Hostwinds Review: Features, Pricing, Hosting Types, Uptime Guarantee

Hostwinds stands out in the web hosting market for its customizable and reliable hosting solutions. This review covers their diverse hosting plans, including shared, VPS, cloud, reseller, and dedicated options. 

We also explore Hostwinds’ pricing structures, data center locations, compatibility with popular CMS platforms like WordPress, and notable features such as their 99.9999% uptime guarantee. We conclude with a look at alternative hosting providers to help you decide if Hostwinds meets your hosting requirements best.

Who Is Hostwinds?

Hostwinds is a web hosting company established in 2010 by entrepreneur Peter Holden. The company’s states its mission is to offer affordable, user-friendly hosting solutions without compromising on performance. It serves a diverse clientele ranging from individuals to Fortune 500 companies. 

Where Is Hostwinds LLC Located?

Hostwinds LLC is located in Seattle, Washington.

What Are the Main Benefits of Using Hostwinds?

There are four benefits of using Hostwinds. Firstly, Hostwinds offers competitively priced hosting plans. Secondly, it provides unlimited storage and bandwidth on shared hosting plans. Thirdly, Hostwinds guarantees an outstanding 99.9999% uptime. Lastly, it delivers 24/7/365 customer support.

What Are the Possible Drawbacks of Using Hostwinds?

There are three possible drawbacks of using Hostwinds. Firstly, backups are not included for free. Secondly, a free domain is only available if you purchase an annual plan. Lastly, there is only a 72-hour money-back window.

What Are the Types of Hosting Hostwinds Offer?

The types of hosting Hostwinds offers are shared hosting, Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting, cloud hosting, reseller and white label reseller hosting, and dedicated hosting. Each type comes in several tiers to cater to the resource needs of individuals, businesses, and large enterprises. 

It’s helpful to understand the features and limitations of these 5 types of hosting when choosing a Hostwinds plan.

Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is a type of hosting where websites share server resources, providing a cost-effective solution. Hostwinds offers 3 tiers of shared hosting. Each plan comes with unlimited bandwidth and storage to provide a reliable and scalable hosting environment. 

Other benefits include unlimited subdomains, unlimited FTP accounts, unlimited databases, and unlimited email accounts. The Basic plan is the most economical option among the three. It starts at $5.24 per month. This plan is ideal for those just starting their online journey or with minimal hosting needs. 

Hostwinds also offers Business shared hosting plans for those looking for a shared hosting solution with more resources. Business plan users get higher PHP Memory Limits, higher inode limits, and an increased outbound email limit. They come in three tiers with the cheapest plan starting at $8.99 per month. 

Virtual Private Server Hosting

Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting is a type of hosting that gives each website dedicated resources on a shared server, giving them more power. Hostwinds offers ten VPS hosting plans. 

They have managed and unmanaged options. Hostwinds’ VPS plans vary in CPU, RAM, storage, and bandwidth to suit different needs from small projects to resource-intensive applications. Each plan allows for precise customization to ensure efficient resource use and easy upgrades as demands grow. Their most affordable option starts at $8.24 per month.

Cloud Hosting

Cloud hosting is a type of web hosting that uses a network of servers to provide scalable, reliable, and flexible resources. Hostwinds features ten cloud hosting plans that support a variety of needs with different CPU, RAM, storage, and bandwidth configurations. 

The entry-level plan is priced at $0.006931 per hour. Their pay-per-hour model offers an affordable and flexible route to cloud hosting with the potential for performance and capacity adjustments as required. 

Hostwinds has a diverse selection of operating systems (Debian, Fedora, CentOS, Ubuntu, and Windows) to choose from, and lets you deploy a cloud server within seconds. The platform also boasts a library of pre-configured cloud applications such as WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, and Minecraft, which allows for quick server launches without the hassle of manual configurations.

Reseller + White Label Reseller Hosting

Hostwinds offers reseller and white label reseller hosting options. Reseller hosting allows individuals to resell their allocated hosting resources to third parties. White label reseller hosting enables resellers to brand the service as their own, hiding the original hosting provider’s identity.

