A2 Hosting vs FastComet: Speed-Focused Hosting Compared
A2 Hosting and FastComet both market themselves as speed-first hosting providers. A2 has its Turbo servers (LiteSpeed-powered), FastComet promotes its fully SSD and cloud-powered infrastructure. Both have been quietly building loyal followings while bigger names like Bluehost and HostGator dominate marketing spend. But which one actually delivers better value?
We compared their current plans, real pricing (including renewal costs), and feature sets using data from our hosting database.
Shared Hosting Plans: Direct Comparison
Shared hosting is where most people start. Both providers offer tiered shared plans with increasing resources. Here is how they stack up.
| Feature | A2 Hosting Starter | FastComet Starter |
|---|---|---|
| Promo Price | .99/mo | .79/mo |
| Renewal Price | $1.99/mo | .95/mo |
| Storage | 15 GB NVMe SSD | 10 GB |
| Bandwidth | Unlimited | 20 GB |
| CPU | 2 vCPU | 1 core |
| RAM | 2 GB | 1 GB |
| Websites | 1 | 1 |
A2 Hosting's entry plan costs more but includes noticeably more resources. Double the RAM, double the CPU cores, 50% more storage, and unlimited bandwidth compared to FastComet's 20 GB cap. For a single-site owner, A2's Starter gives more room to grow before hitting resource limits.
FastComet's appeal is the lower entry price. At .79/mo (promotional), it is one of the cheapest hosting plans available. However, the 20 GB bandwidth limit is tight. A moderately-trafficked blog with images can burn through that in a few days.
Full Shared Plan Lineup
| Plan | Promo Price | Renewal | Storage | Bandwidth | CPU | RAM | Sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A2 Starter | .99/mo | $1.99/mo | 15 GB NVMe | Unlimited | 2 vCPU | 2 GB | 1 |
| A2 Plus | .99/mo | $4.99/mo | 30 GB NVMe | Unlimited | 2 vCPU | 3 GB | 2 |
| A2 Pro | .99/mo | $2.99/mo | 50 GB NVMe | Unlimited | 4 vCPU | 6 GB | 10 |
| A2 Max | .99/mo | $7.99/mo | 100 GB NVMe | Unlimited | 4 vCPU | 8 GB | 100 |
| FC Starter | .79/mo | .95/mo | 10 GB | 20 GB | 1 core | 1 GB | 1 |
| FC Essential | .39/mo | $1.95/mo | 20 GB | 35 GB | 2 cores | 2 GB | 1 |
| FC Plus | .59/mo | $7.95/mo | 30 GB | 65 GB | 3 cores | 3 GB | Unlimited |
| FC Extra | .99/mo | $4.95/mo | 40 GB | 95 GB | 4 cores | 4 GB | Unlimited |
A2 Hosting consistently offers more raw resources at every tier. The Max plan with 100 GB NVMe storage, 4 vCPU, and 8 GB RAM at .99/mo promo is significantly more powerful than FastComet's top-tier Extra plan (40 GB storage, 4 cores, 4 GB RAM at .99/mo). But FastComet caps bandwidth on every plan, while A2 keeps it unlimited.
Renewal Price Reality Check
Promotional prices expire, usually after the first billing cycle. This is where both providers show their true cost.
| Plan Level | A2 Renewal | FastComet Renewal | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry (1 site) | $1.99/mo | .95/mo | FastComet saves .04/mo |
| Mid-tier | $4.99/mo | $1.95/mo | FastComet saves .04/mo |
| Upper tier | $2.99/mo | $7.95/mo | FastComet saves .04/mo |
| Top tier | $7.99/mo | $4.95/mo | FastComet saves .04/mo |
FastComet is consistently cheaper on renewal. Over a 3-year period after the promo ends, FastComet's entry plan saves you roughly 09 compared to A2's Starter. Use our True Cost Calculator to see the exact total cost over your preferred period.
Speed Technology: Turbo vs RocketBooster
A2 Hosting sells speed as its core differentiator, and the Turbo Boost feature on their Pro and Max plans is the reason. Turbo plans use LiteSpeed Web Server instead of Apache, which handles concurrent connections more efficiently. LiteSpeed also integrates with LSCache, a powerful caching system for WordPress and other PHP applications. We covered this technology stack in depth in our LiteSpeed vs Apache vs Nginx comparison.
