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Review index · updated October 2026

Hosting reviews, sorted by the kind of site you run

Each category below explains what that type of hosting is for, what we pay closest attention to when we test it, and the warning signs we look for in the small print. Individual plan reviews are filed under these categories with their test dates and full scorecards.
Server rack with neatly bundled red network cables

01 · Shared hosting

Cheap, simple, and only as good as your neighbours

Shared hosting puts hundreds of websites on one physical server and splits its CPU, memory and disk between them. For a new blog, a portfolio or a small business brochure site it is usually all you need — and it is where most people start.

What we check first

  • CPU and memory limits hidden in the fair-use policy
  • How speed changes at busy hours compared with quiet ones
  • Year-two renewal price versus the introductory price
  • Daily backups: included, paid add-on, or merely promised
  • Free SSL that renews itself without manual steps
Verdict guide: Good fit if you run one to three modest sites and want the host to handle the server entirely.

02 · Managed WordPress

Someone else keeps WordPress fast and patched

Managed WordPress plans are tuned only for WordPress. Updates, server-level caching, malware scanning and staging sites are part of the package. The trade-off is control: some plugins are blocked, and many plans count monthly visits instead of bandwidth.

What we check first

  • Whether server caching actually beats a good caching plugin
  • How staging-to-live pushes handle databases
  • The visit limit and what happens when you exceed it
  • Automatic update policy and rollback options
  • Support staff who understand WordPress, not just the server
Verdict guide: Good fit for business sites and blogs where time matters more than root access.
Laptop with WordPress code open on a clean desk
Rack-mounted servers of the kind used for VPS hosting

03 · VPS hosting

Guaranteed resources, more responsibility

A virtual private server gives you a fixed share of CPU cores, memory and storage that nobody else can borrow. It suits growing shops, custom applications and developers. Unmanaged plans leave updates and security to you; managed plans include a sysadmin for a higher price.

What we check first

  • Real CPU performance under sustained load, not burst numbers
  • Time from order to a usable, secured server
  • Snapshot and backup tools, and how long restores take
  • Network speed between the server and major regions
  • What “managed” really includes when something breaks
Verdict guide: Good fit when shared hosting is the bottleneck and you are comfortable with some server work.

04 · Cloud hosting

Scale up for a launch, back down afterwards

Cloud hosting runs your site on a pool of servers so resources can be added in minutes. It handles traffic spikes gracefully — a product launch, a viral post, a seasonal sale. The catch is billing: usage-based pricing is efficient but harder to predict.

What we check first

  • How quickly extra resources come online during a spike
  • Bandwidth and egress charges that appear after the fact
  • Monitoring and alerting included without third-party tools
  • Failover behaviour when one node goes down
  • Exporting your data if you decide to leave
Verdict guide: Good fit for unpredictable or fast-growing traffic, with someone watching the bill.
Fiber optic network cables connected to a switch
Agency team planning client websites around a table

05 · Reseller hosting

Host your clients under your own name

Reseller plans let agencies and freelancers carve one hosting account into many client accounts, each with its own control panel, branded as their own service. You set the prices; you also become the first line of support.

What we check first

  • Isolation between client accounts if one is compromised
  • White-label options for panels, name servers and emails
  • Billing integrations and client management tools
  • Escalation path when your client's problem is really the host's
  • Overselling: how many accounts share the underlying server
Verdict guide: Good fit for agencies hosting ten or more client sites they also maintain.

06 · Domains & email

The small purchases that cause the biggest headaches

Domains and business email are cheap to buy and painful to move. We look at registrar renewal pricing, transfer locks, DNS management and privacy protection, and we test whether hosted email reaches inboxes reliably.

What we check first

  • Renewal price compared with the first-year offer
  • Free WHOIS privacy and how it is applied
  • DNS propagation speed and record types supported
  • Deliverability of hosted email to major providers
  • How easy it is to transfer out when you want to leave
Verdict guide: Good fit for anyone registering a new domain or setting up email on a company name.
Open laptop on a dark desk ready for domain and email setup

§ Reading a scorecard

What our scores mean

Every plan review ends with a single score out of ten, built from five weighted categories. The number is a summary, not a substitute for the review: two hosts can both score 7.8 for completely different reasons.
We also publish the raw figures behind each score — median response times, uptime percentage, restore duration, support response times — so you can weigh them differently if your priorities are not ours.
ScoreVerdictWhat it means for you
9.0 – 10ExceptionalFast, reliable and honest in every area we test. Rare, and re-checked often.
8.0 – 8.9RecommendedStrong overall, with minor weaknesses we name clearly in the review.
7.0 – 7.9Good with caveatsFine for the right project. Read the limits section before buying.
5.0 – 6.9MixedReal problems in at least one important area, often support or renewals.
Below 5.0AvoidFailed basic reliability or treated customers unfairly during testing.

Two categories look right?

Put them side by side on the comparison page — cost bands, effort, limits and who each one suits.
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