TopLine.com.sa review

First impression

TopLine has been at the forefront of Saudi IT solutions since being founded in 2003 by Ahmed Al-Shughibi, who is still at the helm of the company today. Over the past two decades, they’ve earned a great reputation for providing a range of services that includes website and application development, shared hosting, cloud servers, cybersecurity, and e-marketing. They currently have over 8,900 clients and are headquartered in Dammam, with an additional office in Riyadh.

Trial Period

This provider doesn’t offer a free trail so you can test out their services. But they do have a 15-day money-back guarantee in place for their shared host deals, which is better than nothing. It is not the best refund policy you might come across, but it at least gives you a window of time to decide if their service is right for you. Just be aware, 15 days is not really a lot of time to thoroughly test a host provider, so you’ll be making a fairly speedy choice.

Billing Cycle

For potential customers signing up for TopLine’s shared hosting, expect to pay for the entire year upfront—they do not offer monthly payments for these packages. That might not be suitable if you prefer not to have to commit to the long term. But if you look at their Dedicated Server or Cloud Server offers, you have more flexibility. These can be paid monthly, quarterly, half yearly, or yearly, meaning you can choose what suits you best for your overall funding and needs. Plainly speaking, it would be more preferable if shared hosting shared the same flexibility, but for now, it is pay in full or nothing.

They currently accept payment via Visa or Al-Ahly, a digital payment solution provided by The National Commercial Bank (NCB) of Saudi Arabia, designed to make transactions secure, fast, and hassle-free for businesses and individuals alike, as valid payment methods.

Control Panel

TopLine gives you some flexibility when it comes to control panels - you’ll get either cPanel or DirectAdmin included for free with your hosting plan. Both are solid choices: cPanel is the industry favorite, known for its user-friendly interface and powerful management tools, making website and server tasks a breeze. DirectAdmin, on the other hand, is a lighter, more straightforward alternative, great for those who want a no-fuss approach to managing their hosting. But if you’re looking for something with a bit more versatility, TopLine also offers Plesk - though it comes at an extra monthly fee. Plesk stands out for its compatibility with both Linux and Windows servers, making it a go-to option for developers who need more flexibility. So, while cPanel or DirectAdmin will get the job done at no extra cost, Plesk might be worth considering if you need that extra functionality.

Limits

TopLine’s Shared Hosting plans come in four tiers, each catering to different needs. Their entry-level option, Saudi Save, includes a 1000MHz CPU, 2GB SSD storage, 1 MySQL database, and 1GB RAM - perfect for a small personal blog or basic business card website. Stepping up, the Saudi Go plan offers a 1500MHz CPU, 5GB SSD storage, 1.5GB RAM, and 2 MySQL databases for slightly more demanding projects. If you need more resources, the Saudi Fast plan doubles the storage to 10GB SSD, with a 3000MHz CPU, 2GB RAM, and unlimited MySQL databases. Finally, the Saudi Works plan delivers the most power, featuring a 5000MHz CPU, 20GB SSD storage, 2GB RAM, and unlimited MySQL databases. No matter which plan you choose, you’ll get unlimited POP/IMAP email accounts and a free SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt.

Their Cloud Server plans offer even more flexibility, with multiple configurations available. The New Summer Cloud plan starts at 2 vCPUs, 4GB RAM, 40GB SSD storage, and 20TB bandwidth, while the high-end Saudi Cloud Business plan scales up to 16 vCPUs, 32GB RAM, 200GB SSD storage, and 500TB bandwidth, providing ample power for resource-intensive applications.

Website Builder

They don’t include a website builder within their hosting plans, but the reality is that you don't need that. Users have two options – either get them to design and develop your site for you (this comes at an additional cost) or, if you want to do it all for yourself, their host includes all that you'll need to install a CMS like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal within a few clicks. No drag-and-drop builder, then, but you won't be left out - you'll just have to do that small amount of extra legwork to put your site up online.

Security

Security is one area where they particularly shine! They have integrated several robust security measures to secure its infrastructure and hosting services. Their systems utilize advanced firewalls to analyze and regulate incoming and outgoing traffic within the network based on predefined security rules that only allow legitimate traffic. DDoS protection is also integrated to safeguard against distributed denial-of-service attacks and maintain the uptime of services. Additionally, an intrusion prevention system (IPS) is available to identify and block would-be attacks, and security information and event management (SIEM) systems to examine security alerts in real time initiated by applications and devices within the network. As an added precaution, all plans come free of charge with an SSL certificate from Let's Encrypt. They are also certified with the ISO 9001 for quality management systems, ISO 27001 for information security management.

OS

The TopLine doesn't vary much from the norm where operating systems are concerned. All their shared hosting plans run on CentOS, which is rock solid for security and dependability. If you are splurging and opting for a Cloud Server or Dedicated Server, however, you do have choices - Linux users can choose between CentOS, or Ubuntu, and the Windows users may have their choice of Windows Server 2012 or 2016. If you choose to host on a Windows-based server you will be paying a small additional fee every month for the license.

Support

Their support is fast, friendly, and incredibly efficient, they truly exceeded my expectations! I reached out with a couple of questions, and their team was not only quick to respond but also very helpful. Should you run not trouble, there is multiple ways of getting in touch with their support team, including their main phone line at 0138425774, an online support portal at support.topline.com.sa where you can submit tickets and manage your account, and even interactive WhatsApp support for added convenience.

Conclusion

If you're looking for a solid hosting provider, I have to say, that TopLine is definitely worth considering! Their mix of reliable infrastructure, strong security measures, and responsive support makes them a standout choice, especially if you want a hosting company that actually knows what they’re doing. I appreciate that they offer a variety of hosting solutions, from shared hosting to dedicated servers, giving you room to grow. Plus, their customer support was a pleasant surprise - quick, helpful, and actually knowledgeable (which isn't always a given with hosting companies!).