Having reliable website hosting is essential to the success of your brand. It allows you to offer a secure service to your customers and ensures that your website is always available to searchers online. This is where HostPapa comes in.
HostPapa is a top-rated web hosting provider that has been around since 2006. The Canada-based, privately owned company offers a broad range of hosting options for businesses of all sizes. These include shared web hosting, VPS (virtual private server) hosting, WordPress hosting, and reseller hosting.
Read the rest of this HostPapa review to discover more about the platform’s top features, its pros and cons, pricing, support, and more so you can determine whether this is the best web host for you.
HostPapa Summary
Ron’s Thoughts
HostPapa is a website hosting platform that is perfect for beginners and people who want to host their first website. It’s also a great choice for website owners that want to migrate their hosting to HostPapa because website migration is free as well. Setting up hosting is very easy thanks to HostPapa’s detailed tutorials and the starter plan is packed with essential and useful features. Overall, you won’t go wrong with this website host!
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Biggest Pro:
Free Domain & Website Migration
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Biggest Con:
Lack of Dedicated Hosting
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Annual Discount:
Yes - Up to 89% Off
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Price:
Starts at $8.95/Month
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Promotion:
Is HostPapa Worth it?
The first section of this HostPapa review will discuss if it’s a good choice for a hosting provider.
HostPapa offers an impressive suite of modern features at competitive prices. The company has vast technical expertise and superb customer service, including 24/7 phone support, live chat, and a ticketing system with a very fast response time.
The hosting platform also offers a free 30-minute consultation for all new users to help them get the most from the service. If you value one-on-one support, this web host is a great choice for your business.
Since its founding, HostPapa has received numerous awards for uptime and performance, including the Uptime Awards from WHTop and NCM Online.
Over the years, the company has built a solid reputation as a secure, reliable, and affordable web host providing Shared, WordPress, Reseller, and VPS hosting to customers around the world.
All in all, HostPapa is a solid option to choose if you require a value-packed multi-year hosting plan for your business website, blog, or eCommerce store.
Sidenote: If you do use HostPapa I’d be grateful if you supported me by clicking on this link to join.
Who is HostPapa Good For?
HostPapa is a great company with impressive features, affordable plans, and an eco-friendly approach that involves powering its data centers, web servers, and office electronics with 100% green renewable energy. The web host’s focus on staying green is one of the main reasons why it stands out among its competitors.
Although the platform doesn’t have a lot of fancy features or cutting-edge tech, it does have a lot to offer in terms of features, performance, and service.
This service is best suited for a variety of users including the following:
- Bloggers: HostPapa’s WordPress hosting plan will allow you to build, launch, and grow your blog successfully.
- Hobbyists: Get the cheapest industry rates to host simple websites for your personal needs.
- Freelancers: Create and host beautiful and functional one-page portfolio websites to show off your talents and skills.
- Small Business Owners: HostPapa’s features are designed to help you manage and grow your small business website in the most effective way possible.
- Agencies: Use the reseller hosting plan to manage all your clients conveniently under one roof.
HostPapa Functionality
1. Ease of Use
HostPapa has a native account management dashboard that is designed for simplicity and flexibility. There’s also a Linux-based cPanel that is intuitive and easy to use even for total beginners.
The company is one of the few web hosting providers that still use the standard cPanel interface.
Here’s a quick look at the simple, clean cPanel interface:
From your dashboard, you can install WordPress and hundreds of other apps and CMSs like Joomla, PrestaShop, etc. If you want to add an online store to your website, you can do so using one-click setup for OpenCart, OSCommerce Cart, and more.
You’ll also be able to manage your domains, billing, support, add-on services, emails, and more from one interface.
If you want to add products and services like automated daily backups, advanced website security, etc. to your web hosting account, you can do so easily from here. You can also manage your databases and configure your website security settings quickly and easily.
All in all, HostPapa is an easy and functional hosting provider. Everything works well and is easy to navigate, even for new users.