FastComet uses a mix of Apache and Nginx on shared hosting, with Nginx handling static content as a reverse proxy. Their FastCloud Extra plans include the RocketBooster feature, which adds extra caching layers and resource isolation. FastComet also provides free Cloudflare CDN integration on all plans, which helps with global load times.
Both providers use SSD storage across all plans, but A2 specifically uses NVMe SSDs, which are measurably faster for read/write operations. FastComet's plans list SSD storage without specifying NVMe.
Data Center Locations
FastComet has an edge in geographic coverage. They operate 11 data centers spanning North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Locations include Chicago, Dallas, Newark, London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Singapore, Tokyo, Sydney, Mumbai, and Toronto.
A2 Hosting offers 4 data center locations: Michigan (USA), Arizona (USA), Amsterdam (Netherlands), and Singapore. Fewer choices, but the locations cover the three major continents where most web traffic originates.
For sites targeting Asian or Australian audiences, FastComet's Tokyo and Sydney locations provide a meaningful latency advantage. For North American and European sites, both providers offer comparable performance.
Free Migration and Extras
Both providers include free website migration, which removes one of the biggest barriers to switching hosts. FastComet handles up to 3 free migrations. A2 Hosting provides 1 free migration on most plans.
Other shared features:
- Free SSL (Let's Encrypt) on both
- Daily backups included on both (FastComet keeps 7 days, A2 keeps daily backups on Turbo plans)
- cPanel control panel on both providers
- Softaculous for one-click app installation
- Free CDN included on both (Cloudflare)
One notable difference: FastComet includes a free domain transfer (not registration) on all plans. A2 Hosting does not include a free domain on shared hosting plans.
WordPress Hosting Comparison
A2 Hosting offers dedicated managed WordPress plans, but they are significantly more expensive than their shared hosting. The WP Lite plan starts at $0.04/mo (renews at $4.99/mo) with only 5 GB of storage and 25 GB bandwidth. Compared to A2's own shared Starter plan (.99/mo with 15 GB storage and unlimited bandwidth), the WordPress-specific plans offer less storage for more money.
FastComet does not have a separate WordPress hosting tier. Their shared plans include WordPress-optimized features (one-click install, auto-updates, and LiteSpeed caching on higher plans). This approach is arguably better for most users since you get the same resources without paying a premium for the 'WordPress' label.
For WordPress specifically, A2's shared hosting plans with Turbo (Pro or Max tier) outperform their own dedicated WordPress plans in both resources and value.
VPS Options: Where A2 Pulls Ahead
A2 Hosting has a much deeper VPS lineup. Their unmanaged VPS starts at .99/mo with 2 cores, 4 GB RAM, and 80 GB NVMe. Managed VPS begins at $8.00/mo with the same specs but adds root access support, cPanel/WHM, and server management.
FastComet does not currently offer VPS hosting. Their shared hosting tops out at the Extra plan (4 cores, 4 GB RAM). If your site outgrows shared hosting, FastComet does not have a natural upgrade path within their own platform. This is a significant drawback for growing sites. You would need to migrate to a different provider entirely.
If you anticipate needing to scale beyond shared hosting, this single factor might be the deciding one. Staying with one provider as you grow avoids the pain and risk of migration. Read our guide on when to upgrade from shared hosting for more on this transition.
Support and Reputation
Both providers offer 24/7 support via live chat and ticket systems. A2 Hosting has been in business since 2001, FastComet since 2013. A2 is the more established company with a longer track record.
A2 Hosting is known for their 'Guru Crew' support team and offers phone support, which FastComet does not. FastComet compensates with generally faster live chat response times and a strong reputation for hands-on migration assistance.
Both companies have money-back guarantees, but the terms differ. A2 Hosting offers an 'anytime' money-back guarantee (prorated after 30 days). FastComet provides a standard 45-day money-back guarantee.
The Verdict
Choose A2 Hosting if you want more raw power on shared hosting, need VPS as a future upgrade path, or care about LiteSpeed/NVMe performance. Their Turbo plans deliver genuinely faster page loads for PHP sites, and the Pro plan (.99/mo promo, 4 vCPU, 6 GB RAM, 50 GB NVMe) is excellent value.
Choose FastComet if budget matters most and you need data center locations in Asia or Australia. Their renewal prices are consistently -5/mo cheaper than A2, and the 11 data center locations give better geographic coverage. The bandwidth caps are the main tradeoff.
See the full plan-by-plan breakdown on our A2 Hosting vs FastComet comparison page.
