TL;DR: What We Think of HostWinds
HostWinds stands out as an underrated gem in the hosting industry. It offers exceptional speed, reliability, and customer support. However, there is an important caveat to consider: the company offers a limited 3-day money-back guarantee. Regardless of the hosting plan chosen, you cannot request a refund after 72 hours.
Suitable for:
Small Business, eCommerce, Enterprise, or Developers-friendly
HostWinds Pros & Cons
HostWinds Pros
- Fast and reliable services
- Sterling reputation and support
- Lots of automated services
- Weebly website builder included
HostWinds Cons
- Shortest money-back guarantee period in market (3 days)
- No extra business services
- Slightly higher than usual starting prices
Evaluating HostWinds: A Breakdown of Performance, Security, and Other Key Features
Established in 2010 by Founder and CEO Peter Holden, Hostwinds has its roots in Seattle, Washington. Committed to delivering dependable and cost-effective web hosting solutions globally, Hostwinds offers an array of services, spanning shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated server hosting, and cloud hosting, tailored to accommodate the multifaceted requirements of its clientele.
In the following sections, we’ll take a closer look at how HostWinds performs across critical areas like hosting speed, server security, customer support, and overall value.
What Can You Expect from HostWinds in Terms of Speed & Uptime Performance?
While HostWinds offers essential performance features, its speed and uptime may not match the top-tier hosting providers. Key performance-enhancing features offered include:
In short, HostWinds provides reasonable speed and uptime for basic needs, but may not be the best option for users with demanding performance requirements.
Is Your Website Safe with HostWinds’s Security Measures?
Websites hosted at HostWinds are safe for basic security needs. While the provider may not offer advanced security measures, it still covers the fundamental safeguards necessary for most websites, including:
- Web Application Firewall (WAF), which blocks potential threats before they reach your site.
Daily backups are included as a standard feature, allowing for quick restoration of your website in case of any issues. Additionally, HostWinds offers free SSL certificates with an easy installation system, enabling users to secure their websites effortlessly. This encrypts communication and protects the data exchanged between your site and its visitors.
However, for websites requiring advanced security, HostWinds may not provide the high-level protection needed.
What Can You Expect from HostWinds’s Customer Support?
HostWinds offers a range of 24×7 customer support options to ensure users get timely assistance. Help is available via phone, live chat, and email. Additionally, you can also access the knowledge base for self-help guides and troubleshooting. User feedback indicates that customer support is generally satisfactory, with response times and issue resolution being adequate, though not exceptional.
Is HostWinds’s Pricing Justified by the Value and Features It Offers?
HostWinds is reasonable priced when weighed against its feature offerings and long-term cost. At $5.24 per month (renews at $6.99/mo), basic shared hosting allows you to host 1 website with 24/7 customer support, a free domain name, daily backup. Strangely, however, the company only offers a 3-days money back guarantee (yes, you read it right) – which is one of the main reasons it scored so low in our rating system. Higher plans with better features like VPS starts at $8.24/mo, cloud hosting at $4.99/mo and dedicated hosting at $115/mo.
How is HostWinds Rated Based on Overall Market Satisfaction?
We seldom see web shots with as high customer satisfaction as Hostwinds. They tout themselves as a customer-centric service and deliver on this in spades. Almost everyone who’s commented about them thinks that they’re simply awesome when it comes to support.
For additional insights, please refer to the user reviews section below.
Is HostWinds Suitable for Beginners?
Despite its many accolades, we can’t help but feel Hostwind’s newbie-level products have a bit of an issue. They’re pretty highly-priced, even considering introductory offers. The only thing that saves them is slight price hikes after the honeymoon period.
Plus, you can use the Weebly site builder, which may be why prices are higher.
Is HostWinds Suitable for Small Businesses?
Hostwinds is one service provider that draws clear lines between business customers and individuals. Business hosting is more expensive, but you get a correspondingly large allocation of resources.
There is one issue, though. Hostwinds doesn’t offer any business add-ons. That means for Microsoft, Google, marketing, or other needs, you have to seek them elsewhere.
Is HostWinds Suitable for Web Developers?
Prices are high enough here that most devs will want to stay away. They seriously don’t advertise any dev-friendly features, so it’s also a big question mark. All in all, it’s a big chance you’ll be taking.
Is It Possible to Host Custom Email with HostWinds?
Yes, you can host your own email accounts with HostWinds. This significantly reduces your costs by eliminating the need for expensive third-party email services.
How Easy Is the Onboarding Process with HostWinds?
Automation is the watchword at Hostwinds, so you can expect many things to be a relatively hands-off process. They also have a decent product documentation section to provide information. However, while it’s easy to use, don’t expect too much in this respect. Instead, rely on their legendary customer service folks.
Does HostWinds Offer a Free Trial?
Yes, HostWinds offers a 3-day free trial period. If you are not satisfied with their services for any reason, you can cancel within this period and receive a full refund.
Try now: Visit & Sign Up at HostWinds Official Website
HostWinds Plans & Pricing
HostWinds provides a range of web hosting plans designed to meet the needs of different users, including Shared, VPS, Dedicated, Cloud, and Reseller Hosting. The company also offers specialty services such as Adult Websites, Email, and Game Server Hosting.
- Shared Hosting: Starting from $5.24 – $8.24 per month
- VPS Hosting: Starting from $8.24 – $395.24 per month
- Dedicated Hosting: Starting from $115 – $207 per month
- Cloud Hosting: Starting from $4.99 – $328 per month
- Windows Hosting: Starting from $12.74 – $431.24 per month
Web hosting prices are subject to change, and promotional rates may only be available for a limited time or for new customers. To ensure you get the most accurate and current pricing details, we recommend visiting the official HostWinds website.
Consider Renewal Prices When Choosing
When evaluating hosting options, keep in mind that many providers offer substantial discounts during the initial signup period, but prices can rise significantly upon renewal. It’s crucial to research and compare renewal rates alongside introductory offers to get a clear picture of the long-term cost.
To help you in making an informed decision, we have prepared a summary table below comparing the initial signup and renewal costs of HostWinds services with several other providers we monitor.
Compare HostWinds’s Signup Cost Against Competitors
Web Host | Shared Hosting Signup Fees | Shared Hosting Renewal Fees | VPS Hosting Signup Fees | VPS Hosting Renewal Fees |
---|---|---|---|---|
HostWinds | $5.24 – 8.24/mo | $6.99 – 10.99/mo | $8.24 – 395.24/mo | $10.99 – 526.99/mo |
Servers.com | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $5.37 – 692.04/mo | $5.37 – 692.04/mo |
WP Engine | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo |
Verpex | $2.99 – 8.99/mo | $6.00 – 15.00/mo | $12.00 – 30.00/mo | $20.00 – 50.00/mo |
Hostinger | $2.99 – 9.99/mo | $7.99 – 24.99/mo | $4.49 – 19.99/mo | $13.99 – 59.99/mo |
N6 Cloud | $2.24 – 9.74/mo | $5.99 – 17.24/mo | $2.96 – 91.84/mo | $5.14 – 153.75/mo |
Caution: Prices May Vary Web hosting prices can change frequently. For the most accurate and up-to-date pricing information, please visit the official HostWinds website.
Final Thought: Is HostWinds Right for You?
HostWinds blows in with a reputation for speed and reliability, offering a sanctuary of support that’s hard to overlook. Yes, you might find their prices leaning towards the higher side, but what you’re paying for is quality that often exceeds expectations. If you’re all about investing in top-tier service and features that make a difference, this web host stands ready to impress. However, if your budget is tight or your needs skew towards very specific business solutions, you might want to weigh your options a bit more carefully.