Over a year ago, I wrote about the search for better hosting packages and services for my WordPress clients. I switched some of my clients to Bluehost.com and some to ASmallOrange.com because Pair.com did not have a decent system for managing WordPress without paying extra. And it seemed the hosting fees, by comparison to Bluehost, were very high.

Having transferred a significant number of clients and setting up new clients with Bluehost, I am now transferring them all back to Pair.com for several reasons:

1. 

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   Bluehost Shared Servers Are SLOW: I have noticed continual slowdowns, unresponsive pages, and server time-outs on my client pages on Bluehost. The problem has been increasing and is totally unacceptable for commercial pages. I have been monitoring some of the sites on Pingdom.com and some client sites have been going down for 5 minutes or more several times per day!

2. Bluehost tech support is slow to respond, they often try to blame the problem on you, and only after escalation of the problem do they admit that there is a problem with a server or user on the shared server.
3. Pair has instituted new hosting plans which have far more affordable. The webmaster plan allows you much more storage than previous plans for the same price, so I can host clients without running out of space or bandwidth. You can also provide secure access  to clients to manage their own sites.
4. Bluehost Pro plans are about the same price ($25 per month) as comparable services on Pair.
5. Pair Tech Support is OUTSTANDING.  Their support for web developer plans includes phone support and their email tech support is very responsive and very competent. I have been with Pair for over 10 years and have never had a bad experience.

Pair.com does not use cPanel, but it does offer its Software Installation Manager (SIM) for an additional $2.95/month, and it simplifies the management of WordPress, Drupal, shopping carts and other CMS platforms. This service allows you to install software on all your client sites as well.

I have one account on ASmallOrange.com for a Drupal install, ScholarsCorner.com, because I was running out of room on my old webmaster account and there was no SIM at that time on Pair. If I had my current account then, I would never have established a separate account. ASO was having problems last year and I was about to leave them, but it seems they have resolved most of their growing pains favorably. Still Pair.com is cheaper for the amount of storage you get.  So, to conclude,  I recommend Pair.com without reservation for hosting WordPress or any other site you might desire.