In the vast world of web hosting services, Hostinger stands out as a reputable and widely-used option for individuals and businesses alike. With over 29 million customers globally, Hostinger is known for its affordable pricing, extensive features, and user-friendly interfaces. If you’re considering Hostinger for your hosting needs, this detailed review will provide you with insights into what sets Hostinger apart from its competitors, its pros and cons, pricing plans, customer service quality, security features, and much more.
Hostinger’s Unique Offerings
Hostinger offers a diverse range of hosting services beyond shared hosting, including VPS hosting, Minecraft hosting, cloud hosting, WordPress hosting, email hosting, and more. However, one of its standout features is the availability of a free website hosting service. In this review, we will primarily focus on Hostinger’s shared hosting plans, which cater to individuals and small businesses looking for cost-effective hosting solutions.
Hostinger Shared Hosting Plans
Hostinger offers three main shared hosting plans: Single, Premium (the most popular), and Business. Each plan comes with varying features and pricing to suit different hosting needs. The Single plan is ideal for those with one website and basic requirements, while the Premium and Business plans offer more resources and capabilities for larger-scale projects.
| Single | Premium (Most Popular) | Business | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Websites | one | 100 | 100 |
| SSD Storage | 30 GB | 100 GB | 200 GB |
| E-mails | One e-mail | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Domains | NA | Free Domain | Free Domain |
| Bandwidth | 100 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Backup | Weekly | Weekly | Daily |
| Monthly visitors | 10,000 | 25,000 | 100,000 |
| Cloudflare | Included | Included | Included |
| FTP Accounts | 1 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| CDN | Not Included | Not Included | Included |
| SSL Certificate | Included | Included | Included |
| Number of AllowedDatabases | 2 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Starting Price | $1.39/Month | $2.59/Month | $3.99/Month |
| Renewal Price | $2.99/Month | $5.99/Month | $8.99/Month |
You have a 30-day money-back guarantee if you decide to change your mind, although it’s unlikely you will. Just bear in mind that the prices will go up upon renewal, similar to other web hosting services.
Pricing and Special Offers
Hostinger is widely recognized for its highly competitive pricing, although the rates are subject to change based on the current company promotions. The entry-level package starts at $1.39 per month, offering 100GB of bandwidth, weekly backups, support for multiple PHP versions, a complimentary SSL certificate, and the ability to set up 100 installations.
The Premium hosting plan, favored by many users, is priced slightly higher at $2.59 monthly. This plan boasts advanced features beyond the Single package, such as unlimited bandwidth and email accounts. The Business plan, priced at $3.99 per month, offers premium hosting benefits including daily backups and a 200GB SSD storage.
As is customary with most web hosting providers, renewal prices tend to increase unless you opt for a longer-term payment plan upfront. You can select between a four-year, one-year, or monthly subscription based on your preference. Additionally, you have the flexibility to add extras like daily backups or an SEO toolkit for an additional cost.
If you are dissatisfied with Hostinger, you can take advantage of their 30-day money-back guarantee, which is applicable to all plans.
It is essential to highlight that their refund policy has some limitations. While they do not offer a full refund, they will reimburse you for all plans except for the free trial month. Additionally, charges may apply for domain transfer and the SSL certificate. This policy can be somewhat complex and misleading, so it is advisable to proceed with caution.
Payment Methods
You have various payment options available for your Hostinger plan. In addition to traditional credit cards like Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express, you can also use PayPal. What sets Hostinger apart is the ability to pay for your plans using Apple Pay, Google Pay, AliPay or even cryptocurrencies. Rest assured that all these payment methods are accepted.
Hostinger Ease of Use
Hostinger’s User-Friendliness Building and managing a website on Hostinger doesn’t require expertise. With a user base of over 29 million customers, Hostinger’s appeal goes beyond its competitive pricing. Beginners benefit from a free website builder, the intuitive hPanel, and access to 100 app installations for site customization.
Advanced users will appreciate the array of tools available on Hostinger, such as various PHP languages, phpMyAdmin, and a GIT repository included in every plan. While the Single shared hosting plan has limitations on the number of websites, upgrading the plan or purchasing additional features is an option. Furthermore, the upgrade process is quick and uncomplicated.
The dashboard is well-structured and user-friendly, ensuring easy access to all necessary features, even for beginners. The website builder is straightforward, offering a variety of templates to choose from.
Customer Service Excellence
With a massive customer base spanning the globe, Hostinger places a strong emphasis on providing multilingual customer support. Whether you prefer live chat, email, or ticketing systems, Hostinger ensures that assistance is readily available in multiple languages. While phone support may be lacking, the knowledge base is rich in resources and tutorials to help users navigate any issues they encounter.
Robust Security Features
SSL Certificate
While some hosting plans come with a complimentary SSL certificate, you also have the option to acquire one separately if it’s not included.
Why do you need an SSL certificate?
