HostMetro review | TechRadar

HostMetro is kind of a novel participant within the web hosting market. Although the founders of the corporate had a major quantity of prior expertise on this enterprise, HostMetro was launched in 2012 within the US. Not surprisingly, their essential workplace is located there, in Chicago particularly. Curiously, they specialised in shared hosting options solely. Their essential goal (as they declare) is to offer reasonably priced, straightforward to create, handle and keep web sites and internet hosting accounts. Apart from the US, HostMetro has managed to develop a substantial buyer base within the UK, India and Taiwan.

Their one-and-only knowledge heart is deployed in Elk Grove Village (close to Chicago) and, in accordance with them, it affords community connectivity, redundancy in energy and day-and-night safety monitoring. To present all of its customers with a consistency of excessive velocity, HostMetro’s community infrastructure options 10GB per second connections, which is at all times good to see. In addition, to additional assure reliability and velocity, their servers are run by twin quad-core Intel processors that possess 96GB of RAM and assist RAID-protected storage and SSD drivers on their MySQL database servers.

HostMetro’s essential web site feels trendy, refreshingly unique in its visible design and (as you’d count on) user-friendly. All details about the corporate and their merchandise are introduced in a transparent method, and whereas it doesn’t go into particulars at occasions, it does present a good quantity of data on every part required.

Even although HostMetro lacks an official weblog, their social community accounts (Facebook and Twitter) appear to be doing effectively, creating new content material on a day-to-day foundation.

Plans and pricing

When HostMetro declared it’s going to present reasonably priced pricing, it appears they weren’t exaggerating, since their internet hosting plans begin at fairly enticing $2.95 per 30 days. Additionally, the costs are mounted from the second of join, so there aren’t any extra (nor hidden) charges nor value hikes upon renewal to shake you up. In addition to the essential shared internet hosting plan labeled as “Mega Max”, there may be a complicated one referred to as “Super Max‘,’ in addition to one for individuals who wish to check out email hosting.

All of those plans share a lot of frequent options together with: limitless e mail internet hosting and e mail accounts; a plentiful of disk area and bandwidth; a website registration and web site builder, each of that are charge-free.

The billing cycle is considerably versatile and customers can select to be charged on an annual, biennial or triennial foundation, and so they can do it by utilizing all main bank cards or PayPal.

If HostMetro’s companies don’t meet your expectations, there’s a money-back assure which might be granted upon request inside 30 days from the unique buy.

Ease of use

Users transferring from one other host ought to know that HostMetro gives charge-free web site migration companies, however with sure limitations. First, the dimensions of the web site mustn’t exceed 3GB, which is needlessly rigid though it’s above the common web site measurement. Second, all website transfers should be requested inside 30 days from creating an account with HostMetro, which is one other factor you need to keep in mind.

Creating an account with HostMetro is moderately refreshingly uncomplicated when it comes to one’s person expertise. The first determination you’ll need to make is said to your area: do you wish to register a brand new one (which is freed from cost for brand spanking new customers), switch an previous one (given that you’ve it) or replace your nameservers whereas leaving it together with your present supervisor. After this, you’ll be requested to decide on a billing cycle and, if you happen to didn’t intend to commit for a 12 months a minimum of, you could be bummed out by the dearth of choice for month-to-month billing. On the brilliant facet, no matter you determine, the worth will probably be locked (attributable to value lock assure), so that you received’t have to fret about disagreeable cost-related surprises.

Two extra options you’ll be able to select whereas on this web page are Anytime backup (which is able to price you $19.95 yearly) and an SSL certificate. This could be a letdown if you happen to, like many people, are used (i.e. being spoiled rotten by different suppliers) to getting this utterly freed from cost even with the most cost effective plans. With HostMetro it’s going to take $20 for every year, which is nice to bear in mind upfront. However, ID Protection is cost-free, for a 12 months a minimum of.

To end creating your account you’ll be required to offer a substantial variety of private data, create a password and choose a technique of fee, after which you’ll proceed to use it.