2. Types of Hosting Plans
HostPapa has hosting plans to cater to all types of users.
This comes with standard cPanel web hosting and everything you need to get your business online, including hosting, email, business apps, and more.
HostPapa keeps things simple by supplying small business owners with the basic features required to manage their web properties. If you run into any trouble, PapaSquad support is always available by phone, email, or live chat.
You can also add on features like PapaCare which provides you with front-of-the-line access to priority support and ongoing expert advice to help you improve your site’s performance and security.
This package is specifically optimized for WordPress and offers accelerated performance, enhanced speed, extra security, and around-the-clock support.
Most website hosts these days include easy WordPress installations and support for the content management system. HostPapa is no different, but the company goes a step further by helping new users navigate the platform, which can often be challenging.
HostPapa also offers apps and features for marketing, eCommerce, email, and integration with thousands of plugins to meet all your website management needs.
Get fast and secure hosting for your WordPress website without being bogged down by details. This is WordPress on steroids, worldwide. With this plan, the HostPapa team will handle the tech while you focus on your business.
“Managed” means different things to different hosts, but HostPapa certainly puts the web hosting technicians to work for you. The managed service includes automation, performance, firewall troubleshooting, email configuration, backups, software upgrades, migration, security audits, and much more.
Virtual private servers give more power to your sites. Enterprise-grade VPS hosting from HostPapa will give you the power, security, and control you need to successfully manage your website. You’ll also get round-the-clock support with additional security for good measure.
If you have outgrown shared hosting, then HostPapa’s VPS hosting is a great option for you to consider. You’ll be able to expand your website with high-performance hosting for a seamless customer experience.
This affordable, fully-managed solution will give you high levels of control and flexibility and you can scale resources upward as your website continues to grow.
Use HostPapa’s infrastructure to bill your clients. Manage all your clients under your brand using a single, easy-to-use dashboard. The reseller plans give you power and control to level up your business and boost your profits.
You can pick the perfect plan for your business, starting from just $29.99 for the Bronze plan which comes with 20 cPanel accounts, 4-core CPU, 2 GB RAM, 50 GB SSD storage, 500 GB bandwidth, and various other essential features.
3. Enhanced Speed
A good web host is one with servers that are fast enough for its clients’ audiences. HostPapa understands this, which is why the web hosting company has multiple servers and data centers covering strategic locations in Canada, Europe, and the US.
When purchasing your web hosting plan, you’ll be given the option to choose where you would like your web server to be located. This allows for optimal page loading speed and quick response time for a seamless website visitor experience.
The platform’s site load speeds are fast enough to meet Core Web Vitals requirements, and the speeds remain consistently fast across every data center which means that you’ll be able to enjoy reliable and impressive performance on a global level.
One reason for this impressive speed is likely due to speed-enhancing features such as excellent SSD storage, integrated Cloudflare CDN, and other features to ensure that all websites hosted with the company get seconds shaved off from their loading speed in order to provide visitors with an improved browsing experience.
4. 99.9% Uptime
It’s impossible for web hosts to offer 100% uptime since server maintenance has to be done. However, all the best web hosting providers strive to guarantee at least 99% uptime for customers.
HostPapa has an impressive uptime and guarantees that your website will be online and available no less than 99.9% of the time. This means you can minimize the amount of time your website is unavailable online and therefore reduce the likelihood of missing out on revenue.
Check out these stats for HostPapa’s last 6-month average uptime:
5. Proactive Security Features
Security is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing the best website hosting provider. You want a web host that provides you with all the essentials for free, as well as some advanced features on higher tier plans.
Website security essentials include features like:
- SSL Certificate: An SSL certificate is critical for your website. It ensures that the connection between your site and external clients is kept secure at all times.
- DDoS Protection: DDoS attack prevention protects the server from attacks and invasions by third parties. HostPapa provides multiple layers of protection as well as free Cloudflare CDN that you can enable on all plans.
