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Is It The Best Choice For Web Hosting? 2021

AffluPars45 June 12, 2021 Uncategorized, Web, Web Hosting

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It was founded way back in 1996, making them one of the oldest web hosts in the industry.

HostMonster was founded way back in 1996, making them one of the oldest web hosts in the industry.

We purchased the HostMonster ‘Basic Plan’ to begin running detailed performance tests to evaluate their performance. We created a basic WordPress website and have monitored site statistics like speed & uptime (among other important criteria) to determine where they stack up against other web hosts in the industry.

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General Info & Hosting Overview

Pros of Using HostMonster Hosting

We’ll admit: we had high hopes for these industry veterans.

They’ve been around the block a few times and are now owned by one of the biggest industry conglomerates (EIG). So you’d think they should have their stuff together.

Here’s a quick summary of the biggest positive aspects we’ve found:

1. Good Uptime (99.94%)

The industry average for uptime is around 99.93% based on our analysis.

HostMonster delivered an average uptime of 99.94% with a bit more than five hours of downtime over the last 12 months. There were three troublesome months (May, July, and October 2020) but for the rest of nine months, their performance was reliable.

Last 12-month average uptime:

• March 2021: 99.97%
• February 2021: 99.93%%
• January 2021: 100%
• December 2020: 100%
• November 2020: 99.95%
• October 2020: 99.83%
• September 2020: 99.99%
• August 2020: 99.98%
• July 2020: 99.85%
• June 2020: 99.98%
• May 2020: 99.91%
• April 2020: 99.94%

2. Decent Support

HostMonster offers phone, email, and live chat support. We tested out the latter.

Our live chat experience went rather well. The customer support agent connected within a few minutes and replied also quickly (even though he didn’t seem too eager to talk to us).

3. Good Security Options

HostMonster provides a few different security options to choose from to help you protect your site and keep malicious people (or programs) at bay.

Incredibly, the leading way WordPress sites get hacked is through the vulnerability of their hosting company.

Following closely behind are ‘insecure themes’ and ‘vulnerable plugins’, which is the natural result of so many different third-party tools trying to work together in a quickly evolving environment.

HostMonster does a good job including different security features like Hotlink Protection, SSH Access, SSL support, regular site backups, and Spam Assassin Protection.

4. Instant Provisioning & Fast Setup

If you decide to go for their dedicated or VPS hosting, they promise instant provisioning of their servers.

That’s good news for people who wanted to get started quickly (or those located overseas outside the U.S.) because you won’t have to go through a long, drawn-out verification call or anything. Instead, you should expect your servers to be ready in seconds.

Like many other web hosting providers, they’ll also throw in a free domain name for one year with all new plans.

5. Pretty Good Value (50 GB Storage, Unmetered Bandwidth, Free SSL)

HostMonster’s Basic plan isn’t the cheapest at $4.95/month, but you do get a pretty good value considering some of the restrictions and extras.

For starters, you’re getting up to 50 GB of storage and unmetered bandwidth right out of the gates. In addition, you’re getting a free SSL certificate, too.

Moreover, a free domain is included for the first year.

6. One Free WordPress Site Transfer

Similar to Bluehost, HostMonster just recently started offering free sign migrations.

However, there’s a catch.

Site migration is only free for one WordPress site that fits the given criteria. Moreover, the migration has to be done within the first 30 days of the initial signup.

7. Easy-to-Use Control Panel

When you log in to HostMonster’s client area, you’ll see a very minimal interface.

From the left sidebar, you can access your domains, email accounts, marketplace. From “My Sites” you can log in to WordPress and start managing your site.

What concerns the control panel, then similar to many other hosts, HostMonster also uses a cPanel.

The cPanel is accessible via the “Advanced” button on the left sidebar. There you can manage all the hosting-related issues.

Cons of Using HostMonster Hosting

So far, our support experience was good.

We appreciated the extra attention to detail on security issues, helping to make sure their customer’s sites are safe and secure.

But here’s where things get interesting.

Let’s see what negative aspects you should keep in mind before deciding on your next web host.

1. Slow Page Load Time Over Last 12-Months

HostMonster delivered an average page speed of 1190 ms over the past 12 months.

The good news?

They have shown improved speed results monthly basis. But for now, they’re still not fast enough to earn a place in our pros section.

That’s critical, considering that only a little, tiny one second delay causes a hit across the board:

• 7% decrease in conversions
• 11% decrease in page views
• 16% decrease in customer satisfaction

2. Misleading Pricing with Long Commitment Required

HostMonster does not offer a true month-to-month plan, with the minimum requirement starting at 12 months.

What’s even worse — the price ($6.95) is more expensive for this option, too.

For example, if you’d like the cheaper ‘promotional’ rate they show on the site, you’re going to have to commit to three years (paid in full upfront).

That’s a big commitment to make when you have literally no idea if you’re going to like them yet.

Unfortunately, this technique is also standard practice in the hosting arena.

