web hosting,web host review,top web hosts

y name is Dan Scott. I’ve worked in the computing industry for over twenty-five years. Recently, I decided to create my own web site for my family. Although I’ve worked with the technology for years, up until now it had always been on either a customer’s servers or on corporate servers. This was my first time to look for a public hosting site for myself. I thought it would be easy; with my experience I thought I could quickly find the best hosting site for my needs…I was wrong.

I spent days reading reviews, studying hosting web sites, searching through forums trying to find the best web host. Just any host wouldn’t do, I wanted the best. And, the more I read the more I learned just how much a poor choice in a web host could affect me and just how many poor ones there were. Horror stories of people who had worked for months getting a web site put together only to have their hosting company disappear, taking all their work with them. Sites that were down more than they were up and technical support that appeared to be run by Don Rickles. Even stories of domain names being stolen and the user blackmailed to get it back…by the hosting company!

In the end, I found a company I have been happy with. But, I felt bad for all those that would come after, all going through the same hassle that I had or worse, just picking one at random and potentially adding their story to the list of web hosting horror stories.

So, I’ve created a list of the top sites I have found, along with how they all scored in the areas I think are critical for a web host. I’ll update the info once a month (this is now current for the month of May). I’m really sorry folks (and thanks for asking), but I’ve been flitting from one side of the country to the other for the last several weeks now and haven’t been able to devote the hours it takes to gleaning the information I need to update my table. I should catch a break here shortly and will update as soon as I am able.

Curious where these numbers came from and what they mean? Look below to see how I came up with them.

May Results (June data coming soon!)

Host Name	Price	Reliability	Customer Service	Technical Support	Ease of Use	Features	Storage Space	Bandwidth	Final Score
	$6.95	9.85	9.33	9.52	9	9.52	1500 GB	15000 GB	98.50%
	$6.95	9.73	9.6	8.6	9	10	1500 GB	15000 GB	97.42%
	$6.95	9.53	9.47	9.23	9	9.4	1500 GB	15000 GB	97.12%
	$6.95	9.25	9.25	*	8	10	1500 GB	15000 GB	96.13%
	$11.95	9.9	8.92	9.17	8.63	9	unlimited	unlimited	95.50%
webhostingpad.com	$6.95	8.83	8.33	*	8.25	9.5	1700 GB	17000 GB	91.42%
ipower.com	$6.95	9.38	8.88	9	6	10	1500 GB	15000 GB	91.11%
	$7.95	8.65	8.71	8.05	8.6	9.42	unlimited	unlimited	89.69%
dot5hosting.com	$5.95	9.07	8.23	9.8	7.2	8.18	1500 GB	15000 GB	89.69%
hostgator.com	$7.95	8.86	8.52	8.34	*	8.33	600 GB	6000 GB	89.34%
	$5.95	9.36	8.03	8.07	7.2	9.3	1500 GB	15000 GB	87.74%
godaddy.com	$6.64	8.85	7.92	8.59	8	8.5	150 GB	1500 GB	87.29%
dreamhost.com	$5.95	7.19	9.06	8.31	*	8.5	500 GB	5000 GB	85.69%
hostpapa.com	$7.95	9.1	8.2	9	6	7.75	1500 GB	15000 GB	85.35%
ipowerweb.com	$6.95	8	8	9	7.5	8.45	1500 GB	15000 GB	85.31%
powweb.com	$5.77	8.33	8.33	10	5	8	1500 GB	15000 GB	84.74%
lunarpages.com	$7.95	8.85	8.08	7.75	7	8.53	5 GB	400 GB	84.24%
anhosting.com	$6.95	8.33	8.67	8	5.33	8.67	500 GB	5000 GB	82.44%
vistapages.com	$7.95	8.75	8.75	8	6	6	1800 GB	18000 GB	80.67%
1and1.com	$4.99	7.47	6.03	4.68	8	8.25	120 GB	1200 GB	69.82%

(*) – No data available.

So, where did this data come from? I’m glad you asked. This is actually the result of many days of work scouring the web for reviews on the various web hosts. I limited my research to only include those reviews that have quantitative data; just saying, “somewebhost.com (hopefully, that’s not a real web site) has really good customer service” was not enough. I needed something I could use to compare to other sites, like response times or time to resolution. Also, a web host had to have at least two independent reviews to be included in the final results. I converted everything I found to a one-to-ten scale and put it all in a table. All of that information was then averaged and sorted. When averaging I weighted Reliability highest, then Customer Service and Technical Support higher than Ease of Use and Features.