- Server-Level Firewall: Server firewall and monitoring help to filter the data that enters your network. If anything suspicious is detected, the data is then prevented from entering your network.
- ModSecurity: This is a web application firewall designed to filter traffic to your website. It’s a brute force detection system that helps to prevent common malicious attacks by hackers.
Advanced website security features include:
- Domain Privacy: This is a feature that helps you protect any of your personal data that’s stored in the publicly accessible database after you register your domain. The service is offered at a cost of $9.99/year.
- Automated Website Backups: This is a vital feature that provides you with a safety guarantee that you’ll be able to restore your website if anything goes wrong, such as hacking, catastrophic data loss, etc. You can get automated website backups from HostPapa for $19.95/year.
- Protection Power Security Software: For $19.95/year, HostPapa also provides you with a set of features to protect your website and your visitors, including automatic daily malware scans and 24/7 support for manual malware removal assistance.
6. HostPapa Email Hosting
As previously mentioned, one of HostPapa’s strongest points is ease-of-use. Just like with the installation of WordPress, you’ll find that setting up your email account only takes a few seconds.
All you have to do is find the “Email” section in your cPanel. Choose “Email Accounts”, and click to add a new account. When that is done, you’ll be presented with a page that looks like this:
Once you fill in the form fields, you’ll have your professional email account up and running. Just note that HostPapa stores these email accounts on your server, which means that this in-house email platform is not ideal for frequent mailing or huge marketing campaigns.
7. One-Click WordPress Installation
After you sign up for your HostPapa account, you’ll be able to create a new website or migrate your existing one to the platform (more on that below).
You can install WordPress with one click from your cPanel using the handy app installer, Softaculous.
If you sign-up for the WordPress plan, WordPress comes preinstalled. You also get a free version of the performance enhancement plugin, Jetpack. This will save you the trouble of having to install these yourself – something that beginners will appreciate.
Another additional feature you’ll find is the “Backups on demand” feature. The web host doesn’t offer automated backups unless you get them as an add-on to the service. But, you can easily download backups from your dashboard whenever you need to.
8. Drag-and-Drop Website Builder
When it comes to building a website for your business, learning how to code can be a long and tedious experience. Hiring web design experts can be expensive – and still won’t guarantee that you will end up with a website you like.
HostPapa understands this, which is why the platform provides you with a simple, no-code website builder.
This free and easy-to-use drag-and-drop website builder comes standard with all shared hosting plans. If you have registered a domain with the web host, you can use this site builder to create your new website quickly and easily.
The editor is simple and intuitive. It comes with plenty of responsive themes and templates to choose from, which means you won’t have to start building a website from scratch.
Even if you change your mind down the line, you can switch templates without having to start from scratch. This is a feature that you don’t see on many website builders and will be particularly helpful to users who are learning how to build a website for the first time.
Here’s an example of one of the website’s beautiful pre-made templates:
HostPapa also provides tutorials and guides on how to build your website quickly. You can get support at any time and the helpful support team will guide you through the entire process.
Regardless of your level of technical expertise, you’ll be able to design, launch, and manage your website on your own in a relatively short amount of time.
Important Note: The HostPapa website builder is quite basic. All you have to do to customize your pages is click the element (text, image, etc.) and you can make the desired changes. The simplicity and ease of use mean that the site builder will have a few limitations that might matter to more advanced users.
However, if you simply want to build a basic website for your business, then you will find all the features you need on this easy-to-use site builder. Advanced users can customize their websites even more by diving deep into the CSS or HTML code.
9. Free 30-Minute Training Session
As a new HostPapa user, you get a free half-hour training session with a professional who will help you set up your new website. You can hop on a video chat with one of the platform’s experts at any time to discuss topics such as:
- How to build your website
- How to beef up your website security
- How to create an eCommerce store
- How to troubleshoot technical issues on your site
… and much more.
