Netfirms Review: Unlimited Storage for Small Site Hosting

At a Glance

Netfirms was founded in 1998 and has grown into a global web hosting and domain-registration service aimed at individuals, entrepreneurs, and small to medium-sized businesses. The company is powered by Network Solutions, which strengthens their infrastructure and domain management capabilities.

Netfirms specializes in domain names, web hosting, email services, SSL certificates, web design, and online marketing. On the hosting side, they offer shared hosting plans that include free SSL via Let’s Encrypt, unlimited storage on many plans, and a 99.9% uptime promise.

Netfirms supports domain privacy and protection services, domain security alerts, and malware scans through partner solutions such as SiteLock. The company also sets clear policies around account and domain ownership verification.

Features

Free SSL certificate with every plan: Netfirms provides Let’s Encrypt SSL on all hosting tiers. This protects data exchanged between the site and its visitors, improves trust, and boosts SEO performance.

Free domain name for one year: Each hosting plan comes with a free domain registration for the first year, reducing upfront costs for new websites and small businesses.

24/7 customer support via chat and phone: Users have round-the-clock access to live support for troubleshooting, billing questions, or setup guidance, which can help minimize downtime.

cPanel-based hosting environment: All hosting plans use cPanel for easy website management, file access, and configuration. Users can manage databases, emails, and domains from one dashboard.

Email hosting with custom addresses: Hosting plans include a business email tied to your domain name. This helps create a more professional online presence while centralizing communication.

Built-in website builder: Netfirms offers a drag-and-drop website builder with customizable templates. It’s designed for beginners who want to launch their site without hiring a developer.

Subdomain and FTP access: Users can create unlimited subdomains and manage their files securely through FTP, making it easier to organize large or multi-section websites.

One-click app installation: Through cPanel, users can install popular platforms like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal in seconds, skipping manual setup steps.

Standard security tools: Netfirms provides domain privacy options, malware scanning through security partners, and account verification protocols to reduce risks of breaches and unauthorized access.

Plans & Prices

The company offers affordable shared hosting options designed for individuals and businesses that want a simple, scalable, and secure platform to build their websites. All plans include unlimited storage, scalable bandwidth, a free SSL certificate by Let’s Encrypt, and 24/7 support.

Web Hosting

Plus: This entry-level plan is designed for single-site users. It starts at $3.95 per month and renews at $4.25 per month when billed for 24 months. It includes hosting for one website, unlimited storage, scalable bandwidth, 10 databases, and 5 FTP logins. This plan is ideal for personal websites or small businesses getting started online.

Advantage: A more flexible option for managing multiple projects. It starts at $7.95 per month and renews at $8.95 per month when billed for 24 months. It includes unlimited websites, unlimited storage, scalable bandwidth, 25 databases, and 25 FTP logins. It’s a good fit for growing websites that need more resources.

Business: Built for high-traffic sites and professional users, this plan starts at $10.95 per month and renews at $12.95 per month when billed for 24 months. It supports unlimited websites, unlimited storage, scalable bandwidth, unlimited databases, and unlimited FTP logins. It’s designed for businesses that need reliable performance and flexibility.

Pros

Unlimited storage and bandwidth

Netfirms includes unlimited disk space and bandwidth on all shared hosting plans. Their infrastructure supports over 99.5% of customer traffic without forced plan upgrades, making it ideal for growing sites that need flexibility without extra cost.

Unlimited email hosting

Netfirms lets users create unlimited email accounts tied to their domain, giving businesses the flexibility to set up addresses for teams, departments, or specific functions. Each account includes up to 500 MB of storage or 10,000 messages. This allows businesses to manage professional communication without paying extra per address.

Free domain services

Netfirms includes URL forwarding, email forwarding, transfer lock, and full DNS management with every domain at no extra cost. This gives users more flexibility and control over how their domain is used. For example, URL forwarding makes it easy to point multiple domains to one site, while DNS management lets users set up advanced records like MX, TXT, and CNAME without relying on third-party tools.

Generous resource allocation

Even their entry-level plans include higher FTP and database limits than what most budget hosts offer. This means users can host multiple sites, create more databases, and manage larger projects without needing to upgrade right away.

Transparent pricing structure

Their pricing is simple and predictable, with minimal hidden fees and clear renewal rates. This helps users budget accurately and avoid unexpected costs.

Free first domain

Each shared hosting plan includes a one-year free domain, reducing upfront costs and simplifying the launch process for new websites.

Cons

No VPS or cloud hosting options

Netfirms only offers shared hosting, which restricts how much a website can grow before hitting resource limits. Businesses with high traffic or complex applications can’t upgrade to VPS or cloud plans for more control or dedicated resources. This also means they have fewer customization options, limited server configurations, and less flexibility compared to providers that offer scalable hosting tiers.

No CDN integration

Netfirms doesn’t offer a built-in content delivery network (CDN), which means all website content is served from a single server location. This can slow down page load times for visitors who are far from that server. A CDN caches and distributes content through multiple global nodes, improving speed and stability during traffic spikes. Without it, businesses may need to manually integrate a third-party CDN, which adds extra steps and potential costs.

No site backups or WAF protection

Netfirms doesn’t offer automatic backups or built-in firewall protection. Without backups, recovering from data loss or errors can be difficult. The lack of a WAF also leaves sites more vulnerable to attacks, pushing users to rely on third-party security tools.

Customer Reviews

Most customers share negative experiences with Netfirms. On review platforms, they hold a 1.3 rating on Trustpilot and a 2.8 rating on G2, with the majority of recent feedback highlighting service reliability and support issues. While there are a few positive experiences from long-time users, most reviews point to technical and customer service frustrations.

Positive reviews

Many of the positive reviews highlighted good uptime, simple domain management, and affordable pricing during their early experience. For example, one long-time user mentioned staying with Netfirms for nearly a decade because of the easy setup and flexibility of their hosting plans, while another praised the platform for its reliable domain registration process and consistent service in its earlier years.

Negative reviews

The negative reviews focus on persistent technical issues, outdated infrastructure, billing problems, and unhelpful support. Common complaints include slow server speeds, frequent downtime, difficulty transferring domains, and poor communication from customer service. One customer reported losing access to their Google Search Console after unauthorized DNS changes, while another experienced months-long delays waiting for a PHP version update. Many also expressed frustration over auto-renewal charges, lack of refunds, and difficulties canceling services.

How Can I Contact Netfirms

You can reach their support team 24/7 via live chat or by calling 866-317-4678 for general help. For written inquiries, you can email them at support@netfirms.com. You can also connect with them on social media on Facebook and on Twitter/X.

Conclusion

Netfirms offers a basic and affordable hosting service that works well for individuals and small businesses that need simple website management. Their shared hosting plans include unlimited storage, bandwidth, and email accounts, along with a complimentary domain name for the first year. Their transparent pricing and built-in domain services add extra value for users who want to keep costs low.

However, their lack of VPS or cloud hosting, CDN integration, and built-in backup or firewall protection makes them less suitable for growing businesses with more advanced needs. Customer feedback also shows recurring issues with performance and support, which can be a deciding factor for those seeking a more reliable long-term web host.

If you’re considering other hosting options, you can check out our list of top hosting providers to see how they compare to Netfirms. You can also use our comparison tool to find the best fit for your needs and browse our blog for practical tips, insights, and guides.