Then I went to each of the hosting web sites and captured their current information on pricing, storage space, and bandwidth for a typical one year hosting package. Why include so many if I only need one host site? Well, for one thing, I have chosen the ‘top’ provider based on my own criteria of reliability and customer service, but somebody else might use different criteria to make their selection. And, in spite of all the work I already went through to gather and summarize this data I realize people will still want to compare it to other reviews and I wanted them to be able to get all the data I could provide.

If you find this information useful, please use the link from my web page to your chosen host. It won’t cost you anything or commit you to anything if you should change your mind, but the revenue I receive helps to pay for this web site and my time in keeping it up.

For the sake of full disclosure, I am currently using HostMonster and have been very satisfied with them.

1. ServInt donates web-hosting services for new philanthropic effort Indie Music for Haiti - (The Hosting News)  –  Web hosting provider ServInt, today announced it is donating hosting services for the new philanthropic effort Indie Music for Haiti (www.indiemusicforhaiti.com).
   The new site from Maryland-based music studio Asparagus Media allows independent musicians to submit video clips of recent performances, new songs written for or about the crisis, and other video content […]

   ServInt donates web-hosting services for new philanthropic effort Indie Music for Haiti

2. Codero’s Cost-Saving Measures Provoke Favorable Reaction - (The Hosting News) – The business community has offered it’s support for Codero’s recently launched Price Match Challenge. This new program has had a highly positive effect among small- to medium-sized businesses desiring a less expensive solution for dedicated and managed hosting services. The limited-time promotion allows customers to receive a price match […]

   Codero’s Cost-Saving Measures Provoke Favorable Reaction

3. Steadfast Networks Publicizes New Green Initiative - (The Hosting News) – Chicago based Steadfast Networks, has officially announced its environmental green initiative by implementing a 100% carbon offset. This offset will be utilized for staff commuting, office usage, core infrastructure, networking equipment, shared web hosting, VPS hosting, and backup services. Steadfast Networks is certified “carbon neutral” by Carbonfund.org, an environmentally-friendly organization […]

   Steadfast Networks Publicizes New Green Initiative

4. NTT America Supports Solution Partners Program at 2010 Channel Partners Expo - (The Hosting News) – NTT Communications’s American branch has officially announced that certain company executives will attend the Spring 2010 Channel Partners Conference & Expo, March 1-3 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, to meet current and potential solution partners and discuss NTT America’s Global IP Network […]

   NTT America Supports Solution Partners Program at 2010 Channel Partners Expo

5. Level 3 Increases Presence in Northern California - (The Hosting News) – Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: LVLT) today announced that it is broadening its local presence in Northern California. It’s new facilities will be established in locations such as San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland and Sacramento. This initiative reflects Level 3’s continuing pledge to enhance its presence in local […]

   Level 3 Increases Presence in Northern California

6. Leading Managed Hosting Provider, Opus Interactive Hires New Systems Administrator - (The Hosting News) – Opus Interactive hired Steve Cronburg as Systems Administrator. An industry veteran with  9 years of experience working with clients across all facets of IT, including hardware, software and network troubleshooting. He is the newest member of a growing Network Operations Center staff that delivers hands-on customer service for Opus Interactive’s hosting […]

   Leading Managed Hosting Provider, Opus Interactive Hires New Systems Administrator

7. Twitter Passes 10 Billion Tweets - (The Hosting News) - We all know that Twitter has grown quickly and become extremely popular. In fact the service has become so popular that it even has it’s own awards. However, I came across some interesting and enlightening growth information on Twitter recently while conducting research for reseller hosting provider 34SP.com. Twitter has just sent out […]

   Twitter Passes 10 Billion Tweets

8. Codero Recognized with SAS 70 Type I Certification - (The Hosting News) - Overland Park, Kan. – Following a detailed, independent assessment of internal controls for company-wide policies and procedures, Codero has completed its first SAS 70 review. SAS 70 Type I certification evaluates the current state of a service provider’s control environment and effectiveness in meeting control objectives. This structured, multi-step process focused on the […]

