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Hostmonster Web Hosting Review |
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| Well-priced, very reliable web host with fast data transfer; good site builder; exclusive NextAdvisor discount | |
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[Editor's note: The prices below reflect a special NextAdvisor discount of $2-off on multi-year plans and $3-off on single year plans. There's no need to enter a coupon, just click "Visit Website" or "Go to Site".] Hostmonster is a solid and affordable web host option at $3.95 per month for a 2 or 3 year commitment. At the time of writing this includes free lifetime domain registration and free domain privacy, which we highly recommend for individuals. You can also choose a single year plan at $4.95 per month. The savings on domain privacy (which can cost between $8 and $12 per year), actually push Hostmonster towards the lower end of the price range. Whichever plan you choose, you'll get "unlimited" storage and data transfer. We made a quick site with the included Pagewizard site builder, a capable little drag-and-drop app that runs right on your browser. Pages were easily edited, though adding a link to the Wordpress blog we built was not intuitive. Pages published without fuss and changes were visible immediately on the site. And our Wordpress installation was a snap. eCommerce solutions come in a few forms. We prefer the Shopsite Wizard, a good choice for those who are more visually inclined. Agora cart is another option, but it's built from the back end, making it less intuitive than WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editors. Creating a cart looks like a serious undertaking. Hostmonster also includes a number of SimpleScripts add-ons. They provide additional functionality and allow you to manage your blogs and shopping carts in a nice user interface. It's an alternative to the popular Fantastico scripts that are also included. It's nicer than Fantastico, even though the included site builders are not as good as the aforementioned PageWizard. Email was easy to set-up, and Hostmonster provides you with instant settings for configuring your computer's mail application. FTP worked well for us, using either the web interface or an external client. On our 83MB site upload, the transfer clocked in at 8:58, taking time only with our 77MB file, The video played remarkably smooth, playing through 50% of the file before having to buffer. Support is provided 24/7 by phone, chat, and email. One phone call was answered quickly and capably, though the agent was a bit curt. A second phone call was handled in a more professional manner. If you're unhappy with the service, a full refund is offered under 30 days. A pro-rated refund is offered after that. You will pay a $10.00 fee for the domain registration, which will leave you with the domain. A unique three-day cancelation window allows you to avoid that fee. |
Service Details:
| Cheapest Plan: | $3.95/mo 2 or 3 years |
| 1 Year Plan: | $59.40/yr; $4.95/mo |
| $ Back Guarantee: | 30-day full refund, prorated after; $10 domain charge (none if canceled under 3 days) |
| Domain: | Free for life |
| Support: | Email, Phone, Chat |
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