3. Hidden Costs & Fees

Sadly, there are also a few hidden costs along the way that might surprise you.

First up – your ‘Low’ promotional rate is only available for new plans. When your plan renews, the price will jump back to the regular (inflated) rate.

Their ‘free domain name’ isn’t free. If you decide to cancel your account, you’ll be charged a fee that’s non-refundable (again it is quite a common trick in the hosting industry).

4. They Charge for Backups

Speaking of extra fees, there’s also a $2.99 monthly charge for backups (if you want these). Many other web hosting companies we’ve reviewed so far will toss this feature in as a freebie, so it’s just another fee in the long list that is adding up now.

5. High Plan Renewal Costs

Web hosting websites don’t lie per se. They just stretch the truth a little bit.

Take the pricing page as an example. Those rock-bottom rates look great first pass, right? A few bucks a month probably doesn’t even cover your coffee bill these days.

However, it’s only when you dig through the Frequently Asked Questions or Terms and Conditions that you start to peel back the layers of deception.

The first common flaw is usually that you can only get those low advertised prices if you prepay for a minimum of three years. We go from bad to worse, though, when you start looking at how much these plans will cost when it’s time to renew after the first few years.

HostMonster’s ‘cheap’ monthly rates will double in the blink of an eye, going from $4.95/month on the low end up to nearly 12 bucks for the same exact service. The bigger Plus, Choice, and Plus Pro plans increase even more dramatically, costing you premium prices for a relatively basic offering at the end of the day.

So if you don’t see yourself wanting to move hosts again in a few years, it’s probably worth ponying up a few extra dollars and getting the best value over the long term.

HostMonster Pricing, Hosting Plans & Quick Facts

Here’s a quick overview of HostMonster’s shared hosting plans. Please note that this pricing is only available if you sign-up for the three-year term.

Quick Facts

• Domain Name: Free for the 1st year.
• Ease of Signup: One-page signup. They make it very easy to sign up.
• Payment Methods: Credit Card, PayPal.
• Money-Back: 30-day money-back guarantee.
• Hidden Fees and Clauses: By signing up, you agree to give them a non-exclusive royalty-free license to use content available on your account with them as they deem fit. All shared hosting accounts come with a limit of 1000 total database tables, 3GB total database size, and 200,000 inodes.
• Upsells: A few upsells.
• Account Activation: Instant Activation.
• Control Panel and Dashboard Experience: cPanel.
• Installation of Apps and CMSs (WordPress, Joomla, etc.): Mojo Marketplace for easy installation of popular apps and CMSs.

For any aspiring blogger or a professional website operator, selecting a web hosting server can be a painstaking job. Of course, they’d want the most effective and cost-efficient server. But there are numerous web hosting platforms on the Internet, offering different services. For a website operator, there are many determinants to consider while choosing a web hosting server that suits their needs. This article analyzes the pros and cons of HostMonster, one of the most popular web hosting providers. HostMonster, launched in 1996, is among the oldest web hosting platforms in the sector. It provides affordable hosting plans and free domain names. The service particularly targets small businesses. The service platform is a subsidiary of the Endurance International Group (EIG). The group hosts brands for small to medium-sized businesses.

Hosting of Small Businesses

HostMonster is a specialized web-hosting server that focuses on small business hosting.

The features offered by the server are so easy to understand that anyone, even without any prior knowledge, can begin using it. You don’t need to attend any course to avail of its additional services. The company provides easy hosting set up, one-click installations, a free website builder, and provides free domain names. Bigger firms may appear to be stronger hosting alternatives with their dedicated server plans and VPS but HostMonster concentrates more on budget-collective hosting. The plans offered by HostMonster are suitable for everyone, and even novice website operators can use them.

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Now, let’s quickly get the gist of the technology of HostMonster. The technical and infrastructural features listed below enable the server to reduce the large outages experienced by their users and provide consistent and reliable hosting.

• Linux operating system
• Performance server- Dual Quad Processor
• All-day system monitoring
• Diesel generator backup power

So, what are the benefits of using HostMonster as your web hosting provider? Let’s analyze the pros of the server, one by one.

Decent Customer Support

The platform’s customer support service has a live chat feature. If you’ve any queries, you can contact the customer support through this feature. You’ll be connected to a customer service agent within 5 minutes. The agent will try to answer all your questions for as long as you’d want. They’ll only close the chat after you permit.

You also get to rate the service provided by the customer support agent. It allows you to give feedback.

You can consult the company’s customer support through email or phone as well, even though the process might be long-drawn. Most users reveal they found the overall experience with the customer support agent satisfactory.

Multiple Security Options

HostMonster offers a myriad of security features that allows you to protect your website and stay clear of malicious developers. Every website operator knows how important security is when it comes to websites. Data suggests that WordPress websites have a 41% chance of getting hacked because of the susceptibility of their hosting servers. This is why it’s necessary to choose a web host that offers advanced security features.