   Codero Recognized with SAS 70 Type I Certification

9. Atlantic.Net announces participation in the annual CFO Conference - (The Hosting News) – IT Service Provider Atlantic.Net (www.atlantic.net)  officially stated today its participation as a sponsor for The 17th annual CFO Rising Conference & Expo, scheduled for March 7-10, 2010, at the Hilton Grand Convention Center in Orlando Florida.
   Atlantic.Net is offering free evaluations to help attendees recognize huge savings with Atlantic.Net’s Fully Managed IT […]

   Atlantic.Net announces participation in the annual CFO Conference

10. R. Brooks Borcherding New President of NaviSite - (The Hosting News) – NaviSite, Inc. (NASDAQ: NAVI), has formally ratified the promotion of R. Brooks Borcherding as President. This appointment will see Borcherding overseeing various facets of the company such as overall sales, marketing, operations and service delivery in addition to business planning and day-to-day operations.
    “Since joining the company last April, […]

    R. Brooks Borcherding New President of NaviSite

Latest Industry News from The WHIR

1. CA to Buy Performance and Availability Monitoring Solutions Firm Nimsoft for $350M - March 10, 2010 — In an effort to extend CA’s ability to meet the unique IT management needs of “emerging enterprises” and managed service providers, IT management software company CA Inc. has signed a definitive agreement to buy IT performance and availability monitoring solutions provider Nimsoft, Inc.
   

   

2. CloudLinuxOS Added as a Standard Operating System for VPS.NET’s Entire Line of Cloud Offerings - March 10, 2010 — Software developer CloudLinux Inc. announced that virtual private server hosting provider VPS.NET will begin to offer CloudLinux as one of the standard Linux operating systems on all of its elastic and instantly scalable cloud hosting offerings.
   

   

3. Savvis Names North Asia MD, Expands Cloud Infrastructure in Asia - March 10, 2010 — Internet infrastructure services provider Savvis announced on Tuesday it has named Mark Smith its new managing director for North Asia, which includes Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan.
   

   

4. eNom Selected as a Registrar for .CO Domain Names - March 10, 2010 — Domain name wholesaler eNom has become one of only a handful of registrars for .CO domain names.
   

   

5. Web Host Hosting Metro Names Marketing Manager - March 10, 2010 — Web hosting provider Hosting Metro announced on Wednesday it has named Matthew McKinney the company’s new marketing manager.
   

   

6. Cloud Hosting Provider Cloud.bg Announced New Affiliate Program - March 10, 2010 — Just months after launching its fully featured cloud hosting service, Bulgarian cloud hosting provider Cloud.bg has launched its new cloud hosting affiliate program.
   

   

7. Web Host Fasthosts Intros New Virtual Private Servers - March 10, 2010 — UK web hosting provider Fasthosts Internet announced on Wednesday it has introduced a new range of virtual servers that it says “combine high-speed performance, scalability and resource monitoring”.
   

   

8. Rackspace Restructures Hosted Exchange Reseller Program - March 10, 2010 — Web hosting provider Rackspace Hosting announced Tuesday at the Rackspace Email & Apps Reseller Conference that the cloud-based applications division has plans to restructure its reseller program.
   

   

9. SingleHop To Launch Cloud Services Platform Cascade This Spring - March 10, 2010 — Dedicated and managed web hosting provider SingleHop has announced plans to launch a new cloud hosting platform, which will consist of several new cloud services that will be rolled out this spring.
   

   

10. Baltimore Technology Park Data Center to Expand - March 10, 2010 — The Baltimore Technology Park announced on Tuesday it is building a $5 million expansion that will provide 7,000 square feet of additional space, bringing its to total to 37,000 square feet.
    

    

Looking for a perfect web host is kind of like looking for a perfect partner. We want to believe they exist, everyone else seems to have found one, but the search is long and it’s easy to get discouraged.

By now I’m sure you realize that, just as their is no perfect mate, there is also no perfect web host. Just like people, web hosts are subject to mishap and seem all too often to let us down just when we need them most. Given these shortcomings, finding a web host we can feel comfortable with should follow some of the same rules for finding a mate.

So, where to start? Start with yourself and your needs; self evaluation is critical before starting any long-term relationship. What needs are you trying to fill? Do you want to start a personal blog? An e-commerce web site? A family web site? A forum to discuss urban landscaping?

The list of web hosting services can be narrowed by determining what kind of site you have in mind. Do you plan on a full-blown e-commerce site with dynamically generated pages, shopping carts, and lots of database activity? You should consider going straight to a dedicated server. Just want a site to share pictures of your favorite felines with your cat club? A shared host will be more your cup of tea.