You can schedule your one-on-one training session whenever you want. The hosting company also simplifies the process of learning how to set up your website thanks to a series of video tutorials about the hosting service, website builder, and various other products offered by the company.
This service is also beneficial even if you’re a veteran of building websites. You can ask about any topic of interest, no matter how advanced, and the platform’s experts will provide you with the answers you need.
10. Free Migration
When you sign up for your hosting plan, you’ll be given the option to choose a new domain name or transfer an existing one. All of this is done free of charge and the process is simple and straightforward. All you have to do is provide the hosting platform with some personal information, choose a payment method, and finalize your purchase.
HostPapa takes care of the entire domain transfer process when moving your services from a different host.
The platform’s domain migration experts guarantee that your website will not experience any downtime during the transfer and that everything will work as it should once the transfer is done.
11. Clean, Green Hosting
If you want an eco-friendly web host, then HostPapa is the ideal solution to choose. According to its website, the company was the first in the industry to make a public commitment to going green. It’s one of the earliest hosting companies to use 100% green renewable energy to power its data centers, servers, computers, laptops, and office space.
12. Additional Features
HostPapa also offers SSD storage, unlimited bandwidth, free SSL certificates and domain name, among many other features.
The SSL certificates are installed automatically, which gives you the peace of mind of knowing that your website is safe from hackers and malicious users. This is particularly important if you collect personal information on your website.
HostPapa also has CRM tools to give its customers a seamless experience. Each user gets a dedicated account manager, and no matter how many additional products or services are purchased, you only get one bill.
As you can see from this impressive list of features, HostPapa is different from your average web hosting provider. The company is more of a one-stop shop for businesses looking to supercharge their brand and grow their online presence.
HostPapa Pros and Cons
It’s impossible to find a web hosting company that ticks all the boxes, and like all other web hosts currently out there, HostPapa comes with its own set of pros and cons.
I’ve listed some of the most prominent ones below.
Pros:
- Accessible Support for New Customers: HostPapa provides a free 30-minute individual training session for new customers.
- Easy Setup: Getting started with this web host is extremely easy thanks to detailed tutorials and a set of instructions that is easy to follow.
- Free Domain: When you sign up for a premium account, you get free domain registration even with the cheapest plan.
- Free Website Migration: You don’t have to worry about manually switching your website from your current host as HostPapa will take care of this for you.
- Generous Starter Plan: The cheapest plan comes with all the essential features, including cPanel control panel, SSL, WordPress installer, and free email addresses.
Cons:
- No Dedicated Hosting: Unlike some of its competitors, HostPapa doesn’t provide a dedicated hosting service.
- No Month-to-Month Option: The hosting company doesn’t offer a month-to-month hosting service for shared hosting plans.
- No Free Automated Backups: This service isn’t offered as part of the hosting package, which means you’ll have to pay extra for it.
- High Renewal Prices: HostPapa’s plans are offered at extremely low introductory rates, but once the initial payment term is over, you’ll have to renew at higher prices.
HostPapa Competitors
The next section of this HostPapa review focuses on the hosting provider’s competitors.
HostPapa’s fast servers, beginner-friendly interface, and excellent support (not to mention its eco-friendliness) make the company comparable to some of the best-known web hosting giants in the industry.
However, even though it’s a high-quality service provider that offers great value for money, HostPapa might not be ideal for you.
For example, HostPapa doesn’t offer month-to-month plans, which makes it unsuitable for anyone who’s not looking for long-term web hosting services. In such a case, you’d do well to consider one of the alternatives listed below.
With that said, here’s a quick look at how HostPapa stacks up against the competition.
HostPapa vs Verpex
Verpex is one of the best alternatives to HostPapa. The hosting platform comes with many of the same features, including web hosting, managed WordPress hosting, reseller hosting, and more.