‘Vulnerable plugins’ and ‘insecure themes’ are some of the other reasons due to which a website gets hacked. It’s a natural consequence of different third-party networks working simultaneously in a rapidly evolving system. HostMonster doesn’t compromise on security and strives to provide you the best possible technology that protects your website. From SSH access, Hotlink Protection, SSL support, SpamAssassin Protection to regular website backups, it covers all bases.

Above Average Uptime

As most website analytics suggest, the average uptime of the industry stands at 99.93%. The website host, HostMonster, has been consistently providing an average uptime of 99.96% for the last 2 years, which is more than the industry average. Given below is the average uptime provided by the server over the last 12 months.

September 2020: 99.98%

August 2020: 99.98%

July 2020: 99.85%

June 2020: 99.98%

May 2020: 99.91%

April 2020: 99.94%

March 2020: 99.98%

February 2020: 99.97%

January 2020: 99.99%

December 2019: 99.98%

November 2019: 99.96%

October 2019: 99.85%

From the above statistics, we can infer that HostMonster has been hitting its target regularly.

Immediate Provisioning and Quick Installation

Unlike other web hosting servers, HostMonster promises immediate provisioning of their networks if you opt for VPS or dedicated hosting. With HostMonster, you don’t have to go through a long-drawn-out, extensive verification procedure. You can have your website active and your servers live in seconds. It’s especially beneficial for website operators who wish to start hosting at the earliest.

Also, all the plans offered include a free domain name for your website for one year.

High Storage, Free SSL, and Unlimited Bandwidth

HostMonster’s basic plan of $4.95 per month is one of the cheapest of all servers going around and you get access to all the essential features.

You get storage of 50 GB and unlimited bandwidth. You also receive SSL certification for no extra charge. Other web hosting platforms provide these features for an extra $100 per year.

Here are some of the possible disadvantages of the platform.

Long-Term Commitment Needed

HostMonster offers you plans for 12 months. It doesn’t provide plans for individual months. Also, if you’d like to avail of the discounted rates shown on the website, you’d have to purchase a three-year plan. And, the amount has to be paid in full. This is a huge commitment to consider when you haven’t even used the website yet.

Unfortunately, in the hosting industry, this is an approach taken by most hosting platforms.

High Response Time

The average response time of any website running on HostMonster takes 936ms to load, in reference to the data for the last two years. So, it might take a while for the page to load and refresh.

Response time is one of the significant determinants for visitors’ satisfaction. According to the research of the Aberdeen Group, a second’s delay in loading can decrease customer satisfaction by up to 16%; page views up to 11%, and conversions up to 7%.

Backup charges

The company charges an extra fee for monthly backups. If you wish to purchase backups, you need to make a small payment of $1.99. Numerous other hosting companies may provide you this feature free of cost. But, HostMonster trumps its contemporary web hosting servers in all other aspects.

Pricing Policy and Hosting Plans

You can subscribe to this powerful hosting server with one click from the developer’s website.

You have the choice to subscribe to any of the three shared hosting plans viz. Basic Plan, Plus Plan, and Prime Plan.

• The ‘Basic Plan’ is for starters who want to host one website. You will get unlimited bandwidth, 50 GB storage space, support for five email accounts, and 25 sub-domains at only $4.95 per month.
• The ‘Plus Plan’ is a budget plan costing $6.95 per month. In this plan, users get unlimited websites, sub-domains, and email accounts. Along with that, you get unmetered storage, infinite bandwidth. It also has a spam-prevention software and $200 in marketing offers.
• The ‘Prime Plan’ is for premium users and costs $14.99. After discounts, the developers are offering this plan at $6.95 for a limited period. It has unlimited websites, parked domains, email account, sub-domains, unmetered bandwidth, and unmetered website space. It also includes spam prevention and privacy protection software for your website.
• You can pay through various methods, including PayPal, and credit cards.
• It’s easy to register and subscribe to its plans. You’ve to fill a one-page form and you’re done.
• Once you’ve completed the payment, your server gets activated instantly.
• You also receive access to Mojo Marketplace that allows you to install CMSs and other popular apps.

FAQs

Can you try the web server before subscribing?

Yes, there’s a demo version of the server, and you can use it to test the features before you decide to subscribe.

Is there a money-back guarantee?

Yes, the company offers a 30-day refund guarantee. So, if you don’t find the features satisfactory, you can always contact the customer support and ask for a refund. You’ll get a full refund without any questions asked.

Which HostMonster plan is the best?

The three HostMonster plans are devised for users with different requirements. If you’re a beginner and have started to write a blog, you can opt for the Basic Plan. For added space and unlimited domain, choose the Plus Plan. The Prime Plan is for heavy users hosting many big websites.

Now, the question remains, should you subscribe to HostMonster?

Web Hosting is the soul of your website, and you need a specialized hosting server to make it attractive to visitors. People look for free domain and hosting, but such free hosts compromise on bandwidth, website storage space, and privacy. If you’re serious about blogging or having your website, start using the most reliable and fast HostMonster. Its uptime speed is 99.96%, well above the industry standard of 99.93%.