Is this your first time? Look for a host that gets good reviews for customer service. Don’t be fooled by friendly and eager responses during those heady days leading up to a commitment. Be sure to test their support after you sign up but before you put a whole lot of effort into building your site. Pick various times of day and use all of their available forms of contact and make sure you get helpful answers in a reasonable amount of time. If you don’t get support from them now when it’s easy, you’re not going to get it later when it’s hard, either.

Make sure the software you want to run is compatible with the host you select. Will you need MySQL or POP3 support? Do they support all the PHP modules your application requires? Do they have installers for the blogging software or the image management package you want to run? Whether you already know exactly what you want to run or you’re not really sure and just want to know what’s available, ask. It’s better to find out early on in the relationship that the two of you aren’t really compatible.

If you’ve experienced the hosting scene before, think about your prior affairs and what you liked and didn’t like about them. It sounds obvious, but try to find hosts that offer the features and services you liked and avoid those you did not. So often we tend to repeat the same mistakes we made in the past both in choosing patners and in choosing web hosts. Just because they promise us a terabyte of bandwidth doesn’t mean we’ll really get it. Read the fine print.

Undertand yourself and your current situation first, then seek out a web hosting provider that meets your needs. Research thoroughly before you dive in, remember to read the fine print, and don’t be afraid to end a relationship that isn’t working.

So, there’s no such thing as a perfect web host. If you’re careful in defining your objectives and do some conscientious research you can find one that you will be happy with for the long term.

But, what if you don’t own a business? Is the web only for business marketing? If you’re not selling something (or by extension, buying something) is there no place on the web for you? Well, we already know the web is unmatched as a research tool. Though the sum of mankind’s knowledge may not be available online (yet), I think it is safe to say there is at least some kind of information on just about anything you’d care to know. So, if you have some special knowledge to impart to the world you should definitely be online.

But, what else? What if you’re just an average person, you’re not trying to sell anything or impart any special wisdom; why should you be on the web? I can say it in four words; “web two dot zero”…that is, “Web 2.0”. Although technically it’s described as the new infrastructure paradigm of the Internet after the tech bubble collapse of 2001 and is most often associated with new technology and business practices, more importantly it describes how a more mature and knowledgeable Internet community is restructuring the web to meet the needs of a new connected society.

Contrary to the early fears our parents expressed about an alienated youth living virtual lives alone in their rooms, experiencing human contact only via electronic intermediaries, in this new society people are more connected across a wider spectrum of experiences than ever. The youth of today are in near constant contact with each other. Through IM, online gaming, cell phones, blogs, chat rooms, etc. we are developing a new culture that encompasses all of the connected world, and the world is becoming more connected every day. It’s not unusual in the least to meet with friends at the coffee shop in the morning and have a chat with friends in four different countries in the evening.

Most Web 2.0 discussions tend to revolve around the changing Internet infrastructure, open source, network application platforms, data ownership and the like. By focusing on the effect they are missing the point; the real revolution on the Internet has little to do with the infrastructure or the technology…it has to do with the people. The new web is a social phenomenon, not a technical one. The Internet is becoming part of the fabric of our society and as such people are changing it and adapting to it in new and unpredictable ways.

So, why should an average person with nothing to sell and no particular drum to beat be on the Internet? Because that’s where the rest of society will be. Personal websites will be more commonplace than telephones; they’re incredibly inexpensive and easy to build, and most people will have more than one. They will have family sites to share pictures and stories with family and friends, personal blogs to maintain a dialogue with friends and strangers alike on the events of their community and the events of the world. Garage sales, wedding announcements, graduations, births, parties, resumes, recipes, pictures, videos, etc. all on your website(s).

The world is flattening and the nuclear family quickly becoming a memory. As more countries come together in common cause and open their markets up to each other, families spread out around the globe and lose touch. The Internet is opening up avenues of instant communication that allow people everywhere to see, hear, and share with each other any time they want. The personal website is the front porch in a new online society where you welcome up friends and neighbors for a sit and a chat in the evenings. It’s the fence you lean on in the afternoon to talk gossip and share recipes. It’s the living room you hold your Cub Scout meetings in as well as where you post the latest pinewood derby results. It’s even a refrigerator door where you post A+ papers next to crayon masterpieces for all the family to see.

Build a site and join an online community of millions around the globe.

At the-host-review.com, we value your information almost as much as you do. We’ll do our best to make sure it’s kept private.

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