If you want a web hosting service for enterprise or private causes, try HostMonster—however concentrate on its shortcomings. The net host provides many shared, devoted, and digital personal server (VPS) internet hosting choices for constructing web sites, however has a number of points (corresponding to the dearth of cloud, reseller, and WordPress internet hosting plans) that maintain it out of the league of DreamHost, HostGator, and Hostwinds, the general PCMag’s Editors’ Choice winners for internet hosting providers.
Shared Web Hosting
HostMonster does not supply month-to-month internet hosting choices, which is a strike towards the service. Instead, it requires you to enroll in an annual plan. HostMonster throws just a few financial savings bones your method, must you join a two- or three-year plan, however those that don’t desire prolonged commitments ought to flip to the superb HostGator ($2.64 Per Month + Free Domain Registration at HostGator) , the Editors’ Choice for shared internet hosting, in the event that they need to pay on a month-to-month foundation.
The Linux-based Basic shared internet hosting bundle (beginning at $9.49 per thirty days with a one-year contract) features a free area title you’ll be able to maintain so long as you utilize HostMonster, free area switch, 50GB of storage, limitless month-to-month information transfers, 5 electronic mail accounts, and the power to host a single web site. The HostMonster Plus bundle (beginning at $12.49 per thirty days with a one-year contract) contains 150GB of storage, the power to host 50 domains, 100 electronic mail accounts, and spam prevention. The Prime bundle (beginning at $14.99 per thirty days with a one-year contract) tops all of HostMonster’s shared internet hosting plans with a devoted IP handle, an SSL certificates, and limitless web site internet hosting and electronic mail.
Still, HostGator additionally has limitless storage, electronic mail, domains, month-to-month information transfers, and Windows-based servers. That’s why it is PCMag’s high shared internet hosting decide.
VPS Web Hosting
If you want a internet hosting setup that is extra highly effective than shared internet hosting, however cheaper than devoted internet hosting, HostMonster has superb Linux-based VPS packages beginning at $29 per thirty days. Regardless of the tier you choose—there are 4 in complete—you will get pleasure from limitless electronic mail and a free area title.
The $29.99 per thirty days Standard plan contains 2GB of RAM, 30GB of storage, and 1TB of month-to-month information transfers. The $59.99 per thirty days Enhanced bundle ups the RAM, storage, and month-to-month information transfers to 4GB, 60GB, and 2TB, respectively. Next up the ladder is the $89.99 per thirty days Premium plan, which comes with 6GB of RAM, 90GB of storage, and 2TB of month-to-month information transfers. The top-tier Ultimate bundle, which is $119 per thirty days, blesses you with 8GB of RAM, 120GB of storage, and 3TB of month-to-month information transfers.
Those are good plans, however our Editors’ Choice for VPS internet hosting, Hostwinds, tops them with limitless month-to-month information transfers and Windows-based choices, beginning at $13.50 per thirty days.
Dedicated Web Hosting
If you’re contemplating HostMonster’s dedicated servers (beginning at $109 per thirty days), you’ve a wide range of configurations from which to decide on. The servers may be outfitted with a Linux-based working system and as much as 1,000GB of arduous drive area, 16GB of RAM, and 15TB of knowledge transfers per thirty days—roughly the identical specs because the devoted internet hosting service provided by Bluehost (the online hosts have the identical father or mother firm).
Those are stable choices, however Hostwinds—the PCMag Editors’ Choice for devoted internet hosting—one-ups HostMonster with a selection of Linux and Windows working programs and limitless month-to-month information transfers, beginning at $99 per thirty days.
WordPress, Cloud, and Reseller Hosting
Unfortunately, HostMonster lacks optimized WordPress internet hosting. The customer support rep who I spoke with (extra on that in a bit) prompt that I try BlueHost’s choices, as that firm is HostMonster’s sister web site. I would not.
