Hostens Review (2024)
TL;DR: What We Think of Hostens
Hostens hosting plans come extremely feature-packed at highly competitive signup discount rates. Though their EU-only servers may disappoint global users.
Suitable for:
Beginners-friendly, or Budget Hosting
Our Evaluation: Hostens Pros and Cons
Hostens Pros
- Highly competitive pricing
- Support Ruby and Python in all shared hosting plans
- Daily backup included in all shared hosting plans
- Choice of 10 distributed data centers in seven countries
Hostens Cons
- Price increase during the renewal
- Limited storage in shared hosting plans
- Hosting upgrade to VPS only (lack higher hosting capacity)
Our Detail Findings & Experience with Hostens
About Hostens: Quick Introduction
Established in 2003 as a division of Lithuanian company ‘Interneto Vizija,’ Hostens swiftly evolved into a prominent player in the web hosting sphere, amassing over 100,000 clients across Europe. Under the leadership of CEO Arvydas Strausas, the company offers an array of services including web hosting, VPS hosting, VPN, and domain registration. Notably, Hostens introduced a free website building tool in 2019, featuring design templates, web fonts, ecommerce support, and diverse payment gateways, further enhancing its appeal to customers.
| Performance |
Is Hostens fast in terms of hosting speed and performance?Hostens shared plans are cheap but they don’t lack speed features. You’ll get NVMe SSD storage and free CDN – both are great for better site speed. |
| Security |
Are websites hosted on Hostens secure with server-side security?Yes, websites hosted at Hostens are safe. Hostens prioritizes security with features such as auto malware scan, advanced web application firewall (WAF), DDoS protection, free SSL certificates, daily backup, . These measures protect your data and ensure your site is secure from common cyber threats. |
| Supports |
What types of customer support does Hostens offer?Hostens’ customer support is easy to access and efficient. Help is avaliable via live chat and email. |
| Value for Money |
Is Hostens worth its pricing in term of value?Hostens is very cheap when weighed against its feature offerings and long-term cost. At $2 per month (renews at $4/mo), basic shared hosting allows you to host 10 websites with 24/7 customer support, a free domain name, daily backup, and 30-days money back guarantee. Higher plans with better features like VPS starts at $5.25/mo, cloud hosting at $/mo and dedicated hosting at $49.99/mo. |
| Overall Users Satisfaction |
What do users say about Hostens?Users are generally happy with their hosting experience at Hostens. Responsive customer support, affordability, and reliable server uptime are the three most mentioned plus points. Some users think Hostens is not suitable for larger eCommerce or agency sites, but most think they are a great budget choice for solo-bloggers and beginners. For additional insights, please refer to the user reviews section below. |
| Beginners Friendliness |
Is Hostens suitable for beginners?Hostens shared hosting is extremely cheap and yet comes with all necessary features to host a simple website. We think newbies will find this host a good place to kickstart their journey on the Internet. |
| Small Business Friendliness |
Is Hostens suitable for small businesses?Limited storage space and lack of higher upgrades above shared hosting plans can be problematic for growing businesses. |
| Web Developers Friendliness |
Is Hostens suitable for web developers?No, there isn’t many features that benefit web developers at Hostens. We do not recommend them for hosting complex web projects. |
| Host Own Email |
Can you host custom email accounts with Hostens?Yes, you can host your own email accounts with Hostens. This significantly reduces your costs by eliminating the need for expensive third-party email services. |
| Onboarding |
Is Hostens easy for new customers to start with?– |
| Free Trial |
Is Hostens available for a free trial?Yes, Hostens offers a 30-day free trial period. If you are not satisfied with their services for any reason, you can cancel within this period and receive a full refund. |
Hostens Plans & Pricing
Hostens provides a range of web hosting solutions, including Shared, VPS, and Dedicated hosting plans. The company also offers specialty hosting services such as Email, and Minecraft hosting.
