Easy Blog Networks vs PBN Pilot : a comparison
Introduction
One of the most important features of a commercial blog network is the control panel that is provided for the user.
When you create your own small PBN -- usually utilizing Cpanel and budget webhosting -- a control panel is not provided. This is fine for small PBN of 5 or 10 sites, but if you are serious about PBNs then you need to have all your sites easily available from a single portal, otherwise you can spend all your time logging in to your sites.
After checking out many of the commercial Private Blog Networks (PBN) we have gone through and made a comparison of the features of two that do have control panels: PBN Pilot (PBNP) and Easy Blog Networks (EBN).
The reviewer of this article purchased and paid for accounts with both EasyBlogNetworks and PBNPilot to be able to evaluate them fully. Below is a quick comparison, and further down, critical areas and shortfalls are covered in depth.
These two are placed very close, although one just edged the other out.
Update. After having a website removed without warning there is now a clear cut winner. Find out the update and more info at end of the article.
At the end of the comparison there is clear cut winner.
Features Comparison
10 blogs / $35 per mth
40 blogs / $99 per mth
10 blogs / $25 per mth
50 blogs / $95 per mth
More Information
Easy Blog Network
PBN Pilot
EBN Mailbox
EasyBlogNetworks provide a email address for each of your PBNs
When you set up a new site, the email is created as well, utilizing
If you prefer you can also utilize Outlook or Thunderbird as an email client. Full instructions are given on how to set up
PBN Pilot Mailbox
A mailbox or email address associated with your URL is simply not provided as a part of PBN Pilot package. Gmail (and many other free email providers) now require a mobile phone number for 2FA. Have no mailbox, you run the risk of losing your site. NOT having a mailbox provided is a big problem.
EBN Updates
EBN has automatic updates for wordpress, plugins and themes -- a great time saver that also keeps your sites secure!
PBNPilot Updates
While PBN Pilot says that updates are automatic, there are always updates waiting for wordpress, plugins and themes when I log into a site.
EBN Support
Support from EBN is very good and very quick. In most cases you deal with one person who gets back to you for further information until there is a suitable outcome.
PBN Pilot Support
Support could be better. Unfortunately, no one is assigned to your ticket. All responses are anonymous. Lots of room for improvement needed here.
EBN Nameservers
EBN have automated DNS which can all be done from withing the portal. Simply supply your details and then choose your registrar from the menu.
PBN Pilot Nameservers
PBN Pilot uses "A RECORD" as well as DNS rather than using Name Servers. With an A Record, Whois will list your Domain Registrar’s default DNS. Use DNS for most and A Record one other from each Registrar for variety.
EBN Import Site
If you want to move quickly the import site is fast and efficient. Login to the EBN portal, supply your website name and login details and start it up. You can do up to 15 sites at a time.
If this fails, (which is rare) you can simply contact support and they will do it for you.
PBN Pilot Import Site
PBNPilot require you to add a plugin to your site, adjust some parameters, and then duplicate / save the site and database and download it to your machine. From there you need to login to PBN Pilot create a site and then upload the database and files and install them. It works, but it is slow and clunky and from time to time, will time out on a slow connection or a large upload. More often than not, you will require to go through support, which will take a few days to set up your site.
EBN Blog Health and others
EasyBlog Networks has 3 separate areara.
SEO Metrics
- Indexed
- Majestic Trust Flow
- Majestic Citation Flow
- Majestic External Backlinks
- Majestic Referring IP
Blog Health
- Last post
- Number of comments
- Number of pages
- Number of posts
- Not found indexed URLs
- Redirected indexed URLs
- Traffic
- Score
Domain Validator
- Domain Status
- Nameservers Status
- Zonefile Records Status
- Blog Deployment Status
- Server Status
- Browser Accessibility
- Recent Backup Status
- SEO Data Status
PBN Pilot Blog Health
PBN Pilot provides information for the following. Themes, plugins and users are not that useful. The "Score" doesn't function.
Blog Health
- Majestic CF
-
Majestic TF
-
Domain Authority
-
Page Authority
-
Backlinks
-
No of Themes
-
No of Plugins
-
No of Users
-
Score
Outcome
If you are a serious online marketer Gone are the days of making your own PBN. If you are going to create your own private blog network you need to be smart about it. The right provider will save you time, allow you to be more productive where it counts to actually make more money. Having a good portal that provides many tools is critical
Having spent time with both BPN providers, the choice is not clear cut. While PBN Pilot is very good, but is let down in one key area: No Mailbox feature.
PBN Pilot does however beat Easy Blog Networks on price; with $95 / month for 50 blogs, whereas for $99, EBN gives only 40. Of course, in this case, price only becomes a factor when you are ready to deploy more than 40 Network sites.
Use the 7 day free trial to test both portals and see what works best for you.
Simply take two of your network domains that are already up and running and transfer / upload to each PBN. If you have 4 domains use two to each, but use their import method AND use the support to see how good that works.
Our Recommendation? Too Close to Call!
Originally I have PBN Pilot as Ease of Use = 4 and Value for Money also = 4. Just slightly behind Easy Blog Networks. But....
Decision Update
It's possible to workaround a lack of mail box feature. Having indifferent support is also bearable.
This however is intolerable.
Recently I had a domain name expired on a domain registrar I don't use often. Spreading out your domains of various domain registrars is a PBN tactic.
Due to a credit card details changing, the domain was put into a suspended state, and the email I received from them said it could be renewed within a 30 day period. I fixed up the card details as soon I received the email, and renewed it immediately without any hassle.
Or so I thought.
Normally when a site is set up I don't tend to worry too much, but I had logged in to check a different site.
I was flabbergasted to find out that the website with the registrar renewal SNAFU had been deleted from PBNPilot in what was less than 24 hour period!
Fortunately I had a back up copy downloaded to my local machine. But PBNPilot was ruthless in its removal, no warning, no response, no nothing. Not even a back up. At the very least they could send an email saying that they were about to delete a domain, but not even that.
Fortunately I do back up all my sites, and don't rely solely on the hosting providers. And moving them it isn't an impossible situation, although can be a little tedious, but to have a site deleted without warning in such a manner is not acceptable.
Outcome: As such, I no longer use PBN pilot and have moved all my blogs to EasyBlogNetwork. Problem solved.