They have 3 reseller plans for varying levels of demand, with the Basic plan starting at $5.24 per month. This plan is ideal for individuals or small businesses wanting to enter the hosting market with minimal investment. Hostwinds incentivizes bulk purchases by providing discounts ranging from 5-20% based on the number of reseller accounts bought.

Their white label reseller plan is priced at $10 per month. The plan differentiates itself by enabling resellers to sell Hostwinds’ full range of products and services under their own brand. This is unlike the standard reseller hosting which is limited to selling shared services under the Hostwinds umbrella. Your choice between reseller and white label reseller hosting must align with your specific reselling objectives.

Dedicated Hosting

Dedicated hosting is a type of hosting where a single client has exclusive use of a server. Hostwinds offers dedicated hosting plans starting at $122 per month for those requiring maximum performance, security, and control. Options for customization include server drives, RAM, RAID configurations, operating system choices, outbound bandwidth, and the number of IP addresses. 

This level of personalization ensures that each dedicated server is able to be optimized for its intended tasks, whether for a high-traffic website, a large eCommerce platform, or resource-intensive applications.

Does Hostwinds Offer Windows Hosting?

Yes, HostWinds does offer Windows hosting on their VPS, cloud and dedicated hosting plans. Windows hosting caters to users who require or prefer the Windows operating system for their online presence. HostWind Windows Hosting plans come with Microsoft Windows Server 2012, Microsoft Windows Server 2016, or Microsoft Windows Server 2019. Hostwinds does not offer Windows hosting in their shared hosting plans, only Linux plans (Debian, Fedora, CentOS and Ubuntu OS). 

Do You Get Unlimited Storage With Hostwinds?

Yes, you get unlimited storage with Hostwinds on their Shared and Business Web Hosting plans. Unlimited storage is a feature that allows customers to host a wide array of content and data without worrying about exceeding storage limits.

Do You Get Unmetered Bandwidth With Hostwinds?

Yes, you get unmetered bandwidth with Hostwinds on their Shared and Business Web Hosting plans. Unmetered bandwidth removes strict bandwidth limitations for customers and enables seamless website performance and generous data transfer.

What’s the Difference Between Hostwinds’ Unmanaged and Managed Plans?

The difference between Hostwinds’ unmanaged and managed plans is that their managed plans offer a higher level of support and server management.

Hostwinds’ managed support includes OS updates, virus scans, and resolving speed issues. Managed support also covers network-related problems, server boot failures, hardware failures, and package installations. Support also extends to DNS configuration and setup, firewall troubleshooting, crontab setup, password resets, operating system reinstalls, and securing SSH ports.

For clients with cloud and dedicated servers equipped with cPanel, managed support goes even further to include email configurations, troubleshooting of website server errors (such as 500 or 403 errors), and system software upgrades (PHP, MySQL). Hostwinds also helps you with PCI compliance modifications, custom Apache configurations, Perl/PECL module/extension installations, and backup and cPanel configurations.

Their unmanaged services cater to customers who prefer or have the capability to manage their servers independently. This means the customer is responsible for the server’s maintenance and management. Basic support for network connectivity and power is provided by Hostwinds. Beyond that, server management and upkeep is the customer’s responsibility. Those who opt for unmanaged services but later require additional support need to upgrade to managed services for more comprehensive assistance.

How Much Do Hostwinds’ Plans Cost?

The cost of Hostwinds’ plans range from $5.24 per month for shared hosting to $122 per month for the starting price of dedicated hosting. Keep in mind that Hostwinds offers promotional pricing for the first billing cycle of their shared and VPS plans. Prices are renewed at their regular rate after the purchased cycle. 

Customers have the option to pay monthly or annually. Conversely, Hostwinds’ cloud hosting uses a pay-per-hour model, which allows for precise budgeting based on actual usage. This variety of pricing and payment options ensures that Hostwinds is able to meet the needs of different users.

Is It Better to Opt for Monthly or Annual Plans?

It is better to opt for annual over monthly plans with Hostwinds. Annual plans reduce overall hosting expenses by locking in Hostwinds’ promotional pricing for a longer period. It’s especially recommended for those intending to maintain their site long-term.

Where Are Hostwinds Data centers?

Hostwinds operates three data centers located in North America and Europe. They have two in the United States, located in Seattle, Washington, and Dallas, Texas, and one in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Is Hostwinds Fast?

