FatCow Web Hosting Review: One Plan, Unlimited Features

At a Glance

FatCow was founded in 1998 in New Mexico as a simple, customer-friendly alternative to complex web hosting services and is now headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts. They focus on shared hosting with a “one plan, one price” structure and also offer the MiniMoo plan for those who only need a domain and email. Their WordPress WP Essential plan uses SSD infrastructure for faster performance, and their hosting includes SSL certificates, continuous server monitoring, and 24/7 physical data center security. The platform provides a built-in website builder, application installers, ShopSite eCommerce tools, and unlimited email hosting with spam filtering.

Features

Unlimited resources: Every plan comes with unlimited disk space and bandwidth, giving your site room to grow without extra fees or restrictions.

Free domain: Each new account includes one free domain name for the first year, making it easier to launch your website right away.

Website builder: Their point-and-click builder helps users create professional sites without coding, offering templates and customization options.

App wizards: Simple install wizards allow quick setup of WordPress, Joomla, phpBB, and other popular apps with minimal steps.

Daily backups: Automatic daily backups protect your site from data loss, offering fast restoration when needed.

Developer support: Multiple programming languages, like PHP and Python, give developers the flexibility to build advanced projects.

24/7 support: Round-the-clock live chat and tutorials ensure help is always available for technical or account issues.

SSD hosting: FatCow’s WordPress plans use SSD infrastructure, which processes data faster than traditional HDD storage. This improves website load times and helps maintain stable uptime.

Plans & Prices

FatCow offers hosting solutions designed to keep things simple for individuals, small businesses, and growing websites. Their hosting services fall into three main categories: Web Hosting, WordPress Hosting, and Domain Parking.

Web Hosting

The Original FatCow Plan: This all-in-one plan includes unlimited disk space, unlimited bandwidth, a free domain name for the first year, and access to essential tools like a website builder, ShopSite eCommerce integration, daily backups, and 24/7 support. It’s priced at $4.08 per month during the promotional period and renews at the regular rate after the first term. This plan is ideal for small businesses or personal websites that want a straightforward hosting solution without multiple pricing tiers.

WordPress Hosting

WP Starter: Built for beginners, this plan includes handpicked themes, pre-installed plugins, and a customized control panel for easy site management. It starts at $3.75 per month for the first term.

WP Essential: This plan is designed for users who need faster speeds and stronger protection. It includes SSD-based infrastructure, SiteLock deluxe security, and priority WordPress expert support. Pricing starts at $6.95 per month for the first term.

Domain Parking

MiniMoo Plan: Ideal for users who simply need a domain placeholder or want to establish a basic online presence. It includes one email account, spam filtering, newsletter management tools, and access to the

Website Builder: This plan is priced at $5 per year with no setup fees, making it a budget-friendly entry point for future website owners.

Pros

Built-in app installation wizards

FatCow includes tools that let you install WordPress, Joomla, forums, and more with a few clicks, no manual file uploads or database setup needed. This helps you get a functional site up and running fast.

Great security

Their WP Essential plan integrates SiteLock, which scans for malware and security threats automatically and fixes them behind the scenes. This built-in protection reduces the need for extra security plugins or services.

Low intro price

The first-year plan is just $49 (approximately $ 4 per month) and you can lock in that rate for up to three years. It’s rare to see an unlimited resource plan at such a low locked-in price among established hosts.

Online store tools

FatCow includes ShopSite integration with shopping carts, product catalogs, coupon and discount settings, PayPal and credit card processing, and basic store analytics. All this is available in the same dashboard, no extra plugins required.

Email hosting

You get unlimited email accounts, spam filtering, and webmail access. This ensures you can create any number of professional addresses (you@yourdomain.com) without paying extra.

Free domain registration for the first year

Every hosting plan includes one free domain name for the first term of service. This saves you the initial cost of domain registration and keeps everything under one account.

Cons

Lack of variety in hosting plans

FatCow focuses almost entirely on shared and WordPress hosting. They don’t offer VPS hosting, dedicated hosting, or cloud hosting options. This limits flexibility for businesses that need to scale or want more control over server resources. If your website grows beyond what shared hosting can handle, you’ll likely have to switch to another provider instead of upgrading within the same platform.

Lack of site migration services

FatCow doesn’t provide free or fully managed site migration. Customers moving from another hosting provider must handle the transfer manually, including files, databases, and email setup. This can be time-consuming and challenging, especially for users without technical experience. While some basic tools exist, the lack of hands-on migration support can make switching to FatCow less appealing.

No uptime guarantee

Unlike many hosting companies that offer a formal uptime guarantee with compensation for excessive downtime, FatCow doesn’t provide a clear service-level agreement. Although their uptime may be close to industry standards, customers don’t have any recourse if their site experiences extended downtime. This can be a serious drawback for businesses that rely on their websites to stay online consistently.

Customer Reviews

FatCow has received mostly negative reviews in recent years. They hold a 1.2-star rating on Trustpilot and a 3.4-star rating on G2. While some long-time users remember them positively from earlier years, recent feedback highlights a decline in service quality, pricing issues, and poor support experiences.

Positive reviews

Positive reviews are limited but highlight a few strengths. Some users praise their affordable introductory pricing and basic hosting tools that are easy to set up. A small business owner shared that their site was “up and running in minutes” with minimal technical steps, while another long-term user appreciated their once-responsive technical support team that quickly resolved issues in the past. A handful of reviews also mention their uptime stability during earlier years.

Critical reviews

The majority of negative feedback centers on billing problems, support issues, and service reliability. Many users report sudden price increases, unauthorized renewals, and difficulties canceling or transferring domains. One reviewer shared that after ten years of loyalty, their account was blocked without warning due to a server issue, resulting in lost business. Others describe spending hours on chat with no resolution, struggling to recover emails, and being charged for services they didn’t authorize.

How Can I Contact FatCow Web Hosting

FatCow offers 24/7 customer support through live chat and an online contact form, ensuring responses are provided through the same method as the original inquiry. Their support team assists with domain, hosting, and account-related questions. To report violations of their Terms of Service, customers can email compliance@fatcow-inc.com. They’re also active on Facebook, Twitter, and their blog, providing additional ways to stay connected.

Conclusion

FatCow is a long-standing hosting provider known for their simple shared hosting model, affordable pricing, and beginner-friendly tools. They offer one main shared hosting plan and two WordPress hosting tiers with SSD infrastructure, SiteLock security, and built-in tools like ShopSite for online stores, app installers, and unlimited email hosting. Their pricing starts at $49 for the first year, and each plan includes a free domain name for the first term of service. While their offerings cover the basics well, they lack VPS, dedicated, or cloud hosting options, provide no site migration services, and don’t offer an uptime guarantee. Customer reviews have grown more critical over time, with many users pointing to billing and support issues despite a few positive experiences with ease of use and pricing. Their support team remains available 24/7 through live chat and email, making it easy to get in touch when needed.

If FatCow doesn’t meet your needs, there are plenty of strong alternatives worth exploring. Start by checking our list of top hosting providers to compare features and pricing. You can also use our comparison tool and browse our blog for practical tips before making your choice.