This is a great host with impressive customer service that sets them apart from all the rest. The platform’s customer onboarding process is unparalleled in the industry. The support team helps you to get up and running with any software (WordPress or other) on any device.
If you are looking for professional hosting for your website, then it’s worth trying out Verpex to see if the web host can cater to your needs.
HostPapa vs HostGator
HostGator is a web hosting company that offers great value for money thanks to extremely low renewal prices.
The company provides web hosting that scales from easy to expert. Features include 99.9% uptime guarantee, free SSL certificates, quick and easy WordPress installs, and more.
Plans are designed to cover everyone from small businesses to large enterprises. Whether you want a personal website hosting plan or hosting for multiple business websites, this popular web hosting service is a great solution for you to consider.
HostPapa vs InMotion Hosting
InMotion Hosting provides fast and easy website hosting services and technology solutions for businesses of all sizes.
It comes with essential features for websites to be at their best, including 99.99% uptime, one-click WordPress installs, free SSL certificates, and a free domain for one year.
The company has high-performing servers in highly secure data centers around the world which is how they can offer maximum uptime and top-notch malware and hack security.
Pricing
HostPapa has appealing introductory rates to help you get your business online. Premium plans are as follows:
- Start Plan: $2.95/month: Perfect for basic websites or blogs, All essential features, 1 website, Free website migration, Free domain registration, Free SSL certificate.
- Plus Plan: $5.95/month: Everything in the “Start” plan +, 10 Websites, Website staging, Unlimited MySQL databases, 2x more CPU and MySQL resources.
- Pro Plan: $5.95/month: Everything in the “Plus” plan +, Unlimited websites, Unlimited storage, Enhanced security features, 2x more I/O resources.
- Ultra Plan: $12.95/month: Everything in the “Pro” plan +, Business website builder, Advanced DDoS protection, 4x more I/O resources
The monthly prices are based on 3-year plans, and you can pay via PayPal or Credit Card. All plans come with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee, which means you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by trying out the service.
Product Support
When you click the “Support” button on the website, you will be presented with a few options to receive support.
You can get in touch with the friendly and knowledgeable customer support staff at any time of day or night. If you are experiencing issues with your hosting account, the technical team will work with you until the issue has been resolved.
HostPapa offers support in a variety of ways, including the following:
- 24/7 Phone Support: You can get in touch with the friendly and professional customer support team at any time of day and night via phone.
- Round-The-Clock Live Chat: Talk to qualified web hosting technicians any time you need answers to technical questions regarding your web hosting account.
- Support Ticket System: HostPapa has an excellent support ticket system that has an average response time of under 10 minutes.
- Extensive Knowledge Base: If you love to troubleshoot on your own, you are likely to find the answers you’re looking for in the platform’s comprehensive knowledge base.
Support is offered in four different languages (English, Spanish, German, and French). In addition to the different channels of support, HostPapa also has a blog filled with engaging, highly informative articles on different interrelated topics that are relevant to both current and potential customers.
Is HostPapa Legit?
To round off this HostPapa review, let’s summarize all the points from before and look at whether or not HostPapa is a good choice for you.
HostPapa is a reliable web host that has been around for a decade and a half. The only reason the company continues to grow is that it offers high-quality, affordable services to its customers.
This independent hosting company provides you with high-spec hosting for a very low opening price. You get great value for the starter price – $2.95/month for the first three years. This is the main benefit of choosing HostPapa as your web host.
The platform also has a range of appealing features including free domain registration, unmetered bandwidth, email accounts, and 400+ apps to expand your website’s functionality.
HostPapa’s plan is to provide every customer with a full-featured hosting package at the lowest possible cost while maintaining a high level of quality, security, and performance.
Add to that the first-rate support, training, and tutorials, and this service is starting to look like the perfect solution for small businesses looking for reliable and secure website hosting with all the basics to manage websites successfully.
Check out what these customers had to say:
If you’re ready to give HostPapa a try, sign up for an account on the website right now.