Hostinger Review – Low Prices, But What’s the Catch in 2023?

Pros
  • Easy to use – The Hostinger admin panel is a joy to navigate, with clear menus and well laid-out options.
  • Cheap – The introductory prices are incredibly low. And even if these prices nearly double on renewal, they remain cheaper than most other web hosts.
  • Generous bandwidth – Bandwidth is unlimited on the higher tier plans, but even 100 GB on the lower tier is enough to welcome thousands of visitors per month.
  • Developer-friendly features – Those who like to stay in control of the tech stack behind web hosting will find that Hostinger offers a great selection of tools.
  • Fast – We have tested it over the last two years, and consistently got very fast load times for our Hostinger websites (more below).
Cons
  • No automatic daily backups – Sure, you can create manual copies of your site, but only relying on weekly backups is a dangerous game to play.
  • Limited number of sites – You’ll be able to host max. 1 site with the Single plan, and up to 100 with Premium and Business.
  • Weak uptime guarantee – While Hostinger has drastically improved its uptime rates in the last year, a 99.90% guarantee is a bit stingy compared to other hosts.

Hostinger: Affordable and Powerful Web Hosting Solutions

In today’s digital age, having a reliable web hosting service is crucial for the success of any online venture. When it comes to affordable and feature-rich hosting options, Hostinger stands out as a leading player. Founded in Lithuania in 2004, Hostinger has grown into a global web hosting company, catering to the needs of 29 million websites across 178 countries.

Unveiling Hostinger: Empowering Websites Worldwide

Hostinger began its journey as a small, employee-owned enterprise with a vision to democratize web hosting. Initially offering free web hosting, Hostinger has evolved over the years, maintaining its commitment to affordability and equipping professional websites with powerful features.

Exploring Shared Hosting Plans: An In-Depth Review

Shared hosting is one of the primary hosting solutions offered by Hostinger. Let’s delve into the details of their shared hosting plans, which provide a solid foundation for websites of all sizes.

1. Single Hosting Plan: Unleashing the Power of Simplicity

Hostinger’s Single Hosting Plan, priced at $5.99 per month, is an excellent choice for individuals and small businesses seeking a reliable hosting solution. With this plan, you can enjoy a seamless hosting experience, backed by Hostinger’s robust infrastructure.

2. Premium Hosting Plan: Elevating Performance and Resources

For website owners who require enhanced performance and additional resources, Hostinger’s Premium Hosting Plan is a perfect fit. Priced at $8.99 per month, this plan offers an optimal balance between affordability and advanced features. Experience faster loading times and allocate more resources to handle increased traffic effortlessly.

3. Business Hosting Plan: Empowering E-commerce and Resource-Intensive Websites

Hostinger’s Business Hosting Plan is designed to meet the demands of e-commerce platforms and resource-intensive websites. With a price tag of $11.99 per month, this plan offers a comprehensive suite of features, including advanced security measures and priority support. Enjoy seamless online transactions and ensure your website remains secure and highly responsive.

A Glimpse into Other Hosting Packages

While shared hosting is Hostinger’s flagship offering, they also provide various other hosting packages tailored to different needs.

VPS Hosting: If you require more control and dedicated resources, Hostinger’s VPS Hosting is worth considering. Experience the freedom to customize your server environment while enjoying the benefits of virtualization.

Cloud Hosting: Harness the power of cloud technology with Hostinger’s Cloud Hosting solutions. Benefit from scalability, high performance, and reliability, ensuring your website remains available to visitors at all times.

WordPress Hosting: For users leveraging the popular WordPress platform, Hostinger offers specialized WordPress Hosting plans. These plans are optimized for WordPress websites, providing seamless installation, enhanced security, and excellent performance.

Final Thoughts: Unlocking Your Website’s Potential with Hostinger

Hostinger’s commitment to affordability, powerful features, and global coverage has made it a go-to choice for website owners worldwide. Whether you’re a small business owner, a blogger, or an e-commerce entrepreneur, Hostinger’s range of hosting solutions caters to your unique requirements.

