is given.
CyberGhost doesn’t log user behavior, web targets, or communication. It keeps some connection logs but none that can be tied to an individual user.
Payment and registration details aren’t tied to the VPN service, and users are given an anonymous ID. Although the CyberGhost website collects a fair amount of information about visitors, none of this is connected to your use of the VPN service.
The apps collect some non-personal data for analytics and send it to MixPanel. This includes things like connection attempts, but not your IP address, connection timestamps, user ID, or VPN server.
CyberGhost now uses the Wireguard protocol by default, but OpenVPN and IKEv2 are also available in the apps. Here are the VPN encryption details:
256-bit AES/ChaCha20 encryption
2,048-bit RSA keys
SHA256 authentication
Perfect forward secrecy ensures that even if my encryption key is compromised, it cannot be used to decrypt past sessions.
CyberGhost uses its own private DNS servers by default, although I can alter these in the settings. The apps prevent all DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leaks. IPv6 is actually disabled when connected to any CyberGhost server, therefore it cannot leak IPv6 traffic.
Test results from browserleaks.com
I can set CyberGhost to automatically protect me on unfamiliar wifi networks, which is handy while traveling. As mentioned in the torrenting section, the kill switch and app protection are useful security features.
The “Exceptions” feature works akin to split tunneling found in a few other VPNs. Here you can specify which websites will not use the VPN, even while it is connected. If there are specific websites I don’t want to visit through the VPN, or my email server is blocked by CyberGhost’s spam prevention, I can add them to this list. You must be using the OpenVPN protocol to take advantage of Exceptions.
As with most commercial VPNs, CyberGhost uses shared IP addresses. This means that when I connect to a server, I share that server’s IP address with other concurrent VPN users. This adds a layer of anonymity to your connection, making it more difficult to trace online activity back to a single person or device.
The Privacy settings tab lets you block DNS domains used for ads, trackers, and malware; prevent DNS leaks; and look at the kill switch toggle that can never be turned off “to protect your privacy and security.”
One more neat feature is the NoSpy server option. NoSpy servers are extra-secure, extra-private servers housed in a CyberGhost-owned data center.
Is CyberGhost’s customer service any good?
Customer support is available in English, German, and French. Live chat representatives are available on CyberGhost’s website 24/7. German and French support is available every day from 9am–6pm Romania time.
I got a hold of a representative within a couple of minutes of asking a question on the live chat. And I received a reply to a help ticket after about a 10-hour wait. If privacy is a concern, send a ticket through the app’s built-in support ticket system and avoid the website, which contains a lot of trackers.
The website has a fairly extensive FAQ and blog that covers common issues and how to use various features.
CyberGhost pricing
On a budget? No problem.
CyberGhost is an affordable provider, especially if you sign up for a year or more of service. The fact that you can connect up to seven devices at once makes CyberGhost a good budget option for a family or housemates. While it’s not the absolute cheapest VPN, the below-average price, 45-day money-back guarantee, and great quality service make it a bargain.
There are several different pricing plans to choose from:
Monthly subscription: $12.99/month
Six Month subscription: $6.99/month (billed $41.94 every six months)
After a few weeks of using CyberGhost for myself, would I recommend others buy it?
Absolutely.
If you can see past its chequered history, you won’t find better speed, security, and streaming options for a lower price. In fact, most pricier VPN providers can’t compete with CyberGhost, either. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to access region-locked content during their travels abroad or torrent anonymously. Whether you’re new to VPNs or have been using them for years, CyberGhost is a reliable and well-rounded service.
The only real exception is if you’re living or traveling in countries that actively censor VPN usage, such as the United Arab Emirates or China.
CyberGhost Alternatives
I really like CyberGhost, but it’s not the only VPN worth considering.
NordVPN is competitively priced and competes with CyberGhost on speed. You get strong encryption, a no-logs policy, and the ability to securely access a wide range of streaming services. It also works in China and runs on a wider range of devices.
ExpressVPN is another VPN with a bigger price tag that will serve you better in countries like China and the UAE, where authorities actively block people from connecting to known VPN servers. It offers fast speeds, robust security, and very user-friendly apps. It works on a wider range of devices and includes 24/7 live support.
CyberGhost FAQs
What are dedicated VPN streaming servers?
Dedicated VPN streaming servers are specialized Virtual Private Network (VPN) servers specifically designed to enable secure and uninterrupted online content streaming. Dedicated VPN streaming servers provide the highest level of data encryption and privacy, allowing users to securely stream their favorite shows, movies, music, and other multimedia content without worrying about being monitored or having their data intercepted.
In addition, with dedicated streaming servers, users can enjoy unrestricted access to geo-restricted content from around the world and protect their online identity and privacy from hackers, snoopers, and other malicious actors. Dedicated streaming servers also offer faster speeds than regular VPNs as they are optimized for high-bandwidth activities such as streaming video in HD quality.
How does CyberGhost's kill switch help?
CyberGhost's kill switch is designed to protect users from accidental data leaks when their VPN connection unexpectedly drops. The kill switch blocks all Internet traffic until the VPN connection is re-established, ensuring that no personal or sensitive data can be exposed while your device is connected to an insecure network. This additional layer of protection ensures that your online activity remains private and secure.
Furthermore, CyberGhost's kill switch is easy to enable, allowing you to benefit from its added security without any extra effort quickly. So whether you're using a public Wi-Fi spot or want an extra layer of protection for your browsing activities, the kill switch can help ensure that your data and online activities remain secure.
HostGator last 12-months average uptime:
Bluehost last 12-month average speed
