HostMetro: Is it Your Next Web Host?
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HostMetro will provide you with most of the essentials you need to host your website. While it’s not the best in the industry, it does have something that makes it unique. HostMetro provides a price lock, which means prices won’t increase upon renewal. If you’re interested, keep reading to find out all you need to know about HostMetro’s two shared hosting plans.
Pros
Cons
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Quick Stats
What are you looking for? That’s a question you should know the answer to when choosing your web host. There are plenty of web hosts out there, but they differ in many ways. Some are good, others are okay, and it’s our job to point them out for you. We’re here today to see if HostMetro is one of the good or okay web hosts when it comes to shared hosting. What do you think? Keep reading to find out the answer.
Shared Hosting Plans
HostMetro only offers web hosting plans, so it’s made for small/medium businesses. There’s no VPS or dedicated servers. The thing is, there are only two shared hosting plans for you to choose from.
What do these plans include? Let’s take a look:
HostMetro’s plans in detail:
| Plans | Mega Max Plan | Super Max Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Websites | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Space | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Bandwidth | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Domain Name |
Free domain for the first year |
Free domain for the first year |
| SSL Certificate | Not Included | Included |
| Website Builder | Included | Included |
| Email Accounts | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Price | $2.95 | $6.95 |
The upside of using HostMetro is that there’s a price-lock which means there’s no surprise increase in price upon renewal. Plus, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee if you change your mind.
HostMetro Payment Methods
The good thing about using HostMetro, they offer multiple payment methods, as follows:
- Credit/Debit Cards
- PayPal
- Alipay
- Western Union
- Paper checks (For US residents only)
You don’t get all these payment methods with any web hosts.
Ease of Use
In terms of ease of use, it’s not the easiest signup process. Compared to other web hosts, it doesn’t offer many features, making it easier to use. Like other web hosts, there’s an easy-to-use web host that’s easy to navigate. So, even if you’re a beginner, you can host your website without getting a headache.
There’s also a free website builder that’s included with the plans. Let’s just say it’s never been easier to build a website.
Customer Support
If you want to contact HostMetros customer support, they’re available 24/7 on live chat, email, knowledge base, or from 8 am-8 pm CST on the phone.
Live chat is pretty reliable, but you’ll have to give out some personal information before you get your answer.
HostMetro Security
Free SSL certificate
You’ll get a free SSL certificate only with the Super Max plan, which is a huge disadvantage, as most web hosts provide an SSL certificate with all their plans. The SSL certificate is essential to encrypt data and help you get a better SEO ranking.
Password protected directories
Regardless of which plan you end up choosing, you can protect certain parts of your website by restricting access to them, as they will require a password and a username for access. For a detailed tutorial on how to set up a password-protected directory, refer to HostMetros knowledge base.
SpamAssassin protection
Make sure your website is safe by enabling SpamAssassin protection. It’ll help to mark any threatening email as spam to keep your device and website secure at all times.
Hotlink protection
Stop other websites from linking to yours by enabling hotlink protection from the cPanel. There’s a step-by-step guide in their knowledge base to tell you how to do it.
Load Times, Reliability, & Features
Uptime & Speed
HostMetro offers a 99% uptime guarantee, which means if your website is down for more than 1% of the time, you'll be entitled to a refund. However, there’s no need to panic because they are within the industry average with a 99.97% uptime based on our tests.
In terms of speed, it’s not the fastest web host. That’s why if you’re looking for a web host with fast speed, we recommend taking a look at Hostinger.
Features
HostMetros features are a bit limited compared to competitors, but they provide you with some of the essentials to get you started. These include:
- Unlimited subdomains and parked domains
- Unlimited email accounts
- Unlimited storage and bandwidth
- Free website builder
- Free website transfer
- Free script installer
- Free domain for the first year
- cPanel
However, if you’re looking for fully-featured plans, we recommend looking at HostGator, Bluehost, or GoDaddy.
For Advanced Users
There are some developer-friendly tools ready for advanced users. These include:
- CGI bin
- PHP Support
- Cron Jobs
- Log files
- Website analytics
Other web hosts have more technical tools for the tech-savvy. Hence, if you want, check out different web hosts like Hostinger or GoDaddy.
Custom Error Page
Create a unique error page for your website with HostMetro. All you have to do is follow some guidelines from their knowledge base, and your website will look more professional. Plus, it’ll help guide users to another page on your website.
E-Commerce Features
While it’s not a fully-featured e-commerce web host, it does provide some basics. Of course, the Super Max plan has more in terms of security, but both plans include:
- Google Checkout
- PayPal
- ZenCart
- osCommerce
- Advanced firewall
Well, it’s not much, but it’s good enough to help you get an online store.
Bottom Line
Overall, if you choose HostMetro as your next web host, we must tell you the truth that it’s okay. The best web hosting companies include HostGator, Bluehost, and GoDaddy. So if you think HostMetro’s your choice, choose one of the two plans and get started right away.