An SSL certificate is necessary to ensure a secure connection for all visitors, especially if you engage in online product sales.
With every shared hosting plan on Hostinger, SSL Certificate Activation is provided at no extra cost. However, for enhanced website security, you can purchase the Comodo PositiveSSL Certificate for $7.49 per month. This type of certificate is particularly important for e-commerce websites to safeguard customers’ personal details.
Password Protected Directories
If you wish to secure your website using passwords, Hostinger’s hPanel allows you to do so. You can find a detailed guide in their knowledge base explaining how to set it up.
Hotlink Protection
Hostinger offers hotlink protection on all its plans to safeguard your bandwidth from external websites linking to your content.
Web Application Firewall & DDoS Protection
All Hostinger servers are equipped with a web application firewall to defend against DDoS attacks and other threats.
Site Backup
Hostinger’s hosting plans include weekly backups to prevent data loss. Opting for the Business plan provides you with daily backups for additional data security.
Two-factor Authentication
Hostinger has implemented two-factor authentication for user accounts. This requires users to verify their identity using both email and phone number, enhancing security measures.
Extra Security Features
For extended protection, you can purchase Cloudflare protection for $19.99 to shield your site from potential attacks.
Performance and Reliability
Uptime & Speed Ensuring a good uptime is crucial as it reflects the reliability and accessibility of a website. Hostinger boasts an above-average uptime of 99.9%, ensuring that websites stay operational and available.
Hostinger is renowned for its swift load times. In case of slower speeds, users can refer to the knowledge base for guidance on optimizing page speed. This optimization is pivotal for attracting more website visitors. Hostinger has recently enhanced its servers in the USA, Asia, and the United Kingdom by linking them to a 1000 Mbps connection.
Features Each Hostinger plan comes with a variety of features, such as:
- Free domain name
- Free email
- Unlimited databases
- Google Ads credit
- Backup services
- One-click app installer
The Business shared hosting plan includes additional features like a CDN and daily backups instead of weekly ones. All plans offer essential features at an affordable price, enabling users to get their websites up and running quickly.
SEO Apart from its fast speed and SSL certificate, Hostinger assists in improving website rankings through its SEO setup toolkit. This toolkit provides guidance on optimizing websites through on-page SEO by offering tips and recommendations.
For Advanced Users Advanced users can benefit from Secure Shell Access (SSH), a network protocol that facilitates secure data sharing. Developers can also utilize tools like MySQL Database, FTP Accounts, PHP 5 & 7, and Python.
Server Location Hostinger’s shared hosting servers are located worldwide, including the United States, Europe (UK, Netherlands, Lithuania), and Asia (Singapore). Users have various server options to choose from, with proximity to the target audience being a key factor in server selection.
Website Building Made Easy with Zyro
Creating a Website If you’re looking to create your website from scratch, Hostinger offers a solution with its user-friendly website builder named Zyro.
With Zyro, you can begin by selecting a template that suits your preferences and then proceed to personalize your site effortlessly. Whether it’s adding a logo, a catchy slogan, or your business name, the platform offers various handy features.
Once you’ve completed the customization, you can select your desired domain name and launch your site. The process is uncomplicated, direct, and user-friendly, ensuring a hassle-free experience.
E-commerce Tools and Solutions
It’s worth mentioning that Hostinger offers a variety of e-commerce tools, such as OpenCart, PrestaShop, and Simple Invoices.
The standard shared hosting package provides a website builder and access to more than 100 applications. Hostinger supports e-commerce platforms like WooCommerce and WordPress. Should you opt for these tools, upgrading to daily backups is recommended to safeguard your data.
Additionally, the plans come with FTP accounts, various PHP versions, and remote MySQL tools that can greatly benefit your website.
The Verdict: Is Hostinger Right for You?
In conclusion, Hostinger emerges as a top contender in the web hosting arena, actually one of the Best Website Hosting providers due to its affordability, feature-rich plans, robust security measures, and user-friendly interfaces. While there are minor drawbacks like limited phone support and potential pricing discrepancies upon renewal, the overall benefits of using Hostinger outweigh these concerns. Whether you’re a beginner looking to launch a personal blog or a business in need of scalable hosting solutions, Hostinger’s diverse offerings cater to a wide range of needs.
With a 30-day money-back guarantee in place, there’s minimal risk in trying out Hostinger’s services to see if they align with your expectations. By leveraging Hostinger’s hosting solutions and tools like Zyro website builder and e-commerce integrations, you can establish a strong online presence without breaking the bank.
Remember: Best Website Hosting start with – Hostinger!
Whether you’re a seasoned website owner or just starting your online journey, Hostinger has something for everyone. With exceptional features, competitive pricing plans, and reliable customer support, Hostinger proves to be a top choice in the web hosting industry. Discover what sets Hostinger apart from the rest and why it may be the perfect fit for your next web project. Sign up with Hostinger today and experience the difference!