Yes, Hostwinds is fast. They utilize Solid State Drives (SSDs) across their hosting plans, which significantly outperform traditional hard disk drives in terms of speed. This reduces data access times and speeds up website loading. Their hosting environment is also configured to support the latest PHP versions, which are known for improved speed and security over older versions. However, they generally do not offer any remarkable speed optimizing software or hardware that make them stand out from the market. 

What Is Hostwinds’ Uptime Guarantee?

Hostwinds offers a 99.9999% uptime guarantee which exceeds the industry average. This uptime is achievable due to Hostwinds’ fully redundant infrastructure, which includes dual setups for crucial components like routers and fiber paths to adhere to 2N redundancy standards. Such a setup means there’s always a backup in place, ready to take over if any part of the system fails. This minimizes downtime risks and ensures continuous operation.

What Control Panel Does Hostwinds Provide?

Hostwinds provides its users with the cPanel control panel. cPanel is a popular control panel that facilitates website management through an intuitive interface. This allows users to easily manage their web hosting accounts, domains, email accounts, files, and more. Hostwinds also incorporates Softaculous, an auto-installer that makes it easy to install and manage web applications. Softaculous supports a wide range of applications, including the most popular content management systems (CMS) like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal.

Does Hostwinds cPanel Come Preinstalled on Their VPS Plans?

Yes, Hostwinds’ cPanel is preinstalled on their VPS plans as one of the available application templates with pre-configured software. To use cPanel/WHM, you must select this option at checkout and purchase a cPanel license (which is available during the checkout process). Hostwinds recommends a server specification of at least 1 CPU Core, 2 GB of RAM, and 50 GB of disk space for running cPanel effectively. Websites experiencing higher traffic require additional resources to maintain optimal performance.

Does Hostwinds Come With a Free Website Builder?

Yes, Hostwinds comes with a free website builder through their partnership with Weebly. Weebly’s website builder includes a variety of templates and customization options, which makes it suitable for creating a wide range of websites from personal blogs to professional business sites.

Does Hostwinds Come With Free Emails?

Yes, Hostwinds comes with free and unlimited emails with their shared hosting plans. This allows you to create as many professional email addresses as you need. All emails are tied to your domain.

How Many Databases Can I Host on a Hostwinds Plan?

You can host unlimited databases on a Hostwinds plan. This gives you extensive flexibility in managing multiple websites or applications from a single hosting account. It also facilitates the growth and complexity of your online projects without the concern of hitting database limits.

How Many FTP Accounts Can I Host on a Hostwinds Plan?

You can host unlimited FTP accounts on a Hostwinds plan. Unlimited FTP accounts allow you to manage file transfers for multiple websites or applications efficiently and without limits on the number of FTP accounts you are able to create.

How Many Domains Can I Host on a Hostwinds Plan?

The number of domains you can host on a Hostwinds plan is between one to unlimited domains, depending on the Hostwinds package you select. The Basic plan allows you to host one domain. It’s most suitable for individuals or small projects. The Advanced plan permits hosting up to four domains, and is recommended for managing multiple sites. The Ultimate plan offers the ability to host unlimited domains. This provides the greatest flexibility for larger projects or businesses with a broad online presence.

Does Hostwinds Give a Free Domain Name?

Yes, Hostwinds provides a free domain name in their yearly plans, which gives customers an easy start to establishing their online presence. Keep in mind that the domain is only free for the first year, and that you need to pay for renewal fees annually. Also note that while the domain name itself is free, there is a charge for WHOIS privacy protection. WHOIS privacy is an additional service that conceals your personal information in the domain registration records, which enhances your privacy online. This means that while you’re able to get started with a free domain, opting for privacy protection incurs an extra cost. 

What Are Hostwinds’ Nameservers?

Hostwinds has 2 kinds of nameservers: shared nameservers and cloud nameservers. Shared nameservers are designed for clients using shared or business hosting. These users have cPanel to manage and configure their DNS settings automatically. Cloud nameservers are available to any Hostwinds customer. These nameservers allow users to set up and manage their domains directly in the cloud portal and offer more flexibility and control over DNS settings. Both types of Hostwind nameservers are found by logging into your individual Hostwinds panel and checking your Manage Page. Hostwind’s nameservers begin with seans, dalns, or amsns depending on your server location. 