Investing in a reliable web hosting service is an investment in your online success. With Hostinger, you can unlock your website’s true potential while enjoying cost-effective and feature-rich hosting solutions. Choose Hostinger and join millions of satisfied users who have entrusted their websites to this industry-leading hosting provider.

**Note: The prices mentioned in this article are subject to change and represent the renewal prices after the introductory offer ends (based on a one-year upfront payment).

Prices:

 SINGLEPREMIUMBUSINESS
Websites1100100
FTP Accounts1UnlimitedUnlimited
Inodes (files allowed)200,000400,000600,000
Storage (SSD)50 GB100 GB200 GB
Bandwidth100 GBUnlimitedUnlimited
RAM768 MB1 GB1.5 GB
MySQL Databases2UnlimitedUnlimited
Database size3 GB3 GB3 GB
1 Domain registration for freeNo1 year1 year
SSL CertificatesYesYesYes
SSH AccessNoYesYes
BackupsWeeklyWeeklyWeekly + Daily
Email accounts1100100
CPU Cores1 Core1 Core2 Cores
First year prices$2.39 a month $2.39 a month $3.99 a month
Price at renewal for 1 year-deals$5.99 a month$8.99 a month$11.99 a month
More informationwww.hostinger.com

Is Hostinger Hosting Easy to Use?

When it comes to web hosting, ease of use is a crucial factor to consider. Once your website is set up, you wouldn’t want to waste time navigating through a complicated control panel. Hostinger understands this need and ensures that their hosting service is fast, efficient, and user-friendly.

hostinger control panel

The Intuitive hPanel

Unlike the traditional cPanel, Hostinger uses its custom control panel called “hPanel.” I personally find it exceptional and highly appealing. The hPanel boasts a sleek and modern design, ensuring a pleasant user experience. Its intuitive organization allows users to find everything they need with ease. Furthermore, the instructions provided within the control panel are clear and concise, making it effortless to navigate. Although the DreamHost control panel may be slightly faster, the hPanel is still remarkably swift.

Complete Control and Features

One of the standout features of Hostinger’s shared hosting is the abundance of offerings available, even with their affordable pricing. Let’s take a closer look at the impressive features Hostinger provides:

Free SSL Certificate

Security is paramount for any website, and Hostinger acknowledges this by including a free SSL certificate with their hosting plans. This certificate encrypts the data transmitted between your website and its visitors, ensuring a secure browsing experience.

1-Click App Install

Simplifying the process of setting up your website, Hostinger offers a 1-click app install feature. This feature is particularly handy for WordPress users, allowing them to quickly install the platform and start building their website hassle-free.

Website Import and Migration Tools

If you have an existing website hosted with another provider, Hostinger streamlines the transition by offering tools to import your website seamlessly. Additionally, if you ever decide to migrate your website to a different platform, Hostinger provides tools to facilitate this process as well.

Multiple Server Locations

Hostinger understands the importance of server location in delivering optimal website performance. With their hosting service, you have the flexibility to choose from multiple server locations, ensuring that your website loads quickly and efficiently for visitors from various regions.

DNS Management

Managing your DNS settings is made effortless with Hostinger’s hosting service. You have complete control over your domain’s DNS records, allowing you to make necessary changes and modifications whenever required.

FTP Accounts

For those who prefer using FTP (File Transfer Protocol) to upload and manage their website files, Hostinger offers FTP account functionality. This allows you to establish secure connections and transfer files between your local machine and the hosting server seamlessly.

Page Speed Testing Tools

Website speed plays a crucial role in user experience and search engine optimization. Hostinger provides page speed testing tools that enable you to assess the performance of your website and identify areas for improvement. By optimizing your page speed, you can enhance user satisfaction and boost your website’s rankings.

Staging Areas (Limited to Premium and Business Plans)

For advanced users and developers, Hostinger offers staging areas. However, this feature is limited to their Premium and Business plans. Staging areas allow you to create a replica of your website, where you can test and make changes without affecting the live version. This enables you to experiment and perfect your website before implementing any modifications.

24/7 Live Chat Support

Should you encounter any issues or have questions regarding your hosting service, Hostinger provides 24/7 support via live chat. Their dedicated support team is readily available to assist you with any inquiries you may have, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted hosting experience.