Consider Renewal Prices When Choosing
When evaluating hosting options, it is important to note that many hosting companies offer substantial discounts during the initial signup period, but prices often increase significantly upon renewal. Be sure to research and compare the renewal prices and not just the introductory rates to understand the true cost of hosting over time.
To help you in making an informed decision, we have prepared two tables below that compare the initial signup costs and renewal costs of Hostens services with several other providers we monitor.
Compare Hostens’s Signup Cost Against Competitors
| Web Host | Shared | VPS | Dedicated | Cloud | Managed WP | Windows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hostens | $2.00 – 8.00/mo | $5.25 – 21.00/mo | $49.99 – 89.99/mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $13.13 – 52.50/mo |
| Kamatera | $ – /mo | $4.00 – 12.00/mo | $ – /mo | $4.00 – 12.00/mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo |
| HostWinds | $5.24 – 8.24/mo | $8.24 – 395.24/mo | $115 – 207/mo | $4.99 – 328/mo | $ – /mo | $12.74 – 431.24/mo |
| LiquidWeb | $ – /mo | $20.00 – 55.00/mo | $199.00 – 549.00/mo | $5.00 – 350.00/mo | $17.50 – 912.50/mo | $65.00 – 145.00/mo |
| DreamHost | $2.95 – 2.95/mo | $13.75 – 110.00/mo | $149.00 – 399.00/mo | $4.50 – 48.00/mo | $16.95 – 71.95/mo | $ – /mo |
| Nexcess | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $52 – 894/mo | $17.5 – 912/mo | $ – /mo |
Compare Hostens’s Renewal Cost Against Competitors
| Web Host | Shared | VPS | Dedicated | Cloud | Managed WP | Windows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hostens | $4.00 – 16.00/mo | $7.50 – 30.00/mo | $49.99 – 89.99/mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $18.75 – 75.00/mo |
| Kamatera | $ – /mo | $4.00 – 12.00/mo | $ – /mo | $4.00 – 12.00/mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo |
| HostWinds | $6.99 – 10.99/mo | $10.99 – 526.99/mo | $115 – 207/mo | $4.99 – 328/mo | $ – /mo | $16.99 – 574.99/mo |
| LiquidWeb | $ – /mo | $20.00 – 55.00/mo | $299.00 – 549.00/mo | $5.00 – 350.00/mo | $17.50 – 912.50/mo | $65.00 – 145.00/mo |
| DreamHost | $6.99 – 12.99/mo | $15.99 – 114.99/mo | $149.00 – 399.00/mo | $4.50 – 48.00/mo | $16.95 – 71.95/mo | $ – /mo |
| Nexcess | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $52 – 894/mo | $17.5 – 912/mo | $ – /mo |
Caution: Prices May Vary Web hosting prices can change frequently. For the most accurate and up-to-date pricing information, please visit the official Hostens website.
Is Hostens the Right Choice for You?
With the cutesy-hamster parked atop their website masthead, ultra cheap shared hosting pricing, and a tagline reading “Even your hamster can have a website now”, Hostens seems to be a perfect choice for the beginners.
The company originates from Lithuania and was founded by true geeks, albeit ones with extensive server administration skills. Hostens offers a complete set of essential features and customer support that responds with the agility of a sprinter. The company may only has a single Lithuania-based data center, but they own and operate the entire thing. This blend crafts a value-packed proposition for beginners or those whose eyes are set on getting the most bang for their buck.
That said, however, be aware of the twist of price adjustments post-renewal and the limited storage in their shared plans.
Summary of Hostens Pros and Cons
Hostens Pros
- Highly competitive pricing
- Support Ruby and Python in all shared hosting plans
- Daily backup included in all shared hosting plans
- Choice of 10 distributed data centers in seven countries
Hostens Cons
- Price increase during the renewal
- Limited storage in shared hosting plans
- Hosting upgrade to VPS only (lack higher hosting capacity)
Hostens Alternatives to Consider
In case Hostens is not right for you, below are some alternatives to consider. You can also find more options in our hosting reviews page (full list).