Is Hostwinds Good for WordPress?

Yes, Hostwinds is good for WordPress. Hostwinds’ WordPress hosting includes the Softaculous Auto Installer for quick WordPress setup and Solid State Drives (SSDs) for rapid data access and faster website load times. Hostwinds also provides features that meet the platform’s minimum requirements such as PHP 7.3 or higher, MariaDB 10.0 or higher, Apache with mod_rewrite module, and HTTPS support. Additional perks include 24/7 WordPress expert support.

Does Hostwinds Offer Managed WordPress Hosting?

Yes, Hostwinds offers managed WordPress hosting. Managed WordPress hosting is specifically designed for those looking to offload the routine maintenance tasks (e.g. software updates, security monitoring, performance optimization) associated with running a WordPress site. It allows users to dedicate more time to their content and business goals, as the WordPress backend is expertly managed.

Is Hostwinds Secure?

Yes, Hostwinds is secure. Hostwinds provides essential features like SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates and malware scanning, with additional security options such as 24/7 monitoring and nightly backups available as paid add-ons. 

Is a Free Hostwinds SSL Certificate Included?

Yes, a free AutoSSL certificate is included with Hostwinds Shared and Business Web Hosting plans. An SSL certificate encrypts data transmitted between your website and its visitors, which protects sensitive information such as passwords and credit card numbers. RapidSSL certificates and WildCard SSL through GeoTrust can be purchased at extra cost.

Do I Get Free Website Backups?

No, you do not get free website backups with Hostwinds. They offer nightly backups for an additional $36 per year. This service provides peace of mind by ensuring that a recent copy of your website is always available in case of data loss, hacking, or other unforeseen issues. 

Do I Get Free Website Monitoring?

No, you do not get free website monitoring with Hostwinds. This service is available for an additional $24 per year. Website monitoring keeps an eye on your website’s uptime, performance, and security, and notifies you of any issues that affect its operation or accessibility.

Can I Get Root Access With Hostwinds?

Yes, you can get root access with Hostwinds VPS, Cloud, and Dedicated Hosting plans. Root access provides you full control over your server. Root access is especially beneficial for advanced users who require the ability to perform administrative tasks, install custom software, and configure settings at the server level.

Is Python Supported?

Yes, Python is supported on Hostwinds. Python is a versatile and easy-to-read programming language used in web development, data analysis, and artificial intelligence. It supports multiple programming paradigms and has a vast standard library and community-contributed modules.

Is Node.js Supported?

Yes, Node.js is supported on Hostwinds. Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment that enables developers to execute JavaScript code outside of a web browser. It’s designed for building scalable network applications, such as web servers and I/O intensive web applications.

What Customer Support Does Hostwinds Offer?

Hostwinds offers 3 types of customer support. The first is 24/7/365 live chat and ticket support. The second is phone support. This is convenient for those who prefer speaking directly with a support representative. 

The third is a knowledge base. Hostwinds maintains an extensive knowledge base of articles, guides, and tutorials covering a wide array of topics, from basic hosting questions to more complex technical issues.

Can I Use Hostwinds Phone Support for Technical Issues?

No, you can’t use Hostwinds phone support for technical issues. Their 24/7 live chat or ticket support systems are more suitable for addressing these concerns.

Hostwinds’ phone support is primarily geared towards their sales department. This means it’s dedicated to inquiries about plan options, pricing, and services before making a purchase. Those looking for pre-sales advice are able to find Hostwinds’ phone number in the Contact Us page, which is accessible in their footer section.

Do I Get Free Website Migration?

Yes, you get free website migration under the Hostwinds migration policy. Hostwinds provides comprehensive assistance for managed services within the first 60 days of service activation. Their team facilitates the migration process, and handles transfers from any control panel setup to the chosen Hostwinds service. 

The migration completes within 24 to 48 hours, though larger migrations extend beyond this due to size and complexity. It’s important to note that Hostwinds does not consolidate multiple cPanel accounts into one and that only managed services qualify for free migration assistance. 

What Is Hostwinds Money Back Guarantee?