Hostinger Website Builder

If you’re looking to create a website from scratch without any coding knowledge, Hostinger offers its own website builder. This powerful tool enables you to design and customize your website effortlessly, providing a range of templates and intuitive drag-and-drop functionality.

Missing Features

While Hostinger’s shared hosting plans offer exceptional value, there are a few features that could further enhance the overall experience. Although these features are absent from the lower-tier plans, they are available in the Premium and Business plans. Some of the features I would like to see included in all plans are:

Free Domain Name for the First Year

Acquiring a domain name is an essential part of establishing an online presence. It would be advantageous for all Hostinger users to have access to a free domain name for the first year, regardless of the plan they choose.

Automatic Daily Backups

Regular backups are crucial for safeguarding your website’s data. While the Business plan includes automatic daily backups, it would be beneficial for all plans to have this feature. Automated backups provide peace of mind by ensuring that your website’s content is protected and can be easily restored if needed.

Better than 99.90% Uptime Guarantee

Website uptime is vital for maintaining an online presence and delivering a seamless user experience. While Hostinger guarantees an impressive uptime, surpassing the 99.90% mark would offer even greater reliability. A higher uptime percentage ensures that your website remains accessible to visitors without interruption.

Hostinger Backups: Ensuring Data Security and Peace of Mind

As an SEO expert and high-end copywriter, I understand the significance of reliable backups for website owners. Hostinger, a leading web hosting provider, offers a robust backup system that ensures the safety of your valuable data. In this article, we will explore Hostinger’s backup features and discuss their importance in maintaining a secure online presence.

hostinger backups

Automatic Backups for Enhanced Data Protection

At Hostinger, automatic backups are performed on a weekly basis across all hosting plans. These backups are retained for a period of 30 days, allowing you to restore your website to a previous state if needed. For users subscribed to the Business plan, Hostinger goes a step further by providing automatic daily backups in addition to the weekly ones.

However, relying solely on a single weekly save point might not offer complete peace of mind. To address this, Hostinger also offers manual backup options. It’s important to note that there is a limitation of one backup creation per 24-hour period. Nevertheless, having the ability to take manual backups provides an extra layer of control over your data.

Flexible Backup Options: Whole Website or Databases

When creating backups with Hostinger, you have the flexibility to choose between backing up your entire website or specific databases. Once the backup is initiated, it may take some time to complete. Afterward, you can easily download a compressed zip file to your computer or restore directly through the user-friendly interface.

It’s worth mentioning that the backup process within Hostinger’s hPanel interface may not be immediately intuitive for all users. If you find yourself struggling to navigate the process, there are helpful tutorials available that guide you through the steps. Nonetheless, Hostinger is continuously working on improving the interface to enhance user experience.

Prioritizing Data Protection and Accessibility

While creating and restoring backups is relatively straightforward once you become familiar with the process, it is crucial to address the need for automatic daily backups. Especially for beginners who might overlook the importance of regular backups, ensuring the safety of their website becomes paramount. During the initial stages of website development, where frequent changes are made, losing an entire week’s worth of work due to a lack of backups can be disheartening.

Hostinger review backup save files

Hostinger acknowledges this concern and aims to further streamline the backup system. The inclusion of automatic daily backups would provide users with added convenience and protect against potential data loss. By actively considering the needs of beginners and implementing improvements accordingly, Hostinger demonstrates its commitment to supporting website owners at all stages of their online journey.

Developer-Friendly Features: Empowering Technical Users

In addition to its comprehensive backup system, Hostinger offers an array of tools and developer-friendly features across all hosting plans. These features cater to technical users and empower them to have full control over their website’s performance and functionality.

Advanced Control and Integration Options

Hostinger allows technical users to leverage powerful tools such as Cloud Linux, client-side libraries like Curl and Curl SSL, as well as InnoDB for efficient database management. These functionalities enable developers to optimize their website’s performance and ensure a seamless user experience.

Furthermore, Hostinger recognizes the importance of version control for developers. By integrating GIT, a popular version control system, developers gain the ability to manage and track changes effectively. This ensures the stability and reliability of the website throughout its development lifecycle.