Instead, I counsel testing TMD Hosting (2.95 Per Month – 65% Off at TMDHosting) , the Editors’ Choice for WordPress internet hosting. TMD’s pre-built WordPress setting (beginning at $8.95 per thirty days) comes with many WordPress-friendly options, together with dwell malware safety and curated plug-ins which might be designed to reinforce your expertise.
HostMonster does not supply cloud hosting, both. If you are within the hunt for that sort of internet hosting, please test DreamHost, the PCMag Editors’ Choice in that area.
As you may anticipate, HostMonster additionally does not have any reseller hosting plans. Hostwinds does, nevertheless. It’s our Editors’ Choice for the class, so it’s best to positively give it a glance.
Setting Up a HostMonster Hosted Site
HostMonster provides you many instruments for constructing an internet site, together with Weebly, a well known selection amongst web-based website-builders. Weeby’s drag-and-drop performance let me shortly construct a horny web page full with slideshows, contact kinds, social media hyperlinks, and extra.
Weebly’s free model provides you fundamental Weebly performance (you’ll be able to create six pages and add customized HTML), however upgrading to the $8.95 per thirty days Professional tier provides much more flexibility (customized themes, password protected pages, and extra). Check out our Weebly review(Start for Free at Weebly) for a better have a look at its choices.
E-marketing and E-commerce
HostMonster provides Mojo Marketplace, which has electronic mail advertising and marketing instruments corresponding to DaDa Mail (beginning at $34.95 per 12 months), software program that permits you to ship email-based newsletters to a subscriber listing.
Mojo Marketplace additionally comprises Magento (an e-commerce software), which let me create a horny retailer in only a few minutes by dragging and dropping web site components.
Security Features
HostMonster internet hosting packages include a slew of safety features, together with antispam and hotlink safety. That stated, in order for you higher-end safety, join HostMonster’s Business Plus bundle, which comes with a SSL certificates and two sorts of antispam safety.
HostMonster’s electronic mail helps DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) and Sender Policy Framework (SPF) authentication expertise for added safety.
Solid Uptime
Website uptime is among the most vital facets of a internet hosting service. If your web site is down, purchasers or clients will likely be unable to seek out you or entry your services or products, which is clearly unhealthy for enterprise. You merely cannot take the possibility that they will go to another person’s enterprise and presumably be misplaced to you endlessly as a buyer.
For this testing, I used an internet site monitoring software to trace my HostMonster-hosted check web site’s uptime over a 14-day interval. Every quarter-hour, the software pings my web site and sends me an electronic mail whether it is unable to contact the positioning for at the least one minute. The information revealed that HostMonster could be very secure; it did not go down as soon as through the testing interval.
Customer Service
I hit up HostMonster’s tech help (through net chat) on a weekday afternoon to ask a consultant in regards to the variations between the corporate’s numerous choices. A rep shortly fielded my query however did not appear to fairly perceive my query. I’m unsure if that was on account of a language barrier or being overwhelmed and skimming the chat.
I later fired up the online chat on a weekday morning to ask a consultant about the right way to import my WordPress.com setup into HostMonster. A rep got here to my help just a few seconds later and pasted a really useful hyperlink into the chat that contained step-by-step directions. The particular person on the opposite facet of the pc additionally prompt calling the 24-hour help squad if I wanted step-by-step steerage.
HostMonster internet hosting packages include a 30-day money-back assure, however Dreamhost ($2.49 Per Month for Shared Starter Plan at DreamHost) one-ups it with a powerful 97-day refund window.
There Are Better Options
HostMonster makes establishing a web site or WordPress weblog a breeze, however DreamHost, HostGator, and Hostwinds—PCMag’s total Editors’ Choice winners for internet hosting providers—merely supply extra options and adaptability. HostMonster is nice at what it does however sadly, lacks the optimized WordPress, reseller, and cloud options that may assist it compete with the massive boys. Furthermore, its lack of month-to-month pricing plans might flip off some customers.
Cons
The Bottom Line
If you want simply the fundamentals with out many superior choices, HostMosnter is an internet host that may get the job completed. Just bear in mind that there are a lot better choices.