Since business commonplace cPanel is supplied with all (and after we say “all”, we imply “each of”) HostMetro’s shared internet hosting plans, you received’t have a lot alternative within the matter. Nevertheless, as a result of there’s a consensus that cPanel is one in all (if not the one) most user-friendly choice on the market, this can be a vivid spot. From there, WordPress is one-click away, in addition to different useful functions. Alternatively, HostMetro features a web site builder with all of its plans.

Speed and expertise

Although HostMetro doesn’t promise a lot concerning the velocity, GTmetrix, a take a look at that monitored velocity efficiency of their essential web site, has introduced us with remarkably promising outcomes. What is extra, GTmetrix conclusively rated the efficiency with an A (97%), which is one thing we seldom see. The time it required to finish load the web page, the requests, whole blocking time, largest contentful paint and all different core internet metrics had been all above the common. Hence, the constructive outcomes we acquired had been hardly shocking.

As for uptime, HostMetro affords a 99% assure (which isn’t a lot), and has a coverage to grant one free month of internet hosting to each buyer, supplied that their annual uptime falls under the assured proportion. However, after observing the uptime of HostMetro’s essential web site for a month, UptimeRobot didn’t report any downtime in any respect, presenting us with a flawless efficiency. Fortunately, these with no such luck  can nonetheless get a free month as an apology.

Support

Looking for assistance on HostMetro’s web site will introduce a few choices and, extra importantly, cartoonishly cute Mega Man’s lengthy misplaced brother, which is (we assume) their incomprehensibly underutilized mascot. On the opposite hand, HostMetro’s assist workforce is out there round the clock and might be reached in a lot of methods: by e mail, assist ticket, stay chat and phone. The latter is, nonetheless, open in the course of the working days solely and from 8AM to 8PM (CST).

As an alternate, all are invited to go to HostMetro’s knowledgebase, which options greater than 200 articles on numerous topics divided into 18 completely different classes (cPanel, database questions, e-commerce, FTP, safety and so forth). Among these, there’s a class entitled “Video Tutorials” and it gives greater than a 100 step-by-step video guides masking many essential points associated to cPanel and web site administration, which is kind of commendable. Whether you’re a full newbie or a veteran webmaster, we’re certain you’ll discover HostMetro’s knowledgebase fairly helpful.

The competitors

Dedication to shared internet hosting is among the traits that HostMetro shares with its fellow US-based host often known as PowWeb. While HostMetro affords two plans of various sizes, PowWeb places ahead its one-and-only internet hosting plan. Although PowWeb contains an SSL certificates with the plan, the worth hike after the preliminary part may catch you off guard. No such drawback ought to happen when coping with HostMetro, because the costs are locked following the join course of.

Like lots of its opponents devoted to shared internet hosting, One.com tries its greatest to offer every part to satisfy the wants of its prospects. Despite that, with regards to buyer assist One.com falls quick compared to HostMetro. In addition, whereas One.com goals to be newbie-friendly, they don’t supply free area registration, whereas HostMetro does.

In comparability to HostMetro, HostGator has rather more to supply, each to particular person bloggers and numerous sized companies. Both hosts are beginner-friendly and supply a number of self-help choices, however HostGator provides a free SSL certificates even with the most cost effective plan and a 45-day a reimbursement assure besides.

Bluehost is one other US-based host and one that may supply the identical and extra compared with what HostMetro can. Both of them are beginner-friendly and entry-level shared internet hosting plans with each hosts being uncannily related along with their accessible billing cycles. Even so, extra bold customers usually tend to discover a everlasting residence for his or her web sites with Bluehost, because it affords extra internet hosting sorts and undoubtedly greater than two different-sized internet hosting plans.

Final verdict

HostMetro is among the many only a few webhosting suppliers that supply a price-lock assure, so their prospects wouldn’t need to endure an disagreeable shock of dealing with a value spike after the preliminary interval. Even widespread hosts like Bluehost may strike you with the worth spike that doubles the quantity you initially paid, if you happen to occur to overlook about that reality. HostMetro’s internet hosting options are considerably restricted, however they’re additionally feature-packed and may present every part that’s essential for a easy web site or a small enterprise. Those who’re looking for one thing extra bold should preserve looking and (maybe) check out hosts corresponding to HostGator, Bluehost or Dreamhost.