Staging Areas: A Developer’s Playground

One notable feature that enhances the development process is the inclusion of Staging areas. Unfortunately, this feature is exclusively available in Hostinger’s Business plan, which might seem surprising considering its immense value to developers. Staging areas enable developers to test changes and updates to their website before making them live. This significantly reduces the risk of introducing errors or disrupting the website’s functionality during the development phase.

Hostinger Features Compared to Other Providers

When it comes to web hosting providers like Namecheap and DreamHost, Hostinger holds its ground with a range of impressive features. In fact, Hostinger offers a host of features that surpass those of Namecheap.

While DreamHost does provide more generous offerings than Hostinger, such as additional databases, subdomains, FTP accounts, and higher storage capacity, most of these extras won’t significantly impact the average user’s experience.

However, there are certain features that do make a difference! Let’s take a closer look:

DreamHost: First-Year Free Domain and Backup Benefits

DreamHost stands out by offering a free domain name for the first year, although subsequent years will require payment. Additionally, all of DreamHost‘s plans include free automatic daily backups and a 100% uptime guarantee. These extra perks can greatly benefit most users.

Hostinger: Unique Advantages

On the other hand, Hostinger provides a couple of unique advantages that aren’t available with DreamHost. These include free email accounts and GIT access. While GIT access may be considered more niche, these features can prove useful for many users.

Furthermore, Hostinger’s plans are generally priced one or two dollars lower compared to DreamHost’s plans!

Hostinger Performance: Speed and Reliability

When discussing performance, we focus on two crucial aspects: speed and reliability. Both are vital for a successful website.

Speed: The Need for Quick Loading Times

The speed of your website directly affects user experience. If your website takes too long to load, visitors are more likely to leave and may never return. Moreover, search engines prioritize faster-loading websites, which means better ranking opportunities.

Reliability: Ensuring Uptime and Accessibility

Reliability refers to how often your website is online and accessible to users. While occasional downtime is inevitable due to technical issues or maintenance, your web host should strive to minimize these periods. Extended downtimes lead to a decrease in website visitors.

At Tooltester, we conduct comprehensive tests on web hosts throughout the year to determine the fastest and most reliable providers, as well as those with slower speeds and lower reliability.

Is Hostinger Web Hosting Fast?

When it comes to the speed of web hosting, Hostinger stands out as a top performer. Our comprehensive tests against 14 other providers this year clearly indicate that Hostinger web hosting is indeed fast. Let’s delve into the details and explore why Hostinger is a reliable choice for your website.

Hostinger’s Impressive Performance

To assess the speed of web hosts, we conducted a series of rigorous tests. In the chart below, you can observe how Hostinger excelled compared to other providers:

Hostinger consistently delivered outstanding load times, outperforming many other web hosts. This remarkable performance can be attributed to the utilization of LiteSpeed servers, which are renowned for their speed and efficiency. Additionally, Hostinger includes the LiteSpeed caching WordPress plugin with each plan, further optimizing your website’s speed.

A Look at Hostinger’s Performance Over the Years

Evaluating a web host’s performance over time is crucial. By analyzing their track record, we can ascertain the consistency of their services. As shown in the table below, Hostinger demonstrated strong performance in 2021, although it faced some challenges in 2020.

The combination of LiteSpeed servers and continuous improvements suggests that Hostinger is committed to enhancing their hosting infrastructure and delivering exceptional speed to their users.

Hostinger’s Affordable Plans and Impressive Speed

One noteworthy aspect of Hostinger’s performance is its affordability. Despite their remarkably low pricing, Hostinger outperformed several web hosting providers that charge significantly higher fees. In this year’s test, Hostinger surpassed the speeds of renowned providers such as SiteGround, Kinsta, and WPEngine. The affordability-speed ratio offered by Hostinger makes it an enticing choice for individuals and businesses seeking fast and cost-effective web hosting solutions.

It’s important to acknowledge that while speed is a significant factor, there are other considerations when selecting a web hosting provider. Each provider has its own strengths and advantages that might align better with specific requirements. However, Hostinger’s speed is undoubtedly impressive, and it positions them as a strong contender in the hosting industry.