Hostwinds’ money-back guarantee allows for prorated refunds on eligible services. This is provided that the refund request is made within seventy-two (72) hours of the payment transaction time. This is significantly shorter than many web hosts that offer a 30-day money back guarantee. 

Software licenses, domains, SSL certificates, and IP addresses are non-refundable. Services billed hourly or terminated for Terms of Service violations, as well as purchases made with cryptocurrencies, are ineligible for refunds. Note that refunds are only issued back to the original payment method used (e.g. credit card, PayPal, Alipay) with account credits provided for other payment methods. 

How to Cancel Hostwinds Subscription

There are 4 steps to cancel your Hostwinds subscription. There are 4 steps to cancel your Hostwinds subscription. Firstly, log in to your Client Area dashboard and navigate to the Services dropdown, then select My Services. This directs you to the MY PRODUCTS & SERVICES page, which displays all purchased services, whether active or not. Secondly, click the green Manage button next to the service you wish to cancel, taking you to that service’s dashboard page. Thirdly, under the Actions menu, select Request Cancellation from the list of available options. Finally, you’ll see a dropdown requesting the reason for cancellation. Select your reason and, after reviewing the warnings, click the Request Cancellation button to finalize the process.

Note that Hostwinds’ object storage is billed separately from any services that utilize this storage. After canceling a service, review your object storage to ensure no related items remain that incur further charges. For example, manually delete any backups placed in object storage to avoid future billing for these items.

How to Get A Refund From HostWinds?

To get a refund from Hostwinds, cancel your services through the Hostwinds Client Portal. Then request a refund within seventy-two (72) hours of the payment transaction time. It’s crucial to adhere to the 72-hour window post-transaction time to qualify for a refund.

5 Hostwinds Alternatives

There are 5 alternatives to Hostwinds web hosting that are worth looking at:

1. Hostinger

Hostinger and Hostwinds both offer budget-friendly hosting solutions, with Hostinger standing out for its lower introductory prices starting from $1.99 per month. Hostinger is known for its A+ speeds and a user-friendly custom control panel, hPanel. Hostwinds has a broader service range in terms of customization options for VPS and dedicated servers.

2. Bluehost

Bluehost is officially endorsed by WordPress and is renowned for its solid performance in the United States. Bluehost’s WordPress-centric approach and extensive marketing resources appeal more to WordPress users.

3. A2 Hosting

A2 Hosting is popular for its high-speed solutions and superior customer service. Both A2 and Hostwinds provide a wide range of hosting services, but A2’s focus on speed through its Turbo Servers offers an advantage for sites requiring fast loading times.

4. HostGator

HostGator is known for its reliable and fast hosting services, with pricing slightly above Hostwinds. Both offer a variety of hosting plans, including shared, VPS, and dedicated options, but HostGator’s user-friendly approach and extensive marketing tools appeal more to beginners.

5. HostPapa

HostPapa stands out for its commitment to small businesses, and offers services tailored to their needs. Hostwinds provides a wide selection of plans for scalability and flexibility, but HostPapa’s focus on personalized support and education resources makes it a strong option for those new to web hosting or running small to medium-sized businesses.

Does Hostwinds Have Any Promotional Codes?

No, Hostwinds does not have any promotional codes, but they provide introductory discounts for new customers. These discounts are a great way to save on their hosting services when you sign up. Hostwinds also offers substantial discounts of over 50% during major sales seasons such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. 

Verdict: Is Hostwinds Worth Considering? 

Hostwinds is a compelling choice for those seeking customizable hosting solutions. Their extensive range of services, from shared to cloud and dedicated server options, caters to a broad spectrum of hosting needs. 

Hostwinds also distinguishes itself with customer-centric features such as free website migration, support for unlimited email accounts and databases, and the inclusion of a Weebly-based website builder in its plans. Their helpful support channels also ensure that users have access to expert assistance whenever needed. We also commend their dedication to reliability and high performance, evident in their 99.9999% uptime guarantee.

It’s worth noting a few drawbacks: backups are not included for free, a free domain is only available with an annual plan purchase, and there is only a 72-hour window for money-back guarantees. But despite these, Hostwinds is still a good hosting option for those prioritizing customization, performance, and comprehensive hosting services.

Hostwinds

From

$5.24

monthly

Visit Host