Is Hostinger Web Hosting Reliable?

Website reliability is measured by uptime—the percentage of time a website remains operational and accessible. A higher uptime translates to a more reliable hosting service. Let’s explore Hostinger’s uptime performance and determine its reliability as a web host.

Evaluating Uptime

To gauge Hostinger’s reliability, we examined their uptime performance. The following scale categorizes uptime results:

  • 100% – 99.98% Uptime: Reliable
  • 99.97% – 99.95% Uptime: Acceptable
  • Less than 99.95% Uptime: Unreliable

Based on our tests this year, Hostinger demonstrated acceptable uptime, as indicated in the chart below:

[Insert chart here]

Hostinger’s uptime performance was satisfactory, ensuring that websites hosted with them remained accessible for a significant portion of the time.

A Closer Look at Historical Uptime

Analyzing a web host’s uptime history is crucial in determining its reliability. Looking back at the past two years, Hostinger experienced poor uptime, indicating a lack of reliability as a web host. However, with the recent upward trend in their performance, we remain hopeful that Hostinger has addressed the issues and is actively working towards maintaining reliable uptime. We will continue to monitor their performance closely to provide you with the latest insights.

Hostinger Customer Support: Enhancing Your Web Hosting Experience

In the realm of web hosting, customer support can make or break your experience. Hostinger understands this importance and strives to provide impeccable support services that ensure your peace of mind. In this article, we will explore Hostinger’s customer support offerings, emphasizing their commitment to timely assistance, extensive knowledge base, and helpful support agents.

hostinger customer support

Accessible and Timely Support

When it comes to addressing your concerns, Hostinger recognizes the urgency. They offer 24/7 customer support through live chat and email channels. Like most reputable web hosts, Hostinger encourages customers to explore their extensive knowledge base before reaching out to their support team. This approach aims to empower users to find solutions independently, saving time and effort.

A Comprehensive Knowledge Base

Hostinger’s knowledge base is an invaluable resource for users seeking answers to their queries. Before initiating direct contact, you are guided through a series of possible problems and their corresponding solutions. The knowledge base is thoughtfully presented, making it easy to navigate and find relevant information. This initial step helps streamline the support process, ensuring that you receive prompt assistance when needed.

Seamless Live Chat Experience

Once you have exhausted the knowledge base’s resources, Hostinger provides a seamless transition to their live chat feature or email support. Although immediate agent availability is not guaranteed (a feature typically associated with top-tier providers), the average wait time at Hostinger is under 10 minutes. In my personal experience, I seldom waited longer than a couple of minutes, a testament to their commitment to prompt service.

Knowledgeable and Helpful Support Agents

Hostinger’s support agents exhibit commendable expertise and helpfulness. They possess a deep understanding of the platform and its intricacies, allowing them to guide users effectively. Whether you encounter technical challenges or require clarification on a particular feature, Hostinger’s support agents are well-equipped to assist you. Their ability to provide accurate and timely solutions enables a smooth resolution of your concerns.

hostinger live chat

Overall Satisfaction Guaranteed

Based on my experience, I have found Hostinger’s customer support to be exemplary. The support agents consistently deliver exceptional service, promptly addressing any issues that arise. Their knowledgeable guidance ensures that even complex problems are resolved efficiently. Consequently, I have no complaints whatsoever regarding Hostinger’s customer support.

Considering Phone Support

It is important to note that Hostinger does not offer phone support. While this may not be a concern for me personally, I understand that some individuals value this mode of communication. If phone support is an essential aspect of your hosting requirements, it may be necessary to consider alternative providers such as SiteGround, albeit at a higher cost.

Hostinger Review Conclusion

In my expert opinion, Hostinger has undergone significant improvements since our last review, making it a commendable choice for website hosting!

Improved Uptime: One of the most notable enhancements is in terms of uptime. Previously, Hostinger’s uptime performance was inadequate, preventing us from recommending it as a reliable option for serious projects. However, this year’s scores have shown acceptable improvement, allowing us to consider the other compelling features that Hostinger offers.

Fast and User-Friendly Backend: Hostinger’s backend is both swift and user-friendly, ensuring a seamless experience. With its intuitive interface, even beginners can easily navigate the platform. Additionally, a wide range of useful features are available, enhancing the overall functionality of your website.

Impressive Speed: When it comes to website speed, Hostinger does not disappoint. Your website will load swiftly, offering visitors a seamless browsing experience. This is particularly crucial for user satisfaction and search engine optimization.

Decent Customer Support: Hostinger’s customer support is reasonably good, ensuring you receive assistance whenever needed. While there is room for improvement, the support team is responsive and strives to address your concerns promptly.

Unbeatable Prices: One of the most enticing aspects of Hostinger is its affordability. The hosting plans are offered at rock-bottom prices, making it an attractive option for those on a tight budget. However, it’s important to note that certain desirable features, such as a free domain for the first year and automated daily backups, are available as add-ons.

Exploring Alternatives: Don’t forget to explore other cost-effective web hosting providers and low-cost WordPress options. It’s always beneficial to consider various choices before making a final decision.

Ideal Use Cases for Hostinger: If you’re operating on a limited budget, Hostinger is an excellent choice. Among the hosting providers we review, only Namecheap offers lower prices on renewal. However, please be aware that Namecheap also has its own limitations. Hostinger is particularly well-suited for small personal projects, allowing you to dip your toes into website building without significant financial investment. Furthermore, as you progress and delve into more advanced development, Hostinger offers all the necessary features to support your growth.

Instances Where Hostinger May Not Be Suitable: Despite the improvements in uptime this year, I would still like to see consistently better scores before endorsing Hostinger for hosting projects that demand utmost reliability. For ecommerce websites and sites expected to attract high volumes of traffic, I recommend considering hosting providers with a proven track record of solid uptimes and exceptional all-around performance, such as SiteGround or A2 Hosting.

Give Hostinger a try risk-free for 30 days or explore our comprehensive guide to finding the best web hosting provider.

FAQ: Unveiling the Secrets of Hostinger’s Low Prices

How Hostinger’s Prices Remain Unbelievably Low

Have you ever wondered how Hostinger manages to offer such incredibly low prices? Let’s delve into the factors that make their pricing so attractive.

Hostinger offers a $1.39 per month plan, specifically designed for a 48-month contract. It’s worth noting that even after the initial contract, the plan renews at a highly reasonable rate of $2.99 per month for another 48 months. However, if you prefer to pay on a monthly basis, the price increases to $9.99 per month.

Demystifying the Meaning of “Unlimited”

The term “unlimited” can be quite misleading when it comes to web hosting providers. Hostinger is no exception. While they indeed provide the advantage of unlimited websites and bandwidth, there are still certain limitations to be aware of.

Hostinger operates with a fair usage policy, which means that although you can theoretically have unlimited websites and bandwidth, there is a limit to the number of files you can host. These limitations are determined by a metric called inodes, which varies depending on your chosen plan. Depending on the plan you select, you will have between 200,000 and 600,000 inodes at your disposal.

Flexible Payment Options for Your Convenience

Hostinger understands the importance of flexibility when it comes to payment methods. They offer a wide range of options to ensure your convenience.

You can choose to pay for your Hostinger plan using popular payment gateways such as PayPal. In addition, major credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and others, are accepted. Hostinger also embraces the future of finance by supporting cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, allowing you to make payments using these digital currencies.

Hassle-Free Account Cancellation Process

If you ever need to cancel your Hostinger account, rest assured that the process is effortless and straightforward.

To cancel your account, simply access your dashboard and locate the Deactivate Button in the “Other” section. Hostinger strives to make account cancellation as seamless as possible, ensuring that you have full control over your hosting experience.

Hostinger review deactivate account

Refunds: Exploring Your Options

Curious about the refund policy? Let’s break it down for you.

If you find yourself within the first 30 days of your Hostinger subscription, you are eligible for a refund. Hostinger provides a 30-day money-back guarantee, ensuring customer satisfaction. However, please note that if you have made payment using a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Litecoin, the refund policy may differ.

Once the initial 30-day period has passed, canceling your Hostinger account will not result in a refund. It’s crucial to keep this in mind if you are considering canceling your subscription after the initial guarantee period.

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